THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

В.Н. Микляева, И.Ю. Сперанская

ОСНОВЫ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО УСТРОЙСТВА

ВЕЛИКОБРИТАНИИ И США

Учебное пособие

Практикум по профессиональной коммуникации

На английском языке I-II курсов специальностей

«Международные отношения» и «Политология»

 

 

Москва 2012

 

Печатается по решению Ученого совета

Московского государственного лингвистического университета

 

 

Учебное пособие подготовлено на кафедре

лингвистики и профессиональной коммуникации в области политических наук

ИМО и СПН

Авторы:

В.Н. Микляева, И.Ю. Сперанская

 

 

Учебное пособие предназначено для работы на занятиях по практикуму по профессиональной коммуникации английского языка для студентов, обучающихся по специальностям «Международные отношения» и «Политология».

Целью пособия является изучение темы "Основы государственного устройства Великобритании и США", расширение словарного запаса за счет тематической лексики по предложенным темам и развитие речевой компетенции.

 

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Данное пособие предназначено для работы на занятиях по практикуму по профессиональной коммуникации английского языка для студентов I-II курсов, обучающихся по специальностям «Международные отношения» и «Политология».

Целью пособия является изучение темы "Основы государственного устройства Великобритании и США", расширение словарного запаса за счет тематической лексики по предложенным темам и развитие речевой компетенции.

Пособие состоит из двух разделов, каждый из которых включает аутентичный языковой материал, вопросы, лексические упражнения к текстам и переводы с русского на английский язык для закрепления изученного материала. В первом разделе изучается государственное устройство Великобритании, второй раздел посвящен государственному устройству США. В конце пособия дается обобщенный перевод на знание лексики, изученной в рамках всего пособия.

 

 

GREAT BRITAIN

THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT

 

In theory, the constitution has three branches: Parliament, which makes laws, the government, which "executes" laws, 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 two parts: the House of Commons and the House of 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, usually the leader of the political party with a majority in the House of Commons. The majority party forms His or Her Majesty's Government, and the second party is officially recognized as His or Her Majesty's Own Loyal Opposition. The opposition leader is paid a salary from public funds for that role.

The Prime Minister is advised by a Cabinet of about twenty other ministers. The Cabinet includes the ministers in charge of major government departments or ministries. Departments and ministries are run by civil servants, who are permanent officials. Even if the Government changes after an election, the same civil servants are employed.

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

The Peerage Act of 1963 enables a lord to relinquish his title for life and thus to become eligible for election to the House of Commons and for selection as prime minister.

The House of Lords Act, passed by the British Parliament in 1999, reformed the upper chamber of Parliament. For centuries, the House of Lords had included several hundred members who inherited their seats; the Act removed such a right. However, the Act did permit ninety-two hereditaries to remain in the House on an interim basis. Another ten hereditaries were created life peers to be able to remain in the House. The Act decreased the membership of the House from 1,330 (October 1999) to 669 (March 2000). Only three members are required for a quorum.

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions:

1) What branches of government does the constitution establish? Specify their powers.

2) Who is head of the three branches?

3) What parts is Parliament comprised of?

4) Is the House of Commons an elective body?

5) Which party forms the Government and who heads it?

6) What do you know about His or Her Majesty's Own Loyal Opposition?

7) What connection is there between the Cabinet and the Government? Who does the Government consist of?

8) Who is the House of Lords formed of?

9) What do you know about the Lords Spiritual?

10) What do you know about the Lords Temporal?

11) What is the difference between hereditary peers and life peers?

12) What can you say about the Lords of Appeal?

13) What does the Peerage Act of 1963 provide for?

14) What is the significance of the House of Lords Act 1999?

 

Exercise 2. Find in the text English equivalents for the following word combinations:

создавать законы

исполнять законы

вводить закон в действие

ветвь власти

иметь непосредственную власть

быть номинальным главой государства

Палата Общин

Палата Лордов

избиратель

избирательный округ

партия большинства

государственные средства

Кабинет министров

быть ответственным за, руководить

руководить министерством

государственный служащий, чиновник

должностное лицо, чиновник

"светские лорды"

"духовные лорды"

наследственные пэры

пожизненные пэры

судебные лорды

Верховный Апелляционный суд

занимать пост/должность

председательствовать

заслушивать апелляцию

давать возможность/право

отказываться (от права, титула)

получить право быть избранным

палата парламента

на временной основе

кворум, полномочное представительство

 

Exercise 3. Complete the following sentences:

1) Although the Queen is officially head of all three branches, she … .

2) Members of the House of Commons are elected by ... .

3) The majority party forms … .

4) … the second party is officially recognized as ... .

5) The Prime Minister is advised by … .

6) The House of Lords consists of … .

7) … life peers who are appointed by … .

8) Law Lords serve the House of Lords as … .

9) This appeal court consists of … .

10) Law Lords are presided over by … .

11) The Peerage Act of 1963 enables a lord … .

12) The House of Lords Act 1999 reformed … .

13) For centuries, the House of Lords had included … .

14) The Act did permit … .

Еxercise 4. Explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations in italics:

1) … Parliament, which makes laws, the government, which "executes" laws, i.e. puts them

into effect, and the law courts, which interpret laws.

2) … are elected by the voters of 650 constituencies.

3) The majority party forms His or Her Majesty's Government.

4) … the second party is officially recognized as His or Her Majesty's Own Loyal Opposition.

5) The opposition leader is paid a salary from public funds for that role.

6) The Prime Minister is advised by a Cabinet …

7) The Cabinet includes the ministers in charge of major government departments or ministries.

8) Departments and ministries are run by civil servants, who are permanent officials.

9) The Peerage Act of 1963 enables a lord to relinquish his title for life and thus to become eligible for election to the House of Commons and for selection as prime minister.

10) The House of Lords Act, passed by the British Parliament in 1999 …

11) Only three members are required for a quorum.

 

Exercise 5. Look up the following words in an English-English dictionary and copy out the meanings:

1) execute (v.); 2) Opposition (n.); 3) run (v.); 4) official (n.); 5) ultimate (adj.);

6) relinquish (v.); 7) eligible (adj.); 8) quorum (n.).

 

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with articles where necessary.

1) … Queen is officially … head of the three branches ...

2) ... Prime Minister, or … leader of … Government, is also … MP, usually … leader of … political party with … majority in … House of Commons.

3) … majority party forms His or Her Majesty's Government.

4) ... opposition leader is paid a salary from … public funds …

5) ... if …. Government changes after … election, … same civil servants are employed.

6) … Cabinet includes … ministers in … charge of … major government departments or

ministries.

7) … House of Lords consists of … Lords Temporal and … Lords Spiritual.

8) … Lords Spiritual are … Archbishops of York and Canterbury, together with twenty-four

senior bishops of … Church of … England.

9) The latter serve … House of Lords as … ultimate court of … appeal.

10) … twelve Law Lords who hold … senior judicial office.

11) They are presided over by … Lord Chancellor and they form … quorum of three to five

when they hear appeal cases.

12) … Peerage Act of 1963 enables … lord to relinquish his title …

13) … House of Lords Act, passed by … British Parliament in 1999, reformed … upper

chamber of … Parliament.

 

Exercise 7. Substitute the italicized words and word combinations for their synonyms.

1) … the law courts, which interpret laws …

2) The Cabinet includes the ministers in charge of major government departments or ministries.

3) Departments and ministries are run by civil servants, who are permanent officials.

4) This appeal court consists of twelve Law Lords who hold senior judicial office.

5) The Peerage Act of 1963 enables a lord to relinquish his title for life and thus to become eligible for election to the House of Commons and for selection as prime minister.

6) … the Act did permit ninety-two hereditaries to remain in the House on an interim basis.

 

Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences into English:

1) Британская конституция устанавливает три ветви власти, представленные парламентом, правительством и судами.

2) Королева официально является главой всех трех ветвей власти.

3) Британский парламент состоит из Палаты Общин и Палаты Лордов.

4) Средняя посещаемость заседаний парламента среди членов Палаты Лордов довольно низкая. Для кворума необходимо всего от трех до пяти человек.

5) Члены парламента, а именно члены Палаты Общин, избираются избирателями от 650 избирательных округов, на которые разделена Великобритания.

6) Лидер партии, получившей большинство мест в Палате Общин, становится премьер-министром и формирует правительство из членов своей партии.

7) Партия, получившая меньшинство голосов на парламентских выборах, становится оппозиционной и формирует теневой кабинет. Деятельность лидера Оппозиции оплачивается из государственных средств.

8) Министр – это должностное лицо, высокопоставленный чиновник, руководящий министерством или управлением.

9) В отличие от наследственных пэров, пожизненные пэры не наследуют свои титулы, а получают их от монарха за выдающиеся заслуги перед государством.

10) Закон о пэрстве 1963 года предоставляет пэрам право отказаться от титула, при этом они получают возможность быть избранными в Палату Общин и на пост премьер-министра.

11) Высшие судебные посты занимают судебные лорды, которые являются пожизненными пэрами и которые представляют собой Верховный Апелляционный суд Великобритании. На заседаниях Верховного Апелляционного суда председательствует лорд-канцлер. Судебных лордов всего 12, хотя обычно апелляцию рассматривают 5 лордов.

PARLIAMENT

Exercise 1. Complete the following text with the words and expressions from the list:

Cabinet, backbenchers, Prime Minister, ministers, debates, benches, Budget, Speaker, front bench, Opposition, Foreign Secretary, Shadow Cabinet, Home Secretary, Leader of the Opposition, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

 

This is the House of Commons, where Members of Parliament take their seats on the green leather (a) … according to their party and position. One of them is chosen to be the (b)…, who acts as a kind of chairman of the (c) …, which take place in the House. In front of him on his right sit the MPs of the biggest party, which forms the government, and facing them sit the MPs of the parties who oppose them, the (d) … The leaders of these two groups sit at the front on each side. MPs without special positions in their parties sit behind their leaders at the back. They are called (e)… The leader of the government, the (f)… sits on the government (g)…, of course, next to his or her (h)… The most important of these form the (i) … The minister responsible for relations with other countries is called the (j) … The one responsible for law and security is called the (k)… The one who deals with financial matters and prepares the annual (1)… speech on the economic state of the country is called the (m) … Opposite this group sits the (n) … (the main person in the largest party opposing the government) and the (o) …, each member of which specializes in a particular area of government.

Exercise 2. Answer the following questions:

1) Who heads the House of Commons?

2) What is the main principle of the arrangement of MPs’ seats in the House of Commons?

3) Where do the MPs of the biggest party sit?

4) Where does the Opposition sit?

5) Where do the leaders of the two opposing groups sit?

6) Who are backbenchers?

7) Where does the leader of the government sit?

8) Who is the Cabinet formed of?

9) Which minister deals with law and security in the country?

10) Which minister is responsible for relations with other countries?

11) Which minister is in charge of financial matters?

Exercise 3. Describe the arrangement of MPs’ seats in the House of Commons, say who sits where.

 

Exercise 4. Find in the text English equivalents for the following word combinations:

Спикер парламента

председатель

противостоять, соперничать, бороться

заднескамеечники

министр иностранных дел

министр внутренних дел

канцлер казначейства

теневой кабинет

Exercise 5. Complete the following sentences:

1) One of them is chosen to be the Speaker, who acts as … .

2) In front of the Speaker on his right sit … .

3) The Prime Minister sit … .

4) Behind the leaders at the back sit … .

5) The most important ministers form … .

6) The minister responsible for relations with other countries is called … .

7) The minister responsible for law and security is called … .

8) The minister who deals with financial matters is called … .

9) The Chancellor of the Exchequer prepares the annual … .

10) The main person in the largest party opposing the government is called … .

11) The Leader of the Opposition forms … .

 

Exercise 6. Fill in the gaps with articles where necessary.

1) One of … MPs is chosen to be … Speaker, who acts as … kind of

… chairman of … debates, which take place in … House.

2) … leader of … government, … Prime Minister sits on … government front bench.

3) … minister who deals with … financial matters and prepares … annual Budget speech on …. economic state of … country is called … Chancellor of …Exchequer.

4) Each member of … Shadow Cabinet specializes in … particular area of … government.

 

Exercise 7. Translate the following sentences into English:

1) В Палате Общин заседания проходят под председательством Спикера парламента.

2) Члены парламента занимают свои места в соответствии с партийной

принадлежностью и своим положением в партии.

3) Лидеры двух противоборствующих партий сидят в первых рядах: лидер правящей

партии – справа от Спикера, лидер оппозиции – слева.

4) В парламенте рядовые члены партии занимают места позади премьер-министра и

членов его кабинета.

5) Члены теневого кабинета сидят рядом с лидером Оппозиции.