83
MODULE 3 |
KINDS OF LAW |
LESSON 1
A. LEAD-IN
A1. Look at the following branches of law and decide what legal matters they may include. Compare your answers.
e.g. Law of Contract: formation and condition of a contract; who can make a contract; what happens if a contract is broken; how a contract comes to an end
Family Law: ……. Roman Law: …… International Law: …… Criminal Law: …..
1.What other categories of law are known to you? What kinds of law will you be taught?
2.Can you say how law is divided into branches in Russia? In other countries?
3.What do you understand by private law and public law? Can you give an example of one branch of private law and one of public law? Is the distinction between private law and public law clear in Russian legal system? Is the distinction important?
B.READING
B1. Read the text paying attention to the key vocabulary and get the
main idea. |
|
KEY VOCABULARY |
|
establish (v) – устанавливать |
responsibility (n) – |
consolidate (v) – укреплять, |
ответственность |
объединять |
apply to (v) – применять, |
safeguard (v) – охранять |
употреблять |
source (n) – источник |
punishment (n) – наказание |
consist of (v) – состоять из |
code (n) – кодекс |
executive (adj) – |
taxation (n) – налогообложение |
исполнительный |
distribution (n) - распределение |
deal with (v) –иметь дело с …, |
|
заниматься |
|
THE LAW SYSTEM
Law is a system of rules established by the state. The main aim of law is to consolidate and safeguard the social and state system and its
84
economic foundation. The system of law in our country consists of different categories of law.
Constitutional law is a leading category of the whole system of law. Its principal source is the country’s Constitution. It deals with social structure, the state system, organization of state power and the legal status of citizens.
Administrative law is closely connected with constitutional law but it deals with the legal forms of concrete executive and administrative activity of a government and ministries.
Criminal law defines the general principles of criminal responsibility, individual types of crimes and punishments applied to criminals. Criminal law takes the form of a criminal code.
International law regulates relations between governments and also between private citizens of one country and those of another.
Financial law regulates the budget, taxation, state credits and other spheres of financial activity.
Civil law is connected with relations in the economic sphere of life, with relations involving property, its distribution and exchange. The right in property is the central institution of civil law.
The rules of employment law include the legislation on the employment of industrial and office workers and regulate matters arising from employment relations.
C. COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY
C1. Read the text in detail to find the answers to the ten “What”- questions below.
1)What is law?
2)What is the main aim of law?
3)What categories of law does the system of law in Russia consist of?
4)What is the principal source of constitutional law?
5)What category of law is closely connected with constitutional law?
6)What is the central institution of civil law?
7)What does criminal law define?
8)What forms does criminal law take?
9)What is civil law connected with?
10)What rules does employment law include?
C2. Say what category of law
85
a) is connected with relations involving property; b) is a leading category of the whole system of law;
c) defines the general principles of criminal responsibility; d) includes the legislation on the labour of industrial and office workers; e) deals with administrative activity of government and ministries;
f) regulates the budget, taxation, state credit
C3. Find the English equivalents to these words and phrases:
1)основной источник права
2)применять наказание
3)отрасль права
4)норма права
5)иметь дело с финансовыми вопросами
6)административная деятельность правительства
7)право на имущество
8)общие принципы уголовной ответственности
9)регулировать вопросы занятости
LESSON 2
A. LANGUAGE STUDY
A1. a) Find in the text the expressions “its principal source”, “the general principles”. Can you explain the difference in the meaning of “principal” and “principle’? If not, note the following:
PRINCIPLE (n) = basic truth, general law, rule of behaviour (принцип)
PRINCIPAL (adj) = most important (the principal rivers of Europe) (главный)
(n) = title of some heads of colleges and other organizations (the principal of college) (глава, начальник)
PRINCIPALITY (n) = 1) country ruled by a prince (the Principality Wales) (владения принца, княжество)
2)leading position (господствующее положение)
b)Translate the following sentences:
1.Chamberlain consulted his principal colleagues
2.It seems that some politicians have no principles at all.
3.They arranged with the principal of her school to take time off.
4.Coffee is the principal export of Brazil.
86
c) Think of some more sentences with these words.
A2. Word study. Look at the examples and make up your own sentences using the words.
“ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ” |
|
|
1) STATE: |
|
|
state policy |
|
|
state regulations |
When you are talking about the |
|
US, Canada, or Australia state |
||
state documents |
||
may have a different meaning: |
||
2) FEDERAL (in the USA): |
||
one of the separate parts of the |
||
federal courts |
||
country |
||
federal laws |
||
(«штат») |
||
federal power |
||
3) CROWN (in the UK) |
|
|
|
||
Crown courts |
|
Crown colony
crown lawyer (государственный обвинитель)
4)PUBLIC: public debt
public lands public funds
5)CIVIL:
civil service civil servant
Warning: public school in Britain – частная привилегированная школа
A3. Project-work
Word partnership. We can use many verbs with the word “law”. Study the following examples and divide them into groups according to their meaning. Consult the dictionary. Learn the expressions by heart. Make up you own sentences with these expressions. Demonstrate your results
to your classmates. |
|
to create |
to violate |
to modify |
to enforce |
to abolish |
to teach |
to apply |
to study |
to observe |
to disobey |
to enact |
to adopt |
to execute |
to keep within |
to break |
to ignore |
|
87 |
to repeal |
to go beyond |
to pass |
to go in for |
to obey |
to follow |
to revoke |
to lay down |
to practise |
to read |
A4. Translate the following extracts from newspaper articles.
1.“I have been convicted of breaking the law because I was trying to stop others from doing so. It’s totally unjust.”
2.“Three years ago, Mr. Fforde caused an outcry when he accused the Scottish Executive of breaching his human rights by abolishing the feudal system.”
3.“International arbitration is now recognized and can be enforced in the 132 countries which are members of the New York Convention of 1958.”
4.“The situation has been considerably simplified with the newly enacted Russian Code of Arbitration.”
5.“Putin lectured Bush about how Russia’s history dictates that it adopts a limited form of democracy.”
6.“In order to create a dynamic civil society, it is essential to guarantee both the liberty of citizens from extortion and the freedom to protect their private property.”
7.“Most companies involve charges of attempts to buy votes, financial abuses and violation of electoral law.”
A5. Choose a proper verb.
1)Congress (disobeyed/ adopted/ ignored) a law that allows women to become pilots in the Air Force.
2)If you don’t buy a ticket before you get on train you are (passing/ studying/breaking) the rules.
3)Many drivers (keep within/ ignore/ practise) the law and drive without using safety-belts.
4)When a Bill is (passed/ revoked/ followed) by Parliament and signed by Sovereign it becomes a law.
5)The British lawyers (lay down/ violate/ rely) mostly on customs, traditions and precedents.
6)If a man failed to (go in for/ go beyond/ observe) the law he can be punished.
7)The President (read/ enacted/ enforced) the Bill on animal rights.
8)A lawyer is a person who (studies/ obeys/ practises) law.