Добавил:
ivanov666
Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз:
Предмет:
Файл:English for Law Enforcement Professionals (Английский язык для сотрудников правоохранительных органов). Ч.1. Учебное пособие
.pdf
Тема 14.
«Властный и ценностный свод законов» Великобритании
14.1. Прочитайте и переведите текст.
Uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom
The Constitution of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland consists of almost 300 legal acts, that is, no single document, which is
the Constitution of the country.It is known that the Constitution as the fundamental law of the country, sets up framework for legislation, it determines
the rights and obligations of the state and society. Countries such as the United Kingdom, Israel and New Zealand do not have a single document as the
Constitution, instead they have a set of laws and customs. Amendments to
any of these documents is estimated as changes to the Constitution.
Unlike most modern states, Britain does not have a codified constitu-
tion but an unwritten one formed of Acts of Parliament, court judgments and
conventions.
For most people, especially abroad, the United Kingdom does not have
a constitution at all in the sense most commonly used around the world – a
document of fundamental importance setting out the structure of government
and its relationship with its citizens. All modern states, saving only the UK,
New Zealand and Israel, have adopted a documentary constitution of this
kind, the first and most complete model being that of the United States of
America in 1788. However, in Britain we certainly say that we have a constitution, but it is one that exists in an abstract sense, comprising a host of diverse laws, practices and conventions that have evolved over a long period of
time. The key landmark is the Bill of Rights (1689), which established the
supremacy of Parliament over the Crown following the forcible replacement
of King James II (r.1685–88) by William III (r.1689–1702) and Mary
(r.1689–94) in the Glorious Revolution (1688).
From a comparative perspective, we have what is known as an ‘un-
written constitution’, although some prefer to describe it as ‘uncodified’ on
the basis that many of our laws of a constitutional nature are in fact written
down in Acts of Parliament or law reports of court judgments. This aspect
of the British constitution, its unwritten nature, is its most distinguishing
characteristic.
Features of Britain’s unwritten constitution
191
There are a number of associated characteristics of Britain’s unwrit-
ten constitution, a cardinal one being that in law Parliament is sovereign in
the sense of being the supreme legislative body. Since there is no documentary constitution containing laws that are fundamental in status and superior to ordinary Acts of Parliament, the courts may only interpret parliamentary statutes. They may not overrule or declare them invalid for being
contrary to the constitution and ‘unconstitutional’. So, too, there are no entrenched procedures (such as a special power of the House of Lords, or the
requirement of a referendum) by which the unwritten constitution may be
amended. The legislative process by which a constitutional law is repealed,
amended or enacted, even one dealing with a matter of fundamental political importance, is similar in kind to any other Act of Parliament, however
trivial its subject matter.
Another characteristic of the unwritten constitution is the special sig-
nificance of political customs known as ‘conventions’, which oil the
wheels of the relationship between the ancient institutions of state. These
are unwritten rules of constitutional practice, vital to our politics, the workings of government, but not committed into law or any written form at all.
The very existence of the office of Prime Minister, our head of government, is purely conventional. So is the rule upon which he or she is appointed, being whoever commands the confidence of the House of Commons (the majority party leader, or head of a coalition of parties).
The Monarchy is one of the three components of Parliament (short-
hand for the Queen-in-Parliament) along with Commons and Lords. In legal theory, the Queen has absolute and judicially unchallengeable power to
refuse her assent to a Bill passed by the two Houses of Parliament. However, convention dictates the precise opposite and in practice she automatically gives her assent to any government Bill that has been duly passed and
agreed by Parliament. Another important convention is that government
ministers must have a seat in Parliament (and, in the case of the Prime
Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, specifically in the House of
Commons) in order to hold office. This is a vital aspect of what is known
as the ‘Westminster system of parliamentary government’, providing a direct form of executive responsibility and accountability to the legislature.
The written documents of our unwritten constitution
192
There is irony in the fact that the United Kingdom today does not
have a written constitution, yet historically it has had a rich heritage of pioneering constitutional charters and documentation. First and foremost is
Magna Carta (1215), the ‘Great Charter of the Liberties of England’. This
established the principle that our rulers, at that time the king, could not do
whatever they liked, but were subject to the law as agreed with the barons
they governed. This simple concept laid the foundations for constitutional
government and freedom under the law. Insofar as Magna Carta was ‘the
first great public act of the nation’, it also established the direction of travel
for our political system towards representative institutions and, much later,
democracy itself.
In 1258, the Provisions of Oxford, sometimes referred to as the first
ever written constitution, provided for a Council of twenty-four members
through whom the King should govern, to be supervised by a Parliament.
This was convened for the first time in 1264 by Simon de Montfort (d.
1265). During the constitutional conflicts of the 17th century, the Petition
of Right (1628) relied on Magna Carta for its legal basis, setting out rights
and liberties of the subject including freedom from arbitrary arrest and
punishment. The Bill of Rights (1689) then settled the primacy of Parlia-
ment over the monarch’s prerogatives, providing for the regular meeting of
Parliament, free elections to the Commons, free speech in parliamentary
debates, and some basic human rights, most famously freedom from ‘cruel
or unusual punishment’. This was shortly followed by the Act of Settlement (1701) which controlled succession to the Crown, and established the
vital principle of judicial independence.
Over the past century there have been a number of Acts of Parlia-
ment on major constitutional subjects that, taken together, could be viewed
as creating a tier of constitutional legislation, albeit patchy in their range
and with no special status or priority in law. They include:
The Parliament Acts (1911–49) that regulate the respective powers of
the two Houses of Parliament.
The Representation of the People Acts (1918) (as amended) provid-
ing for universal voting and other matters of political representation.
The European Communities Act (1972) making the UK a legal partner
in the European Union.
193
The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland devolution Acts of 1998 (as
amended) creating an executive and legislature for each of those three nations
in the UK.
The Human Rights Act (1998) establishing a bill of rights and freedoms
actionable by individuals through the courts.
Recently, too, some conventions have been subject to an ad hoc codifica-
tion, such as the principles of ministerial responsibilities in the Ministerial
Code.
Should the UK have a written constitution?
The question then arises in this 800th anniversary year – should the UK
now take steps to codify all its laws, rules and conventions governing the gov-
ernment of the country into one comprehensive document, ‘a new Magna
Carta’? The case for a written UK constitution has been debated at our univer-
sities and by politicians of all parties for several decades and has been the subject of a House of Commons committee inquiry during the 2010–15 Parlia-
ment. If a written constitution for the future is to be prepared, it must be one
that engages and involves everyone, especially young people, and not simply
legal experts and parliamentarians. Some of the mystique and charm of our ancient constitution might be lost in the process, but a written constitution could
bring government and the governed closer together, above all by making the
rules by which our political democracy operates more accessible and intelligible to all.
14.2. Найдите следующие слова и словосочетания в тексте:
единый документ; состоит из; известно, что; определяет; в то вре-
мя; государство и общество; вместо этого; свод законов и традиций; кодифицированная конституция; структура правительства; взаимоотноше-
ния с гражданами; установлен; в отличие от большинства современных
государств; конвенции; содержащие законы; политические традиции,
глава правительства, абсолютная власть, исторически богатое наследие, в
то время.
14.3. Составьте собственные предложения, используя следующие
слова и словосочетания:
no single document, a set of laws and customs, the past century, a rich
heritage, the United Kingdom, judicial independence, the key landmark.
194
Grammar review
14.4. Переведите глаголы и составьте с ними предложения в лю-
бом времени системы Simple (Indefinite):
to patrol, to maintain, to punish, to establish, to adopt, to violate, to in-
terfere, to make law, to set.
14.5. Спросите партнера и выслушайте его ответ:
Пример: I will go to the cinema on Saturday.
Will you go to the cinema on Saturday? – Yes, I will. (No, I won't).
1. He will read the newspaper in the evening.
2. She will see my friend tomorrow.
3. They will do it next time.
4. We will come late.
5. He will take the book from the library.
6. I will give you my copy-book in 3 days.
7. You will ask the teacher about it.
8. I will play tennis on Sunday.
9. They will go to Yaroslavl next month.
14.6. Раскройте скобки, употребляя глаголы в Future Simple (Indef-
inite):
I want to get a medical checkup. I (to go) to my doctor tomorrow.
He (to give) me a complete examination.
The nurse (to lead) me into one of the examination rooms.
I (to take) off my clothes and (to put) on a hospital gown.
Dr. Setton (to come) in, (to shake) my hand, and (to say) "hello".
I (to stand) on his scale so he,-can measure my height and-my weight.
He (to take) my pulse.
Then he (to take) my blood pressure.
After he takes my blood pressure, he (to take) some blood for a blood
analysis.
14.7. Напишите вопросительные (?), отрицательные (-) и утвер-
дительные (+) предложения:
they / win (-)
the meeting / be long (?)
he / got the job (-)
195
you / see him at the party (?)
it / be impossible to park (+)
you / like the film (-)
she / love the chocolate we bought her (+)
there / be a lot of traffic at 6.00 (-)
you / can find a good job (+)
14.8. Вставьте will / won`t и один из следующих глаголов: be, do,
have, make:
"I don`t think we____ another war. This one is probably the last".
(Richard Nickson, 1971, talking about the Vietnam war)
"He ____ never ____ anything important in life".
(Albert Einsten`s teacher, said to his father, 1895)
"No film about the Civil War ____ever ______ any money".
(An MGM executive 1945, about the film Gone with the wind)
"It`s a bad joke. It_______".
(Coco Chanel, about the miniskirt)
"I don`t think there_____ a woman Prime Minister in my lifetime".
(Margaret Thatсher, 1973)
14.9. Дайте исходную форму следующих глаголов и переведите их:
did, went, knew, had, came, spoke, read, wrote, understood.
14.10. Проспрягайте следующие глаголы в прошедшем неопреде-
ленном времени (Past Simple) в единственном и множественном числе:
to do, to wash, to help, to translate, to play, to buy, to study, to get.
14.13. Раскройте скобки, употребляя глаголы в прошедшем неоп-
ределенном времени и переведите их:
1. I (to play) computer games yesterday.
2. My brother (not to play) tennis yesterday.
3. I (to go) to the cinema yesterday.
4. We (not to play) piano last Monday.
5. I (to study English) at school.
6. I (to live) in Moscow and (to work) in militia three years ago.
7. I (to ask) him about it.
14.14. Переведите предложения на английский язык:
1. Он сделал эту работу хорошо вчера.
196
2. Мы учились в этом институте пять лет назад.
3. Вчера она написала мне грустное прощальное письмо.
4. Вы читали эту книгу когда были студентами?
5. Они играли в футбол во дворе или на стадионе?
6. Он перевел и пересказал этот текст на прошлом уроке англий-
ского языка?
7. Мы не учились в этой школе.
8. Я не ездил в Москву в командировку, я был в отпуске на море.
9. Вам понравился новый фильм Тарантино?
10.Они не нашли этот учебник по уголовному праву.
14.15. Напишите эти предложения в прошедшем времени:
Например, I use the Internet – I used the Internet.
I watch TV – _____________________ _.
Do you listen to the radio? – __________.
We study English – __________________.
He doesn`t work – ___________________.
The film finishes at 7.00 – _____________.
I don`t like the film – _________________.
Does she smoke – ____________________.
They play tennis –____________________.
14.16. Напишите вопросы и Ваши утвердительные и отрицательные
ответы. Используйте настоящее простое (Present Simple) и настоящее длительное время (Present Continuous):
Например, Are you having dinner at the moment? – No, I am not.
You / read / day / a / every / newspaper.
Country / it / your / snow / in / much.
On / usually / you / do / a / homework / processor / word / on.
Now / you / coffee / drink.
Day / for / you / every / drink / breakfast / coffee.
The / you / at / work / moment.
Country / children / in / eat / your / at / lunch / school.
14.17. Раскройте скобки, употребляя глаголы в Present Perfect,
Present Continuous, Present Simple или Past Simple:
197
You (to change) so much. Anything (to happen)?
You (to read) all the books on this shelf?
I (not to see) my cousin since last year.
You (to see) Nick today? – Yes, I …. I (to see) him at the institute.
My watch (to stop). There (to be) something wrong with it.
Why you (to put) these things in the wrong place?
Why you (to leave) the door open? You will catch cold sitting in the
draught.
What you (to do) here at such a late hour? You (to write) your es-
say? – No, I (to write) it already. I (to work) on my report. – And when
you (to write) your essay? – I (to finish) it two days ago.
14.18. Найдите ошибки и исправьте их:
1. We are going swimming on Sundays. 2. I have written a book last
year. 3. He have seen this film three times. 4. Helen is not here. She’s
been to the cinema now. 5. Tom not go to the Zoo with us. 6. Swim you
well?
14.19. Найдите ошибки и исправьте их:
He loves her very much.
They have heard the new yesterday.
It didn’t happened.
She didn’t likes it.
Why did they bought the car?
He felt down the stairs yesterday.
She has felt happy yesterday.
Who you told?
Mike ate the whole cake, wasn’t it?
You must to tell me!
14.20. Найдите ошибки и исправьте их:
They maked a cake for their mother.
I not know where to go.
Where is the girl go?
Mr Smith told, "I’m so bored."
Why you look at me like that?
Mrs Priestley cleans the rooms at the moment.
198
She asked me where am I going.
Where is the boy which you was looking at?
Margaret plays the piano, isn’t she?
I have seen this film last year.
They will come, isn’t they?
Yesterday I am very ill.
He has been fallen down and broke his leg in winter.
What do you can say about your trip to London?
Фонетические упражнения
14.21. Потренируйтесь четко произносить правильный звук в
конце слова:
buzz / bʌz / bus / bʌs /
rise / raɪz / rice / raɪs /
as / æz / ass / æs /
bags / bægz / backs / bæks /
noise / nɔɪz / voice / vɔɪs /
wise / waɪz / nice / naɪs /
nose / nəʊz / overdose / ˈəʊ.və.dəʊs /
close / kləʊz / lachrymose / ˈlæk.rɪ.məʊs /
those / ðəʊz /adipose / ˈæd.ɪ.pəʊs /
blouse / blaʊz /mouse / maʊs /
advise / ədˈvaɪz / vice / vaɪs /
cause / kɔːz / sauce / sɔːs /
limbs / lɪmz / bits / bɪts /
his / hɪz / miss / mɪs /
14.21. Прочитайте скороговорки для отработки звуков:
Звук / z /
He rouses, opens his eyes, rises and goes to Zoe.
A Zulu zoologist visited Zurich zoo on Tuesday to examine doz-
ens noisy zebras, dozens lazy lizards and dozens crazy chimpanzees from a
desert on Zanzibar.
Звук / s /
Sue is sixteen this summer and Cecile was seventeen last Sunday.
199
Swan swam over the sea, swim, San, swim. Swan swam back again.
Well swum, Swan!
A single singer sings a sad song about sixty-six sisters sitting by
the sea at sunset.
Словообразование
При помощи отрицательных префиксов можно придать противополож-
ное значение существительным, прилагательным и глаголам. Этих префиксов
в английском языке достаточно много (il-, ir-, im-, in-, un-, dis- mis-, non-).
Префикс in- (im-, il-, ir-) образует слова со значением, противополож-
ным значению основы, например: correct – правильный → incorrect –
неправильный, adequate –адекватный → inadequate – неадекватный.
Перед некоторыми согласными (р, m) префикс in- может принимать
форму im-, например: possible –возможный→ impossible – невозможный,
memorial –памятный → immemorial – незапамятный, древний.
Присоединяясь к словам, начинающимся с буквы l, префикс in- прини-
мает форму il-, например: liberal – либеральный → illiberal –
нетерпимый, limitable – который можно ограничить → illimitable –
неограниченный.
Присоединяясь к словам, начинающимся с буквы r, префикс in- прини-
мает форму ir-, например: regular – регулярный → irregular –нерегулярный.
Префикс un- образует слова со значением, противоположным значе-
нию основы, например: usual – обычный → unusual – необычный, happy –
счастливый → unhappy – несчастный.
Префикс non- означает отрицание или отсутствие,
например: conductor – проводник → nononductor – непроводник, essential –
существенный → nonessential – несущественный.
Префикс dis- употребляется с прилагательными, глаголами и сущест-
вительными. Так как этот префикс может употребляться перед гласными (и
озвончаться), случаи его употребления лучше запомнить.
Прилагательные: disagreeable – неприятный, disapproved –
неодобренный, disorganized – неорганизованный.
Если слово начинается на непроизносимое [h], то перед ним может
употребляться dis-: dishonest – нечестный. Данный префикс может употребляться и перед согласными: disrespectful – непочтительный.
200
Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]