– Учитель: So, let’s speak about the Parliament. We all know that it consists of the House of Lords (the upper House) and the House of Commons (the lower House). OK. Let’s imagine that we are in a Parliament of the UK nowadays. I’d like to invite you to the excursion.
Экскурсия по парламенту с помощью компьютерной презентации и диалога английской и русской девочек.
Jane: Hello, Katya.
Katya: Hello, Jane. You know, Jane, my hobby is British politics. I know that the British parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The House of Lords includes the Lords Spirituals and the Lords Temporal. Its members aren’t elected. The House of Commons is a democratically elected chamber with elections every 5 years.
All Government ministers, including Prime Minister, are members of the House of Commons. Jane, what are the functions of the Parliament?
Jane: The functions of the Parliament are passing laws, voting on taxation, debating government policy.
Kate: Jane, I know that the Houses of Parliament are situated in the Palace of Westminster. Can you tell me anything about it?
Jane: The first Palace was built for Edward the Confessor, who came to the throne in 1042. It has been rebuilt many times during its long history. Every British citizen has a right to ask to see his or her Member of Parliament, and they meet in a Central Lobby.
Kate: You see, Jane I have always wanted to see St’Stephens Hall.
Jane: Yes, it’s beautiful. It’s a wide corridor with paintings and marble sculptures and a brass stud on the floor marking where the Speaker’s chair used to stand.
Kate: I have read a lot about the chamber of the House of Commons. Oh, now I can see Government Benches (left) and Opposition Benches. This is the chair of the Speaker. When Parliament is sitting, it is possible to hear debates from the strangers’ Galleries.
These are the «Aye voting lobby» and «No voting lobby». At the end of the debate the members can express their approval or disapproval of the debated bill, voting in favour of the bill in «Aye lobby» and against it in «No lobby».
Jane, what are the red lines on the carpet in front of each set of benches for?
Jane: The distance between them is two sword lengths. The member isn’t allowed to cross the line during debates. The lines are there to prevent either side attacking the other during the debate. It used to happen in the past. These days MPs aren’t likely to attack each other.