2. Building your vocabulary

A. These are the 15 key vocabulary words for this chapter. They are boldfaced in the reading. Pronounce these words after your teacher and discuss their meaning.

amendment federal representative

cabinet impeachment senator

Congress interpret unconstitutional

constitution judicial veto

executive legislative void

B. Complete these sentences with some of the key vocabulary words. Make the nouns plural if necessary.

1. The first 10 _______ to the U.S. Constitution are called the Bill of Rights.

2. One of the jobs of the Supreme Court is to the Constitution.

3. In a(n) system of government, the governing powers are divided between the state governments and the national government.

4. If Congress votes in favor of making a bill a law, the president can still stop that bill from becoming law by using the ______ power.

5. To avoid , President Nixon resigned from office.

6. Every state elects two to the Senate, but in the House of Representatives, the number of _______ from each state varies, depending on the state's population.

7. The House of Representatives and the Senate together make up ______ .

8. When a law violates the U.S. Constitution, the judicial branch of government

will declare it .

3. Sharpening reading skills.

A. Metaphors Metaphors compare things that are not really alike. The comparison is figurative (imaginary), not literal (real). For example, the U.S. Constitution is compared to a chart (map) that guides someone sailing a ship. Note that metaphors compare two things without using the words as or like.

Answer the following questions.

1. What is President Nixon compared to? __________________

2. What is the amendment requiring separation of church and state compared to?

____________________________

B. Analogies An analogy is another type of comparison. In analogies, the comparisons are between things that are similar.

Example:

The president is to the national government as a ______ is to a state government. (senator, governor, representative)

Governor is the answer because both are heads of the executive branch of government.

Complete these analogies by writing the correct choices on the blank lines.

1. The chart and compass are to a ship as the _______ is/are to the U.S.

(ocean, stars, Constitution)

2. Congressmen and congresswomen are to the House of Representatives as _______ are to the Senate. (senators, judges, cabinet members)

4. Understanding idioms and expressions

On each blank line, write the letter of the correct phrase to complete the sentence.

1. The upper house of Congress ____ .

a. meets in a room above the lower house

b. is called the Senate

2. Each member of the lower house is __ .

1. elected by one district of a state

2. called a senator

3. Such as means _______ .

1. of course

b. for example

4. Carried out means .

1. followed, performed, done

2. removed by force

5. The expression checks and balances refers to ________ .

1. the relationship between the two houses of Congress

b. the relationship between the three branches of the federal government

6. Obstruction of justice means .

1. committing a crime

b. withholding evidence about a crime

7. Free speech means _____ .

1. people have the right to express all kinds of ideas

2. there is no charge to hear speeches