Task 3. Give English equivalents

в этом случае; обвинять; гражданин; имеющий американское подданство; одобрять; срок; быть в соответствии с; подписывать; защищать права; проводить в жизнь закон; гражданское лицо; гражданин страны по рождению.

Task 4. Finish up the following sentences

1. The job of the Congress ……

2. The US President ………….

3. A senator must be ………….

4. The Supreme Court consists of ……..

5. The judicial power is ………..

 

Task 5. Answer the following questions

1. What branches does the government of the USA consist of?

2. Who does the highest executive power belong to?

3. Who represents the legislative power in the USA?

4. What is the judicial branch of the government? What is its job?

 

Text 6.

Task 1. Read and translate the text

Checks and Balances

The US Constitution establishes three branches for the federal government: executive, legislative and judicial. The three branches work together to help the country. Each branch has its own responsibilities and powers. No branch has more power than the other branches. They have balanced powers. Each branch has separate duties to check the powers of the other branches.

When a new state – the USA – was born, the Founders of the state thought that if there was no balance of power among different branches of a government it would lead to tyranny. The problem was how to create a system of government with balanced powers. That’s why James Madison (1751-1836) favoured the constitution that limited government by means of

a) separation of powers

b) a system of checks and balances, where checks – limitation of the duties of each branch and balances – separate powers to each branch.

Congress has the power to make laws, but the President may veto any act of Congress. Congress, in its turn, can pass a law over a veto by a two-thirds vote in each house. Congress can also refuse to provide funds requested by the President. The President can appoint important officials of his administration, but they must be approved by the Senate. The President also has the power to name all federal judges: they, too must be approved by the Senate.

The system of checks and balances makes compromise and consensus necessary. This system protects against extremes. It means, for example, that new presidents cannot radically change governmental policies just as they wish. In the US, therefore, when people think of “the government”, they usually mean the whole system, that is, the Executive Branch and the President, Congress and the courts.

In fact and in practice, therefore, the President (i.e. “the Administration”) is not as powerful as many people think he is. In comparison with other leaders in systems where the majority party forms “the government”, he is even less powerful.

 

Task 2. Choose the right variant

1. Why is the system of checks and balances necessary?

a) because it separates the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government

b) because it keeps any branch from using too much power or misusing it and makes each branch check on the others

2. What is the role of compromise in the American system of running a country?

a) it helps the Congress to pass a law

b) it protects against extreme in government policies

c) it helps the President to veto any act of Congress

 

MASTER ’ S PROGRAMME

Text 1.

Task 1. Read and translate the text

The State System of Russia

Russia is a democratic federative law-governed state with a republican form of government. The Russian Federation consists of 89 constituent entities (republics, territories, regions, cities of federal significance, the autonomous region and autonomous areas, which have equal rights). The authorities of the constituent entities have the right to pass laws independently from the federal government.

The laws and other normative legal acts of the subjects of the Russian Federation may not contradict federal laws. The President of the Russian Federation is the head of state. The President of the Russian Federation has the right to suspend the actions of acts of executive bodies of Russian Federation members if they contradict the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws, or the international obligations of the Russian Federation.

State power in the Russian Federation is exercised on the basis of its separation into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Federal Assembly - the Parliament of Russia - is the supreme representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation. Executive power belongs to the central and local governments. Justice in the Russian Federation is administered by the courts of law only. Judicial power is effected by means of constitutional, civil, administrative, and criminal judicial proceedings.

The President is elected to office for a term of four years by the citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of universal, direct and equal suffrage by secret ballot. One and the same person cannot serve as President for more than two terms in succession. The President stops performing his duties ahead of time if he resigns, because of impeachment, or if he cannot continue to carry out his duties due to poor health. Elections of a new President are to take place within three months and in the meantime his duties are acted upon by the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.

The President of the Russian Federation:

- appoints, with the consent of the State Duma the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, chairs the meetings of the government, accepts the resignation of the government;

- nominates for approval by the State Duma the Chairman of the Central Bank;

- nominates judges to the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Arbitration of the Russian Federation, and the Prosecutor-General of the Russian Federation for appointment by the Federation Council;

- organizes and chairs the Security Council of Russia;

- is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and appoints and dismisses the supreme commanders of the Armed Forces;

- appoints diplomatic representatives for approval by the Parliament. He confers supreme military and supreme special titles and honorary titles of the state;

- has the right to show mercy and to decide on issues of citizenship;

- has the right to introduce the state of emergency throughout the country or in a particular territory within the Russian Federation;

- dissolves the State Duma;

- announces elections ahead of time and passes the decision to conduct a referendum on federal issues, etc.

 

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