Parliament is an essential part of UK politics.

Its main roles are:

•

Examining and challenging the work of the government.

•

Debating and passing all laws.

•

Enabling the government to raise taxes.

Fill in the gaps with the right letters.

Fill in the gaps with the right letters.

Read and translate the words.

Read and translate the words.

1.

1.

.pp.ove 7. Co..i.t of

.pp.ove 7. Co..i.t of

2.

2.

V.t. 8. R.p..s.nt

V.t. 8. R.p..s.nt

3.

3.

El..t 9. G.v..nm.nt

El..t 9. G.v..nm.nt

4.

4.

.nh.r.t 10. Her.d..ary

.nh.r.t 10. Her.d..ary

5.

5.

S.a.e 11. .e.er.l

S.a.e 11. .e.er.l

6.

6.

T..se 12. e..ct..n

T..se 12. e..ct..n

1. In the UK there is no president, the Queen is …… of the

…….

2. There are two Houses in the Parliament: ……………

and ……………………………..

3. People who sit in the House of Commons are called

…..

4. People who sit in the ………………. are called ……….

5. British people ……. for MPs at a general ……….

6. The party which wins a general ………… forms the

………….. and their leader becomes the ……………….

7. After the Queen approves the bill, it becomes ……….

Now fill in the gaps with the new words.

1. The British Parliament sits in two buildings.

2. Members of the House of Commons never make important

decisions.

3. If there was a general election in 2004, the next general

election should be in 2009 or earlier.

4. Life peers get into the House of Lords because their parents

were rich.

5. Every member of the House of Lords and the House of

Commons is called an MP.

6. Most members of the House of Lords are very clever and

competent.

7. Members of Parliament represent everyone in the country.

8. Members of the House of Lords form the British government.

9. The Queen chooses the Prime Minister.

10. The United Kingdom is a monarchy

.

Say true or false. If false correct the sentence.

Britain is a

parliamen

tary

monarchy

.

Parliament consists

of two chambers

or houses:

•

the House of

Commons

and

•

the House of

Lords

.

The House of Lords

The House of Lords

This is

the Woolsack

The House of Commons plays the major role in law-making. It consists of Members

of Parliament (called MPs for short). Each of them represents an area in England,

Scotland, Wales and Ireland. MPs are elected either at a general

election or at a

by-election following the death or retirement. Parliamentary electi ons are held

every 5 years and it is the Prime Minister who decides on the exact day of the

election. The minimum voting age is 18. And the voting is taken by secret ballot. The

election campaign lasts about 3 weeks, The British parliamentary system depends

on political parties. The party which wins the majority of seats forms the

government and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister. The Pr ime Minister

chooses about 20 MPs from his party to become the cabinet of ministers. Each

minister is responsible for a particular area in the government.

The second largest

party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and "shadow cabinet". The

leader of the opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons. The

parliament and the monarch have different roles in the governmen t and they only

meet together on symbolic occasions, such as coronation of a new monarch or the

opening of the parliament.

The House of Commons

The House of Commons

This is the Mace

This is the Mace

read the text “The

Houses of

Parliament”

(p.61 – 62)

Home assignment

give a short

summary of the

text



1. How many parts does the Palace of Westminster consist of?

1. How many parts does the Palace of Westminster consist of?



a) one

a) one



b) two

b) two



c) three

c) three



2. What are the main colours of the Houses of Parliament?

2. What are the main colours of the Houses of Parliament?



a) gold, red and blue

a) gold, red and blue



b) gold, green and red

b) gold, green and red



c) red and green

c) red and green



3. Who writes the Queen's Speech?

3. Who writes the Queen's Speech?



a) the Queen

a) the Queen



b) the Government

b) the Government



c) the Lord Chancellor

c) the Lord Chancellor



4. Which are Britain's two main political parties?

4. Which are Britain's two main political parties?



a) Democratic, Republican and Conservative

a) Democratic, Republican and Conservative



b) Conservative and Democratic

b) Conservative and Democratic



c) Labour and Conservative

c) Labour and Conservative



5. Whose shoe should a Conservative touch?

5. Whose shoe should a Conservative touch?



a) David Lloyd George's

a) David Lloyd George's



b) Winston Churchill's

b) Winston Churchill's



c) The Queen's

c) The Queen's



6. Why do MPs sometimes sit on the steps?

6. Why do MPs sometimes sit on the steps?



a) There are more MPs than seats in the House of Commons,

a) There are more MPs than seats in the House of Commons,



b) It's a part of an old tradition,

b) It's a part of an old tradition,



c) It's a punishment for those who are late.

c) It's a punishment for those who are late.



7. When can you see the Mace in the House of Commons?

7. When can you see the Mace in the House of Commons?



a) It's always there,

a) It's always there,



b) Only when the Queen comes,

b) Only when the Queen comes,



c) When the House is debating.

c) When the House is debating.



8. How old is Westminster Hall?

8. How old is Westminster Hall?



a) more than a thousand years old

a) more than a thousand years old



b) more than a hundred years old

b) more than a hundred years old



c) more than four hundred years old

c) more than four hundred years old