Text 2 State System of Russia

Russia is a parliamentary republic. Head of State in this country is the President. The government consists of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The President controls only the executive branch – the government, but not the Supreme Court and Federal Assembly.

The legislative power is exercised by the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers. The Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation; the Lower Chamber is the State Duma. Each chamber is headed by the Speaker. A bill may be introduced in any chamber. A bill becomes a law if it is approved by both chambers and signed by the President. The President may veto the bill. He can make international treaties. The President may also appoint ministers; the Federal Assembly approves them.

The President is elected for four years on the basis of universal, equal and direct right to vote by secret ballot for all eligible citizens. One and the same person cannot serve as President for more than two terms in succession. The members of the Federal Assembly are elected by the people for four years.

The executive power belongs to the Government, or the Cabinet of Ministers. The government is headed by the Prime Minister.

The judicial power belongs to the system of courts. It consists of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the federal courts.

The national symbol of Russia is a three-coloured banner. It has three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one stands for the sky, and the red one symbolizes liberty. It was the first state symbol that replaced the former symbols in 1991. The hymn of Russia is “The Patriotic Song” by M.Glinka. A new national emblem is a two-headed eagle. It is the most ancient symbol of Russia. It originates from the heraldic emblem of Ruricovitches. All these symbols are official. They have been approved by the Federal Assembly.

Topical Vocabulary

a parliamentary republic парламентская республика

Head of State глава государства

the President президент

to consist of smth. состоять из кого/чего-либо

a branch власть (как часть правительства)

legislative законодательный

executive исполнительный

judicial судебный

to be exercised by осуществляться (кем-либо, чем-либо)

the Federal Assembly Федеральное собрание

a chamber палата

the Council of Federation Совет Федерации

the State Duma Государственная дума

to be headed by smb. возглавляться кем-либо

the Speaker спикер

to introduce a bill внести законопроект

to become a law стать законом

to be approved by smb. быть одобренным кем-либо

to be signed by smb. быть подписанным кем-либо

to veto a bill наложить вето на законопроект

to make an international treaty заключить международный договор

to appoint a minister назначить министра

to be elected by the people избираться народом

to belong to smth., smb. принадлежать кому/чему-либо

the Cabinet of Ministers кабинет министров

the Prime Minister премьер-министр

a system of courts система судов

the Constitutional Court Конституционный суд

the Supreme Court Верховный суд

the state symbol государственный символ

a banner знамя

a hymn гимн

a national emblem национальный герб

to originate from smth. происходить от чего-либо

the heraldic emblem of the родовой герб Рюриковичей (Ruricovitches)

Task 1. Answer the questions:

1. What branches does the government consist of?

2. What part does the President play in the government?

3. What is the legislative power exercised by?

4. How does a bill become a law?

5. What are the functions of the President?

6. What body does the executive power belong to?

7. What does the system of courts consist of?

8. What are the official symbols of Russia?

9. What is the most ancient symbol of Russia?

10. What does it originate from?

Task 2. Translate into English:

1.Правительство Российской Федерации представлено законодательной, исполнительной и судебной ветвями власти.

2. Глава парламентской республики России – президент.

3. Законопроект становится законом, если президент не наложит на него вето.

4. Исполнительную власть представляет кабинет министров, возглав­ляемый премьер-министром (председателем правительства).

5. Судебная власть осуществляется Конституционным судом, Вер­ховным судом и федеральными судами.

6. Законопроект должен быть представлен на рассмотрение в одной из палат, потом одобрен обеими палатами и подписан президентом.

7. К государственным символам России относятся флаг, гимн и герб.

Test yourself

Task 3. Summarize the information about the Russian Federation to choose the correct answer.

1. The total area of the Russian Federation is about ______ million square kilometres.

1. 25

2. 17

3. 30

2. The Russian Federation occupies most of ________.

1. Western Europe and South Eastern Asia

2. Southern Europe and Central Asia

3. Eastern Europe and Northern Asia

3. Russia stretches from ________ in the West to the Pacific Ocean in the East and from the Arctic Ocean in the North to the Black Sea and the Caucasus.

1. the Baltic Sea

2. the Caspian Sea

3. the Black Sea

4. The land of Russia varies from thick forests to _______, from high peaked mountains to ________.

1. flat plains; lowlands

2. low ranges of hills; bleak moors

c) barren deserts; deep valleys

5. The longest mountain chains are _______ which separate Europe from Asia and the Caucasus.

1. the Sayan Mountains

2. the Urals

3. the Altai

6. The total number of rivers in Russia is over two ______.

a) million

b) thousand

c) hundred

7. The climate in Russia varies from arctic in the north to _______ in the central part of the country and subtropical in the south.

a) moderate

b) continental

c) dry

8. The current population of Russia is about ______ million people.

1. 135

2. 142

3. 110

9. Russia has the world’s largest _______ resources.

1. copper and oil

2. iron ore and coal

3. oil and natural gas

10. Three-quarters of the republic’s mineral wealth is concentrated in _______.

1. Siberia and the Far East

2. the North and the Urals

3. the West and the Altai

11. The Russian Federation is ________.

1. a constitutional monarchy

2. a parliamentary republic

3. a semi presidential republic

12. A bill becomes a law if it is approved by ________ and signed by the President.

a) the President

b) the Prime Minister

c) both chambers

13. The _______ power belongs to the Government, or the Cabinet of Ministers.

1. legislative

2. executive

3. judicial