Unit 2 Text

Great Britain

Great Britain has the official name – The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (or UK – for short). It is situated on the British Isles. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the parts of Great Britain. Administratively the UK is divided into 55 counties. The total territory is over 244 thousand square kilometers (the 75^th place among other countries in the world).

The population of the UK is over 57 mln. Great Britain is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The majority of the British population lives in cities and towns.

The country is washed by the North and Irish Seas, the Atlantic Ocean and The English Channel. North and West of the country are highlands, South and East – lowlands. The highest mountain of the UK is Ben Nevis in Scotland.

There are many rivers in the country. The longest and most important of them are the Severn, the Thames and the Clyde. The climate is mild due to the mountains, the Atlantic Ocean and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.

Great Britain is a highly developed industrial power. It possesses some mineral resources: coal, iron ores, oil, gas and some metals.

The country is known as one of the world largest producers and exporters of electronics and machinery, chemicals and textile, various aircraft and navigation equipment. Among the main industrial branches are also coal-mining, automobile, ship-building, and metallurgical.

The capital of the country is London. It is the largest political, cultural and industrial centre of the country and one of the largest ports of the world. Its population is over 11 mln. people.

Among the largest cities of the UK are Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff.

Great Britain is a country with old cultural traditions and customs. The official language of the state is English. The national symbol of the UK is “Union Jack” – the British state flag having 3 white and red crosses on the dark blue field. The weave of crosses symbolize power and might.

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Officially the head of the state is the Queen. But her power is not absolute, it is limited by the Parliament. The British Parliament is the oldest parliament in the world. It consists of 2 chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The British Government is headed by the Prime Minister – the leader of the party having the majority in the House of Commons. The Prime Minister appoints the ministers to compose the government.

There are several political parties in the UK. The largest and most influential of them are the Conservative (the Tory), the Liberal (the Whigs) and the Labour Party.

Task 1 Translate into English:

1. Соединенное королевство / конституционная монархия;

2. Высоко развитая промышленная держава;

3. Густонаселенная страна;

4. Общая территория страны;

5. располагается на Британских островах;

6. Мягкий климат;

7. Крупнейший в мире производитель и поставщик оборудования;

8. Культурный и промышленный центр;

9. Официальный язык государства;

10. Страна богатых культурных традиций;

11. Символизировать власть и могущество;

12. Ограничить власть королевы;

13. Состоять из Палаты общин и Палаты лордов;

14. Иметь большинство;

15. Влиятельные политические партии.

Task 2 Are these sentences right:

1. The official name of Great Britain is “Union Jack”.

2. The UK includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

3. The territory of the UK is rather large.

4. Great Britain is one of the most densely populated countries in the word.

5. There are 2 official languages in the UK.

6. Great Britain is a country with new traditions and customs.

7. The UK is one of the most highly developed industrial countries in the world.

8. This country is the world largest producer of different machinery and electronics.

9. The capital of the country, London, is one of the world largest ports.

10. The head of the state is the Queen.

11. The British Government is also headed by the Queen.

12. The UK has a single-party system.

Task 3 Translate into English and answer these questions:

1. Какое официальное название имеет Великобритания?

2. Где она расположена и что включает?

3. Какова ее территория?

4. Соединенное Королевство – одна из наиболее густонаселенных стран, не так ли?

5. Какой город столица Соединенного Королевства?

6. Знаете ли вы, как называется и где расположена самая высокая возвышенность в этой стране?

7. Назовите наиболее длинные реки Великобритании?

8. Соединенное Королевство – высокоразвитая держава, не так ли?

9. Английский или французский является официальным языком государства?

10. Что является национальным символом Соединенного Королевства?

11. Что символизирует переплетение крестов на Британском государственном флаге?

12. Кто глава Великобритании?

13. Кто возглавляет правительство страны?

14. Сколько палат имеет Британский парламент?

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MODEL AND LAWS.

THE GOVERNMENTAL MODEL IN THE UK.

The governmental model that operates in Britain today is usually described as constitutional monarchy, or parliamentary system. While a monarch still has a role to play on some executive and legislative levels, it is Parliament, which possesses the essential power, and the government of the day, which governs by initiating and controlling political policy and legislation. The correct constitutional definition of Parliament is “Queen-in-Parliament”.

The various branches of this political system, although easily distinguishable from each other, are not entirely separate. The monarch is formally head of the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

The legislature, which consists of both Houses of Parliament and formally the monarch, is for most purposes the supreme law – making body.

The executive comprises the sitting government and its Cabinet, together with government ministers of departments headed by ministers or secretaries of state, who all act formally in the name of the monarch.

The judiciary is composed mainly of the judges of the higher courts.

THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

In theory, the constitution has three branches: Parliament, which makes laws, the government, which ‘executes’ i.e. puts them into effect, and the law courts, which interpret laws. Although the Queen is officially head of all three branches, she has little direct power.

Parliament has three elements: the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Queen as its Head. Members of the House of Commons are elected by the voters of 659 constituencies. They are known as MPs, or Members of Parliament.

The House of Lords consists of the Lords Temporal and the Lords Spiritual. The Lords Spiritual are Archbishops of York and Canterbury, together with twenty – four senior bishops of the Church of England. The Lords Temporal used to consist of hereditary peers who inherited their titles; life peers who are appointed by the Queen for various services to the nation; and the Lords of Appeal who become life peers on their judicial appointments.

THE ROLE OF THE MONARCH IN BRITAIN.

The continuity of the English monarchy has been interrupted only by Cromwellian rule from 1649 to 1660. The Crown is one of the oldest secular institutions in Britain and there is automatic hereditary succession to the throne, but only for Protestants.

Since 1689 the monarch’s executive powers have been limited. But the monarch still has a number of formal constitutional roles, and serves as head of state, head of the executive, judiciary and legislature, commander – in – chief of the armed forces, and ‘supreme governor’ of the Church of England. Ministers and officials of the central government are the monarch’s servants, and judges, military officers, peers and bishops of the Church of England swear allegiance to the Crown.

However, for all practical purposes the monarch acts only on the advice of political ministers, which cannot be ignored. The monarch cannot make laws, impose taxes, spend public money or act unilaterally. Contemporary Britain is governed by Her Majesty’s Government in the name of the Queen.

But the monarch still performs some important executive and legislative duties. These include the summoning, opening, proroguing and dissolving of Parliament; giving the Royal Assent to bills which have been passed by both Houses of Parliament; appointing government ministers and other public figures; granting honors; and fulfilling international duties as head of state.

In the United Kingdom the Queen is really a figurehead representing the country, but she has the power to prevent any politician from establishing a dictatorship.

THE SPEAKER OF HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The Speaker acts as Chairman during debates, and sees to it that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying on of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who selects (or calls) Members to speak. He or she acts as the House’s representative in its corporate relations with the other elements of Parliament, the House of Lords and the Crown, The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House.

THE ENGLISH LEGAL SYSTEM.

It is often that the English legal system looks very fair in theory, but in practice it is difficult for ordinary people to use. Firstly, it is extremely expensive: a good lawyer costs two hundred pounds per hour. Secondly, it is very formal with all sorts of rules in the court. Until recently the judge and the lawyers used to wear extraordinary old – fashioned costumes: black robes, high white collars and white wigs. The inside of the court is rather like a church, with the judge looking down from a seat above the court.

The English legal system gives the judge a lot of freedom in deciding on the sentence. The lightest sentence possible is community service.

There are also fines for smaller things like parking in the wrong place.

But fines can be used for serious crimes, too. The standard punishment for serious offences is prison. There is no death penalty in Britain. It was abolished more than 40 years ago.

THE ENGLISH CONSTITUTION.

The English Constitution is the organic law of Great Britain providing for the form and powers of government.

Unlike the US Constitution and most other constitutions, the English Constitution is not a systematic written statement of law, but consists of a body of statutory law, customs, and judicial interpretations; it is frequently called a customary or unwritten constitution.

Unlike constitutions that make explicit provision for their amendment the English Constitution may be changed easily. It may be altered by an act of Parliament or by judicial interpretation.

Exercise 1 Answer the following questions:

1. What role does the Sovereign play in constitutional monarchy?

2. Why are the branches of the British political system not entirely separate?

3. What are the functions of the three branches of power?

4. What elements does the British Parliament consist of?

5. Who sits in the House of Lords?

6. What period in the British History interrupted the hereditary succession to the throne?

7. What are the duties of the Speaker?

8. Why is the legal system in Britain difficult for ordinary people to use?

9. What is the lightest sentence possible in Britain?

10. In what cases is an offender liable to a fine in Britain?

Exercise 2

Find English equivalents for the followings: исполнительная власть; законодательный уровень; юрисдикция; ветви власти; легко различимый; осуществлять (приводить в жизнь); светские члены палаты Лордов; духовные лица; получать титулы по наследству; наследственный; назначение министров в правительство; штраф; легкое наказание; смертная казнь; судья; право, выраженное в законе(статутное право).

Exercise 3.Say if it is right or wrong:

1. Britain is a parliamentary republic today

2. Queen has no direct power on the country.

3. The government and the cabinet of Ministers execute the laws.

4. Parliament has the Queen as its head.

5. The Archbishops and bishops are the members of the House of Commons.

6. The monarch has an absolute power in Britain.

7. The British legal system is very expensive.

8. The lightest sentence in Britain is a fine.

Exercise 4 Give antonyms for the following words and phrases:

1. To make laws- a. betrayal

2. Democracy (democratic)- b. ancient

3. Easy teasily- c. to break law

4. Allegiance- d. private

5. Contemporary- e. difficult

6. public- f. autocracy

7. to appoint- g. to hire