Checks and balances

Language focus

A Translate these phrases into Russian paying special attention to Participle II.

• the operation of the Government based on the Constitution

• the US Constitution adopted by Congress

• the powers given to the federal government

• the powers exercised by states

• the national government composed of three branches

• the powers of one branch limited by the powers of the others

• the arrangement known as the system of checks and balances

• the powers shared by each branch

• the system of checks and balances clearly illustrated by the President’s relations with the Congress

• an amendment proposed by the federal legislature

• an amendment approved by three-fourths of the state legislature

B Put the words in the right order to form sentences.

1 sets form Constitution of The US basic the government

2 declares speech of freedom Bill the Rights of The

3 America of government All three-branches the form states of fifty the have

4 headed executive The is governor by branch government the state in of each the

Vocabulary tasks

A Fill in the gaps choosing appropriate words from the box.

abuse adopts at a time checked branch concentration the Congress independent President powers separate

Checks and Balances

Two ideas underlie the separation of 1) ______ . The first is that, to avoid too much 2) ______ of power, the same people should not legislate, govern and judge. Each branch of the state should be 3) ______ of the others. But if each branch is independent of the others, the danger is that they will each go their own way and 4) ______ their powers. To avoid this, a second idea comes into play. There should be some way in which each 5) ______ can be kept in check by the others.

The American Constitution 6) ______ both these ideas. The three branches of the state are 7) ______. The legislature is 8) ______, consisting of an upper House (Senate) and a lower House (House of Representatives). Executive power is in the hands of the 9) ______, who heads the government. Judicial power is in the Supreme Court. No one can be both a legislator and a member of the government, or a legislator and a judge, or a member of the government and a judge. The three branches are separate in that no one can belong to two of them 10) ______. But each can be 11) ______ by the others if it abuses its powers.

B Match these words and phrases with their definitions.

1	checks and balances	a	formal agreement between two or more countries
2	separation of powers	b	the right to refuse to allow something to be done, especially the right to stop a law from being passed
3	bicameral legislature	c	the principle of government by which the President, Congress and the Supreme Court each have control over the others
4	a review	d	having two main parts such as the Senate and the House of Representatives
5	a treaty	e	the principle of the US Constitution that the political power of the government is divided between the President, Congress and the Supreme Court
6	a veto	f	to use your authority to reject somebody’s decision, order, etc.
7	to override	g	an examination of something with the intention of changing if necessary

Over to you.

1. How does the president’s veto power illustrate the system of checks and balances?

2. How does the investigative power of Congress illustrate the system of checks and balances?