I. Read the text. Divide it into logical parts. Find the topic sentence of

each part.

II. Read the sentences below and say if the statements are true or false:

1. The Constitution was accepted in 1788.

2. The 15^th amendment bars slavery.

3. In the 18^th century Britain did not impose new taxes.

4. By 1733 European settlers occupied 13 colonies along the Atlantic

coast.

III. Can you answer the following questions?

1. When did the Cristopher Columbus opened a ”New World”?

2. When was the first permanent village built in North America? Why?

3. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Congress?

4. What rights were proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence?

5. What laid the foundation for the first national Constitution?

6. What did the Constitution establish?

7. When was the Constitution accepted?

8. Why was the Bill of Rights added to the Constitution in 1791?

9. How many amendments have been added to the Constitution since the Bill of Rights was adopted?

IV. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:

Religious and political freedoms; permanent village; to found colonies; European settlers; to defend colonies; under smb's command; ask for peace; under the Articles; to make laws; paper money; Constitutional Convention; branches of Government; to maintain order; to accept the Constitution; equal rights; to impose taxes.

V. Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:

«Новый Свет», смелые английские поселенцы, совершить путешествие, основать колонии, колониальные союзники, британские войска, гражданские свободы, лига независимых стран, центральное правительство, право голоса, согласно принципам.

VI. Make up a plan of the text in the form of questions.

VI. Retell the text using expressions given in task IV.

VII. Translate the text into English:

Американская конституция была разработана и принята в Филадельфии Конституционным конвентом, в котором приняли участие 55 делегатов от 12 (из общего числа вошедших в состав США 13) штатов. Участников Конвента принято именовать в США "отцами основателями".

В текст конституции, утвержденный в сентябре 1787 г., не были включены положения, гарантирующие политические, личные и процессуальные права граждан. Однако в 1789 г. конгресс был вынужден принять проект Билля о правах - первые 10 поправок к конституции, провозглашавших ряд политических, личных и про­цессуальных прав граждан.

В фундамент конституционной системы американского го­сударства положено три основных политико-правовых принципа - разделения властей, федерализм и судебный конституционный надзор.

Lesson VIII

US POLITICAL SYSTEM

The nation's capital, Washington, D.C., with more than 3,4 million people is the largest metropolitan area in the country. It is the capital of a federal union of 50 states. When the United States declared its independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776 (now celebrated as a national holiday), there were 13 original states, which were grouped along the Atlantic Coast. As the frontier moved westward, large areas were added by purchase, treaty and annexation. There are now 50 states. Alaska and Hawaii, the last states to enter the Union did so in 1959.

Under the Constitution, the states delegated many of their sovereign.

powers_to this central government in Washington. Each of the 50 states retains

the right to join its own public school system, to decide on the qualification

of its voters, to license its doctors and other professionals, to provide police

protection for its citizens and to maintain its roads.

In addition to the 50 states and the District of Columbia, United States possessions include the Pacific Islands of Wake, Midway, Jarvis, Kingman Reef. The Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands have become sovereign self-governing states in free association with the United States.

Under the Constitution, the federal government is divided into three branches, each chosen in a different manner each able to check and balance the others. The Executive Branch is headed by the President, who, together with the Vice President, is chosen in nationwide elections every four years. The presidential candidate needs 270 electoral votes to be elected. Any natural born American who is 35 years old or elder may be elected to this office. The President proposes bills to Congress, enforces federal laws, serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, makes treaties and appoints federal judges, ambassadors and other members of the Executive Departments.

The Vice President, elected from the same political party as the President, acts as chairman of the Senate.

The Legislative Branch is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The 435 seats in the House of Representatives are allocated on the basis of population, although every state has at least one representative. Each state elects two members of the 100-member Senate.

Both houses must approve a bill for it to become law, but the President may veto or refuse to sign it.

The Judicial Branch is made up of Federal District Courts, 11 Federal Courts of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Federal Judges are appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate. Federal Courts decide cases involving federal law, conflicts between citizens of different states. An American who feels he has been convicted under an unjust law may appeal his case to the Supreme Court, which may rule that the law is unconstitutional. The law then becomes void.

TASKS:

I. Read the text. Divide it into logical parts. Give a title to each part.

II. How well have you read? Can you answer the following questions?

1. What is the population of Washington, D.C.?

2. Where is the city of Washington located?

3. When did the USA declare its independence?

4. What are the branches of the federal government?

5. What are their functions?

6. Who(m) are Federal Judges appointed by?

7. How many members does each state elect to the Senate?

III. Read the sentences below and say if the statements are true or false:

\. The population of Washington, D.C. is over 5 million.

2. The city of Washington is the capital of 50 states.

3. Under the Constitution the states don't keep any powers for

themselves.

4. The Executive Branch is headed by the Vice President.

IV. Give Russian equivalents to the following English word combinations and use them in the situations from the text:

under the Constitution; sovereign powers; central government; the right to; in line with the tradition; to elect executives; to become sovereign; self-governing states; federal government; the Executive Branch; to win the electoral votes; natural-born American; to make treaties; to approve a bill; the Judicial Branch; Federal District Courts; Federal Courts of Appeal; Supreme Court; to amend the Constitution.

Y. Give English equivalents to the following word combinations:

Центральное правительство; Верховный суд; Президентские выборы; заключить договор; политическая жизнь страны; избирать вице-президента; федеральное правительство; палата представите­лей; двухпалатный парламент; избирать президента сроком на четыре года; исполнительная власть принадлежит президенту; об­щенациональные выборы; одобрить законопроект; стать незави­симым; согласно Конституции; наложить вето на решение Конг­ресса.