1. Give English definitions to the following explanations:

a) a country where power is held by the people or the representatives that they elect

b) the group of people who are responsible for governing it

c) an organization or group consisting of smaller groups or states, especially one

that exists for business or political purposes

d) a section of a formal agreement or document which deals with a particular point

e) the system of laws which formally states people’s rights and duties

f) a department of the government that has a particular function

g) to change a law in order to improve it or make it more accurate

h) the elected group of politicians that is responsible for making the law in the

United States

i) the smaller and more important of the two parts of Congress

j) the less powerful of the two parts of Congress in the United States

k) something that consists of a law or laws passed by a government

l) the branch of authority in a country which is concerned with law and the legal

system

m) a court which deals with appeals against legal judgments

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n) an area for which someone is elected as the representative in a

government

o) a person who is elected to make sure that the law is obeyed in a particular county

p) a group of people who represent a particular organization or campaign and try to

persuade a government or council to help or support them

2. Translate the words and word-combinations from English into Russian and

from Russian into English rapidly without any stops:

П р и в ос оят и зну и т льная в ойна, Articles of Confederation, мало к чму

от т ь, р е е

обязыв аю щ е с лаш е е powers for defense, taxation, пр ни мат г олос ани е

е ог ни , и ь ов м,

The bill of Rights, “checks and balances”, duty, в ыс ая в лас ь, Supreme Court,

ш т

поп ав к к к т т ци и , peaceful assembly, обжалов ан е have clear echoes,

р и онс и у и ,

зак онод ат ль, “the President proposes, but Congress disposes”, палат

е а

пр д с ав и т ле пр о зак

е т е й, ав онод ат льной и ни ци ат в ы, the department for Treasury,

е и

д е т нтю с и ц и , в ну р нни х д е federal judiciary, г лав ный с д ья, associate

пар аме т и те л, у

justice, зани мат пос , court of appeal, ф е е альный ок у

ь т д р р жной с д , veto, override a

у

veto, г р ос р т льный над зор “accountability”, “ни зов ой” хар т р

ад т ои е , аке

аме и к к д е р и и .

р анс ой мок ат

3.Translate the article into English using the structures in brackets:

С Т РУ КТ У РА АМ Е РИ КАН С КО Г О Ф Е Д Е РАЛ И ЗМ А

Т в ор аме и к к к т т ци и с али с с е « к т т ци онных

цы р анс ой онс и у озд и т му онс и у

пр и в ов е ов » (the system of checks and balances), ос анну на т но

от с нов ю оч

утс анов ле нных к т т ци онных нор

онс и у мах, от е е

в д нных зак онод ат льной,

е

ис полни т льной и с д е

е у бной в лас и . С и с е « к т т ци онных пр и в ов е ов »

т т ма онс и у от с

опр д е т (to specify) т же и в заи моот

е ляе ак нош е я ф е е альной в лас и (federal

ни д р т

branch of government) с аме и к к ми ш т ами . В обязаннос и ф е е аци и

р анс и ат т д р

(federal duty) в ли це пр зи д е а (in the President person) в ход и т защ и т

е нт а

т р и т и и ш т ов от в не не о в т же я (invasion). В ч е ыч ных

е р ор ат ш г ор ни р зв ай

с т аци ях (state of emergency) с ои в ое

и у в нные полномоч я (powers)

и

г лав нок оманд у щ е о (Commander-in-Chief) пр зи д е може ос щ е т лят и

ю г е нт т у св ь

в ну р с р

т и т аны, и с пользу в ое ю с лу на т р и т и и лю бог о ш т а д ля

я нну и е р ор ат

в ос т

с анов ле я зак

ни оннос и и пор к (to restore law and order).

т яд а

Ве к в СШ А и р

ли а оль В е хов ног о с д а. О н в пр е от нят

р у ав ме ь

зак оноположе я, е ли с т т и х не онными (to declare presidential acts

ни с оче зак

unconstitutional), в к ч и т , к ор

лю ая е от ые под пи с аны пр зи д е ом. О д нак

е нт о

р ш е е об и с

е ни пользов ани и ф е е альных в оор же

д р у нных с л – пр р ат в а

и е ог и

(prerogative) пр зи д е а.

е нт

Ш т ы и ме т с ои к т т ци и и с ои с од ы зак

ат ю в онс и у в в онов . Н о од ни м и з

ос ных пр нци пов аме и к к о ф е е али зма яв ляе с в е хов е т о

нов и р анс ог д р тя р нс в

(supremacy) ф е е альног о пр а по от

д р ав нош е ю кпр ов ым с с е

ни ав и т мам ш т ов .

ат

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Шт ыат не мог у т в с у ь в ме у од ные с зы, зак ч ь

т пат жд нар ою лю ат

ме у од ные д ог ов ор (to conclude a treaty), в ыпу к ь д е и , не и ме т

жд нар а с ат ньг ю

пр о на в ыход и з с за. Н ад зор за д е е

ав ою ят льнос ью ад ми ни с р и ш т а

т т аци ат

ос щ е т ляе г у р ор О н и ме т т же и зак

у св т бе нат . е ак онод ат льные полномоч я, но

е и

в с е о д е т и я нед олжны и д т в р е с (to be in conflict with) к т т ци е

е г йс в и азр з онс и у й

С Ш А.

Аме и к к е ш т ы в с г д а с и т

р анс и ат е ч али с бя ч т , с язанной с

е ас ью в

пр зи д е с ой в лас ью и в лас ью К онг р с а. С и льные пр зи д е и с льный

е нт к т т ес е нт и

Конг р с яв ляю т я д ля ни х ос ами (to be the basis/foundation of) и х

ес с нов

с те

обс в нной с аби льнос и и благ ополу и я.

т т ч

4.Talking points:

1)Why can the birth of the United States of America be called “ a truly revolutionary

act”?

2)What are the fundamental principles of the American system of government?

3)Point out major differences between the function of political parties in the U.S. and

in Russia.

4)Explain the functions of the different branches of government in the U.S. Compare

them with those in Russia.

5)What is the relationship between federal, state, and local governments and what are

their different responsibilities?

6)Discuss the factors that may account for the low voter participation in national

elections in the United States.

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II. ECONOMY, LABOR, AND WELFAIR

Economy

The American economy had to be built, as they say, from the ground up. Those

immigrants who were not willing to work hard - or work with their hands as well as

their heads - seldom did well in the New World. In the beginning, of course, there were

simply no farms or houses or factories. Whatever was needed had to be made by the

settlers themselves. Or it had to be imported at great expense. The tremendous

ingenuity and inventiveness of Americans has been traced to this pioneer time and

spirit. "Do-it-yourself," then, is hardly a recent trend or a middle-class hobby in

America. There were few skilled craftsmen available and no established class of agricul-

tural workers, or peasantry. Therefore, if a new way to do the work couldn't be found,

it just didn't get done. What was achieved in the first hundred years following

independence is amazing. By 1890, for example, the U.S. was producing more iron and

steel than Great Britain and Germany combined. By 1900, according to several

criteria, the U.S.. had become the greatest industrial nation, and its citizens enjoyed the

highest standard of living in the world. In 1913, the United States accounted for more

than a third of the world's industrial production. By the post-World War II era, the

United States was producing 50 percent of the "gross world product." Today, the

American economy no longer dominates the world as it clearly did then. But with only

about 5 percent of the world's population and about 6 percent of its land area, the U.S.

still produces around 25 percent of the world's industrial products, agricultural goods,

and services. America has not dropped behind other nations: its gross national

product (GNP) has tripled since the end of the Second World War. Rather, the rest of

the world has caught up, or closed the distance.

Despite its fears - often voiced - that it is no longer at the top in almost every

area, America remains the world leader in a great many. Among these are, for instance,

biochemical and genetic engineering, aerospace research and development,

communications, computer and information services, and similar high-technology fields.