SECTION B

I

1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words in the dictionary.

Choosing the nation's President

Every four years Americans participate in a unique and exciting ritual — the selection of the nation's President. The summer before the election, each of the major political parties holds a convention. Delegates from every state meet together to choose candidates for President and Vice-President and to determine the party's program (or platform, as it is called).

The number of delegates from each state is determined by its population and its support for that party in previous elections. After routine formalities, convention business usually begins with creation and acceptance of a party platform. A platform is a very general statement of the party's philosophy, goals, and position on issues of national and international concern. The next business of the convention is the nomination of prospective presidential candidates. When nominations are completed, votes are taken alphabetically by state. Several roll calls may be necessary before one nominee wins the majority of votes needed to become the party's candidate.

Once the presidential candidate is selected, his running mate (the vice-presidential candidate) must be chosen. Traditionally, a party's presidential and vice-presidential candidates come from different sections of the country and have somewhat different political views. Thus, the party achieves what is called a balanced ticket, a combination of candidates that will appeal to many different blocks of voters.

Actual campaigning traditionally begins on Labor Day. From that time until election day, voters are bombarded from all sides by radio, television, newspapers and personal communications with political material. Each candidate tries to convince a majority of American voters that he is best qualified to lead the country for the next four years.

Because campaigning is extremely expensive and a candidate must receive a majority of the electoral votes, presidential politics has, to a large extent, been limited to two major parties — the Democratic and Republican parties. A great number of votes are needed to win a national election. No candidate can hope to survive by appealing to one or two classes of voters. Each party has a familiar symbol: for Democrats it is a donkey, and for the Republicans — an elephant.

On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, voters cast their ballots for President and Vice-President. Some members of Congress and many state and local officials are also elected at this time. Thanks to voting machines and computers, Americans usually know the winners by late evening.

The President and Vice-President are not actually chosen by popular votes but by electoral votes. That is, the people vote for electors who are, as a group, known as the Electoral College. This group selects the President and Vice-President. When a citizen casts his vote for a presidential candidate, he is really choosing electors. Each elector is expected (although not obliged) to vote for the candidate who wins the majority of popular votes in his state. The number of electors allotted to each state is equal to the total number of representatives and senators who represent that state in Congress. Thus, states with larger populations have more electoral votes. The candidate who receives a majority of the votes in a particular state receives all of that state's electoral votes. It is, therefore, possible for a presidential candidate to win a majority of popular votes but not a majority of electoral votes, thereby losing the election. This can happen if the opponent wins by small margins in states with many electoral votes and loses by large margins in states with few electoral votes. At least two presidential elections have been decided this way.

To be elected, candidates for President and Vice-President must receive a majority of votes in the Electoral College. If no candidate receives a majority, the House of Representatives chooses the President from the top three candidates, and the Senate chooses the Vice-President from the top two candidates having the highest number of electoral votes.

The newly-elected President is inaugurated in January during a solemn, nationallytelevised ceremony. He then moves into the White House, appoints members of his Cabinet, and begins the difficult task of trying to persuade Congress to help him fulfil his campaign promises.

2.Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases. Reproduce sentences from the text where they are used.

Party platform; to lose the election; to win the election; to cast one's ballot; to lose by large margins; to win by small margins; to hold a convention; a balanced ticket; a running mate; to appeal to smb; the newly-elected president; to choose by popular vote; nomination of prospective presidential candidates.

3.Read the article again and answer the questions using the active vocabulary.

1.What is a party platform? Where is it determined?

2.Who is the running mate?

3.Why do presidential and vice-presidential candidates have a bit different political views?

4.Why do you think the list of candidates is limited to two major political parties?

5.When is the election day?

6.Is the president chosen by popular votes? What's the Electoral College?

7.Is it possible for a president to win a majority of popular votes, but not a majority of electoral votes?

8.When is the president inaugurated?

9.Compare the electoral systems of the USA and Russia. Are there any similarities? What are the differences?

II

1. Read the article and look up the meaning of the underlined words and phrases in the dictionary.

Islamists in Turkey take strong lead vote

ANKARA, Turkey. A party with Islamic roots took a commanding lead in Turkish elections Sunday, powered by voters angry at their country's slide into its worst economic crisis in decades. The Justice and Development Party took 35 per cent of the vote with almost half the vote counted and was likely to be able to form a government without coalition partners.

«The preliminary results show that we are ahead by a great margin». the leader of the Justice party said in a news conference. He said that his government's first priority will be to «speedily pursue the EU membership process». He said that his government will «follow an economic program to integrate the country with the world».

«We have no intention to challenge the world», he told Dow Jones Newswires. «Under our government. Turkey will be in harmony with the world». With 47 per cent of the total electorate's vote counted, the Justice and Development Party was taking 35 per cent of the vote, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported. Its rival Republican People's Party was taking 19 per cent of the vote and coming in second. Anatolia said.

No other party had more than 10 per cent of the vote, the threshold that parties must cross to enter parliament. Prime Minister 's party was taking only 1 per cent of the vote and his coalition partners were well below the 10 per cent threshold needed for entry into parliament. «We committed suicide», the Prime Minister said, referring to parliament's agreement to hold elections 18 months early. Legislators agreed to the vote amid Ecevit's failing health. Like many secularists, he also expressed concern over the Justice party's Islamic roots. Many secularists fear that the party may try and carry out

an Islamic agenda once it is elected. The Justice party has tried to distance itself from its Islamic roots and says that it is a secular, democratic party that is not looking to promote an Islamic agenda.

«I carry those concerns», the Prime Minister said. «I hope this party respects the secular and democratic regime». The Justice party was established last year by lawmakers from a banned pro-Islamic party and has already sparked tensions with the secular establishment. Justice has not specified who will serve as prime minister if it forms the next government.

During the campaign, the party says it would concentrate on social welfare and support Turkey's US $31 billion IMF4-backed recovery program. Voters eager for a change have been supporting the Justice party. «I voted for Justice because we have no trust left in the other parties», one of them said after casting her vote in Istanbul. «We want an end to poverty».

The voting comes as the United States is trying to showcase Turkey as an example of a secular, democratic country that is overwhelmingly Muslim but has cast its future with the West.

A party with Islamic roots taking power could lead to instability and tensions in the region. Observers point out that many of the party's loyalists were members of previous more radical movement and may not be satisfied with the non-confrontational attitude adopted by their leaders.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following words and phrases.

A voter; to take ... per cent of the vote; to be likely to do smth; to be ahead of smb; by a great margin; under smb's government; a rival; to come in second; a threshold; to hold elections; to take a lead; to express concern over smth; to carry out an agenda; to spark tensions; secular; social welfare; to be satisfied with smth; to adopt an attitude.

3.Give English equivalents of the following words and phrases and reproduce the sentences from the text with this active vocabulary.

При ... правительстве; вызывать напряжение; светский; соперник; занять позицию; опережать кого-либо; вероятно (что-то произойдет); быть вторым; порог; проводить выборы; избиратель; выразить озабоченность о чем-либо; лидировать; социальное обеспечение; с большим преимуществом; быть удовлетворенным чем-либо; получить ... процентов голосов; реализовывать повестку.

4.Read the article again and answer the questions.

1.What party took a lead in Turkish elections?

2.What were voters angry at?

3.What share of vote did the Justice and Development Party take?

4.What is leading party likely to do?

5.Was the Justice and Development Party ahead by a small margin?

6.How will Turkey live under the new government?

7.Who came in second in the elections?

8.What was the threshold to enter parliament?

9.What did the Turkish Prime Minister express concern over?

10.Who did the Justice party spark tension with?

11.What sphere did the Justice party promise to concentrate on?

12.What may members of the Justice party be dissatisfied with?

5.Using the given «package words» express your agreement or disagreement with the following statements.

Agreement: I couldn't agree more./I fully agree with you./It appears to me to be true. Partial agreement: To some extent it is true./It is right but up to a point. Disagreement: I'm afraid it's not quite right./I would object to .../On the contrary.

1.The Justice and Development Party was ahead by a small margin in Turkish elections.

2.The Justice party was likely to be able to form a government without coalition partners.

3.According to the Justice party leader under the new government, Turkey will pursue the EU membership.

4.The Justice Party's rival Prime Minister's party was taking 1 per cent of the vote and coming in second.