Test 3e

Task 1. Study the text.

Tort law

Tort Law is a specific sphere of law that covers noncriminal injury to people. Such injuries may be of different nature: injuries to people, injuries to their property or injuries to their reputation. The aim of the tort law is to provide relief for persons who have suffered harm from the wrongful acts of others.

The law of tort covers a wide area of wrongdoings. Trespass, conversion, nuisance, negligence, misrepresentation, slander and libel are all torts.

Trespass is entering somebody's land or premises without the owner's permission.

Conversion in English law covers taking, destroying or selling someone else's property.

The tort of nuisance is an act of causing trouble to other people. If you intend to do some improvements to your flat and use a power drill at night or during weekends you are causing trouble to other people.

Ninety percent of tort suits involve charges of negligence or, in other words, breach of a legal duty of care. Duty of care is a principle that people’s duty is to do their best to avoid any possible harm to other people. So if somebody falls on wet flooring in a shop, the shop owner will be sued for negligence.

Misrepresentation is a false statement of fact. If you are buying a house and the owner assures you that it has brand new roofing, but it doesn’t, this is a tort of misrepresentation.

The tort of defamation covers attacks against someone's reputation through the written or spoken word. There are two kinds of defamation: slander (spoken defamation) and libel (written defamation).

There is an area of tort law which mainly concerns business. This area includes product liability and strict liability torts. Product liability holds a company responsible for injuries caused by its product. Strict liability, or liability without fault, is a branch of torts regulating activities that are useful and necessary but that create abnormally dangerous risks to society.

The tort law also includes the so-called vicarious liability. Under this concept anyone may sue or be sued: a child, a mentally sick person or a deceased person. For example if a child playing football breaks your window, you may sue his parents. Another kind of vicarious liability is the liability of an employer for the tortuous actions in the course of doing his work. If somebody falls in a hole made in the course of road maintenance works, this person will sue the maintenance company. It didn’t instruct its personnel properly.

Task 2. Translate the marked paragraphs into Russian.

Task 3. Answer the questions to the text in written form:

1. What are the natures of noncriminal injuries?

2. What is the tort of negligence?

3. What is the duty of care?

4. What are the two kinds of defamation?

5. What is the essence of the product liability torts?

6. What is vicarious liability?

Task 4. Open the brackets focusing on the use of tense forms in conditional sentences:

1. If the dinner is not ready, I (go) without it.

2. I would have come yesterday if I (have) nothing to do.

3. If John (eat) another cake, he’ll be sick.

4. I wouldn’t do that if I (be) you.

5. If it (be) OK with you, let’s meet at six o’clock.

6. If we (take shelter) under these trees, we (not, get wet).

7. If anyone (say) such a thing to me, I (feel) hurt.

Task 5. Choose the proper modal verb from those in brackets, write the resulting sentence and translate it into Russian:

1. What was wrong with you? Why (had you to; did you have; must you) go to hospital?

2. I think all drivers (should wear; had better wear; are able to) seat belts.

3. This rule (doesn’t apply; is not apply; shall not be applied; must not have been applied) here. It’s an exception.

4. The company is considering whether any new products (need to be added; should be adding; need add; ought to add) to the line for sale in foreign countries.

5. Don’t contradict her. You (are to; have to; should) respect her old age.

6. If you have a high blood pressure, you (had better; are better; need better; may better) stop eating salt.

Task 6. Open the brackets using the required form of the Infinitive or Infinitive construction. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. Please let me (know) your decision as soon as possible. 2. They're pleased (compensate) for the damage. 3. He tried to make me (believe) that he was not involved in the crime. 4. Do you want (they, stay) in the building during the break? 5. He expected (she, summon) to give evidence. 6. The criminals are thought (leave) the country some days ago. 7. He is said (interrogate) at the attorney’s office now.

Task 7. Open the brackets using the gerund in the appropriate form. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. (to be as­sisted) by an experienced lawyer, she won the case. 2. The guilt is not evident, it needs (prove). 3. The man didn’t collect the parcel, in spite of (notify) three times. 4. I always treat people politely and I insist on (treat) politely. 5. He isn't used to (give) testimony in court.

Task 8. Open the brackets using the participle in the appropriate form. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1. (Invite) to the birthday party I went to choose a nice present. 2. I definitely saw Mr. Donovan (talk) to Mrs. Stevens at 7 a.m. yesterday. 3. With his car (repair) he had to get to work by train. 4. I want to have the complaint (file) the day before the hearing starts. 5. She noticed a (Frighten) look of his face. 6. (Have) plenty of time he decided to walk to the station.

СПИСОК ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ:

1. Голицинский Ю. Грамматика. Сборник упражнений.- СПб, 2001.

2. Чекан О.Г., Суходольский А.А. “English Grammar Guide”. Минск, 2002

3. Романова Л. И. Практическая грамматика английского языка – М.: Рольф, 2000

4. Мюллер В.К. Англо-русский словарь.-М.,2003

5. Murphy “English Grammar in Use”. Cambridge University, 1994.

6. Голованев В.В. Английский для экономистов: учеб. Пособие для студентов вузов. – Мн.: ТетраСистемс, 2006.

7. Решетняк С.В., Пивень Е.И. Учебно-методическое пособие по английскому языку для студентов 1-3 курсов заочной формы обучения для специальности «Правоведение», Минск 2002 (библиотека ЧУО «БИП»)