Exercises. 1.Find English equivalents in the text

1. Find English equivalents in the text.

1. правящий монарх

2. главнокомандующий вооруженными силами

3. править от имени королевы

4. от лица кого-либо

5. избирательный округ

6. верховный законодательный орган

7. принимать закон

8. собирать деньги

9. принимать на себя юридические функции

10. законопроект (2 варианта)

11. королевская санкция

2. Fill in the gaps with prepositions where necessary.

1. One of the main functions of the House of Commons is to raise money ______ taxation.

2. As the Supreme Legislative body, Parliament has the power to pass ___ laws.

3. The lawyer acts ____ behalf of his client.

4. He has the power of attorney issued ___ the name of the organization.

5. Who will take _____ your business when you retire?

6. The House of Lords used to be the Highest court ___ appeal.

7. In 2005 The Supreme court was established ___ the Constitutional Reform Act.

3. Answer the questions

1. What are the main functions of the monarch?

2. What are the main functions of the Parliament?

3. What are the two main political parties in the UK?

4. How has the role of the House of Lords changed since the beginning of the 20^th century?

Text 2: “The Legislative branch in the US”

Task 1: read and translate the text

The Legislative Branch in the USA consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, which together form the United States Congress. Congress’s main function is to make laws. The US Constitution also gives Congress the power to impose taxes, to approve the national budget, to organize the Armed Forces and to declare war.

The House of Representatives is the lower chamber. Each state receives representation in the House in proportion to its population, but is entitled to at least one representative. The total number of voting representatives is fixed by law at 435. In addition, there are 6 non-voting members, representing the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guan, Northern Marina Islands, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands (all of which are not States but federal territories which are governed by the US Constitution and federal laws). Each representative serves for a two-year term. The presiding officer of the chamber is the Speaker of the House, elected by the Representatives. Traditionally, the Speaker is the leader of the majority party. He or she is the second in the line of succession to the Presidency after the Vice President. The House has several powers assigned exclusively to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an Electoral College deadlock.

The Senate (the upper chamber) is composed of 100 Senators, 2 for each state. They are elected to six-year terms by the people of each state. Although Congressional elections take place every two years, only one-third of the Senate is re-elected. The Vice President of the United States serves as President of the Senate and presides over the upper chamber.

Under the Constitution, the Senate has some special powers not given to the House of Representatives. The Senate approves or disapproves major Presidential appointments of such high officials as ambassadors, Cabinet members, and federal judges. The Senate must also ratify, by a two-third vote, treaties between the USA and foreign countries. The consent of the House of Representatives is also necessary for the ratification of trade agreements and the confirmation of the Vice President’s appointment (in case the current Vice President dies or resigns). The Senate also tries impeachment cases for federal officials referred to it by the House of Representatives.

In order to pass legislation and send it to the President for his signature, both the House of Representatives and the Senate must pass the bill by majority vote. If the President vetoes a bill, they may override his veto by re-passing the bill with a two-third majority in each chamber.