What is Law?

Text 1 A

Law is a system of rules within a country, region or community dealing with people’s behavior and activities. Law is also an official rule that people must obey. The word also refers to the law as practiced by lawyers, who either prosecute or defend a client.

The English word “law” means various forms of behavior. Some laws are descriptive: they simply describe how people or even natural phenomena usually behave. An example is the law of gravity. Other laws are prescriptive – they prescribe how people should behave. For example, the speed limits are laws that prescribe how fast we should drive.

In all societies relations between people are regulated by prescriptive laws. Some of them are customs – or informal rules of social and moral behavior. Some are rules we accept if we belong to particular social and cultural groups. And some are laws made by nations and enforced against all citizens within their society. The rules of social institutions are more formal than customs carrying precise penalties for those who break them. Sport 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 ask him or her to leave the club.

Law prohibits certain actions because they are against the interests of most citizens. Laws are enforced in two ways: first by the Police whose duty is to catch offenders; secondly by the law courts which find out whether a person is innocent or guilty. If he is guilty, the courts then award a punishment, either a fine or a term of imprisonment.

The laws of all countries are to be found in written records – the legal codes of countries with continental systems, the statutes and case judgments of common law countries.

Ex. I. Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. What is Law?

2. What is a law?

3. What does a word “law” mean?

4. What is a descriptive law?What is a prescriptive law? Can you give your own examples?

5. How are relations between people regulated in all societies?

6. In what ways are laws enforced?

7. In what written records are the laws of all countries to be found?

Ex. II. Read the text and decide if the following statements are True, False or No information.

1. In all societies the relation between people are regulated by customs and traditions.

2. The rules of social institutions are not so formal as customs carrying precise penalties for those who break them.

3. Aside from law being a set of rules, the word also refers to the law as practiced by lawyers, who either prosecute or defend a client.

4. Customs need not be made by governments, and they need not be written down.

5. Law prohibits certain actions because they are against the interests of most citizens.

6. When governments make laws for their citizens, they use a system of courts and the police to enforce these laws.

7. The laws of all countries are to be found in written records – the legal codes of common law countries, the statutes and case judgments of countries with continental systems.

Ex.III. Find English equivalents in the text.

1. Право – система правил в пределах страны, региона или общины, имеющая дело с поведением людей и их деятельностью.

2. Английское слово закон означает различные формы поведения.

3. Некоторые законы являются описательными: они просто описывают как люди или даже природные явления ведут себя.

4. Другие законы являются предписывающими: они предписывают, как люди должны вести себя.

5. Во всех обществах отношения между людьми регулируются предписывающими законами.

6. Закон запрещает определенные действия, потому что они противоречат интересам большинства граждан.

Ex. IV. Mind the English words and phrases with their Russian equivalents.

1. descriptive law	1. противоречить чьим-либо интересам
2. natural phenomena	2. назначить наказание
3. prescriptive law	3. письменный протокол (отчеты)
4. the law of gravity	4. защищать клиента
5. to accept rules	5. континентально- европейская система
6. to make laws	6. общее право
7. social institutions	7. судебное решение
8. to carry a penalty	8. принять наказание
9. to accept punishment	9. понести наказание
10. to be against the interests of somebody	10. срок тюремного заключения
11. to award a punishment	11. природные явления
12. written records	12. определенное наказание
13. case judgment	13. предписывающий закон
14. continental system	14. принимать правила
15. to defend the client	15. обвинять кого-либо
16. common law	16. создавать законы
17.to prosecute somebody	17. общественные институты
18. a precise penalty	18. закон притяжения
19. a term of imprisonment	19. описательный закон

Ex. V. Find the English equivalents for the words and word-combinations. Use them in the sentences of your own.

1. подчиняться закону

2. описательный закон

3. предписывающий закон

4. принимать правила

5. создавать законы

6. проводить закон в жизнь

7. нести наказание

8. принять наказание

10. запрещать

11. противоречить чьим-либо интересам

13. суд

14. невиновный

15. виновный

16. назначить наказание

17. срок тюремного заключения

18. штраф

19. кодекс

20. судебное решение; приговор

21. континентально-европейская система

22. общее право

Ex. VI. Complete the following sentences.

1. Law is …

2. Law is used …

3. Some laws are …

4. Other laws are …

5. In all societies relations between people …

6. The rules of social institutions …

7. Law prohibits certain actions …

8. Laws are enforced …

Ex.VII. Will you tell about law, please?

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