Вариант № 5

1. Прочтите текст и переведите на русский язык.

Political Parties in the USA

In the U.S. political system it is usual for the President to belong to one party and the majority of the members of one or both houses of Congress to belong to the other party. Even in this situation, because party divisions over policy are not so deep, the system continues to function smoothly. The two American parties, the Republican and the Democratic, are organizations of compromise. Within each party, groups of citizens with somewhat different- but not completely opposite- aims unite to gain political power that they could not win separately. Party programs are constructed as statements of practical compromises. Each party tries to reach consensus, which means general agreement, among different groups on important issues.

Occasionally a special issue produces a third party, but, although the question may not be settled, the party itself usually does not last long. During the last century several small parties, such as the Socialist, Socialist Labour, Communist and Prohibition parties, have been on the ballot at one time or another. However, these parties have had little practical importance. The most important third party in recent years has been the extremely conservative American Independent party.

Although it is difficult to make sharp differences between the Democratic and Republican parties, a majority of American voters find enough differences to classify themselves as members of one party or another. A poll conducted a year before one presidential election found that about 25 percent of all possible voters described themselves as Republicans, 40 percent as Democrats, and 35 percent as independents. An independent is someone who does not belong to any political party. A poll taken in the year following the 1972 election showed that party preferences remained unchanged. Individuals vote for a particular party for many reasons. These reasons include the traditions of the social and economic group to which the voters belong.

2. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту.

1. Is it usual for the President and the members of two houses of Congress to belong to one party or to others?

2. What are the main political parties in the USA?

3. Which party is the third important nowadays?

4. Who is an independent?

5. What does consensus mean?

3. Выпишите из текста интернационализмы.

4. Выпишите из текста слова с окончанием – s и определите часть речи.

5. Выпишите из текста 3 прилагательных в разных степенях сравнения, дописав недостающие.

6. Определите по суффиксу часть речи: separately, independent, preference, presidentional, voter, tradition.

Вариант № 6

1. Прочтите текст и переведите на русский язык.

Elections

Political systems in Europe are characterized by the idea of democracy. A key feature of these systems is the need to hold elections at regular intervals to enable the population to express its political wishes by electing a parliament.

In most of the countries under discussion at least all men and women- with the exception of special groups –have the right to give their vote for support of the party or candidate of their choice. On election day when the country goes to the polls, every voter goes to a polling station. It is a key element of the system that the voter should be able to mark the ballot paper with the name of his choice without observation. When the polls close, the votes are counted.

In Britain, the candidate with the highest number of votes is elected as the Member of Parliament for a given area. There are three main political parties in Great Britain. They are the Liberal, the Conservative and the Labour. The system of elections in Britain is in contrast to that of proportional representation, which allows a number of seats in the Parliament for a particular party proportional to the percentage of the vote received. This system leads to more coalition government, where parties whose political views and aims are different may join together to form a government because no one party has achieved a considerable majority. Each party will then have to compromise and concentrate on what can actually be achieved by an alliance with other parties.

The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party that has a majority in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister usually takes policy decisions with the agreement of his Cabinet. Each new Prime Minister may make changes in the size of his Cabinet and may create new ministries or make other changes. The Prime Minister holds Cabinet meetings at his (her) house at number 10 Downing Street, which is very near the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

2. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту.

1. What is the key feature of European political systems?

2. Who has the right to vote?

3. Where does every voter go on election day?

4. When are the votes counted?

5. Did you take part in the last elections?

3. Выпишите из текста интернационализмы.

4. Выпишите из текста слова с окончанием –s и определите часть речи.

5. Выпишите из текста 3 прилагательных в разных степенях сравнения, дописав недостающие.

6. Определите по суффиксу часть речи: election, political, majority, concentrate, considerable, compromise, actually.