Test Western Democracies. Are They Democratic? Аудирование ( Текст дан в конце). Прослушайте текст и выполните задания. Ответьте на вопросы: 1. Who worried about the complications in the relations between Spain and the US? 2. How did the President look at this matter? 3. What did this situation remind of to President Lincoln? 4. What did the preacher want to tell his black brother about? 5. What was his reply? 6. What was the President’s decision in this situation? 7. How does this story characterize President Lincoln? 1. Прочитайте и переведите слова на русский язык federal republic, the House of Lords, legislative, Prime Minister, makes laws, approval, assent, Federal Council, appoints, elected, presidential republic, the House of Commons, representative, judicial, Duma, decisions, Chairman of the Government, Parliament, checks and balances, Federal Assembly, people, constitutional monarchy, unconstitutional, President. 2. Заполните пропуски подходящими по смыслу словами из упражнения 1: Let’s compare the political systems of three different countries: Great Britain, the USA and Russia. Great Britain is a (1) that means that the Queen is the official head of state but she has mostly (2) functions. That is although she gives the royal (3) _____ to the bills passed by the Parliament, she doesn’t have any real power, so she can’t make her own political (4) ____. The head of Government in GB is the (5) ____. The legislative branch of power is represented in GB by the (6) ____which consists of two chambers: (7) ____and (8) ____. The USA is a 9) ____. That means that the (10) ____ is the head of state there. The President is elected by (11) ____of the USA every 4 years. Then there is Congress which represents the (12) ____branch of power. Members of Congress are also (13) ____ by the USA citizens. In the USA there is a strong system of (14) ____. That means that the President can’t make any important political decisions without the Congress (15) ____. The Supreme Court, the judicial branch of power, can declare the presidential acts and the laws made by Congress (16) ____. As for Russia political system it is a (17) ____. The head of state is the President elected by the people. The President (18) ____the (19) ____, whose appointment must be approved by the Duma and the Federal Council, the two parts of the (20) ____. The (21)____ is the lower chamber of the Federal Assembly. Its members are elected every 4 years. The (22) ____is the upper chamber of the Federal Assembly, and it consists of two representatives from each federal subject. The Federal Assembly (23) ____so it represents the legislative branch of power. The (24) ____branch of power is represented by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. 3. Прочитайте текст и пропущенные в нем предложения А—Е. Выберите из этих предложений то, которое лучше всего подходит в пропуски. Одно из предложений лишнее. Like the United States and unlike Britain, Australia has a written constitution. The Australian Constitution defines the responsibilities of the federal government, which include foreign relations and trade, defence and immigration. (1) ____. State parliaments and Territory assemblies follow the principles of responsible government. In the States the Queen is represented by Governors. Australia’s system of government is based on representative or parliamentary democracy. This means that the Australian people elect representatives to make important decisions for them and govern on their behalf. (2) ____. Australia’s federal parliament has two chambers, the House of Representatives (or lower house) and the Senate (or upper house). Under the system of responsible government, the party (or parties in a coalition) which usually has a majority of seats in the lower house, becomes the executive government. (3) ____. The legislature or parliament makes the laws; the executive put the laws into operation; and the judiciary or courts interprets the laws. The powers and functions of each of these ‘arms’ are separate and carried out separately. (4) ____. This prevents powers from being concentrated in one arm of government. The independence of each helps keep the others from exceeding their power, thus ensuring the rule of law and protecting individual rights. 1. No single arm is able to exercise complete authority and each is dependent on the other. 2. Voting is compulsory in Australia and all Australian citizens who are 18 years and older are required to vote. 3. These representatives form a parliament to make or change laws or require its residents to pay taxes. 4. Governments of States and Territories are responsible for all matters not assigned to the Commonwealth. 5. The leader of the party (or parties in a coalition) with the same majority of seats in the lower house also becomes the prime minister. 4. Переведите на английский язык: 1. Все люди должны принимать участие в выборах. 2. Ученики должны посещать занятия. 3. Политик должен принимать трудные решения. 4. Каждому политику следует обладать здравым смыслом. 5. Все люди должны знать законы. 6. Ни один политик не может знать все, поэтому ему или ей следует нанять умных советников. 7. Каждый человек должен отвечать за свои поступки. 8. Вам не следует так много говорить о политике, это вредно для здоровья. 5. Выберите правильный ответ: 1. In America, the ____is the Head of State. a) President b) Congress c) Queen 2. The President of the United States is _______ every four years. a) examined b) elected c) challenged 3. The President makes the most important decisions and chooses the members of his _____. a) council b) court c) cabinet 4. In other words, the President ______the heads of the most important departments in the Administration. a) appoints b) delays c) opposes 5. They help the Head of State govern the _____. a) assembly d) country c) parliament 6. The President _____ the United States on official occasions. a) assembly b) country c) parliament 7. The President cannot act without the Senate's ______. a) approval b) appointment c) opposition 8. Congress is the _____ branch of the federal government. a) democratic b) political c) legislative 9. Congress is made up of the two chambers: The House of Representatives The House of Lords The Senate The House of Commons 10. The President is the Head of the _____branch in the USA. Legislative Executive judicial Говорение Составьте диалог на тему «What famous politician you admire». In your dialogue pay attention to the following points: Try to convince your friend that this politician is worth your admiration. What qualities should any good politician possess/not possess? If these qualities have changed through time Письмо Your English friend sent you letter where he asks you to tell him about a famous Russian politician Vladimir Putin. He is making a report on him and he wants to know how people in Russia rate him. Test 3 What Is Hot with the Young Generation? Текст для аудирования. Would «Take to the Woods» Secretary of State Seward was bothered considerably regarding the complication into which Spain had involved the United States government in connection with San Domingo, and related his troubles to the President. Negotiations were not proceeding satisfactorily, and things were mixed generally. We wished to conciliate Spain, while the Negroes had appealed against Spanish oppression. The President did not to all appearances look at the matter seriously, but instead of treating the situation as a grave one, remarked that Seward’s dilemma reminded him of an interview between two Negroes in Tennessee. One was a preacher, who, with the crude and strange notions of his ignorant race, was endeavoring to admonish and enlighten his brother African of the importance of religion and the danger of the future. «There are, » said Josh, the preacher, «two roads before you, Joe; be careful which of these you take. Narrow is the way that leads straight to destruction; but broad is the way that leads right to damnation. » Joe opened his eyes with affright, and under the spell of the awful danger before him, exclaimed, «Josh, take which road you please; I shall go to the woods.» «I am not willing, » concluded the President, «to assume any new troubles or responsibilities at this time, and shall therefore avoid going to the one place with Spain or with the Negro to the other, but shall ‘take to the woods.’ We will maintain honest and strict neutrality. » destruction - разрушение; уничтожение; лишение жизни damnation - проклятие; вечные муки, адовы муки