Complete the following sentences

1) The constitution of the country is the supreme law of the land and all citizens are....

2) Despite their enduring, monumental qualities con­stitutions....

3) The U.S. Constitutions consist of....

4) The pattern of constitutional evolution....

5) The U.S. Constitution is a brief statement of....

6) A much simpler method is....

7) Constitutions able to be changed in this fashion....

8) No constitution in force today....

 

Fill in the blanks with the words from the text

1) All citizens, prime ministers to peasants alike, are subject to its....

2) This written document consists of seven brief articles and 26....

3) This written document is only the foundation for a vast structure of... decisions.

4) This pattern of constitutional revolution... in every democracy.

5) As a result, the constitution is changed....

6) Any amendment may be adopted by... of the legislature and passed by the voters.

7) Constitutions able to be changed... can be quite lengthy.

8) Such constitutions have specific provisions that differ little from the body of....

 

Agree or disagree with the following statements

1) All governments rest upon their constitutions.

2) The constitution of the country is the supreme law of the land.

3) Any constitution is usually codified in a single written document.

4)All constitutions provide guarantees for fundamental human rights.

5) The U.S. Constitution is the only document the U.S. government rests upon.

6) One method is to adopt a difficult procedure.

7) Another method is to provide that any amendment may be adopted by approval of the legislature and passed by the voters at the next election.

8) No constitution like America's could have survived unchanged into the late 20^th century.

 

Translate the following sentences in writing into Russian paying attention to different functions of the verb «to be»

1) In general there are two schools of thought about the process of amending.

2) As a result, the constitution is changed infrequently.

3) This is the model of the United States.

4) One method is to adopt a difficult procedure, requiring many steps and large majorities.

5) Constitutions must be capable of change and adaptation if they are to be more than admirable fossils.

Translate the following sentences in writing into Russian

1 ) At a minimum, the constitution establishes the authority of the national government provides guarantees for fundamental human rights and sets forth the govern­ment's basic operating procedures.

2) The world's oldest written constitution, that of the United States, consists of seven brief articles and 26 amendments.

3) The U.S. Constitution is a brief statement, of the general principles, powers and limits of government, to­gether with specific provisions that differ little from the general body of legislation.

4) Under the Constitution, each state legislature has the power to decide how presidential electors, as well as representatives and senators are chosen.

5) Although the Constitution has changed in many aspects since it was adopted, its basic principles remain the same now as in 1789.

6) The authors of the Constitution were keenly aware that changes would be needed from time to time.

Make up a short summary of the text

Compare the U.S. Constitution with that of Ukraine Speak on their advantages and disadvantages

 

Read and translate the text

ELECTIONS

1. Elections are the central institution of democratic representative governments. Why? Because, in a democracy, the authority of the government derives solely from the consent of the governed», The principal mechanism for translating that consent into governmental authority is the holding of free and fair elections.

2. What are Democratic Elections? Democratic elections are competitive. Opposition parties and candidates must enjoy the freedom of speech, assembly and movement necessary to voice their criticisms of the government openly, and to bring alternative policies and candidates to the voters. Simply permitting the opposition access to the ballot is not enough. Elections in which the opposition is barred from the airwaves, has its rallies harassed or its newspapers censored are not democratic. The party in power may enjoy the advantages of incumbency, but the rules and conduct of the election contest must be fair.

3. Democratic elections are periodic. Democracies do not elect dictator or president-for-life. Elected officials are ac­countable to the people, and they must return to the voters at prescribed intervals to seek their mandate to continue in office. This means that officials in a democracy must accept the risk of being voted out of office. The one exception is judges who, to insulate them against popular pressure and help ensure their impartiality, may be appointed for life and removed only for serious improprieties.

4. Democratic elections are inclusive. The definition of citizen and voter must be large enough to include a large proportion of the adult population. A government chosen by a small, exclusive group is not a democracy no matter how democratic its internal workings may appear. One of the great dramas of democracy through history has been the struggle of excluded groups – whether racial, ethnic and religious minorities, or women – to win full citizenship, and with it, the right to vote and hold office. In the United States, for example, only white male property holders enjoyed the right to elect and be elected when the Constitution was signed in 1787. The property qualification disappeared by the early 19^th century, and women won the right to vote in 1920. Black Americans, however, didn't enjoy full voting rights in the southern United States until the civil rights movement of the 1960s. And finally, in 1971, younger citizens were given the right to vote when the United States lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.

5. Democratic elections are definitive. They determine the leadership of the government. Subject to the laws and constitution of the country, popularly elected representatives hold the reins of power. They are not simply figureheads or symbolic leaders.

6. Finally, democratic elections are not limited to se­lecting candidates. Voters can also be asked to decide policy issues directly through referenda and initiatives that are placed on the ballot. In the United States, for example, state legislatures can decide to «refer», or place an issue directly before the voters. In the case of an initiative, citizens themselves can gather a prescribed number of signatures (usually a percentage of the number of registered voters in that state) and require that an issue be placed on the next ballot – even over the objections of the state legislature or governor. In a state such as California, voters confront dozens of legislative initiatives each time they vote –on issues ranging from environmental pollution to automobile insurance costs.

7. When the election is over, the losers accept the judg­ment of the voters. If the incumbent party loses, it turns over power peacefully. No matter who wins, both sides agree to cooperate in solving the common problems of the society.

8. As the next election comes around, opposition parties will again have the opportunity to compete for power. In addition, a pluralistic society, one in which reach of government is limited, tends to offer election losers alternatives for public service outside government. Those defeated at the polls may choose to continue as a formal opposition party, but they may also decide to participate in the wider political process and debate through writing, teaching or joining one of many private organizations concerned with public policy issues. Democratic elections, after all, are not a fight for survival, but a competition to serve.