Language practice and comprehension check

TASK I

a) Consult a dictionary to find the meanings of the following words and word combinations.

Active vocabulary

constituent(v.) constituency(n.)

to legislate on a subject, legislative(adj.); legislation(n.)

to be in session

scrutinize(v.); scrutiny(n.); scrutineer(n.)

draft(v.) ;draft(n.)

spokesman(n.); spokesperson(n.)

adjourn(v.)

to override a veto

measure(n.)

induce(v.); inducement(v.)

nominate(v.); nominee(n.); nomination(n.)

resign(v.);resignation(n.)

dismiss(v.);dismissal(n.)

treason(n.)

bribery(n.); to bribe(v.)

misdemenour(n.)

b) Use the above words and word combinations to complete the following sentences.

1. Parliament has … against the sale of drugs.

2. I have made the first … of my speech for Friday but it still needs a lot of work.

3. The appeal court … the decision of a lower court.

4. The committee … for an hour for lunch.

5. He was … to steal the plans by an offer of a large amount of money.

6. A government … to prevent crimes in inner cities was widely discussed in press.

7. The justices … the witnesses’ evidence out of hand.

8. His … as chief executive was rejected by the board.

9. … is a less serious crime than felony.

10. A government … said today that their would be an official inquiry.

11. During the war time he was disloyal to his country and was found guilty

of … .

12. He … as a member of a committee.

13. He … the police sergeant to get the charges dropped.

TASK II Match the words on the left to the synonyms on the right.

accordingly cunning , keen

to curb to afford , to produce, to present

to antedate to appeal, to advocate, to encourage

to confer with to draft, to sketch out, to summarize

to scrutinize to deter, to impede

to provide 1. to give, grant honour with

2. to consult, to converse, to discuss

to urge correspondingly

to outline to precede in time

lofty regarded with respect

revered dignified

astute to analyze, look closely at

TASK III Match the words on the left to the antonyms on the right.

to pare to lose; to fail to do s-t

to achieve to accept, to adopt

to include to agree

to obstruct to exclude

to appoint to increase

to reject to remove

to refuse to help

TASK IV a) Study the meanings of the verb “to grant” and its derivatives.

grant(v.) to bestow or confer, with or without compensation, a gift or bestowal of one having control or authority

over it, as of land or money

grant(n.) conveyance, i.e. transfer of property real or

personal by deed or writing in a treaty…, not only

a formal grant is meant, but any concession,

warrant, or permission to survey, possess or settle,

whether written or parole, express, or presumed

from possession. Such a grant may be made by law

as well as by a patent pursuant to a law

grantee(n.) one to whom a grant is made

grantor the person by whom the grant is made

(Black’s Law Dictionary, abridged sixth edition)

b) Consult the text to find the nouns formed according to the same pattern. Provide the derivatives.

TASK V

a) Analyze the function of “as “ in each sentence. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. Individual members are more involved in committee work and are subject to increasing pressure as their constituents grow in number and become more demanding.

2. Confronted as he is with the necessity of legislating on numerous highly complicated subjects, the senator or representative tends to become a specialist in some area, leaving to others the task of integrating the entire legislative program.

3. The budget finally presented to Congress represents the economic philosophy of the President, as illustrated in his judgment of the nation’s needs and of best method of meeting them.

4. This measure is known as a pocket veto, and is final because Congress is not in session and cannot override it.

5. As party leader, the President may offer considerable inducement to legislators to win their full cooperation.

b) Find other sentences in the text which contain “as” in various functions. Make up your own sentences.

TASK VI Consider the meanings of the word “measure”. In which of them is it used in the text?

1. extent, degree, amount

2. a standard measurement as a foot, pound, etc.

3. a certain definite quantity

4. moderation or degree

5. a decree or an act of legislation

6. often pl. something done with a view to an accomplishment of a purpose

TASK VII a) Add adjectives to the following nouns:

1. statesmanship

2. politics

3. Lincoln

4. Wilson

5. bosses

6. president

7. leadership

b) Find the passage in the text in which the given word combinations are used and translate it into Russian. Pay special attention to translating adjectives. Discuss your versions in class.

TASK VIII a) Study the following sentences with the Gerund. Translate them into Russian.

1. He may bring pressure by appealing to the American people through his press conferences, which are widely publicized.

2. When Congress adjourns without enacting legislation desired by the President, he may call a special session I an effort to achieve his goal.

3. In vetoing a bill, the President returns it to the Congress without his signature.

4. It is an effective device for promoting cooperation between the legislative and executive departments.

5. As party chieftain, the president assists in raising money by appearing at important dinners and rallies.

b) Find other sentences in the text with the Gerund.

TASK IX Contribute to the topics:

1. The impeachment of President Andrew Johnson.

2. The Korean War.

3. The League of Nations

TASK X Summarize the last part of the text.

TASK XI Comment on the following statements:

1. The President has a national constituency.

2. A President’s authority is not as great as his responsibility.

TASK XII Express your attitude to the following quotation.

“Party is organized opinion.” ( Benjamin Disraeli 1804-81)

What happens if the majority in Congress belongs to the presidential party? What occurs if the situation is the opposite?

Text 8 IMPEACHMENT

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other Court Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Article II, Section 4

The delegates decided rather quickly on the procedures by which a president could be impeached (charged) by the House of Representatives. Debate occurred on the question of who would prosecute the president - Senate, the House, or the Supreme Court ? Eventually the Framers settled on trial by Senate since the justices would be appointed by the president and would also be involved in criminal proceedings afterwards.

In early June, Dickenson suggested that Congress be able to remove the executive if requested by the majority of state legislatures. Madison and Wilson contended that this gave too much power to the small states. Sherman suggested that Congress have the power to remove the executive at its pleasure, but Madison argued that then the executive would be nothing more than “the mere creature of the Legislature.”

A tentative agreement was reached under which the executive would be removable “on impeachment and conviction of mal-practice or neglect of duty.” But during the debate on reeligibility, Morris noted that “the Executive shall also be impeachable. This is dangerous part of the plan. It will hold him in such dependence that he will be no check on the Legislature, will not be a firm guardian of the people and of the public interest. He will be the tool of a faction, of some leading demagogue in the Legislature.” Morris suggested short terms and reeligibility as an alternative to impeachment , believing that the executive “can do no criminal act without coadjutors who may be punished.”

When the Committee on Detail was handed the impeachment issue, Randolph wrote that “ the House of Representatives would try and the Supreme Judiciary would convict.” The full committee narrowed the scope of impeachment offences by replacing the “mal-practice or neglect of duty – the chiefly political offences- with” Treason, Bribery, or corruption”- offences primarily criminal in nature. The Committee on Unfinished Business later changed the impeachment process, vesting the power to convict in the Senate. Morris, a member of the committee, explained the impropriety of the conviction by the Supreme Court, since the Court would try the president for criminal offences after the impeachment trial.

As the convention drew to a close the scope of impeachable offences was expanded to include “things” political. Mason was uncomfortable with impeachments limited to treason and bribery and recommended extending the power of impeachment to include “maladministration.” But Madison objected, stating that “so vague a term will be equivalent to a tenure during pleasure of the Senate.” Mason then substituted “other high crimes and misdemeanors against the State,” which passed the convention.

The word impeachment means to charge, to accuse. The Constitution gives the House the power to bring charges through articles of impeachment and the Senate the power to try all impeachments. It takes a two-thirds majority to convict a president of these charges. The full House votes on Judiciary Committee’s charges and then appoints managers (prosecuting attorneys) to argue its case in the Senate. The Senate becomes a tribunal for the trial, with the chief justice of the Supreme Court presiding. The chief justice rules on whether the evidence is admissible but can be reversed by majority vote. And, given the seriousness of their actions, all senators are sworn to a special oath above their oath of office: ”to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.”

The ambiguity of what constituted an impeachable offense became the focal point of Richard Nixon’s presidency in 1973. Could a president be impeached for a crime against the spirit of the Constitution, or was proof of a criminal offense needed? The House impeachment hearings were carried out with great care; most of the nation’s adult population reported having watched at least part of the proceedings during the long “Watergate Summer.” Five articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon were considered; the first three passed the House Judiciary Committee. They were Article I, Obstruction of Justice; Article II, Abuse of Power, Article III, Ignoring Congressional Subpoenas; Article IV, Concealing Information from Congress on the bombing of Combodia; and Article V , Tax Evasion and Emoluments.