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МИНИСТЕРСТВО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ И НАУКИ РФ ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ БЮДЖЕТНОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ

ВЫСШЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ «ВОРОНЕЖСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ»

BASIC LEGAL CONCEPTS

Учебно-методическое пособие

Составители: Н.В. Васильченко А.Ю.Климова А.Б.Пешкова

Воронеж Издательский дом ВГУ

2015

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Утверждено научно-методическим советом факультета романо-германской филологии 30 марта 2015 г., протокол № 7

Рецензент: канд. филол. наук, преподаватель кафедры немецкого языка Л. А. Артемова

Подготовлено на кафедре английского языка гуманитарных факультетов факультета романо-германской филологии Воронежского государственного университета.

Рекомендовано студентам 1 курса дневного отделения юридического факультета.

Для направления 40.03.01– Юриспруденция.

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Содержание

Пояснительная записка……………………………………………………...….4

Unit 1: Why do we Need Laws .……………….………………………………..5 Unit 2: Law and Society (Part 1)………………………………….…………...…9

Unit 2: Causes of Crime (Part 2)……………………………………………….12

Unit 3: Law and Justice …………………………………..……………………16

Библиографический список………………………………………………….23

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Пояснительная записка

Данное учебно-методическое пособие “Basic legal concepts” рекомендуется для самостоятельной работы студентов 1 курса дневного отделения юридического факультета.

Целью пособия является развитие у студентов необходимого уровня коммуникативной компетенции для решения социально-коммуникативных задач в различных областях профессиональной деятельности.

Основными задачами, которые решаются в данном учебнометодическом пособии, являются следующие: формирование навыков ознакомительного и поискового чтения с целью получения заданной информации, навыков смыслового обобщения и выделения ключевой информации из текста, а также развитие умений монологического высказывания по предложенным вопросам и умений обсуждать полученную информацию в различных формах взаимодействия студентов в пределах группы.

Пособие состоит из трех разделов (units), в центре каждого из которых текст, в ходе работы с которым отрабатываются рецептивные и продуктивные виды речевой деятельности. Каждый раздел включает предтекстовые (вводные), сопутствующие тексту задания – на заполнение пропущенной информации или извлечение необходимой информации, послетекстовые задания: а) задания, направленные на тренировку лексического материала, б) репродуктивные задания (изложение краткой информации по проблемам, поднятым в тексте; составление аннотации текста).

На каждый раздел рекомендуется отводить 2–4 аудиторных часов и 2 часа для самостоятельной работы, хотя в зависимости от уровня подготовленности студентов программа может меняться.

Данное пособие соответствует принципам коммуникативной направленности, культурной и педагогической целесообразности, а также позволит студентам соответствовать уровню выпускных требований по дисциплине «Иностранный язык в сфере юриспруденции (английский)» с учетом специфики вуза и потребностей студентов.

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UNIT 1: WHY DO WE NEED LAWS?

Warming-up activity

What for have people created laws?

Do you agree that laws haven’t changed since primeval times?

What is the role of a law?

Can we do without a system of laws?

While speaking, use the following word combinations:

1)rules imposed by morality and custom – правила, предписанные моралью и обычаем;

2)rules made by the state or the courts – нормы,создаваемые государством и судами;

3)to control or alter our behavior – управлять и вносить изменения в наше поведение;

4)to safeguard our personal property and our lives – охранять нашу личную собственность и наши жизни;

5)a well-ordered societyвысокоорганизованное общество;

6)to ensure a safe and peaceful society – обеспечивать безопасное и мирное существование;

7)to punish people without a trial – наказывать людей без суда и следствия;

8)to respect individual rights –уважать права человека;

9)to give effect to social policies –оказывать влияние на социальную политику;

10)to protect liberty and equality – защищать свободу и равенство.

Task 1. Read the text and find more reasons for the creation of laws. Why do we Need Laws?

Almost everything we do is governed by some set of rules. There are rules for games, for social clubs, for sports and for adults in the workplace. There are also rules imposed by morality and custom that play an important role in telling us what we should and should not do. However, some rules – those made by the state or the courts – are called “laws”. Laws are designed to control or alter our behavior. But unlike rules of morality, laws are enforced by the courts; if you break a law - whether you like that law or not – you may be forced to pay a fine, pay damages, or go to prison.

Why are some rules so special that they are made into laws? Why do we need rules that everyone must obey? What is the purpose of law?

If we did not live in a society with other people, laws would not be necessary. We would simply do as we please, with little regard for others. But ever since individuals began to associate with other people – to live in society – laws have been the glue that has kept society together. For example, the law in our country states that we must drive our cars on the right-hand side of a two-way

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street. If people were allowed to choose at random which side of the street to drive on, driving would be dangerous and chaotic. Laws regulating our business affairs help to ensure that people keep their promises. Laws against criminal conduct help to safeguard our personal property and our lives.

Even in a well-ordered society, people have disagreements and conflicts arise. The law must provide a way to resolve these disputes peacefully. If two people claim to own the same piece of property, we do not want the matter settled by a duel: we turn to the law and to institutions like the courts to decide who the real owner is and to make sure that the real owner’s rights are respected.

We need law, then, to ensure a safe and peaceful society in which individuals’ rights are respected. But we expect even more from our law. Some totalitarian governments have cruel and arbitrary laws, enforced by police forces free to arrest and punish people without trial. Strong-arm tactics may provide a great deal of order, but we reject this form of control. The legal system should respect individual rights while, at the same time, ensuring that society operates in an orderly manner. And society should believe in the Rule of Law, which means that the law applies to every person, including members of the police and other public officials, who must carry out their public duties in accordance with the law.

In our society laws are not only designed to govern our conduct: they are also intended to give effect to social policies. For example, some laws provide for benefits when workers are injured on the job, for health care, as well as for loans to students who otherwise might not be able to go to university.

Another goal of the law is fairness. This means that the law should recognize and protect certain basic individual rights and freedoms, such as liberty and equality. The law also serves to ensure that strong groups and individuals do not use their powerful positions in society to take unfair advantage of weaker individuals.

However, despite the best intentions, laws are sometimes created so that people later recognize as being unjust or unfair. In a democratic society, laws are not carved in stone, but must reflect the changing needs of society. In a democracy, anyone who feels that a particular law is flawed has the right to speak out publicly and to change the law by lawful means.

Task 2. Match the English word combinations to their Russian equivalents

Task 3. Complete the following sentences according to the text.

1.Almost everything we do is governed by… a) rules imposed by morality;

b) the courts;

c) some set of rules.

2.If we didn’t live in a structured society with other people… a) we would simply do as we please;

b) we would simply do with little regard for others; c) laws would not be necessary.

3.Laws against criminal conduct help …

a)to protect our property;

b)to take advantage of other individuals;

c)to safeguard our personal property and our lives. 4. We turn to the law…

a)to resolve disputes peacefully;

b)to decide who the real owner is;

c)to force people to keep their promises. 5. Another goal of the law is…

a)to protect certain basic individual rights and freedoms;

b)fairness;

c)to provide for benefits.

Task 4. Complete the following text by translating the words and expressions in brackets:

The aim of (права) is to regulate the conduct of human beings in society. The aim of (правовой) theory is (рассмотреть) the nature, origin and classification of law. The theory of natural law is based on the belief that there is a set of perfect

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(юридических норм) for human conduct and (законы) devised by men must be induced by these rules. (Закон) is a term which is used in many different senses. To (юриста) law has a far narrower meaning – the principle recognized and applied by the state in (суде).The English (правовая система) has still been copied by many nations.(Судебный процесс) becomes the center of a contest between both parties in which one emerges as the winner. By the time of (судебного разбирательства) each (сторона дела) should gain as much information as possible.

Task 5. Answer the following questions.

1.What kind of society do we live in?

2.What is the society governed by?

3.What is the difference between laws and rules of morality?

4.Why do rules of morality and custom play an important role in our life?

5.Why are laws designed to control our behavior?

6.What are the goals of law?

7.When do people turn to the law?

8.Why do we need law?

Task 6. Make the summary of the text using the following scheme.

1.The author believes …

2.Firstly the author points at …

3.Secondly the author supposes…

4.Thirdly the author thinks…

5.Finally the author concludes…

Task 7. Discuss the following:

1.It is the duty and responsibility of every citizen to uphold and obey the laws.

2.Laws reflect the traditions of the people as to what is right, proper and just.

3.Compare the system of laws of the United States of America with some other countries.

4.Constitution – the basic system of laws – should never be changed.

5.It is not laws, but politics, that determine citizens’ rights.

6.However hard people try, laws are always insufficient.

The following expressions can help you:

I quite agree here.

Naturally. Certainly. Sure. Exactly. Definitely. Quite.

Most likely. Absolutely.

I couldn’t agree more.

Beyond all doubt.

I’m afraid I don’t agree.

I’m not so sure.

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I doubt it.

There’s something in this, but … Just the other way round.

UNIT 2: LAW AND SOCIETY (Part 1) Warming-up activity

Task 1. Discuss the following questions with your groupmates.

1.Do you feel that the law protects you?

2.Does the law limit your personal freedom?

3.Would you like to live by the law of the jungle? Why? Why not?

Task 2. Read the text and be ready to speak on the necessity of laws.

Laws in our Modern Society

No one knows why crime occurs. There are plenty of theories on this subject. The oldest theory says that people commit crimes deliberately, that the devil or other spirits make them do it. Another theory says that criminals were not brought up properly by their parents. In the 19-th century crime was thought to be the result of poor living conditions: people unable to support their families in a legal way are driven to theft, burglary, prostitution and other offences, according to this theory. Nowadays’ theories say that crime is caused by different factors – biological, psychological, cultural, economic and political.

It was long ago when people decided to make laws for themselves in selfprotection. We know nothing about laws which existed before the invention of writing in about 3500 B.C. The earliest known legal text was written by UrNammu, a king of the Mesopotamian city of Ur, in about 2100 B.C. One of the most detailed ancient legal codes was written in about 1758 B.C. by Hammuraby. 282 paragraphs of this code were carved into a great stone pillar so that it could be read by every citizen.

But things never stay the same. The life has changed. We live in a complicated world. Now we need laws and regulations which govern our every social move and action. We have made laws of community living.

In the opinion of many people, the law is a necessary evil that should be used only when everyday, informal ways of settling disputes break down. When we buy a train ticket a lawyer may tell us it represents a contract with legal obligations, but to most of us it is just a ticket that gets us on the train. If our neighbor plays loud music late at night, we probably try to discuss the matter with him rather than consulting the police, lawyers or the court. Only when we are injured in a train accident, or when a neighbor refuses to behave reasonably, do we start thinking about the legal implications of everyday activities.

Some transactions in modern society are so complex that few of us would risk making them without first seeking legal advice. For example, buying or

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selling a house, setting up a business, or deciding whom to give our property to when we die.

On the whole it seems that people all over the world are becoming more and more accustomed to using legal means to regulate their relations with each other. Law seems to be an evilbut a necessary one that everyone should have a basic knowledge of.

Task 3. Fill in the gaps with the suitable words from the list below:

felonies, common law, common sense, case law, civil law, ordinances, civil case, award, misdemeanors, tort

1.The laws of our country are founded on basic rules of right and wrong,

________and good reason.

2.Every state in the USA follows the _______ _______.

3.Laws created by city and county governments are called _________.

4.Decisions made by city, county and state courts are called _______ _______.

5._______ ________ regulates relations that exist between individuals.

6.Courts usually _______ a person harmed an amount of money to make up for the loss.

7.One of the most common examples of a ________ ________ is a suit.

8.Being at fault in an automobile accident is an example of a ________.

9.Crimes are usually divided into two groups: _________ and _________.

Task 4. Fill in the correct prepositions, then choose any three and make sentences:

to be founded ____ rules,

to release a person _____ his or her obligations, to deal ____ wills and estates,

to be recognized _____ law,

to interfere _____ other people, to dispose _____ one’s property, imprisonment _____ a year,

to be charged _____ a crime, a violation _____ the law.

Task 5. Complete the following text by translating the words and expressions in brackets:

The law should be used when informal ways of (разрешение конфликтов) break down. That’s why we start thinking about the legal meaning of (повседневная деятельность), when we have serious problems. Some (сделки) in modern society are so (сложные) that it is better to (спросить совет у юриста) before making them. In the USA (правильно составленные контракты) are a part of daily life, whereas in Japan, people prefer informal ways of (разрешения противоречий). So, these two highly developed countries are so different ( в этом отношении).

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