Английский язык (стр. 1 )

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ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНТСТВО ПО ОБРАЗОВАНИЮ

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЕ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЕ

ВЫСШЕГО ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ

ВОЛГОГРАДСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ

КАМЫШИНСКИЙ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ИНСТИТУТ (ФИЛИАЛ)

ВОЛГОГРАДСКОГО ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА

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Английский язык

Учебное пособие для студентов специальности «Правоведение»

Допущено учебно-методическим объединением Совета директоров средних специальных учебных заведений Волгоградской области в качестве учебного пособия для образовательных учреждений среднего профессионального образования Волгоградской области

Волгоград

2008

 

ББК 81.2 Англ

М 71

Рецензенты: доцент кафедры «Гражданское право» СГАП ; преподаватель английского языка колледжа Камышинского филиала НОУ «Волгоградский институт бизнеса»

Мищенко, М. В. английский язык: учеб. пособие для студентов специальности «Правоведение» / , ; ВолгГТУ, Волгоград, 2008. – 68 с.

ISBN 0033-1

Содержит профессионально-ориентированные тексты и лексико-грамматические упражнения к ним.

Может быть использовано как для самостоятельной работы студентов, так и на аудиторных занятиях.

Библиогр.: 3 назв.

Печатается по решению редакционно-издательского совета

Волгоградского государственного технического университета

Марина Владиславовна Мищенко, Марина Николаевна Федорова

английский язык

Учебное пособие для студентов специальности «Правоведение»

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Волгоградский государственный технический университет

400131 Волгоград, просп. им. , 28.

РПК «Политехник»

Волгоградского государственного технического университета

400131 Волгоград, ул. Советская, 35.

ISBN 0033-1 Ó Волгоградский

государственный

технический

университет, 2008

Введение

Настоящее учебное пособие предназначено для студентов СТФ специальности «Правоведение». Цель данного пособия – подготовить студентов к практической деятельности, умению работать с литературой по специальности и вести беседу по тематике текста.

Первая часть пособия составлена из аутентичных текстов, задача которых – ознакомить студентов со специальной лексикой. Эти тексты имеют познавательный характер, так как знакомят читателей с практической деятельностью юриста, а также некоторыми аспектами функционирования права в Англии. Послетекстовые упражнения носят закрепительный характер и позволяют применить в практической деятельности полученные знания.

Во втором разделе представлены тексты из оригинальной британской и американской прессы, освещающие вопросы правонарушения в повседневной жизни. Задания к этим текстам составлены с целью помочь понять общий смысл прочитанного и обсудить содержание текстов на английском языке.

Авторы пособия надеются, что предлагаемое издание будет полезно не только для студентов-правоведов, но и для всех специалистов, обучающихся переводу англоязычных текстов.

Unit 1

SOCIAL MORALITY, RULES AND LAWS

1. Use the words and phrases to predict what you think the text may be about. What sort of topics and ideas do you think it will contain?

law custom prosecution

penalty rules fine

illegal social behavior make laws

punishment legal enforce laws

public law morality society

civil law

2. Read the text quickly and try to understand what information is of primary importance or new to you. Pick out ideas or phrases, which you think are most informative or most interesting, from each paragraph.

What is law?

(1) The English word “law" refers to limits upon various forms of behavior. Some laws are descriptive: they simply describe how people, or even natural phenomena, usually behave. An example is the rather consistent law of gravity: another is the less consistent laws of economics. Other laws are prescriptive - they prescribe how people ought to behave. For – example, the speed limits imposed upon drivers are laws that prescribe how fast we should drive. They rarely describe how fast we actually do drive, of course.

(2)  In all societies, relations between people are regulated by prescriptive laws. Some of them are customs – that is, informal rules of social and moral behavior. Some are the rules we accept if we belong to particular social institutions, such as religious, educational and cultural groups. And some are precise laws made by nations and enforced against all citizens within their power.

(3) Customs need not be made by governments, and they need not be written down. 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. Sometimes, we can break these rules without suffering any penalty. 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. The ways in which people talk, eat and drink, work, and relax together are usually guided by many such informal rules which have very little to do with laws created by governments.

(4) The rules of social institutions tend to be more formal than customs, carrying precise penalties for those who break them. They are not, however, enforceable by any political authority. Sports-clubs, for example, often have detailed rules for their members. But if a member breaks a rule and refuses to accept any punishment, the club may have no power other than to ask him or her to leave the club.

(5) However, when governments make laws for their citizens, they use a system of courts backed by the power of the police to enforce these laws. Of course, there may be instances where the law is not enforced against someone – such as when young children commit crimes, when the police have to concentrate on certain crimes and therefore ignore others, or in countries where there is so much political corruption that certain people are able to escape justice by using their money or influence. But the general nature of the law is that it is enforced equally against all members of the nation.

(6) Suppose a member of a rugby club is so angry with the referee during a club game that he hits him and breaks his nose. At the most informal level of social custom, it is probable that people seeing or hearing about the incident would criticize the player and try to persuade him to apologize and perhaps compensate the referee in some way. At a more formal level, the player would find he had broken the rules of his club and perhaps of a wider institution governing the conduct of all people playing rugby, and would face punishment, such as a fine or a suspension before he would be allowed to play another game. Finally, the player might also face prosecution for attacking the referee under laws created by the government of his country. In many countries there might be two kinds of prosecution. First, the referee could conduct a civil action against the player, demanding compensation for his injury and getting his claim enforced by a court of law if the player failed to agree privately. Second, the police might also start an action against the player for a crime of violence. If found guilty, the player might be sent to prison, or he might be made to pay a fine to the court – that is, punishment for an offence against the state, since governments often consider anti-social behavior not simply as a matter between two individuals but as a danger to the well-being and order of society as a whole.

(7) What motives do governments have in making and enforcing laws? Social control is undoubtedly one purpose. Public laws establish the authority of the government itself, and civil laws provide a framework for interaction among citizens. Without laws, it is argued, there would be anarchy in society.

(8) Another purpose is the implementation of justice. Justice is a concept that most people feel is very important but few are able to define. Sometimes a just decision is simply a decision that most people feel is fair. But will we create a just society by simply observing public opinion? If we are always fair to majorities, we will often be unfair to minorities. If we do what seems to be fair at the moment, we may create unfairness in the future. What should the court decide, for example, when a man kills his wife because she has a painful illness and begs him to help her die? It seems unjust to find him guilty of crime, yet if we do not, isn't there a danger that such mercy killing will become so widespread that abuses will occur? Many philosophers have proposed concepts of justice that are much more theoretical than everyday notions of fairness. But in general, governments are guided by more practical considerations such as rising crime rates or the lobbying of pressure groups.

(9) Sometimes laws are simply an attempt to implement common sense. It is obvious to most people that dangerous driving should be punished; that fathers should provide financial support for their children if they desert their families; that a person should be compensated for losses when someone else breaks an agreement with him or her. But 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. Instead, it is a complex skill based upon long observation of many different people in different situations. Laws based upon common sense don't necessarily look much like common sense when they have been put into words!

(10) In practice, governments are neither institutions solely interested in retaining power, nor clear-thinking bodies implementing justice and common sense. They combine many purposes and inherit many traditions. The laws that they make and enforce reflect this confusion. The laws made by the government of one country are often very different from the laws of another country. But although there is a growing body of international law, the law is, to a large extent, a complex of different and relatively independent national systems.

3. Entitle each part of the text, so that to make a plan of the text.

4. Make a short summary of the text, using your plan.

5. Translate parts of the text, which are of greatest interest to you, in writing.

Vocabulary notes

Read and memorize the active vocabulary to the text and translate the given sentences.

(1) Law n – 1) закон; 2) право; 3) юриспруденция; суд, судебный процесс; 4) профессия юриста. Не went beyond the law. The young men read Roman law at the college. Mr. Mc Canzy was at law with his neighbor. She has always dreamed to go in for law.

Behavior n – поведение, манеры. The boy was on his best behavior.

(2) Custom n – 1) обычай, привычка; 2) обычное право. Every country has its own customs. The contract was signed according to custom of merchants.

(3) Penalty n – 1) наказание; 2) взыскание, штраф. Murders should receive the death penalty.

(4) Punishment n – наказание. The abolition of capital punishment in England was adopted in 1965.

(5) Crime n – 1) преступление, злодеяние; 2) преступность. The police prevent and detect crime. The problem of crime in our country is complex and enormal.

Justice n – 1) справедливость; 2) правосудие, юстиция; 3) судья. Не did justice to your dinner. Some criminals are able to escape justice. In Great Britain justices of the peace are also known as magistrates.

(6) Fine n – пеня, штраф. For driving in excess of the speed limit the driver was imposed a $200 fine.

suspension n – приостановление, отстранение. The company faced the suspension of business

prosecution n – 1) судебное преследование; 2) обвинительная сторона в судебном процессе. The robbers faced prosecution for robbing the central bank. Physical exhibits, offered by prosecution, were admitted by the judge.

offence n – проступок, правонарушение, преступление. He was serving his sentence for the criminal offence.

violence n – насилие, жестокость. He was in prison for the crime of violence.

action n – 1) судебное дело, суд; 2) иск, обвинение. Criminal actions are nearly always started by the state. A civil action can be brought by one citizen against another.

(7) authority n – 1) власть, полномочия; 2) орган власти; 3) источник права, прецедент, авторитетный учебник по праву. In Russian cities the head of the local authority is called a mayor.

(8) guilty adj – виновный. He was found guilty of the crime by the magistrates court.

court n – суд, судебное присутствие. The ultimate court of appeal in Great Britain is the House of Lords.

(9) agreement n – 1) согласие, соглашение; 2) договор, соглашение. After the discussion the business partners came to an agreement. The business partners signed the basic agreement.

loss n – убыток, ущерб. The loss of the company was about a million of pounds.

(10) institution n – 1) учебное заведение; 2) институт (правовой, политический). There are many educational institutions in our country. Courts are legal institutions for applying laws.

Vocabulary exercises

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

– law;

– institution;

– rule;

– authority;

– punishment;

– behavior;

– society;

– action;

– justice;

– crime.

2. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following phrases:

– предписательные законы, регулирующие отношения между людьми;

– нарушать законы;

– законы, созданные государством;

– претворять законы в жизнь;

– избежать правосудия;

– понести наказание;

– признать виновным;

– учреждать власть;

– создать справедливое общество;

– убийство из милосердия;

– унаследовать традиции;

– влиять на правовую систему разных стран.

3. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Описательные законы описывают то, как люди или даже природные явления себя ведут.

2. Предписательные законы предписывают то, как люди обязаны себя вести.

3. Английское слово «law» трактуется как ограничения различных форм поведения.

4. Государство использует систему судов, чтобы претворять в жизнь законы, созданные им для своих граждан.

5. Публичные законы устанавливают власть государства как такового.

6. Гражданские законы создают основу для взаимоотношений между гражданами.

7. Всякий, кто нарушает закон, должен понести наказание.

8. Государство рассматривает антиобщественное поведение как опасность для благополучия и порядка общества в целом.

9. Без законов в обществе воцарилась бы анархия.

10. Законы, созданные правительством одной страны, часто очень отличаются от законов, созданных правительством другой страны.

4. Fill in every missing notional word.

1. When governments make laws for their..., they use a system of... backed by the power of the... to enforce these laws.

2. There may be instances where the law is not... against someone – such as when... children commit crimes, when the... have to concentrate on certain... and therefore ignore others, or in... where there is so much political... that certain people are able... justice by using their money or... .

3. Government-made laws are...often patterned upon informal... of conduct already existing in ..., and relations between people a combinations of all these... .

4. What motives do governments have in... and enforcing laws? Social control is undoubtedly one ... . Another purpose is the... of justice.

5. Justice is a concept that most... feel is very important but few are... to define. Sometimes a just decision is... a decision that most people... is fair.

5. Match the words on the left with the words on the right:

a) to enforce	1) punishment
b) to pay	2) an agreement
c) to face	3) authority
d) to break	4) a fine
e) to establish	5) laws

6. Explain the meanings of the following words and expression:

– to make laws;

– to enforce laws;

– government-made laws;

– social customs;

– to face punishment;

– to face suspension;

– anti-social behavior;

– social control;

– anarchy;

– implementation of justice;

– just decision.

Discussion: «Mercy killing should be punished».

Give two points for and two points against this statement. Discuss your point of view with other students.

Unit 2

SOURCES OF MODERN LAW

1. Use the words and phrases to predict, what you think, the text may be about. What sort of topics and ideas do you think it will contain?

Criminal case codify

Legislature precedent

Political and social trust

Upheaval judge

Adopt laws common law

Case law system judiciary

Equity

2. Read the text quickly and try to understand what information is of primary importance or new to you.

Sources of Modern Law

(1) 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.

(2) 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 socialist countries.

(3) Common law, or case law systems, particularly that of England, differ from Continental law in having developed gradually throughout history, not as the result of government attempts to define or codify every legal relation. Customs and court rulings have been as important as statutes (government legislation). Judges do not merely apply the law, in some cases they make law, since their interpretations may become precedents for other court to follow.

(4) Before William of Normandy invaded England in 1066, law was administered by a series of local courts and no law was common to the whole kingdom. The Norman Kings sent traveling judges around the country and gradually a "common law" developed, under the authority of three common law courts in London. Judges dealt with both criminal cases and civil disputes between individuals. Although local and ancient customs played their part, uniform application of the law throughout the country as promoted by the gradual development of the doctrine of precedent.

(5) By the principle, judges attempted to apply existing customs and laws to each new case, rather than looking to the government to write new laws. If the essential elements of a case were the same as those of previous recorded cases, then the judge was bound to reach the same decision regarding guilt or innocence. If no precedent could be found, then the judge made a decision based upon existing legal principles, and his decision would become a precedent for other courts to follow when a similar case arose. The doctrine of precedent is still a central feature of modern common law systems.

(6) Another important feature of the common law tradition is equity. By the fourteenth century many people in England were dissatisfied with the inflexibility of the common law, and a practice developed of appealing directly to the king or to his chief legal administrator, the Lord Chancellor. As the Lord Chancellor's court became more willing to modify existing common law in order to solve disputes; a new system of law developed alongside the common law. This system recognized rights that were not enforced as common law but which were considered "equitable", or just, such as the right to force someone to fulfill a contract rather than simply pay damages for breaking it, or the rights of a beneficiary of a trust.

(7) One problem, resulting from the existence of two systems of justice was that a person often had to begin actions in different courts in order to get a satisfactory solution. For example, in a breach (breaking) of contract claim, a person had to seek specific performance (an order forcing the other party to do something) in court of equity, and damages (monetary compensation for his loss) in a common law court. In 1873, the two systems were unified, and nowadays a lawyer can pursue common law and equitable claims in the same court.

(8) Although courts continually have to find ways of interpreting existing common law for new cases, legislation has become the most important source of new law. When the government feels that existing common law, equity, or statutes are in need of revision or clarification, it passes new legislation. In this way courts avoid the obligation to follow precedent. Parliament passes hundreds of new laws every year on matters that need to be regulated more precisely than the common law gas been able to do and on matters that never arose when the common law was developed. For example, modern society has produced crimes such as business fraud and computer theft which require complex and precise definitions. Some modern legislation is so precise and comprehensive it is rather like a code in the Continental system.

(9) Continental systems are sometimes known as codified legal systems. They have resulted from attempts by governments to produce a set of codes to govern every legal aspect of a citizen's life. Thus it was necessary for the legislators to speculate quite comprehensively about human behavior rather than simply looking at previous cases. In order to separate the roles of the legislature and judiciary, it was necessary to make laws that were clear and comprehensive. The lawmakers were often influenced by the model of the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, but the most important models were the codes produced in the seventh century under the direction of the Roman Emperor Justinian. His aim had been to eliminate the confusion of centuries of inconsistent lawmaking by formulating a comprehensive system that would entirely replace existing law. Versions of Roman law had long influenced many parts of Europe, including the case law traditions of Scotland, but had little impact on English law.

The clear distinction between legislature and judiciary has weakened in many countries, including Germany, France and Italy, where courts are able to challenge the constitutional legality of a law made by parliament.

Despite this, it is also important not to exaggerate similarities among systems within the Continental tradition. For example, while adopting some French ideas, such as separation of the legislature and judiciary, the late nineteenth century codifiers of German law aimed at conserving customs and traditions peculiar to German history. Canon law had a stronger influence in countries with a less secular ideology than France, such as Spain.

3. Entitle each part of the text, so that to make a plan of the text.

4. Make a short summary of the text, using your plan.

5. Translate parts of the text, which are of greatest interest to you, in writing.

Vocabulary notes

Read and memorize the active vocabulary to the text and translate the given sentences.

(2) Common law – общее право. Common law is sometimes known as case law.

Continental law – континентальное право.

Roman law – римское право. Continental law is sometimes known as Roman law because it was influenced by the laws developed in ancient Rome.

(3)  codify v – кодифицировать, приводить в систему. Governments make laws to codify every legal relation.

statute n – 1) статут; 2) устав. In order to be enforced an act of Parliament must be published in a form of a statute.

court n – суд. Appeals are heard by higher courts.

judge n – судья. A judge decides what should be done with people who commit crimes.

(4) precedent n – судебный прецедент. The doctrine of precedent is a central feature of modern common law systems.

(5) case n – судебное дело. In Great Britain civil cases are dealt with in County courts.

(6) equity n – справедливость, право справедливости. A supplementary system of law, known as equity, came into being the Middle Ages.

Lord Chancellor – Лорд-канцлер. Lord Chancellor is the president of the Supreme Court and the House of Lords' sitting as a final court of appeal.

(7) damages n, pl – убытки, компенсация за убытки. Mr. Smith brought an action of damages against his neighbor.

(8) legislation n – 1) законодательство; 2) закон, законопроект. The main function of Parliament is legislation. New legislation is to be introduced to help single – parent families.

fraud n – обман, мошенничество, подделка. Thousands of frauds are committed every year.

code n – кодекс, свод законов. A new government considers civil and criminal codes to be revised.

(9) judgment n – приговор, решение суда. The judge has given judgement on the criminal.

legislature n – законодательная власть.

judiciary n – суд, судебная власть, судоустройство. Officially the Queen is the head of legislature and judiciary in Great Britain.

canon law – каноническое право.

Vocabulary exercises

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

– upheaval;

– system;

– precedent;

– court decision;

– case;

– dispute;

– damages;

– to codify;

– code;

– judgment.

2. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following phrases:

– политический и социальный переворот;

– правовые принципы;

– применять закон;

– следовать прецеденту;

– право справедливости;

– денежная компенсация за нанесение вреда;

– источник права;

– казуальное право;

– каноническое право;

– беспристрастные институты (власти);

– пересмотреть существующие Гражданский и Уголовный кодексы.

3. Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Каждая отдельно взятая страна имеет свою собственную правовую систему.

2. В мире существуют две основные традиционные формы правовых систем: общее право и континентальное или римское право.

3. Основной чертой правовых систем общего права является доктрина прецедента.

4. Суды обязаны следовать решениям предыдущих судов в случае, если факты дела не отличаются от фактов, представленных в предыдущем деле.

5. Судьи не только применяют закон, в некоторых случаях они создают новые законы, т. к. их толкования закона могут стать прецедентами, которым будут обязаны следовать другие суды.

6. Другой важной чертой традиции общего права является право справедливости.

7. Новая система права развивалась наряду с общим правом.

8. Когда правительство считает, что существующее общее право, право справедливости и статуты нуждаются в пересмотре или уточнении, оно принимает новые законы.

9. Парламент принимает сотни новых законов каждый год по вопросам, которые необходимо отрегулировать более точно, чем это могло сделать общее право.

10. Континентальные системы известны как кодифицированные правовые системы, которые явились результатом усилий правительств для создания свода законов, чтобы регулировать правовые аспекты жизни общества.

4. Fill in every missing notional word.

1. Continental systems are known as... legal systems.

2. They have resulted governments to produce a... of codes to govern every legal... of a citizen's life.

3. It was necessary for the... to speculate quite comprehensively about... behavior rather than simply looking at... cases.

4. In order to separate the roles of the... and judiciary, it was necessary to make...that were clear and... .

5. The lawmakers were the model of the... law of the Roman Catholical Church, but the most... models were codes... in the seventh century under the... of the Roman Emperor Justinian.

5. Match the words on the left with the words on the right:

a) to modify 1) the precedent

b) to codify 2) legal relations

c) to solve 3) a dispute

d) to begin, to bring 4) a law

e) to follow 5) an action in the court

6. Explain the meaning of the following words and expressions:

– to revise a legal system;

– to codify legal relations;

– to become a precedent;

– to exist alongside;

– business fraud;

– a set of codes;

– inconsistent lawmaking;

– secular ideology;

– to justify property relations;

– unbiased legal institutions.

Discussion: "The main purpose of law is to protect property ownership".

Give two arguments for and two against this statement. Discuss your point of view with other students.

Unit 3

CIVIL AND PUBLIC LAW

1. Use the words and phrases to predict what you think the text may be about. What sort of topics and ideas do you think it will contain?

public law tort prosecution

private law trust defendant

contract probate plaintiff

2. Read the text quickly and try to understand what information is of primary importance or new to you.

Civil and public law

(1) One important distinction made in all these countries is between private – or civil law and public law. Civil law concerns disputes among citizens within a country, and public law concerns disputes between citizens and the state, or between one state and another. The main categories of English civil law are:

Contracts: binding agreements between people (or companies);

Torts: wrongs committed by one individual against another individual's person, property or reputation;

Trusts: arrangements whereby a person administers property for another person's benefit rather than his own Land Law;

Probate: arrangements for dealing with property after the owner's death;

Family law.

The main categories of public law are:

Crimes: wrongs which, even when committed against an individual are considered to harm the well-being of society in general;

Constitutional Law: regulation of how the law itself operates and of the relation between private citizen and government;

International Law: regulation of relations between governments and also between private citizens of one country and those of another.

(2) In codified systems there are codes that correspond to these categories, for example, France's Code Civil and Code Penal. Justinian's Roman codes covered such areas of law as contracts, property, inheritance, torts, the family, unjust enrichment, the law of persons, and legal remedies, but said little about criminal law. Consequently, most Continental criminal codes are entirely modern inventions.

(3) Most countries make a rather clear distinction between civil and criminal procedures. For example, an English criminal court may force a defendant to pay a fine as punishment for his crime, and he may sometimes have to pay the legal costs of the prosecution. But the victim of the crime pursues his claim for compensation in a civil, not a criminal, action.

(4) The standards of proof are higher in a criminal action than in a civil one since the loser risks not only financial penalties but also being sent to prison (or, in some countries, executed). In English law the prosecution must prove the guilt of a criminal "beyond reasonable doubt"; but the plaintiff in a civil action is required to prove his case "on the balance of probabilities". Thus, in a civil case a crime cannot be proven if the person or persons judging it doubt the guilt of the suspect and have a reason (not just a feeling or intuition) for this doubt. But in a civil case, the court will weigh all the evidence and decide what is most probable.