Text 2 Great Britain - a Constitutional Monarchy

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, and the Crown is a permanent institution. According to the Constitution, the powers of the Crown are very great. Every action of the government is carried out in its name.

But the Queen cannot act independently. She may exercise these powers only on the advice of her ministers, who are responsible politically to Parliament.

In Britain they look to the Queen not only as their head of State, but also as the "symbol of their nation's unity". The seat of the monarchy is in the United Kingdom. The Queen personifies the State. The Queen reigns but does not rule. She never vetoes bills passed by Parliament. Although the Queen is deprived of actual power, she has retained many important, though formal, functions.

The Queen is Head of the Commonwealth of Nations where she is represented by the Governor-General appointed by her on the advice of the government of the country concerned and completely independent on the British government. The Commonwealth at present is an association of 54 states. Alongside with Britain and such developed countries as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, it includes large developing countries as India, Nigeria and very small states as Nauru (population – 8,000), as well as dependent territories, like Bermuda, Gibraltar and others. The Commonwealth does not formulate central policies on economic and foreign affairs. However, there is considerable consultation and cooperation between the member states of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is not a federation, because there is no central government, no common defence force, judiciary and no rigid obligations between the members. Nevertheless all the members of the Commonwealth have a broad community of interests. They are bound together by a common sense of ideals and a common interest in the maintenance of peace, freedom and security.

Task 1. Ask questions on the text to make a plan of it.

Task 2. Comment on the underlined words. Think grammatically.

SELF-STUDYING

Ex. 1. Choose which word fits best.

1. In Britain the Queen is the … head of state, but in fact the PM and his Cabinet … .

a) form; b) formalize; c) formal;

a) governor; b) govern; c) government;

2. He really holds very … position in the government.

a) power; b) empower; c) powerful;

3. This Parliament Act was in fact … .

a) lawless; b) law; c) lawyer;

4. The government took a number of … measures.

a) preventive; b) prevent; c) prevention;

5. The Bill of Rights includes … rights and liberties.

a) vary; b) variety; c) various;

6. One of the three main governmental branches is the … one.

a) legislator; b) legislative; c) legislate.

Ex. 2. Insert "it is / there is (are)".

1. … too late to go to the library.

2. … no mistake in my test.

3. … difficult to study English.

4. … a new cadet in our group.

5. … several questions on the home text.

6. … impossible to read this text without a dictionary.

7. … many things that interest me greatly.

8. … no time to talk.

Ex. 3. Fill in the sentences with "some, any, no". Mind! Several variants are possible.

1. I have … interesting news for you.

2. We are so busy. We have … time to speak to you.

3. Do you want … tea?

4. Do you have … English records?

5. My friend has … French newspapers at home.

6. You may ask … question you want.

7. I bought this book without … difficulty.

8. May I have … water, please?

9. The test is very easy. … .cadet can do it.

10. I have got … friends in this town.

Ex. 4. Insert "a lot of, much / many, (a) little / (a) few".

1. I always spend … time to read for exams.

2. Do you have … friends in this town?

3. We didn’t spend … money our last trip.

4. Hurry up! We have got … time.

5. As he is not popular in this group, he has … real friends.

6. Have you got any money? – Yes, I’ve got … .

7. I enjoy my life here because I have … relatives here and we meet very often.

8. I last saw my friend … days ago.

9. This bike cost me … money.

10. Please, Don’t make so … noise.

Ex . 5. Define the function of "one".

a) числительное – один, -на, -но

b) неопределенное местоимение – не переводится

c) слово-заместитель

1. The USA government consists of three branches: the executive one, the legislative one, and the judicial one.

2. The US Constitution says that each state, no matter how small in population, must have at least one Representative.

3. One can say that lobbyists in the American legislation are very more influential than the Congressmen.

4. The district courts are the lowers ones in the Federal court system.

5. One should say that politics in the USA as in many other countries is "a commercial enterprise as any other one".

Ex. 6. Choose the correct alternative.

1. We … have five exams next term.

a) have; b) ‘ll have had; c) ‘ll have;

2. I do not think I … out tonight.

a) ‘ll go; b) go; c) ‘ll have gone;

3. Tomorrow at this time we … in the lab.

a) ‘ll work; b) ‘ll have been working; c) ‘ll be working;

4. Tomorrow I … see you again.

a) ‘ll see; b) ‘ll have seen; c) ‘ll have been seeing;

5. By the time you come, we … a report already.

a) ‘ll have made; b) ‘llbe making; c) ‘ll make;

6. I … already the new words before you come.

a) ‘ll learn; b) ‘ll have learned/learnt; c) ‘ll be learning;

7. When you phone me, I … the text for an hour.

a) ‘ll have been translating; b) ‘ll translate; c) ‘ll have translated;

8. I … you when I … .

a) ‘ll phone / come; b) ‘ll phone / ‘ll come; c) phone / ’ll come;

9. Tomorrow at 9 a.m. Helen … at her office.

a) is; b) ‘ll be; c) ‘ll have been;

10. Don’t phone between 6 and 7 p.m. We … supper then.

a) ‘ll be having; b) ‘ll have; c) ‘ll have had.

Ex. 7. Define the functions of the Gerund and choose the right translation.

a) подлежащее

b) часть сказуемого

c) дополнение

d) определение

e) обстоятельство

1. Responsibility for governing is shared between the states and the federal government.

a) управление; b) управляющий; c) управлять;

2. One of the chief functions of a party is organizing elections.

a) организующий; b) путем организации; c) организация / организовывать;

3. The Senator apologized for his being late.

a) опаздывать; b) опоздание; c) опоздавший;

4. The Vice-President recognizes the Senator by looking at him and saying: "The Senator from …" and names the state from which the Senator comes.

a) тем, что смотрит и говорит; b) смотря и сказав; c) смотрящий и говорящий;

5. When in the minority, keeping a check on the party in office is one of the main duties of a party.

a) контроль / контролировать; b) путем контроля; c) контролируя.

Ex. 8. Fill in the blanks with the words from the box. Mind! Some words are odd ones.

1. Congress 2. governments 3. established 4. judiciary 5. divided

6. laws 7. lower 8. branches 9. applied 10. upper

11. legislative 12. powers 13. majority 14. provided 15. election

1. The USA Constitution …(1) the country’s political system and is the basis for its …(2) .

2. The US Constitution principles can be …(3) and interpreted differently at different times.

3. The US Constitution gives certain …(4) to the federal and state …(5) and others to both.

4. The US government is …(6) into three …(7).

5. The …(8) branch is represented by …(9) composed of two parts.

6. The members of the …(10) House face …(11) every two years.

7. The federal …(12) is comprised of a Supreme Court and a series of lower courts.

LESSON 4

Topic: Judicial System and Kinds of Law

Text A: An Introduction to Law

Text B: Court Systems of the English-Speaking Countries

Text C: The Court System of England and Wales

Phonetics: Sounds [ s ] [z] [k] [dʒ] [e] [aiә] [au]

Grammar: Passive Voice