Comprehension Check

1. Answer the following questions about the video:

1) What political event took place on May 2, 1997?

2) Why the Queen did not vote for Mr Blair?

3) What political party did Tony Blair represent?

4) Why after election the Queen referred to Tony Blair as her Prime Minister-to be?

5) What is the ceremony of appointment of PM like? Describe the custom.

6) What are the formalities to fulfill when “you are in Her Majesty’s company”?

7) What happened to Diana in Paris?

8) Why the Queen didn’t allow Charles at first to take the royal jet to get him to Paris? What does that say about her?

9) Why the Queen was against the public funeral of Diana?

10) What is meant by the “procedural challenges” which the Government and the funeral organizers must face? What does it say about ceremonial Britain?

11) What were the expectations from the royal family related to Diana’s death?

12) What is the role of the episode when the Queen meets a deer in Balmoral? What happens with it as a result? Does it bear any symbolic meaning for the Queen and the viewer of the film?

13) How did the relations between Tony Blair and the Queen develop? What did he have to advise her as the Head of the Government? Why did he have to do it?

14) What do we understand about the deep down position of Prime Minister to the Queen?

15) Why was it difficult for the Queen to accept those recommendations of the Prime Minister? How does it characterize her as a person?

16) What is the meaning of the title? Is it possible to find here some double context?

17) After the Queen had to “bend the knee” to the Government, does it mean that the monarchy as an institution got diminished or more respected?

2. Write the summary of the film using the words from the Vocabulary List and connective words (see the Addenda).

Debating Club

1. Explain the meaning (contextual) and debate the following positions in pairs (groups):

1) “Uneasy les the head that wears a crown” (Henry IV, part II)

2) Writing the diary is the responsibility of any monarch, not a private choice.

3) “I think what this country needs is a more modern perspective” (Prince Charles)

4) “Duty first, self second”: the motto of any monarch

Learning more

1. Do additional reading and provide a short report to throw light at:

1) the official responsibilities of the Queen and those of the Prime Minister; why they say that the Queen reigns but doesn’t rule?

2) what is there beyond the responsibilities of the Queen “to advise, guide and warn the Government”;

3) life and achievements of HRM Queen Elisabeth II;

4) the history of the Union Jack; the symbolic meaning of the flag above Buckingham Palace;

5) what is understood by the (British) Government;

6) the difference in function and meaning between the House of Commons and the House of Lords;

7) the history and political program of the Labour Party;

8) the political career of Anthony Blair;

9) the phenomenon of the British Constitution;

10) Buckingham Palace and Balmoral Castle as official residences of the Queen;

11) the difference between tabloids and broadsheets;

12) life and achievements of Diana, Princess of Wales; why was she regarded as the nuisance in the royal family;

13) the book of Paul Burrel “Royal Duty” (the reason why it was badly criticized in England).

Role-Play

1. Read the following article to see what British people thought about the monarchy as the institution to remain. Figure out the age tendencies in opinions and explain why so.

“Support for the Royal Family has plummeted to its lowest level in modern times. In the clearest sign yet to the Royals that they need to do something to impose their image, only 44% of people asked in the survey we published said Britain would be worse off without them. As recently as the early 1990s, the monarchy could on the support of a loyal 70%. Perhaps the most worrying trend for the royals is the news that the biggest thumbs-down is coming from the younger generation. 40% of 18-24-year-olds – the highest proportion on record – think we would be better off without the monarchy. Support for the royals is staunchest among the older generation. But even they are starting to have reservations. Here are the forthright opinions:

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 1415