3 Read the text and find the best translations for the words and expressions.
the House —
а)дворец б)палата в) дом the
House of Lords —
а) дом лордов б) палата лордов в) палата аристократов
a Member of Parliament —
а) гражданин парламента б) член парламента в) член совета
hereditary peers —
а) наследственные пэры б) наследственные аристократы в) наследственные члены парламента
life peers —
а) пэры на время б) пожизненные пэры в) живые аристократы
a bill -
а)законопроект б)счет в) документ
general election —
а) общий конкурс б) общественное голосование в) общие выборы
the House of Commons —
а) палата простых б) палата обычных в) палата общин
competent —
а) компетентный б) надлежащий в) правомочный
Misha: I've learned something about the beginning of the British Parliament, but I didn't find anything about the two Parliament buildings.
Mark: Don't listen to Black, Misha. He's been teasing you! The British Parliament sits in one building which is called the Palace of Westminster. It's also called the Houses of Parliament because there are two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
Misha: So what's the difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
Mark: In the House of Commons MPs, or Members of Parliament, make all the important decisions and work on bills, which later become new laws. The Prime Minister is in the House of Commons too.
Misha: Why are MPs more important?
Mark: Because they represent all the people in the country. We have to have a general election at least every five years. People vote for an MP, and the party which has the most MPs wins the election and forms the government. Their leader becomes the Prime Minister.
Misha: I see, and what about the House of Lords?
Rob: Oh, well, they don't elect them. Did you know Black's older brother is in the House of Lords? He's a hereditary peer and Black's jealous because there is no place in Parliament for him.
Misha: What's a hereditary peer?
Mark: I'll explain. Some people in the House of Lords just inherit their places from their fathers and grandfathers. They're hereditary peers.
Misha: That's not very fair, is it?
Mark: It's a tradition. In the past there used to be a lot of hereditary peers but it has changed and now most people in the House of Lords are life peers. They get the title "Lord" or "Lady" for their personal achievements, and their children can't inherit it. Some of them are very competent. For example, our famous ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher took her place as Lady Thatcher in the House of Lords in 1992.
Misha: What happens in the House of Lords?
Mark: In the House of Lords people talk about bills before they become laws and sometimes suggest changes to the House of Commons.
Misha: And what about the Queen? What does she do?
Mark: Oh, the Queen is the head of state. She and the House of Lords have to approve the decisions of the House of Commons. Before a bill becomes law the Queen has to say "La Reine le veut" ("The Queen wishes it"). The Queen uses Norman French as part of tradition.
Misha: And can the Queen disagree with a new law?
Mark: Not really. The last time it happened was in 1707
Misha: Your system is a bit difficult.
Mark: Well, we have been working on it for more than a thousand years.
For your information
The Prime Minister is the head of the government in the United Kingdom.
Margaret Thatcher, "The Iron Lady", was one of the UK's most powerful and competent Prime Ministers, from 1979 to 1990.
the House —
а)дворец б)палата в) дом the
House of Lords —
а) дом лордов б) палата лордов в) палата аристократов
a Member of Parliament —
а) гражданин парламента б) член парламента в) член совета
hereditary peers —
а) наследственные пэры б) наследственные аристократы в) наследственные члены парламента
life peers —
а) пэры на время б) пожизненные пэры в) живые аристократы
a bill -
а)законопроект б)счет в) документ
general election —
а) общий конкурс б) общественное голосование в) общие выборы
the House of Commons —
а) палата простых б) палата обычных в) палата общин
competent —
а) компетентный б) надлежащий в) правомочный
Misha: I've learned something about the beginning of the British Parliament, but I didn't find anything about the two Parliament buildings.
Mark: Don't listen to Black, Misha. He's been teasing you! The British Parliament sits in one building which is called the Palace of Westminster. It's also called the Houses of Parliament because there are two Houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
Misha: So what's the difference between the House of Commons and the House of Lords?
Mark: In the House of Commons MPs, or Members of Parliament, make all the important decisions and work on bills, which later become new laws. The Prime Minister is in the House of Commons too.
Misha: Why are MPs more important?
Mark: Because they represent all the people in the country. We have to have a general election at least every five years. People vote for an MP, and the party which has the most MPs wins the election and forms the government. Their leader becomes the Prime Minister.
Misha: I see, and what about the House of Lords?
Rob: Oh, well, they don't elect them. Did you know Black's older brother is in the House of Lords? He's a hereditary peer and Black's jealous because there is no place in Parliament for him.
Misha: What's a hereditary peer?
Mark: I'll explain. Some people in the House of Lords just inherit their places from their fathers and grandfathers. They're hereditary peers.
Misha: That's not very fair, is it?
Mark: It's a tradition. In the past there used to be a lot of hereditary peers but it has changed and now most people in the House of Lords are life peers. They get the title "Lord" or "Lady" for their personal achievements, and their children can't inherit it. Some of them are very competent. For example, our famous ex-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher took her place as Lady Thatcher in the House of Lords in 1992.
Misha: What happens in the House of Lords?
Mark: In the House of Lords people talk about bills before they become laws and sometimes suggest changes to the House of Commons.
Misha: And what about the Queen? What does she do?
Mark: Oh, the Queen is the head of state. She and the House of Lords have to approve the decisions of the House of Commons. Before a bill becomes law the Queen has to say "La Reine le veut" ("The Queen wishes it"). The Queen uses Norman French as part of tradition.
Misha: And can the Queen disagree with a new law?
Mark: Not really. The last time it happened was in 1707
Misha: Your system is a bit difficult.
Mark: Well, we have been working on it for more than a thousand years.
For your information
The Prime Minister is the head of the government in the United Kingdom.
Margaret Thatcher, "The Iron Lady", was one of the UK's most powerful and competent Prime Ministers, from 1979 to 1990.