The State and Political System

Great Britain is a highly developed capitalist country. It is a parliamentary monarchy. It means that the power of the Queen (or King) is not absolute. It is limited by the Parliament.

The monarch (sovereign) in Great Britain is hereditary, and not elective. Now the Queen of Great Britain is Elisabeth II. She lives in Buckingham Palace in London, which is the Royal Residence,

The British Parliament consists of two Chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords comprises 850 members: peers, lords, bishops and archbishops. The leader of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor, the House of Commons has 625-635 a members. The leader (chairman) of the House of Commons is the Speaker. The two Houses are not actual in their authority.

At present there are several political parties in Britain: the Conservative (or Tory) Party, the Labour party, the Liberal Party and others. The leader of the party which obtains the majority of seats in the House of Commons becomes the Prime Minister. His party is called the Government and all the other parties – the Opposition. At present the Labour Party is in power.

The Prime Minister is the virtual ruler of the country. The Prime Minister lives and holds his official meetings at No.10. Downing street. It is the residence of the Prime Minister for the last 200 years. Now the Prime Minister is Gordon Brown.

Vocabulary

monarchy sovereign queen royal residence chamber the House of Lords the House of Commons peer bishop archbishop the Lord Chancellor the Speaker Prime Minister virtual ruler Buckingham Palace majority of seats hereditary

монархия монарх королева королевская резиденция палата Палата Лордов Палата Общин пэр епископ архиепископ Лорд-канцлер спикер премьер-министр фактический правитель Букингемский дворец большинство мест наследственный

Questions:

1. Is Great Britain a highly developed capitalist country?

2. Who is the Queen of Great Britain now?

3. How many Houses does the British Parliament consist of?

4. Are the Houses of the Parliament equal in their authority ?

5. Who is the leader of the House of Lords?

6. Who is the leader of the House of Commons?

7. How many political parties are there in Britain?

8. What party is called the Government?

9. Who is the virtual ruler of the country?

2. Find the equivalents in the texts:

политический союз; омывается Атлантическим океаном; отделяется от Европы; соединены каналами; внутренняя водная артерия; общая площадь, Озерный Край; плодородная равнина, административные единицы; одна из самых могущественных капиталистических держав; высокоразвитая судостроительная промышленность; парламентская монархия, ограниченная парламентом; монарх не избирается; неравные по своим полномочиям; в настоящее время; у власти; фактический правитель проводит официальные мероприятия.

3. Find the synonyms in the columns:

1. is know as 2. is situated 3. islands 4. comprises 5. seldom 6. the most important 7. population 8. capital 9. monarch 10. hereditary

1. is located 2. includes 3. the most significant 4. member of people 5. the main city of a country 6. sovereign 7. not elective 8. of great value 9. not of ten 10. isles 11. is considered to he

Which word is the odd one?

1. river, lake, ocean, mountain, sea

2. port, city, town, village, country

3. people, population, farmers, citizens, nation

4. King, Queen, sovereign, monarch, bishop

Dialogue :

1. A: What do you know about the position of the country?

B: Great Britain is situated on islands. So Great Britain is washed all around by the sea: in the north, west and south it is washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean; in the east by the North Sea.

A: How is it separated from the continent of Europe?

B : By the English Channel and in the south-east by the Strait of Dover.

A: Why are the seas around Britain shallow?

B: They are shallow because the islands lie on the continental shelf.

2. A: Is England a parliamentary republic?

B: Britain is a parliamentary monarchy.

A: What does it mean?

B: It means that the power of the queen is not absolute, it is limited by the Parliament.

3. A: There are two chambers in the British Parliament, aren't there?

B: Yes, the House of Lords and tho House of Commons.

A: Are the seats in the Parliament hereditary ?

B : Oh, not exactly. The seats are hereditary in the House of Lords, but as to the members of the House of Commons, they are elected every five years.