Topic Activities

1. Learn the following words:

to comprise to consist of to make up to mean to rule to reign to consider to fulfil to carry out to describe to deliver to act to unify to continue to enjoy authority power justice   judiciary governor commander-in-chief community majority occasion force duty support speech European supreme integral legislative temporal considerable certain ceremonial numerous important useful successive Conjunctions: although both …and …

включать, составлять, охватывать состоять из … составлять, приготавливать значить править, управлять царствовать рассматривать; считать, полагать исполнять, осуществлять выполнять описывать читать (лекцию), произносить (речь) действовать объединять продолжать 1) наслаждаться; 2) пользоваться, обладать, иметь власть могущество, власть, полномочия 1) справедливость; 2) правосудие, законность, юстиция судебная власть правитель, глава главнокомандующий сообщество большинство случай сила 1) долг; 2) функция, обязанность поддержка, помощь речь Европейский верховный неотъемлемый законодательный светский значительное определённый; некоторый церемониальный многочисленный важный полезный следующий один за другим   хотя; несмотря на то, что … как….., так и …

2. Guess the meaning of the following international words:

informal, official, monarch, monarchy,constitution, practice, a constitutional monarch, function, anachronistic, undemocratic, institution, personally, leader, symbolic, role, coronation, nation, policy, Prime Minister, Parliament.

3. Translate the following word-combinations:

within the European Community; with the support of Parliament; the supreme authority; temporal governor; anintegral part; legislative power; the system of justice; anachronistic and undemocratic institution; to enjoy the support; to enjoy the rights; the considerable majority; to fulfil functions; important and useful functions; to carry out duties; ceremonial functions; ceremonial duties; unifying force; both the constitution and the nation; to deliver a lecture; to deliver a speech; to be made up by the Prime Minister.

4. Look through the text and match the underlined English words and expressions with the following Russian equivalents:

1) неофициально известная как …;

2) одна из 6-ти конституционных монархий;

3) может править только с помощью парламента;

4) по закону;

5) глава государства;

6) неотъемлемая часть парламента;

7) вооружённые силы;

8) светский глава англиканской церкви;

9) на практике, на деле, фактически;

10)пользоваться поддержкой значительного большинства;

11)выполнять некоторые важные и полезные обязанности;

12)король или королева;

13)действовать как «объединяющая сила»;

14)регулярные встречи;

15)премьер-министры, сменяющие на посту друг друга;

16)главы зарубежных государств;

17)очень знающий, осведомлённый человек;

18)открывая сессию парламента;

19)описывает будущую политику «своего правления»;

20)внутренние и внешние дела государства.

The Monarchy

The United Kingdom, informally known as Great Britain, comprises England, Scotland, Wales and the northern part of Ireland. Its official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Great Britain is only a part of the UK consisting of England, Scotland and Wales.

The UK is one of six constitutional monarchies within the European Community. This means that it has a monarch (a king or a queen), but a constitutional monarch can rule only with the support of Parliament. In law the monarch is the supreme authority: Head of state, an integral part of Parliament (legislative power), Head of the system of justice (the judiciary), Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and Temporal Governor of the Church of England. All internal and foreign affairs of the state are carried out in the name of the Queen (or King) but in practice the monarch has very little power, as they say: «Monarchs reign, but they do not rule in England».

Although many people consider the monarchy to be a somewhat anachronistic and undemocratic institution, the Queen continues to enjoy the support of the considerable majority of the English people and she fulfils certain important and useful functions. She carries out important ceremonial duties. She also acts as a «unifying force» in both the constitution and the nation. She has regular meetings with successive prime-ministers and personally meets numerous foreign leaders and she is a very well informed person.

Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the country. They meet on such symbolic occasions as the coronation of a new monarch or the opening of Parliament. Opening Parliament the Queen delivers a speech in which she describes a future policy of «her government», but the speech itself is made up and written by the Prime Minister.

5. Read the text and say if the following statements are true or false:

Useful expressions:

Agreement:	Disagreement:
It is quite so – Это действительно так. It is true – Это так. You are right – Вы правы. No doubt – Несомненно. Exactly – Именно так. That’s right. – Правильно. I quite agree with you. – Совершенно с Вами согласен. Yes, certainly – Да, конечно.	I’m afraid, it is not true – Боюсь, это неправда. You are not right in saying so. – Вы неправы, говоря так. You are wrong here. – Вы здесь неправы. Far from that. – Далеко не так. Quite on the contrary. – Совсем наоборот. I can’t agree. – Я не могу согласиться.

1. Great Britain comprises four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

2. In law the Prime Minister is the supreme authority.

3. All internal and foreign affairs of the state are carried out in the name of the Queen.

4. They say: «Monarchs rule in England but they do not reign properly».

5. Many people consider the monarchy to be a progressive and democratic institution.

6. The Queen continues to enjoy the support of the considerable majority of the English people.

7. The Queen fulfils certain important legislative functions.

8. Parliament and the monarch have just the same roles in the government of the country.

9. The Queen personally meets numerous foreign leaders.

10.The Prime Minister delivers a speech at the opening of Parliament.

6. Match the following English and Russian equivalents:

1) to reign but not rule 2) head of judiciary 3) commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces 4) temporal governor of the church 5) to fulfil certain useful functions 6) to carry out important duties 7) to meet foreign leaders 8) to deliver a speech 9) at the opening of Parliament 10) to describe a future policy 11) to continue to enjoy the support 12) a «unifying force» in both the constitution and the nation 13) in the name of the Queen 14) internal affairs 15) foreign affairs of the state

a) объединяющая сила как консти­туции, так и нации b) выполнять важные обязанности c) царствовать, но не править d) встречаться с зарубежными ру­ководителями e) главнокомандующий вооружён­ными силами f) описать политический курс на будущее g) выполнять определённые полез­ные функции h) глава судебной власти i) продолжать пользоваться под­держкой j) на открытии сессии Парламента k) от имени королевы l) светский глава церкви m) внутренние дела государства n) выступать с речью o) иностранные (внешние) дела го­сударства

7. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the official name of Great Britain?

2. What countries does the United Kingdom comprise?

3. Who is the supreme authority in the UK?

4. What powers does the monarch have in law in the UK?

5. What power does the Queen have in practice?

6. Does the Queen fulfil any useful functions?

7. What duties does the Queen carry out?

8. Who delivers a speech at the opening of Parliament?

9. What is the attitude of the British people to their Queen and monarchy in general?

10.Why do the British support their Queen?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14