- •Content
- •The english language
- •English-speaking countries
- •Snapshots of britain fact file
- •Symbols The Statue of Britannia in Plymouth
- •Symbols within the United Kingdom
- •Public holidays in the united kingdom
- •Christmas Traditions
- •2. What does the word “carol” originally mean?
- •3. According to the text, which statement is correct?
- •A sense of identity
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary
- •Internet resourses
- •The system of government
- •Vocabulary
- •Internet resourses
- •Further and higher education
- •Vocabulary
- •Additional material Education in England
- •Vocabulary
- •Vocabulary – education
- •Exam fever
- •Internet resourses
- •Snapshots of the United States of America
- •Vocabulary
- •The Map of the usa
- •Government and elections
- •Vocabulary
- •The branches of the government
- •The capital of the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •Washington, d.C.
- •Higher education in the United States
- •Vocabulary
- •Higher education in the usa
- •Colleges
- •American holidays Religious and Nonreligious Holidays
- •Vocabulary
- •New Year's Day
- •Comprehension Check
- •Snapshots of Australia
- •Vocabulary
- •General description
- •Internet resources
- •Amazing Australia
- •Snapshots of Canada
- •Vocabulary
- •General description
- •Internet resources
- •The first inhabitants
- •Internet resources
- •Snapshots of New Zealand
- •Vocabulary
- •Internet resources
- •Video Materials North Wales
- •Northern Ireland
- •Irish History
- •Industry
- •Images of Ireland
- •New York (The world’s capital of excitement)
- •Test 1 The united kingdom of Great Britain and Northern ireland
- •Test 2 The United States of America
- •Test 3 Canada New Zealand
- •Bibliography
- •625003, Тюмень, Семакова, 10.
Government and elections
Vocabulary
legislative – законодательная власть
executive – исполнительная власть
judicial – судебная власть
Supreme Court – Верховный суд
leap year – високосный год
Chief Justice – главный судья, председатель Верховного суда
to appoint – назначать
Associate Justice – помощник Верховного судьи
amendment – поправка
residence requirement – обязательное проживание в данной местности
taxation – налогообложение
jury trails – суд присяжных
purse – кошелек, казна
Task 1. Read the text and complete the diagram:
The branches of the government
Legislative
+
Cabinet
of Secretaries
+ +
House
of Representatives 8
Associate Justices
The United States of America is a presidential republic. The government is divided into three branches: legislative (the US Congress), executive (the President and his Administration) and judicial (the US Supreme Court).
There are two main political parties in the USA: the Democratic (symbolized by a “donkey”) and the Republican (its symbol is an “elephant”). The US President is both the head of the state and government. He is elected for a four-year term. Presidential elections are held every leap year on the first Tuesday after first Monday in November. The President is assisted by Secretaries who are the heads of the executive departments.
The Supreme Court consists of Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices who are appointed for life. It is supposed to decide whether a law of the Congress or an executive order of the President is constitutional or not.
The form of US government is based on the Constitution of September 17, 1787, adopted after the War of Independence. In December 1791, the Congress adopted ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights. The latter enumerated what the government controlled by the oligarchy was not going to be allowed to do, which was, of course, an important democratic gain for people.
The Congress of the United States is composed of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate represents the states and the House represents the population according to its distribution among the states. All states have electoral requirements of the same nature. First of all they are residence requirements.
Through its power over the purse, the US Congress can control much that relates to foreign policy, also it is a governmental body that determines taxation.
Each of the fifty states of the USA has a constitution patterned after the federal Constitution, with its divisions of power: legislative, executive, and judicial.
The Presidency means not only a man: means an institution – the “executive branch” of the government.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and the head had of the judicial branch of US government. The federal and state courts have the power of “judicial review”. Also there are about ninety district courts in different parts of the United States. American judicial practice is firmly committed to the idea of jury trails. The Constitution guarantees them for both criminal and civil cases. According to the US judicial doctrine, “justice is relationship in which each citizen or group receives due respect and return”.
Task 2. Agree or disagree with the following statements:
1. The USA is a monarchy.
2. The Constitution of the USA was adopted in 1867 after the Civil War.
3. There are three main political parties in the USA.
4. Chief Justice is appointed for life.
5. There are two houses in the congress of the USA, House of Lords and House of Commons.
6. The US Congress is not allowed to control foreign policy.
7. The constitution of each state differs from the federal Constitution.
Task 3. Answer the question:
1. Is the USA a monarchy or republic?
2. What main political parties are there in the USA and what are their symbols?
3. When are presidential elections held?
4. What power does the US President have?
5. What does the Supreme Court consist of?
6. When was the US Constitution adopted?
7. How many houses is the legislative branch of the USA composed of?
8. What is the US Senate responsible for?
9. What is the main electoral requirement?
10. What is American judicial practice based on?