Modal Verbs

Ex. 6. Choose and use the proper Modal Verb

1. It is a well-known fact that in the 19^th century a lot of outstanding people of Belarus (have to, must, may, can) leave their native land because of the political situation.

2. Adam Mitskevich and Ignat Dameika took an active part in the revolt of 1830, but when it was put down they (can, may, must, have to) go to Paris.

3. Some outstanding Belarussian people (couldn't, mustn't, might not) live and work in their homeland.

4. Belarussian people (can, may, must) be proud of their famous countryman Ignat Dameika, who (had to, must, could, should) live in Chile for 46 years and died in Santiago in 1889.

5. Dameika (be able to, could, must, might) make a great contribution to different branches of human knowledge: mineralogy, physics, chemistry, geography, botany, pedagogy and zoology.

6. Speaking of Dameika we (shouldn't, mustn't, can't) forget that he discovered rich deposits of silver and copper, wrote 130 scientific works which were translated into French, Russian, German, English, but not in Belarusian.

7. One (can, must, may, should) find Dameika town and a mountain-range named after him in Chile.

8. In Santiago you (can, must, may) see Dameika's museum and they instituted a medal in his honour.

9. Only in 1884 Dameika (be able to, could, must, need) visit his native land, Medvedka village not far from Mir where he was born in 1802.

10. At the beginning of the 20^th century a new trend of abstract painting developed in Vitebsk, The names of M. Shagal, K. Malevich, G. Pen (can, may, should) be mentioned in this connection.

11. When talking about Vitebsk, one (can’t, mustn’t, shouldn’t) but mention the names of these artists.

12. Some of the artists also(could, should, must, had to) leave Belarus and live abroad.

13. The graphic artist (have to, may, must) represent all the beauty of the surrounding world with the help of two colours only: black and white, paper being the white background.

Text B. Read the text and get ready to discuss the main points.

The President

The President of the Republic of Belarus is the Head of State, the guarantor of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and of the human and civil rights and freedoms. The President embodies the unity of the people, guarantees the implementation of the main lines of the home and foreign policies. The President represents the Republic of Belarus in its relations with other States and international organisations. The President takes measures to protect the sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus, its national security and territorial integrity, ensures political and economic stability, continuity and interaction between the government authorities.

The Fundamental Law of the Republic of Belarus establishes the requirements to the candidate for Presidency; citizenship of the Republic of Belarus, not younger than 35 years of age, having the right to vote, and having permanent residence in the Republic of Belarus for at least ten years (before the elections).

In conformance with the Constitution the President of the Republic of Belarus fulfils the following duties:

• appoints National referenda;

• appoints regular and extraordinary elections into the Chamber of Representatives, Council of the Republic and local representative bodies;

• dismisses the Chambers in cases and in the order envisaged by the Constitution;

• reforms, abolishes and reorganises the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus, other bodies of state management;

• upon the consent of the Chamber of Representatives, appoints to the post the Prime Minister;

• determines the structure of the Government of the Republic of Belarus, appoints and dismisses Deputy Prime-Ministers, Ministers and other members of the Government, takes decisions to dismiss the Government or its members;

• upon the consent of the Council of the Republic, appoints the Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Chairman of the Supreme Court, and Chairman of the Supreme Economic Court;

• upon the consent of the Council of the Republic, appoints judges of the Supreme Court, judges of the Supreme Economic Court, Chairman of the Central Committee on Elections and National Referenda, the General Prosecutor, the Chairman and members of the Board of the National Bank;

• appoints 6 members of the Constitutional Court, and other judges of the Republic of Belarus;

• dismisses the Chairman and judges of the Constitutional Court, Chairman and judges of the Supreme Court, the Chairman and judges of the Supreme Economic Court, the Chairman and members of the Central Committee on Elections and National Referenda, the General Prosecutor, the Chairman and members of the Board of the National Bank on the grounds envisaged by the law with notification of the Council of the Republic;

• appoints and dismisses Chairman of the Committee on State Control;

• addresses his messages to the people of the Republic of Belarus on the situation in the State and on the main lines of home and foreign policies;

• addresses his messages to Parliament which will be listened to with no discussion at the sittings of the Chamber of Representatives and the Council of the Republic; has the right to participate in the work of Parliament and its bodies, to make speeches or convey messages to them at any moment;

• decides on applications on granting citizenship of the Republic of Belarus and granting refuge;

• establishes state holidays, grants state awards, assigns class ranks and titles;

• grants pardon to convicted persons;

• negotiates and signs international treaties, appoints and recalls diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Belarus in foreign countries and international organisations;

• The President is entitled to introduce the state of emergency on the territory of the Republic of Belarus or in selected regions in case of a calamity, catastrophe, as well as disorders accompanied with violence or threat of violence from a group of persons and organisations as a result of which a threat arises to lives and health of people, to territorial integrity and existence of the State with a subsequent submission of the decision within three days for approval by the Council of the Republic;

• signs laws, has the right in the order stipulated by the Constitution to return the bill or certain provisions;

• has the right to cancel the acts of the Government;

• directly or through the bodies created by him controls observation of the legislation by local bodies of management and self-management; has the right to suspend decisions of local Councils of deputies and managing bodies in case they do not correspond to the legislation;

• is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus;

• introduces on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, in case of a military threat or invasion, the martial law, announces total or partial mobilisation with a subsequent submission of the decision within three days for approval by the Council of the Republic;

• performs other duties imposed on him by the Constitution and law.

The first President of the Republic of Belarus is A. G. Lukashenko, elected to this post in 1994. The President, on the basis of and in agreement with the Constitution, issues Decrees and Directions binding on the whole territory of the Republic of Belarus. In cases stipulated by the Constitution the President issues Decrees having the power of law. The President directly or through the bodies created by him provides execution of Decrees, Edicts and Directions.

Points for discussion:

1. The Head of State.

2. The requirements to the candidate for the presidency.

3. The duties of the President of the Republic of Belarus.

4. The first President of the Republic of Belarus.

Text C. Read the text and make up the plan for retelling it.