IV. Прочитайте текст. Сделайте письменный перевод второго абзаца. Найдите в тексте ответы на вопросы и подчеркните их (юрид. Фак.)

THE US CONGRESS

Congress, the legislative branch of the federal goverment, is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are 100 Senators, two from each state. One third of the "Senators are elected every two years for six-year terms of office. The Senators represent all of the people in a state and their interests.

The House has 435 members. They are elected every two years for two-years terms. They represent the population of "congressional districts" into which each state is divided. The number of Representatives from each state is based upon its population. For instance, California, the state with the largest population, has 45 Representatives, while Delaware has one. There is no limit to the number of terms a Senator or Representatives may serve.

Almost all elections in the United States follow the "winner-take-all" principle: 'the candidate who wins the largest number of votes in a Congressional district is the winner.

Congress makes all laws, and each house of Congress has the power to introduce legislation. Each can also vote against legis­lation passed by the other. Because (legislation only becomes law if both houses agree, compromise between them is necessary.

the US Congress – Конгресс США

legislative branch – законодательная ветвь

is made up of – состоит

the Senate – Сенат

the House of Representatives – Палата представителей

to elect – выбирать

term of office – выборный срок

to represent – представлять

Representative – член палаты представителей, конгрессмен

congressional districts – выборные округа

"winner-take-all" – все достается победителю

vote – голос

to introduce – вводить

1. What is the US Congress made up of?

2. How many Senators are there in the US Congress?

3. Do the Senators represent all of the people in a state and their interests?

4. How many members does the House have?

5. Whom do the Representatives represent?

6. What principle almost all the elections in the United States follow?

7. Who is the winner?

8. What does Congress make?

9. When does legislation become law?

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THE PROBLEM OP PUNISHMENT

Compared with other aspects of the Criminal Law, the question of punishment is the most difficult. For the lawyer it is a question which presents special problems for a variety of reasons. The pu­nishment of a criminal is a combined operation of Parliament, the courts, and the administration. The range of penalties which may be imposed is in most cases set by the legislature, which fixes the maximum sentences for different offences. For the majority of offences only the maximum penalty is prescribed by law, so that the court is left free to select in each case the appropriate sentence.

If the accused has never before been convicted of crime, the sentence is not likely to be severe, unless the crime is one of violence. First offenders are usually treated with sympathy. If, on the other hand, the accused man has a long record of convictions, the judge will pass a more severe sentence.

After the court has selected what sentence seems suitable, the carrying out of this sentence falls to the lot of those who adminis­ter the penal system.

One result of this is that once sentence has been passed, the courts are no longer concerned with the offender's fate: their task is concluded.

Слова и выражения

punishment	- наказание
criminal law	- уголовное право
laywer	- юрист
variety of reasons	- ряд причин
criminal	- преступник
combined operation	- совместные действия
penalty	- наказание
legislature	- законодательство
sentence	- приговор
to be prescribed	- быть предписанным
appropriate sentence	- соответствующий приговор
accused	- обвиняемый
to be convicted of crime	- подвергаться судимости
severe	- суровый
violence	- насилие
offender	- нарушитель
treat	- обращаться
long record of convictions	- длинный список судимостей
judge	- судья
pass a sentence	- выносить приговор
suitable	- соответствующий
carry out	- выполнять
penal system	- пенитенциарная (карательная) система
fate	- судьба

CRIMINAL COURTS

Criminal Law is that part of the law of the land which is concerned with crimes. The English criminal law has never been reduced to single code, but many particular topics have been codified by separat statutes. No rule of Criminal Law is of more importance than that which requires the prosecution to prove the accused's guilt or establish his innocence.

In England a person accused of crime must always be supposed innocent until he has been proved guilty. Newpapers mustn't describe the accused as "the thief" or "the murderer", : "the accused" or "the prisoner".

In England there are two main classes of criminal courts, those in which the trial of the more serious offences takes place before a judge and jury, and those in which less serious offences are tried before magistrates without jury. The courts in the first class are either assizes or quarter sessions. The second class consists of magistrates' courts.

In London and surrounding area the Central Criminal Court takes place of the assizes. Trials are there presided over either by a High Court judge of by one of the special judge of that court.

Слова и выражения

is concerned with	- заниматься, иметь дело с
reduce	- сводить
code	- кодекс
topic	- предмет обсуждения
codify	- кодифицировать
statutes	- законодательный акт
require	- требовать
prosecution	- следствие, расследование
guilt	- вина
establish	- установить
innocence	- невиновность
accused of	- обвиненный в
to be proven guilty	- доказать виновность
thief	- вор
murderer	- убийца
prisoner	- заключенный
trial	- суд
jury	- присяжные заседатели
offence	- проступок
magistrate	- мировой Судья
assize	- выездная судебная сессия, суд присяжных
quarter sessions	- суд четвертных , квартальных сессий
to preside	- председательствовать