Reading check exercises

1. Consult a dictionary and practice the pronunciation of the following words and word-combinations. Pay attention to the stress.

Commitment, unprecedented, massacres, genocide, egregious violations, Holocaust, to entrust with the responsibility, individual petition, to lodge a complaint, alleged violations, preliminary examination, to determine admissibility, settlement, respondent State, compulsory jurisdiction, final, binding adjudication, to retain the confidence, admissible, urgent steps, arouse dissatisfaction, to supervise the execution, a complaint, subsequently.

2. Answer the following questions.

1. What was the situation with human rights’ protection in the middle of the 20^th century? 2. What were the reasons for adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? 3. What other documents constitute the International Bill of Human Rights? 4. What was the object of the Convention of 1953? 5. What institutions were entrusted with the responsibility of the Convention? 6. What are functions of the European Commission of Human Rights? 7. Why did two-tier system arouse dissatisfaction?

8. What was the aim of the 11^th Protocol to the Convention of Human Rights?

3. Explain what is meant by:

massacres, genocide, egregious violations, Holocaust, friendly settlement, to entrust with the responsibility, individual petition, alleged violations, preliminary examination, respondent State, compulsory jurisdiction, binding adjudication, urgent steps, to attack the root of the problem, duplication of procedures, historically unprecedented, two-tier system, the new Court, the old Court, the Convention system.

4. Put 10 questions in the form of a plan to the given text. Retell the text according to your plan.

Vocabulary and grammar work

1. Supply the prepositions.

1/. The United States has played a special role ______ the political development and spread _____ human rights ideas and practices.

2/. The Declaration ______ Independence, ______ which the American colonies severed their allegiance ______ the British Crown ______ 1776, proclaims the self-evident truth that all men are created equal and endowed ______ inalienable rights ______ life, liberty, and the pursuit ______ happiness.

3/. No less importantly, it asserts the right _____ a people to dissolve political bonds that have come to be oppressive.

4/. And ______ the political system established ______ the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights, the world witnessed the first practical experiment ______ a government committed to being judged ______ the extent ______ which it respected and protected the rights _______ its citizens.

5/. Rights, thus, are often seen _____ Americans as a defining feature _____ their national heritage.