Central and local governments

На русском языке.

I. Прочитайте текст. Опираясь на информацию текста, найдите ответы

Text B

D.diplomatic

B. civic

A. public

III. Замените подчеркнутое в предложении слово, используя один из

Их в соответствующей форме, где необходимо.

II. Заполните пропуски словами из текста, приведенными ниже; поставьте

SELF-GOVERNMENT CENTRAL LOCAL MUNICIPAL POLITICAL

1. Local governments also include _____ forms of government such as villages,

townships, hamlets or special districts which are granted a charter, declaring

their right to _____.

2. Most of _____ executives in America have to get confirmation by the Senate

and advocate their programmes publicly.

3. The power of _____ government over local authorities as to what they spend

and what they raise in tax, has greatly increased in Britain since 1980.

4. Nearly 5 million people work for the federal government and almost 15 million

are employed by the state and ______ governments in the United States.

предложенных вариантов (A, B, C, D), который, на ваш взгляд,

наиболее точно передает значение всего предложения:

Each level of government has its own civil servants.

C. civilian

ЗАДАНИЯ К ТЕКСТУ

на следующие вопросы:

1.What kind of relations is there in many countries between central and

local governments?

___________________________________________________________

2. What are the functions of the local governments in the USA as compared

with those of Great Britain?

___________________________________________________________

3. Is the system of local government in Great Britain similar to that of the

national one? In what way?

___________________________________________________________

II. Письменно своими словами изложите основное содержание текста

III. Задайте к тексту 6 – 7 вопросов разного типа.

(1) The relations between the local and central government have never been smooth: local governments throughout the world quite rightly want some power and independence but the central government feels that it must have the last word.

(2) Some countries, such as the USA and Canada, are federal. They are made up of a number of states, each of which has its own government with its own powers to make laws and collect taxes. In these countries the central governments have powers only because the states have given them powers. In Britain it is the other way round. Local government authorities (generally known as “councils”) have powers only because the central government has given them powers. Indeed, they only exist because the central government allows them to exist.

(3) America is known for its federalism - a system of government in which authority is divided between national and local governments, such as states, cities, districts or townships. Its constitution strictly defines the structure and responsibilities of the federal government and, at the same time, it limits the federal government to specific powers. All other powers automatically belong to the states and to the local communities. The US national government has a few constitutionally mandated functions, mainly to conduct international relations, provide the national defense, and guarantee the general welfare. State governments, by contrast, have a multitude of responsibilities. The states are responsible for public education (from kindergartens to graduate schools), public health services in hospitals and clinics, for business regulation and law enforcement as well as social services for the needy and other similar statewide functions. In addition, each state has its own laws governing marriage and divorce, traffic, voting, drinking age, and so forth. Beyond direct responsibilities, states allocate funds to assist local governments in the performance of certain public services: furnishing of public health care centres, low-income housing, mass transportation in urban areas, and the like. The fifty state governments often differ from one another but they do share certain basic structures: they all have republican forms of government with a Senate and a House. All have executive branches headed by the state governors and independent court systems. Each state has also its own constitution. But all must respect the federal laws and not to make laws that interfere with those of the other states. Likewise, cities and local authorities must make their laws and regulations so that they fit their own state's constitution. It is generally considered that the states and local communities in the US have the rights that in other countries generally belong to the central government. Nevertheless, in recent years, there has been a persistent call to reestablish the principles of federalism in the United States. The central argument is that the national government is too large and too intrusive in state affairs.

(4) The system of local government in Great Britain is very similar to the system of national government. There are elected representatives, called councillors (the equivalent of MPs). They meet in a council chamber in the Town Hall or County Hall (the equivalent of parliament), where they make policy which is implemented by local government officers (the equivalent of civil servants).

(5) Most British people have far more direct dealings with local government than they do with national government. For people who live far away from London, the decisions of Parliament in Westminster are not always that important in their everyday lives. They have a local council which runs the schools, social services, roads, rubbish and libraries. Among the numerous services are the provision of public swimming pools, which charge admission fees, and public parks, which do not. Local councils traditionally manage nearly all public services. Taken together, they employ three times as many people as the national government does. Traditionally, local councils have been fairly free from constant central interference in their day to day work. But modem trend, however, has been towards greater and greater control by central government. This is not just a matter of controlling the way local government raises money. There are now more laws governing the way councils can conduct their affairs. Perhaps this trend is inevitable now that national party politics dominates local politics.

Примечание:

general welfare всеобщее благосостояние

law enforcement наблюдение за соблюдением законов,

правоохранительная деятельность

social services социальные услуги (образование, жилищное

строительство, здравоохранение)

MP (Member of Parliament) член Британского парламента

Town Hall здание городского или районного совета

County Hall Kayнти – Холл (центральное административное

здание, в котором происходят заседания совета

графства)

Westminster Вестминстер, зд. английский парламент

UNIT THREE

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27