III. Read and translate the text с

Interview with a Member of British Parliament

Correspondent: Could you outline the relationship between local government

and national government? Member of Parliament: Parliament has given certain powers to local

government. For instance, they are given the job of educating our children, of providing social services to elderly people, of keeping our streets clean, of collecting our rubbish and so on. Correspondent: As far as I know, there have been changes in the functions

performed by local govemments.Jiow have they changed in the last few years?

MP: What we have been seeing over the last decade or so is a great increase in centralisation. Correspondent: Do you mean stricter control over what local authorities spend

raise in

MP: Not only that. The Government removes functions from lo­cal authorities, and puts new responsibilities onto them. Very often they expect the local authorities to raise the resources to finance the ne\y. functions. Correspondent: How do you see the role of local governments?

MP: I think that the objective'of local government is to let local people decide what they want to spend, looking at their own needs in the light of their own resources. Correspondent: Does the present system of local government work?

MP: Well, it works, under great difficulties. Quite a number of MPs want local government to be freer and more independent. They don't want the central government to impose their priorities on local authorities. The biggest defect of local government is that it simply has not got enough resources. Correspondent: Do you think that people who work within local government

manage their resources well?

MP: Not all of them. Better budgetary management and adoption of local policies aimed at fair competition as well as improve ment of the climate for entrepreneurship and investment are on their agenda.

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Note on the Text

What we have been seeing over the last decade ... - Что мы наблюдаем в течение последних десяти лет

Vocabulary List

member-член

parliament - парламент

outline - обрисовать в общих чертах

local government - местное самоуправление

power - полномочие, власть rubbish - мусор

perform a function - выполнять функцию centralization - централизация strict - строгий, требовательный

authority (обыкн. pi the authorities) - власть, власти, полномочие remove - устранять

put responsibilities onto smb - возлагать обязанности на кого-л.

finance - финансировать

objective - цель

in the light of - в свете

impose - налагать

priority - приоритет

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defect - недостаток

manage - управлять, руководить

budgetary management - управление бюджетом

adoption - принятие

entrepreneurship - предпринимательство be on the agenda - быть в повестке дня

Comprehension

Ex.1. Give answers to the questions:

2. What powers have been given to local government by Parliament?

3. How have the functions of local governments changed?

4. How does the MP see the role of local governments?

5. What major^problems do local governments face?

Ex.2. Find in the text the sentences containing:

• ... they expect the local authorities to raise ...

• ... is to let local people decide ...

• ... want local government to be freer...

• ... don't want the central government to impose ...

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Ex. 3. Then read the Grammar Presentation of the Complex Object (page 110) and translate the sentences into Russian in writing.

Grammar and Lexis Ex. 1. Work together in groups of four or five and decide...

1. Do you want your family to change the spending pattern? Would you like your parents to spend more on food/clothes/holidays/entertainment/durable goods? Would you like your parents to let you decide what to do with the money they give you?

2. What makes people buy goods by hire purchase/live on credit/rent property/borrow money?

3. What services do you want your local authorities to improve? (health care/social services to the elderly people/keeping streets clean/collecting rubbish/school and university education)

4. What does business expect the government to do to support it? (to ease regulations/to dampen inflation/to provide information/to break monopolistic groups/tb promote competition/to deregulate the economy)

5. What would you like the federal government to do for people? (to raise wages and salaries/to improve services/to help people at the subsistence level/to support the young/to help low-income parents/to create new jobs)

6. Are there any students in your group who have an artistic talent? Have you heard them singing or playing

musical instruments? Have you seen them dancing? Would you like to see them performing?

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Be prepared to justify your answers!

Ex. 2. Practise these words and word combinations:

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power(s)

1. Translate into English:

   1. Полномочия местных органов власти были недавно изменены.

   2. Полномочия президента компании были расширены,

   3. Кто уполномочен (имеет полномочия) подписать этот документ?

   4. Власть в компании разделена между директорами и акционерами.

2. Answer these questions:

   1. Do you agree that the purchasing power of teenagers has increased significantly?

   2. Do your parents still have a lot of power over you? Do you want to be freer and more independent?

authority, authorities

1. Translate into Russian, pay attention to the verbs which are used with the word authority.

   1. The local authorities have built a new school.

   2. They don't have the authority to close the factory.

   3. The president of the company failed to exercise his authority;

   4. Who is in authority here?

   5. He was given authority to sign the agreement.

2. Answer these questions:

   1. Do you think that the authorities at the place where you live perform their'functions successfully?

   2. Do they spend sufficient budget resources-от health services, education, housing, and development of transport?

to raise vs to rise

\

1. Translate into Russian:

1) Unemployment rises in a time of depression. ^ 2) Prices have not risen this month.

• «..ST- /

3. Accountants raised their fees last year.

4. The government has raised taxes.

5. Producers raised the quality standards for the industry. ' 6) An important issue was raised at the meeting.

7. They are trying to raise funds from different sources.

8. It's difficult to raise capital in a time of inflation.

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2. Develop 1) and 8).

to manage

Make up your own sentences with the nouns which are frequently used with the verb to manage:

hoiisehold/factory/offiee/resourees/fifofc

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Ex. 3. Read Text С again and make a list of functions performed by local governments in the U.K Do our local governments perform similar functions? If you cannot answer the question, go to the library and read on local governments.

Ex 4. Do you agree with the statement in Text С about the objective of local government?

Ex. 5. Develop the main problem local governments face. Make use of the words in Text C.

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Ex. 6. Read the text. Compare the role of government in Russia with that of government in the US

The US^Economic System

The economic system of the United States is principally one of private ownership. This system is often referred to as a "free enterprise system". Yet the government has to some extent always been involved in regulating the US economy. At the same time, US citizens have always had the freedom to choose for whom they will work, and what they will buy.

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In the US economic system consumers, producers and the government make decisions mainly through the price system. As a rule, consumers look for the best values for what they spend, while producers seek the best price and profit for what they have to sell. Government, at the federal, state and local levels seeks to promote public safety, ensure competition, and provide some services. The federal government, for example, provides national defence. By contrast, the construction and maintenance of most highways is the responsibility of individual state governments. The public education systems are paid for by state, county or city governments. In general, police and fire protection are the responsibilities of local governments.

Each level of government supports individuals who cannot adequately care for themselves by making grants to low-income parents with children, by providing medical care for the aged and invalids, by assisting the unem­ployed. _ -

Words and word combinations yon may need

principally - преимущественно refer to - ссылаться на что-л. to some extent - до некоторой степени national defence - национальная оборона by contrast - в противоположность maintenance — эксплуатация county - графство care for - заботиться о

make a grant - предоставлять безвозмездную помощь the aged - пожилые assist - помогать

Ex.7. Sum up Text С (orally/in writing).

Situation: Imagine that you are getting4>repared for a meeting with representatives of English county councils - with peopIPwho work within local government. Make a list of questions you would ask them.

Ex.8. Discussion questions:

1. What role do producers play in an economy?

2. What problems does every economy face?

   1. How do buyers and producers respond to changes in prices?

   2. How is a market created?

   3. What is a perfect market?

      6. How do monopolies begin?

      7. What do businesses compete for?

      8. How do supply and demand influence each other?

      9. What affects supply/demand?

      10. What factors affect price?

1L Do governments coordinate the work of business in a market economy? 12 .Is government intervention considered necessary?

13. Can you give some examples of the role of government in the economy?

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13. Do local authorities play an important role inlKe life of communities?

14. What powers/responsibilities are usually given to local government?

Read for More Information Ex.9, a) Read aloud the text given below.