Unit 11: The Executive Branch of the Government

In the usa

Glossary

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

THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH the Administration office to administer and execute laws the President’s Cabinet Department Ambassador emergency powers to enforce law Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) system of checks and balances to appoint smb (as) sth, to appoint smb to a position

исполнительная власть правительство США должность (на государственной службе) исполнять законы члены Кабинета министерство, ведомство, отдел посол, дипломатический представитель чрезвычайные полномочия проводить закон в жизнь федеральное бюро расследований (ФБР) Центральное разведывательное управление (ЦРУ) система сдержек и противовесов назначить кого-либо на должность

THE US GOVERNMENT

Head of the Government – PRESIDENT

HEAD	руководитель	DEPARTMENT	министерство
Secretary of State	Госсекретарь, министр иностранных дел	Department of State	Госдепартамент (Министерство иностранных дел, МИД
Secretary of Defence	Министр обороны	Department of Defence	Министерство обороны
Secretary of Homeland Security	Министр национальной безопасности	Department of Homeland Security	Министерство национальной безопасности
Secretary of Treasury	Министр финансов	Department of Treasur y	Министерство финансов
Secretary of the Interior	Министр внутренних дел	Department of the Interior	Министерство внутренних дел
Secretary of Commerce	Министр торговли	Department of Commerce	Министерство торговли
Attorney General	Министр юстиции	Department of Justice	Министерство юстиции
Secretary of Agriculture	Министр сельского хозяйства	Department of Agriculture	Министерство сельского хозяйства
Secretary of Health and Human Services	Министр здравоохранения и социальных служб	Department of Health and Human Services	Министерство здравоохранения и социальных служб
Secretary of Transportation	Министр транспорта	Department of Transportation	Министерство транспорта

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 Executive Branch of the American Government

1. What is the highest governmental office in the United States?

2. What is the executive branch responsible for?

3. Is American President comparable to a reigning monarch? A prime minister or premier? Is the President technically a “Chief of State”?

4. What are the chief duties of the President?

5. When does the President’s term of office begin and how long does it last?

6. By what body is the President assisted in administration?

7. What is the President’s Cabinet?

8. What is the membership of the Cabinet?

9. What are the 14 executive departments?

10. When was the State Department established?

11. What are its major activities?

12. What is the system of “checks and balances”? How is it exercised?

13. What is the function of the independent agencies?

14. What provision is made by the Constitution or by law for the execution of the duties of President in the event of the death, resignation, or disability of the Chief Executive, or his removal from office?

15. Where does the difference of transition of power to a new government in the USA and Great Britain lie?

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 incumbent President: his political and social programmes and their outcome.

2. American Administration and the Cabinet

3. System of checks and balances (compare three countries)

4. Differences in Federal and State governments of the USA

5. Lobbyism as part of the American political system

6. Immigration Policy of America

7. British-American relationships, history, current policies

8. Racial riots in America and the police participation in it.

Make use if the following sites:

www.senate.gov

www.barackobama.com

Unit 12: The Judicial Branch of the Government