2018-01-21
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Ministers are responsible to Parliament for their department and its actions. The Commons can force a government to leave office. This happened in 1979, when the official Opposition put forward a no-confidence motion which was carried by one vote. The Government was therefore obliged to advise the Queen to dissolve Parliament and a general election followed.
One of Parliament's most prized occasions is Commons' Question Time. For roughly one hour a day, ministers are asked by MPs searching questions on major government policies. This is often the best way for MPs to probe ministers about government intentions. The Prime Minister is questioned twice a week.
Vocabulary Notes
to leave office — уйти в отставку
no-confidence — вотум недоверия
to probe — зондировать
Ex. 21. Найдите в тексте эквиваленты следующих слов и выражений.
быть ответственным; управление делами государства; партия большинства; под председательством; "теневой кабинет"; проблема; политика правительства; деятельность; распустить парламент; уйти в отставку
Ex. 22. Составьте предложения, соединив подходящие части,
the government is appointed
the government policy is formed
the laws are supported
the ministers are rejected
the "Shadow Cabinet" are selected
can be forced to leave the office
Ex. 23. Прочитайте текст и расскажите (по-английски или по-русски) о политических партиях Великобритании.
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The Political Party System
The present system relies upon the existence of organised political parties. Most candidates in elections, and almost all winning candidates, belong to one of the main parties.
For the last 150 years a two-party system has operated and since 1945 either the Conservative Party, which can trace (проследить) its origin (происхождение) to the eighteenth century, or the Labour Party, which emerged (появиться) in the last decade of the nineteenth century, has held power. A new party — the Social and Liberal Democrats (now known as the Liberal Democrats) — was formed in 1988 when members of the Liberal Party (which could trace its origins to the eighteenth century) merged (слиться) with members of the Social Democratic Party, which was itself formed in 1981.
Other parties include two nationalistic parties, Plaid Cymru (founded in Wales in 1925) and the Scottish National Party (founded in 1934). In Northern Ireland there are a number of parties; the largest of those represented in the House of Commons is the Ulster Unionist Party, which was formed in the early part of this century, and the Democratic Unionist Party, founded (основывать) in 1971 by a group which broke away from the Ulster Unionists
Parties
the Conservative Party
the Labour Party
the Liberal Democrats
Plaid Cymry (Wales)
The Scottish National Party
The Ulster Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)
Ex. 24. Поставьте знак "+" в ту графу, где обозначенная слева деяг тельность, является функцией: королевы (Q), Палаты Общин (НС) или Лордов (HL)
| Activities | Q | HC | HL |
| Legislation | |||
| Controlling finance | |||
| Giving Royal approval to laws | |||
| Hearing legal appeals | |||
| Appearing on radio and TV | |||
| Annual opening of Parliament | |||
| Running the country | |||
| Suggesting changes to the budget | |||
| Examining the work of the Government (by debates or in committees) |
Ex. 25. Расскажите по-английски, в 3-4 предложениях, как формируется правительство Великобритании.
Ex. 26. Прочитайте текст без словаря. Text 5
ELECTIONS
Britain is a democracy. Men and women over 18 years have a vote. They have the right to elect a representative to Parliament. Voting is not compulsory.
The simple majority system of voting is used in parliamentary elections in Britain. This means that the candidate with the largest number of votes in each constituency is elected, although he or she may not necessarily have received more than half the votes cast.
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A candidate is elected if he or she has a majority of votes over the next candidate. British citizens may stand and be elected as MPs (members of Parliament) if they are aged 21 or over and are not subject to any disqualification.
Those disqualified include bankrupts; people sentenced to more than one year's imprisonment; clergy of the Church of England, Church of Scotland, Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Church; peers; members of the regular armed forces, or the police service, and some others.
For electoral purposes Britain is divided into constituencies; citizens in all the various British constituencies vote for their local MP.
The British government is elected for 5 years and it is the Prime Minister who choses the date of the next General Elections. When the date is announced the Prime Minister usually asks the Queen to dissolve Parliament. So, the election campaign is launched all over the country and it usually lasts about three weeks.
Voting takes place on Polling Say. When the results are known and it becomes clear what party has a majority of seats in the House of Commons, its leader forms a government by Her Majesty's request.
Vocabulary Notes
vote — право голоса
to elect — выбирать
compulsory — обязательный
majority system — мажоритарная система
a constituency — избирательный округ
to stand — стать кандидатом
to sentence — приговаривать к...
General Election — Всеобщие выборы
to announce — объявлять
to launch an election campaign — начать избирательную кампанию
Ex. 27. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующим сочетаниям.
сформировать правительство; продолжаться около трех недель; распустить парламент; объявить дату выборов; избирательный округ;
Ex. 28. Соотнесите значения слов в левой колонке, с их эквивалентами в правой колонке.
a. choose I. come to an end
b. minority 2. a period of planned activities
с dissolve 3. a great number
d. compaign 4. a representative in the House of Commons
e. majority 5. express one's opinion during elections
f. vote 6. pick out ofsmth
g. MP 7. a small number
h. function 8. work
Ex. 29. Расположите предложения в логической последовательности так, чтобы получился пересказ текста.
1. For electoral purposes Britain is divided into constituencies.
2. When one of the parties wins, its leader is invited by the Queen to
form a government.
3. It is the Prime Minister who chooses the date of the election.
4. The majority system of voting is used in parliamentary elections
in Britain.
5. Men and women over 18 years old have the right to vote.
6. \oting takes place on Polling Day.
7. When the date of the election is known, the Prime Minister asks
the Queen to dissolve Parliament.
8. The British Government is elected for five years.
9. The election campaign is launched
Ex. 30. Переведите письменно на английский язык.
1. Великобритания является монархией, но власть королевы
не абсолютна, а конституционна.
2. Премьер-министр является лидером партии, которая имеет
большинство в Палате Общин.
3. Кабинет обычно помогает премьеру принимать полити
ческие решения.
4. Власть монополистов в Великобритании достаточно сильна.
Они имеют места в Парламенте и осуществляют давление
на Кабинет Министров.
Ex. 31. Не заглядывая в текст, вспомните те слова и выражения, которые понадобились бы вам для описания выборов в британский парламент.
Ёх. 32. Прокомментируйте по-английски следующее высказывание. "It is not the voting that is democracy, it is counting."
Unit Two
Ex. 1. Прочитайте и переведите текст, пользуясь словарем. Textl
