1. Now, he would ask, what was capital punishment? 现在,他要问的是到底什么是死刑?
2. Capital punishment is surely a cruel but necessary punishment. 死刑的确是一种残酷但是又很必要的刑罚。
3. Tentatively it can be suggested that this is the main influence upon those who urge the abolition of capital punishment. 可以这样探讨性地提出,那些竭力主张废除死刑的人们主要是受怜悯的影响。