Fill in the correct words for each blank.

Capital punishment - often to as the death penalty - is among the most discussed topics in . Although abolished in most countries it is still a common form of in the United States, the Middle East, China and other states.

Almost all ancient civilizations have executed people for crimes. Jesus Christ, for example, was crucified by the Romans. In the Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic church killed nonbelievers and burned women as witches at the . Beheading was widespread during the French Revolution.

In the last 200 years many countries have capital punishment. In the United States discussion about the death penalty has been going on for decades. Even the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, once reversed its on capital punishment.

Those in favour of the death penalty say that it is an deterrent for potential criminals and may stop them from awful crimes. They also maintain that humans who kill others do not have the right to live themselves. On the other side, there are many arguments against capital punishment. One of the most heard is that the judicial system is flawed and wrongful executions cannot be reversed. , life imprisonment without would be a more effective way of punishing a criminal.

In the past, governments have been seeking more ways of carrying out death sentences. Hanging and death in front of a firing squad were common methods used up to the 20th century. Most in the early part of the last century were killed on the electric chair. This was a painful death that in severe burns if it went wrong. Oklahoma was the first state to use lethal injection in 1977. Defendants are put on a gurney and a needle is stuck into their blood stream. Three put them to sleep, stop breathing and the heart from beating within a few minutes. Executions are carried out by because doctors have sworn to save lives instead of taking them.