II. Define the following words and word-combinations, use these lexical units in the examples of your own.

Factions, to cast votes for, the party’s ticket, a policy stance, party affiliation, a ballot, “the-winner-takes-it-all” principle.

Speaking

Use the following words and word-combinations to make up the summary of the text (not more than 15 sentences).

- to be nominated

- to produce factions

- to impact the policy stances

- to run for nomination/elections

- primaries

- caucuses

- to cast votes for

- a running mate

- ideological framework

- to make public appearance

- the Electoral College

- indirect popular election

- to be pledged

- to assemble

- the “unfaithful”/”faithless” elector

- “the-winner-takes-it-all” principle

Talking Point

1. Can you call the American elections effective?

2. What are the pluses and minuses of the US electoral system? Make up a list of them.

3. Do the Russian elections differ much from the American ones? In what way?

UNIT V

AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTIES

Part 1. The History of American Political Parties

Warm-up

Culture quiz. Fill in the blanks and answer the multiple choice questions below.

1. The two main political parties are_________.

a. the Socialist and the Democratic parties

b. the Democratic and the Republican parties

c. he Liberal and the Democratic parties

2. The smaller political parties are usually called _____________ parties.

3. Why was George Washington opposed to political parties?

a. He believed that political parties would spend too much money.

b. He feared that they would divide the nation and kindle animosity.

c. He knew that France's political parties were corrupt.

d. He thought that political parties would prevent women from gaining the right to vote.

4. The symbols of the Democratic and the Republican parties are________.

5. The primary goal of a major U.S. political party is to:

a. gain control of government by electing its candidates to office.

b. draw attention to a particular issue.

c. increase voter turnout.

d. share in the spoils of office.

6. Democrats and Republicans have endured as the two major U.S. parties primarily due to:

a. their ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

b. he stability of their ideologies.

c. the lack of good third-party candidates.

d. a high degree of party discipline.

Pronunciation

Watch the pronunciation of the following words and word combinations.

- semblance

- repository

- assumption

- suffrage

- nullification

- enfranchised

- fundamentally

- unambiguous

- realignment

Reading

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