Vocabulary

circular stairway — винтовая лестница

funds — денежные средства

shackles — кандалы; оковы

sheet — лист

spike — зд. луч (в венце)

statue — статуя

tablet — дощечка (с надписью)

torch — факел

Unit III

The Political System

Text 1

The government of the united states

The United States of America is a federal republic, consisting of fifty states', each of which has its own government (“state” government). In some ways, the United States is like fifty small countries. Every state has its own governor, its own police, and its own laws. The present Constitution was proclaimed in 1787 in Philadelphia.

The President is the head of the whole country and the government, and is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He makes the most important decisions and chooses the ministers, the members of his cabinet. But the President cannot do just what he wants. The Congress must agree first. Americans choose a new President every four years. The residence of the President is the famous White House in Washington, the capital city.

Qualifications to be elected president:

1) A president must be born in the United States.

2) Before a president goes into office, (s)he must be 35 years old.

3) “At least 14 years resident of the United States. Candidates are usually nominated at national party conventions held in the summer of the election year. Although only men have served as president, women are eligible to hold the office”.

Other information about the president.

The president's term is 4 years. No president may serve more than 10 years. This law went into effect after Franklin D. Roosevelt died in office. Franklin D. Roosevelt served 3 terms, was elected for a fourth, and died shortly into his fourth term.

Once the president is in office, (s)he may only be removed by being impeached. The president may only be impeached if (s)he commits serious crimes in office. To be removed from office, a majority of the House of Representatives and two thirds of the Senate must approve.

The president earns $200,000 plus allowances for expenses, travel, and official entertainment totaling $150,000. The president is also provided with White House, household help, transportation, and health care during time in office. (S)he also receives a lifetime pension of $97,500 annually.

2

The government of the whole country (the “federal” government) works from Washington. This is where Congress is based. The Capitol is the seat of the USA Congress. Congress is the American parliament, which consists of two Chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The first Congress met in 1789 in New York City. The membership then consisted of 22 Senators and 59 Representatives.

Today the House of Representatives has 435 members. Elections to the House take place every two years. There are 100 senators (two from each state). They are elected to serve for a period of six years, but every two years elections to the Senate take place when one third of its members may be changed or re-elected.

Election day is always in the month of November, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday.

Americans who are not yet 25 years old have no right to be elected to the House of Representatives, and those who are under 30 cannot be elected to the Senate.

The main political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.