Ex. 7. Answer the following questions:

1. What kind of state is Russia according to the Constitution?

2. How many subjects of the Federation does Russia consist of?

3. How many branches of power are there in Russia?

4. Whom does the power belong to in Russia?

5. What is the highest legislative organ of power in Russia?

6. How is the Russian Parliament called?

7. How many chambers does it consist of?

8. How is the Federal Council organized?

9. How many members does the State Duma consist of?

10. Where can legislation be initiated?

11. What term of office is the State Duma elected for?

12. Who heads the state?

13. What are the duties of the President?

14. What is the highest executive body of authority in Russia?

15. Who heads the Government?

16. Is the Prime Minister appointed or elected?

17. What is justice administered by?

18. What are the state symbols of Russia?

Ex. 8. Agree or disagree with the statements.

To agree To disagree

I'm exactly of the same opinion. I'm not sure in fact.

That's quite right. I don't agree.

Oh, exactly! I disagree with you

I absolutely agree. I don't think that's right.

I'm with you here. I can't say I share your view.

1. All power in Russia belongs to the President.

2. The Federal Assembly is the highest executive body of authority in our country.

3. The Russian Parliament consists of one chamber.

4. The State Duma is a representative organ.

5. The Federal Council consists of two representatives from each Subject of the Russian Federation.

6. The State Duma is elected for the term of four years.

7. Legislation may be initiated only in the Federal Council.

8. To become a law a bill must be approved by the Federal Assembly.

9. The President cannot veto the bill.

10. Russia is a presidential republic.

11. Government is the highest legislative body of state power.

12. The Prime Minister serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

13. The President is the head of the state.

14. The President determines directions of economic, social and cultural development of the country.

15. Judicial branch of state power is represented by different courts.

16. The state symbol of Russia is a one-colored banner.

17. The emblem of the Russian Federation is a two-headed eagle.

Ex. 9. Say, what information the text gives about:

1. Russia as a presidential republic.

2. Russian Parliament.

3. Government of Russia.

4. Judicial branch of power.

5. State symbols of Russia.

Ex. 10. Imagine that you are a stranger and you are in Russia for the first time. What questions will you ask concerning the state system of the Russian Federation?

Ex. 11. Retell the text using the introductory phrase 'This text is about... '.

Ex. 12. Read these short dialogues and role-play them.

1.

• Who is entitled to elect and be elected in Russia?

• Everyone who has reached the age of eighteen.

• And at what age can a person be elected to the Parliament?

- At the age of twenty-one.

2.

-What is the executive power represented by in Russia?

• It is represented by the Government.

3.

• How many chambers does the Federal Assembly consist of?

• Of two chambers: the Federal Council and the State Duma.

4.

• How long does the Parliament of Russia hold office?

• For five years.

• And how many members are there in the Parliament?

-166 in the upper Chamber and 450 in the lower Chamber.

Ex. 13. Read the dialogue and render it into reported speech.

A: It's been a long time since I saw you last, Nick. Where have you been all this time?

N: I have been to England.

A.: Really? Did you go there as a tourist?

N.: No, I went there on an exchange scheme.

A.: Fine! Now you can give me some information about England, can't you?

N.: Yes, certainly. What do you want to know?

A.: First of all tell me how laws are made in the United Kingdom.

N.: British Parliament is the highest legislative organ. The fact is there are two Chambers in Parliament and they are called Houses.

A.: I see. And what House is more important?

N.: I think the House of Commons as it governs the country. The members of the House of Commons are elected by secret ballot. They belong to different political parties.

A.: And how many members are there in the House of Commons?

N.: About six hundred and thirty.

A.: Then, I suppose the party that gains the majority forms the government, doesn't it?

N.: You are quite right. Yes, the leader of the majority party becomes the Prime Minister and he forms the Cabinet.

A.: And what about the other Chamber? How is it called?

N.: The House of Lords. The seats in the House of Lords were hereditary. There were more than 1000 members there.

A.: What! Such a lot of members! Are you sure?

N.: Quite sure. The House of Lords met on only three days a week, for hours. Not more than 100 peers took part in the regular work of the House. The rest of them appeared only on ceremonial occasions. But as far as I know some changes have happened lately. British Parliament has abolished the right of heredity. And I don't know how the House of Lords is formed now.

A.: I'm very grateful to you. I've learned many interesting things about British Parliament.

Ex. 14. Read and reproduce the following short dialogues.

1.

• What is the term of office of British Parliament?

• Five years.

2.

• What kind of state is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?

• It is a constitutional monarchy.

3.

• How is the sovereign called in the UK?

• The Sovereign has the title of King (or Queen).

4.

• What are the functions of the sovereign?

• He (or she) has very few functions: the function of the arbiter of last resort in some matters, i.e. dissolution of Parliament and invitations to form a government when there is no clear majority.

Texts for Extra Reading

Ex. 15. Translate the text in writing.

Congress

Article I, Section I of the United States Constitution, provides that all legislative powers must be vested in Congress of the United Slates, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Senate is composed of 100 members - 2 from each State, irrespective of population of area. A Senator must be at least 30 years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for 9 years, and, when elected, be a resident of the State for which the Senator is chosen. The term of office is 6 years and one-third of the total membership of the Senate is elected every second year. The terms of both Senators from a particular State are so arranged that they do not terminate at the same time. Of the two Senators from a State serving at the same time the one who was elected first — or if both were elected at the same time, the one elected for a full term - is referred to as the "senior" Senator from the State. The other is referred to as the "junior" Senator. Each Senator has one vote.

As constituted in 1989 - the 101^st Congress - the House of Representatives is composed of 435 Members elected every 2 years from among 50 States, apportioned to their total population. A Representative must be at least 25 years of age, have been a citizen of the United States for 7 years, and, when elected, be a resident of the State in which the representative is chosen. Each Representative has one vote.

Unlike some other parliamentary bodies both the Senate and the House of Representatives have equal legislative functions and powers (except that only the House of Representatives may initiate revenue bills, and the designation of one as the "upper" House and the other as the "lower" House is not appropriate).

The chief function of Congress is making laws. In addition the Senate has the function of advising and consenting to treaties and to certain nominations by the President. In the matter of impeachment, the House of Representatives presents the charges - a function similar to that of a grand jury -and the Senate sits as a court to try the impeachment.

Vocabulary Notes:

1. to provide обеспечивать, предоставлять

2. to be vested in принадлежать (о власти)

3. irrespective независимый

4. conformity соответствие

5. amendment поправка, исправление

6. respective соответственный

7. at least по крайней мере

8. membership членство

9. to arrange организовать

10. to terminate заканчиваться

11. to vote голосовать

12. vote голос (избирательный)

13. to assemble созывать, собирать

14. to commence начинать(ся)

15. to apportion разделять, делить

16. revenue bill законопроект по бюджету

17. designation назначение на должность

18. grand jury большое жюри

19. to advise советовать, консультировать

20. to consent соглашаться, разрешать

21. to refer относиться, иметь отношение

22. appropriate соответствующий, присущий

23. to try the impeachment рассматривать импичмент

24. "pocket veto" карманное вето

Ex. 16. Make up questions to the underlined words.

1. Congress of the United States consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

2. The House of Representatives is composed of 435 Members.

3. The number of representatives is limited by the Constitution.

4. A representative must be at least 25 years old.

5. A representative must have been a citizen of the United States for 7 years.

6. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have equal legislative functions and powers.

7. The chief function of Congress is making laws.

Ex. 17. Make up questions to which the following sentences would be the answers.

1. ………?

The Senate is composed of 100 members.

2. ………?

The 17^th Amendment to the US Constitution changed the former constitutional method under which Senators were chosen by the respective State legislation.

3. ………?

A Senator must be at least 30 years of age.

4. ………?

The term of office of the Senate is 6 years.

5. ………?

A Senator must have been a citizen of the United States for 9 years.

6. ………?

The terms of office of Senators do not terminate at the same time.

7. ………?

Of 2 Senators from a State serving at the same time the one elected for a full time is called "senior" Senator.

8. ………?

The other is referred to as "junior" Senator.

9. ………?

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have equal legislative functions and powers.

10. ……..?

In the USA the executive power is represented by the President.

11. ……..?

The legislative power is vested in Congress.

Ex. 18. Give some information on the state system of the USA. Use the following data.

The United States

Status: Federal republic, union of 50 States.

Legislative body: Congress, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Senate: 100 members elected by popular vote; six-year term; one-third of the Senate — to be renewed — every two years.

The House of Representatives: 435 Members; two-year term.

Head of State and Government: President; term of office - 4 years; cannot be elected more than for 2 terms; member of the executive branch; to veto the bill; to appoint the members of the Cabinet.

Ex. 19. Read and translate the text.

The State

The state is the product of society at a definite stage of its development. The state is a system of official institutions and organs. This system of organs is the machinery of government, the state machine. This machine includes such organs as the army, the police, and the courts. The other part of the state machine consists of the system of state organs including the chief of the state (an individual or collective), parliament, government, departments and other organs. The constitution, legislation or traditions regulate the power of each state organ. Different types of states have different functions. That's why we speak about the state only as the historical category.

According to the Constitution of Russia all organs of state power are elected by the entire adult population on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. The right to elect and to be elected to the bodies of state authorities, and also to take part in the referendum is guaranteed by the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Ex. 20. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the state?

2. What does the theory of state teach?

3. What is the state machine?

4. What does the other part of the state machine consist of?

5. What regulates the power of each state organ?

6. Why do we speak about the state only as the historical category?

7. How are all organs of state power elected in Russia?

8. Does a citizen of Russia have the right to elect and to be elected?

Unit 5. ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

Ex. 1. Read the following words and word-combinations:

1. to deal with иметь дело с

2. environment окружающая среда

3. to confirm подтверждать

4. acute острый

5. to maintain поддерживать

6. vital жизненно важный

7. to affect влиять

8. compound соединение, сложное вещество

9. to belong to принадлежать

10. to cause вызывать, быть причиной

11. to face встать лицом к лицу

12. to contaminate загрязнять

13. by-products побочные продукты

14. to suffer from something страдать, болеть чем-либо

15. essential основной

16. to discharge выливать

17. surface поверхность

18. to pollute загрязнять

19. used up gases выхлопные газы

20. poisonous ядовитый

21. emission излучение

22. to destroy разрушать

23. noise level уровень шума

24. work efficiency трудоспособность

25. effort усилие

26. to take measures принимать меры

Ex. 2. Use the verbs in brackets in the proper tense and voice form.

1. Man (to depend) on water, oxygen, food etc.

2. The biosphere (to affect) by all sorts of human activity.

3. Water (to contaminate) with dangerous materials.

4. Many people (to suffer) from different diseases.

5. Many babies (to bear) with deformities.

6. Many tons of oil (to discharge) into seas and oceans annually.

7. Air (to pollute) by harmful substances.

8. Every car (to consume) many tons of air.

9. Used up gases (to contain) poisonous compounds.

10. Many buildings (to destroy) by smoke and gas from cars.

Ex. 3. Read and translate the text.

Ecological Problems

Ecology is a very important science dealing with the study of the environment and the future of our planet. The term "ecology" comes from the Greek word "oikos" meaning "house".

Recent research data confirm that the degradation of the environment is one of the most acute problems of the day.

For centuries the biosphere has maintained proportion of vital elements. Man like any other living organism depends on what the biosphere provides: water, oxygen, food, etc. Today the biosphere is strongly affected by all sorts of human activity. Man has created new compounds, substances, chemical elements which have been unknown to the biosphere and do not belong to the natural cycle of matter. Man's interaction with nature causes ecological disturbance and is considered to be one of the most important and complex problems facing mankind.

The air we breathe, the earth we live on, rivers and seas we use water from are becoming contaminated with dangerous materials and by-products of man's activities. As a result of it more and more people suffer from different diseases, more and more babies are born with deformities.

Water, the most essential source for the survival of human beings, animals, plants and the planet as a whole, is contaminated today. The contamination of our water ways comes from many sources: chemical waste from factories, thermal waste from power stations, domestic waste from cities, etc.

About five million tons of oil are discharged into seas and oceans annually and one ton of oil can easily spread over twelve square kilometers of the water surface changing flora and fauna.

Air is also polluted by harmful substances. Transport is a major source of environmental pollution. Every car consumes many tons of air. Its used up gases contain poisonous carbon dioxide which makes difficult the emission of the Earth's heat into space. Air pollutants are harmful not only to health but to buildings as well. Many of them have been destroyed by smoke and gas from cars. Great monuments of history and culture are perishing. Take the Parthenon in Greece for example.

The increasing noise level is a special problem nowadays. We need silence as much as we need fresh air and pure water. Noise doesn't only do physical harm to man but weakens his energy and his nerves. High level of factory noise reduces work efficiency.

The problem of man and his interaction with the environment has become a subject of joint research efforts of biologists, chemists, biochemists and others. Governments in many countries take a lot of antipollution measures to make the planet a healthy place to live on.

Ex. 4. a) Form derivatives from the following words using suffixes: -(a)tion, -(s)sion,

-ant, -er(-or).

Model: to pollute - pollution, pollutant.

to provide, to interact, to produce, to contaminate, to consume, to reduce, to consider, to transport, to emit, to negotiate, to produce.

b) Derive adjectives using suffixes : -ous, -ful, -(ic)al.

danger, poison, harm, environment, nature, ecology, chemistry, history, essence, waste, culture, nerve.

c) Form degrees of comparison:

important, acute, vital, complex, dangerous, poisonous, essential, difficult, harmful, strong, great, pure, weak, fresh.

Ex. 5. Give Russian equivalents for the following words and word-combinations:

to deal with; the study of the environment; research data; degradation of the environment; to maintain; human activity; compounds and substances; natural cycle of matter; ecological disturbance; problems facing mankind; to contaminate; dangerous materials; by-products of man's activities; to suffer from; the most essential source for the survival; domestic waste; harmful substances; used up gases; the increasing noise level; to do physical harm; to reduce work efficiency; to take measures.

Ex. 6. Give English equivalents for the following words and word-combinations:

окружающая среда, иметь дело с чем-нибудь, ухудшение, человеческая деятельность, взаимодействие человека с природой, соединения (сложные вещества), простые вещества, вызывать экологические нарушения, загрязнять, побочный продукт, страдать, бытовые отходы, загрязнение, выхлопные газы, вредный, опасный, ядовитый, причинять вред здоровью, снижать работоспособность.

Ex. 7. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. Ecology deals with the study of the environment and the future of our planet.

2. Recent research data confirm that the degradation of the environment is one of the most acute problems of the day.

3. Man like any other living organism depends on water, oxygen and food.

4. Today the biosphere is strongly affected by all sorts of human activity.

5. Man's interaction with nature causes ecological disturbance.

6. The Earth is becoming contaminated with dangerous material that is why more and more people suffer from different diseases.

7. Water is the most essential source for the survival of human beings, animals, plants and the planet as a whole.

8. Oil, discharged into seas and oceans and spread over their surface, changes flora and fauna.

9. Every car consumes many tons of air.

10. Noise doesn't only do physical harm to man but weakens his energy and his nerves.

11. High level of factory noise reduces work efficiency.

12. Governments in many countries take a lot of antipollution measures to make the planet a healthy place to live on.