XIV. Fill in the right preposition.

1. The Republic of Belarus carries … independently its domestic and foreign policy.

2. State power is exercised … the basis of its division … legislative, executive and judicial branches.

3. The President is elected … general, free, equal, direct and secret ballot.

4. The Parliament consists … two Chambers -- the Chamber of Representatives and the Council of the Republic.

5. The Government is subordinated … the President and reports … the Parliament.

6. The judicial power in the Republic of Belarus belongs … courts.

7. Everybody is equal … the law.

8. Every citizen has the right … health protection, social security at old age, etc.

9. The Republic of Belarus proceeds … the principles of the equality of states, inviolability … borders, non-interference … domestic affairs and others.

10. In accordance … the Constitutional norm the Republic of Belarus may grant refuge … persons being persecuted in other countries … their political and religious convictions or … account of their nationality.

XV. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. The Republic of Belarus is a parliamentary monarchy.

2. The Parliament is represented by the Council of Ministers.

3. Government is the executive power in the Republic of Belarus.

4. The judicial power is exercised by general, economic and other courts.

5. The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus establishes the principle of the supremacy of personal rights and freedoms.

6. The President is elected for a four-year term.

7. Each person has the right to obtain education in state educational institutions but he has to pay for it.

8. According to the Constitution everybody is equal before the law.

XVI. Complete the following sentences.

1. The Republic of Belarus is … .

2. The symbols are … .

3. State power is exercised on the basis of … .

4. The ultimate goal of the State is … .

5. The Constitution guarantees the citizens the right to … .

6. The Republic of Belarus exercises democracy by … .

7. In its foreign policy the Republic of Belarus proceeds from … .

XVII. Translate the following sentences into English.

1. Республика Беларусь - унитарное демократическое социальное правовое государство.

2. Государственная власть осуществляется на основе разделения властей на законодательную, исполнительную и судебную.

3. Парламент состоит из Палаты Представителей и Совета Республики.

4. Совет Министров - это исполнительная власть Республики Беларусь, а также является центральным органом государственного управления.

5. Судебная власть осуществляется общими, хозяйственными и другими судами.

6. Республика Беларусь самостоятельно осуществляет свою внутреннюю и внешнюю политику.

7. В своей внешней политике Республика Беларусь исходит из принципов равенства государств, неприменения силы или угрозы применения силы, нерушимости границ, мирного урегулирования споров, невмешательства во внутренние дела и других общепризнанных принципов и норм международного права.

8. Республика Беларусь ставит целью сделать свою территорию зоной свободной от ядерного оружия.

9. Гражданам Республики Беларусь гарантируется право на социальное обеспечение в старости, в случае болезни, инвалидности, потери кормильца и в других случаях, предусмотренных законом.

Problems for discussion

Ш What is (are) national language(s) in our republic? Are any other languages spoken here? Do you agree that it is necessary to have at least two languages spoken in the country? Why? Why not? Give your arguments.

Ш You are willing to participate in the international conference “Belarus today and tomorrow”. The organizers require a short abstract. You are to represent social and political situation in our country to the international participants.

Ш Imagine you are a teacher of History. The topic of your lesson is “The Constitution of the Republic of Belarus”. You are to tell your pupils what rights the Constitution grants every citizen.

Ш Discuss in your group what changes you would like to introduce into the Constitution.

THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ASPECTS

Warm- up

What do you know about the United Kingdom?

· What is the difference between the United Kingdom and Great Britain?

· How is the British flag called?

· What are the British national emblems (flowers)?

Read about the British Flag and say which country is not represented on the flag of the U.K.?

The Union flag, popularly known as the `Union Jack'*, is the national flag of the United Kingdom. It is called the Union Flag because it symbolizes the administrative union of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is made up of the individual flags of three of the Kingdom's countries all united under one Sovereign№ - the countries of England, of Scotland and of Northern Ireland (since 1921 only Northern Ireland has been part of the United Kingdom; Southern Ireland is an independent republic). As Wales was not a Kingdom but a PrincipalityІ it couldn't be included on the flag.

* `Union Jack' was officially accepted as an alternative name for the Union Flag by the Admiraltyі and parliament in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century. The term `jack'⁴ refers to the flag that is flown from the bowsprit⁵ of a ship, often denoting⁶ nationality.

* Union Jack - государственный флаг Соединённого Королевства

№ sovereign [?svrэn] - монарх, правитель

І principality [‚prэnsэ'pжlэtэ] - княжество

і admiralty ['жdm(?)r?ltэ] - адмиралтейство; военно-морское министерство (Великобритании до 1964 г.)

⁴ jack [dZжk] - мор. гюйс, флаг

⁵ bowsprit [?b?х‚sprэt] - мор. бушприт

⁶ denote [dэ'n?хt] - показывать, обозначать

The flags that appear on the Union Flag are the crosses of three patron¹ saints² :

This is England's Flag.

It is called the "St. Georges Flag".

The red cross of Saint George for England on the white ground.

This is Scotland's Flag.

It is called the "St. Andrews Flag".

The white diagonal cross of Saint Andrew for Scotland on the blue ground.

On the Union Flag, Northern Ireland is represented by the flag of St. Patrick.

The red diagonal cross of Saint Patrick for Ireland on the white ground.

This is Wales's Flag.

The Welsh flag (the red dragon on the white and green ground) doesn't appear on the Union Flag.

¹ patron [?peэtr(?)n] - покровитель, патрон, заступник

² saint [seэnt] - святой

Read the following information about national emblems and name them.

Each country also has its own floral emblem:

The national flower of England is the rose. The flower has been adopted as England's emblem since the time of the Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster (whose emblem was a red rose) and the royal house of York (whose emblem was a white rose).

The national flower of Scotland is the thistle¹, a prickly²-leaved purple³ flower which was first used in the 15th century as a symbol of defense. The Scottish Bluebell⁴ is also seen as the flower of Scotland.

¹ thistle [?иэs(?)l] - чертополох

² prickly ['prэklэ] - имеющий шипы, колючки

³ purple [?p?:pl] - пурпурный, фиолетовый

⁴ bluebell [?blu:bel] - колокольчик



The national flower of Wales is the daffodil¹, which is traditionally worn on St. David's Day. The vegetable called leek² is also considered to be a traditional emblem of Wales. There are many explanations of how the leek came to be adopted as the national emblem of Wales. One is that St David advised the Welsh, on the eve³ of battle with the Saxons, to wear leeks in their caps to distinguish a friend from a foe⁴. As Shakespeare records⁵ in Henry V, the Welsh archers⁶ wore leeks at the battle of Agincourt in 1415.

¹ daffodil ['dжf?dэl] - бледно-жёлтый нарцисс

² leek [li:k] - лук-порей

³ eve [i:v] - канун, преддверие

⁴ foe [f?х] - враг, противник

⁵record [rэ'k:d] - записывать, увековечивать

⁶ archer [a:?t?] - лучник

The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock¹, a three-leaved plant similar to clover². An Irish tale tells of how Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Trinity³. He used it in his sermons⁴ to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity⁵. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast⁶ day.

¹ shamrock ['?жmrk] - трилистник

² clover [?kl?хv?] - клевер

³ trinity ['trэnэtэ] - троица

⁴ sermon [?s?:m?n] - проповедь, поучение

⁵ entity [?entэtэ] - суть, существо, сущность

⁶ feast [fi:st] - торжественный

What is the British National Anthem?

The National Anthem is God Save the Queen. The British National Anthem originated in a patriotic song first performed in 1745. It became known as the National Anthem from the beginning of the nineteenth century.

On official occasions, only the first verse is usually sung, as follows:

God save our gracious Queen!

Long live our noble Queen!

God save the Queen!

Send her victorious,

Happy and glorious,

Long to reign over us,

God save the Queen.

An additional verse is occasionally sung:

Thy choicest gifts in store

On her be pleased to pour,

Long may she reign.

May she defend our laws,

And give us ever cause,

To sing with heart and voice,

God save the Queen.

The British National Anthem represents the whole of the UK. However, Wales and Scotland have other songs which they sing, especially when playing against England in sport matches.

Wales - Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land Of My Fathers)

Scotland - Flower of Scotland and Scotland the Brave

England too has its own song or songs. William Blake's Jerusalem and Swing Low, Sweet Chariot are often sung. Another popular song is Land of Hope and Glory, which was sung at the first England match of the 2006 Six Nations.

Read the information about British emblem and describe it.

The Royal¹ Coat of Arms² carries the symbols representing England, Scotland and Ireland, the Sovereign's motto³ and the lion and the unicorn⁴.

On the left, the shield⁵ is supported by the English Lion. On the right it is supported by the Unicorn of Scotland. (The unicorn is chained⁶ because in mediaeval times a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast⁷).

The Royal Arms⁸ we see today have evolved⁹ over nine centuries, since Richard the Lionheart chose three lions to represent England. This symbol on the King's shield would immediately identify him in the midst¹⁰ of battle.

The full version of the Royal Coat of Arms is now used only by the Queen in her capacity¹¹ as the Sovereign. In the version used by the government and consequently as the official coat of arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the crown is shown resting directly on the shield, with the helm¹², crest¹³ and mantling¹⁴ not displayed (like in the black and white picture above).

In the coloured photograph you see that the unicorn horn¹⁵ is missing (it may have fallen off).

The main element of the Arms is the shield which is divided into four quarters.

¹ royal [?rэ(?)l] - королевский, монарший

² Coat of Arms [?k?хt ?v ?a:mz] - герб

³ motto [?mt?х] - девиз, лозунг

⁴ unicorn ['ju:nэk:n] - единорог

⁵ shield [?i:ld] - щит

⁶ chain [t?eэn] - приковывать цепью

⁷ beast [bi:st] зверь, животное

⁸ arms [?a:mz] - герб

⁹ evolve [э'vlv] - развивать(ся)

¹⁰ midst [mэdst] - середина

¹¹ capacity [k??pжsэtэ] - роль, положение, должность

¹² helm [helm] - шлем

¹³ crest [krest] - гребень шлема, украшение наверху гербового щита

¹⁴ mantling [?mжntlэ?] - мантия на гербе

¹⁵ horn [h:n] - рог

Shield of the Royal Arms

The first and fourth quadrants¹ represent England and contain three gold lions passant² on a red field; the second quadrant represents Scotland contains a red lion rampant³ on a gold field; the third quadrant represents Ireland and contains the gold harp⁴ of Ireland on a blue field.

Why is Wales not represented on the shield and Coat of Arms?

Wales was recognized as a Principality by the creation of the Prince of Wales long before the incorporation⁵ of the quarterings for Scotland and Ireland in the Royal Arms. The arms of the Prince of Wales show the arms of the ancient Principality in the centre as well as these quarterings.

¹ quadrant [?kwdr(?)nt] - квадрант; четверть круга, шара

² passant lion [?pжs?nt ?laэ?n] - лев, идущий с поднятой правой лапой и смотрящий на зрителя

³ rampant [?rжmp?nt] - стоящий на задних лапах

⁴ harp [ha:p] - арфа

⁵ incorporation [эn‚k:p??reэ?n] - объединение, слияние

What is the motto of England?

The motto of England and the Sovereign is

"Dieu et mon Droit"

(French for `God and my right').

The motto was first used by King Richard I in 1198 and adopted as the royal motto of England in the time of Henry VI.

The motto appears below the shield of the Royal Coat of Arms.

H. Read and memorize the following words:

monarchy	[ ?mn?kэ]	монархия
majority	[m? ?dZr?tэ]	большинство
minority	[maэ ?nr?tэ]	меньшинство
to succeed	[s?k ?si:d]	следовать за, сменять
reign	[reэn]	правление, власть
to adopt	[? ?dpt]	принимать
to pass the law	[pa:s]	утвердить (принимать) закон
lawmaking body		законодательный орган
to summon	[ ?sm?n]	созывать
to dismiss	[dэs ?mэs]	распускать
to carry out the duties		выполнять обязанности
to sign	[saэn]	подписывать
the royal family	[?rэ?l]	королевская семья
shelter	[??elt?]	приют
charity work	[ ?t?жr?tэ]	благотворительность
the pageantry of royalty	[ ?pжdZ?ntrэ]	роскошь, великолепие королевской семьи
to preside	[prэ ?zaэd]	осуществлять контроль, руководство
to exercise	[?eks?saэz]	осуществлять, выполнять
bill	[bэl]	законопроект
to propose a bill	[pr? ?p?хz]	внести законопроект
to arrange business	[? ?reэndZ]	организовать деятельность
to comprise	[k?m ?praэz]	включать в себя
to dissolve	[dэ ?zlv]	распускать (парламент)
to introduce bills	[ ?эntr? ?dju:s]	вносить на рассмотрение законопроекты
amendment	[? ?mendm?nt]	поправка
to delay	[dэ ?leэ]	откладывать, отсрочивать
to approve	[?? ?pru:v]	утверждать
universal suffrage	[?jх:ni?v?:sl ?sfrэdZ]	всеобщее избирательное право
to be in office		быть у власти
trade union	[ ?treэd ?ju:nэ?n]	профессиональный союз
to review	[rэ ?vju:]	пересматривать
to determine	[dэ ?t?:mэn]	устанавливать
appeal	[? ?pi:l]	апелляция
criminal offences	[? ?fensэz]	уголовные преступления
to try	[traэ]	рассматривать (дело)
jury	[ ?dZх?rэ]	присяжные
circuit judge	[ ?s?:kэt ?dZdZ]	окружной судья

II. Pay attention to the following words.

The Cabinet - Кабинет Министров;

The House of Commons - Палата О?бщин;

The House of Lords - Палата Лордов;

The Crown - корона, престол, королевская власть;

Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces - Главнокомандующий вооруженных сил;

The Supreme Governor of the Church - Верховный глава церкви;

The chief executive - Глава исполнительной власти;

MPs (members of Parliament) - Члены парламента;

The Ministry of Defense - Министерство Обороны;

The Crown Court - Королевский суд;

The magistrate court - суд магистрата, мировой суд;

EU (The European Union) - Европейский союз;

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) - Североатлантический союз;

WEU (Western European Union) - Западноевропейский союз;

The Commonwealth - Содружество (наций);

The Council of Europe - Совет Европы;

The Court of appeal - Апелляционный суд;

Magna Carta - Великая хартия вольностей;

temporal lords - светские лорды;

spiritual lords - епископы лорды;

law lords - судебные лорды, лорды-судьи;

common law - общее право;

a High Court (of Justice) - высокий суд правосудия.

III. Read the following words and try to guess their meaning.

Monarchy [?mn?kэ], decade ['dekeэd], real [rэ?l], leader ['li:d?], theoretical [иэ?'retэkl], party ['pa:tэ], financial [faэ'nжn?l], document ['dkjum?nt], political [p? ?lэtэk?l], commander [k?ґma:nd?], universal [ju:nэ'v?:sl], department [dэґpa:tm?nt], formal [?f:ml], associated [??s?х?эeэtэd], Catholic ['kжиlэk], Parliament [?'pa:lэm?nt], predominant [prэ'dmэn?nt], official [? ?fэ?l], Gaelic [ ?geэlэk], Celtic [ ?keltэk].

IV. Read and translate the text.

UK POLITICAL SYSTEM

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy (or parliamentary monarchy). Queen Elizabeth II, the head of state, is a monarch with limited powers.

English is the official language of the United Kingdom and is the first language of the vast majority of its citizens. Scots speak Scottish Gaelic, a type of Celtic language. English is the predominant language in Northern Ireland, although at least some of the Roman Catholic minority speak Irish, another Gaelic dialect, as a second language.

As the official head of state, the monarch formally summons and dismisses Parliament and the ministers of the Cabinet. The monarch also serves as head of the judiciary, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. In reality, the government carries out the duties associated with these functions. The real work of the monarch consists largely of signing papers.

The royal family performs such ceremonial functions as cutting ribbons, opening businesses, launching ships. Many members of the royal family are involved in charity work and maintain a public presence by visiting shelters, hospitals and clinics. Because foreigners are attracted to the pageantry of royalty, tourism related to the royal family brings a substantial amount of money into the country.

Parliament is the chief lawmaking body. It comprises three parts: the Crown, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. It is elected every five years and is dissolved by the Crown on the advice of the prime minister, who then calls a general election.

The House of Lords comprises the lords temporal, the lords spiritual, and the law lords. The House of Lords has the power to introduce bills, although bills dealing with financial matters can only originate in the House of Commons. The Lords can also offer amendments to bills passed by the House of Commons, and Commons is obligated to consider these amendments before passing a bill into law. The Lords have the right to delay legislation, and may delay bills for up to about a year. Financial bills, however, may only be delayed for a month, and they become law in 30 days whether or not the House of Lords approves of them. The House of Commons is the source of real political power in the United Kingdom. Its members are democratically elected by universal suffrage of citizens over the age of 18.

The government is composed of ministers in the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. Gordon Brown has become the UK's prime minister, succeeding Tony Blair in June 2007 after a decade in office. He became the 11^th prime minister of the Queen's reign. Mr. Brown is the leader of the Labour Party.

The chief executive of the government is the prime minister. He is the leader of the party that holds the most seats in the House of Commons. The monarch selects the prime minister who is head of the majority party. The prime minister presides over the Cabinet and selects the other Cabinet members. He exercises all of the theoretical powers of the Crown, including making appointments.

The Cabinet has about 20 members, or ministers, all of whom must be members of Parliament (MPs). Members of the Cabinet are leaders of the majority party in the House of Commons or, more rarely, members of the House of Lords. They are individually and collectively responsible to the Crown and the Parliament. The Cabinet proposes bills and arranges business of the Parliament. Cabinet ministers who head a particular government department, such as the Ministry of Defense, are known as secretaries of state.

Britain does not have a Supreme Court that reviews legislation to determine its constitutionality that responsibly falls to Parliament. The final court of appeal for both civil and criminal cases is the House of Lords where appeals are heard by the law lords. More serious offences, such as murder, rape, and robbery are sent to a Crown Court, where they are tried before a High Court or a circuit judge and a jury of local citizens. The Crown Court also hears appeals from the magistrate's court.

Britain's democratic government is based on a constitution composed of various historical documents, laws, and formal customs adopted over the years. The Constitution of the United Kingdom is not one document, as are the constitutions of many other countries. Much of it is not even in writing, and so the country is often said to have an unwritten constitution.

Some of the written parts of the country's constitution are laws passed by Parliament. Some written parts come from such historic documents as Magna Carta, which dates from 1215. Other written parts come from common law based on people's customs and beliefs and on ancient royal practice.

The two largest political parties in the United Kingdom are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. The Conservative Party developed from the Tory Party, which began in the late 1600's. It has always been one of the main parties in Britain. The Labour Party began in 1900. Much of its support comes from labor unions, called trade unions. For many years, another party, called the Liberal Party, was the Conservative Party's chief opponent. It developed from the Whig Party, which emerged in the late 1600's. But by the mid-1930's, the Liberal Party had become much smaller than either the Conservative or the Labour party.

The United Kingdom is one of the members of the United Nations (UN), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Western European Union (WEU). It plays an important part in the European Union (EU). Britain also belongs to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and it is an original member of the Council of Europe. Perhaps the most historically significant international organization the United Kingdom belongs to is the Commonwealth.

V. Give English equivalents from the text to the words given below.

Ограниченные полномочия; возглавляемый; быть у власти; выполнять церемониальные функции; заниматься благотворительностью; назначать встречи; по совету; быть обязанным (вынужденным); заниматься финансовыми делами; обладать правом; гражданские и уголовные дела; убийство; изнасилование; грабеж.

VI. Find the pairs of antonyms.

a) majority, to summon, pageantry, to comprise, to succeed, to approve the bill, to introduce the bill;

b) to precede, to review, to dismiss, minority, to exclude, to delay, poverty.

VII. Find the pairs of synonyms.

a) to reign, to dismiss, to propose, to exercise, to arrange, to consist of, to succeed;

b) to comprise, to carry out, to govern, to follow, to offer, to organize, to dissolve.

VIII. Make sure you know all the words in the box. Read their definitions and match the words with their definitions.

executive bill magistrate appeal

legislative judicial minister

1. A judge in a lower court whose jurisdiction is limited to the trial of misdemeanors and the conduct of preliminary hearings on more serious charges.

2. A senior officer of state in a government department, especially in the parliamentary system of government.

3. A written proposal for a new law, discussed and voted upon by the members of a legislative body.

4. The hearing by a superior court of part or the whole of a previously tried case, a request for such a hearing, or the right to have such a hearing.

5. Relating to lawmaking: involved in the writing and passing of laws.

6. Responsible for or relating to the making and implementing of general decisions in a company, organization, or government.

7. Relating to judges in performance of their duties or to judgment in a court of law.

IX. Fill in the table using the information from the text.

A person (a body)	Power	Functions
1. The Prime Minister 2. … 3. …	executive	the head of the cabinet, …

X. Answer the questions.

1. What is a constitutional monarchy?

2. Is English the official language of the U.K.?

3. What does the monarch do? Speak about the functions of the Queen and the royal family.

4. What is the chief lawmaking body? What does it consist of?

5. Who is the government composed of?

6. Who is the Prime minister of the U.K.? What political party does he belong to?

7. The Constitution of the U.K. is one document, isn't it?

8. What are the main political parties?

9. Is the U.K. a member of any international organizations?

10. Find similarities and differences in the political systems of Belarus and the United Kingdom.

Comment upon

“Democracy means government by free and equal individuals. In practical terms, equality means the rule of the majority. Yet the rule of the majority can become so cruel, so wrong, so oppressive to individuals and to minorities, that is perverts democracy itself, and the rule of the people becomes the tyranny of the mob.

A people secure in their numbers and certain of their rightness can too easily forget that democracy also requires tolerance.”

(“The Struggle for Democracy”)

“If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were on the contrary opinion, mankind would no more be justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”

(John Stuart Mill “Utilitarianism”)

Ш Compare political and social aspects of the Republic of Belarus and the United Kingdom. Make up dialogues.

HOW TO WRITE A BUSINESS LETTER IN ENGLISH

Business Letter Structure

(структура делового письма)

I. Learn the parts of a letter.

1. The Notepaper - шапка бланка

2. The Reference - ссылка

3. The Date - дата

4. The Addressee - адресат

5. The Salutation - обращение

6. The Body text - текст письма

7. The Complimentary Close - комплиментарная концовка

8. The Surname and the Signature - фамилия и подпись

II. Study the example of a business letter. Mind the place of each part of the letter.

BUSINESS LETTERS

III. The following are the contents of a letter. Arrange its parts correctly in writing.

IV. Read the following words according to the reading rules. Translate them using the table above.

Sincere appreciation, cherished award, to accept the position of, to appreciate one's confidence (opportunity), to apply one's enthusiasm, skills and education, to receive the employment offer, to make contribution, to look forward to, to be disturbing to receive.

КЛИШЕ, ВЫРАЖЕНИЯ И ПРЕДЛОЖЕНИЯ ДЛЯ ДЕЛОВОЙ ПЕРЕПИСКИ

I wish to express my sincere appreci-ation to you for… I would like to thank you for... Thank you for this cherished award. I am pleased to accept the position of … offered in your letter of (date). I greatly appreciate your confidence in me and I am eager to apply my education, skills and enthusiasm. It is a real thrill to receive your employment offer for the position of … in your company. I am pleased to accept the position I appreciate this opportunity and look forward to making a strong contribution to… I look forward to becoming a mem-ber of your team. It is very disturbing to receive such а letter.	Я хочу выразить Вам искреннюю признательность за... Мне бы хотелось поблагодарить Вас за... Благодарю Вас за дорогую для меня награду. Я с удовольствием принимаю пред-ложение о работе в должности …, сделанное Вами в письме от (дата). Я очень признателен Вам за ока-занное доверие, и мне не тер-пится использовать свои зна-ния, приобретенные навыки и желание работать. Мне было чрезвычайно приятно получить Ваше предложение о работе в должности в Вашей компании. Я с удовольствием принимаю Ваше предложение о работе Я признателен за предоставленную возможность и с нетерпением жду, когда мне представится возможность внести посильный вклад в… С нетерпением жду присоединения к Вашему коллективу Мы очень обеспокоены полученным письмом

V. Translate the following sentences in English.

1. Я выражаю Вам искреннюю признательность за предоставление мне отдельного кабинета.

2. Хочется поблагодарить Вас за то, что оценили мой труд по достоинству.

3. Сотрудничество с Вами - это дорогая для меня награда.

4. Принять ваше предложение для нас не предоставляется возможным.

5. Я признателен вам за то, что Вы доверили мне эту работу.

6. Мне приятно получить Ваше предложение о переводе в Вашу фирму.

7. Я признателен за предоставленную возможность урегулирования конфликта.

8. Я с нетерпением жду присоединения филиала нашей фирмы к Вашему офису.

9. Мы обеспокоены полученной информацией.

VI. Match the parts on the left with the parts on the right.

I appreciate your advising me of this incident and you may be assured that it will have my personal at-tention. You will hear from him within a few days. Meanwhile, I have request-ed that a full report be sent to me. 1 sincerely appreciate your taking the time to make these fine com-ments and I will personally con-vey them to (name). It is always a pleasure to receive such a letter. You comments encour-age us to provide the best service. Too often, outstanding performance by employees goes unnoticed. We greatly appreciate customers who take time to let us know of their complimentary remarks. We are pleased to announce that (name) has been promoted to... The appointment is effective (date).	Нам приятно объявить, что (имя) повысили в должности ... Слишком часто отличное исполнение обязанностей работниками остается незамеченным. Я признателен Вам за то, что Вы сообщили об этом случае, и заверяю Вас, что лично проконтролирую ситуацию Я искренне признателен Вам за то, что Вы нашли время, чтобы написать этот положительный отзыв, и лично передам (имя). Назначение вступает в силу с (дата). Такое письмо всегда приятно лучить. После такого отзыва мы будем стараться работать еще лучше. Вы получите от него ответ через несколько дней. Между тем, я попросил выслать мне полный отчет. Мы очень признательны клиентам, которые находят время, чтобы дать положительный отзыв о нашей работе.

VII. Complete the following sentences by translating the Russian part in brackets in A column.

A This is to inform you that our office will be closed on the following holidays: (dates) (Просим обращаться за консультацией в 1-й декаде следующего месяца). As always, fax transmissions and computerized order entries will continue to be accepted on a 24 hour basis (для удобства посетителей). We are pleased to announce the ap-pointment of (name) tо the newly created position of... (генерального директора наше компании) We consider our product to be of very high quality (она пойдет на экспорт в страны Западной Европы). Our overdue notice dated (date) was sent in error (Надеемся, такое в будущем не повторится). Availability is planned for (date) (к 20-му сентября в качестве менеджера по закупке и продаже).	B Настоящим ставим Вас в извест-ность, что наш офис будет зак-рыт в праздничные дни с... по ... (даты) … Как и в рабочие дни, факс и ком-пьютерная система будут рабо-тать круглосуточно … Мы рады объявить о назначении (имя) на новую должность… Мы считаем, что наша продукция очень высокого качества … Просроченное извещение от (дата) было отправлено ними по ошибке…. Планируется, что он появится (дата)…

VIII. Translate the following sentences in English:

1. Просим извинения за задержку и причиненные неудобства

2. Мы обеспокоены тем, что у Вас возникли проблемы при использо-вании нашей продукции

3. Наш представитель, (имя), встре-тится с Вами…, чтобы рассмотреть возникшую проблему.

4. Просим извинить нас за причиненные Вам неудобства и заверяем, что готовы продолжать с Вами сотрудничество.

5. Мне хотелось бы стать членом (на-звание организации).

6. Еще раз благодарю Вас за этот цен-ный опыт.

7. Я хочу выразить признательность за теплый прием, оказанный мне во время моего недавнего визита к Вам.

8. Мне очень понравились прекрасные условия, которые созданы у Вас для работы, а также Ваши талантливые сотрудники.

9. Надеюсь получить от Вас положительный ответ.

10. Я уверен, что мое образование, опыт работы и энтузиазм позволят мне успешно справляться с обязанностями на данном посту.

11. Mы хотим выразить признатель-ность за полное (погашение ссуды, оплату счета и т. п).

12. Планирование новейшей про-дукции и обеспечение произ-водства высоко качественной продукции являются делом первостепенной важности в нашей корпорации.

13. Мы заверяем Вас, что будем посто-янно стремиться производить продукцию лучшего качества.

14. Планируем осуществить отгрузку (дата).

15. Oт имени... я хочу поблагодарить Вас за выступление на...

Sample letters

IX. Match a greeting with a suitable ending:

Dear Sir or Madam	Yours Bob
Darling Rosie	Yours faithfully Robert J. Fleming
Dear Ms McDonald	Lots of Love Bobby XXX
Dear Helen	Yours sincerely Robert Fleming
Dear Philip	Love Bob

Which are formal? Which are informal?

X. Study the following personal sample letters, find every part of it:

a) The Heading

b) The Salutation

c) The Body

d) The Closing

e) The Signature





XI. Complete the sentences with the most suitable words and words combinationes:

XII. Read and translate the letter:

XIII. Answer the questions:

1. Whom may the letter be to?

2. What new information have you come to know about the beach?

3. What children prefer to do at the seaside?

4. What new games did you know?

5. And what about eating?

6. Did you understand a seaside joke? How?

XIV. Read the letter and write the answer in Russian for your English friend:

XV. Read and translate the letter:

XVI. Answer the questions:

1. Who may the letter be written to?

2. What new information have you come to know from this letter?

3. How does the writer of this letter set the scene? What purposes does she mention?

4. What is the topic of each paragraph in this letter?

XVII. Read very short letters and study the underlined words:



XVIII. This paragraph from a personal letter needs punctuation. Read it first for general meaning.

Perhaps Gail has told you about the new man in my life Paul Schleger sometimes I cant quite believe that there is really Someone in the world like him of course the problem is that he's may be moving back to Brisbane while I am in Brisbane Now but moving to Perth why is love always so difficult.

XIX. Choose two or three of the situations and write the letters. Make them realistic by including personal details of your current activities.

a) You have just received some photos from a friend who visited you last month. You write a letter of thanks and tell your friend briefly what has happened in you life since then.

b) You have just heard that a friend is getting married. You write a letter of congratulations and tell him or her some news.

c) Years ago you met and traveled with a person from another country. Suddenly you receive a letter from him/her, telling you that he or she is coming to live in Australia. You write a letter back and include some ad-vice for your friend's first days in the country.

d) You have just moved from another city. You are missing some close friends you had there. You write a letter telling them how you feel and describing your first few weeks in your new city.

e) You are planning a trip to another part of the country. You write to some friends who live there, telling them of the trip and expressing your wish to see them.

f) You received a letter from your parents telling you about a friend's sickness. You write to the friend and include some news of your family and of your activities.

g) It is a friend's birthday. You send your birthday wishes in a letter which includes your news of the year.

h) A family member has gone to live overseas for a year. He or she has been gone for four months now and you have not had a letter. You are rather annoyed and so you write a letter.

i) Some friends have written to invite you to spend the holidays with them. You write back expressing your thanks and telling them whether or not you can go.

j) Someone has sent you a gift for your birthday. You write a letter of thanks and tell them about your birthday celebration.

h) Is there a personal letter you need to write at the moment If so, write it now!

i) Some friends have written to invite you to spend the holidays with them. You write back expressing your thanks and telling them whether or not you can go.

j) Someone has sent you a gift for your birthday. You write a letter of thanks and tell them about your birthday celebration.

k) Is there a personal letter you need to write at the moment If so, write it now!

TEXTS FOR DISCUSSION

Part I

Surreal case of the Dalн images and a battle over artistic licence

Glasgow issues legal threats to stop poster firms and rock band illegally copying prized painting

For more than half a century, Salvador Dalн's dark and dramatic rendering of Christ's crucifixion has been regarded as his finest religious painting, attracting millions of visitors to an apparently modest municipal art gallery in Glasgow.

But now, 57 years after being bought direct from the artist by Glasgow's city fathers, the painting is at the centre of a legal investigation which may yet snare a death metal band from Alsace in France, ashtray manufacturers, and poster-makers in the US, Britain, Italy and Spain.

The council believes it has been losing tens of thousands of pounds in unpaid licensing fees and royalties a year from unauthorised copies of Christ of St John of the Cross, which was bought for Ј8,200 and now valued at more than Ј60m.

Lawyers acting for Glasgow city council have drawn up a hit-list of 50 companies, manufacturers and artists selling hand-painted copies, who are suspected of illegally copying it. Warnings have been issued to 25 firms and individuals across the world - some wrongly claiming to have the council's permission to reuse the image - to "cease and desist" or face legal action.

After intellectual property experts at Burness, the Glasgow-based law firm hired by the council, have finished with the largest suppliers of unapproved copies, the French rock band Mercyless may be next in line. The band's 1992 album Abject Offering, which features such tracks as Unformed Tumours and Burned at the Stake, has a cropped version of the painting on its cover. A council spokesman said the band was refused permission to use the painting but claimed on the album cover it was authorised to do so.

Colin Hulme, the intellectual property lawyer handling the case for the council, said their initial investigations had found that a handful of printing firms were responsible for a large proportion of the illicit copies. They may be asked or forced to repay royalties going back some years, he said.

Some firms even claimed to have authority to reprint Christ of St John of the Cross from the Gala-Salvador Dalн Foundation in Figueres, Spain, which oversees copyright for most Dalн works. But that claim was firmly denied yesterday by a spokeswoman for the foundation. "It's a very rare case that Dalн sold the work and the rights," she said. "But I can confirm that the owner of the painting does also own the copyright."

From The Times

January 28, 2009

A colossal mistake? Art world baffled by 'Goya' masterpiece

(Museo Nacional del Prado/Reuters)Experts say that the the poor technique and difference between other Goya masterpieces cast doubt on The Colossus

For almost 80 years it has been regarded as one of Francisco de Goya's towering glories. But yesterday it was revealed that The Colossus was not painted by the Spanish master at all, but by an understudy. After a seven-month investigation, experts at the Prado gallery in Madrid came to the reluctant conclusion that the masterpiece was probably the work of Asensio Juliб, one of Goya's assistants. They said that the painting, which has hung in the Prado for 78 years, was “Goyaesque but not by Goya”.

Experts at the Prado started an investigation last year when Josй Luis DНez, the gallery's curator of 19th-century art, suggested that The Colossus was the work of Juliб after a detailed analysis of the picture. He based his claims on the discovery of the initials A. J. in one corner of the canvas. Yesterday The Colossus was still attributed to Goya, but this may change to “From the school of Goya”. It was uncertain whether Juliб would be acknowleged formally for his work.

Goya experts have been split for years over the authenticity of the painting. In 2001 Juliet Bareau-Wilson, a British art historian, claimed that The Colossus and another work, The Milkmaid of Bordeaux, had been created by others. Her theory was supported by Mrs Mena, who agreed that doubts had existed for some time about both the paintings. The Prado denied the claims at the time and many experts believe the quality of the work means that Goya must have been involved. Nigel Glendinning, a British art historian, doubted that anyone but Goya could have painted the work. He told the Spanish newspaper ABC: “I never said it would be impossible that [someone else] might have intervened in the work of Goya, but the painting is too audacious to be by Asensio Juliб, because of the centrifugal strength of the composition and its iconic power. I hope to be able to see the study and the proofs.” A pioneer of early 19th-century techiniques, Goya is considered to be one of the world's first “modern” artists, with a penetrating and incisive view of humanity. The Colossus, which is dominated by the figure of a giant who bursts through the clouds to terrify villagers below, was painted during the Peninsular War against France by Britain, Spain and Portugal between 1808 and 1814.

An inventory of Goya's possessions in 1812 refers to a work called The Giant. Experts claim the that giant represents the Spanish people emerging to expel the French invaders who occupied Spain at the time. Others say that the horrified figures of the people represent the madness of war.

By John Hiscock Last Updated: 5:21PM GMT 29 Jan 2009

House husbands: Are you man enough?

More and more men are swapping PowerPoint for potty training and embracing the role of the stay-at-home father, says Casilda Grigg.

By Casilda Grigg Last Updated: 5:02PM GMT 13 Feb 2009

It's 7.30 on a cold winter's morning and three bleary-eyed children are getting ready for school. Alarm clocks are ringing, eggs are frying and the kitchen table is a sea of cereal packets, chewed pencils and exercise books. It's just another frantic weekday morning in a typical British family home, except for one small detail: there's no mother in sight. She left half an hour ago in a sharp suit and a cloud of Je Reviens. This morning, just like any other day of the week, her jeans-clad spouse - aka house husband - is trying to tie shoelaces, pack lunches, blow noses, and get the children out of the house and off to school, without tears, tantrums or mishaps.

Across the land, more and more men are giving up work to become full-time fathers, putting their children's welfare before their professional ambitions, and bucking the trend for selfish career-driven parenting recently criticised by The Good Childhood Inquiry. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that there are 192,000 house husbands in the UK, compared to 119,000 16 years ago.

Some are doing it through economic necessity, others as a positive lifestyle choice. And as the recession starts to really bite, numbers look set to rise further as thousands of redundant men find themselves marooned at home, reliant on their wives' earning power. So fashionable is this new phenomenon that a film is in development, starring Anna Chancellor and John Hannah, about five stay-at-home fathers.

For many fathers who step off the career ladder, the real challenge is not the childcare itself but the isolation. For others it's the small challenges, whether it's doing up the tiny buttons on a toddler's coat, or getting the neck of a jumper stuck on a child's nose. But such blips are of no consequence to the cherished child of the stay-at-home dad. ''What children need is love and boundaries, as well as structure and routine,'' says Dr Frances Goodhart, a consultant clinical psychologist. ''That can be provided on a day-to-day basis by either parent.''

British mother-of-three Laura Watts, who lives in Holland, believes that men excel at childcare but often flounder when it comes to the minutiae of domestic life. ''My hunch is that men are less good at the day-to-day running of the household. It's all those little extras like remembering to send birthday cards or buying the children new shoes."

True though this may be, for many fathers the struggles of multitasking are amply rewarded by the deep closeness they develop with their offspring. But that isn't to say the picture is entirely rosy. Divorce lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt has warned of the strain such role swapping can place on marriages. And even when such arrangements are happily consensual, the trade-off can dent a man's confidence, particularly if he feels a loss of kudos.

Perhaps the way forward for a happy, healthy society lies in parents sharing the childcare and the breadwinning, rather than exchanging roles. ''In Amsterdam there are lots of men and women who work part-time so they can spend time with their kids,'' says Laura Watts. ''At my children's school, half the parents picking up their kids are men and they do perfectly normal jobs. Part-time work is built into Dutch society. Now isn't that just wonderful?''

Great Works: Leviathan (1651), Abraham Bosse and Thomas Hobbes

British Museum, London

By Tom Lubbock

Friday, 20 February 2009

English illustration is a strong tradition. There are many books that can hardly be imagined without their images. Edward Lear's nonsense rhymes come with his nonsense drawings, and Beatrix Potter's tales are more than half-told by her watercolours. The world of Lewis Carroll's Alice books is partly the creation of John Tenniel's pictures - and ditto Dickens' Oliver Twist and George Cruikshank's.

William Blake is the supreme joiner of text and image. Meanwhile, there are many less graphic artists who have used their talents to visualise Paradise Lost, The Pilgrim's Progress and Gulliver's Travels. The tradition of English illustration has typically been devoted to the fantastic and visionary.

Yet one of the most fantastical and memorable examples of the tradition isn't connected to a work of imagination. It's found in a famous treatise of political philosophy - on the first page of Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan: The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil. This illustration is an Anglo-French work: drawn by a French artist, Abraham Bosse, but designed in collaboration with the philosopher. It shows a giant which represents Hobbes' idea of the absolute state.

The text along the top quotes the Latin Bible, from the Book of Job, and describes the monster Leviathan: "There is no power on earth that can compare with him." The giant wears a crown. He rises above a landscape, and wields a sword and a crozier, emblems of civil and church authority. But his most striking aspect is the way his torso and arms are made up of numerous densely crowded little figures. He is a swarm-man.

The Leviathan giant embodies the answer to Hobbes' great fear, civil war. (He was writing after the English civil war, in exile in France.) The populace agree to surrender all their individual powers. They are incorporated into an undivided, conflict-free body, the all-governing, all-embracing state.

...