Other Times – Other Manners

In order to understand why a particular country has a particular legal system, it is necessary to look at its history, political structure and social values. When there is political and social upheaval, one of the main concerns of a new government is to revise the legal system. Britain has had an unusual degree of political continuity. Despite civil wars in the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries and enormous social changes associated with industrialization, England and Wales have retained many laws and legal principles that originated eight centuries ago. On the other hand, most of the law of Japan, which experienced the rapid upheaval of the Meiji Restoration and foreign occupation after the Second World War, was developed within the last century.

Each country in the world, even each state of the United States, has its own system of law. However it is generally true to say that there are two main traditions of law in the world. One is based on English Common law, and has been adopted by many Commonwealth countries and most of the United States.

The other tradition, sometimes known as Continental, or Roman law, has developed in most of continental Europe, Latin America and many countries in Asia and Africa, which have been strongly influenced by Europe. Continental law has also influenced Japan and several other countries.

1. Which is true?

1. A particular legal system is closely connected with the history; political structure, and social values of the country.

2. The legal system is fixed once and forever.

3. The law system is a universal thing.

4. Roman law has developed in the United States.

2. Choose the best alternative to fill in the blank in each of the following sentences.

1. ... are not made by governments or written down.

a. customs b. laws c. rules d. constitutions

2. Tom is a person you can ... on.

a. depend b. put c. go d. rely

3. The city bank was ... by teenage computer-hackers.

a. stolen b. gone c. robbed d. kidnapped

4. You’re so selfish and do everything for your personal ...

a. pleasure b. benefit c. luck d. body

5. The young teacher failed to ... order in the class.

a. restore b. maintain c. organize d. bring

6. He mustn't be blamed: it was ...

a. self-protection b. self-control

c. self-respect d. self-confidence

7. What a shame! You've ... money.

a. stolen b. taken c. given d. lost

8. ... is a serious crime.

a. murder b. murderer c. drinking d. kidnapper

9. They have no ... in the United States.

a. flat b. property c. money d. cash

10. Could you ... how it looks like?

a. describe b. say c. prescribe d. speak

The Russian Federation

The Russian Federation is the biggest country in the world. It covers about one-seventh of the earth’s surface. The vast territory of Russia lies in the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. The total area is about 17 million square kilometres. Russia is washed by 12 seas of 3 oceans: the Pacific, the Arctic and the Atlantic. In the south Russia borders on China, Mongolia, Korea, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. In the west it borders on Norway, Finland, the Baltic States, Belarus and the Ukraine. It also has a sea-border with the USA.

Russia is the country where a variety of scenery and vegetation can be found. There are steppes in the south, plains and forests in the midland, tundra and taiga in the north, highlands and deserts in the east. The Great Russian Plain and the West Siberian lowland, the main mountain chains such as the Urals, the Caucasus and the Altai are situated on its territory. The longest rivers are the Volga in Europe and the Ob, the Yenisey and the Lena in Asia. The largest lakes are Ladoga and Baikal. The latter is the deepest in the world and its water is the purest on the earth.

On the vast territory of the country there are various types of climate from arctic in the north to subtropical in the south. In the middle of the country the climate is temperate and continental.

The Russian Federation is rich in natural and mineral resources. It has deposits of oil, coal, iron ore, natural gas, gold, copper, nickel and many others.

The current population of the country is more than 150 million people. The European part of Russia is densely inhabited and most population lives in cities and towns and their outskirts.

Russia is a parliamentary republic. The Head of State is the President. All legislative power is vested in the Federal Assembly which consists of two chambers (the upper chamber – the Council of Federation, the lower chamber – the State Duma). The executive power belongs to the Cabinet of Ministers. The judicial bodies of the Russian Federation are the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and the Highest Court of Arbitration.

1. Answer the questions:

1. Where is the Russian Federation situated?

2. What is the territory of the Russian Federation?

3. What countries does Russia border on?

4. What scenery can be found in Russia?

5. What is the climate like on the territory of Russia?

6. What mineral resources is Russia rich in?

7. What is the population of Russia?

8. What is the form of government in Russia?

2. Give a summary of the text.

3. Compare Russia with any country of the world according to the plan:

1. location, borders;

2. scenery and vegetation;

3. rivers and lakes;

4. climate;

5. natural resources;

6. form of government.