The Russian Federation

The Russian Federation occupies about one-seventh of the earth's surface. Its total area is about 17 million square kilometers. The country is washed by twelve seas and three oceans. It borders on an enormous number of countries and it also has a sea-border with the USA.

The Russian Federation or Russia, as it is often named, is a parliamentary republic. The head of the state is President. The legislative powers are exercised by the Duma. The Constitution adopted a few years ago specified all the three powers: legislative, executive and judicial. Now Russia is undergoing a certain transitional period. The political and economic situation in the country is rather complicated.

The militia, which come under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs, have a wide range of activities. Their main duties are: maintaining public order, criminal investigation and law enforcement.

They see to it that citizens observe laws, government decrees and local ordinances which regulate public order. They protect state and other public property and personal property of the citizens. They see to it that people abide to traffic rules. They issue internal passports and control the internal passport system. They maintain order in public places, summon first aid for people who involve in road or other accidents, etc.

Task II. Check if remember:

1. What is the official name of Russia?

2. Is Russia a parliamentary republic?

3. What is the area of Russia? What can you say about political and economic situation in the country?

4. Who is the head of the state?

5. When was the Constitution adopted?

6. What is the legislative power exercised by?

7. What are the duties of militia men?

8. What regulates public order?

 

Task III. Make up questions to the following sentences:

1. The country is washed by twelve seas and three oceans. (What?)

2. The Constitution was adopted a few years ago. (When?)

3. The Constitution specifies all the three powers. (How many?)

4. The militia, which come under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs, have a wide range of activities. (Who?)

5. Yes, they protect state and other public property and personal property of the citizens.

Task IV. Give the Russian equivalents:

Граничить, законодательная, судебная, исполнительная, принять, власть, переходный период, под руководством, Министерство внутренних дел, уголовное расследование, сохранение общественного порядка, правоохранительные силы, соблюдать закон, защищать собственность, граждане.

Task V. Translate the passive constructions:

1. Criminal cases are tried in Magistrate's courts.

2. The hearing of the case has been postponed.

3. The man is being arrested now.

4. His appeal will be rejected.

 

Task VI. Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice, use the same tense:

1. A group of police officers is investigating a serious case now.

2. The professor

3. has just examined students on Civil law.

4. For three days the regional court will be considering this case.

5. The Magistrate's courts consider such minor offences.

 

Task VII, Make a sentence in the Passive using the following words:

1. To identify, the criminal, by, yesterday, the police.

2. The suspect, to prove, of, the guilt, tomorrow.

3. The lawyer already, to defend, the accused.

4. The police, now, a murder, to search.

 

Task VIII. Translate into English:

1. Обвиняемый сейчас допрашивается следователем.

2. Его прошение было отклонено.

3. Слушание дела будет отложено.

4. Вердикт только что вынесен.

 

Task IX. Put the correct form of a verb:

I (call) at the Sterns house at nine fifteen. I (be) rather later than I (plan) to be because I (visit) another patient. When Mrs. Stern (let) me into the house she (seem) rather embarrassed and (show) me into the sitting-room. I (can) hear Trevor Stern shout at someone in his study. Mrs. Stern said something about teenage girls and thatthey (have) problems with Lucy. Well, the shouting (stop) almost immediately, so I (go) to his study. Lucy (already/leave) the room before I (get) there. I tried (explain) to Trevor why he needed (have) these hospital tests, but he (not/let) me. He said I (be) an ignorant country doctor who (not/know) what he (talk) about. I (realize) it was no use arguing with him so I (leave) after only a few minutes. I was quite angry actually. I let myself out of the house without seeing Lucy or Mrs. Stern.