POLITICAL SYSTEM OF GREAT BRITAIN

Great Britain is a parliamentary monarchy. TheQueen is at the head of the nation. She is the head of the system of justice and of the armed forces and temporal head of the Church of England. The Queen does not take part in politics, but the country is governed in her name. She summons the Parliament. Laws are made by Parliament and her Royal Assent is needed before any Bill becomes law as an Act of Parliament.

Parliament consists of theHouse of Lords and theHouse of Commons. The House of Lords (the Upper House) is presided overby theLord Chancellorand is formed partly on a hereditary basis. It includes the English peers (lords), a certain number of elected Irish and Scottish peers and a number of theBishops oftheChurch of England. The House of Commons (the Lower House) is elective. Each member of the House of Com­mons is elected from one of 635 areas, called constituencies. Elections are held every five years by secret ballot. The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker.

Members of the House of Commons belong to different political parties. The main parliamentary parties are: the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Party. The Government is formed by the party that gains a majority in the House of Commons. The leader of that party becomes Prime Minister, the head of the Government. He forms his Cabinet from members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Cabinet is collectively res­ponsible for all Government decisions. It is answerable to Par­liament. The second largest party normally becomes the official Opposition, with its own leader and shadow cabinet.

Local government is carried out by elected councils, repre­senting local areas. They deal with housing, education, social services, police, fire brigades and many other services.

Vocabulary

Ex. 1. Read the words and translate them into Russian.

Parliamentary monarchy, nation, system of justice, armed forces, politics, bill, lord, speaker, leader, Prime Minister, Cabinet of Ministers, official opposition, party, police, department.

Ex. 2. Form the nouns from the verbs and translate them into Russian.

To govern, to form, to decide, to constitute, to preside, to elect, to educate, to commit.

Ex. 3. Give the corresponding adjectives.

Constitution, parliament, nation, policy, election, difference, independence, society, democracy.

Ex. 4. Translate the words given in the brackets into English.

1. The Queen (не бере участі) in politics of the country.

2. The Queen (скликає) Parliament.

3. Lord Chancellor (очолює) the House of Lords.

4. The House of Commons is (виборна) and more powerful.

5. The Government is formed by the party that (набирає більшість голосів) in the House of Commons.

Ex. 5. Add the necessary words.

1. The Queen is at the … of the nation.

2. The Queen is the … head of Church of England.

3. She is the head of the system of … and of the armed.

4. Laws are made by …

5. The House of Lords is formed on a … basis.

6. The House of Commons is …

7. Elections are held by …

8. The party that ... a majority in the House of ... forms the Government.

9. The second largest party becomes …

Ex. 6. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1. The Queen is like a living symbol for Englishmen.

2. The Queen makes laws and her Royal Assent is needed before any Bill becomes law as an Act of Parliament.

3. The House of Lords is formed partly on a hereditary basis.

4. The people’s achievements give opportunity to earn the life membership.

5. The members of the House of Commons are elected every five years by secret ballot.

6. Prime Minister is the head of the Government.

7. Prime Minister is responsible for all government decisions.

Ex. 7. Make the following interrogative and negative. Translate them.

1. Tom will have studied Criminal Law by the end of the first year.

2. By the end of this week the investigator will have collected all necessary proofs of his guilt.

3. They will have gone through the Customs by 7 p.m.

4. I’ll have found it out by the time you need it.

5. By the time you come home I’ll have finished preparing the report on enforcement of laws in Canada.

Ex. 8. Choose the correct form (Future Indefinite or Future Perfect).

Ex. 9. Translate the sentences from English into Russian. Pay attention to the voice of the verb.

1. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is situated on two large islands called the British Isles and is washed by the Atlantic ocean, the North Sea and the Irish Sea.

2. The judge of the High Court is being appointed at the moment.

3. The budget was being considered the whole day yesterday.

4. Britain is governed by elected representatives of the people.

5. A new building of the Parliament is being built now.

Ex. 10. Change the following sentences into Passive.

1. The committee is discussing the date of the presidential election.

2. The investigator was examining clothes when the expert arrived.

3. They will be working with this text when you return.

4. At seven o’clock, when you phoned, I was reading the newspaper.

5. They are spending a lot of money on weapons nowadays.

6. I was writing a law report all day yesterday.

7. The police are making inquiries now.

Ex. 11. Answer the following questions.

1. What is the political statues of Great Britain?

2. Who is the head of the nation?

3. What is the role of the Queen in the country?

4. Who are the laws made by?

5. What does the Parliament consist of?

6. Who is the head of the House of Lords? Who belongs to the House of Lords?

7. Who is the House of Commons presided over?

8. How often are elections held?

9. What are the main parties of Great Britain?

10. What is the Government formed by?

Ex. 12. Speak on the following topics.

1. The Queen and her role in the country.

2. The House of Lords.

3. The House of Commons.

4. The structure of the Government.

MODULE2

UNIT 3

POLITICAL SYSTEM