2. Suggest the Russian for:

Trade, money bills, the Cabinet, Department Secretaries, foreign affairs, Federal District Courts, to be appointed, Supreme Court.

3. Match two parts of the sentences in two columns.

1. The government of the USA

2. The Constitution

3. The federal power

4. The executive branch

5. The judicial branch

6. The legislative power

1. proclaims a federal system of government.

2. is based on legislative, executive and judicial branches of power.

3. is vested in Congress, which consists of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

4. is made up of Federal District Courts, 11 Federal Courts and the Supreme Court.

5. acts according to the Constitution which was signed in 1787.

6. is headed by the President who is assisted by the Vice President.

4. Finish the following statements using the appropriate words and word combinations:

The officials of any rank …

Every citizen has rights which …

The Vice President, elected from the same political party as the President, acts as chairman of the Senate, and …

Federal judges …

5. Answer the questions:

   1. What form of government does the USA have?

   2. According to what does the USA government act?

   3. What is the federal power based on?

   4. Who has the legislative power?

   5. Who heads the executive branch?

   6. What does the judicial branch comprise?

6. Look through the text again and say about the legislative, executive and judicial branches.

Use the following key-words: vested, consists, elects; headed, enforces, in the event of the death, nationwide elections, foreign affairs; made up, appointed, decide.

TEXT 2

Read the text and say what core idea of the system of Checks and Balances is.

The system of Checks and Balances

The Constitution provides for three main branches of government which are separate and distinct from one another. The powers given to each are carefully balanced by the powers of the other two. Each branch serves as a check on the others. This is to keep any branch from gaining too much power or from misusing its powers. The chart below illustrates how the equal branches of government are connected and how each is dependent on the other two.

Congress has the power to make laws, but the President may veto any act of Congress. Congress, in its turn, can override a veto by a two-thirds vote in each house. Congress can also refuse to provide funds requested by the President. The President can appoint important officials of his administration, but they must be approved by the Senate. The President also has the power to name all federal judges; they, too, must be approved by the Senate. The courts have the power to determine the constitutionality of all acts of Congress and of presidential actions, and to strike down those they find unconstitutional.

The system of checks and balances makes compromise and consensus necessary. Compromise is also a vital aspect of other levels of government in the United States. This system protects against extremes. It means, for example, that new presidents cannot radically change governmental policies just as they wish. In the US, therefore, when people think of "the government", they usually mean the entire system, that is, the Executive Branch and the President, Congress, and the courts. In fact and in practice, therefore, the President (i.e. "the Administration") is not as powerful as many people outside the US seem to think he is. In comparison with other leaders in systems where the majority party forms "the government", he is much less so.

Exercises