9 Give your opinion on the following quotations:

1. In 450 BC Aristophanes addressed a famous public figure: “You have all the characteristics of a popular politician: a horrible voice, bad breeding, and a vulgar manner.” (Speak on the characteristics you think a popular politician should possess.)

2. In 1996 Douglas Adams, an American writer said that “Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job”. (Speak on the characteristics you think a capable President should possess.)

3. In 1960 Nikita Khrushchev criticized politicians: “Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.” (Do you consider politicians’ pledges to be enforced fakes or sincere attempts to contribute to the good of the country?)

4. “The press and politicians. A delicate relationship. Too close, and danger ensues. Too far apart and democracy itself cannot function without the essential exchange of information. Creative leaks, a discreet lunch, interchange in the Lobby, the art of the unattributable telephone call, late at night.” Howard Brenton, British playwright. (What is the role of the mass media in a rise or fall of a politician? Give examples of “delicate” relationship between the press and a politician.)

5. In 1985 Christopher Lasch, an American historian, wrote: “The job of the press is to encourage debate, not to supply the public with information.” (Remember to give examples of the news or issue coverage which caused heated debate in the press and society.)

6. IN 1974 R. A. Butler, a British politician, claimed, “In politics you must always keep running with the pack. The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured, the rest will turn on you like wolves.” ( A political career can be ruined due to the failure in the party loyalty. Think of some examples.)

7. Chinese proverb says, “Some people fear gaining fame the way pigs fear gaining weight.” (Speak on what lies behind the fame or notoriety of a public figure?)

8. Politicians are marvels of energy and principle when they are out of office, but when they get in, they simply run behind the machine.

9. Politics is so expensive, it takes a lot of money just to get defeated. Will Rogers, American humorist

Unit 10: The Legislative Branch of the Government

In the usa

Glossary

Study the following words and word combinations and use them when answering the questions.

Senate House of Representatives legislature legislative branch, legislation to legislate to vest power to levy taxes to appropriate bicameral regular session special (extraordinary) session to be in session transaction of business to convene under standing order Speaker to be in the minority/majority to keep a check on caucus majority leader minority leader to take the floor talks on the floor to recognize smb to hold hearing on … proposal for a new law a bill to introduce a bill to originate a bill to refer a bill to a committee consider a bill to debate a bill to veto a bill to override or defeat the president’s veto act to draw a bill enactment of a bill to recall a bill select committee standing committee term, term of office to expire President of the Senate to preside to supervise the work of the legislature to hold office, to hold a post

Сенат Палата представителей законодательный орган; зд. законодательная власть, законодательство; закон; законодатели, законодательная власть, деятельность издавать закон облекать властью облагать налогами, взимать налоги ассигновать двухпалатный очередная сессия специальная (чрезвычайная) сессия заседать ведение дел созывать согласно существующему положению спикер, председатель Палаты представителей быть в меньшинстве/большинстве зд. о политической партии в Конгрессе осуществлять контроль за... совещание фракции Конгресса лидер большинства лидер меньшинства взять слово в Конгрессе выступления в Конгрессе предоставлять слово кому-либо проводить слушания по …. проект нового закона законопроект вносить законопроект вносить закон-кт на рассмотрение палаты передавать закон-кт на рассмотрение в комитет рассматривать законопроект наложить вето на законопроект преодолеть президентское вето закон; законодательный акт составлять (формулировать) закон-т подписание, принятие закона отклонять законопроект специальный комитет постоянный комитет срок пребывания на посту, срок полномочий истекать (о сроке) председатель Сената председательствовать (в Сенате, Палате) руководить работой занимать пост, должность

Answer the following questions.

Strategy Points: how to provide the best answer to the question

• Make use of various sources of information (text-books, multimedia materials, the Internet, etc) to obtain necessary data, facts, information

• Use appropriate vocabulary when answering a question (refer to Glossary)

• Use a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

• Make sure you keep to the topic.

The Legislative Branch of the American Government

1. What form of government do they have in the United States?

2. What is the function of the legislative branch of government?

3. What is the structure of the Congress?

4. What are the powers of the Congress?

5. What are the powers of the Senate which are not accorded to the House of Representatives?

6. What are the sole powers of the House of Representatives?

7. Who is the presiding officer in the House?

8. What are the Speaker’s powers and functions?

9. Who presides the Senate? How is this officer referred to in the Senate?

10. What are the functions of majority and minority leaders?

11. What are the functions of the whips?

12. What are the three major categories congressional committees fall into?

13. Why does the conference committee play a key role in deciding a bill’s final form?

14. What is the role of the lobbyists in Congress?

15. Who originate bills?

16. How a bill becomes a law?

17. What choices does a President have when a bill reaches the White House?

PRESENTATION SKILLS

Strategy Points: how to make the best presentation

• Make use of various sources of information (text-books, multimedia materials, the Internet, etc) to obtain necessary data, facts, information

• Avoid making your presentation purely factual or theoretical, make references to present actual situations, people, events, etc

• Use appropriate vocabulary (refer to Glossary)as well as a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures.

• You must not read your source material when reporting the ideas in discussion,.

• Focus on getting the main idea across clearly.

• Check that you have made yourself clear, an eye-contact with the listeners is a must.

• Involve the audience in the topic through your own questions, examples, jokes, etc

• Arrange the information in the written form.

Speak on one of the following topics.

1. The United States Constitution; origins, basic principles, primary aims, its evolution

2. Founding Fathers.

3. The House of Representative: its composition, the current activity (issues under discussion, recent decisions), its leaders, the incumbent Speaker, etc

4. The Senate: its composition, the current activity (issues under discussion, recent decisions), its leaders, the incumbent President of the Senate, etc

5. How a Bill becomes a Law: the bills passed by Congress recently, the bills vetoed by the President

6. A Bill in progress: provide an example of a particular bill before Parliament, its going through the stages

7. American Congress, British Parliament and the Federal Assembly: what features they do and do not share.