Text a government system of Great Britain

(1) The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch (a king or a queen) as its Head of State. The monarch reigns with the support of the Parliament. The powers of the monarch are not defined precisely. Everything is done in the Queen’s name, however on the advice of the elected Government, and the monarch takes no part in the decision – making process.

(2) The legislative power in the country is exercisedby the Houses of Parliament. The British Parliamentis the highest law-making authority in Britain, which consistsof two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords is composed of hereditary and life peers and peeresses. The Сhairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor who sits on a special seat called the woolsack. The members of the House of Commons are elected by the people. They are elected from the constituencies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The House of Commons is the real governing body of the UK. The House of Commons is presided over by the Speaker, a member acceptable to the whole House.

(3) The executive power is implemented by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The government is really formed by the political party, which is supported by the majority in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is the majority party leader and is appointed by the Queen. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 ministers to form the Cabinetof Ministers. The Cabinetis a group of chief ministers acting as advisers to a monarch but making all major political decisions of the government and forming government policy. The functions of Prime Minister are: running the government, appointing the Cabinet of Ministers, representing the nation in political matters and leading the majority party. Each minister is responsible for a particular area of the government.

(4) The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and the Shadow Cabinet. The two leading parties in Great Britain are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. The Conservative Party is the most powerful and is often called a party of business directors.

(5) The judicial branch of the government determines common law and is independent on both the legislative and the executive branches. The English Constitution is “unwritten” from the standpoint of constitutional lawyers, as it is not codified as a whole in any particular document. The English Constitution is flexible because the Parliament can “make or unmake” any law.

СЛОВАРЬ АКТИВНОЙ ЛЕКСИКИ:

legislative power законодательная власть

the Houses of Parliament Британский парламент

the House of Lords палата лордов

the House of Commons палата общин

hereditary peer наследственный пэр

life peer пожизненный пэр

peeress (n) женщина, имеющая титул пэра, член

палаты лордов

Lord Chancellor лорд- канцлер (один из ведущих членов

кабинета, спикер палаты лордов)

woolsack (n) красная подушка,

набитая шерстью, на которой сидит

лорд- канцлер; (обычай сохранился с XIVв.,

когда шерсть была важнейшей статьей

английского экспорта)

constituency (n)избирательный округ

executive power исполнительная власть, правительство

the Shadow Cabinet “Теневой кабинет” - парламентский

комитет главной оппозиционной партии

judicial branch судебная власть

common law общее право (в Англии, как совокупность

прецедентного и статутного права)

codify (v) кодифицировать, систематизировать

ЗАДАНИЯ К ТЕКСТУ

I. Прочитайте текст. Укажите, какое из приведенных ниже утверждений соответствует содержанию текста T (true), а какое не соответствует F (false); сделайте необходимые исправления:

1.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland T/ F

is a presidential republic.

2.The monarch takes the most active part in the decision – making

process. T/ F

3. The House of Lords is the real governing body of the UK. T/ F

4. The Cabinet makes all major decisions of the Government. T/ F

5. There are two leading parties in Great Britain. T/ F

II. Найдите в тексте ответы на следующие вопросы:

1. What does the term “constitutional monarchy” mean?

______________________________________________________

2. How are the members of the House of Commons elected?

______________________________________________________

3. What is the Shadow Cabinet?

______________________________________________________

4. What body exercises the legislative power of the country?

_________________________________________________________

5. What are the most peculiar characteristics of the British Constitution?

_______________________________________________________

III. Дополните предложения словами и выражениями из текста:

1. The _____ _____ is exercised by the Prime Minister and his _____.

2. There are twenty ministers in the _____ of _____.

3. _____ _____ is appointed by the Queen.

4. The House of Commons is _____ over by the _____, a member acceptable

to the whole House.

5. The British Parliamentis the _____ _____ _____ in Britain, which

consistsof two chambers: the House of _____ and the House of _____.

IV. Заполните пропуски соответствующими предлогами, где необходимо:

1. to be governed ____ the Parliament

2. to be done ____ the Queen’s name

3. to act ____ the advice ____

4. to consist ____ two chambers

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