Find the equivalents for the following words and expressions in the text.

Существовать, проводить в жизнь, внутри общества, каждый аспект повседневной жизни, признать необходимость законов, неписаный закон, доиндустриальное общество, поведение людей, поддерживать порядок, ошибочная точка зрения, путаница и беспорядок, набор правил.

Answer the questions:

1. Why has the question “What is law?” troubled people for many years?

2. What is jurisprudence?

3. What definition of law is given in the text?

4. Why does any existing society need laws?

5. Have laws always been written?

6. What would happen if people lived without laws?

 

Problem–solving:

Make a list of all your daily activities (for example, waking up, eat­ing, going to school). Next to each item, list any laws that affect that activity. What is the purpose of each law that you identified? Would you change any of these laws? Why?

Read and translate the text:

Kinds of Laws

Laws fall into two major groups: criminal and civil. Criminal laws regulate public conduct and set out duties owed to society. A criminal case is a legal action brought by the government against a person charged with committing a crime. Criminal laws have penal­ties, and offenders are imprisoned, fined, placed under supervision, or punished in some other way. Criminal offenses are divided into felonies and misdemeanors. The penalty for a felony is a term of more than one year in prison. For a misdemeanor, the penalty is a prison term of one year or less. Felonies are more serious crimes such as murder or robbery. Misdemeanors are less serious crimes such as simple assault or minor theft.

Civil laws regulate relations between individuals or groups of in­dividuals. A civil action (lawsuit) can be brought by a person who feels wronged or injured by another person. Courts may award the injured person money for the loss, or they may order the person who committed the wrong to make amends in some other way. An exam­ple of a civil action is a lawsuit for recovery of damages suffered in an automobile accident. Civil laws regulate many everyday situa­tions, such as marriage, divorce, contracts, real estate, insurance, consumer protection, and negligence.

Sometimes one action can violate both civil and criminal law. For example, if Joe beats up Bob, he may have to pay Bob’s medical bills under civil law and may be charged with the crime of assault under criminal law.

 

Find the equivalents for the following
words and expressions in the text.

Уголовное право, гражданское право, совершать преступление, нарушитель, оштрафовать, поместить под наблюдение, уголовное преступление, судебно наказуемый проступок, убийство, грабеж, нападение, воровство, возмещать убытки, судебный процесс (тяжба).

 

Answer the questions:

1. What two groups of laws do you know?

2. What is a criminal case?

3. How are criminal offenses divided?

4. What crimes are more serious?

5. What is the penalty for a felony? For a misdemeanor?

6. Make a list of all the crimes mentioned in the text.

7. What do civil laws regulate?

8. Give your own examples how one action can violate both civil and criminal laws.

 

Match the words on the left with the correct
definition on the right:

Jurisprudence	law dealing with private rights of citizens, not with crime.
Criminal law	punishment for wrongdoing.
Civil law	the branch of law dealing with crimes and their punishment.
Felony	recognized and permitted by the law.
Misdemeanor	accuse.
Murder	violent and sudden attack.
Penalty	the study of law and legal philosophy.
Assault	major serious crime, e.g. murder, armed robbery, arson.
Responsibility	legal offence less serious than a felony.
Charge	prosecution of a claim in a law court.
Lawsuit	unlawful killing of a human being on purpose.
Legal	duty.

 

Read, translate and finish the dialogue: