- •Unit 1 form of government
- •Vocabulary
- •Combine the sentence halves so that they match syntactically and semantically
- •Render the text in English. Великобритания: Система государственного управления
- •Describe Russia’s form of government; compare it with the usa and Britain.
- •Read the text dealing with the question of British unwritten constitution.
- •The People versus the Crown
- •2.1 Vocabulary
- •Insert words from the box into the sentences
- •2.3 Translate the text into Russian.
- •The Role of the Monarchy
- •2.4 Find information and prepare individual presentations about different aspects of British monarchy.
- •Why we keep our royal family
- •2.7 Render the text in English.
- •Станет ли принц Уильям следующим британским монархом?
- •2.8 Prepare a talk about any monarchy in the world.
- •3.1 Vocabulary
- •3.2 Render the text in English.
- •Политическая система сша
- •Fill in the gaps in the text with the words and expressions given below
- •Is the United States a democracy?
- •Express your ideas about the following issues concerning democracy:
- •Unit 2 elections
- •Vocabulary
- •1.2 Compare the two systems of parliamentary elections. Which of them you think to be more effective and why? Speak about the electoral system that Russia has.
- •Voting Systems
- •Match the terms with their definitions
- •1.4 Read the text about election fraud.
- •How to steal an election
- •2.1 Vocabulary
- •2.2 Read the texts about elections in Britain and discuss the following issues:
- •Voting Process
- •Voting in person
- •Voting by post
- •Voting by proxy
- •2.3 Choose a party from the list:
- •Visit their official website and find some additional information about the party in any other sources. Prepare a presentation about the party of your choice, covering:
- •2.4 Fill in the gaps in the text with the words and expressions given below
- •House of Lords reform
- •2.5 Render the text in English.
- •3.1 Vocabulary
- •3.2 Read the overview of the election process in the usa and answer the following questions:
- •Elections in the United States
- •3.3 Find the relevant information and speak about the last presidential elections. Try to cover the following questions:
- •Split in two groups and choose a party: Democratic/ Republican. Find information about
- •Unit 3 state structure: administrative and territorial units
- •1.1 Vocabulary
- •Advantages and disadvantages of federal, confederate and unitary systems of Government
- •Render the text in English
- •Государственное устройство Российской Федерации
- •2.1 Vocabulary
- •2.2 Read the introductory text about European Union. Speak briefly about the stages of European integration.
- •The history of the European Union
- •2.3 Fill in the gaps in the text with the words and expressions given below
- •Economic Problems of European Union
2.3 Choose a party from the list:
Conservative Party; Labour Party; Liberal Democrats; Plaid Cymru; Scottish National Party; Sinn Féin; Democratic Unionist Party; Green Party; Social Democratic and Labour Party; British National Party.
Visit their official website and find some additional information about the party in any other sources. Prepare a presentation about the party of your choice, covering:
history of the party
party symbols
party leaders
political programme and priorities – speak about several key issues such as international politics and relations with the European Union, immigration, environment, employment and welfare, social care and health care, education, crime, etc.
current position in the parliament and overall popularity; where does it have major support geographically.
2.4 Fill in the gaps in the text with the words and expressions given below
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18612233
House of Lords reform
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The government has dropped plans to reform the House of Lords by making it mostly elected and slashing its size. But why was there so much opposition to change and what does it mean for the coalition?
What is the House of Lords?
Dating back to the 14th Century, it is the second ………………. of Parliament, whose main job is to scrutinise and ………………. parliamentary bills proposed by the House of Commons before they pass into law.
Who are the current members?
There are 825 members, known as "……………….". Most are appointed on the recommendation of the prime minister or other party leaders. This is usually along party lines, although some are non-political experts in their fields, such as ………………. scientists and generals. Twenty-six peers are senior Church of England ……………….. Another 92 are "………………." peers, the remnants of the group who once made up the entire membership.
Why did the government want to change the Lords?
It argued that the current ………………. chamber was undemocratic and needed to be reformed. All three parties promised at least a partly elected House of Lords in their ………………. for the 2010 general election. Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg led the coalition government's push to bring in the changes.
What were the main proposals?
The government wanted four-fifths of members of a reformed House of Lords to be elected. They would have served 15-year ………………., after which they could not ………………. re-election. The number of peers was to be almost halved, from 826 to 450. The chamber would have kept the title of House of Lords, after names like Senate and Reformed House were rejected.
Peers were each to ………………. a specific region of the United Kingdom, as happens with Members of the European Parliament. One-third of ………………. would have been up for grabs in elections held every five years.
Of the remaining 90 members, 12 – rather than the current 26 – would have been Church of England bishops. The remainder was to continue to be appointed and all hereditary peers were to be removed.
What did opponents say?
Many MPs feared that an elected House of Lords would gain greater ………………. and, therefore, power, which could undermine the ………………. of the House of Commons. They also said constitutional change should not be the government's priority during a ……………….. Several had raised concerns that the coalition was trying to rush the bill through Parliament, arguing that more time needed to be taken to discuss such radical plans.
When was reform supposed to happen?
The government wanted the first round of House of Lords elections to happen in 2015, when the next general election is due to take place. It wanted to get the bill through Parliament by May next year.
Why has the government dropped the plans?
The government was facing considerable opposition, particularly among Conservative MPs. In July, 91 ………………. MPs rebelled against the government in a vote on how to timetable the House of Lords Reform Bill – the largest such act of defiance since the coalition was formed in 2010. Following this the prime minister told his ………………. he would have "one more try" on Lords reform but if his party could not reach a deal he would "draw a line" under the issue. Several senior Labour politicians also raised doubts and many peers were reported to be unhappy, too.
What does it mean for the coalition?
Lords reform has been a key goal for the Lib Dems, and its failure raises coalition ……………….. Nick Clegg said the coalition agreement was a contract between the coalition partners and the Conservatives had broken the contract by not honouring the ………………. to Lords reform.
What will the Lib Dems do now?
Mr Clegg says his party will ………………. for boundary changes designed to cut the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and equalise the size of constituencies – a Conservative manifesto pledge. Legislation to reduce the House of Commons has already been passed but proposals for the new ………………. will have to be approved by MPs before changes can be made.
Several Conservative MPs have criticised the move saying the coalition agreement links the Conservative commitment to bring in boundary changes to the Alternative Vote referendum – something the Lib Dems wanted – which was held last year. The MPs say they have kept their part of the deal and Mr Clegg cannot now ………………. on boundary changes.
What does Labour say?
Leader Ed Miliband had promised to support the government's plans on Lords reform but wanted the reforms to go to a UK-wide ……………….. Following the announcement plans for reform would be ………………., the party said while it was not their priority they continued to support Lords reform and said the Tories were the "real obstacle".
Why hasn't the House of Lords been reformed before?
It has been proposed several times over the past century, but bids to create elected peers have failed to create enough enthusiasm to come to fruition. In 1968, Labour's Michael Foot – who wanted to ………………. the Lords altogether – united with the then Tory Enoch Powell – who wanted it to stay just as it was – and led a coalition which defeated change.
However, in 1958, ………………. were created. Unlike hereditary peerages, these are discontinued when the holder dies. In 1999, Parliament voted to cut the number of hereditary peers to 92, leaving them to elect among themselves which of their number should get a seat when one of them dies.