UNIT 4. ELECTIONS

SECTION A

I

1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in the dictionary.

Kenyans to elect leader in December

Kenya will hold general elections at the end of December to elect a successor to the president, who has ruled the country for 24 years.

«The elections will be at the end of December», said the president, who will not be eligible to run under new electoral rules introduced in 1991 that prohibit the head of state from serving more than two five-year terms. He gave no precise date for the elections.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Eligible to run; to rule the country; under new rules; to hold general elections; a five-year term; to elect; a successor.

3. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases. Reproduce the sentences from the article with them.

Пятилетний срок; проводить всеобщие выборы; преемник; имеющий право избираться; выбирать; управлять страной; по новым правилам.

4. Complete the following statements using the active vocabulary.

1. ... at the end of December.

2. Kenya will elect a successor to the president, who ...

3. ... under the new electoral rules.

4. The new electoral rules prohibit...

5. Render the article in English using the active vocabulary.

II

1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in the dictionary.

2nd round of voting held for new Parliament

Bahrain held a second round of voting Thursday in landmark elections for the kingdom's first Parliament, with two women candidates.

Results from the last week's first round of voting showed a mix of secularist and Islamic candidates. Six women were knocked out of the race last week, leaving two women candidates hopeful of winning seats.

Kuwait is the only other Arab nation with a Parliament in the Gulf region, but women are excluded.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Elections for the Parliament; secularist candidates; to win seats; to be knocked out of the race; voting; landmark.

3. Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases.

Светские кандидаты; знаменательный/поворотный; получить места в парламенте; голосование; выборы в парламент; сойти с дистанции.

4. Answer the questions on the article.

1. Why do you think the voting in Bahrain is called landmark elections?

2. What did the results of the first round show?

3. Are there any women candidates? Do you think it's typical for an Islamic country?

4. Do any other countries in the Gulf region have a Parliament?

5. What Gulf region countries do you know?

5. Retell the article using the active words and phrases.

III

1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in the dictionary.

Election veteran promises clean-up

After a lifetime of trying, Deniz Baykal, one of Turkey's veteran politicians, stands a chance of becoming the country's next prime minister in Sunday's general election.

Opinion polls put his Republican People's party in second place after the pro-Islamic Justice and Development party.

Justice and Development party still enjoys a lead of at least 10 per centage points, but the last few days before the election may be critical in attracting undecided voters who make up almost a quarter of the electorate.

Mr. Baykal needs to convince these voters that his party is best equipped to manage the economy and fight corruption. Indeed, his campaign promise to lift the immunity that has shielded members of parliament from corruption charges has proven very popular.