№1 Прочитайте текст и выполните задания.

Federalism 1. State power has three main branches: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislature makes laws; the executive enforces the laws and governs the country; the judges decide disputes that come before them and in doing so interpret the law and apply it to the facts of the case they have to judge. 2. State power can also be divided upon a geographical basis. The system for doing this is called federalism. In a federal state there is a federal government, legislature and courts. There are also regional governments, legislatures and courts. Both may get their powers from a written constitution .Powers to make laws, to govern and to judge are each divided between the federal state and the regions. The regions go by different names in different countries (states, provinces, lands, cantons, republics). 3. One reason for dividing power in this way is that the country is too large to be governed conveniently from a single centre (the USA). Another is that its regions vary in language or culture (Switzerland, India, Canada). A third is that a central government might be too powerful if it was not balanced by regional governments with some independent powers (Germany, the USA). 4. In a typical federation defense and foreign policy belong to the federal government, education to the regions, and the power to tax is divided between the two. So the federation and the regions may both have power to make laws on similar subjects. Since each region has its own independent powers and courts, it has its own regional legal system, alongside the federal legal system. If the federation also separates the law-making, governing and judging functions the law becomes very complicated and expensive. But they allow a country to hold together when otherwise it would fall apart. Определите, какое утверждение соответствует содержанию текста.

			One of the reasons for dividing power on a geographical basis is that the regions of the country differ in language and culture.
			The system of the separation of state power into the three branches – legislative, executive and judicial is known as federalism.
			In a federal state regions usually have their own independent powers to solve the problems concerning defense and foreign policy.
			Such powers as to make laws, to govern and to judge are only given to the federal state, while the regions are engaged in education and taxation.

Завершите утверждение согласно содержанию текста. In a typical federal state …

			the regions may have their own legal systems
			the powers of the regions are to a great extent limited
			the federal government can only decide upon taxes
			education is the concern of the central government

Ответьте на вопрос: What country is an example of a federal state where the power of the central government is balanced by regional governments?

			The USA is.
			The UK is.
			Canada is.
			Switzerland is.

Определите основную идею текста.

			Federalism is one of the ways of effective governing a country and preserving its unity.
			A federal state is a state consisting of regions called states, provinces, lands or republics.
			Federalism presupposes that regions have their own governments, legislature and courts.
			Federalism lays down that regions must balance the excessive power of a central government.

№2 Прочитайте текст и выполните задания. Checks and Balances 1. The U.S. Constitution establishes three branches for the federal government: executive, legislative, and judicial. The three branches work together to help the country. Each branch has its own responsibilities and powers. No branch has more power than the other branches. They have balanced powers. Each branch has separate duties to check the powers of the other branches. 2. When a new state – the USA – was born, the Founders of the state thought that if there was no balance of power among different branches of government it would lead to tyranny. The problem was how to create a system of government with balanced powers. That’s why James Madison (1751 – 1836) favored the constitution that limited government by means of a) separation of powers; b) a system of checks and balances, where checks – limitation of the duties of each branch, and balances – separate powers to each branch. 3. Congress has the power to make laws, but the President may veto any act of Congress. Congress, in its turn, can pass a law over a veto by a two-thirds vote in each house. Congress can also refuse to provide funds requested by the President. The President can appoint important officials of his administration, but they must be approved by the Senate. The President also has the power to name all federal judges: they, too, must be approved by the Senate. 4.  The system of checks and balances makes compromise and consensus necessary. This system protects against extremes. It means, for example, that new presidents cannot radically change governmental policies just as they wish. Определите, какое утверждение соответствует содержанию текста.

			The US Senate must confirm the nomination of high officers of the state.
			The legislative power in the United States is vested in the President.
			The executive branch of government is more powerful than the other branches.
			The President has the power to spend state funds just as he wishes.

Завершите утверждение согласно содержанию текста. Federal judges in the US are …

			appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate
			named by the Congress and must be approved by the Senate
			nominated by the Supreme Court for life
			elected by citizens in national elections

Ответьте на вопрос: Why is the system of checks and balances necessary?

			The system of checks and balances is necessary because it keeps any branch of government from using too much power or misusing it and makes each branch check on the others.
			The system of checks and balances is necessary because it separates the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government which work together to help the country.
			The system of checks and balances is necessary because it limits the President’s powers: his right to veto any act of Congress, to appoint high officials, to nominate federal judges, etc.
			The system of checks and balances is necessary because it helps the Congress to make laws, pass them and override the President’s veto by a two-thirds vote in each house.