Сидоркина Е.В. Английский язык для юристов. Ч. 1

READING

1. Read and translate the following international

2. Read and translate the text. While reading the text try to find answers to these questions:

-What branches does the government of the USA consist of?

-What does the system of checks and balances mean?

-What is «judicial review»?

THE USA GOVERNMENT

The USA is a presidential republic. The operation of the US Government is based on the US Constitution which was adopted by the Congress in 1787. A key feature of the US Constitution is federalism, an original idea for powersharing between states, on the one hand, and the national government on the other. Another major feature of the Constitution is the principal of separation of powers within the

national government, with separate legislative, executive and judicial branches. There is a system of checks and balances in the USA. It means that each branch has some control over other two branches.

The legislative power belongs to the Congress consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of two members from each state elected for a term of 6 years, one third being elected every two years. There are 100 members in the Senate. The number of representatives from each state to the House of Representatives depends on the number of people in each state. The House has usually 435 members.

The job of the Congress is to make laws. The Congress can also declare war. The House of Representatives can also impeach the President. This means that the House can charge the President with a crime. In this case, the Senate will put the President on trial.

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The executive branch of the government puts the US laws into effect. The executive branch consists of the President, the Vice – President and the Cabinet. And this branch is meant to «execute» – translating purposes into programs and programs into actions. The President must be at least 35 years old, be a natural citizen of the USA. In addition, he must have lived in the USA for at least 14 years. The

president holds office for four years and is elected, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same term, by electors from each state. The President may be reelected and serve two terms (eight years altogether) but not longer than that. Franklin

Delano Roosevelt was elected for a third and fourth term, but since then the TwentySecond Amendment to the Constitution was adopted (1951) limiting tСО PЫОЬТНОЧЭ’Ь

term in office. The Vice-President of the USA is the President of the Senate. When the President receives a bill from the Congress, he must sign it, and then the bill becomes a law. However, if he disagrees with the law, he can veto it. But his veto may be cancelled by a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress. Within the Executive Branch, there are several executive departments. These are the departments of State, Treasury, Defence, Education, Health and Human resources, Interior and so on.

The judicial branch of the government is the system of courts in the United States. Its job is to enforce laws. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and the head of the judicial branch of the USA government. It consists of nine justices: one Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices. The President appoints the justices, but the Senate must approve them. The justices are appointed for life.

The federal and the state courts have the power of «judicial review». This is a doctrine and practice by which the courts have authority to declare legislative acts unconstitutional.

The judicial branch works together with the legislative and executive branches to protect the Constitution and the rights of people.

Vocabulary notes:

3.the system of checks and balances –

4.chamber –

5.the House of Representatives –

6.to compose –

7.term –

8.to make laws –

9.to charge with a crime –

10.to put on a trial –

11.to hold office –

12.amendment –

13.bill –

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14.to sign –

15.to veto –

16.to cancel –

22.to enforce laws –

23.the Supreme Court –

24.the Chief Justice –

VOCABULARY WORK

3. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Russian wordcombinations given below:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

4. Make some word-combinations from the following words:

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1.a law

2.to adopt, to cancel, to make, to enforce

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1+2

1.Department

2.health and human resources, defence, interior, state.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1+2

( )

1.power

2.political, legislative, judicial, executive

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1+2

1.government

2.national, state, federal, local

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1+2

( )

1.party

2.conservative, liberal, radical, ruling

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

1+2

5. Find synonyms for the following words:

6. Match the words on the left with the definitions on the right:

7. Look through the text and find law terms which mean the following:

1.the right to declare congressional (and presidential) acts unconstitutional;

2.the highest judicial organ in the USA;

3.ЭСО ЮЧТЭ ШП ЭСО ОбОМЮЭТЯО ЛЫКЧМС аСТМС ТЬ ЫОЬЩШЧЬТЛХО ПШЫ ЭСО ЧКЭТШЧ’Ь ЬОМu-

rity;

4.the branch of government that interprets laws;

5.a law-making branch of government;

6.a country governed by elected representatives of the people;

7.one of the two parts of the US Congress which can charge the President with a crime;

8.to vote to accept a law.

8. Complete the sentences using the proper words or phrases in the box and then translate them:

1.The USA is a federal Union, and the ____________ is the head of the Federal _____________which deals with international problems and national matters.

2.The Constitution outlines the __________ of the national government and specifies its powers and activities.

3.First ten constitutional _______________ are known as the Bill of Rights.

4.Local governments are different from state and federal governments because they do not have ____________.

5.The legislative power belongs to the __________consisting of two cham-

bers.

6.Both ___________ of the Congress must ____________ bills before they become law.

7.Each senator is elected for six years and each _____________for two years, with no limitation on the number of _______________.

8.The President can appoint important officials of his administration, but they must be approved by the _______________.

9.The President may be _______________ for a second term.

10.The President ____________ federal judges, ambassadors and other government __________.

11.The Supreme Court may __________ any law passed by the Congress if it contradicts the US. Constitution.

Text II

9. Read and translate the text. Then agree or disagree with the statement:

- The United States has a two-party system.

POLITICAL PARTIES

A political party is a group of citizens who agree on major issues facing the nation. These groups work to create public policies that reflect their views. Political parties

are organizations seeking influence over the

government. They began to appear during George WashingЭШЧ’Ь ЭОЫЦ ШП ШППТМО. OЧ ШЧО

side were the Federalists. They fought for a strong national government with a powerful chief executive. On the other side, the Democratic-Republicans feared

a powerful central government. They wanted the states to hold greater

power. Their leader was Thomas Jefferson, and their group later became the Demo-

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cratic Party. Those who did not support Jackson formed their own party called Whigs, after a Scottish political leader.

Some of the early political parties, such as the Federalists and the Whigs, no longer exist. The Constitution says nothing about political parties, but over the time the USA has in fact developed a two-party system. The two-leading parties are the Democrats and the Republicans. There are other parties beside these two, and foreign observers are often surprised to learn that among these are also a Communist and several Socialist parties. Minor parties have won offices at lower levels of government, but they do not play a huge role in national politics.

The Democratic Party is the oldest party in the USA. In 1829, Andrew Jackson became the first Democratic President. The symbol of the Democratic Party is the donkey. In general, people consider the Democrats more liberal than the Republicans. They usually want the government to establish social programs for people in need, such as the poor, the unemployed, and the elderly. The Democrats believe in equal rights for women and minorities, they oppose nuclear weapon and too much military spending.

The Republican Party, sometimes called G.O.P. (the Grand Old Party), began in 1854 over the issue of slavery. Republicans oppose slavery. The first republican candidate to become the President was Abraham Lincoln. The party symbol is the el-

ephant.

After the Civil War, the Republicans got interested in land and business issues. They want the government to support big businesses but not to control the lives if citizens.

Many people say that there is not much difference between the Republican and Democratic Parties. «Liberal» politicians usually favor reform and progress. «Conservative» politicians usually oppose change. But both liberal and conservative mem-

bers belong to the two major political parties, and their ideas often change with times and issues.

Vocabulary notes:

2.to create –

3.to reflect –

5.to support –

6.to develop –

7.foreign observers –

9.equal –

10.nuclear weapon –

11.military spending –

12.slavery–

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10. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Russian word-combinations given below:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

11. Find synonyms for the following words:

12.Translate the following text into Russian:

( ),

.

.

.

,

.

.

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COMPREHENSION

13. Say if the following statements are true or false. Comment on the true statements and correct the false ones:

1.The government of the USA consists of three branches: administrative, judicial and legislative.

2.The USA is a constitutional republic.

3.The US Constitution was adopted by the Congress in 1789.

4.The executive branch of the US government is the most powerful one.

5.The executive branch has the responsibility to carry out the law; it is headed by the President.

6.The President appoints justices to the Supreme Court with the Congress ap-

proval.

7.The President of the Senate is the leader of the party that has a majority in the Senate.

8.The American Constitution stated what parties should be formed.

9.The main supporters of the Democrats are big businesses.

10.The Republicans won the Civil War.

14.Choose the correct alternative in each case to complete the sentence:

1.The USA government has __________ branches. a) two

b) three c) four d) no

e) seven

2.The legislative branch of the Government is called the_____________. a) Parliament

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b)Congress

c)President

d)Government

e)Supreme Court

3.The ___________ protects individual rights and freedom of citizens from government interference.

a) President b) Congress

c) Supreme Court d) Constitution e) Senate

4.The_________ is responsible for nominating people for federal offices.

a)Congress

b)President

c)Senate

d)House of Representatives

e)Supreme Court

5.The job of the Congress is __________. a) to enforce laws

b) to pass laws c) to obey laws d) to make laws e) to veto laws

6.__________was the first President of the USA. a) George Washington

b) Abraham Lincoln c) Andrew Jackson d) Thomas Jefferson

e) Franklin Delano Roosevelt

7.The_____________ oppose slavery. a) Whigs

b) Republicans c) Democrats

d) Democratic-Republicans e) Federalists

8.The USA Constitution was adopted by the Congress in ___________. a) 1786

b) 1876

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