VI. Complete the table with the information on the makeup of the US Congress.
THE MAKEUP OF THE CONGRESS
VII. Discuss the following questions. The US Government 1. Why can the birth of the United States of America be called ‘a truly revolutionary act’? 2. Why is American government sometimes referred to as ‘Uncle Sam’? 3. What are the fundamental principles of the American system of government? 4. They say that in Washington, D.C. politics is the No.1 topic of conversation. Why do you think it is so? The System of ‘Checks and Balances’ 5. How does the president’s veto power illustrate the system of ‘checks and balances’ between the president and the Congress? 6. How does the investigative power of Congress illustrate the system of ‘checks and balances’? The Executive Power 7. Whom does the executive power belong to in the USA? 8. Explain the way you understand the notion of ‘the American Presidency’. 9. Enlarge upon the phrase: ‘…the President’s real power is the power to persuade’. 10. Do you consider such qualities as education, military experience, public-speaking-ability, political experience, ability to understand and speak foreign languages, wide travelling – important qualifications to become effective president? What other qualities do you believe are necessary? The Legislative Branch 11. Do you think congressional hearings are an element of the democratic structure? Federal Judiciary 12. Do you think that the inscription on the front of the building of the Supreme Court, which claims that the American nation is governed according to law and that law protects and directs the actions of all people equally, illustrates the work of the judicial branch of the US? State and Local Governments 13. The structure of the national Government is based on the US Constitution of 1787 which regulates its work. How is American Government organized? 14. What is the relationship between federal, state, and local governments and what are their different responsibilities? The US Major Political Parties 15. If you were American, which political party would you support, and why? Elections in the USA 16. Discuss the factors that may account for the low voter participation in national elections in the United States. 17. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the US electoral system.
VIII. Compare the US system of government with the Russian one according to the outline. 1. Attitude to politics in the society. 2. Functions of the different branches of government. 3. The organization of state and local governments. 4. Major differences between the function of political parties. 5. Presidential elections.
SEMINAR 9 TOPIC: THE US ECONOMY and WELFARE.
I. Present an outline of the events going on in the USA this week.
II. Make a survey of the newspaper articles on the present economic situation in the USA and present a short outline of the discussed issues.
III. Develop the following statements using the information from the lecture. 1) The American economy had to be built, as they say, from the ground up. 2) In 1930s after a period of well being the US was entering the Great Depression. 3) Though the New Deal introduced by Franklin D. Roosevelt has limited gains, still it played its positive role. 4) Many reasons have been offered to explain why the US has been able to go from a small, struggling economy to the leading industrial and agricultural nation in such a short time.
IV. Complete the table characterizing the main economic regions of the USA.
V. Prepare a detailed report on one of the economic regions of the USA. VI. Account for the fact that though today farmers make up a little more than two per cent of the American population they produce several times as much as the American people can consume.
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