I. Listen and read the text and then answer the questions:
STATE SYSTEM OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
The Russian Federation is set
up by the constitution of 1993.
Under the Constitution Russia
is a presidential republic. The federal government consists of three branches:
legislative, executive and judicial. Each of them is checked and balanced by
the President.
The legislative power is
vested in the Federal Assembly. It consists of two chambers. The Upper Chamber
is the Council of Federation; the Lower Chamber is the State Duma. Each chamber
is headed by the Speaker. Legislature may be initiated in either of the two
Chambers. But to become a law a bill must be approved by both Chambers and
signed by the President. The President may veto the bill.
The President is
commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he makes treaties, enforces laws,
appoints ministers to be approved by the Federal Assembly.
The executive power belongs to
the Government which is headed by the Prime Minister. The first action of the
Prime Minister on appointment is to form the Cabinet.
The judicial branch is
represented by the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the regional
courts.
The members of the Federal
Assembly are elected by popular vote for a four-year period.
The National Flag of the
Russian Federation is an official state symbol, whose description is
established by law. It is a symbol of the sovereignty of the state. The
National Flag of the Russian Federation is a rectangular cloth of three equal
horizontal stripes: the uppermost is white, the middle is blue and the bottom
is red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one stands for the sky,
and the red one symbolizes liberty. The proportion of the flag’s width to its
length is 2:3. It is the first state symbol that replaced the former symbols in
1991.
The National Emblem of the
Russian Federation is an official state symbol of the country. The
double-headed eagle has regained its status as the centerpiece of Russia's
state seal, testifying to the continuity of Russian history. The National
Emblem of the Russian Federation is a rectangular red heraldic shield. At the
bottom, it has rounded corners and a pointed middle. The shield is adorned with
a golden double-headed eagle spreading its wings upward. The eagle is crowned
with two small crowns and, above them, a large crown, all three joined together
by a ribbon. A two-headed eagle is the most ancient symbol of Russia. It
originates from the heraldic emblem of the Ruricovitches.
The National Anthem
is one of the official state symbols of the Russian Federation. The lyrics and
music of the national anthem create a ceremonial composition intended as a
symbol of state unity. The Anthem’s words reflect feelings of patriotism and
respect for the country’s history and its system of government.
The National Anthem must be performed in strict accordance
with the approved music and text. When the National Anthem is performed at
official occasions, the audience is expected to stand and men must remove their
hats. If the National Anthem is played while the State Flag is being raised,
the audience faces the flag.
The new National Anthem of the Russian Federation was first
officially performed on December 30, 2000, at a state reception in the Great
Kremlin Palace.
Since 1993 the anthem of
Russia was "The Patriotic Song” by M. Glinka. But in 2000 it was changed. Now
we have the anthem, that has the melody of the former USSR anthem, but the
verses to it were written a new by S. Michalkov.
All these symbols are
official. They have been approved by the Federal Assembly.
1) When was the Russian Federation set up?
2) What kind of state is it?
3) What does the federal government consist of?
4) What part does the President play in the
government?
5) What is the legislative power vested in?
6) How many chambers does it consist of? Name
them.
7) Who heads each chamber?
8) How does a bill become a law?
9) What are the functions of the President?
10) What are the executive and
the judicial branches represented by?
11) What are the official
symbols of Russia?