Test 6 (Variant c)

1. Read the text:

JURIES

Juries are a key part of the American judicial system. A jury may be defined as a certain number of persons, who are sworn in a court of law to inquire into certain matters of fact. The US Constitution guarantees that most criminal defendants are entitled to a trial by a jury. The defendant can waive this right and have the trial heard before a judge or other judicial officer without a jury. In most civil cases, either party may request a trial by jury. There are basically two types of juries: a petite jury and a grand jury. A petite jury is a group of 6 to 12 citizens who are sworn to determine the facts of a case. In a trial they listen to testimony and consider evidence and reach a verdict based on the facts presented. In a civil trial, the jury will be asked to find (rule) for the plaintiff or the defendant. In a criminal case, the jury must decide whether, under the law of their state, the accused is guilty or not guilty. A grand jury may be used to hear evidence in the initial stages of the most serious criminal proceedings in state and federal courts. There are 16 to 23 persons on a grand jury. Their role is to hear evidence presented by the prosecutor, and determine whether the evidence is sufficient to bring the accused to trial.

The grand jury does not hear evidence from the defendant or the defence attorney. The proceedings of a grand jury are secret. While the rules may vary from state to state, if a majority of the grand jury agrees that there is probable cause to believe that the accused committed the crime, the grand jury issues an “indictment”, formally charging the person of committing the crime.

In most countries jurors are selected at random from voter registration records and placed on a list of potential jurors. To be eligible for jury service, one must be over 18 years of age, a citizen of the country in which he or she is to serve as a juror, able to communicate in the language of the country. Jurors may be excused from jury service if they have illnesses that would interfere with their ability to do a good job, would suffer great hardship if required to serve, or are unable to serve for some other reasons. A group of people from which trial juries are chosen is called “a jury pool”.

2. Answer the questions to the text:

1. What is he main function of a jury? 2. What is the basis of a jury’s verdict? 3. What is specific about the work of a grand jury? 4. How can a person be excused from jury service?

3. Analyse the underlined in the text phenomena.

4. Insert the required articles:

1. ... sharp tongue is ... only edged tool that grows keener with constant use. (W. Irving) 2. In ... country of ... blind ... one-eyed man is ... king. (Erasmus) 3. I like ... music, but ... music at the party yesterday was really awful. 4. He always stays at ... Hilton Hotel, dines at ... Maxim’s and reads ... Times. 5. Have you already called ... police?

5. Insert the required prepositions:

1. Would you please remind me ... the appointment ... the doctor? 2. He prefers working with people ... paper work. 3. The offender was sentenced ... two years of probate. 4. She said she was leaving ... China ... business. 5. The market studies department was divided ... three smaller ones. 6. The country suffers ... the lack of investments. 7. The composition of a state judiciary is similar ... that of the federal one. 8. We are incapable ... solving this problem without professional advice.

6. Insert the required pronouns:

1. Have we got ... information about this firm in our files? 2. Don’t worry, I’ll see to it ..., I have ... experience in the cases of this kind. 3. Has ... telephoned me this morning? Yes, ... has left a message for you with your secretary. 4. ... John ... Julia can speak Russian, so we’ll have to invite an interpreter. 5. The ... plans are good for nothing, though ... of them may be used as a basis for working out a suitable one.

7. Put the verbs in brackets into correct tense forms:

1. I (can) do it last week, but I (not/can) do it now; the situation (to change). 2. They reported that the suspect (to notice) at the airport the morning before. 3. If you (to phone) me I (not/to miss) that shareholders meeting last week. 4. She (to have) rich experience in divorce cases. 5. We (to continue) the work on the project when you (to return) next week. 6. The procedure of the access to the restricted area (to change) recently. 7. Mr Mott informed that a tax inspector (to come) to check the books the next day. 8. The fax machine (to repair) at the moment. 9. I (to insist) on his resignation before you (to inform) me about the details last week. I (to be) very sorry and I think I (to have/to apologise). 10. I (to feel) sick every time she (to begin) her vocal exercises. 11. They (to redecorate) my office for two weeks already, but nothing (to do) except the ceiling. 12. When Mr Derek (to phone) me yesterday I (not/can) pick up the receiver, I (to take) a shower. 13. After all your explanations I think I (to sell) the NXS shares. 14. The hall (to prepare) for the conference by 8 a.m. tomorrow. 15. She said her brother (to go) on business very often. 16. Mrs said that she (not/can) to assist you during the preliminary hearings the next Wednesday. 17. Mr Blumm (to graduate) from a law college nine years ago and (to work) for Hugo & Morantz since then.