Text-study

1. Learn these words.

to ban – запрещать

in advance – заранее

to be punishable – подвергаться наказанию

imprisonment – заключение (в тюрьму)

to censor – подвергать цензуре

censorship – цензура

network – сеть

employee – служащий

well-being – благосостояние

treason – предательство, измена

to restrict – ограничивать

sedititous – бунтарский, мятежный

tolerance – толерантность, терпимость

to execute – казнить

controversial – спорный

to incite – побуждать

abuse – злоупотребление

rapist – насильник

assault – словесное оскорбление и угроза физическим насилием

2. Choose the correct answer to the following questions.

1. What ideas are banned by law in different countries?

1. religious ideas;

2. forging (copying) of bank notes;

3. criticism of government policy.

2. When does every country control its news reporting?

1. when it is at war;

2. when it has the special position;

3. when it is tightly controlled.

3. What is argued in many countries?

1. free sexual behaviour;

2. sex and violence are two different forms of behaviour;

3. matters of public law.

4. What may bring prosecution for treason?

1. independent reporting;

2. human rights policies;

3. the crime of trying to betray.

3. Match the given Russian word-combinations on the left with the English word-combinations on the right.

цензура строго контролируемый обвинение в измене ежегодные лицензии ограничивать свободу слова

tightly controlled prosecution for treason to restrict freedom of speech censorship annual licenses

4. Find the English equivalents for the following Russian phrases.

1. противоречить интересам государства;

2. быть типичным для многих стран;

3. содержание газет;

4. экономическое благосостояние;

5. ограничивать информацию в целях национальной безопасности;

6. расовые меньшинства;

7. провоцировать дискриминацию;

8. выдвигать основные положения.

V. Insert the articles if necessary.

… extent to which free expression is controlled varies greatly from … country to … country.

In some countries, … law bans … expression of any ideas that are against … interests of … State. This may mean any criticism of government policy or government officials. This used to be typical of many of … socialist countries of Eastern Europe before 1989. In Romania, for example, all … public meetings had to be authorized in advance and criticism of … government was punishable by imprisonment. In Bulgaria, … Turkish minority was not allowed to use Turkish names; … content of all newspapers had to be approved and sometimes changed (censored) before publication. In … former Czechoslovakia, all radio and television networks were owned and controlled by … state. In North Korea, it is … crime to listen to … foreign radio station, to write … satirical play or to play Western music. In Ethiopia, all journalists must be state employees.

VI. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

Many governments admit that they restrict expression but justify their actions as being … the interest … the majority … people. In answer … criticisms … its human rights policies, the Chinese government argues that freedom to say and write anything at all is not as important a freedom as economic well-being, and the former must be restricted … favor … the latter.

Governments often restrict information … the interests … national security. Passing military secrets … a foreign government, … example, may bring prosecution … treason – the crime for trying to betray a state.

Every country controls its news reporting when it is … war. During the Falklands campaign in 1982, the BBC, which takes pride … its reputation … independent reporting, was not allowed to report certain facts … the war while it was taking place.