Vocabulary

intervention – вмешательство

promote – поддерживать, способствовать

legislation – закон, законодательство

divorce – расторгать брак, развод

marriage – брак, супружеские отношения

legitimate – законный, легальный

support – поддержка, поддерживать

citizenship – гражданство

welfare payment – социальное пособие

dissolve – расторгнуть брак

proceedings – судебное разбирательство

respondent – ответчик

adultery – супружеская неверность

petitioner – истец

custody – попечительство

1. Match the definitions (1-7) to the following words:

Divorce, intervention, marriage, custody, adultery, support, petitioner, welfare

1) the relationship between two people who are husband and wife

2) help and approval or financial help

3) care that is provided by the government or another organization for people in need

4) a legal way of ending a marriage

5) the protection or care of someone, especially given by a court

6) a situation in which someone becomes involved in a problem or issue in order to influence what happens

7) relations between a married person and somebody who is not their husband or wife.

1. Match English words and phrases with their English equivalents.

a) intervention in family life 1) в дополнение к этому

b) family relations 2) физическое наказание

c) physical punishment 3) жить раздельно

d) private property 4) вмешательство в жизнь семьи

e) the law requires 5) согласиться на развод

f) in addition 6) убедить суд

g) to be granted citizenship 7) семейные отношения

h) domestic violence 8) получить гражданство

j) to convince the court 9) частная собственность

k) to live apart 10) домашнее насилие

l) to agree to divorce 11) закон требует

1. Read the text “Marriage law”

In some societies the family is thought to be so important that there is very little intervention in family life. But in many parts of the world, the law now promotes the rights of individuals within the family unit, and regulates family relations through legislation.

In Sweden, parents can be prosecuted for physical punishing their children and children have a limited capacity to divorce their parents. In Britain, as in many countries, there are special family courts with very strong powers to control and transfer private property in the interests of children. Much of the work of other courts is also directly relevant to family life.

The laws in many countries place more emphasis upon marriages legally registered than social arrangement whereby people live together. In Japan, some couples prefer not to register their marriage because the law requires one of them to give up his or her name in favor of the other. The birth and residence documentation of children born to such marriages is different from that of other children and sometimes leads to discrimination. In Britain, children born outside legitimate marriages have fewer rights to financial support from estranged fathers than legitimate children. In addition, if they are born outside the UK, they are less likely than legitimate children to be granted British citizenship. Some well-fare payments are calculated on a different basis according to whether recipients are married or not, and more procedures are available to a married woman than an unmarried one in seeking protection from domestic violence.

In English law, some marriages are readily dissolved, or nullified. In other cases, the couple may seek the divorce. The procedure may be lengthy, especially if one does not want a divorce or if there are children. In no case will English law allow divorce proceedings to start within a year of the marriage.

Divorce proceedings in England take place in certain County Courts known as divorce county courts. Some matters are also dealt with in the Family Division of the High Court. It is necessary for one of the parties to convince the court that the marriage has broken down without any chance of reconciliation. To do so the person seeking for divorce must prove one of the five things: that the other party, or respondent, committed adultery; that the respondent’s behavior has been unreasonable; that the respondent deserted the petitioner at least two years previously; that the couple has lived apart for two years and both agree to divorce; or that they have lived apart for five years. A divorce will not be issued until it is determined who is to have custody of the children.[76]

1. Choose the best alternative to answer the following questions:

1. Can parents be prosecuted for physical punishing their children?

a) They can be prosecuted for that under Swedish law.

b) It is nonsense.

c) It’s possible only in European countries.

2. Why do some Japanese couples refuse to register their marriage?

a) It’s too expensive.

b) One of the spouses is required to sacrifice his or her name for the sake of the other.

c) It’s a new fashion.

3. Do children born outside legitimate marriages in England have the same rights to financial support from their fathers as legitimate children?

a) Yes, they do.

b) Children from broken families do not have any support.

c) Legitimate children have more rights to financial support.

4. Is every Englishman allowed to start divorce proceedings even after a month of his marriage life?

a) Yes, that’s true. A month is enough for the marriage to be carefully tested.

b) Yes, he is. In England you can start divorce proceedings whenever you like.

c) No, he isn’t. English law doesn’t allow people to dissolve their marriage within a year of their family life.

5. Do housework, time spent together, emotional support give wives any rights to share property after divorce?

a) Yes, such things are considered valid and give rights to property.

b) Only legal ownership and money contributions are taken into consideration.

c) It depends. Everything is up to the jury.