I. Vocabulary notes: penalty, self-protection, to protect

II. READING

Text 1.

Laws and Customs

The English word “law’’ refers to limits upon various forms of behavior. Some laws are descriptive: they simply describe how people usually behave. Other laws are prescriptive - they prescribe how people ought to behave.

In all societies, relations between people are regulated by prescriptive laws. Some of them are customs, informal rules of social and moral behavior.

Customs are not made by governments, and they are not written down. The ways in which people talk, eat and drink, work, and relax together are usually called customs.

Members of every community have made laws for self-protection. In the absence of law you could only rely upon the law of jungle.

Every country tries, therefore, to provide laws, which will help its people to live safely and comfortably. This is not at all an easy thing to do. No country has been successful in producing laws, which are entirely satisfactory. But the imperfect laws are better than none.

Task 1. Read the text again to decide whether these statements are true or false. Give reasons.

1) Government usually establishes customs.

2) Some laws prescribe how people ought to talk, eat, work and relax.

3) There cannot be perfect laws.

4) Laws are very important for self-protection.

5) Every country has been successful in producing perfect laws.

Task 2. Circle a), b), or c) to answer the question

1. What is the main function of law?

a) to protect our life;

b) to protect our property;

c) to protect our reputation

2.What restricts speed limit?

a) police instruction;

b) prescriptive laws;

c) driver’s conscience

3.What threatens a person who continually breaks the rules?

a) a strict penalty;

b) severe criticism and isolation;

c) indifference

4. What should we do in the absence of law?

a) we should be happy;

b) we should rely on our friends;

c) we should rely on the law of jungle

5. What law can be characterized as a perfect one?

a) there can’t be perfect laws;

b) the law which preserves life;

c) the law which protects private property.

Text 2.