9. Political system of Great Britain

Great Britain is only major country in the world, which does not have a written constitution set out in a single document. The constitution in the UK is made up of Acts of Parliament, common law and conventions which may be changed by general agreement.

The British Government sits in London. Great Britain is a limited or constitutional or parliamentary monarchy headed by Queen Elizabeth II now. The Queen acts only on the advice of her Ministers. She reigns but she doesn't rule. Parliament, which consists of two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords, both of which arose during the Middle Ages, limit the power of the Queen. England was a first country to have a Parliament. The House of Lords is an out-of-date institution.

The House of Commons is elective and more powerful. The members of Parliament sit on both sides of the Speaker, the government on his right, the opposition on his left.

Most members of the government belong to the party, which wins a majority of the sits in the House of Commons. The leader of the majority party becomes the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses the Government. From the 60 ministers in the government Prime Minister chooses the smaller group of about 20, called the Cabinet. The Cabinet takes all major political decisions. At present there are four political parties in England, the Conservative (or Tory) Party, the Labour Party, the Liberal Party, the Social-Democratic Party.

Since 1867 British politics have been dominated by two major parties, the Conservative Party and the Labour Party, which both represent the ruling class.

10. Sports in the usa

In the USA today, football is the most popular sport. Baseball is now in second place among the sports people most like to watch. Both baseball and football are, of course, American developments of sports played in England. But baseball doesn’t come from cricket, as many people think. Baseball comes from baseball and has been played in America since as early as 1700. Now, it is so popular because it is “an informal neighbourhood sport”.

What makes football in the USA so different from its European cousins, rugby and soccer, is not just the size, speed and strength of its players. Rather, it is the most “scientific” of all outdoor team sports. Specific rules state what each player in each position may and may not do, and when. There are hundreds of possible “plays” (or moves) for teams on offense and defence. Because of this, American football has been called “an open-air chess game disguised as warfare”.

There are two more sports that are American in origin – volleyball and basketball. They were both first played in Massachusetts in the 1890’s, and during the First and Second World Wars American soldiers took them overseas to become popular worldwide.

There is enormous amount of live broadcasting of all different types of sports events, professional and amateur, at state, national and international levels. Surprisingly, this has not only increased interest in the sports but also increased actual attendance at the stadiums and arenas.

Ice hockey, baseball, football and basketball are the “four major sports”, though there are other sports and sports activities that attract millions of active participants. Among them are golf, swimming, tennis, marathons, track and field, bowling, archery, skiing, skating, squash and badminton, rowing and sailing, weightlifting, boxing and wrestling. Statistics shows that Americans’ favourite participatory sports are (in order of popularity): swimming, bicycling, fishing, jogging, calisthenics (gymnastics or fitness) and bowling.

The reason why so many sports are popular in the USA is that the variety and size of America and the different climates found in it have provided its people with a large choice of summer and winter sports. Most Americans, who grow up in the North, also grow up with outdoor winter sports and activities. Skating, sledding and tobogganing are equally popular there. Those who live in the south can’t imagine their life without water sports like windsurfing, scuba diving, water skiing or sailing.

In addition, public sports facilities have always been available in great number for participants. The fact that the average high school, too, offers its students a great variety of sports may have contributed to the wide and varied interest and participation of Americans in sports.

Another reason might be that Americans like competitions, by teams or as individuals, of any type. It is the challenge, some say. Others point out that American schools and colleges use sports activities a way of teaching “social values” such as teamwork, sportsmanship (that is, realization that you can always win, sometimes you may lose) and persistence. As a result, being intelligent and being good, sports are seen, as things that can go together, and as ideal, should.

One more reason is that Americans simply like sport activities. They like to play a friendly game of softball at family picnics, and “touch football” (with no tackling!) on beaches or in parks whenever a few people come together. “Shooting baskets” with friends is a favourite way to pass the time either in the friend’s driveway (the basket is over the garage door) or on some city neighbourhood court. So, Americans like their sports, for whatever reason you care to choose.