Текст № 4

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE USA

The United States is a federal union of 50 states, with the District of Columbia as the seat of the national government. The structure of the government is outlined in the Constitution.

There are three levels of government in the United States: national, state and local. The federal government makes laws, collects taxes, provides services, as well as national and international security. There are three branches of federal government: executive, legislative and judicial.

The executive branch is made up of the President, 14 executive departments, and independent agencies. The President of the United States is responsible for enforcing laws, choosing high government officials, commanding the army, conducting foreign affairs, and recommending laws to Congress.

The legislative branch of the US government includes Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and a number of administrative agencies. Congress makes and changes laws, establishes federal taxes and takes decisions on funding the federal government.

The Senate has 100 members, two from each state. The House of Representatives has 435 members who are divided among the states according to the population of the state.

The judicial branch of the government consists of the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country, and the federal district courts.

Presidential elections are held every four years on the first Tuesday In November. Representatives to Congress are elected every two years. Senators are elected every six years. State governments are similar to the national government. The executive officer is called the governor, and each state has legislative and judicial branches of power.

Local governments function at the city, town, or village level. There are two major political parties in the United States: Democrats and Republicans.

VOCABULARY

a federal union a state the District of Columbia to outline (to be outlined) to make laws to collect taxes to provide services federal government executive departments independent agencies to be responsible (for) to enforce laws high government officials to conduct foreign affairs to recommend laws Congress the Senate the House of Representatives administrative agencies to make and to change laws to establish federal taxes the federal district courts presidential elections the executive officer the governor Democrats and Republicans

федеративное государство штат (здесь) округ Колумбия кратко описать издавать законы собирать налоги предоставлять услуги федеральное управление административные департаменты независимые агентства быть ответственным (за) проводить законы в жизнь правительственные чиновники высокого ранга руководить внешней политикой представлять законы Конгресс Сенат Палата представителей административные агентства создавать и изменять законы устанавливать федеральные налоги федеральные окружные суды президентские выборы глава исполнительной власти губернатор Демократы и Республиканцы

1. answer the questions.

1. The United States is a federal union of 50 states, isn’t it?

2. What are the three levels of government?

3. What does the federal government do?

4. There are three branches of federal government, aren’t there?

5. What is the executive branch made up of?

6. What is the President of the United States responsible for?

7. What does the legislative branch of the US government include?

8. Does Congress make and change laws or establish federal taxes?

9. What does the judicial branch consist of?

10. Are presidential elections held every four years on the first Tuesday in November?

11. Representatives to Congress are elected every two years, aren’t they?

12. Are senators elected every six or every seven years?

13. How do local governments function?

14. What are the two major political parties in the United States?

2. Agree or disagree with the statements.

use the formulas.

согласие		возражение
That’s the point!	Именно так!	I object to it!	Я возражаю!
Just it.	Это так.	That’s not true.	Это неправда.

1. The United States is a federal union of 70 states.

2. There are two levels of government in the United States: state and local.

3. There are two branches of federal government: legislative and judicial.

4. The President of the United States is responsible only for commanding the army and recommending laws to Congress.

5. The Senate has 200 members, four from each state.

6. The House of Representatives has 500 members.

7. The judicial branch of the government consists of the Supreme Court and the federal district courts.

8. Presidential elections are held every four years.

9. Representatives to Congress are elected every 7 years.

10. There are two major political parties in the United States.

3. Retell the text.