Hungarian Basic Course 1732 Studios

Hungarian · Unit 23

Unit 23: Államigazgatási szervek Magyarországon

Volume 2

Government administration in Hungary

248 lines

Basic Sentences I

  1. 1

    Hello, Mr. Anderson. I see you're working.

    JóHello (Good day)
    napot,Hello (Good day)
    AndersonAnderson (an American in the dialogues)
    úr!Mr., sir, gentleman
    Látom,see
    dolgozik.work (v)
  2. 2

    Yes. Last week I attended the monthly cabinet session and I'm reading over the notes I took there.

  3. 3

    Really? I'm certain you heard many interesting things. In what capacity were you invited?

havi
this month's
minisztertanács
council of ministers
e
notes
  1. 4

    I participated as a diplomatic observer. Only two of us were invited from the Embassy, the political officer and I.

  1. 5

    From what you say I gather it wasn't a closed session but rather an open one. What were the main agenda items discussed by the cabinet members?

zártkörű
closed, private, exclusive
nyilvános
open, public
  1. 6

    There were many things on the agenda, but only next year's budget proposals were debated. I've heard that since then it has been brought before the house for approval.

országgyűlés
parliament
jóváhagyás
approval
végett
for
  1. 7

    I understand that the representatives voted its approval yesterday. But tell me, in which ministry's budget proposals were there significant changes as compared to the previous year?

  2. 8

    The budgets ('the scopes') of the Light Industry and the Building and Construction Ministries were increased because of the modification of the national economic plan.

tárca
portfolio, department, ministry
lényeges
significant, essential
  1. 9

    I read that in one of the communiqués of the State Planning Office. To raise the standard of living more light industries are being established and many apartments are being built.

  2. 10

    On the other hand, the budgets of the Ministry of Metallurgy and Machine Industry as well as the Ministry of Heavy Industry were decreased. During the past years these ministries received the most money, and that in many cases at the expense of the others.

Kohó-
foundry, metallurgy
rovására
at somebody's expense
valamint
as well as, just as
  1. 11

    Do you think that the government's new measures are for the people's benefit?

  2. 12

    By all means. The budget of the Ministry of Education has also been increased. As you know, the direction of education and cultural life comes under this ministry.

  3. 13

    Yes, I know. Then more schools will be built and the majority of young people can be trained to be specialists.

  4. 14

    There is really quite a great need for this in Hungary.

javára
for the good of
Feltétlenül
by all means, without doubt
képezni
to train, teach
  1. 15

    Have you heard anything about the Ministry of Agriculture?

  2. 16

    Only that this organization has a hard time getting agriculture organized.

  3. 17

    I don't understand why. Certainly even in the past it received every assistance from the government.

  4. 18

    That's true, but the method of production that has been adopted is not always successful. Besides, there are labor problems in the agricultural cooperatives.

alkalmazott
adopted (procedure)
munkaerő
manpower, labor
  1. 19

    I understand that last summer the army had to be used to gather in the harvest.

  2. 20

    Yes. Fortunately the Ministry of National Defense did not delay its assistance. The army was ordered out for the harvest wherever it was needed.

venni
make use of, take advantage of
Minisztérium
Ministry of National Defense
  1. 21

    I've heard that the Ministry of Labor will issue new directives to solve these problems somehow.

  2. 22

    I've also heard that. The Government thinks it's important that there should be full cooperation among the state administrative branches. I believe in most areas this has already been achieved.

  3. 23

    That's true. Recently I participated as an interpreter at the negotiations between the Ministry of Foreign Trade and some foreign firms. The representatives of several ministries were there and I noticed that their cooperation was perfect.

kibocsátani
to issue
valamiképpen
somehow
államigazgatás
state administration, management
együttműködés
cooperation
  1. 24

    That's good to hear, because the different Ministries are dependent on one another in carrying out their functions. The attainment of the goals in many respects depends on the effectiveness of their cooperation.

  2. 25

    What do you say to the plan of the Transportation and Postal Ministry to enlarge the air and rail networks throughout the country?

kitűzött
set goal, aim, target
múlik
depend on (something)
  1. 26

    In my opinion it's very timely and this came up in the recent Ministers' session, because lately many foreign tourists who are interested in conditions here have been coming to this country. This is an important source of income in foreign currency for the Ministry of Finance.

időszerű
timely
volt
came up (in discussion)
Újabban
recently, lately
turista
tourist
iránt
toward, about
jelent
it means
  1. 27

    Since the Department of Interior eased the issuing of passports many from here are now traveling abroad too.

  2. 28

    Can they get foreign currency?

  3. 29

    Very little. The majority go and visit their relatives or friends.

  4. 30

    I believe they have to do a considerable amount of running around to get the necessary documents for the trip.

Belügyminisztérium
Ministry of Interior
  1. 31

    That depends on their reason for going abroad. My son works for the Ministry of Health and they're sending him to Switzerland on Government business. He didn't have to wait for his passport but received it immediately.

  2. 32

    I'm glad your son's going abroad because I'm certain he'll see many interesting things. Is he going by rail or by air?

  3. 33

    I think he's going by air ('the latter') because he can spend only a week away from his office.

  4. 34

    Switzerland's only a few hours by air. He can save considerable time by flying. Is he going alone?

kívül
out of one's turn
ugyanis
namely, that is
távol
far, away
  1. 35

    No, two of his friends from the Department of Justice are going with him. Perhaps you know them - one is called Medve, the other, Farkas.

  2. 36

    Yes, I've met them a few times. Please extend my greetings to all of them. I hope they have a pleasant trip and enjoy the journey.

  3. 37

    I'll give your regards to all three.

mindnyájuknak
to all of them

Közmondások - Proverbs

Bennem, belém, belőlem

Bennem is 'in me', belém is 'into me', and belőlem is 'out of me'.

Benne has three forms in each person: one for hol, where, one for hova, where to, and one for honnan, where from.

In the third person singular, 'into him' has three forms: bele, belé and beléje.

The table gives all six persons, with the three forms in each row.

Table of Variant Forms of Benne

Bennünket: us

Bennünket is often used as the accusative 'us', in place of minket.

Benneteket is often used as the familiar plural accusative 'you', in place of titeket.

  1. 38

    With many people working, a job is soon done.

  2. 39

    Learning is a good companion on any journey.

  3. 40

    Whoever promises much gives little.

  4. 41

    Help yourself and God will help you too.

  5. 42

    A good horse is no use if the driver is poor.

  6. 43

    Look at the mother before you marry the daughter.

  7. 44

    Be quiet, my mouth, and my head won't ache.

  8. 45

    Slow water washes away the bank.

F. Table of Variant Forms of Benne

Hol? | Hova? | Honnan?
bennem | belém | belőlem
benned | beléd | belőled
benne | bele (belé, beléje) | belőle
bennünk | belénk | belőlünk
bennetek | belétek | belőletek
bennük | beléjük | belőlük
G. Bennünket, Benneteket

Bennünket and benneteket are often used as variant accusative forms corresponding to minket and titeket respectively.

Notes on Grammar: Verbal Prefixes, Frequentative Verbs, Additional Suffixes, Numerals and Indefinite Pronouns with Possessive Suffixes and Verbal Endings -ít, -ul, -ül

Ki- in front of the verb

Ahol szükség volt rá, oda mindenhova kirendelte a katonákat az aratáshoz. The army was ordered out for the harvest wherever it was needed.

Kirendelte begins with ki-. A verbal prefix is a word such as ki-, meg- or el- joined to the front of a verb.

By the rules of word order already met, it can also stand apart from the verb: ki akarja bővíteni.

The table lists 42 common verbal prefixes in alphabetical order.

Verbal Prefixes, 1 of 2

Verbal Prefixes, 2 of 2

Olvasgat: reading again and again

Az ott készült jegyzeteimet olvasgatom. I'm reading over the notes I took there.

Olvas is 'read'. The suffix -gat, -get on the verb root usually makes the action frequent, repeated or continuous. Most verbs of one syllable take -ogat, -eget, -öget: ír, írogat.

Sometimes the suffix changes the meaning completely. Lát, he sees. Látogat, he visits. Hall, he hears. Hallgat, he listens.

Other suffixes of the same kind

Gondolom sokat kell szaladgálniuk. I believe they have to do a considerable amount of running around.

The suffix -oz, -ez, -öz has the same effect: önt, öntöz. Less common suffixes do it too: áll, álldogál. Szalad, szaladgál. Jár, járkál.

A transitive verb of this kind has the usual definite and indefinite forms: olvasgat, olvasgatja.

The tables give the plain verb first, then the verb with the suffix. The first table adds the definite form.

Frequentative Verbs, 1 of 4

Frequentative Verbs, 2 of 4

Frequentative Verbs, 3 of 4

Frequentative Verbs, 4 of 4

As and together with: -ként, -stul

Diplomáciai megfigyelőként vettem részt. I participated as a diplomatic observer.

The suffix -ként goes on the basic form of a word. It often means 'as' or 'like': tolmácsként, as an interpreter. Vendégként, barátként.

The suffix -stul, -stül means 'with' or 'together with'. Before it comes the same vowel as before the plural suffix: családostul, gyerekestül.

Turning into: -vá, -vé

A fiatalság nagy részét szakemberekké tudják képezni. The majority of young people can be trained to be specialists.

The suffix -vá, -vé means turning into, or being changed into, something. It goes on the basic form of nouns and adjectives: jóvá, kissé.

After a consonant, the v of the suffix is assimilated, and the last consonant of the word is doubled: követté, borrá, szakemberekké.

Measure, adverbs and as: -nyi, -lag, -ul

Svájc csak pár órányira van repülővel. Switzerland's only a few hours by air.

The suffix -nyi makes an adjective from a noun of measure, distance or quantity: órányi, percnyi, méternyi.

The suffix -lag, -leg most often makes an adverb from a noun or adjective: politikailag, eredetileg, tényleg.

The suffix -ul, -ül sometimes matches English 'as': például, as an example. Feleségül venni, take as a wife. A final -a or -e becomes long before it.

Kettőnk: two of us

Csak kettőnket hívtak meg a követségről. Only two of us were invited from the Embassy.

English says 'two of us' or 'five of them'. Hungarian puts a personal possessive suffix on the cardinal number: kettőnk, two of us. Ötőjük, five of them.

These forms take case endings as the sentence needs them. Kettőnket is the accusative.

All of them: mindnyájuk

Adja át mindnyájuknak üdvözleteimet. Please extend my greetings to all of them.

Indefinite pronouns often take the same suffixes: sokunk, many of us. Valamennyiük, all of them.

The first table lists these pronouns with their English. The second gives hármónk, négyőnk and mindnyájunk in each plural person.

Numerals and Indefinite Pronouns with Possessive Suffixes, 1 of 2

Numerals and Indefinite Pronouns with Possessive Suffixes, 2 of 2

Épít and épül: builds and is built

Akkor több iskolát fognak építeni. Then more schools will be built.

Épít, he builds, and épül, it is being built, are a pair already met. The ending -ít often means that the subject causes the action. The ending -ul, -ül usually means that the subject is acted upon.

A verb in -ít is generally transitive. A verb in -ul, -ül does not take an object. Lassít, he slows it down. Lassul, it is slowing down.

  1. 46

    he builds

  2. 47

    it is being built

  3. 48

    he slows (it) down

  4. 49

    it is slowing down

  5. 50

    he unites

  6. 51

    it is being united

A. Verbal Prefixes

Reference List of the Most Common Verbal Prefixes:

 | 
abba- | körül-
agyon- | közbe-
alá- | közzé-
át- | külön-
be- | le-
bele- | meg-
el- | mellé-
ellen- | neki-
elő- | oda-
előre- | össze-
fel- | rá-
félbe- | rajta-
félre- | széjjel-
felül- | szét-
fenn- | tova-
hátra- | tovább-
helyre- | túl-
hozzá- | utána-
ide- | végbe-
keresztül- | végig-
ki- | vissza-

(For position of these prefixes in a sentence, review paragraph A, unit 12.)
B. Frequentative Verbs

The following suffixes added to the verb root usually give to the verb the connotation of frequent, repeated or continuous action. However, in some cases they change the meaning of the verb completely. (Transitive verbs in this category have the usual definite and indefinite forms.)

(1)

-gat, -get; with most monosyllabic verbs -ogat, -eget, -öget

 | Indefinite | Definite
cserél | cserélget | cserélgeti
olvas | olvasgat | olvasgatja
próbál | próbálgat | próbálgatja
fest | festeget | festegeti
néz | nézeget | nézegeti
tölt | töltöget | töltögeti
ír | írogat | írogatja
hall (he hears) | hallgat (he listens) | hallgatja
lát (he sees) | látogat (he visits) | látogatja

(2)

-oz, -ez, -öz

 |  | 
köt | kötöz | kötözi
küld | küldöz | küldözi
önt | öntöz | öntözi
kérd | kérdez | kérdezi
hord | hordoz | hordozza

(3)

Other less commonly used suffixes:

 |  | 
(a) -dogál, -degél, -dögél | áll | álldogál
 | él | éldegél
 | ül | üldögél
(b) -gál, -gél | szalad | szaladgál
 | keres | keresgél
(c) -kál | jár | járkál
 | úszik | úszkál
 | mászik | mászkál
(d) -ál, -él | dob | dobál
 | ugrik | ugrál
(e) -kod, -ked, -köd | kap | kapkod
 | lép | lépked
(f) -dal, -del | rug | rugdal
 | vág | vagdal
C. Additional Suffixes

(1)

-stul, -stül is added to a word with the same auxiliary vowel as used before the corresponding plural suffix. It is rendered into English by "with", "together with", "accompanied by": családostul, gyerekestül, mindenestül.

(2)

-ként is added directly to the basic form of the word. It often corresponds to "as, like": tolmácsként ("as an interpreter") újságíróként, vendégként, barátként.

(3)

-nyi is an adjectival suffix added to the basic form of a noun denoting measure, distance, quantity: órányi, percnyi, kanálnyi, méternyi, forintnyi.

(4)

-vá, -vé is added directly to the basic form of the word. However, when the basic word ends in a consonant, the -v of the suffix is assimilated and the final consonant of the word is doubled. The suffix expresses the concept of "turning into or being changed into something": szakemberekké, követté, borrá, jóvá, kissé. This suffix is added to nouns and adjectives.

(5)

-lag, -leg is most often used to form an adverb from a noun or adjective: politikailag, sajátkezűleg, eredetileg, láthatólag, főleg, tényleg.

(6)

-ul, -ül is added to the basic form of the noun, with lengthening of the vowel -a or -e when the noun ends in either sound. This suffix is used in expressions which sometimes correspond to English phrases containing "like" or "as", e.g., például, "as an example"; feleségül venni "take as a wife (=marry, said of a man)"; segítségül hívni "call for help".
D. Numerals and Indefinite Pronouns with Possessive Suffixes

Such expressions as "two of us", "five of them", etc., are rendered in Hungarian by cardinal numbers plus personal possessive suffixes: kettőnk, ötőjük. They may take case endings, depending on their use in the sentence. Indefinite pronouns are likewise frequently used with personal possessive suffixes:

 | 
mindegyikünk | every one of us
valamennyiük | all of them
sokunk | many of us
többük | a lot of them
kettőnk, mindkettőnk | we two, we both
kettőtök, mindkettőtök | you two, you both
kettőjük, mindkettőjük | both of them

 |  | 
hármónk | négyőnk | mindnyájunk
hármótok | négyőtök | mindnyájatok
hármójuk | négyőjük | mindnyájuk
E. Verbal Endings -ít, -ul, -ül

The verbal ending -ít often indicates that the subject causes the action indicated by the verb whereas -ul, -ül usually implies that the subject is acted upon.

(Note that verbs ending in -ít are generally transitive while those ending in -ul, -ül do not take an object.)

Examples:

épít  he builds
épül  it is being built
lassít  he slows (it) down
lassul  it is slowing down
egyesít  he unites
egyesül  it is being united

(See also Section D, Unit 15)

Variation Drill

  1. 52

    In the evenings I usually read.

  2. 53

    The burglar kept explaining the matter, but in vain.

  3. 54

    The wind kept blowing the windows open.

  4. 55

    The boys are standing around on the corner.

  1. 56

    The boys are standing around on the corner.

  2. 57

    Many people are strolling in the park.

  3. 58

    Come to the concert with your family.

  1. 59

    Fekete went abroad as a journalist.

  2. 60

    Switzerland is only a few hours away by air.

  3. 61

    Today they want to train the young to be specialists.

  1. 62

    Today they want to train the young to be specialists.

  2. 63

    What made America great?

  3. 64

    Originally he wanted to be a doctor.

  1. 65

    Originally he wanted to be a doctor.

  2. 66

    What can you give (bring up) as an example?

  3. 67

    This car belongs to us both.

  4. 68

    My greetings to all of them.

  1. 69

    My greetings to all of them.

  2. 70

    You won't be disappointed in me.

  3. 71

    He became president.

  4. 72

    It's difficult to play against the English team.

  1. 73

    It's difficult to play against the English team.

  2. 74

    Through whom did you get the news?

  3. 75

    They're interested in (about) conditions here.

  4. 76

    The new measures will be for the benefit of the people.

  1. 77

    The new measures will be for the benefit of the people.

  2. 78

    I'm working in his place (instead of him).

  3. 79

    I'm here without my wife.

  4. 80

    Say this word after me.

  1. 81

    Say this word after me.

  2. 82

    There will be tickets for everybody.

  3. 83

    Nobody else is going besides me.

  4. 84

    Why did you come to Washington?

  1. 85

    According to the president there won't be any war.

  2. 86

    According to the program they're going to recite poems now.

Transformation Drill

  1. 87

    Az apám abbahagyta a dohányzást.

    My father quit smoking.

  1. 88

    Az apám abbahagyta a dohányzást.

    My father quit smoking.

  1. 89

    Az apám abbahagyta a dohányzást.

    My father quit smoking.

  1. 90

    Az apám abbahagyta a dohányzást.

    My father quit smoking.

  1. 91

    Az apám abbahagyta a dohányzást.

    My father quit smoking.

  1. 92

    Szeretem a kirakatokat nézni.

    I like to look at shop windows.

  1. 93

    Szeretem a kirakatokat nézni.

    I like to look at shop windows.

  2. 94

    A gyerekek az iskola előtt állnak.

    The children are standing in front of the school.

  3. 95

    Jöjjön el a családjával.

    Come with your family.

  1. 96

    Jöjjön el a családjával.

    Come with your family.

  2. 97

    Fekete mint újságíró ment külföldre.

    Fekete went abroad as a journalist.

  3. 98

    Barátot találtam magában.

    I found a friend in you.

  4. 99

    Elviszlek titeket is.

    I'll take you two along too.

  1. 100

    Elviszlek titeket is.

    I'll take you two along too.

  2. 101

    A gyerekek nélkül vagyok itt.

    I'm here without the children.

  3. 102

    Az anyám számára vettem.

    I bought it for my mother.

  1. 103

    Az anyám számára vettem.

    I bought it for my mother.

  2. 104

    A postás levelet hozott nekem.

    The mailman brought me a letter.

  3. 105

    Rajtam kívül nincsen senkije.

    He has no one but me.

  1. 106

    Rajtam kívül nincsen senkije.

    He has no one but me.

  2. 107

    A lány végett jár oda.

    He goes there on account of the girl.

  3. 108

    A tanár magyarul tanítja a diákot.

    The teacher teaches the student in Hungarian.

Translation Drill

  1. 109

    The highest executive bodies of the Hungarian state administration are the ministries.

  2. 110

    The highest body in the state administration is the council of ministers, where the ministers make decisions concerning the affairs of the country.

  3. 111

    Since in Hungary everything belongs to the state, the state directs everything through a central administration.

  4. 112

    The ministries issue orders which are executed by the companies attached to them.

  5. 113

    The Ministry of Finance prepares the budget of the country every year and supervises the work of the banks.

  6. 114

    The Hungarian National Bank and the Investment Bank give money to the enterprises for construction and operation.

  7. 115

    When a foreign trade company purchases abroad, the Foreign Exchange Department of the National Bank pays the foreign currency to the seller.

  8. 116

    A ministry or a company can't have foreign currency, since that is a state monopoly.

  9. 117

    Under the five-year plan, the state wants to increase the production of steel (iron). mills and machine factories.

  10. 118

    The Ministry of Foundries and Machine Industries wants to make larger investments this year.

  11. 119

    In practice this means that they intend to build new factories and foundries next to the Danube, where transportation is cheaper.

  12. 120

    One of the section chiefs of the Ministry inquired at the Ministry of Construction about whether there was sufficient trained manpower in the construction industry.

  13. 121

    The construction industry needs the help of the Ministry of Labor in any case.

  1. 122

    Each enterprise prepares the production plan which they afterwards send to the ministries.

  2. 123

    Most of the factories send a monthly report about production to the higher organs of government.

  3. 124

    The state farms and farmer's co-operatives send their reports to the Ministry of Agriculture.

  4. 125

    The Ministry of Defense receives a lot of money every year out of the budget for the building of military airfields.

  5. 126

    The Ministry of Light Industry buys machines through a foreign trade company from western countries.

  6. 127

    The Ministry of Foreign Trade wants to increase the export of grain to Western Europe.

  7. 128

    The Ministry of Domestic Trade directs the work of the various business enterprises and department stores in the country.

  8. 129

    The textile factories manufacture many items of clothing each year for foreign as well as domestic trade.

  9. 130

    The Council of Ministers issued a decree to supply agriculture with machinery.

  10. 131

    The factories belonging to the Ministry of Heavy Industry manufacture a lot of machinery each year for agriculture.

  11. 132

    From the factories, many skilled workers go to work on the state farms every year.

  12. 133

    The Ministry of Health supervises the work of doctors, sanatoriums and the hospitals.

  13. 134

    The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has ordered that more medical students should be admitted to medical schools next year.

  1. 135

    The schools and the universities, and the theaters and cultural centers are under the direction of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

  2. 136

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a special school for diplomats.

  3. 137

    The work of the police department is centrally directed by the Ministry of the Interior.

  4. 138

    In Hungary, the police issue passports.

  5. 139

    Another duty of the police is to supervise traffic and order.

  6. 140

    Those whom the police arrest are turned over to the court for trial.

  7. 141

    The Ministry of Justice supervises the work of the courts.

  8. 142

    The Council of Ministers makes decisions on the development of industry and commerce.

  9. 143

    As the highest body of the state administration, the Council of Ministers holds a meeting every month or two.

  10. 144

    The state administration plays an important role everywhere in the life of the people.

Response Drill

  1. 145

    What did Mr. Anderson attend last week?

  2. 146

    In what capacity was he there?

  3. 147

    Was the meeting closed or open?

  4. 148

    What did they discuss at the meeting?

  5. 149

    Where must the budget be submitted for approval?

  6. 150

    Was there a significant change in the budget compared to the previous year's?

  7. 151

    Which ministry's budget was increased?

  8. 152

    What do they want to do to raise the standard of living?

  9. 153

    Which ministry's budget was decreased?

  1. 154

    Which ministry's sphere of authority includes the direction of education and cultural life?

  2. 155

    What did Mr. Anderson hear about the Ministry of Agriculture?

  3. 156

    Why are there difficulties in organizing agriculture?

  4. 157

    Whom did they have to make use of last summer to bring in the harvest?

  5. 158

    What will the Ministry of Labor issue?

  6. 159

    Why does the government consider it important that the organs of state administration cooperate?

  7. 160

    Is there cooperation among the ministries?

  8. 161

    What does the Ministry of Transportation and Posts want to do?

  9. 162

    Why is the expansion of the air and rail network timely?

  1. 163

    What does tourist traffic mean for the country?

  2. 164

    Which organ issues passports in Hungary?

  3. 165

    What is the form of state of Hungary?

  4. 166

    What is the highest organ of state power in Hungary?

  5. 167

    For how many years is the parliament elected?

  6. 168

    What is the sphere of duties of the parliament?

  7. 169

    When the parliament is not in session, who exercises its powers?

  8. 170

    What is the highest organ of state administration?

  9. 171

    How often does the Council of Ministers meet?

  1. 172

    In what matters does the Council of Ministers make decisions?

  2. 173

    Are there private enterprises in Hungary?

  3. 174

    What is the sphere of duties of the Ministry of Finance?

  4. 175

    Who collects taxes from private persons and enterprises?

  5. 176

    Can a ministry or an enterprise have foreign currency in Hungary?

  6. 177

    Which ministry do the state farms and the producers' cooperatives belong to?

  7. 178

    What is the function of the Ministry of Health?

  8. 179

    What organs come under the Ministry of Justice?

  9. 180

    What organs administer justice in Hungary?

  1. 181

    What are the local organs of state power?

  2. 182

    Which ministry does the police come under?

  3. 183

    What is the function of the police?

  4. 184

    Under which ministry's direction are the theaters, cultural centers, schools, universities, and television and radio stations?

Conversation Practice 1

  1. 185

    What did the Council of Ministers talk about yesterday?

  2. 186

    They debated the draft budget.

  3. 187

    Is there a significant change compared to the previous year's?

  4. 188

    The budget of the Ministry of Construction was increased in order to build new apartments.

  5. 189

    There is really a great need for that!

  6. 190

    They also want to establish more light industry enterprises in order to raise the standard of living.

  7. 191

    What kind of factories do they want to build?

  8. 192

    Textile, clothing and furniture factories. These will work for foreign trade as well as for domestic trade.

Conversation Practice 2

  1. 193

    The expansion of the country's air network was also discussed at the meeting.

  2. 194

    In my opinion it would be very timely. Many tourists come to the country, who would like to go everywhere and see everything.

  3. 195

    Since they eased the issuing of passports, I hear that many people travel abroad from here too.

  4. 196

    Yes, and everyone would like to fly. A person saves a lot of time if he can fly.

  5. 197

    I wonder whether one still has to run around a lot to get a passport?

  6. 198

    If the necessary documents are in order, they give the passport fairly quickly.

Conversation Practice 3

  1. 199

    I read somewhere that the Ministry of Agriculture has a lot of trouble with the cooperatives.

  2. 200

    I heard that too. They say it's partly because there is a shortage of machines in the cooperatives.

  3. 201

    But the Council of Ministers issued a decree to supply agriculture with machines!

  4. 202

    That is true, but they still have not been able to fulfill the set plan.

  5. 203

    I think there are labor problems in the cooperatives too.

  6. 204

    There certainly are. Young people prefer to go and work in factories, where they are paid better.

  7. 205

    What do they do when the grain has to be harvested and there aren't enough farm workers?

  8. 206

    They ask the Ministry of National Defense for help. The ministry sends the army out for the harvest.

Conversation Practice 4

  1. 207

    I heard that they want to establish new schools!

  2. 208

    Yes. The Council of Ministers decided that more specialists are needed.

  3. 209

    There is certainly a great shortage of doctors and engineers in the country!

  4. 210

    The Ministry of Education has already issued the decree that more engineering and medical students be admitted to the universities in the fall.

  5. 211

    I hear that there aren't enough teachers either!

  6. 212

    They are trying to train more teachers too, but young people prefer to go into medicine or engineering, because they see a greater future in it.

  7. 213

    A difficult problem. But if they raised the teachers' salaries, perhaps more people would be drawn to that too.

  8. 214

    I suppose sooner or later they will raise them.

Narrative

  1. 215

    Excerpts from the Constitution of the Hungarian People's Republic.

  2. 216

    The form of state of Hungary is a People's Republic.

  3. 217

    The highest organ of state power of the Hungarian People's Republic is the parliament.

  4. 218

    The parliament:

  5. 219

    1) makes laws,

  6. 220

    2) determines the state budget,

  7. 221

    3) establishes the national economic plan,

  8. 222

    4) elects the Presidential Council of the People's Republic,

  9. 223

    5) elects the Council of Ministers,

  10. 224

    6) establishes and abolishes ministries, and may change the sphere of duties of individual ministries,

  11. 225

    7) decides the question of declaring war and making peace,

  12. 226

    8) grants amnesty.

  13. 227

    The parliament is elected for a term of four years.

  14. 228

    The parliament meets at least twice a year for a regular session.

  15. 229

    At its first session the parliament elects the Presidential Council of the People's Republic from among its members.

  16. 230

    When the parliament is not in session, the powers of the parliament are exercised by the Presidential Council of the People's Republic.

  17. 231

    The highest organ of state administration is the Council of Ministers of the Hungarian People's Republic.

  18. 232

    The territory of the Hungarian People's Republic is divided into counties, districts, cities and communities.

  19. 233

    The local organs of state power are the county council, the district council, the city council, the community council and the city ward council.

  20. 234

    In the Hungarian People's Republic justice is administered by the Supreme Court of the Hungarian People's Republic, the higher courts, the county courts and the district courts.

  1. 235

    The chief prosecutor of the Hungarian People's Republic watches over the observance of legality.

  2. 236

    In Hungary the organs of state administration play a greater role in the life of the country than in the western countries.

  3. 237

    Since everything in the country is done under central direction, the organs of the state decide important questions and supervise the carrying out of the plans.

  4. 238

    The highest organ in the country is the Communist Party.

  5. 239

    At party headquarters they decide the fate of the country and what policy Hungary should follow toward other states.

  6. 240

    The party carries out its decisions through the Council of Ministers, which is the chief directing organ of the ministries under it.

  7. 241

    The ministries then instruct the enterprises under them to carry out the various plans.

  8. 242

    Since there are no private enterprises in Hungary, the state enterprises are directed by the ministries.

  9. 243

    Every month each enterprise must send a report to its ministry on its operation and on the fulfillment of the set plan.

  10. 244

    The lowest organs of state administration are the county, district, city and community councils.

  11. 245

    These councils have various departments, which are responsible for directing the territory of the county, district, city or community.

  12. 246

    One of their most important departments is the finance department, which deals with tax matters.

  13. 247

    This department collects taxes from private persons and enterprises on the basis of the regulations of the Ministry of Finance.

  14. 248

    The economic department manages the development of the council's territory and the supervision of economic life.

The particulars

The course
Foreign Service Institute, Hungarian Basic Course, Washington, 1962. Public domain. The teaching pages, the glosses and the narration of lines the tape lacks are ours.
Reading aloud
Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
The book
Gulliver’s Fifth and Sixth Voyages, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
Data
JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.