The us constitution

The Constitution of the United States is the document which establishes a federal republic with balanced power between the national government and the states. Within the national government, power is separated among three branches, the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution began to function in 1789. It consists of a preamble, 7 articles, and 27 amendments. The Bill of Rights, comprising the first 10 amendments to the constitution, was added in 1791 to provide adequate guarantees of individual liberties. Amendments 1 through 8 prohibit certain federal actions. The 9th amendment states that the people retain any rights not specified in the Constitution. The 10th amendment reserves to the states powers not given to the federal government. The 27th amendment, which postpones the effect of any law that alters Congressional pay until after the next election, was originally submitted to the states with the first 10 amendments but was not ratified until 1992. After 1791, amendments to the Constitution were few. The brevity and generality of the language of the Constitution have made it adaptable to changing times, and the mechanics of amendment are difficult. The U.S. Constitution can be amended in one of two ways: (a) two thirds of the members of both houses of Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives) may propose amendments, or (b) on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the states, Congress calls a convention for proposing amendments.

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The legislature

Legislatures are the law-making branches of federal, state and local governments. The Congress of the United States, a state assembly and a city board of aldermen or a city council are all legislatures. Many legislatures are divided into two parts, or houses (often called a senate and a house of representatives, as in the U.S. Congress), whose members are elected for different terms. The U.S. Constitution and the constitutions of most of the states provide for the passage of a bill into law despite the objection of the executive branch if a sufficiently large majority of the legislators vote in its favour. This process is known as overriding a veto. Laws passed by state legislatures are called statutes; those by municipal legislatures, ordinances. Any law passed by the legislative branch may be reviewed by the judicial branch of the government if someone affected by the law argues that it is contrary to the state or federal constitution. If a court with proper jurisdiction finds that a law is unconstitutional, it becomes inoperative. This power of the courts to examine the constitutionality of laws passed by the legislature is called the right of judicial review. It is one of the strongest weapons a citizen has in protecting his constitutional rights.

UNIT 6

 CONVERSATION

• I’m thirsty.

• Would you like some tea?

• No, thanks.

• Would you like some apple juice?

• Oh, yes, please!

• I’m hungry. Is there anything to eat?

• Would you like a biscuit?

• No, thanks. I’d like a sandwich.

• Cheese? Ham?

• Cheese and ham, please.

 FOCUS ON GRAMMAR AND PRACTICE

THE PASSIVE VOICE

ПАССИВНЫЙ ЗАЛОГ

To be+P II

Пассивный залог глагола показывает, что лицо, (предмет) не является ак­тивным производителем действия, а, напротив, само подвергается воздействию.

Действительный залог	Пассивный залог
The policeman caught the criminal. Полицейский поймал преступника.	The criminal was caught by the policeman. Преступник был пойман полицейским.

		Lectures The lecture The lecture The lecture The lecture The lecture	are is being has been was had been will be	delivered delivered delivered delivered delivered delivered	every day now already last week by 2 p.m. yesterday tomorrow
		Lectures The lecture The lecture The lecture The lecture	are not was not has not been had not been will not be	delivered delivered delivered delivered delivered	every day yesterday yet when you came tomorrow
	Are Is Was Has Had Will	lectures the lecture the lecture the lecture the lecture the lecture	being been been be	delivered delivered delivered delivered delivered delivered	every day? now? yesterday? yet? when you came? tomorrow?
What Who When Where	is was will	lecture the lecture the lecture the lecture	is being be	delivered delivered by? delivered? delivered	now? tomorrow?

1. Обратите внимание на перевод.

He is asked...	Его спрашивают/просят...
He was told.....	Ему сказали...
She was warned.....	Ее предупредили....
The letter will be sent....	Письмо пошлют...
He is wanted on the phone...	Его просят к телефону....
It is said that.....	Говорят, что...
It is known that....	Известно, что...

2. Глаголы give, tell, promise, allow, offer, show, bring, teach, send могут употребляться в страдательном залоге в конструкциях двух типов:

Active	Passive
My friend sent me a new book.	A new book was sent to me.
Мой друг послал мне новую книгу.	I was sent a new book.
	Мне послали новую книгу.

3. Обратите внимание на то, что дополнение с предлогом by употребляется только в случае, если необходимо сделать смысловой акцент на действующем лице.

Active	Passive
Mr. Brown gave a lecture yesterday.	Yesterday a lecture was given by Mr. Brown.
They will build a new road soon.	A new road will be built soon.

4. Обратите внимание на глаголы с предлогом ( speak about, laugh at, listen to, wait for, etc.) в пассивном залоге:

His new book is much spoken about.

О его новой книге много говорят.

 1. Посмотрите на пример.

Example: Mr. Brown teaches this class.

The class is taught by Mr. Smith.

Теперь сделайте так же.

1. She writes articles in Spanish. 2. They print books in Boston. 3. Everyone enjoys his speeches. 4. The lawyer prepared the contracts. 5. She has written many articles for this magazine. 6. Columbus discovered America in 1492. 7. John must do this exercise.

 2. Вы не согласны с тем, что здесь сказано. Отрицайте это.

Example: – The book was published in France.

– No, the book was not published in France.

1. The goods will be delivered (доставлять) on Wednesday. 2. The house was built in 1980. 3. The book was printed in Mexico. 4. The problem has been discussed. 5. The bill cannot be paid at the end of the month.

 3. Посмотрите на пример.

Example: – He was sent to Japan. (where)

– Where was he sent?

Сделайте так же.

1. The telegramme will be sent immediately. (when)

2. The guest was given a form to be filled in. (who, what)

3. The bus was filled with people. (who with, what)

4. Things are sometimes left behind in the plane. (where)

5. He was offered a new job in Canada. (what, where, who)

 4. Употребите подчеркнутые фразы в пассивном залоге.

I live near the airport and I can hear passing planes night and day. They built the airport during the war, but for some reason they could not use it then. Last year, however, it came into use. The noise must have driven over a hundred people away from their homes. I am one of the few people left. Sometimes I think a passing plane will knock down this house. They have offered me a large sum of money to go away, but I am determined to stay here.

 5. Посмотрите на пример.

Example: Someone gave me a book.

1) I was given a book.

2) A book was given to me.

Сделайте так же.

1. They gave her a new one. 2. People will show him the new building. 3. Someone has paid him for the work. 4. They promise us more money. 5. The court orders you to be present at the trial.