Descriptive and prescriptive

The English word " law" means various forms of behavior. Some laws J are descriptive: they simply describe how people, or even natural phenom­ena, usually behave. An example is the law of gravity; another is laws of economics. Other laws are prescriptive — they prescribe how people ought to behave. For example, the speed limits are laws that prescribe how fast we should drive.

In all societies, relations between people are regulated by prescriptive laws. Some of them are customs — that is informal rules of social and moral behavior. Some are rules we accept if we belong to particular social and cultural groups. And some are laws made by nations and enforced against all citizens.

Customs need not be made by governments, and they need not be written down. We learn how we are to behave in society through the instruction of family and teachers, the advice of friends, etc. Sometimes, we can break these rules without any penalty. But if we continually break the rules, other members of society may criticize us, or refuse to have anything to do with us. The ways in which people talk, eat and drink, work, and relax together are usually guided by many such informal rules.

The rules of social instructions are more formal than customs, carrying penalties for those who break them. Sports clubs, for example, often have detailed rules for their members. But if a member breaks a rule and refuses to accept any punishment, the club may ask him or her to leave the club.

However, when governments make laws for their citizens, they use a sys­tem of courts and the police to enforce these laws. Of course, there may be instances where the law is not enforced against someone — such as when young children commit crimes, or when certain people are able to escape justice by using their money or influence.

Ex. 5. Найдите в тексте эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений.

установленные ограничения скорости, отказываются иметь с нами что-л. общее, отказываются принять наказание, некото­рые могут избежать правосудия, имеется система судов и по­лиция, которые требуют исполнения законов (проводят зако­ны в жизнь), поведение.

Ex. 6. Найдите неправильное утверждение.

1. In all societies relations between people are regulated by customs and traditions.

2. The speed limits imposed on a driver is an example of a prescriptive law.

3. In general it is very easy to escape justice.

4. Both customs and rules are enforced by governments.

Ex. 7. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What is descriptive/prescriptive law? Can you give your own example?

2. What is the difference between a custom and a law?

3. In what way is the law system described in the text similar to that of your country?

Упражнения: (The Future-in-the-Past Tense)

1. Раскройте скобки и поставьте глагол вFuture-in-the-Past Tense

1.Future Indefinite – in –the- Past he (to work)

2.Future Continuous– in –the- Past he (to swim)

3.Future Perfect– in –the- Past he (to read)

4.Future Perfect Continuous– in –the- Past he (to write)

2. Раскройте скобки в Future-in-the-Past Tense:

1.Не (to tell) them he (to visit) them that evening

2.She (to say) she (to come) late.

3.She (to think) you (to stay) in town.

4.I (to think) that you (to write) to me if I (to go) away.

5.He (to be afraid) that he (not to find) anybody at home when he (to come).

6. If I (to have) a big garden, I (to grow) a lot of flowers.

7. They (to do) it if they could.

8. I (to show) you how to do it if I (to know) myself.

9. If I (to be) you I (not to buy) that coat.

10. I (to help) you if I (can), but I`m afraid I can`t.

11. If we (to have) a choice, we (to live) in the country.

12. If I (to be) you, I (not to wait), I (to go) now.

13. He (not to go) there if his family (not to be) invited.

3. Раскройте скобки в Future-in-the-Past Tense в отрицательной и вопросительной форме:

1. I (to say) that I (to write) a letter to him.

2.He (to say) that I (to go) there the next week.

3. I (to think) that we (to work) all day.

4. He (to ask) them whether they (to take) their examinations by the 1^st of Jjuly.

5. I (to say) that I (to write) a letter to him.

6. I (to be) afraid I (to lose) my way in the dark.

7. I (to know) they (to go) on an excursion in two days.

8. Nina (to say) she (to go) home at once after school.