Act as an interpreter, translate the dialogue from Russian into English and from English into Russian.

- I wondered what systems of government there are.

- Компаративные исследования систем государственного управления в разных странах обнаруживают множеств различий в формах организации и деятельности, центральных и местных органах управления. Существуют три основных типа государственного управления: унитарное, федеральное и конфедерация.

- Please could you list the features of a federation?

- Федеральное государство состоит их нескольких субъектов, обладающих определенной политической самостоятельностью и образующих единое политическое сообщество Можно выделить несколько наиболее существенных признаков федерализма. Во-первых, субъекты федерации имеют значительную политическую жизнь, обладают правом учредительной власти, т.е. имеют собственные конституции, самостоятельную правовую и судебную системы. Во-вторых, разделение полномочий между центром и субъектами феде­раций осуществляются в рамках союзной конституции. Субъекты федерации могут быть упразднены или изменены центральной властью на законном основании.

- Tell me, please, what a unitary state is characterized by.

- Унитарная система предоставляет входящим в нее состав территориям очень мало автономии, основное управление осуществляется из столицы.

- Объясните, пожалуйста, чем отличаются конфедера­ции от федерации?

- The difference in meaning between a confederation and a federation had evolved in usage over time. Prior to the US Civil War, the terms were largely synonymous, but differing political views with regard to the nature of political unions, especially as applied to the US Constitution (which up to that time was con­sidered both a Federal and a Confederated Union), caused each of the terms to subsequently embody one of the two rival and opposing theories of state's rights. Currently, a confederation is considered a state or entity similar in pyramidal structure to a federation but with a weaker central government. A confederation may also consist of member states which, while temporarily pooling sovereignty in certain areas, are considered entirely sov­ereign and retain the right of unilateral secession. A confedera­tion is sometimes a loose alliance but in other cases the distinc­tion between a federation and a confederation may be ambiguous. In contrast to a federation, a member state may participate in more than one confederation.

8. Act out: You are a professor giving a lecture on systems of government. Answer the students' questions on the subject.

9. Sum up the contents of the text.

10. a) Supply the prepositions.

b) Fill in the table below according to the information of the text and speak on the system of government in the USA.

 

Text 2

FEDERATION

The United States is the world's oldest surviving federation, a rep­resentative democracy with a government regulated by a system... checks and balances defined by the United States Constitution. TheConstitution replaced the Articles of Confederation, which were in effect... 1781 to 1789. However, it is «not a simple representative de­mocracy, but a constitutional republic in which majority rule is tem­pered... minority rights protected by law.» Citizens are usually subject... three levels of government, federal, state, and local; the local gov­ernment's duties may themselves be split... county, metropolitan, and municipal governments. Officials...all levets are either elected by vot­ers in a secret ballot or appointed by other elected officials. Executive and legislative offices are decided by a plurality vote of citizens... dis­trict. Federal and state judicial and cabinet officials are typically nom­inated by the executive branch and approved by the legislature, al­though some state judges are elected by popular vote. The federal government is comprised... three branches:

• Legislative: The bicameral Congress, made... of the Senate

and the House of Representatives makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse, and has the rarely used power of impeachment, by which it can remove sitting members of the government.

• Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the

military, can veto bills, and appoints the Cabi­net and other officers, who administer and en­force federal laws and policies.

• Judiciary: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts,

whose judges are appointed by the president... Senate approval, interpret laws and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional.

The United States Constitution is the supreme legal document in the American system, and serves as a social contract... the people of the United States, regulating their affairs... representatives chosen by and drawn from the people. All laws and procedures of both state and feder­al governments are subject... review, and any law ruled in violation ol the Constitution by the judicial branch is overturned. The Constitution can be amended by two methods, both of which require the approval... three-fourths of the states. The Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times, including the 1791 Bill of Rights, which guarantees freedom of speech, religion, and the press; the right to keep and bear arms;

the right to a fair trial; and property rights. However, the extent... which these rights are protected and universal in practice is heavily debated. The Constitution vaguely guarantees... every State «a Republican Form of Government.» The Constitution also defines presidential term limits and Congress's size. The House of Representatives has 435 members, each representing a congressional district... a two-year term. House neats are apportioned among the states by population every tenth year. As of the 2000 census, seven states have the minimum... one representative, while California, the most populous state, has fifty-three. Each state has two senators, elected... -large to six-year terms; one third of Senate seats are up... election every second year.

Not e s:

representative democracy	- представительная демократия
to temper	- заставлять подчиниться
county	- округ (административно-территориальная единица США)
metropolitan	- относящийся к столице или большому городу
municipal government	- органы муниципального управления
secret ballot	- тайное голосование
plurality vote	- большинство голосов
popular vote	- голоса избирателей
the power of the purse	- власть кошелька (исторически сложившееся и закрепленное в Конституции США право палаты представителей контролировать расходование государственных средств исполнительными органами власти)
commander in chief of the military	- верховный главнокомандующий всеми военными силами государства
to overturn	- отменять
to amend	- вносить изменения, поправки
air trial	- судебное разбирательство с соблюдением процессуальных гарантий

 

	Composition	Functions
Legislature	The Senate	…	…
…
Executive	…	1. the commander-in-chief of the military … 3.
Judiciary	…	…	1. to interpret laws 2. to overturn laws they deem unconstitutional