Lawmaking process in Great Britain

List of words

Read the words and learn them:

to adopt / enact / pass legislation	принять закон
to alter	изменять; менять; видоизменять, вносить изменения, переделывать
to amend	вносить изменения, вносить поправки
a bill	законопроект, билль (вносимый на рассмотрение законодательных органов)
committee	комитет, комиссия
consent	согласие; соглашаться
debate	дебаты, дискуссия, обсуждение, прения
to draft a bill	составлять законопроект
draft legislation	законопроект
to introduce / propose a bill	предложить законопроект
legislation	закон; законопроект; законодательство
legislation in force	действующее законодательство
monarch	монарх
occasion	возможность, случай, шанс основание, причина; повод
to oppose a bill	высказаться против законопроекта
to pass a bill	принять законопроект
persistent	настойчивый, упорный
to prevail	преобладать, превалировать; доминировать
reading	чтение, стадия прохождения законопроекта в парламенте
to refuse	отвергать, отказывать; отклонять
reigning	царствующий
royal assent	королевская санкция
to shelve a bill	откладывать обсуждение законопроекта
to support a bill	поддержать законопроект
to throw out a bill	отклонить законопроект
to veto legislation	наложить вето на законопроект

 

Ex. 1. Complete the phrase by matching the word from A with its best association from B. Translate the phrases.

A	B
1. draft	a) assent
2. royal	b) for debate
3. occasion	c) legislation
4. reigning	d) monarch

 

Ex. 2. Fill in the gaps with appropriate prepositions.

Legislation ___Britain usually starts ___ the House of Lords, the occasion ___debate, be examined ___ detail ____ a committee, to be returned ___ one ___ the houses ___ the report stage, to go ___ the other house.

 

Ex.3. Translate the following phrases into Russian:

The House of Lords, a bill, to be considered in three stages, readings, to introduce the bill, the occasion for debate, to be examined in detail by a committee, report stage, to be amended, amendments, the Commons, to be altered, in the event of persistent disagreement to prevail, reigning monarch, royal assent, to refuse the consent, to veto.

 

Ex. 4. Read the text and translate it into Russian.

New legislation in Britain usually starts in the House of Lords. In each house a bill is considered in three stages, called readings. The first reading is purely formal, to introduce the bill. The second reading is usually the occasion for debate. After the second reading the bill is examined in detail by a committee.

The bill is then returned to one of the houses for the report stage, when it can be amended. If passed after its third reading, it goes to the other house. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords must be considered by the Commons. If the House of Commons do not agree, the bill is altered and sent back to the Lords. In the event of persistent disagreement between the two houses, Commons prevails.

Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch for the royal assent. Nowadays the royal assent is merely a formality. In theory the queen could still refuse her consent, but the last monarch to use this power was Queen Anne, who vetoed the unpopular Scottish Militia Bill in 1707.

 

Ex.5. Find in the text the English equivalents for the words below:

1. закон; законопроект;

2. чтение;

3. комитет, комиссия;

4. вносить изменения, вносить поправки;

5. королевская санкция;

6. царствующий монарх;

7. преобладать;

8. настойчивое несогласие.

 

Ex.6. Use the information from the text to answer the questions:

1. Where does a new legislation start in Britain?

2. How many stages does a bill pass?

3. Is the first reading formal? What is the first reading for?

4. What is the second reading for?

5. Who examines the bill in detail after the second reading?

6. Where does the report stage take place?

7. Where does the bill go to after the third reading?

8. Who considers the amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords?

9. What happens if the House of Commons do not agree?

10. Who prevails in the event of persistent disagreement between the two houses?

11. Where does the bill finally go to?

12. Is the royal assent merely a formality?

13. Could the queen refuse her consent?

14. Who vetoed the unpopular Scottish Militia Bill in 1707?

 

Ex 7. Decide if the following sentences are True or False:

1. New legislation in Britain usually starts in the House of Commons.

2. In each house a bill is considered in two stages, called hearings.

3. The first reading is not formal.

4. The second reading is usually the occasion for speech.

5. After the third reading the bill is examined in detail by a committee.

6. The bill is returned to one of the houses for the report stage.

7. If passed after its third reading, it goes to the other house.

8. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Commons must be considered by the Lords.

9. In the event of persistent disagreement between the two houses, Lords prevails.

10. Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch for the royal assent.

11. Nowadays the royal assent is merely a formality.

12. In practice the queen could not still refuse her consent.

13. The last monarch to use this power was Queen Anne, who vetoed the popular Scottish Militia Bill in 1707.

Ex. 8. Develop the sentences:

1. New legislation in Britain usually starts...

2. In each house a bill is considered in …

3. The first reading is purely....

4. The second reading is...

5. After the second reading the bill is...

6. The bill is then returned to …

7. If passed after its third reading, it goes …

8. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords must be …

9. If the House of Commons do not agree, the bill is …

10. In the event of persistent disagreement between the two houses…

11. Finally, the bill goes to...

12. Nowadays the royal assent is...

13. In theory the queen could still refuse …

 

Ex.9. Write down key words, phrases and sentences from each paragraph of the text.

 

Ex.10. Reduce the text to one fifth of its original length giving the most important information.

a) Make an outline of the text consisting of 5-8 sentences.

b) Retell the text according to its outline.