Основное задание для студентов II курса
UNIT 3.
THE US SYSTEM OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
TEXT
Overview of the United States Government and Policies
Vocabulary
1. the system of checks and balances – система сдержек и противовесов
2. to be vested in the Supreme Court – быть возложенным на Верховный Суд
3. the electoral college – коллегия выборщиков
4. judicial review – судебный пересмотр, судебный контроль
5. a major political party – главная политическая партия
6. voter-turn-out – явка избирателей
7. “winner-take-all” principle – принцип «победителю достаётся всё»
8. to reign supreme – царствовать
I.
Прочитайте текст.
Government of the United States is based on a written
constitution. This constitution consists of a Preamble, seven Articles, and 27
Amendments. From this document, the entire federal government was created. It
is a living document whose interpretation has changed over time. The amendment
process is such that while not easily amended, US citizens are able to make
necessary changes over time. Three Branches of Government. The USA is a
presidential republic. The US Constitution was adopted by Congress in 1787.
The Constitution created three separate branches of
government. Each branch has its own powers and areas of influence. At the same
time, the Constitution created a system
of checks and balances that ensured no one branch would reign supreme.
The three branches are: Legislative Branch. This
branch consists of the Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives)
which is responsible for making the federal laws. The Congress can pass the law
anyway if it gets a two-thirds majority votes. The President can veto (reject)
it. Congress also plays an informative role. It informs the public about
different and important subjects. Executive Branch.
The executive power lies with the President of the
United States who is given the job of executing, enforcing, and administering
the laws and government. The president is to carry out the programmes of the
Government, to recommend much of the legislation to the Congress.
Judicial Branch. The judicial power of the United
States is vested in the Supreme Court – the highest judicial organ of the state
and the federal courts. Their job is to interpret and apply US laws through
cases brought before them. Another important power of the Supreme Court is that
of Judicial Review whereby they can rule laws unconstitutional.
The Constitution is built on six basic principles:
Popular Sovereignty; Limited Government; Separation of Powers; Checks and
Balances; Judicial Review; Federalism. Political Process. While the
Constitution sets up the system of government, the actual way in which the
offices of Congress and the Presidency are filled is based upon the American
political system.
The US exists under a two-party system. The two major
parties in America are the Democratic and Republican parties. Sometimes, a
special issue produces a third party, but the third party often loses strength.
Parties perform a wide variety of functions. They act as coalitions and attempt
to win elections.
Elections. In the United States elections are held at
all levels including local, state, and federal. There are numerous differences
from locality to locality and state to state. Even when determining the
presidency, there is some variation with how the electoral college (a body of
people representing the states of the USA, the system that is used in presidential
elections) is determined from state to state. While voter-turn-out is barely
over 50% during Presidential election years and much lower than that during
midterm elections, elections can be hugely important.
II. Найдите подтверждение следующим предложениям в тексте.
1. Конституция США – это живой документ.
2. Конгресс является законодательной властью в США.
3. Исполнительная власть обеспечивает организацию исполнения законов и президент должен выполнять правительственные программы.
4. Верховный суд является высшей судебной инстанцией в стране.
5. В США есть две наиболее крупные политические партии.
6. В различных штатах США выборы проводят по-разному.
III.
Закончите предложения в соответствии с содержанием текста.
1. The Constitution of the USA consists of …
2. The Constitution created …
3. The President of the USA is given the job of …
4. The judicial branch of the government is the system
of courts in the USA. Its job is …
5. The USA exists under a two-party system. Sometimes,
a special issue produces a third party, but …
6. Elections are held in the United States at all
levels …
IV.
Выразите согласие/несогласие со следующими утверждениями, используя известные
вам речевые модели.
1. The Constitution of the USA consists of 27
Amendments.
2. A written constitution is a living document. It can
be altered with ease.
3. The Constitution created three separate branches of
government.
4. Congress, the legislative branch of the federal
government, is made up of an upper house, called the Federation Council, and a
lower house, the State Duma.
5. Power is concentrated in the executive branch,
which is headed by the President who is given the job of executing, enforcing
and administering the laws and the government.
6. The judicial power of the United States is vested
in the US District Courts.
7. The two major parties in America are the Democrats
and the Republicans. They perform a wide variety of functions.
8. Elections are held at all levels and there are
numerous differences in registration laws from locality to locality and state
to state.
V. Укажите, какие предложения
содержат информацию из текста.
1. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights illustrated
two different sides of American political life.
2. The Constitution was adopted by Congress in 1789.
3. In 1791 two amendments were made to the
Constitution.
4. The USA is a presidential republic.
5. There are 100 Senators, two from each state in the
Senate and 435 members in the House of Representatives.
6. The President of the United States is elected for a
term of four years by electors of each state, must be a native born citizen,
resident in the country for 14 years and at least 35 years old.
7. The Supreme Court - the highest judicial organ of
the state has the power of Judicial Review.
8. The two political parties in America act as
coalitions and attempt to win elections.
9. Almost all elections in the United States follow
the “winner-take-all” principle: the candidate who wins the largest number of votes
in a Congressional district is the winner.
VI. Выберите правильный вариант ответа.
1. What is the United States of America?
a) an absolute monarchy
b) a federation of states
c) a presidential republic
2. What does the Constitution of the USA consist of?
a) a Preamble, ten Articles, thirty Amendments
b) a Preamble, seven Articles, twenty seven Amendments
c) statutes, customs, constitutional conventions
3. How many branches is the Government in the United
States divided into?
a) two
b) three
c) four
4. How is the legislative branch of the Government
called?
a) Parliament
b) Congress
c) the Supreme Court
5. What branch of the Government has the
responsibility to carry out the law?
a) the executive branch
b) the legislative branch
c) the judicial branch
6. What branch of the Government is the most powerful?
a) legislative
b) executive
c) judicial
7. What is the highest executive power in the United
States?
a) the President
b) the House of Representatives
c) the Senate
8. What does the judicial branch do?
a) makes and passes laws
b) interprets and applies US laws
c) executes, enforces and administers laws
9. What party system does the United States have?
a) a one-party system
b) a multi-party system
c) a two-party system
VII.
Прочитайте, на каких шести принципах была создана конституция США, и назовите
их.
Since the people give government its power, government
itself is restrained to the power given to it by them. In other words the US
government doesn’t derive its power from itself. It must follow its own laws and
it can only act using powers given to it by the people. In order to protect
citizens, the constitution sets up the system of government with balanced
powers to make compromise and consensus necessary. This system limits the
duties of each branch and separates powers for each branch. Basically, each
branch of government has a certain number of checks it can use to ensure the
other branches do not become too powerful.
The US Government is divided into three branches so
that no one branch has all the power. Each branch has its own purpose: to make
the laws, execute the laws and to interpret the laws. This principle is one of
the most complicated foundations of the US. This is the idea that the central
government doesn’t control all the power in the nation. States also have powers
reserved to them. Central government exercises exclusively such powers as
defence and matters of state security, whereas the regions exercise power over
such things as planning, regional development and taxation. This principle states
that the source of governmental power lies with the people.
The Government of the United States is truly national
in character and should be for the benefit of its citizens. If the Government
is not protecting the people, it should be dissolved. This power allows the
Supreme Court to decide whether acts and laws are unconstitutional. This
was established with Marbury v. Madisonin 1803.
VIII.
Соотнесите английские словосочетания левой колонки с их эквивалентами на русском языке в
правой.
1) “winner-take-all” principle
2) an absolute monarchy
3) the system of checks and balances
4) to be vested in the Supreme Court
5) the electoral college
6) Judicial Review
7) to alter the constitution
8) federal state
9) voter-turn-out
10) a major political party
11) unitary state
a) унитарное государство
b) коллегия выборщиков
c) явка избирателей
d) судебный пересмотр
e) федеральное государство
f) принцип «победителю достаётся всё»
g) неограниченная монархия
h) главная политическая партия
i) быть возложенным на Верховный Суд
j) система сдержек и противовесов
k) изменить конституцию
IX.
Составьте аннотацию к тексту (не более 10-12 предложений). Используйте
предложенный ниже план.
1) System/form of government.
2) The US Constitution.
3) Branches of power (legislative, executive, judicial).
4) Six basic principles of the US Constitution.
5) The two major parties in America.
6) Elections.
