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making process with the goal of enacting the legislative agenda of their political party. In an executive capacity, the Prime Minister appoints (and may dismiss) all other cabinet members and ministers, and co-ordinates the policies and activities of all government departments, and the staff of the Civil Service. The Prime Minister also acts as the public "face" and "voice" of Her Majesty's Government, both at home and abroad. (Sole) upon the advice of the Prime Minister, the Sovereign exercises many statutory and prerogative powers: they include the (dissolve) of Parliament; high judicial, political, official and ecclesiastical appointments; and the conferral of peerages, (knight), decorations and other honours.

The modern Prime Minister is the leader of a major political party with millions of followers.

The modern Prime Minister is also the leader of the Cabinet. The modern Cabinet is a group of ministers who formulate policies. As the political heads of government departments, Cabinet Ministers ensure that policies are carried out by permanent civil (serve). Although the modern Prime Minister selects Ministers, appointment still rests with the Sovereign. With the Prime Minister as its leader, the Cabinet forms the executive branch of government.

British governments (or Ministries) are generally formed by one party. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are usually all members of the same political party, almost always the one that has a majority of seats in the House of Commons. "One party government", as this system is sometimes called, has been the general rule for almost three hundred years.

In (add) to being the leader of a great political party and the head of Her Majesty's Government, the modern Prime Minister is the leader of the House of Commons. From this commanding position, the Prime Minister directs the lawmaking process, enacting into law his party’s programme.

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Throughout the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister outranks all other dignitaries except members of the Royal Family, the Lord Chancellor, and senior ecclesiastical functionaries.

The Prime Minister is (customary) a member of the Privy Council and thus entitled to the appellation "The Right Honourable". (Member) of the Council is retained for life. It is a constitutional convention that only a Privy Counsellor can be appointed Prime Minister.

While in office, the Prime Minister (official) resides at 10 Downing Street in London and is also entitled to use the country house of Chequers in Buckinghamshire. At present the Prime Minister receives £142,500 including a salary of £65,737 as a Member of Parliament.

Upon (retire), it is customary for the Sovereign to grant a Prime Minister some honour or dignity. The honour commonly, but not (vary), bestowed is membership of the United Kingdom's most senior order of chivalry, the Order of the Garter. It has also been common for Prime Ministers to be granted a (peer) upon (retire) from the Commons, which elevates the individual to the House of Lords.

Task 19. Study the following words and word combinations and say how they are related to the Prime Minister’s work.

To be accountable for, to be appointed on, to command a majority, to wield powers, the law-making process, to enact the legislative agenda, to exercise powers, the dissolution of Parliament, ecclesiastical appointments, to formulate policies, one-party government, to outrank, the Privy Council, to reside at, to grant some honour.

Task 20. Find the words in the text definitions of which are given below:

a)to have a higher rank than other members of the same group;

b)a person holding a high position, especially in public life;

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c)the most important official in the legal system of England and Wales. He gives legal advice to the King or Queen, chooses new judges and decides whether or not a law needs to be changed. He is also the Speaker of the House of Lords and n important member of the UK government;

d)having the power and duty to make laws;

e)responsible; having to give an explanation for one’s actions;

f)the person with the highest power in a country;

g)all the people in a country or an area who have the right to vote;

h)the holder of an official position, especially a political one;

i)a group of members of any of five noble ranks Baron, Viscount, Earl, Marquis and Duke who have the right to sit in the House of Lords;

j)the rank, title or state of a noble man trained to fight, especially on horseback;

k)connected with the Christian Church, especially with its formal and established organization;

l)having the power to carry out government decisions and laws.

Task 21. Fill in the gaps with the suitable words and word combinations from the list below:

The Prime Minister has considerable individual ________ to introduce and control policies, and to change the Cabinet by appointing new ________, sacking old ones, or ’reshuffling’ the Cabinet by moving its members to other Cabinet posts.

The Cabinet is ________ for deciding policies and controlling and coordinating ________. It meets in private and its discussions are secret. When a policy has been decided, an individual minister must either support it or ________, because the Cabinet acts as one body with ‘collective responsibility’.

Words: power, ministers, responsible, government administration, resign.

Task 22. Choose appropriate expressions concerning the Prime Minister and use them in the sentences of your own:

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A busy person, working hours are not limited, running the Government, to make laws, is not elected, leader of the majority party, civil servant, representing the nation in political matters, providing money for government, the leader of the political party, urgent situation, the last resort to solve the problem, to select ministers, to give advice to the President, all executive authority, authority is exercised, to determine business, to assign business, to be the link between the President and the Cabinet, to guide the Ministers, to exercise general supervision, to shape domestic and foreign policies, the Head of Her Majesty’s Government, to guide law-making process, executive capacity.

Task 23. Give as much information as possible on the given items 1-4.

1)the Prime Minister as the head of her Majesty’s government;

2)the Prime Minister as a leader of the House of Commons;

3)the Prime Minister as a member of the Privy Council;

4)the Prime Minister upon retirement.

Task 24. Compare the work of the Prime Minister in England with the work of the Prime Minister in Russia. Point out differences and similarities.

Did the Prime Minister help Miss MacTaggart to solve her problem? What should he have done?

While speaking, use the following expressions and linking words:

Task 25. Group discussion. Discuss the following utterances and statements with your group-mate. Say whether you agree or disagree with them and why. Give your arguments.

1.Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility. (Peter Ducker)

2.A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.

3.The heart of a statesman must be in his head.

4.However hard people try, laws are always insufficient.

5.All laws are situational. They suit only a particular place at a particular time.

While speaking, use expressions from Task 22, Episode 5 and the following

expressions:

Expressing opinion

I believe / think / suppose / reckon / consider / guess … In my opinion / to my mind …

As far as I’m concerned … My view / opinion is that … As I see / view it …

All things considered I must say that … Generally speaking …

Linking words

On the one hand … On the other hand … First(ly) / Second(ly)/ Third(ly) … Then … Next … Finally / Lastly …

Moreover / Furthermore / Also / Besides this / In addition to … All in all / To sum up / in conclusion …

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4.Библиография

1.Валдавина С.Э. English for Law Students : учеб. англ. яз. для ст-ов юр. спец-тей / С.Э. Валдавина, Л.В. Кузнецова. – М.: ГИС, 2003. – 352с.

2.Гуманова Ю.Л. Just English. Английский для юристов. Базовый курс: учеб. пособие для юр. вузов / Ю.Л. Гуманова, В.А. КоролёваМакАри, М.Л. Свешникова, Е.В. Тихомирова. Под ред. Т.Н. Шишкиной. – 6-е изд., стер. – М.: КНОРУС, 2009. – 256с.

3.Колонтаевская И.Ф. Англо-русский криминально-юридический словарь / И.Ф. Колонтаевская. – М.: Ассоциация авторов и издателей «Тандем». Издательство «ЭКМОС», 2000. – 192с.

4.Мюллер В.К. Новый англо-русский словарь: Ок. 200000 слов и словосочетаний / В.К. Мюллер. – 12-е изд., стереотип. – М.: Рус. яз. –

Медиа, 2005 – XIV, 945, [1]с.

5.Смирницкий А.И. Большой русско-английский словарь / Ахманова О.С., Выгодская З.С., Горбунова Т.П., Ротштейн Н.Ф., Таубе А.М. Под ред. Ахмановой О.С. – М.: Рус. яз.- Медия, 2006. – 727, [9]с.

6.Hornby A.S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of current English / A.S. Hornby. – Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. – 1541p.

7.Powell R. Law Today / R. Powel – England: Longman Group FE Ltd, 1993. – 128p.

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Учебное издание

Зотова Анна Борисовна

MISS MACTAGGART AND THE PRIME MINISTER

PART III

Учебно-методическое пособие для вузов

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