Text 1 The System of Government

In theory, the constitution has three branches: Parliament, the government, and the law courts. The British Parliament makes laws. The government "executes" laws, that is puts them into effect. The law courts interpret laws. Although the Queen is officially head of all three branches, she has little direct power.

The British Parliament is bicameral consisting of two parts: the Commons and the Lords. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the voters of 650 constituencies. They are known as MPs, or Members of Parliament. The Prime Minister, or leader of the Government, is also an MP. He is the leader of the political party with a majority in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister is advised by his Cabinet consisting of about twenty other ministers. The Cabinet includes the ministers in charge of major government departments or ministries.

The House of Lords consists of the Lords Temporal and the Lords Spiritual and the Lords of Appeal (Law Lords). The Lords Spiritual are Archbishops of York and Canterbury, together with twenty-four senior bishops of the Church of England. The Lords Temporal are hereditary peers, and life peers who are appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Government for various services to the nation. The Law Lords become life peers on their judicial appointments. They serve the House of Lords as the ultimate court of appeal. This appeal court consists of some nine Law Lords who hold senior judicial office. They are presided by the Lord Chancellor and they form a quorum of three to five when they hear appeal cases.

Notes:

Lords Temporal	– светские члены палаты лордов
the Lords Spiritual	– епископы – члены парламента
the Lords of Appeal (Law Lords)	– лорды-судьи (судебные лорды)

Task I. Answer the questions on the text.

1. What does the government do?

2. What is the main function of the British Parliament?

3. What is the mission of the law courts?

4. What is the Queen or King?

5. How many ministers are there in the Cabinet?

6. What Lords does the Upper House (the House of Lords) include?

7. How many Law Lords are there in the Upper House?

Task II. Complete the following sentences.

1. The Parliament, the government and the law courts are the main … .

2. The British Parliament is composed of two … .

3. There are 650 members of the House of Commons since they are … .

4. The Prime Minister is usually the … .

5. The Lords Spiritual are … .

6. The Lords Temporal are … .

7. The Law Lords are … .

8. The Law Lords form the highest Court of Appeal and they are … .

Task III*. Render the above text in English using this table.

The System of Government
Sovereign the monarch is head of government, she / he makes laws with Parliament she / he is head of the courts
Government | Cabinet | Chairman: Prime Minister | Ministers – Treasury, Foreign Office, Home Office, etc.	Parliament
	House of Lords | Chairman: Lord Chancellor | Lords – Temporal Spiritual (2 archbishops and 24 senior bishops) Law Lords (9 senior judicial officials)	House of Commons | Chairman: Speaker | 650 MPs