Comprehension check

1. Why is international cooperation needed for UN functioning?

2. How can members maintain international peace and security?

3. What are the purposes of the United Nations?

Exercise 16.

Find in the text the English equivalents for:

коллективные меры; угроза миру; урегулировать международные конфликты; принципы справедливости; развивать дружеские отношения; основанные на уважении; ) права человека; для всех без различия; достижение общих целей.

Exercise 17.

Make up sentences using the key words and the key dates:

1. 24 October 1945, The United Nations Day, to celebrate

2. The Charter, to sign, 26 June 1945

3. To set up, for maintaining peace, 1945, the United Nations

4. 194 countries, to belong, the United Nations

5. All Member States, to join, the UN, to obey the rules

6. Membership in the UN, to accept the obligations, to carry out

7. To attain common goals, in conformity with, to strengthen, to develop, to maintain

8. The representatives of 26 nations, to pledge, to continue fighting, the Axis powers

9. A majority of signatories, to ratify, the Charter

10. To threaten, to use force, Member states

Exercise 18.

Fill in the missing words and word combinations:

1. The basic goal of creating the UN was …… (поддержка мира).

2. The Charter of the United Nations ………(вступил в силу) on 24 October 1945.

3. Each country- a member of the UN agrees …… (подчиняться правилам)

4. The principal purposes of the UN are worked out…….(в соответствии) the principles of justice and international law.

5. Countries must try …..(преодолеть разногласия) by peaceful means.

6. The United Nations may not …… (вмешиваться) domestic affairs of any country.

7. The representatives of 26 nations ……. (заверили) their countries to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers (Germany, Japan and Italy).

8. The Charter of the United Nations officially …… … (вступил в силу) on 24 October 1945.

9. The Charter of the UN …… (был одобрен) by China, France, The Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories.

10. 24 October 1945 is celebrated each year ….. (во всем мире) as United Nations Day.

Exercise 19

Read the text “UN Organs” and discuss it with your partner.

The principal organs of the United Nations are

· the General Assembly,

· the Security Council,

· the Economic and Social Council,

· the Trusteeship Council,

· the International Court of Justice, and

· the Secretariat.

The head of the organization is the Secretary General.Five of the organs are based at UN Headquarters in New York, the sixth, the International Court of Justice, is located at the Hague[heig], Netherlands.

The General Assemblyis a kind of parliament of nations. It consists of all the Members of the United Nations. Each Member has not more than five representatives in the General Assembly. Each member of the General Assembly has one vote. Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. The General Assembly meets in regular annual sessions from September to December, and in such special sessions as occasion may require. When the Assembly is not meeting, its work is carried out by its six main committees, other subsidiarybodies and by the UN Secretariat.

The Security Council is responsiblefor maintaining international peace and security. The Council may conveneat any time, day or night, whenever peace is threatened. The Security Council consists of fifteen Members of the United Nations. Five of them – China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members. The other 10 are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. Each member of the Security Council has one representative. Decisions of the Council require nine «yes» votes. The Security Council shall submitannual and, when necessary, special reports to the General Assembly for its consideration.

The Economic and Social Councilconsists of twenty-seven members. The Council is concerned with financial and technical assistance to the less developed countries, the international protection of refugees and aid to the world’s children.

The Trusteeship Councilassists the general assembly in the supervision of the administration of trust territories. It is composed of UN members who administer trust territories.

The Secretariat carries out the substantive and administrative work of the United Nations as directed by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the other organs. Its head is the Secretary General (nowadays Ban-Ki-Moon from South Korea).The UN Headquarters are based New York and in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.

The International Court of Justiceis the main judicial organ of the United Nations. Consisting of 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council, the Court decides disputes between countries. The General Assembly or the Security Council may request the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question.

Topical Vocabulary

Exercise 20.

Find the English equivalents for:

1) штаб-квартира ООН; располагается в Гааге; состоит из; имеет не более пяти представителей; имеет один голос; большинство, составляющее две трети; Генеральная Ассамблея собирается на ежегодные сессии; работа выполняется шестью комитетами; в любое время дня и ночи; всякий раз, когда миру угрожает опасность; другие десять избираются на срок два года; для принятия решения требуется девять положительных («да», «за», утвердительных) голосов;

2) включать гуманитарные вопросы (темы); круглогодичная работа совета; социальное развитие; положение женщин; способствовать экономическому развитию; предпринимать шаги (меры); самоуправление; независимые соседние страны; который назначает... персонал; осуществляет общее административное руководство; суд решает споры между странами.

Exercise 21.

Comprehension check:

1. Who is the head of the UN?

2. Where are the UN principal organs located?

3. What is General Assembly like? Describe the organ.

4. What UN organ is primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security? Describe the organ.

5. What is the main function of the Economic and Social Council? Describe the organ.

6. What purpose was the Trusteeship Council established for? What is it like today?

7. What kind of work does the Secretariat carry out?

8. What is the main judicial organ of the UN?

Exercise 22.