Text 6. Elections in great Britain

The maximum life of the House of Commons has been restricted to five years since the Parliament Act 1911. The franchise (right to vote) became universal for men in the nineteenth century. Women’s suffrage came in two stages (1918 and 1928).

For parliamentary elections the United Kingdom is divided into 650 constituencies of roughly equal population. The average constituency contains about 60,000 registered votes. Any British citizen from the age of 18 registered as an elector for the constituency elects a single member to the House of Commons.

Voting is on the same day (usually on Thursday) in all constituencies, and the voting stations are open from 7 in the morning till 9 at night. Each voter has only one vote, if he knows that he will be unable to vote, because he is ill or has moved away or must be away on business, he may apply in advance to be allowed to send his vote by post. Voting is not compulsory. But in the autumn of each year every householder is obliged by law to enter on the register of electors the name of every resident who is entitled to vote. Much work is done to ensure that the register is complete and accurate. It’s only possible to vote at the polling station appropriate to one’s address.

As in Britain the political scene is dominated by the Conservatives and the Labour Party, in every constituency each of these parties has a local organization whose first task is to choose the candidate and which then helps him to conduct his local campaign. Any British subject can be nominated as a candidate, there is no need to live in the area, though peers, clergymen, lunatics and felons in prison are disqualified from sitting in the House of Commons.

There are usually more than two candidates for each seat. The candidate who wins the most votes is elected. This practice is known as the majority electoral system.

 

Exercise 20. Answer the question on text 6.

1. How often are the elections held in Great Britain?

2. How many constituencies are there in the United Kingdom?

3. Are electors allowed to vote by post?

4. Is voting compulsory?

5. Who can be nominated a candidate at the election?

6. What’s «the majority electoral system»?

VARIANT III.

LEGAL PROFESSIONS

 

Exercise 1. Translate the following sentences into Russian.

 

1. Witnesses for the prosecution may be cross-examined.

2. The House of Lords has no power to throw out a bill relating to money.

3. The defendant preferred to make a statement through his solicitor.

4. The object of punishment is to reform and educate the guilty person.

5. The judge must have discharged one of the jurors.

6. He went to Oxford to study law.

7. A bill being signed by the Queen, it becomes an act of Parliament.

8. For the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal questions it must have a request from the General Assembly or the Security Council.

9. We expect him to conduct the defence.

10. They heard the plaintiff give evidence.

11. The arrest of the criminal is reported to have been affected.

12. Any state machine is known to reflect the interests of the ruling class.

13. It is not easy to cross-examine all witnesses in a short period of time.

14. Law cannot be separated from the judges who interpret and administer it.

15. It is the Cabinet and not Parliament that controls and runs the nation’s affairs in England.

16. Business contacts as well as cultural ones contribute to mutual understanding and trust among peoples.

17. One must observe the law.

18. The basic law of the USA is the Constitution which was adopted in 1789ю

19. I hope they received the sentence they deserved.

20. Counsel for the defence tried to show that the accused was not guilty.

21. То grant pardon is the prerogative of the Crown.

22. They must have been arrested over a year ago.

23. The victim is the first person to be interviewed.

24. He seems to be investigating a criminal case.

25. A student must pass a group of examinations to obtain a law degree.

26. The aim of the preliminary investigation is to draw up an indictment.

27. The lower chamber having passed the bill, it went to the upper chamber. 2. For any state to become a member of the United Nations it is necessary to accept the obligations under its Chapter.

28. They want the execution of the sentenced to be postponed.

29. Nobody expected her to testify against her brother.

30. The Queen’s Counsels are expected to appear only in the most important cases.

31. He was reported to be preparing an account of the indictment.

32. It is not easy to investigate a criminal case.

33. As the trial was open to the public many people attended it.

34. It was the Prison Act (1865) which introduced a new approach to imprisonment in England.

35. A “written constitution” is one the whole of which is contained in one or more documents which possess the force of law.

 

Exercise 2. Open the brackets.

 

1. We (to have) a lecture on criminology next Monday.

2. A number of important documents (to sign) already.

3. The accused (to guarantee) the right to defence.

4. When the felon (to commit) the crime he knew it was unlawful.

5. When all the evidence (to give) counsels for both sides made speeches.

6. If a barrister (to agree) he will take this case.

7. If you (to be) absolutely sincere with your solicitor he would help you.

8. This man would not have been imprisoned if he (not to violate) the law.

9. In a year we (to study) criminal law.

10. The case is rather complicated. The jury still (to discuss) a verdict.

11. The convicted person just (to take) to prison.

12. Don’t come in! The court (to sit).

13. The doctor said that the victim (to kill) a few hours before.

14. If the jury (to consider) a prisoner guilty, the judge pronounces a sentence.

15. He would have never taken the case if the barrister (not to believe) in his innocence.

16. If the investigator (to have) more evidence, he would be able to prove the case.

 

Exercise 3. Fill in the necessary preposition: of, due to, at, in, upon, through.

 

1. The court system is dependent... the legal profession to make it work.

2. England is unique... having two different kinds of lawyers.

3. This division of the legal profession is historical causes.

4. Members... the public are able to call... a solicitor’s office.

5. A barrister can only be consulted indirectly... a solicitor.

 

Exercise 4. Choose the right word or the word-combination.

 

1. The court system is dependent upon the...

a) legal system

b) governing body

c) legal profession

2. England is almost... in having two different kinds of lawyers.

a) characteristic

b) unique

c) historical

3. The division of the legal profession is due to the...

a) governing body

b) characteristic functions

c) historical causes

4. Each branch has its own characteristic functions and a separate... body.

a) governing

b) examining

c) executive

5. A lot of work in English solicitors’ offices is undertaken by....

a) solicitors

b) legal executives

c) barristers

 

Exercise 5. Mark the statements that are true.

 

1. The court system is independent of the legal profession.

2. England is almost unique in having two different kinds of lawyers: solicitors and barristers.

3. The solicitor is the legal adviser of the public much of whose time is taken up with courtroom appearance

4. There is a heavy concentration of barristers in commercial centres.

5. A lot of work in English solicitors’ offices is undertaken by “legal executives”.

6. Taking the legal profession as a whole, there is one practising lawyer per 1200 people.

 

Exercise 6. Complete the sentences.

 

1. The court system is dependent upon....

2. The legal profession is the source of judicial personnel for....

3. The two kinds of lawyers are....

4. The solicitor is....

5. The barrister is....

 

Exercise 7. Match English and Russian equivalents.

1.	court system	a.	характерные функции
2.	to institute a case	b.	юридическая профессия
3.	legal profession	c.	обратиться за советом
4.	historical cause	d.	выступление в суде
5.	characteristic functions	e.	личная беседа
6.	to seek advice	f.	судебная систем
7.	legal adviser	g.	большое количество
8.	court-room appearance	h.	возбудить дело
9.	heavy concentration	i.	историческая причина
	personal interview	j.	юрисконсульт, советник по правовым вопросам

 

Exercise 8. Read text 1 and translate it into Russian in written form.