How laws are made in great Britain and in the USA

In Britain new legislation starts in the House of Lords. A bill has three readings in each House. If the House of Commons doesn’t agree they change the bill. Finally the bill goes to the Queen and then becomes a law. Now it is a formality.

The American law system is different from the English law system because the American Constitution gives all the laws. The US Congress has two Houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. A bill first goes to the House of Representatives. After hearings it goes to the Senate. Finally it goes to the president. The president signs it and the bill becomes a law.

XI. Найдите в тексте “B” эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний:

1. законодательство

2. палата лордов

3. законопроект

4. чтение законопроекта

5. палата общин

6. наконец

7. королева

8. Сегодня это формальность.

9. Конституция является источником всех законов.

10. Конгресс США

11. Сенат

12. палата представителей

13. слушания в палате представителей

14. подписывать

XII. Найдите в тексте “В” предложения, отвечающие на следующие вопросы:

1. Как законопроект становится законом в Великобритании?

2. Как законопроект становится законом в Соединенных Штатах?

XIII. Подготовьте пересказ текста “B” на английском языке.

XIV. Прочтите и перескажите своим друзьям английские шутки:

“Why don’t you want to give your concluding remarks?” the judge asks the defendant.

“It isn’t necessary, Your Honour! The lawyer usually says everything that is necessary to say. And the public prosecutor usually says everything that is not necessary to say.”

______________

to give concluding remarks – сказать заключительное слово

а judge – судья

а defendant - ответчик

Your Honour – Ваша честь! (обращение к судье)

a lawyer – адвокат, юрист

a public prosecutor – государственный обвинитель

* * *

Believe it or not, but…

… in Kentucky, USA, it is illegal to carry ice-cream in the back pocket of your trousers.

… in some towns of Colorado, USA, it is illegal for a man to kiss a sleeping woman. In some towns of Nevada, USA, it is illegal for men with moustache to kiss women.

… in the town of Providence, Rhode Island, it is illegal for shop owners to sell tooth-paste and tooth brushes to the same buyer on Sundays.

______________

to kiss – целовать

moustache – усы

a shop owner – владелец магазина

a tooth brush – зубная щетка

* * *

“Do you have a lawyer?” the judge asks the defendant.

“No, Your Honour,” is the answer.

“Why not?”

“I don’t need a lawyer because I am going to tell the truth.”

______________

to tell the truth – говорить правду

UNIT 3