Контрольная по английскому Constitution and Government
I. Внимательно прочтите следующие слова, переведите их с помощью словаря, обращая внимание на словообразовательные элементы.
a) parliament – parliamentary
heredity – hereditary
status – statutory
custom – customary
b) to administer – administration – administrative
to constitute – constitution – constituency
population – popular
duration – during – durable
II. Напишите русские эквиваленты следующим выражениям из текста:
a major issue
a legal document
by popular vote
the counties and boroughs
the statutory period
the duration of Parliament
III. Прочтите и переведите текст с помощью словаря;
Constitution and Government
There is no single legal document setting forth and denning the British Constitution. It is usually said to be unwritten and this feature has given to it a flexibility. It is known to be based on a number of statuses, laws, traditions and customs assembled over a long period of time. One of the earliest laws, dating from 1215, is known as Magna Carta), which provides among other things for the equal administration of justice.
Britain is a constitutional monarchy in which the crown is hereditary. The legislative power resides in the Parliament which consists of the Sovereign, the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The executive power belongs to the Sovereign, but it is entrusted to the Cabinet of Ministers. When it is known which Parliamentary party has a majority in a newly elected House of Commons, the Sovereign must order the leader of that Party to become Prime Minister and form a Government.
If the Government is defeated in the House of Commons on a major issue, it must resign or call on the Sovereign to dissolve the Parliament and hold a new election.
The House of Commons consist of members elected by popular vote, representing the counties and borough constituencies. The number of members at present is 625.
The House of Lords consists of the Lords "spiritual and temporal". In the full House of Lords there are some 850 members.
The statutory period for the duration of parliament is five years. The life of Parliament can be extended by Act of Parliament.
IV. Найдите в тексте ответы на следующие вопросы:
1. What is the British Constitution usually described as?
2. What is one the earliest laws in Britain?
3. What kind of state is Great Britain?
4. What is the composition of the Parliament?
5. Who forms the British Government?
6. What is the statutory period for the duration of Parliament?
В контрольную входит перевод текста и грамматические задания.
