Language practice and comprehension check

USEFUL INFORMATION

Unanimous Consent Agreement/Time Limitation agreement:- A device used in the Senate to expedite (to assist the progress of) legislation. Much of the Senate's legislative business , dealing with both minor and controversial issues, is conducted through unanimous consent or unanimous consent agreements. On major legislation, such agreements are usually printed and transmitted to all senators in advance of floor debate. Once agreed to, they are binding on all members unless the Senate, by unanimous consent, agrees to modify them. An agreement may list the order in which various bills are to be considered, specify the length of time bills and contested amendments are to be debated and when they are to be voted upon and, frequently, require that all amendments introduced be germane to the bill under consideration. In this regard, unanimous consent agreements are similar to the "rules" issued by the House Rules Committee for bills pending in the House.

Terms and Notions:

Calendar n. - a list of bills, reported out of a legislative committee for the consideration by the entire legislature.

Floor debate - the legislative process of debating a proposed bill before an entire chamber

Adjourn v. – to bring a meeting to a stop.

Recess n – a time for rest during a working day or year.

Cloture n. – a way of ending an argument over a bill and forcing a vote on it.

Rider n. – provision in a bill that is not germane to the main purpose of the law.

Appropriation n. – the process of setting aside money for a special purpose.

Filibuster v. – to try to delay or prevent action in lawmaking body by making very slow speeches.

Engrossed bill – 1. a bill in a form ready for final passage by a legislative chamber. 2. a bill in the form passed by one house of the legislature.

Enrolled bill -a bill passed by both houses of the legislature and signed by their presiding officers.

TASK I a) Look up the following words from the text in a dictionary:

Active Vocabulary

carry v.

waive v.

motion n.

floor n.

subject adj. (to sth.)

germane adj.

invoke n.

abstain v.

concur v.

b) Use the active vocabulary and terms and notions to complete the sentences:

1. The resolution was … by 340 votes to 210.

2. The … was adopted by six votes to one.

3. The term "legislative day" means the period from when the Senate ... until the next time when the Senate ... .

4. When the Senators call the ... bills that are not objected to are taken up in their order.

5. The article is not … to the subject being discussed.

6. Six countries voted for the change, five voted against, and two … .

7. She … her right to a lawyer.

8. The Senate often ... rather than adjourns.

9. The procedure of ending debate in a legislative day is called ... .

10. Historians … … with each other in this view.

11. It is unlikely that libel laws will … … .

12. The ... is a provision in a bill that is not germane to the main purpose of the law.

13. .... Bills are the bills connected with the financial activity of the government.

14. The tactic known as ... is used as a kind of an opposition to a measure.

15. The Senator from Connecticut took the ... .

16. All nuclear installations are … to international safeguards.

TASK II a.) Match the verbs on the left with their synonyms on the right:

1. interpose a. deprive

2. debate b. agree

3. consent c. discuss

4. object d. refrain

5. abstain e. register

6. forfeit f. interrupt

7. enroll g. oppose

b.) Match the adjectives on the left with the nouns on the right:

1. unanimous a. committee

2. immediate b. day

3. legislative c. bill

4. engrossed d. speeches

5. final e. action

6. unamended f. action

7. standing g. consent

8. available h. report

9. lengthy i. measure

TASK III Complete the sentences. Then translate them:

1. This requirement may be waived by….

2. In the Senate, measures are brought up for consideration by….

3. When the calendar is called, bills…

4. Once a Senator is recognized by the Presiding Officer,…

5. While a measure is being considered…

6. A voice vote is usually taken although…

7. Before an amended measure is cleared for its return to the House of Representatives…

TASK IV Add at least three nouns to the following verbs. Make up sentences with the word combinations:

Obtain, report, consider, waive, object, extend, carry, invoke.

TASK V Change the form of the words by adding negative prefixes:

Available adj., agreement n., continue v., complete adj., finished adj., recognized adj.

TASK VI Answer the following questions:

1. What rules of procedure is the Senate guided by?

2. When are Senators allowed not to consider measures reported by standing committees of the Senate?

3. How are measures brought up for consideration in the Senate?

4. How long does a legislative day last?

5. How long may a Senator speak on one question in debate?

6. How can a Senator prolong debate? When do they resort to this kind of tactic?

7. What is the procedure of the passage of a bill?

TASK VII Speak about

a) the rule of the unanimous consent.

b) the legislative day.

3. the voting in the Senate.

TASK VIII Agree or disagree with the following quotation:

Man is not free unless government is limited. As government expands, liberty ends.

Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004,

40^th President of the USA.