The history of the Council of Europe

The Council of Europe was Europe’s first intergovernmental organization established in the aftermath of the Second World War - a fact of which many people are unaware. The objective was to make states work together in order to avoid future conflicts. In 1949 ten countries - Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom - signed the treaty setting up the Council of Europe. Since its foundation the organization has had its seat in Strasbourg. It has two official languages - English and French. Today, with 41 member states, the Council covers virtually all of Europe. This pan-European organization is a forum for discussion of the concerns and desires, the doubts and the hopes of almost 800 million people in an area extending from the shores of the Atlantic to the far-eastern border of Russia.

Principles and conditions of accession

Any European state may become a member of the Council of Europe on condition that it undertakes to safeguard the dignity of its citizens by upholding their fundamental rights and adhering to ethical values. The aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity among its members. States acceding to the organization’s statute commit themselves to acknowledge the principles of:

• the rule of law

• human rights

• and pluralist democracy.

Moreover, the statute expressly provides that a member state which ceases to comply with these principles and obligations may be excluded from the organization.

Objectives

The Council of Europe aims to heighten awareness of and enhance the cultural identity of Europe in all its diversity. It seeks to help find solutions to some of the key problems of our era:

• racism, discrimination against minorities

• social exclusion

• organized crime, corruption

• trafficking in human beings, violence

• drug abuse, and the scourges of AIDS, malaria and cancer

• bioethics and the issue of cloning

• protection of the environment.

It also seeks to promote democratic stability in Europe by supporting political, legislative and constitutional reforms.

Вариант 3

1). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните глагол to be. Укажите, в какой грамматической функции он употреблен (смысловой глагол, вспомогательный глагол, модальный, глагол-связка):

1. She was in Leningrad during the war.

2. The government is worried because the number of people without jobs is increasing.

3. He is the best student in the first course.

4. The goods were to be delivered at the end of the month.

2). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните глагол to have. Укажите, в какой грамматической функции он употреблен (смысловой глагол, вспомогательный глагол, модальный глагол):

1. I shall have translated the article by ten o’clock.

2. They have a lot of flowers in their garden every summer.

3. She had to change her shoes after walking in the garden.

4. They have built excellent shelters for tourists in these mountains.

3). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните глагол to do. Укажите, в каком значении он употреблен (смысловой глагол, вспомогательный глагол, слово-заместитель, усилительный глагол):

1. Do stay with us a little longer.

2. He didn’t know that Jennie had gone to Cleveland to see her father.

3. The professor asked his student why he hadn’t done his home assignment.

4. He speaks French more fluently than his elder sister does.

4). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните глагол-сказуемое в одном из времен группы Indefinite (Passive):

1. He said that our class would be taught by another teacher next year.

2. These letters will be mailed tomorrow.

3. The newspapers and magazines are delivered by the postman every day.

4. A note was brought in, addressed to Eleanor, and was put on the table to await her.

5. One child in a household of grown people is usually made very much of, and in a quiet way I was a good

deal taken notice of by Mrs. Bretton, who had been left a widow, with one son, before I knew her.

5). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните глагол-сказуемое в одном из времен группы Continuous (Passive):

1. New children’s books were being sold in that shop when I entered it yesterday.

2. She felt she was being looked at.

3. The cases are being counted by the customs officer.

4. When we entered the room, the contract was being checked by the legal adviser.

6). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните Participle I. Укажите инфинитив глагола, от которого оно образуется:

1. This mountain has never been climbed before.

2. She told me that those newspapers had been carefully put away where they would not be lost.

3. Evidently Nick had been told to go home at once when I gave him the things his mother had asked for,

for he refused even to take a cup of coffee.

4. Invitations have been sent to all the old pupils to be present at the school’s thirtieth anniversary.

5. By three o’clock everything will have been prepared.

7 ). Перепишите следующие предложения, переведите их, подчеркните инфинитив. Укажите, в