Текст № 3

POLITICAL SYSTEM OF GREAT BRITAIN

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. It has a monarch (a king or a queen) as its Head of State. The monarch has very little power and can only reign with the support of Parliament; it consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the country. In reality the House of Commons has true power, it introduces new bills. They then go to the House of Lords for approval, and finally the monarch signs them. Only then they can become laws.

The House of Commons is made up of 650 elected members, known as Members of Parliament (or MPs), each of whom represents an area of the UK. The political parties choose candidates in elections. The party which wins the majority of seats in the House of Commons forms the Government and its leader usually becomes the Prime Minister.

The largest minority party becomes the Opposition (or the “Shadow Cabinet”). The Prime Minister chooses about twenty MPs from his or her party and forms his or her Cabinet Ministers.

Each minister is responsible for a particular area of government. For example, the Minister of Defense is responsible for defense policy and the armed forces, the Home Secretary for law and order and immigration.

The House of Lords consists of more than 1,000 hereditary lords and peers. It has very little power.

The two main political parties in Great Britain are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party.

VOCABULARY

a constitutional monarchy a monarch a king or a queen the Head of State to reign the House of Commons the House of Lords elections the majority of seats the largest minority party the Opposition (the “Shadow Cabinet”) a particular area of government the Minister of Defense defense policy the Home Secretary hereditary lords and peers the Conservative Party the Labour Party

конституционная монархия монарх король или королева глава государства править, царствовать палата общин палата лордов выборы большинство мест наибольшая партия меньшинства оппозиция (теневой кабинет) определённая сфера управления Министр обороны оборонная политика Министр внутренних дел потомственные лорды и пэры Консервативная партия Лейбористская партия

1. ANSWER the questions.

1. Is the United Kingdom a constitutional monarchy?

2. How many Houses does the Parliament consist of? What are they?

3. Who signs the bills before they can become laws?

4. Is the House of Commons made up of 650 or of 700 elected members?

5. What do Members of Parliament represent?

6. The political parties choose candidates in elections, don’t they?

7. How can a new bill become a law?

8. Who forms the Cabinet Ministers?

9. What are the main political parties in Great Britain today?

2. AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE STATEMENTS.

USE THE FORMULAS.

согласие		возражение
Yes, indeed.	Да, действительно.	Not at all.	Совсем нет.
Certainly, yes.	Конечно, да.	Of course, no.	Конечно, нет.

1. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy.

2. The monarch has great power.

3. British Parliament is represented by the House of Commons.

4. The monarch signs the bills.

5. The House of Commons is made up of 900 elected members.

6. The leader of the majority party usually becomes the Prime Minister.

7. The largest minority party becomes the Opposition.

8. The House of Lords consists of more than 2 thousand hereditary lords and peers.

9. The House of Lords has very little power.

10. The two main political parties in Great Britain are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party.

3. Retell the text.