Complete the following text with the words and expressions from the box, using them in the appropriate form

Appoint; prominent; local councils; minority;

to elect (2); proportion (3); to appeal.

Some people suppose that there are few women and members of the ethnic (a)________in Parliament. In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became the first woman Prime Minister, yet she never (b)__________a woman to her Cabinet, and until 1983 the (c)___________of women (d)__________to the House of Commons was under 5 %. In the election in 1992, 59 women (e)___________to the House of Commons. This total is still below the (f)____________in other European countries. Although the Conservatives choose few women as their candidates for the House of Commons' seats, women are very active in the affairs of the party as a whole. The Labourists have also tried to (g)__________to women voters by giving women (h)_______positions. In all parties, a higher (i)________of women is elected to (j)___________than the House of Commons.

Answer the questions

1. Who can stand for elections in Great Britain?

2. What does the job of an MP consist of? Is it a job you would like to do?

3. Who does an MP represent?

4. Is the job of an MP a well-paid one?

5. Are there many women in Parliament in Great Britain? Can you compare this proportion to the proportion of women in the legislative body in your country?

THE ROYAL FAMILY

Read the text

THE SOVEREIGN

1. "Her Most Excellent Majesty Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

2. The Queen is the official Head of State and, for many people, a symbol of the unity of the nation. For a thousand years England (and later the whole of the United Kingdom) has been united under one sovereign, a continuity broken only after the Civil War, by the republic of 1649 to 1660. The hereditary principle still operates and the Crown is passed on to the sovereign's eldest son (or daughter if there are no sons).

3. The Queen has a central role in state affairs, not only through her ceremonial functions, such as opening Parliament, but also because she meets the Prime Minister every week and receives copies of all Cabinet papers. However, she is expected to be impartial or 'above politics", and any advice she may offer the Prime Minister is kept secret.

Functions of the Sovereign:

- opening and closing Parliament;

- approving the appointment of the Prime Minister;

- giving her Royal Assent to bills;

- giving honors such as peerages, knighthoods and medals;

- Head of the Commonwealth;

- Head of the Church of England;

- Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1658