Unit 5. Present Continuous (Progressive)

Exercise 1. Make sentences interrogative.

Example: Nowadays 435 Members of the House of Representatives are representing the 50 States. (How many/Who?) – How many members of the House of Representatives are representing the 50 States today?/Who is representing the 50 States today?

1. A Member of Congress is serving in the Senate or the House of Representatives. (Where/Who?) 2. The Sergeant at Arms is maintaining order on the floor and in the galleries when the House is in session. (When/Where?) 3. As the Vice President is absent the President pro tempore is presiding over the Senate today. (Why/What?) 4. The Secretary of the Senate is busy. He is supervising the Senate’s day-to-day operations. (What/Whose?) 5. Look! The sheriff is making an arrest of a robber. (Who/Whom?) 6. Our new political leader is developing party position on important legislation. (What legislation/What?) 7. They are debating and amending the bill which is different from a normal rule. (What/Why?) 8. The House is now voting on whether to adopt the amendment or to withdraw it. (What/When?) 9. Every legal system is maintaining order and providing a forum for resolving disputes. (What for/Where?) 10. The attorneys are assisting the judge and the court in determining the facts in dispute. (Who/Whom) 11. This young man is driving his car at a dangerous and excessive speed. (What speed/What?) 12. The investigator is examining the scene of the accident right now. (Why/When?)

Exercise 2. Open the brackets and put the verb into the correct form.

Example: The American legal system … the lawmaking authority among legislative, executive and judicial branches of government (to split). – The American legal system is splitting the lawmaking authority among legislative, executive and judicial branches of government.

1. The federal Environmental Protection Agency … air pollution emitted by new plants (to monitor). 2. The committees … new bills in the House (to introduce). 3. The members of the House and the Senate … for a new legislature (to vote). 4. The unemployment in our country … nowadays (to increase). 5. Don’t bother me! I … a speech for a trial (to prepare). 6. The executive officials of the government … the President on a very important issue (to consult). 7. The FBI … a very complicated problem now (to investigate). 8. The Supreme Court … with matrimonial cases (not to deal). 9. The state governments … in the legislative problems of other states (not to interfere). 10. I … amendments to a criminal code (to look for). Don’t you know where to find them? 11. The law … the citizens of the country to carry firearms (to prohibit). 12. The offenders … away from the police who … to catch them (to run, to try).

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences using one of these verbs.

give receive write negotiate argue draft

follow determine pass train graduate fill in

begin investigate take sign

Example: The teacher … a lot of legal tasks to his students because he wants them to become good lawyers. – The teacher is giving a lot of legal tasks to his students because he wants them to become good lawyers.

1. Do you hear? The witnesses … with a judge! 2. Mr. Watson … now … the facts of his case to the solicitor. 3. Keep silence. The court … a very important case right now. 4. … the notaries also … and … contracts in your country? 5. Canada … the American model: Law Schools … students a J.D. (Jurist Doctor/Doctor of law) as a standard law degree. 6. At present Tom … in the form of apprenticeship. 7. Applause please! I have passed my bar examination and now I … a license to practice. 8. The applicants … in the admission papers to the Inns of Court. 9. What exam … the students … now? – Civil law. 10. An ombudsman is an official appointed by the government who … the complaints of individual citizens. 11. He … only … his legal practice; he isn’t very experienced so far. 12. The procurator ... the papers right now.

Exercise 4. Correct the mistakes where necessary.

Example: The secretary of the court is print the complaint right now. – The secretary of the court is printing the complaint right now.

1. The topics is dealing with the legislative, executive and judicial branches of our government with the legislative, executive and judicial branches of our government. 2. The labour party is organizes a meeting at the central square now. 3. Law abiding citizens is always obeying laws and pay taxes in time. 4. At present the House of Lords are listening to a new bill proposed by the Queen. 5. The judge always meets his secretary when he enters the office. 6. The senators are voting for the bill right now? 7. Look! Representatives takes the oath of office. 8. Have you heard? He is run for his third elections. 9. The cops is cross-examining the suspects in their office. 10. Who are sitting in the House today? 11. They building a new prison for dangerous criminals in the suburbs now. 12 He is serving in the Senate or the House of Representatives?

Exercise 5. Change the following sentences according to the example.

Example: The procurator always works at his office, but today he … at home. – The procurator always works at his office, but today he is working at home.

1. The judge always speaks very quiet but today he … very nervously. 2. The Speaker doesn’t usually interrupt the members of the House but today he … everyone. 3. I always listen to his lectures very attentively but today I … at all as I am very tired. 4. The witnesses don’t usually lie but today they … all … . 5. The clerk of the court usually has lunch in the canteen but today he … lunch in the café. 6. The solicitors usually report in the lower court but today they … in a higher court. 7. The lawyer usually drives to work but today he … by bus. 8. The barrister always listens to the news on the radio but today he … it on TV. 9. Usually I type my essays but today I … it. Something is wrong with my computer. 10. The bailiffs usually visit ten clients a day but today the bailiffs … only the second client. 11. The dean always comes to work in time but today he … late. 12. The senators usually don’t argue during the first reading but today they … a lot.

Exercise 6. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1. Лидер партии большинства агитирует за своего кандидата в парламент. 2. Временный председатель осуществляет руководство парламентом сегодня. 3. Прокурор сейчас готовится к процессу в библиотеке сената. 4. Ты принимаешь участие в конференции по уголовному праву? – Да. 5. Лейбористская партия не проводит сегодня митинг, так как их лидер заболел. 6. Ответственный секретарь партии следит за внутрипартийной дисциплиной и помогает руководству проводить программу партии в жизнь. 7. Сенат и палата представителей обсуждают указ президента. 8. Я сейчас изучаю закон об авторском праве. Я собираюсь выступать с докладом на семинаре. 9. Работают ли сейчас в полиции волонтеры? 10. Кто сейчас выступает в речью по телевизору? Он говорит абсолютную чепуху! 11. Мистер Смит пишет поправки к законодательству. Говорят, он зарабатывает много денег! 12. Они соперничают за место в парламенте.