State system of Bashkortostan

Adoption on October 11 1990, of theDeclaration of State Sovereignty of Bashkortostan opened up a new phase in the evolution of our Republic as a sovereign state within the Russian Federation, a suite possessing an immense economic and spiritual poten­tial. The Republic has established itself a reliable, economically and politically stable region.

Sovereignty has given to the Republic an opportunity to determine independently its economic policy, to rationally manage its natural production capability and earning in the best interest and for the benefit of the people.

The State Assembly - Kurultai of the Republic of Bashkortostan is the supreme representative and the single legislative body of the Republic. It consists of two Houses - the House of Representatives and the Legislative Chamber. The Bashkortostan Parliament has contain features of its own. On the one hand it is a bicameral, on the other hand - it is a unitary body. As per the Constitution, the joint session of bothHouses elects Chairperson of the State Assembly's well as his or her Deputy who performs his or her functions without being released from the principal job. Chairpersons of each individual House are elected at separate sittings. In accordance with the law provisions, they concurrently serve as Deputies to the Chairperson of the State Assembly. According to the Constitution of the Bashkortostan, only the State Assembly is entitled to adopt a Constitution, Codes, Laws, and any amendments; it determines, jointly with the President the domestic and foreign policies of the Republic, endorses the State Budget, supervises its execution; gives its consent to the President's nomination of a Prime Minister, passes a decision to hold elections of the President, deputies of the State Assembly and local authorities; elects the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Arbitration; appoints the Procurator and the Commissioner of the Republic of Bashkortostan for Human Rights. At least once a year the Parliament shells hear and discuss the President's message on the main guidelines of the home and foreign policies. The State Assembly wields many other power and authority as well.

The legislative Chamber functions on a continuous professional basis. It is exactly this house that makes Codes and Law. The House ofRepresentatives does not operate full-time, but takes an active part in the law-making process, approves or rejects Codes, Laws or other acts adopted by the Legislative Chamber, introduces amendments or supplements thereto as may be required.

Each House comprises seven equally named, "replica" committees, which work in parallel, each having its own specific tasks in the law-making process.

The House of Representatives comprises 150 Deputies, the Legislative Chamber numbers 40.

The State Assembly is elected for four years. A Secretariat is formed to maintain its activities.

Bashkortostan stands out for stability and peaceful atmosphere.

The Republic numbers 20 cities, the largest being Ufa, Sterlitamak, Salavat, Neftekamsk, Okryabrskj.

Topical Vocabulary

adoption – принятие

reliable – надежный

to determine – определить

benefit – выгодa

the joint session – объединенная сессия

concurrently – одновременно

in accordance with – в соответствии с

to be entitled to smth. – иметь право на что-либо

provision - положение

amendment – поправка, исправление

supplement – дополнение, добавление

to endorse – одобрять, поддерживать

to supervise – смотреть, наблюдать

commissioner – специальный уполномоченный

thereto – кроме того, к тому же

wield – владеть

codes – кодекс, свод законов, моральные нормы

to stand out – выделяться, выступать

competence – полномочия, компетенция

set up - распорядок

spell out - указывать

continuous - постоянный

eliminate – устранять

Answer the questions:

1. When was State Sovereignty of Bashkortostan adopted?

2. What has Sovereignty given to the Republic?

3. What is the supreme representative and legislative body of the Republic?

4. Who determines the domestic and foreign policies of the Republic?

5. What Chamber makes Codes and Law?

Translate into English:

1. Принятие Декларации о государственном суверенитете Башкортостана открыло новую эпоху в развитии республики.

2. Суверенитет дал республике возможность независимо определять свою экономическую политику.

3. Государственное Собрание – Курултай республики Башкортостан является верховным законодательным органом республики.

4. Объединенная сессия обеих палат избирает председателя Государственного Собрания.

5. Государственное Собрание имеет право принять Конституцию, свод законов, любые поправки.

Sterlitamak

I live in Russia, in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Our Republic is located along the South Urals forming a natural border between Europe and Asia. There are over 20 cities and towns in the Republic. Sterlitamak is the second largest city of Bashkortostan after Ufa. It was founded in 1766. It stands on the banks of the rivers Sterlya, Belaya, Ashkadar. More than 260 thousand people live there.

Sterlitamak is a main industrial and cultural centre. It is a major centre of chemical industry not only of the Republic of Bashkortostan, but of the whole of Russia.

More than 50 thousand employees engage at 500 hundred industries and construction sites.

The largest factories are: the "Soda" Joint-Stock Company, the Petrochemical Plant Joint-Stock Company, the "Kaustik" Joint-Stock Company, and the «Avangard» Joint-Stock Company, the "Kauchuk" Joint-Stock Company.

Machine building also remains the main branch of industry. The "Machine-tool Building Factory" Joint-Stock Company produces not only machines, but quite a lot of consumer goods.

The "Inmash" Concern is known as the "factory of the future". It produces industrial robots, wood-cutting machines, shoe-making machines, mini-motors and other machines.

There is also the Leather-Processing Plant, the Foot wear factory, the Garment Factory, the Food industry companies.

Sterlitamak can be called a city of students. There are 9 industrial vocational schools, 8 secondary specialized educational institutions, the Pedagogical Academy, the branch of the Ufa Oil University, the Sterlitamak Law Department of the Bashkir State University, the branch of Al l-Russia Financial Institute.

Sterlitamak is a city of Sports. Sportsmen and sport fans can make use of 4 stadiums, 2 Physical Culture Houses with swimming pools, a ski-jump, gum halls, the city chess and draughts club, physical-training and fitness centre, the city tourist centre, numerous sport grounds, three children's and teenager's sport schools. There is the Physical Training College and the Physical Training Academy.

Sterlitamak is a big cultural centre. There are some theaters there: the Russian Drama Theatre, the Bashkir Theatre, the Dance Theatre, the Bashkir-Tatar Philharmonic Society.

There are some museums, cinema-theatres, the Park of Culture and Recreation, three Culture Palaces, the Republican Culture College.

The city becomes cleaner and more beautiful and very attractive.

I like my native town very much.

Topical Vocabulary

border – граница

bank – берег

employee - служащий, работающий по найму

engage - нанимать, занимать

construction site – строительная площадка

Joint-Stock Company – Открытое Акционерное Общество

remain – оставаться

cosumer goods – потребительские товары

leather – кожа

garment – одежда

attractive – привлекательный

Answer the questions:

1. Where is Sterlitamak situated?
2. How many people live here?
3. What industries are developed in Sterlitamak?
4. Why do you call Sterlitamak as a city of students?
5. Is Sterlitamak a city of sports?
6. Is Sterlitamak a big cultural centre?

Translate into English:

1. Стерлитамак является вторым по величине городом Башкортостана после Уфы.

2. Он был основан в 1766 году.

3. Стерлитамак является главным центром химической промышленности не только в Башкортостане, но и во всей России.

4. Машиностроение остается также главной отраслью промышленности.

5. Стерлитамак можно назвать городом студентов.

The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain and Ireland, and about five thousands small islands. Their total area is over 244 000 square kilometers.

The United Kingdom is one of the world's smaller countries. Its population is over 57 million. About 80 percent of the population is urban.

The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast respectively. Great Britain consists of England, Scotland and Wales and does not include Northern Ireland. But in everyday speech «Great Britain» is used in the meaning of the «United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland». The capital of the UK is London.

The British Isles are separated from the Continent by the North Sea, the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. The north of Scotland is mountainous and is called Highlands. The south, which has beautiful valleys and plains, is called Lowlands. The north and west of England are mountainous, but the eastern, central and south­eastern parts of England are a vast plain. Mountains are not very high. Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain (1343m). There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain, but they are not very long. The Severn is the longest river, while the Thames is the deepest and the most important one. The mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream influence the climate of the British Isles. It is mild the whole year round.

The UK is a highly developed industrial country. It produces and exports machinery, electronics, and textile. One of the chief industries of the country is shipbuilding.

The UK is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament and the Queen as Head of State.

Topical Vocabulary

the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии

to be situated on – быть расположенным на

to consist of smth. – состоять из чего-либо

total area – общая площадь

population - население

urban - городской

to be made up of smth. – состоять из чего-либо

to include smth. – включать что-либо

to be separated from ... by - oтделяться от (чего-либо чем-либо)

to be washed by –омываться (чем-либо)

surface - поверхность

to vary - варьироваться, меняться

mountainous - гористый

a valley - долина

a plain - равнина

to influence smth. – оказывать влияние на что-либо

mild - умеренный

a highly developed industrial country – высокоразвитая промышленная страна

to produce smth. – производить что-либо

to export smth. – экспортировать что-либо

machinery - станки

electronics - электроника

textile - текстиль

the chief industry - ведущая отрасль промышленности

shipbuilding - судостроение

a constitutional monarchy – конституционная монархия

Head of State - глава государства

the Queen – королева

Answer the questions:

1. What islands is the United Kingdom situated on?

2. What is the country's population?

3. What is the United Kingdom made up of?

4. What is the United Kingdom washed by?

5. How can you characterize the surface of the British Isles?

6. What is the climate of Great Britain?

7. What are Britain's chief industries?

8. What is Britain's political system?

Translate into English:

1. Соединенное Королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии расположено на Британских островах, состоящих из двух больших и тысяч малых островов.

2. Население Великобритании в основном (mostly) городское и со­ставляет более 57 миллионов человек.

3. Соединенное Королевство состоит из четырех частей: Англии, Шотландии, Уэльса и Северной Ирландии.

4. Британские острова омываются Атлантическим океаном, Ирланд­ским морем, Северным морем и проливами Ла-Манш и Па-де-Кале.

5. Британские острова состоят из гористой части и низин.

6. Реки в Великобритании не очень длинные.

7. На климат Великобритании оказывает влияние Гольфстрим.

8. Великобритания производит и экспортирует станки, электронику, текстиль, суда.

9. Великобритания - конституционная монархия.