5. Match the departments (left column) with their responsibilities (right column):

1. Education	takes tax money from our paychecks
2. Health and Human Services	acts in legal matters
3. Treasury	administers many social programmes
4. Justice	administers and co-ordinates financial aid to schools

6. Speak on:

1. The executive branch of your country.

III. Legislative branch: the congress

1. Read and translate the text:

The legislative branch is the Congress, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The main function of the legislative branch is to make laws. The Congress can make laws about trade, taxes, citizenship and about the District of Columbia. It can maintain Army, Navy and Air Force, declare war, establish U.S. Post Office, print and borrow money. The Congress cannot take away the right to a trial, give title to nobility, put a tax on exports, and use tax money without authorization. It cannot make laws about marriage, driver’s licenses, police, etc. (These are done by the states).

The Constitution established that the Congress must meet regularly. A new Congress begins every two years with the election of new Senators and Representatives. The Congress meets for its sessions in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia). The House of Representatives has a large room, the Senate a smaller one and the President has some office for his use.

There are 435 representatives in the House. A Representative must be at least 25, a U.S. citizen for seven years, and live in the state from which he is elected. There is usually one representative for about 580000 people in a state. However, all states must have at least one representative in the House. States with many representatives have more power in the House than states with only a few representatives. Representatives listen to the needs of the people in their districts and their states.

There are 100 members in the Senate, two from each state. Senators must be at least 30 years old; he must live in state and be a U.S. citizen for not less than nine years. Senators are elected for a term of six years. Their special duties are: to ratify or approve treaties, to confirm appointments, to try impeached officials. Only the House of Representatives can impeach officials. Only Senate can try the officials. The Senate decides if the official can stay in office.

In addition to making laws, the main function of the legislative branch, the Constitution also gives Congress the power to raise money by means of taxes or borrowing; to make rules for trade with foreign countries and between states; to organize the Armed Forces; to declare war, etc.

Vocabulary:

authorization разрешение, санкция

a tax налог

a treaty договор

a trial судебное разбирательство

to try officials судить чиновников

1. Finish the sentences according to the text:

1. The Congress consists of ……………………………………………

2. The Congress cannot…………………………………………………

3. A new Congress begins………………………………………………

4. The House of Representatives consists of……………………………

5. The Senate consists of………………………………………………

6. The main function of the legislative branch is………………….…….

7. The Constitution gives the Congress the power to…………………...

2. Find the English equivalents for:

• гражданство;

• печатать деньги;

• наложить налог;

• подписывать договор;

• собирать деньги;

• устанавливать правила.

3. Make up your own sentences with the following verbs. You may use the text above:

to borrow, to declare, to try, to approve, to impeach.

4. Answer the following questions:

1. How is the legislative branch called in America?

2. What chambers does it consist of?

3. What is the main function of the Congress?

4. What cannot the Congress do?

5. How often does the Congress meet?

6. For what term are Senators elected?

7. How many representatives can any state have in the Congress?

5. Complete the following text by translating the words or expressions in brackets:

The (законодательная власть) – the (Конгресс) - consists of the (Сенат) and the (Палата Представителей). Each (сенатор) is elected for six years and each (представитель) for two years, with no limitation on the number of (сроков).

Each of the 50 states (выбирает) two senators under the system in which one-third of the (Сенат) is elected every two years. A senator must be (по крайней мере) 30 years old and must have been an American (гражданин) for at least nine years.

The House of Representatives has 435 (членов). Each state is divided into congressional districts of roughly (равное) population, and (избиратели) of each district (выбирают) one representative to the Congress.

Both (палаты) of (Конгресс) must (одобрить) bills before they become laws. The Senate alone (утверждает) the President’s (кандидаты) for high level official positions and (ратифицирует) treaties with other nations.