VIII. Write down the following sentences in the Indirect Speech.

1. “I cannot get into the house because I lost my key, so I have to break a window,” he said.

2. "Do you know that the shoes you are wearing aren't a pair?" I asked him.

3. “Don't forget to thank Mrs Jones when you are saying good bye to her", said his mother.

4. "What was she wearing when you saw her last?" the po­liceman asked me.

5. “Bill will do very well at the university, Mrs Dereck,” said the headmaster, “He’s done very well here.”

6. "Remember to switch off when you've finished", he said.

TEST II

I. Read the text and answer in writing the questions that follow. Britain’s System of Government

1. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, which means that the powers of the

monarch are limited by the country's constitution.

2. The British constitution, unlike that of most other countries, is an unwritten constitution, not being contained in any single legal document. It is formed partly by statute law (Acts of Parliament) and important documents (such as Magna Carta), partly by common law (a series of laws dating back to the Middle Ages), and partly by customs and conventions and can be altered by a simple Act of Parliament like any other law. The constitution thus is constantly changing in response to the interpretation of laws in the courts and the introduction of new Acts of Parliament and adapts readily to changing political conditions and ideas.

3. Under the British Constitution power is divided among three branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. Although the Queen is officially head of all three branches, she has little direct power.

4. The legislative branch in Britain is represented by Parliament, the most important democratic institution in the United Kingdom. It comprises the House of Lords (the upper chamber), the House of Commons (the lower chamber) and the Monarch as its head. The British Parliament is the oldest parliament in the world. Its main function is to make laws.

5. The House of Commons plays the major part in the law-making process. It consists of 659 members of Parliament (MPs). They are directly elected by the voters in each of Britain’s 659 parliamentary constituencies. Members of the House of Commons are elected either at a general election held every five years, or at a by-election which is held when a vacancy occurs in the House as a result of the death of an MP or as a result of elevation of a member to the House of Lords. The House of Commons is directly responsible to the electorate. This House is presided over by the Speaker, an impartial member accepted in the whole House.

6. The House of Lords, the upper house of the United Kingdom Parliament, is traditionally made up of hereditary Peers, who inherit their titles from their fathers, Life Peers and Peeresses, who cannot pass on their titles, the Law Lords appointed to undertake the judicial duties of the House, and the Lords Spiritual (archbishops and bishops of the Church of England). Members of the House of Lords are not elected. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. Today only 92 representatives of hereditary nobility remained, and about one-third of the Lords are company directors, bankers, newspaper proprietors and other businessmen.

7. The executive branch is headed by the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the Queen. Traditionally, the Prime Minister is the leader of the political party who has won the elections and has the majority in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister is advised by a Cabinet of about twenty other ministers. They are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The Cabinet is responsible for all government decisions and for the conduct of national affairs. Government departments controlled by the Cabinet are run by civil servants, who are permanent officials. The main function of the executive branch of the government is to administer the laws and actually rule the country.

8. The judicial branch interprets the laws. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court of Judicature, which consists of two divisions: the High Court of Justice, which deals with civil cases, and the Court of Appeal, which hears criminal cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Lord Chancellor is the head of the judiciary except in Scotland. He is responsible for administration of all courts, judicial appointments and appointment of magistrates. The English judicial system is independent of the executive, it contains many rules which protect the individuals against arbitrary actions of the police and the government.

1. What is the structure of British Constitution?

2. How many members are there in the House of Commons? How are they elected?

3. What is the main function of Parliament?

4. What is the Cabinet?