What do you know about the US Congress? Where is its seat? How many chambers does it have? How many congressmen are there in each of them? What are the functions of the chambers? How often are the congressmen elected?
In the sentences below substitute the italicized elements with the words and word combinations from the text above.
1. There are a lot of our hotels throughout the country, and this card gives you the right to enjoy all of them. 2. They must have an official survey of the inhabitants to find out how many people live there. 3. The Queen called upon the government to build more low cost homes for local natives. 4. The assumed proportion of men's jobs to women's in this area is 10 to 3, it should be made more equivalent. 5. Many people in this area keep to the old religion. 6. Under the constitutional clauses, all women over 18 are entitled to vote. 7. Do you think the states in the USA may set extra conditions for election to Congress? 8. The congressmen should have some legislative knowledge, at least at the state level. 9. The US Constitution entitles the Congress to decide about the qualifications necessary for its members. 10. The formula to determine the ratio of representatives to people has to be corrected every ten years. 11. The regular rearrangement of the seats in the House of Representatives is necessary because of the population changes. 12. The overall number of members of the House of Representatives is distributed among the states according to their populations, not considering their sizes.
Read the passage on the structure of the US Parliament (Congress) below and then proceed to the tasks.
Article I of the Constitution grants all legislative powers of the federal government to a Congress divided into two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of two members from each state as provided by the Constitution. Its current membership is 100. Membership in the House is based on each state's population, and its size is therefore not specified in the Constitution. Its current membership is 435.
You will hear the speaker talking about the qualifications of members of Congress. As you listen, complete the information sheet for the questions below. You will hear the recording twice.
years
years
MPs
MPs
Requirements for U.S. senators: Minimum Age
US Citizenship Duration Residence
Requirements for Members of the House of Representatives (HR): Minimum Age
US Citizenship Duration Residence
Number of Senators per state
Rhode Island’s area
Alaska’s area
Wyoming’s population California’s population
Number of members in the HR:
states have 1 MP
states have more than MPs
California has MPs
National census happens every_years Original ratio was 1 MP for each
citizens
Now the ratio is 1 MP for each
citizens
First HR had
After the first census -
Voters choose an MP every
years
Voters choose senators once in years
Senatorial term is years
of the Senate is elected every
years
Work in pairs. Discuss the following issues: What is, in your opinion, the difference between the two chambers of the Congress? Both the United Kingdom and the USA have a two-chamber parliament. What is the difference between them?
Work in pairs. For questions 1-20, read the text on the powers of the House and Senate
below. Use the words in the box to form one word that fits in the same numbered space
in the text. The exercise begins with an example (0 - legislation).
Powers of the House and Senate
Each house of Congress has the power to introduce (0) LEGAL
on any subject except raising revenue, which must (1) in ORIGIN
the House of (2). The large states may thus appear to PRESENT
FLUENT
PRACTICAL
APPROVE
AMEND
CONFER
PROMISE
ACCEPT
SPECIAL
POINT
GOVERN
AUTHOR
NULL
PEACH
CONDUCT
TRY
OFFICE
MOVE
PUBLICITY
In (4), however, each house can vote against legislation
passed by the other house. The Senate may (5) a House
revenue bill—or any bill, for that matter—or add (6) that
change its nature. In that event, a (7) committee made
up of members from both houses must work out a (8)
(9) to both sides before the bill becomes law. The Senate
also has certain powers (10) reserved to that body,
including the authority to confirm presidential (11) of
high officials and ambassadors of the federal (12), as
well as (13) to ratify all treaties by a two-thirds vote. In
HE LETTER . 1
OF THE LAW 1
PREFACE 8
MODULE 1 14
THE SHIP OF STATE NEVER SLOWS DOWN IN A FOG 14
LESSON 1. GOVERNMENT IS KNOWN BY THE COUNTRY IT KEEPS 14
LESSON 2 A SUCCESSFUL EXECUTIVE DELEGATES ALL RESPONSIBILITY 67
MODULE 2 185
THE RULE OF LAW 185
LESSON 1. THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND 185
module з і 393
THE TIMES OF TRIAL 393
LESSON 2. EVIDENCE IS NOT ALWAYS PROOF 415
LESSON 3. EXPERT’S REPUTATION IS RASED ON WNAT OTHERS DO NOT KNOW 436
LESSON 4. OUR DECISION IS ‘MAYBE’ - AND THAT’S FINAL 459
TIME IS MONEY, BUT NOT IN JAIL 498
LESSON 1. OFFENSIVE MATERIALS 498
Work in pairs. Use the exercises above and tell your partner everything you can about the US Congress.
Work in pairs. Compare the structure and the scope of power of parliaments in the USA, and the United Kingdom. Use the texts of parts 1 and 2 in this Lesson. You may use the clues in the boxes below (See: Opinion Essays in the Recommendations on Creative Writing Work).
Stating and justifying opinions