The usa

The total area of the USA …….. (to cover) over nine million square kilometers. The population of the country …….. (to be) about 250 million people. The USA ………. (to include) fifty states and the District of Columbia. Washington ……….. (to be) the capital of the country. Its official language …….. (to be) American English. The US national flag – Stars and Stripes – ……………. (to be) red, white and blue. 13 stripes ………….. (to represent) the original 13 states of the USA; the 50 stars ………. (to represent) the current number of states of the country.

There ………(to be) two main political parties in the USA: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.

Task 2. Read the second part of the text about the USA and ask questions to get the following answers.

The USA is a presidential republic.

The Congress is the highest law-making body of the US (legislative pat of the government) consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state has two senators, who are elected every 6 years. A senator must be at least 30 years old, a citizen of the United States for 9 years, and live in the state she or he will represent. A representative must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the US for 7 years, and who must be am inhabitant of the state in which he or she is chosen.

The Congress of the USA makes laws. But the President has the power to veto a bill. When the President receives a bill from the Congress, he signs it, and then the bill becomes a law.

The executive branch carries out the laws and is headed by the President of the USA. The President of the US is elected every 4 years and cannot serve more than two terms. Only a natural born citizen of the USA, who is 35 years old, and has been a resident of the country for 14 years, can be elected the President of the USA.

The judicial branch of the government is the system of courts. Its job is to enforce laws. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country. It consists of 9 justices: one Chief Justice and 8 associate justices.

1. ______________________ - Yes, it is a presidential republic.

2. ______________________ - The Senate and the House of Representatives.

3. ______________________ - Two senators.

4. ______________________ - 30 years old.

5. ______________________ - For 7 years.

6. ______________________ - It makes laws.

7. ______________________ - When the President signs it.

8. ______________________ - It is headed by the President of the USA.

9. ______________________ - Every four years.

10. ______________________ - No, he cannot serve more than two terms.

11. ______________________ - It is the system of courts.

12. ______________________ - It consists of 9 justices.

Task 3.

A. Study the vocabulary.

Law

- to create ~ - создавать законы

- to modify ~ - изменять законы

- to abolish ~ - отменять, упразднять законы

- to apply (to enforce) ~ - применять закон

- to observe ~ - соблюдать закон

- to enact ~ - вводить закон в действие, постановлять

- to execute ~ - исполнять, осуществлять закон

- to break (to violate) ~ - нарушать закон

- to amend ~ - вносить поправки в закон

- to practice ~ - заниматься адвокатской практикой, быть юристом

- to adopt (to pass) ~ - принимать закон

- to study (to read) ~ - изучать право

B. Fill in the gaps. Use the word combinations from Task 9.A. Translate the sentences.

1. Law students ….. and …….. law at Law Schools.

2. Then they graduate and ……. law.

3. People must ……….. law.

4. But sometimes they …………. law.

5. Then police …………… law.

6. In court judges………….. law.

7. Parliament or some other administrative bodies ………… law.

8. Or they can …………… law if it is necessary.

9. They also sometimes ………. law, and after that they ……………. law.

10. Governments ………….. law.

Make the sentences passive.

Task 4. Read the text on passing the law in Russia and translate it.

Federal laws adopted by the State Duma are submitted within five days for examination by the Federation Council. A federal law is considered to have been approved by the Federation Council if over a half of the total number of members of that chamber have voted for it or if the Federation Council does not examine it within fourteen days. In the event that the Federation Council rejects a federal law, the chamber may set up a conciliatory commission to settle differences, after which the federal law shall be reconsidered by the State Duma.

In the event that the State Duma disagrees with the decision of the Federation Council a federal law is considered to have been adopted if in the second vote not less than two thirds of the total number of deputies of the State Duma have voted in favour of it. If the president of the Russian Federation rejects a federal law within fourteen days of receiving it, the State Duma and the Federation Council shall reconsider that law in accordance with the procedure established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation. If upon reconsideration the law is approved in the previously adopted wording by a majority of not less than two thirds of the total number of members of the Federation Council and of deputies of the State Duma, it must be signed by the President within seven days.

Task 5. Say whether the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1. Federal laws are adopted by the State Duma.

2. A federal law is approved if two thirds of the total number of the Federation Council has voted for it.

3. A special commission is set up if the Federation Council rejects a federal law.

4. The State Duma can’t disagree with the decision of the Federation Council.

5. A law is reconsidered by the State Duma and the Federation Council if the President of the Russian Federation rejects it.

6. A law should be approved by all the members of the Federation Council and the deputies of the State Duma.

7. If a law is approved by both Houses of Russia’s Parliament, it is signed by the President within seven days.

8. The signed law is promulgated in all the newspapers within a week.

Task 6.

A. Write out the nouns from the text that are formed with the help of suffixes. Translate them. Which words do they originate from?

Example: examination – to examine (suffix – ation-)

B. Make nouns from the following words. Use suffixes -(a)tion, -(i)tion, or -sion. Translate them. Put the nouns in the correct place in the sentences below.

 to form

 to qualify

 to educate

 to promulgate

 to confess

 to reduce

 to discuss

 to explode

 to adopt

 to invade

 to oppose

 to prevent

 to investigate

 to accuse

 to protect

1. There was a very loud …………. when the bomb went off.

2. That shop is offering a big ……….. in the price of its clothes.

3. RSPCA stands for the Royal Society for the …………. of Cruelty to Animals.

4. RSPB stands for the Royal Society for the ……………. of Birds.

5. The police questioned him for three days until he finally made a …………

6. During the office meeting there was a …………. about the need for a new PC.

7. Is a degree a necessary ………. for this job?

8. The …………… of the island was resisted as soon as the soldiers landed on the beaches.

9. Mr. Smith brought a serious ………… of fraud against his boss.

10. The police started the ………….. of the murder as soon as they found the body.

Make up your own sentences with the rest of the nouns.

Task 7. You are going to read the text about the lawmaking process in Great Britain. Four sentences have been removed from the text. Choose from the sentences (A-E) the one which fits each gap (1-4). There is one extra sentence which you don’t need to use.

New legislation usually starts in the House of Lords. In each house the bill is considered in three stages, called readings. 1) ____________________. The second reading is usually the occasion for debate. After the second reading the bill is examined in detail by a committee.

2) ________________. If passed after its third reading, it goes to the other house. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords must be considered by the Commons. If the House of Commons does not agree, the bill is altered and sent back to the Lords. 3) __________.

Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch for the royal assent. 4) ________________. In theory the queen could still refuse her consent, but the last monarch to use this power was Queen Anna, who vetoed the unpopular Scottish Militia Bill in 1707.

A. In the events of persistent disagreement between the two houses, Commons prevails.

B. The first reading is purely formal, to introduce the bill.

C. Nowadays the royal assent is merely a formality.

D. Any member of the British Parliament may initiate new legislation.

E. The bill is then returned to one of the houses for the report stage, where it can be amended.

Task 8. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Меня просят рассказать о судебной системе США.

2. Эти судьи назначаются президентом.

3. Большинство гражданских дел рассматриваются судами магистрата (magistrate’s court).

4. Чтобы стать законом, проект подписывается президентом.

5. Прямо сейчас этот вопрос рассматривается комиссией.

6. Эксперт утверждает, что этот мужчина задушен шарфом (to strangle).

7. Экзамены сдаются по всем дисциплинам, которые изучаются в этом семестре.

8. Сколько предметов изучают в этом университете на юридическом факультете? – 25 дисциплин.

9. Пит Смит обвиняется в краже из магазина (shoplifting). Cейчас он допрашивается полицейским в офисе менеджера.

10. Кто подозревается в совершении этого преступления?

11. Джон в тюрьме. Он приговорен к 5 годам тюремного заключения.

12. Президент страны избирается каждые 4 года.

13. Власть Королевы Великобритании ограничена Парламентом.

14. Основные права граждан защищены (to be ensured) не только Конституцией страны, но и Конституциями штатов.

15. В суде слушается дело «Мистер Пауэр против штата Иллинойс».