Reading tasks

A Answer these questions.

1 Who was the first person to introduce the idea of a constitution?

2 What kind of government did Aristotle consider to be the best?

3 What political provisions must a true constitution contain?

4 Why is constitutional government limited?

5 What is a chief function of a constitution?

6 What does the term “constitution” mean in a narrower sense and a wider sense?

С Mark these statements T (true) or F (false) according to the information in the text.

1 The idea of a constitution was first elaborated by English philosophers.

2 People’s interests didn’t play great role in Aristotle’s view of the best form of government and the best constitution.

3 A constitution must be adaptable to changes occurring in the life of a community.

4 Accountability of those in power to an electorate is one of the necessary provisions of a constitution.

5 Division of power among distinct branches of government is unnecessary in a democratic society.

6 A constitution is a kind of scheme whereby a country is governed.

7 The constitution of any country can be compressed within the compass of one document.

B Complete the text with an appropriate preposition from the box.

above against among by for   in of on within  

There are also laws which enable citizens to take legal action 1) ______ the state – against, for example, a public authority or even against the government itself. These actions are part of constitutional law.

As knowledge of the law has increased 2) ______ the general public, so have the number and range of constitutional law cases.

A constitution is the political and ideological structure 3) ______ which a system 4) ______ laws operates. Most countries have a formal written constitution describing how laws are to be made and enforced. The French Constitution, for example, sets a seven year term of office 5) _____ the president; the US Constitution sets a four year term. In Switzerland, a referendum (national vote) must be held 6) ______ any issue for which a petition signed 7) ______ 10,000 people has been gathered; in Ireland, referenda are to be used only in the case of changes in the constitution itself. 8) ______ Germany, a change in the constitution requires a special majority vote in parliament, not the simple majority necessary for other laws. Many other countries put the constitution 9) _______ other laws by making it difficult to change.

Over to you

For discussion:

Can a person or society as a whole live without any constitution? Are there any examples of this?

Unit 6 British Constitution

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14