Exc. 2. Match the word combinations with their English equivalents

1. связывать обязательством федеральные органы и органы власти штатов

2. доктрина превосходства закона

3. ограничить власть (полномочия)

4. отсутствие написанной конституции

a. to limit the powers

b. absence of a written constitution

c. doctrine of the legislative supremacy

d. to bind the federal and state organs of government

Exc. 3. Read and translate the preamble to the Russian Constitution and compare it with the preamble to the US Constitution. Find the official variant in Russian.

Constitution of the Russian Federation

We, the multinational people of the Russian Federation, united by a com­mon fate on our land, establishing human rights and freedoms, civil peace and accord, preserving the historically established State unity, proceeding from universally acknowledged principles of equality and self-determina­tion of peoples, revering the memory of ancestors who have passed on to us their love for the Fatherland and faith in good and justice, reviving the sov­ereign statehood of Russia and asserting the firmness of its democratic basis, striving to ensure the well-being and prosperity of Russia, proceeding from the responsibility for our Fatherland before present and future generations, recognizing ourselves to be a part of the world community, do hereby adopt the CONSTITUTION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

The Constitution of the United States of America

Preamble

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common de­fense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

 

Exc. 4. The first ten amendments to the American Constitution were added in 1791. They guarantee the individual rights and liberties of US citizens and have since then become known as the Bill of Rights. Read through them and match each one with the appropriate explanatory note (A-J).

 

A. The right to a jury trial in civil cases.

B. Guarantees against excessive bails, fines and punishments.

C. The right to the presentation of indictment; guarantee against double jeopardy and self- incrimination; guarantee of due process of law and just compensation.

D. Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition.

E. Prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures.

F. Powers reserved to the people.

G. The right to a speedy and public trial. H. Powers reserved to the states.

I. Freedom from having troops quartered in one's own house.

J. The right to bear arms.

The Bill of Rights

AMENDMENT I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

AMENDMENT II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

AMENDMENT III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner prescribed by law.

AMENDMENT IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

AMENDMENT V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor to be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law, nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

AMENDMENT VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

AMENDMENT VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of common law.

AMENDMENT VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

AMENDMENT IX

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retai­ned by the people.

AMENDMENT X

The Powers not delegated to the United States by a Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

 

Exc. 5. The First Amendment. Fill in the blanks in this paragraph about the First Amendment using the words and expressions in the list.

A. establishment B. threat C. press D. free exercise E. petition F. advocate

G. guarantees H. engage I. exercise J. state-imposed K. speech L. assembly

The First Amendment (1) ……….. six fundamental principles. The first is called the (2) ……….. clause and deals with freedom of religion, i.e. a citizen’s right to (3) ……….. his religion freely. The second, the so-called (4) ……….clause, guarantees freedom from (5) …………religion. No government, either federal or local, may (6)…….. in any act that would promote or establish a particular religion. The third right is freedom of (7) ………..: citizens have the right to (8) ……….. any idea of belief in public. The fourth is freedom of the (9)………….. The fifth is the right of peacefully (10) ………, i.e. citizens may gather in groups, so long as they do so without causing any (11) ………… to public order. The sixth and final right is the right to (12) ……… the government when they have a grievance.

 

Text 1.