Comprehension check

1. What are the main roles of the lawyer in factual investigation?

2. What does the art of negotiation involve?

3. Who are the judges in federal courts appointed by?

4. What are the main functions of the jury?

The geography of the uk Warming-up questions

1. Where is UK situated?

2. What countries is U.K. made of?

3. What is the capital of U.K.?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland comprises the four countries of England, Scotland (including the Orkney and Shetland Islands), Wales and Northern Ireland. Their capitals are London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

The chief regional administrative units are called “countries” in England and Wales, “regions” in Scotland, and “districts” in Northern Ireland. In addition there are “Dependencies” of the Crown.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the official name of the state which is sometimes referred to as Great Britain or Britain (after its major isle), England (after its major historic part) or the British Isles.

Great Britain is situated on the British Isles. The British Isles consist of two large islands, Great Britain (in which are England, Wales and Scotland) and Ireland (in which are Northern Ireland and the independent Irish Republic), and 5,500 smaller islands.

The North Sea, the Strait of Dover (or Pas de Calais), and the English Channel (or La Manche) separate Great Britain from the European continent. The western coast of Great Britain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea.

The surface of the British Isles varies very much. It is flat in Eastern England, Scotland and Wales are hilly and mountainous. The main mountain ranges are:

• the Pennines (the backbone of England);

• the Cheviot Hills;

• the Cambrian Mountains (Wales);

• the Highlands of Scotland.

There are sixteen lakes to the north-west of England. This part of the country, called the Lake District, is the most beautiful part of Great Britain.

There are many rivers in Britain. England’s best known river is, of course, the Thames which flows through Oxford where it becomes navigable on through London, and finally out to the North Sea ending in its broad estuary over 8km wide. It is also the longest, at 346km.

The river Severn is the longest in total, but its source is in the mountains of Wales, and the parts which run through England are shorter than the Thames. So the most important rivers of England are the Thames, the Trent and the Severn.

Comprehension check

1. Are there any high mountains in Great Britain?

2. What are the most developed industries in the country?

3. What are the fivers and lakes of Britain?

4. What important industrial centres do you know in Great Britain?

The political system of the uk Warming-up questions

1. Do the British need a queen if she doesn’t rule?

2. Is the political system of the UK complicated? Why?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy.

This means that it has a king or a queen as its Head of State. The present British monarch is Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch has very few functions and can only reign with the support of Parliament, which consists of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The supreme legislative power is vested in the Parliament, which sits for 5 years unless sooner dissolved. House of Commons is the real governing body of the UK, it introduces new bills. Then they go to the House of Lords for approval, and finally the monarch signs them. Only then they can become laws.

The House of Commons has 650 popularly elected members, known as Members of Parliament (or MPs), each of whom represents an area of the UK.

The executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and his cabinet. The government is usually formed by the political party which is supported by the majority in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party that has a majority in the House of Commons. Each new Prime Minister can make changes in the size of his cabinet, appoint new ministers and make other changes.

The Prime Minister takes policy decisions with the agreement of his ministers. He holds Cabinet Meetings at his official residence at No 10 Downing Street which is very near the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.

The Power of the Cabinet is controlled by Parliament. Each minister is responsible for a particular area of government. For example, the Minister of Defence is responsible for defence 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.

The judiciary branch of the government determines common law and is independent both the legislative and the executive branches.

There is no written constitution in Great Britain, only precedents and traditions.