Vocabulary exercisesI. Make adjectives ending in -full, using the following words. Translate the adjectives into Russian and try to remember them. right, law, power, mercy, peace, use, help, truth, event, success, colour. II. Make adjectives ending in -less, using the following words. Translate the adjectives into Russian and try to remember them. friend, child, life, name, hope, mercy, law, colour, defence, right, end, power. III. Form verbs with the help of the prefix dis-. Translate them into Russian and try to remember them. - approve, appoint, organize, aqrce, join; - inform, appear, like, locate, place, solve. IV. Form verbs with the help of the prefix re-. Translate them into Russian and try to remember them. - design, name, organize, elect, confirm; - group, read, white, build, make. V. Give verbs corresponding to the following nouns. Try to remember their meanings. completion, approval, service, government, authority, commitments, procedure, resolution, succession, violation, constitution, decision. VI. Give the English for: субъект федерации; отдельные отрасли государственного управления; гражданское (уголовное) законодательство; нарушение конституции; снимать с должности; тайное голосование; действительный (имеющий силу); международные обязательства; нарушение прав человека и гражданских прав; принять закон; приостановить действие закона; достигнуть согласованности; принимать решения; назначать и увольнять; почетные звания; принимать решение по вопросам предоставления гражданства; вводить чрезвычайное положение; отвергнуть (преодолеть вето президента); с одобрения парламента; с согласия Государственной Думы; предлагать кандидата на должность. VII. Mach the following Russian words and word combinations with their English equivalents.
VIII. Choose from those listed below words and word combinations close in meaning to the following. law, objective, to remove from the office, to reach a consensus, post, office, appropriate, help, to leave. (to abandon, to desert, aid, suitable, fitting, to achieve, position, place, to dismiss from office, statute, act, aim). IX. Choose from those listed below words and word combinations opposite in meaning to the following: Secret ballot, to appoint to a post, to dissolve the Duma, to violate the law, to be unable to finish the term, to take the office, to put smb in office, to strengthen, the laws are valid, to contradict. (open vote, to keep within the law, to resign from the office, to convene the Duma, to be able to finish the term, to weaken, to remove from the office, the laws are invalid, to be in accord with). X. Read the following text and translate the Russian words into English. RF STATE SYSTEM The Russian Federative Republic was учреждать by the Constitution of 1993. Under the Constitution Russia is a Presidential Republic. The federal government consists of three ветвей: legislative, исполнительная and judicial. Each of them is balanced by the President. The legislative power is принадлежит in the Federal Assembly. It consists of two палат. The Upper Chamber is the Council of Federation. The Lower Chamber is the State Duma. Each chamber is headed by the Speaker. Законодательная власть (инициатива) may be initiated by the two chambers. But to become a law законопроект must be одобрен by both chambers and подписан by the President. The President may накладывать вето the bill. The President is the Commander-in-Cheif of the Armed Forces, he signs treaties, обеспечивает соблюдение законов, appoints ministers to be approved by the Federal Assembly. The executive power belongs to the government which is headed by the Prime Minister. The first action of the Prime Minister on appointment is to form the Cabinet. The судебная branch is represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and district courts. The members of the Federal Assembly are elected by popular vote for a four year period. XI. Complete the diagram about the competence of the Russian President.
XII. Choose from the given groups of words the appropriate ones to fit each gap. 1. The President uses consensual procedures... (to veto the act, to perform duties, to resolve the problem.) 2. The dispute is transferred to the appropriate court (for its resolution, for its discussion, for suspension.) 3. State administration in Russia is exercised by dividing powers. (between citizens, into three independent branches, for performing duties.) 4. The President of the Russian Federation is elected... (to serve a seven year term, for life, for four years of service) 5. The President appoints the Chairman of the Government...(with the advice and consent of the Security Council, without consulting the State Duma, subject to the approval of the State Duma.) 6. The President has the power to dissolve. (The Federal Assembly, the State Duma, the Federation Counsil.) XIII. Answer the following questions. 1. What kind of state is Russia? 2. What was the Russian Federation established by? 3. What is the basic characteristic of a presidential republic? 4. What are the major units of local government in the Russian Federation? 5. How many constituent entities does the Russian Federation consist of? 6. What happens if there is a conflict between the federal and local authorities? 7. What are the three separate branches of government in the Russian Federation? 8. To whom does the Constitution give the executive power? 9. For what term is a President elected? 10. To how many terms may a President be elected? 11. What basic powers does the Constitution assign to the President? 12. What is the President's role in military matters?
XIV. Translate the following text in writing with the help of a dictionary. As a check upon overpowerful government most modern constitutions have adopted the principle of separation of powers, developed in the 18th century by the French political philosopher Montesquieu. Montesquieu argued that the functions of the state could be divided into policy formulation and direction (executive), lawmaking (legislative), and interpretation and application of the law (judicial). To stop governments from becoming too powerful these functions should be carried out by separate institutions, and there should be a balance between them. In the United States, for example, the President (executive) is elected by the people and attempts to carry out his policy promises through a presidential office of advisers. The Constitution gives him many important powers, such as control of the armed forces and appointment of Supreme Court justices, but many of his decisions and all new legislation must be approved by a majority in Congress (legislature), which is also elected by the people. Many presidents have had important policies blocked by Congress. The Supreme Court (judiciary) has the task of interpreting laws which have been disputed in lower courts, and of deciding whether a law passed by Congress or by one of the individual states is in keeping with the Constitution. XV. Entitle the text. XVII. Give the main points of the text in English. XVIII. Discuss the following topics: 1. how the Constitution of the Russian Federation distributes powers among the legislative, executive and judicial branches; 2. the roles the President must perform; 3. the basic powers the Constitution assigns to the President; 4. the characteristics that make the Russian Federation a Presidential Republic.
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