Unit I. Rule of Law

1. Focus on Vocabulary

1.1. Choose the best variant and translate the italicized parts.

1. The prosecution and defence in the criminal ordeal/trial/offence of Andersen, the once-mighty accounting firm, have had their say. Now it is up to the jury to decide whether Andersen, the auditors of Enron, were guilty of obstruction/prevention/hindrance of justice by shredding documents in an effort to thwart an interrogation/investigation/insinuation by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

2. The rule of law took a knock in Malawi, when President Bakili Muluzi said he would ignore a court ruling/agreement/compromise that his censorship/sanction/ban on street demonstrations was unconstitutional. Mr Muluzi is seeking to amend/alter/adjust the constitution to allow himself a third term in office, and has ordered police to arrest those who publicly object.

3. A federal judge entered a plea of not guilty for Zacarias Moussaoui, the only man to be charged in connection with the September 11^th attacks, arguing that the defendant/plaintiff/inmate did not understand the implications of pleading "no contest" as he had wanted.

4. Federal and state charges were brought for/against/to John Muhammad, the alleged/suggested/proposed Washington sniper. The Justice Department will decide where he will first stand/stay/keep trial—he faces the death penalty in all courts. His 17-year-old companion, John Malvo, has also been charged.

5. A Muslim woman has sued/blamed/investigated the state of Florida for the right to be fully veiled in the photograph on her driving licence.

6. Two anti-racist and human rights movements are to send/take/put former French film star Brigitte Bardot, 68, to court over her charges/offensives/attacks on Islam, gays, the unemployed and illegal immigrants in her book, Un Cri Dans Le Silence.

1.2. Fill in the blank spaces to complete the news stories. Do not use the prompts unless necessary.

1. President George Bush maintained he would not … the Cuban trade embargo unless Fidel Castro … political …, … democratic … and … a number of other conditions.

2. The authorities in Hong Kong refused entry to a human-rights …, Harry Wu, and briefly … a prominent scholar, Perry Link.

3. Jimmy Carter, a former American president, caused a stir on a visit to Cuba. In a speech … live on television, he … restrictions on opponents of Fidel Castro's regime and spoke approvingly of a petition … by dissidents that seeks to … the constitution to allow free speech and free elections.

4. The notoriously liberal ninth-circuit … of appeals in San Francisco found the pledge of allegiance to be … . It ruled that it was illegal to ask schoolchildren to vow … to "one nation under God" saying it was equivalent to a profession that America was a nation under Jesus.

5. Razali Ismail, the United Nations' special … to Myanmar, said he planned to return to the country soon to seek … for more political …. Mr Razali, a Malaysian, is credited with persuading the military government to … Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's opposition leader, from house arrest.

6. The biggest … trial in French history opened in Paris, with 37 … accused of milking Elf Aquitaine, a former state-… oil company, of more than $200m during the 1980s and early 1990s.

7. Declaring, in effect, a state of …, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe decreed that anyone arrested for public-order … or for corruption can be held for 30 days without … .

Prompts: 1) to release, to end, prisoner, to hold, to meet, election; 2) campaigner, detain; 3) to organize, to change, to broadcast, to criticize; 4) unconstitutional, fealty, court; 5) envoy, freedom, prisoners, release; 6) own, corruption, defendant. 7) emergency, trial,offences.