Understanding Parliamentary Democracy in the United Kingdom

1. Parliamentary Democracy. How Does It Work? Составила учитель английского языка МБОУ СОШ №10, г. Щелково Акопян А.Э.

2. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. • What do you think “Democracy” means? • How does democracy work? • Is the British Monarchy anti-democratic? • Who rules the country in fact? The monarch or Parliament?

3. What do you think “democracy” means? Be ready to back up your opinion. • People do what they want. • People rule the country. • People do what they want within the framework of law. • People elect their representatives to rule the country. • People elect the head of the state directly. • People say what they think. • People can live in any place they choose. • The head of the state guarantees the rights of citizens. • All people and authorities follow the constitution.

4. Cross out the words that don’t match the idea of democracy. Explain your choice. Ethnic harmony integration separatism democratic constitutional peace liberal racist

5. Word Power The word “democracy” is translated from Greek as “the power of people” • Democracy– 1) a system of government in which everyone in the country can vote to elect its members, 2) a country that has a government which has been elected by the people of the country, 3) a situation or a system in which everyone is equal and has the right to vote • Democrat – 1) someone who believes in, or works to achieve democracy, 2) a member or supporter of the Democratic party of the USA. • Democratic– 1) controlled by representatives who are elected by the people of a country, 2) organized according to the principle that everyone has a right to be involved in making decisions. • Democratically - ? • Democratize – to change the way in which a government, company etc is organized, so that the people in it have more power • Democratization - ?

6. In Britain there are different opinions about the monarchy. Try to identify the meaning of the following notions. Match the words with the definitions. An absolute monarch a system of government by a monarch A dictator in opposition to monarchy A constitutional monarch a ruler who has total power over his country and who ruthlessly rules the country monarchy a monarch who has unlimited power the royal family a monarch whose power is limited by a constitution anti-monarchial the family of a king or queen

7. Listen to the video and then decide if these statements are true or false Fill in the blanks choosing the correct words

8. COMPREHENSION Choose the best ending for each sentence. A. The British Parliament… 1. consists of three bodies. 2. is the oldest in the world. 3. is re-elected every five years. 4. consists of MPs. B. A general election is held… 1. by secret ballot. 2. every five years. 3. in every constituency. 4. by simple majority system. C. To take part in a general election a person in Britain should be … 1. a British citizen over the age of 18. 2. a foreigner. 3. a member of the House of Lords. 4. a resident of the Irish Republic. D. The election campaign… 1. lasts for about three weeks. 2. is unfair. 3. depends on political parties. 4. is not representative.

9. VOCABULARY Find the words in the text which mean… • a division of a country that elects a representative to a parliament. • someone who lives in a particular place. • an election in which every adult in the country can vote for the people who will represent them in the parliament. • an election in one particular area to choose a new representative to a parliament or to replace someone who died or left the job. • someone who has the right to live permanently in a country. • the process of voting secretly. constituency resident general election by-election citizen secret ballot

10. COMMUNICATION PRACTICE Describe the election campaign in the UK. Use this information to organize your text. You should talk for about 1.5 to 2 minutes.

11. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. Who rules the country in fact? The Monarch Parliament The Government The House of Lords The House of Commons The Prime-Minister The Official Opposition The Cabinet Non-Cabinet Ministers The People JIGSAW READING:Each branch of power performs its own functions. What functions do the representatives of power perform?

12. The Monarch Today the Queen is not only Head of state, but also a symbol of national unity. The Queen’s title in the UK is: “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.” The Queen personifies the state. In law, she is head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces of the Crown and the supreme governor of the established Church of England. The UK is governed by Her Majesty’s Government in the of the Queen.

13. Listen to the video and then answer YES or NO to these questions • Choose which sentence you hear

14. Parliament The three elements which make up Parliament – the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons are constituted on different principles. They meet together only on occasions of symbolic significance such as the State Opening of Parliament. The main functions of Parliament are: • To pass laws • To provide (by voting for taxation) the means of carrying on the work of government • To scrutinize government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure • To debate the major issues of the day.

15. Her Majesty’s Government Her Majesty’s Government is the body of ministers responsible for the conduct of national affairs. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Queen, and all other ministers are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Most ministers are members of the Commons, although the Government is also fully represented by ministers in the Lords. The Lord Chancellor is always a member of the House of Lords. The Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street (the official residence in London) is staffed by civil servants. The Cabinet is composed of about 20 ministers.

16. Complete the facts below with the suitable words or word combinations. • The letters “MP” mean the _______________________________. • Parliament is made up of the two chambers: the ______________ and the _____________. • The members of the _____________ are not elected. • The United Kingdom is divided into_______ that have their representatives in Parliament. • In the United Kingdom ___________ is held every four or five years. • The party which wins the majority of seats in the General Election forms the _________. • The leader of the winning party becomes the __________________. • When both Houses are agreed on the debated proposal, it becomes one of the laws of the country and it is known as an _______________. • The members of the party of Parliament that did not win the election form the _________ to the Government.

17. Answer the questions • Who is the head of the British Government? • How many ministers are there in the cabinet? • Who chooses Non-Cabinet ministers? • How many Houses does Parliament consist of? • What are they? • Who is in the House of Commons? • Who elects them? • How many MPs are there? • Who forms the House of Lords? • Are they elected?

18. Each branch of power performs its own functions. What does each branch of power/each institution do? Review the functions each branch of power/institution performs.

19. This is not exactly your day! Back to the test

20. You are a genius! Back to the test

21. Homework Comment on the following statement: In Britain there are different opinions about monarchy. On the one hand it is human nature to need a leader in the helm. On the other hand monarchy is anti-democratic. What are your arguments for and against the monarchy? Must the monarchy stay or must it go? Use the following plan: • Give a general statement of the problem. • Outline the points FOR. • Outline the points AGAINST. • Draw a conclusion weighing up the points outlined. Thank you for cooperation!