Scottish Parliament

There are 129 Members 1)____ Scottish Parliament. MSPs represent their constituents 2)____ matters which are devolved 3)____ Scottish Parliament, such as Education, Health and the Environment. There are 72 MPs representing Scotland in the House of Commons at Westminster. Their role is to represent their constituents on reserved matters which include Defence, Foreign Affairs, National Security and Employment. You can contact your MSPs 4)____ devolved matters and your MP for reserved matters. The Scottish Parliament Public Information Service can confirm 5)____ you whether a matter is devolved or reserved.

The voting system used 6)____ Scottish Parliament is known as the Additional Member System (AMS). AMS is a type 7)____ proportional representation. This means that the share 8)____ seats each party receives reflects its level 9)____ support among voters. At a Scottish Parliament election each voter has 2 votes:

- With the first vote, voters choose between candidates standing 10)____ their constituency. The candidate winning the largest number 11)____ votes will gain the seat. There are a total 12)____ 73 constituency MSPs.

- The second vote is 13)____ a political party, or 14)____ a candidate standing as an individual, within a larger electoral area called a Scottish Parliament Region. There are 8 Scottish Parliament Regions. Each region has 7 additional seats 15)____ the Parliament, Within each region, parties are allocated additional seats dependent 16)____ the number 17)____ constituency seats it won. The members chosen to fill these 56 additional seats are known as 'regional members'. Each voter will have one constituency MSP and 7 regional MSPs. All MSPs have equal status 18)___ Parliament.

Ex. 14. Use the required modal verb: must, can, may, have (to), to be (to)

1. The Prime Minister _____ form a government.

2. Decisions made by the Cabinet _____ be unanimous.

3. A candidate of the party _____ to put down a deposit of 500 pounds and collect the signatures from residents in the constituency where he _____ stand.

4. MPs _____ to help people and try to make sure their rights under the law are not violated.

5. MPs _____ to deal with in the day-to-day business of constituency life.

6. A money Bill _____ be passed by the Lords without amendments within a month of being presented in the House.

7. Any Public Bill passed by the Commons in two successive parliamentary sessions _____ be presented for the Royal Assent.

8. The Lords _____ only delay the passage of a Public Bill, they _____ not reject it.

9. When Cabinet policy has been decided an individual minister _____ either support it or resign.

10. The Committee _____ continue the discussion of the bill.

11. In many countries citizens _____ take part in the elections whether they want it or not.

12. A Bill improving taxation or spending public money _____ on resolution of the House of Commons.

Ex. 15. Use the modal verbs must, can, may, should, would, to be (to) to have (to) or their equivalents in the proper form.

1. All governments and governmental groups, federal, state and local … operate within Constitution.

2. Americans … manage their own affairs in their own interests. They … elect their own representatives and make their own laws. And, of course, they … make their own mistakes.

3. Rights of every American … not be taken away by any government, court, official or law.

4. Under the principle “one person, one vote” all election districts … have about the same number of residents.

5. The House of Representatives controls spending and finance, so they have President … its agreement for his proposal and programs. He … declare war, either without the approval of Congress. Any treaty … first be approved by the Senate. What a President wants to do is often a different thing from what a President … to do.

6. The president … be from one party, and the majority of those in the House of Representatives or Senate from another.

7. One of the parties … win a majority in the midterm elections, the President remains President, even though his party …. not have a majority in either house. Such a result could easily hurt his ability to get legislation through Congress, which …. pass all laws. In any case, the President’s policies …. be approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate before they . become law.

8. The President … veto any act of Congress. Congress in its turn … override a veto by one-thirds vote in each house.

9. Congress … also refuse to provide funds requested by the President.

10. The President … appoint important officials of his administration by they … be approved by the Senate.

Ex. 16. Complete the following text by translating the words or expressions in brackets.

The (законодательная ветвь) – (конгресс) – consists of the (Сенат) and the (Палата Представителей). Each (сенатор) is elected for six years and each (представитель) for two years, with no limitation on the number of (сроков).

Each of the 50 states elects two (сенатор) under a system in which one-third of the (Сенат) is elected every two years. А (сенатор) must be (старше) 30 years old and must have been an American citizen for (no меньшей мере) nine years.

The (Палата Представителей) has 435 members. Each state is divided into congressional districts of roughly (равное) population, and the (избиратели) of each district elect one (представитель) to (Конгресс). А member must be (старше) 25 years of age and must have been an American citizen for at least seven years.

Both (палата) of (Конгресс) must (одобрить) bills before they become law. The (Сенат) alone (утверждает) the President's (кандидаты) for high-level official positions and (ратифицирует) treaties with other nations.

Ex. 17 Complete the following text with the words and phrases from the box, using them in the appropriate form.

constitution	federal	law
structure	government	to govern
voter	to vote	to be elected (2)
national	responsibility	to be appointed
to name	violation	to be removed from office

The United States is a (a)______ union of 50 states, with District of Columbia as the seat of the (b)______government. The Constitution outlines (c)______of the national government and specifies its powers and activities. Other government activities are the (d)________ of the individual states, which have their own (e)______and (f)_______. Within each state there are counties, townships, cities and villages, each of which has its own elective (g) _______.

All government in the United States is "of, by and for the people". Members of Congress, the President, state officials and those who (h)_______ counties and cities (i)______by popular vote. The President (j) _______ the heads of federal departments while judges are either (k)______directly by the people or (1)______ by elected officials, (m)______mark unsigned ballots in private booths, so that no one else can find out for whom a citizen (n)________ . Public officials may (o)______for failing to perform their duties properly, as well as for serious (p)______of law.

Ex. 18Complete the following statements with the appropriate words and expressions from Unit 3.

a)

The US Constitution sets the basic form of government: 1) _______.The ultimate power under the Constitution, in fact, belongs to 2) _________. The Bill of Rights declares such fundamental rights of any American as 3)________.

b)

The Supreme Court of the USA consists of 1) ______ . They are appointed by 2)______, and must be approved by 3)______. A decision of the Supreme Court 4) ______to any other court. The Supreme Court has direct jurisdiction in the following kinds of cases: 5) _____ . All other cases are 6) ______. The only power of the Supreme Court which is not stated in the Constitution is the power of 7) ______.

c)

All the fifty states of America have 1) ______form of government. The executive branch of the government in each state is headed by 2) _____ and the

judicial branch is represented by 3)______. Each state has its own 4)________which must not interfere with 5) ______.

d)

There is a two-party system in the USA. The Democratic Party is usually associated with 1) ______, and the Republicans, with 2) ______ . Anyone who 3)_____may vote in the presidential election in the US. Those who want to

vote must 4) _______ before the election takes place. The national presidential elections consist of two separate campaigns: one is 5)______; the other is 6)______.

Ex. 19 Read and translate the text. Make up the summary of the text in writing.