Part II Unit 1

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Task 3

1. goes through

2. veto

3. presidential

4. reject, amendments

5. term of office

6. agree on

7. legislative

8. powers, appoints, represents, serves, armed forces

9. work out

10. be approved

11. make up

12. is introduced

3, 5, 8, 11, 10, 7, 12, 1, 4, 9, 6, 2

Task 4

The United States is a presidential republic. The US president is chosen for a four-year term of office. The president has many important powers. He appoints secretaries of the main departments. They make up the President’s Cabinet. As head of the Executive branch, the president must execute the government programmes approved by Congress. Congress is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. First, a bill is introduced in the House of Representatives. Then it passes a similar process in the Senate. The Senate may reject the bill or add amendments. In cases of disagreement the members of both houses try to work out a compromise. If both sides agree on the new version, the bill is signed by the president and it becomes a law. The president has the right to veto it.

Unit 2

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Task 3

1. Judicial branch

2. make laws

3. senators

4. districts, representative

5. two-year term

6. branches

7. is headed

8. stands for

9. courts

10. be re-elected

11. is responsible for

12. executive departments, Secretaries

13. presides over, assumes, is removed from

14. are responsible to

15. enforce laws

5, 2, 4, 3, 7, 10, 9, 12, 11, 13, 1, 6, 14, 8

Task 4

There are three branches in the US – Legislative, Executive and Judicial. The function of the Legislative branch is to make laws. Congress consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate. In each state there are a number of districts which choose one representative who is elected to a two-year term. Each state has two senators who are elected to six years. One third of the Senate stands for election every two years. The Executive branch is responsible for administering the law passed by Congress. Within the Executive branch there are a number of executive departments which are headed by Secretaries. Secretaries are directly responsible to the president. The vice-president is elected with the president. He presides over the Senate. The vice-president assumes the presidency if the president is removed from office. The third branch of the government is the Judicial branch. It is headed by the Supreme Court. Its functions are to enforce laws and to determine if the Constitution is violated or not. Under the Supreme Court there are many state and federal courts.

Unit 3

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Task 3

1. compromise and consensus

2. are balanced

3. superior power

4. check

5. system of checks and balances

6. appoints, reject

7. make laws, veto

8. vital aspect

9. protects

10. overturn

5, 2, 4, 7, 10, 6, 1, 3, 8, 9

Task 4

The division of government power among three branches provides for a system of checks and balances. Each branch serves as a check on the others. For example, Congress has the power to make laws but the president may veto any act of Congress. The Supreme Court can overturn laws passed by Congress and signed by the president. The president appoints judges but the Senate reviews the candidates and has the power to reject the choices. With this system, no branch of government has superior power. This system protects against extremes. New presidents cannot change governmental policies as they wish.

Unit 4

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Task 3

1. are associated with

2. single-member system

3. two-party system

4. are associated with

5. office

6. is based on

7. support, goals

8. shifts back and forth

3, 1, 4, 2, 6, 5, 8, 7

Task4

The US has developed a two-party system. There are two leading parties: the Democrats and the Republicans. The Democrats are associated with labour. The Republicans are associated with business and industry. Elections are held according to the single-member system. Only one candidate with the most votes is elected to a given office from any one district. The balance between the Democrats and the Republicans shifts back and forth. Democrats and Republicans propose different means of achieving goals.

Unit 5

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Task 3

1. Bill of Rights

2. considerable

3. was adopted

4. sets

5. has been amended

6. ultimate

7. was reduced

8. prevents from

9. powers and duties

10. rights and liberties

11. approves

7, 3, 4, 9, 5, 11, 6, 8, 1, 10, 2

Task 4

The Constitution of the USA was reduced to writing in 1787. It was officially adopted by the 13 states by 1790. The Constitution specifies the powers and duties of each federal branch of government. The Constitution has been repeatedly amended. A constitutional amendment can be carried out if a majority approves it. The US Constitution limits the role of each branch. It prevents any one branch from gaining undue power. The first ten constitutional amendments are known together as Bill of Rights.