IV. Business Papers and Documents

CLASSES 15, 16

TASK: Read and discuss the following texts:

1. The Contract

И.С. Богацкий, Н.М. Дюканова. Бизнес-курс английского языка, стр.264-281,

2. Contract and its Performance

А.П. Андрюшкин. Деловой английский язык, стр. 88-120

3. Contract Law

Ex. 1 Restore the word order in the following statements.

1) Contract in law is a promise enforceable. 2) The making of a mutual assent of two or more contract requires persons. 3) Most a simple nature and involve contracts are of an offer and an acceptance and a consideration must pass between the two parties. 4) A contract verbally or in can be made writing.

Ex. 2. Scan through the text. Work in pairs to question the text and to give answers.

Contract is a promise enforceable in law. The promise may be to do something or to refrain from doing some­thing. The making of a contract requires the mutual assent of two or more persons, one of them usually making an offer and another accepting. If one of the parties fails to keep the promise, the other is entitled to legal recourse. The law of contracts con­siders such questions as whether a contract exists, what the meaning of it is, whether a contract has been broken, and what compensation is due the injured party. Contract law is the prod­uct of a business civilization. It will not be found, in any sig­nificant degree, in precommercial societies. Most primitive so­cieties have other ways of enforcing the commitments of indi­viduals; for example, through ties of kinship or by the authority of religion. In an economy based on barter (exchanging goods and services for other goods and services without using money), most transactions are self-enforcing because the transaction is complete on both sides at the same moment. Problems may arise if the goods exchanged are later found to be defective, but these problems will be handled through property law - with its penalties for taking or spoiling the property of another - rather than through contract law. Traditional contract law developed rules and principles controlling the voluntary assumption of obligations, regulating the performance of obligations so as­sumed, and providing sanctions for failure to perform.

Contract law - договорное право; enforceable in law - могущий быть принудительно осуществленным по закону; refrain - воздерживаться; mutual as­sent - обоюдное согласие; entitle - давать право; legal recourse - об­ращение в суд; due [dju:] - причитающийся; injured party - потерпевшая сторона; commitments - обязательства; kinship - родство; complete - законченный; handle - регу­лировать; property law - право собственности; voluntary - добровольный; assumption -принятие на себя; assume- принимать на себя; contractual - договорный; performance - выполнение; failure - провал

^{Ex.3. Agree or disagree with the following statements.}

1. Contract is a formal written agreement between two or more people, which says what each person must do for the other. 2) To barter means to give anything but money in exchange for some other commodity. 3) Barter is a characteristic of a primi­tive community. 4) Today barter is accepted on an international scale to facilitate trading with countries of the Eastern bloc and others which are short of hard, convertible currencies. 5) Con­tract law governs the voluntary assumption of contractual obli­gations. 6) Contract law adjusts the performance of contractual obligations. 7) Contract law secures sanctions for a lack of suc­cess in performing contractual obligations. 8) Contract law is to enforce the commitments of individuals through ties of kinship.9) Contract law is to enforce the commitments of individuals by the authority of religion.

Ex. 4. Translate the following words and phrases from Russian into English.

Потерпеть неудачу; родство; сделки; законченный; регули­ровать; право собственности; обещание; принудительно применять; воздерживаться; требовать; обоюдное согласие; обычно; принимать; портить; добровольный; власть; при­нятие на себя; договорное право; принимать на себя; вы­полнение; обеспечить; провал; выполнять; санкция; де­фектный; возникать; рассматривать; цивилизованный мир; давать право; обращение в суд; существовать; потерпевшая сторона; контрактные обязательства; компенсация; могу­щий быть принудительно осуществленным по закону, при­читающийся.

Ex. 5. Complete the following statements. Choose one topic to speak about a) contract; b) contract law and primitive societies; c) traditional contract law.

Retell the text Contract law.

1) Contract is ... 2) Contract may be ... 3) The making of a contract requires ... 4) If one of the parties fails ... the other is entitled ... 5) Contract law considers ... 6) Contract law is ... 7) Contract law will not be found in ... 8) Most primitive socie­ties enforced ... through ... or by ... 9) Barter is a system of...

10) Contract law controls ... 11) Contract law regulates ... 12) Contract law provides ...