X. Напишите по одному вопросу к каждому предложению и устно ответьте на них.

Вариант 3

1. Напишите слова, от которых образованы данные: oldest, repeatedly, changing, governmental, judicial, peaceful, unreasonable, justice, knowledge, natural, official.

2. По формальным признакам определите группу подлежащего и сказуемого в предложении: Rather, they are seen as the natural “unalienable” rights of every American, which had been fought for and won.

3. Напишите транскрипцию следующих слов и запомните их чтение: government, power, specify, supreme, guide, ultimate, executive, judicial, fundamental, assembly, guard, seizure, justice, guarantee, unalienable.

4. Прочитайте текст и найдите интернациональные слова, определите их значение.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

The American Constitution, the oldest still in force in the world, sets the basic form of government: three separate branches, each one having powers (“checks and balances”) over the others. It specifies the powers and duties of each federal branch of government, with all other powers and duties belonging to the states. The Constitution has been repeatedly amended to meet the changing needs of the nation, but it is still the “supreme law of the land”. All governments and governmental groups, federal, state, and local, must operate within its guidelines. The ultimate power under the Constitution is not given to the President (the executive branch), or to the Supreme Court (the judicial branch). Nor does it rest, as in many other countries, with a political group or party. It belongs to “We the People”, in fact and in spirit.

They stated in the first ten Constitutional Amendments, known together as the Bill of Rights, what they considered to be the fundamental rights of any American. Among these rights are the freedom of religion, speech, and the press, the right of peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government to correct wrongs. Other rights guarded the citizens against unreasonable searches, arrests, and seizures of property, and established a system of justice guaranteeing orderly legal procedures. This included the right of trial by jury, that is, being judged by one’s fellow citizens.

The great pride Americans have in their Constitution, their almost religious respect for it comes from the knowledge that these ideals, freedoms, and rights were not given to them by a small ruling class. Rather, they are seen as the natural “unalienable” rights of every American, which had been fought for and won. They cannot be taken away by any government, court, official, or law.

5. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний:

1. вносить поправки в конституцию

2. определить чьи-либо полномочия

3. действовать в рамках конституции;

4. получить необоснованно большую власть

5. свобода совести

6. свобода собраний

7. захват собственности

VI. Объясните значения следующих выражений двумя предложениями из текста:

1. Bill of Rights

2. Unalienable rights.

VII. Определите, соответствуют ли данные предложения содержанию текста:

1. The ultimate power under the Constitution belongs to the President.

2. The great pride of Americans is that the Constitution of US is the oldest still in force in the world.

3. The fundamental rights of Americans were given to them by a small ruling class.

VIII. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How does the American Constitution separate the powers of government?

2. Has the text of the Constitution ever been changed?

How did it become possible?

3. Does any governmental organ or official in the US have the ultimate power? Why?

4. What is the Bill of Rights?

5. What is the great pride of Americans?

IX. Прочитайте текст. Заполните пропуски в тексте словами и словосочетаниями, используя их в соответствующей форме. Переведите текст на русский язык.

To change; text; rights;

To use; changings; religion;

Branches; Bill of Rights; press;

Freedoms; speech; to guard;

Assemble; searches; arrests;

Breaking; jury; citizens.

When the Constitution was written in 1787, there were only 13 states. Because the a)______ of the Constitution saw the future might bring a need for changes, they b)______ a method of adding c)______. Over the years 26 amendments have been added, but the basic d)______

Has not been e)______. The pattern of government planned so long ago for 13 states today meets the needs of 50 states and more than 57 times as many.

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, called the f)_______ assure individual g)_______ and h)________. Added in 1791, they include provisions for freedom of the i)_______ and of j)______; the right of citizens to k)_______ peacefully; the right to be l)_______ in one’s own home against unreasonable m)_______ and n)_______ of person or property; and the right of any person charged with o)______ the law to have a speedy trial by a p)______ of fellow q)______.

The Constitution r)______ the powers of the government into three branches: the s)______ headed by the t)_______; the u)_______, which includes both houses of v)______ (the Senate and the House of Representatives) and the w)______ which is headed by the Supreme Court. The Constitution limits the role of each x)______ to prevent any one branch from gaining undue y)______.