VI. Study the following phrases. Recall the sentences in which they are used in the text.Use them in sentences of your own.

An area of, to range from ... to,humid climate,a tributary, a large group of lakes, inside the country, to be situated.

 

VII. Insert prepositions where necessary. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. The Mississippi flows ... its northern headwaters ... the Rocky Mountains ... the Gulf of

    Mexico.

2. The United States has many thousands ... streams.

3. The Great Lakes make ... the largest group ... lakes ... the country.

4. Lake Michigan lies entirely ... the United States.

5. The present territory ... the USA consists ... three separate parts.

6. The nation occupies nearly half ... a continent.

7. The weather varies ... winterless climate in Arizona and Florida ... cold winters in Dakota and 

    Montana.

8. In 1776 American colonies declared their independence ... Great Britain.

9. The District of Columbia is not a part ... any state.

10. The thirty-seven other states were admitted ... the nation as they gained enough population.

 

VIII. Complete the sentences using the text.

1. The thirty-seven other states ...

2. The seat of the Federal Government ...

3. The size of the territory ...

4. They constitute the state of the Hawaiian Islands ...

5. Hawaii actually came into US power ...

6. No general statement can be made about the weather ...

7. The weather ranges from the warm, wet conditions ...

8. Most of the area between the Sierra Nevada ...

9. Some of these are mighty rivers ...

10. One of its folk names ...

11. Its rivers seem to go nowhere ...

12. The Great Lakes make up the largest group of lakes ...

 

IX. Translate into English.

1. Мексика расположена в южной части северо-американского континента.

2. По величине территории наша страна стоит на первом месте в мире.

3. Британские острова состоят из двух основных островов.

4. Швейцария расположена в центральной части Западной Европы.

5. В прибалтийских странах климат влажный.

6. Луара с ее притоками самая большая река во Франции.

7. Хребты Кэмбрийских гор занимают большую часть Уэльса.

X. Answer the questions.

1. How many states were there when the United States were formed?

2. Where are the United States of America situated?

3. What are the main parts of the USA?

4. What state occupies the north-western projection of North America?

5. When was Hawaii annexed to the USA?

6. The USA is a country of great diversity, isnt'it?

7. Why has the United States many kinds of climate?

8. What part of the USA has a humid climate?

9. Are there many rivers in the United States?

10. What is the main river in the USA?

11. What is the folk name of the Mississippi? Why do people call it so?

12. What are the tributaries of the Mississippi river?

13. Why is a large area in southwestern US known as the Great Basin?

14. What lakes comprise the Great Lakes?

15. Does Lake Ontario or Lake Michigan lie entirely inside the country?

16. What are the highest mountain chains in the USA?

 

XI. Say what you have learnt about:

1. the geographical position of the USA;

2. the climate of the USA;

3. lakes and rivers of the USA.

 

XII. Give a summary of the text "The United States of America"

 

 

TEXT 2

 

I. Read and translate the text.

 

The US Government

    The form of the US Government is based on the Constitution of September 17,1787, adopted after the War of Independence and put into force on March 4, 1789.

    The philosophy of government inherent in the Constitution was the assumption that private property was the backbone of liberty.The rich plantation owner from Virginia, James Madison, who formulated this principal, is regarded as the " father of the Constitution" precisely for this reason. The government of the USA is divided into three branches: legislative (the US Congress),executive (the President and his administration) and judicial (the US Supreme Court).

    The US Congress is made up mainly of representatives of big business: bankers, industrialists and their lawyers.Workers and poor farmers are not represented at all.

    The Congress of the United States is composed of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate represents the states and the House represents the population accor-ding to its distribution among the states.

    The Senate of the United States is composed of one hundred members,two being elected from each state.Senators are chosen for six years, one-third retiring or seeking re-election every two years. Two senators from the same state never finish their terms at the same time, one of them is called "Senior Senator" and the other - "Junior Senator".Theoretically all citizens of both sexes over 18 years of age have the right to vote, but in fact this is not so. Millions of people are deprived of voting.

The election laws vary from state to state.

   Through its power over the purse, the US Congress can control much that relates to foreign policy.The Congress plays an important role in appropriating funds and conducting investigations. The role of the US Congress inside the country is even more important. The US Congress is the governmental body that determines taxation.

The most important of the Senate committees are Appropriations, Foreign Relations, Finance, Armed Services, Judiciary, Agriculture and Forestry, and Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

In the House of Representatives the most important committees are Rules, Appropriations, Ways and Means,Armed Services, Judiciary,Agriculture,Interstate and Foreign Commerce,ForeignAffairs, and Government Operations. There are also a numbers of joint committees of both houses. The chairmen of the standing committees are considered the real rulers of the Senate and the House.

    The US President is both head of state and of government. The Presidency means not only a man: it means an institution - the "executive branch" of the government. And this branch is precisely named: it is meant "to execute" - translating purposes into programs and programs into actions. The executive power belongs to the President of the United States, who holds office for four years and is elected together with the Vice-President chosen for the same term,by electors from each state. Presidential elections are held every leap year on first Tuesday after first Monday in November. The President may be re-elected and serve two terms (eight years altogether) but not longer than that. (Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected for a third and fourth terms, but since then the Twenty – Second Amendment to the Constitution was adopted (1951) limiting the President's term in office).

    After the presidential elections in November,the "President-elect" (one who has been elected President, but has not taken office) is busy choosing candidates for his Administration.

"Administration" is a popular term to identify the executive branch, especially that of the federal government.The Administration includes the President,the Vice-President and his policy-making appointees,or even the whole body of executive officials.

    In January the President-elect becomes the US President.The formal act of installing the President of the United States or the governor of the state in office is called "inauguration". Inauguration Day on January 20 is usually the occasion for extensive ceremonies,the central point of which is the taking of an oath by the chief executive officer.

    Among the duties and powers of the Presidency listed by the Constitution are these: "the President shall be Commander -in-Chief of the Army and Navy", he shall "make Treaties providing

two-thirds of the Senators present concur" and appoint ambassadors and other officers of the United States,he is charged with the responsibility for taking care that "the laws be faithfully executed".

    The President is required by law to submit two annual messages to the Congress,the Economic Report and the Budget Message. The Economic Report of the President is an annual message from the President to the Congress which must be submitted by January 20.This report contains detailed information about the condition of the American economy.

    The US President influences the US Congress through his right of veto. In vetoing a bill, the President returns it to the Congress without his signature, usually accompanied by a statement of his objections.

    The President is responsible for relations between the United States and other powers.With the Senate approval,he names the major officers of the State Department, as well as ambassadors. He receives diplomats accredited to the United States, and communicates directly with the heads of foreign governments. The President has the power to recognize or withhold recognition from foreign countries.

    The President is supposed to inform the nation of his plans and intentions through presidential press conferences. Originally presidential press conferences were rather confidential,

"off the record" meetings, and reports were not allowed to quote the President directly.Now they are "on the record",and what the President says is immediately reported.

    In describing the executive branch of government,little mention is made of the Vice-Presidency, a fact quite revealing in in itself.The Vice-President of the United States is humorously

called "His Superfluous Excellency", a title suggested in 1789 because of his lack of power. The Vice-President has tended to be the forgotten man of American politics despite the fact that at any moment he may inherit the Presidency. The Vice-President is also called "Acting President" when,according to the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the Constitution he is discharging presiden-

tial powers and duties.

    The Supreme Court is the highest court in the country and the head of the judicial branch of the US government.The federal and state courts have the power of "judicial review". The courts have authority to declare legislative acts unconstitutional, that is, in violation of the Constitution.

    Each state has its own judicial system.This means that the United States has a dual court structure and two distinct system of law, state and federal. As a matter of fact,the nation has fifty-one sets of courts (in fifty states and District of Columbia), fifty-one systems of law,and fifty-one collections of judicial presidents for magistrates to follow.The result is that the United States has the most complex judicial system in the world. The Supreme Court of the United States is composed of eight associate justices and the Chief Justice, all of whom are appointed by the President for life, and the appointment must be approved by the Senate. Hence the nickname - the "nine old men" is used contemptuously,because of the advanced age of the justices.

    These are about ninety district courts in different parts of the United States. Each state has at least one district court.

    Each of the fifty -one states of the USA has a constitution patterned after the federal onstitution,with its divisions of power:legislative,executive and judicial.The head of each state is the governor, elected for four or two years. The governor is assisted by secretaries.

    There are two main political parties in the USA:the Democratic (symbolized by a "donkey") and the Republican ( its symbol is an "elephant").They both are parties of monopoly capitalists and the American people do not see much difference between them.

 

II. Choose Russian equivalents to the following English words and word combinations.

to put into force, to be composed of, the right to vote, governmental body,head of state,for the same term,duties and powers, with the Senate approval,to inherit the Presidency, to discharge duties, judicial, governor, legislative, Supreme Court.

                                                      

   юридический, право голосовать, унаследовать президентство, правительственное учреждение, вводить в действие, быть составленным из, верховный суд, выполнять обязанности, с одобрения сената, законодательный, глава государства, обязанности и полномочия, на такой же срок.

 

III. Find in the text the sentences containing the following phrases and translate them into Russian.

 

Private property, retiring or seeking re-election, that relates to foreign policy, the real rulers of the Senate, head of state, executive power, the whole body of executive officials, to submit annual messages, the condition of American economy, right of veto, to withhold recognition, to inform the nation, the forgotten man of American politics, judicial branch, dual court structure, chief Justice, divisions of power, main political parties.

 

IV. Complete sentences using the text.

1. The form of the USA Government is based on ...

2. The Senate of the United States is composed of ...

3. Millions of people ...

4. Through its power over the purse

5. The most important of the Senate committees are ...

6. The executive power belongs ...

7. The administration includes ...

8. Among the duties and powers of the Presidency ...

9. The President is required by law ...

10. The US President influences the US Congress ...

11. The President has the power ...

12. The Vice-President is also called ...

13. The Supreme Court of the United States is composed of ...

14. Each of the fifty one states of the USA ...

15. There are two main political parties in the USA ...

                                                         

V. Fill in the blanks with a suitable word. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1. The Government of the USA is divided into three ... : legislative, executive and judicial.

2. ... of the United States is composed of two houses: the Senate and the House of epresentatives.

3. The election laws ... from state to state.

4. ... means an institution - the "executive branch" of the Government.

5. The President may serve two ... but not longer than that.

6. After the presidential ..., the President ... candidates for his Administration.

7. The formal act of installing the President of the United States is called ...

 8. The President ... to take care that "the Laws be faithfully executed".

9. In vetoing a ..., the President returns it to the Congress without his ...

10. The President communicates directly with the ... of foreign governments.

11. Originally presidential press conferences were ...

12. The Vice-President may ... the Presidency at any moment.

13. The courts have ... to declare legislative acts unconstitutional.

14. The Chief Justice and associate justices ... by the President for life.

15. The head of each state is the ... inauguration, confidential, governor, branches, to be

   charged, to vary, to inherit, terms, authority, bill, the Congress, heads, the Presidency,    

   signature, elections, to be appointed, to choose.

 

VI. React upon the following statements using the expressions:

you are quite right, it is true to the text, you are mistaken, you are not quite right, as we know from the text

 

1. The US Congress is made up of bankers, industrialists and poor farmers.

2. All citizens over 18 years of age have the right to vote.

3. The election laws are the same in all states.

4. The executive power belongs to the Vice-President chosen for the same term as the President.

5. The President may be re-elected several times.

6. The Administration includes the President, the Vice-President and the whole body of executive 

   officials.

7. The 20-th of January is Inauguration Day.

8. Every month the President is required to submit messages to the Congress.

9. The President names the major officers of the State Department.

10. The Vice-President receives diplomats accredited to the United States.

11. Presidential press conferences have been "on the record" all the time.

12. The federal and state courts don't have authority to declare legislative acts unconstitutional.

13. The United States have a national judicial system.

14. The Chief Justice and associate justices are appointed by the President every year.

15. The head of each state is the governor.

 

VII. Find in the text answers to the following questions.

1. When was the Constitution of the USA adopted?

2. What is the backbone of liberty in the USA?

3. How many branches does the government of the USA consist of? Name them.

4. Is the Congress of the USA composed of two houses? What are they?

5. How many members are there in the Senate of the USA?

6. Does every person in the USA have the right to vote?

7. What is the role of the US Congress?

  8. Who are the real rulers of the Senate and of the House?

9. The President is both the head of state and of government, isn't he?

10. For how many years does the President of the United States hold office?

11. How often are presidential elections held?

12. When does the President choose candidates for his Administration?

13. What is called "inauguration"?

14. What are the powers and duties of the President?

15. What messages does the President submit to the Congress?

16. How does the President influence the US Congress?

17. Does the President inform the nation of his plans?

18. Who and why is called "Acting President"?

19. The Supreme Court is the head of the judicial branch of the US government,isn't it?

20. Why does the US have the most complex judicial system in the world?

21. Why is the nickname of the Supreme Court "the nine of old men"?

22. Does each state have its own constitution?

23. Who is the head of each state?

24. How many political parties are there in the USA? What are they?

 

VIII. Say what is said in the text about (use the chart).

1. the Congress of the United States;

2. executive branch of the government;

3. presidential elections;

4. the Supreme Court of the US;

5. political parties.

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