Match the words to their definitions

The beginnings of the House of Lords can be traced back as far as the 11th century. Prior to 1999, this chamber of Parliament included hereditary peers, or nobles by inheritance or birth. That year, however, Parliament passed the House of Lords Act of 1999, which disqualified all hereditary peers for membership in the House, with the a) ... of 92 individuals who had been elected by their fellow peers and were allowed b) ... their seats on a temporary basis. The Act provided that hereditary peers in the future were welcome to run for c) ... to the chamber. Other members of the House include life peers, or individuals with nonhereditary titles conferred by the Crown; law lords; and archbishops and senior bishops of the Church of England. Peers receive no salary. Although more than 670 individuals are qualified to sit in the House of Lords, only a little over half regularly attend sessions. In d) ..., the powers of the modern House of Lords are extremely limited. Despite this, the chamber plays an important role in Parliament. Among its most e) ... functions are the review and revision of bills that the House of Commons has not formulated in sufficient detail. In the House of Lords the lord chancellor fulfills the same role as does the f) … in the Commons.

6. What is the difference between the Commons and the Lords? Speak about the Houses of Parliament.

7. Read the text about Britain’s Crown and find out what role the Queen plays in the life of modern Britain.

The Crown, or sovereign, is the supreme power in the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary. The sovereign is also the head of the established Church of England and is commander in chief of the armed forces. In practice, however, the sovereign acts only on the advice of the Crown's ministers and cannot reject or ignore their advice. Since 1952, the sovereign of the United Kingdom has been Queen Elizabeth II. In effect the United Kingdom is governed by her majesty's government in the queen's name.

The queen still has several significant functions. The Prime Minister and Ministers receive their appointments from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Laws are not laws until they have received the Royal Assent. She calls and dissolves Parliament, and she opens a new session with a speech from the throne. This speech is not written by her, however, but by the government in power, and it outlines the government's policy for the forthcoming session of Parliament. Similarly, the queen confers honors in the form of peerages, knighthoods, and decorations that are given on the advice of the government and that often reward people for services to the political party in power. She can award some honors herself, however such as the Order of the Garter. She appoints judges, army officers, diplomats, and officials of the Church of England also on advice.

Royal duties include visiting many parts of the UK, paying state visits to foreign countries. Although the queen has in fact little authority of her own, she is kept informed of events and is sometimes consulted by the government in power.

In addition to her other functions the queen is head of the Commonwealth, which consists of a number of states that formerly belonged to the British Empire. The queen and her family members are largely supported by the state. Parliament annually approves allowances for members of the royal family.

Agree or disagree with the following sentences, in your answers use the expressions of agreement or disagreement:

1. As Head of State, the Queen is informed and consulted on every aspect of national life. 2. The head of the government is commander in chief of the armed forces. 3. The Sovereign formally summons and dissolves Parliament 4. Royal duties include choosing the Cabinet. 5. The Queen does not have to explain her actions. 6. The Queen visits only the states of the Commonwealth.