Vocabulary

to be founded – быть основанным

B.C. – before Christ – до рождества Христова, до н.э.

to abandon – покидать

Medieval – средневековый [

to elect – выбирать

brick – кирпич

to reduce – уменьшать

suburb – пригород

to replace – заменять

to spread – распространять (ся)

rapidly – стремительно

shape – форма

tube – труба

to connect – соединять

extend – протяженность, размер, масштаб

to extend – протягивать, протянуть

to divide – разделять, делить

Royal stock exchange – Королевская биржа

expensive – дорогой

luxury – роскошь

luxurious – роскошный

wealth – богатство

district – район

commerce – коммерция

to design – прoектировать

power – власть, мощь

Learn the pronunciation:

The United Kingdom [

Monarchy [

Monarch [

Sovereign [

Commander-in-Chief [

Hereditary [

The Queen [

The Prime Minister [

The Parliament [

The Crown [

Royal Assent [

The Houses of Parliament [

Chamber [

The House of Commons [

The House of Lords [

Peer [

The Political system of Great Britain

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary monarchy. It means that everything in the country officially is done in the name of the Queen, but the power of the Queen is limited by the Parliament, and, in reality, the Prime Minister is responsible for the policy conducted by the Parliament.

The present sovereign is Queen Elizabeth II. Born in 1926, succeeded to the throne in 1952. The monarchy is hereditary. The Queen is the official head of the executive power, the head of Judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all Armed Forces of the Crown. She opens the new session of Parliament, she must give Royal Assent to the law. But she acts not on her own but on the advice of the Government. Therefore, the Queen’s active part in politics is minimal and she serves mostly as a personal symbol of national unity.

The legislative power is represented by the Houses of Parliament. The British Parliament is the eldest in the world. It consists of two Chambers – the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords consists of 1100 peers who are not elected by the people. Some peers are hereditary, others are life peers; they are people who have served the nation in a special way. The Queen chooses life peers in consultation with the Prime Minister. There are 650 members of the House of Commons, they are chosen by election, and are elected for five years.

After an election, the political party with the largest number of members of the House of Commons forms the government. The Queen appoints the head of the government – the Prime Minister. As a rule it is the leader of the party who has won the election. The Prime Minister appoints the ministers to compose his Cabinet. The party which won the second most votes forms the official opposition. Both sit on the two sides of the Hall. One side is for the governing party, the other is for opposition.

There are two main political parties in Great Britain: the Conservative Party and the Labour party. The government represents the executive power of the state. The judicial power is represented by the Royal Court.

The united Kingdom does not have a written constitution set out in a single document. The set of rules has been developed over many centuries. Law, which is proposed to the Parliament, is called “a Bill”. When the members vote they leave the House through two doors. On one door is written “Yes”, on the other – “No”. When they are leaving the Hall they are counted by four tellers. If there is enough pressure from the public for change, it is comparatively easy to change a Bill.

Ex.1 Translate into Russian:

parliamentary monarchy, in the name of the Queen, the power is limited, the policy conducted, the present Sovereign, succeeded to the throne, all Armed Forces of the Crown, Royal Assent, personal symbol of national unity, life peer, the second most votes, the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, the Royal Court, written constitution, single document, the set of rules, a bill, comparatively.

Ex.2 Translate into English:

официальный, официально, в действительности, монархия передается по наследству, судебная власть, не по своей воле, Палата, правящая партия, веками, давление со стороны общественности, сравнительно легко.

Ex.3 Insert prepositions:

1. Everything in the country is done ... the name of the Queen.

2. … reality, the Prime Minister is responsible … the policy conducted … the Parliament.

3. Born in 1926, succeeded … the throne in 1952.

4. She must give Royal Assent … the law.

5. She acts not … her own but … the advice of the Government.

6. It consists … two Chambers.

7. Life peers are people who have served the nation … a special way.

8. MPs are chosen … election … 5 years.

9. The Queen chooses life peers … consultation with the Prime Minister.

10. Law, which is proposed … the Parliament, is called “a Bill”.

Ex.4 Agree or disagree:

1. The U.K. is a constitutional monarchy.

2. The Queen is the head of the government.

3. The Queen is the head of the Judiciary.

4. The British Parliament is called the Houses of Parliament.

5. The Queen appoints the ministers to form the Cabinet.

6. When the MPs are leaving the Hall they are counted by four tellers.

7. It is difficult to change a bill.

Ex.5 Expand the statements:

1. The power of the Queen is limited.

2. Elizabeth II is a personal symbol of National Unity.

3. In reality, the Prime Minister is the head of the government.

4. There are two Chambers in British Parliament.

5. The U.K. doesn’t have a constitution.

Ex.6 Answer the questions:

1. What is the political system of the U.K.? What does it mean?

2. What is the role of a Sovereign?

3. What chamber of the British Parliament is more active? Why?

4. What political parties are the most important in the U.K.?

5. How can you explain the term ”opposition”?

6. How are laws adopted in the British Parliament?

Ex.7 a) Study the scheme:

THE MONARCH is the official head of the U.K. and the head of the Commonwealth of Nations
THE GOVERNMENT
the PRIME MINISTER is the head of the government; is the leader of the party with the majority seats in the House of Commons	the CABINET is formed by the Prime Minister; about 20 ministers; determines government policies and coordinates government departments
PARLIAMENT
the LOWER CHAMBER the HOUSE of COMMONS about 650 elected MPs-members of the Parliament; makes laws; discusses political problems; the Official Opposition - the largest opposition party; forms the Shadow Cabinet	the UPPER CHAMBER the HOUSE of LORDS over 1100 permanent, non-elected members; peers and life peers; examines and revises bills from the House of Commons; can delay bills for one year

b) Make up the scheme of the political system of your country.

Ex.8 Rewrite the sentences putting the verbs in the brackets in Passive Voice:

1. The power of the Queen (to limit) by the Parliament.

2. Peers (not to elect) by the people.

3. The MPs (to chose) for 5 years.

4. The judicial power (to represent) by the Royal Court.

5. The set of rules (to have developed) over many centuries.

6. Large sums of money (to take) by the king from the barons to provide the wars in Europe.

7. Those who refused to give the money (to arrest).

8. In 1215 the barons revolted and a large army (to recruit) against the king.

9. The barons wrote a paper called the Great charter where the rights of the Englishmen (to put) down.

10. A council of twenty-five barons (to chose) to control the ring.

Ex.9 Rewrite the word combinations according to the model and translate them:

the car is broken  the broken car  the car broken

it was written in  written in  …

the policy is conducted  …

she was born in  …

she was succeeded to  …

power is represented by  …

the constitution is written  …

members are elected  …

the constitution was set up  …

the law is proposed  …

the Prime Minister is appointed  …

Ex.10 a) Read and translate the dialogue:

Mr Bond invited his guest Mr Kulikov to make a tour round the Houses of Parliament

– Now we are in the centre of London. You can see Westminster Palace. It is the seat of the British Parliament. Do you know how the British Parliament is called?

– Yes. It’s called the Houses of Parliament because it consists of two Chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

– I think we’ll start with the House of Lords.