The Political system of great Britain

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. Its constitution is partly unwritten and is flexible. It is also based on customs and traditions. The constitution's basic sources are legislative acts of Parliament and decisions made by courts of law. The head of state is a reigning monarch. But he/she can act only on the advice of his/her ministers.

The Parliament is the supreme law-making body in the country. It consists of the monarch, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. British parliamentary system is one of the oldest in the world, it developed slowly during 13th century after King John's signature of Magna Carta in 1215. The House of Commons has 651 elected and paid Members of Parliament (MPs) - 524 from England, 72 from Scotland, 38 from Wales and 17 from Northern Ireland. They are elected for 5 years but the Prime Minister can call general elections at any time. The House of Lords is made up of the hereditary and appointed peers (Lords Temporal), 2 archbishops and 24 bishops of the Church of England (Lords Spiritual). The major part of Parliament's work is revising the Government's work.

The right to vote is given to all citizens at the age of 18. Citizens vote in parliamentary and local elections and also in elections to the European Parliament. Each member of the House of Commons represents one parliamentary constituency.

The Government is the supreme executive power and is formed by the party which has the majority in the House of Commons. The Queen appoints its leader as the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister appoints his/her Cabinet (a group of main ministers) and also about 25 ministers outside the cabinet, as well as 50 junior ministers. The Cabinet takes decisions on major policy, plans and lays before Parliament all important bills. The second largest party forms the official Opposition with its leader and a "shadow cabinet"- an alternative government, ready to take office at any time. The leader of the Opposition is paid an official salary.

Задание 2: найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих слов и словосочетаний.

Основные источники конституции, законодательные акты, верховный законотворческий орган, потомственные и назначенные пэры, право голоса, представлять избирательный округ, местные выборы, назначить премьер-министром, теневой кабинет.

Задание 3: дайте ответы на вопросы к тексту.

1. What type of state is Britain?

2. How can you characterize British constitution?

3. What is Parliament?

4. Who is given the right to vote?

5. What is Government and what is it formed by?

Задание 4: поставьте вопросы всех типов к данному предложению.

Each member of the House of Commons represents one parliamentary constituency.

Задание 5: раскройте скобки, употребляя необходимую видо-временную форму глагола.

1.Jason (to join) the police force when he was 19. 2. Two plainclothes policemen (to wait) outside in an unmarked car for an hour yesterday. 3. Uniformed officers (to arrive) to an incident in Victor Road before the doctors were there. 4. The police (to carry out) an investigation of a number of bank robberies now. 5. Since last year, he (to commit) at least three further offences.

Задание 6: переведите предложения из активного залога в пассивный.

1.They released him on bail of 10,000$. 2. This weеk police has arrested William Loeb and charged him with rape. 3. The jury will return Mr. West guilty of several robberies. 4. The police are holding the man in custody in connection with the robbery. 5. He had committed several robberies in the neighborhood.

Задание 7: переведите юридические термины. Составьте собственные предложения с 5 из них.

Задание 8: подставьте модальные глаголы must, can, may, must, need to.

1.The government … evolve new policies to reduce unemployment. 2. Where … I find the nearest police department. 3. You don’t … call this witness, we have already recorded his evidence. 4. He … have witnessed the crime if he describes the details. 5. The trial … accuse him of being his brother’s accomplice.

VARIANT 6

Задание 1: прочитайте и переведите текст.