Read the text for detailed understanding.

THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION

A constitution is a set of rules which define the relationship between the various organs of government and between the government and citizens of a country.

The British Constitution is unwritten. It has never been wholly reduced to writing. An unwritten constitution is more flexible than a written one, it can be easily changed. Since Parliament is sovereign it can alter any law at any time without any special procedure.

The statement that the British Constitution is not written does not mean that this country possesses no important constitutional documents. It merely means that the constitution is not embodied in any single document, or series of documents, containing the essential constitutional laws.

Thus the UK has many enactments which either have been or still are of great importance, for example Magna Carta (1215), the Bill of Rights (1688), the Act of Settlement (1700), the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949.

Task 3

Complete the sentences with words and phrases from the box below.

set of rules reduced to sovereign unwritten

flexible is embodied alter procedure

enactments constitutional laws

1. The British Constitution ______________ not _________________ in any single document, containing the essential _____________________ ____________.

2. The British Constitution is __________________.

3. Since Parliament is ______________, it can _________________ any law at any time without any special _________________.

4. The UK has many _________________ of great importance.

5. A constitution is a ___________________which define the relationship between the government and citizens.

6. It has never been wholly __________________ writing.

7. An unwritten constitution is more _______________ than a written one.

Arrange the numbers of the sentences in the right order according to the text.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Task 4

Replace the Russian words and phrases by suitable English equivalents from the text.

A constitution is a__________________ (свод правил) which _______________(определяет) the relationship between the various organs of the government and between the government and citizens of a country.

The British Constitution is______________________ (неписаная). It has never been________________ (изложена в письменной форме). An__________________ (неписаная) constitution is more_____________ (гибкая) than a____________ (писаная) one. Parliament is_______________ («суверен»). It can________________ (изменять) any___________ (закон) without any special_______________ (процедура).

The British Constitution_________________ (не воплощена) in any documents, containing the essential_______________________ (конституционные законы). The UK has many_________________________ (законодательные акты) of great importance.

Task 5

Decide which statements are true (T) or false (F).

1. An unwritten constitution can be easily changed.

2. The British Constitution is written.

3. Parliament has no power to make laws to protect individual rights.

4. Parliament must follow a special procedure to alter any constitutional laws.

5. There are no documents containing constitutional laws in the UK.

6. An unwritten constitution is more flexible than a written constitution.

Task 6

Ask possible questions for which these sentences would be suitable answers.

Pattern: A constitution is a set of rules.

What is a constitution?

1. A constitution defines the relationship between various organs of government and between the government and citizens of a country.

2. The British Constitution is unwritten.

3. An unwritten constitution is more flexible than a written one.

4. Parliament alters any law at any time.

5. The UK has many enactments, which are of great importance.

Task 7

Read the text again and find the answers to the following questions.

1. What is a constitution?

2. Why is the British Constitution unwritten?

3. Can it be easily changed?

4. What does the statement that the British Constitution is not written mean?

5. What enactments does the UK have?

Task 8

Translate the sentences from Russian into English.

1. Конституция – это свод правил, которые определяют отношения между различными органами управления государства и между правительством и гражданами одной страны.

2. Конституция Великобритании никогда не была полностью изложена в письменной форме.

3. Неписаная конституция более гибкая, чем писаная.

4. Так как Парламент является «сувереном», он может, без всякой специальной процедуры, изменить любой закон в любое время.

5. Конституция Великобритании не представлена в форме документа или серии документов, которые содержат основные конституционные законы.

6. В Великобритании существует много законодательных актов, которые имели и все еще имеют огромное значение.

Task 9

Write what you have learned from the text about the British Constitution.