On the basis of the text match the terms and their definitions. Consult the glossary if necessary.

1. Crime   2. Abuse     3. Penalty 4. Evidence 5 Court

a) that which tends to prove the existence or non-existence of some fact; b) (a large room in) a building where trials and other legal cases happen, or the people present in such a room, esp. the officials and those deciding whether someone is guilty; c) an act committed in violation of a law; d) a punishment fixed by law, as for a crime; e) to use or treat (someone or something) wrongly or badly, esp. in a way that is to your own advantage.

Pick out from the text all the word combinations with the following words (terms) and give their Russian equivalents.

-laws -justice

-to break -court

-crime -rule

 

Written Practice

 

In order to retell the text it's always necessary to compress the information contained in paragraphs. So make the following sentences shorter retaining the main idea.

Model:

The ways in which people talk, eat, drink, work and relax together are usually guided by many such informal rules which have very little to do with laws created by governments. The ways people behave are guided by informal rules, which are not made by governments.

 

1. We learn how we are expected to behave in society through the instruction of family and teachers, the advice of friends, and our experiences in dealing with strangers.

2. The rules of social institutions tend to be more formal than customs, carrying precise penalties for those who break them.

3. But if we continually break the rules, or break a very important one, other members of society may ridicule us, criticize us, act violently toward us or refuse to have anything to do with us.

4. In order to be enforced, common sense needs to be defined in law, and when definitions are being written, it becomes clear that common sense is not such a simple matter.

5. Anarchists themselves argue that human beings would be able to interact peacefully without laws if there were no governments to interfere in our lives.

 

Translate the following text in written form.

Одна из общих характеристик права заключается в том, что оно - метод социальной регуляции. В различные исторические периоды те или иные социальные или политические структуры посредством понятия “право” стремятся утвердить в своих интересах определённые социальные отношения, принципы, действия, нормы и идеалы.

Исторически первым источником права явился правовой обычай. Основой для него послужили обычаи, утвердившиеся в обществе. Однако они уже не повторялись в своём прежнем виде, а видоизменялись в соответствии с новыми потребностями общественного развития. Правовым обычаем в настоящее время считается такой обычай, на который делается ссылка в соответствующей статье нормативного акта.

 

Discussion Points

 

1. “Law exists to protect the property of those who have political power”. If you do not agree with the statement prove the opposite with your own examples.

2. “Mercy killing should not be punished”. Give points for and against this statement.

3. “Every law has a loophole (лазейка). Explain this proverb and if you agree - give your example to prove it.

 

Extra Activity

 

Read the following newspaper article and say what your verdict would be in the similar case.

 

Good Excuse for Speeding

INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) - A driver who claimed he was driving too fast because he was trying to kill a bee has won an award for his arresting officer for offering the most creative excuse for speeding in Indiana.

The Police League of Indiana on Thursday awarded the prize to Marion County Sherriff's Lt. Lee Hyland, who told of stopping the speeder.

Hyland, who heads Marion County's traffic control division, said the driver claimed he was allergic to bees and was afraid of the stinging insects.

The lieutenant said the driver even offered a dead bee as evidence - but Hyland noticed it had dust on its wings.

"The guy admitted he had been carrying that bee around in his pocket for months in case he ever got stopped", Hyland said.

The driver, who was not named, told Hyland the story had worked in the past. Hyland gave him a speeding ticket.

The league chose from more than 150 entries from across the state.

Robert Williams, league president and a Sheibyville police detective, awarded Hyland a police scanner for relating "the most humorous" excuse.

(The Mainichi Daily News, Tokyo)