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Unit 1 British Core Values

LEAD-IN

Schoolchildren should be taught "traditional British values" as part of an attempt to challenge extremism and promote a more cohesive society, the UK higher education minister claimed.

Under the proposals, all 11 to 16-year-olds will learn about free speech and democracy in the UK, as well as the contribution of different communities to building a modern, successful country.

Do you think core values should be taught at schools?What are other ways to promote patriotism?

READING 1: WORKING WITH TWO TEXTS

Read the following texts on the British core values. Discuss the question in groups:

In what way are the British ‘core values’ different from the core values of other nations?

What's British about core values?Martin Kettle The Guardian May 15, 2006

Now, if there is one thing that most people will accept (happily in some cases, unhappily in others) about a country like ours in the 21st century, it is that the old nation state no longer comfortably embodies the people who inhabit it - call that the Tebbit test or the melting pot according to choice. But it's a fact that we all know we live in interconnected and weakened nations. So I'm very sceptical that a dose of shared national values are really the answer to any of these issues. I fear they might merely be a source of fresh divisions and disagreements.

I'd be more in favour of kids being taught Core British Values if I knew what CBV actually were. But in every discussion I've ever been involved in on this subject (and I've been in a few) it's not long before someone (sometimes me) makes the blindingly obvious point that fairness or ingenuity or respect or love of the countryside - or whatever virtue some other speaker has identified as essentially British - isn't in fact uniquely British at all. If I were French, I would have no trouble claiming that all these qualities were French Values too. Or if I were American. Or Chinese. And so on around the world. It is just daft to pretend that we British, however polite or pastoral we may imagine ourselves to be, are uniquely defined by them.

I'm not going to pretend that there isn't something worthy of the name that I would want to call Britishness. I think it's a fascinating challenge to define what, if

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anything, really differentiates one group of human beings from another. But this is an incredibly slippery and elusive subject and too much of the debate is owned by scoundrels.

Yes, some aspects of what I would define as truly distinctive Britishness are rather admirable, like our pride in our particular independence, or an inherent scepticism towards theory and authority and a rumbustiously creative and adaptive use of language. But there are other British values, like drunken aggression and a seemingly unquenchable appetite for smut, that do less for me. And in any case, as I've said, a lot of what we tend to pass off as British is actually common to all humankind, while quite a lot of the rest is more accurately labelled, I suspect, as English.

So my view is that we should abandon the rather quaint and daft (and perhaps rather British) idea of trying to define the Britishness of core values, and should concentrate instead on the Core Values themselves, without trying to plant the Union Jack on any of them. I'm all for kids being taught about good citizenship and the principles of democracy, about respect for others, about non-violence, the rule of law, the ethical life, respect for the environment, individual freedom and the ties of community - and about how we can reconcile them.

Reading NotesNorman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, CH, PC (born 29 March 1931) is a British

Conservative politician and former MP. He proposed the "Cricket test", also known as the "Tebbit Test", where he suggested that people from ethnic minorities in Britain should not be considered truly British until they supported the England cricket team, as opposed to the country of their or their ancestors' birth.

The melting pot is a metaphor for the way in which homogenous societies develop, in which the ingredients in the pot (people of different cultures and religions) are combined so as to lose their discrete identities and yield a final product of uniform consistency and flavor, which is quite different from the original inputs.

The Union Jack or the Union Flag is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The current design dates from the Union of Ireland and Great Britain in 1801. The Flag Institute states that in 1902 an Admiralty Circular announced that both "Jack" of "Union Jack" could be used officially. Such use was given Parliamentary approval in 1908 when it was stated that 'the Union Jack should be regarded as the National flag'.

Ten core values of the British identityTelegraph.co.uk27 Jul 2005

It cannot be said too often that terrorist atrocities are solely the responsibility of those who perpetrate them. To blame the invasion of Iraq, or the occupation of the West Bank, or poverty, or racism, or Western decadence, is both intellectually and morally wrong. What is reasonable, however, is to ask why modern Britain is breeding so many anti-British fanatics.

Part of the answer has to do with how Britain sees itself. The ancestors of the Leeds bombers, who arrived here in the mid-20th century from countries which had prospered under colonial rule, were infected by the self-belief of the British Empire. They were content, as it were, to buy into a nation whose subjects were so obviously proud of it.


Many countries try to codify their values in law. Some oblige their citizens to speak the national language; others make it a criminal offence to show disrespect to the flag. But statutory patriotism is an intrinsically un-British notion. We prefer simply to set out, in general terms, the non-negotiable components of our identity - the qualities of the citizenship that so many people crave for.

I. The rule of law. Our society is based on the idea that we all abide by the same rules, whatever our wealth or status. No one is above the law - not even the government.

II. The sovereignty of the Crown in Parliament. The Lords, the Commons and the monarch constitute the supreme authority in the land. There is no appeal to any higher jurisdiction, spiritual or temporal.

III. The pluralist state. Equality before the law implies that no one should be treated differently on the basis of belonging to a particular group. Conversely, all parties, sects, faiths and ideologies must tolerate the existence of their rivals.

IV. Personal freedom. There should be a presumption, always and everywhere, against state coercion. We should tolerate eccentricity in others, almost to the point of lunacy, provided no one else is harmed.

V. Private property. Freedom must include the freedom to buy and sell without fear of confiscation, to transfer ownership, to sign contracts and have them enforced. Britain was quicker than most countries to recognise this and became, in consequence, one of the happiest and most prosperous nations on Earth.

VI. Institutions. British freedom and British character are immanent in British institutions. These are not, mostly, statutory bodies, but spring from the way free individuals regulate each other's conduct, and provide for their needs, without recourse to coercion.

VII. The family. Civic society depends on values being passed from generation to generation. Stable families are the essential ingredient of a stable society.

VIII. History. British children inherit a political culture, a set of specific legal rights and obligations, and a stupendous series of national achievements. They should be taught about these things.

IX. The English-speaking world. The atrocities of September 11, 2001, were not simply an attack on a foreign nation; they were an attack on the anglosphere - on all of us who believe in freedom, justice and the rule of law.

X. The British character. Shaped by and in turn shaping our national institutions is our character as a people: stubborn, stoical, indignant at injustice. "The Saxon," wrote Kipling, "never means anything seriously till he talks about justice and right."

Not for the first time, we have been slow - perhaps too slow - to wake up to the threat we face. Now is the time to "talk about justice and right", and to act on our words.

Answer these questions on the texts:

Text 1 How important are the shared national values according to the author? What qualities does the author define as distinctively British?


Text 2 How do you understand the words of the author: “… statutory patriotism is an

intrinsically un-British notion.”

Find words in the texts which mean the same as the following. (They are in text order.) Use an English-English dictionary to help you.

Text 1resourcefulnessevasivea roguetypical ofadjust

Text 2crueltyto commitforefatheressentiallyto observeto put up withinherent infeeling anger at sth

The Russian Government has put the concept of a national vision for Russia back on the political agenda, arguing the need to fill the current "ideological vacuum" in the country. It is widely recognized that reforms had left Russia without a unifying theme. To fill this void, a new national idea should be constructed, one based on "patriotism in the most positive sense of the concept."

What ideas (multinationalism, multireligiousity, shared historical background, opposing common enemy, etc) can form the basis of the unifying theme in your country?

READING 2: ANALYSING TEXT STRUCTRE

Read the text and analyse its structure answering the questions that follow.

Why Monarchy? Paul JamesJanuary, 30, 2005

We live in the 21st century, the age of democracy and equality of opportunity. We elect our leaders and hold them accountable to our representatives and to the law. Despite all this, a significant proportion of the World's democracies have as their head of state an unelected, hereditary monarch, chosen by nothing more representative or accountable than chance of birth, and normally removable by nothing other than death. The status of these individuals defies the principle of equality and meritocracy. Why do we continue to accept it? What does monarchy give us that makes this apparent anachronism worth preserving?


Part of the answer probably lies in the principle “if it ain't broke, don't fix it.” In Europe, monarchies have survived in countries which have remained relatively stable over long periods, evolving gradually into modern democracies, evolving the monarchy along with them. In their cases, there has been no sudden or radical shift in political philosophy, leaving the monarchy floundering as a symbol of the old and discredited regime. Monarchies have fallen as a result of revolution, invasion, or catastrophic defeat in war, but never (in Europe) through a lawfully taken decision of a legislature or constitutional process where no wider major conflicts were involved.

Whatever faults the British monarchy may have, they don’t appear to be enough to warrant its removal, or enough to outweigh the benefits. There are various constitutional and political arguments which may underline the benefits of its existence. Not all the arguments which apply to the British monarchy will apply to others (or even to other realms of Her Britannic Majesty), but I will concentrate here on the British arguments.

The constitutional argument puts the monarch at the centre of the state. Although she exercises very little power at her own discretion, the Queen is the central cog in the machinery of state, the common link between executive, legislature, judiciary, civil service, military, church and other institutions, and keeps them all working. The Crown embodies the central authority under which these other bodies operate; it gives the final stamp of approval, the Royal Assent, to legislation. In a country without a written constitution, the Crown is the source of all state authority (although it is still subject to the law of the land – its authority is not absolute). The authority, and those who exercise it, could be codified in writing, and the particular functions of the Head of State granted to a President, but we would lose the flexibility of a constitution which can evolve to meet changing circumstances without the difficulties of a formal, and sometimes difficult, amendment process.

The existence of a hereditary monarch keeps the politicians in their place. However eminent a Prime Minister may become, he is always subject to a higher personal authority. Ambition, politicking and intrigue can never take someone to the highest office in the land, and he can never aggrandise himself by claiming to be the head and ultimate representative of the nation. A British Prime Minister can be verbally mauled in the legislature, and summarily dismissed by it, with a level of disrespect which few nations would be happy to show to their Head of State, but might like to inflict on their lesser politicians. Although, in practice, it is always the politicians who give the orders and run the country, if they go far beyond their authority, others can, in theory, defy them by claiming allegiance to the higher authority of the Crown, which is duty-bound to uphold the democratic order without


personal interest or favour. This argument has never been put to the test in the UK, and has had mixed success elsewhere.

Proponents of a republic might argue that their head of state has at least been chosen by the people, and so has a right to command their respect, but the flip-side of that is that every elected president was opposed by a sizable section of the population, which may feel little loyalty or respect for the man they didn't want to represent it. While it is true that nobody ever voted for Elizabeth II, it is equally the case that not one person has ever rejected her at the ballot box either. While we have a vague idea where she stands on some issues, we don't really know her views in the way in which we would with a politician or ex-politician, and it is difficult to feel resentment towards a person who has never imposed, or attempted to impose, an unpopular policy on anyone. Personal loyalty is easier to achieve, and personal loyalty perhaps has more resonance than loyalty to an inanimate flag or amorphous state.

That loyalty is also easier to feel towards people with whom one has been familiar all one's life. With only the gradual changes of births and deaths, the Royal Family has always been with us, without the constant changes which come with elections every few years. By the same token, members of the Royal Family know from an early age that their lives will be ones of public duty, and are brought up in that ethos, in a way which a private citizen is usually not. As a result, they rarely go wrong in their public role, even though they may be no more successful than the rest of us in achieving ideal private lives.

“Monarchy” means rule by one person, but modern monarchies can offer more than the services of one person, or one person plus a spouse, because they are supported by a royal family. The Queen alone is responsible for the constitutional functions of the monarch, but she can delegate other duties (such as investitures) when necessary to other members of the family, all as well-known and familiar as herself. Part of what gives constitutional monarchy an enhanced social role is its ability to espouse many worthy causes, and take the time to attend events and functions without having to take time out of the essential job of running the country to do so; and that role is greatly enhanced further by the fact that there are a number of princes and princesses to carry it out. By contrast, an individual non-executive President in a parliamentary republic is more limited in number of roles he can play and causes he can espouse.

As well as the familiarity with the members of today’s monarchy, the Crown also gives a sense of continuity with the past, in a way which a very modern institution doesn’t, and in a more personalized way than a non-hereditary, older institution can. It is instinctively conservative, and can preserve and represent traditions which date back centuries; its current representatives are the descendants of its former ones, and its family continuity over centuries enhances the sense of identity with a nation’s own history and culture.

The nation wouldn’t fall apart without the monarchy. Its culture isn’t entirely dependent on royalty, and ways can be found to preserve traditions and handle the constitutional issues which its absence would create (in fact, some would argue that such issues would be better dealt with through a written constitution, with clearly defined powers for the institutions of state). Because of its enduring nature, its importance can be romantically overemphasized. It’s not an institution which could be


created today embodying all the features which give it its distinctive character, because its history is part of what makes it distinctive. But given that it exists and that it enhances the character of the nation, it would be a shame to lose it.

Do the following assignments on the text:

Single out introduction, body and conclusion. Is there a thesis statement? Where do you find it? Does every paragraph have a topic sentence? See, if all of them are relevant. Is every topic sentence developed into a paragraph by giving examples, facts or

figures and by stating reasons or giving an explanation? Does the author stick to the rule: 1 paragraph – 1 thought or idea?

WRITING PRACTICE: PARAGRAPH

Now, develop any of the topic sentences given below into a coherent paragraph:

The Monarchy sustains class injustice Monarchy is a costly extravagance The behaviour of the Royals if often indecent

READING 3: READING FOR INFORMATION

BRITAIN SAYS NOMay 7th 2011 The Economist

BRITAIN is to continue electing its Parliament with the first-past-the-post voting system. A change to the alternative vote (AV) was offered in a national referendum, only the second in British history, on May 5th, but was rejected by a landslide. The counting is yet to finish but the No campaign is on course to secure over two-thirds of the votes cast. Cambridge and some London boroughs were among the very few electoral districts which voted in favour of AV. Turnout is estimated to be 41%, higher than many expected.

The political implications of the result are different for each of the main three parties. It is a crushing setback for the Liberal Democrats, and their leader Nick Clegg. Electoral reform is their animating cause; the current system gives them fewer seats in Parliament than their share of the popular vote would seem to deserve. Today’s result has killed off not only AV, but perhaps the prospect of any electoral reform for a generation. Some in the party may now also begin to openly question what the Lib Dems are getting out of the coalition with the Conservatives, though their reluctance to provoke a general election while they are so low in the polls would seem to make an outright rupture unlikely.

For the Tories, and David Cameron in particular, the result is a triumph. The party feared that it would never again be able to govern alone if the reform passed (though the electoral implications of AV for the Tories were never that clear) and


many resented their leader for offering the referendum to the Lib Dems in the first place. Only when he joined the No campaign tenaciously in February did it begin to pull away from the Yes camp. Mr Cameron has managed to avoid a serious schism with his party, and perhaps even a crisis concerning his own leadership, by defeating AV. He is also the only one of the three main party leaders to end up on the victorious side. The only problem is that he may have won too well, as Bagehot notes.

For Labour generally, the result means little. The party has long been divided on electoral reform, and even its pro-AV camp were not so enthusiastic as to be crestfallen tonight. For Ed Miliband, their leader, the implications are slightly more serious. He featured prominently in the Yes campaign, perhaps more prominently than was wise. On its own, the result is not enough to taint him as an electoral under-achiever but, in combination with Labour’s humiliation in the elections in Scotland (where he also campaigned visibly) and its modestly successful showing in the English council elections, it might.

TEAM WORK:

In groups of 2-3 students brainstorm to recall: what the difference between a "first past the post", "alternative voting"

and "proportional representation" system is which voting system is used in Russia, the UK and the US?

Decide, which system seems to you the most democratic and be ready to defend your stance in course of class discussion

PROFICIENCY FILE: MULTIPLE CHOICE LEXICAL CLOZE

Each text contains six gaps and is followed by six four-option multiple choice questions which test your knowledge of Idioms, collocations, fixed phrases, complementation, phrasal verbs, semantic precisionRead the text carefully before looking at the options. When choosing the answer remember that you are often being tested not just on choosing a word which is grammatically correct, but also one which best fits the sense or tone of the text.

…On British Monarchy

I must say, I can’t begin tо understand the (1) .......... of the British nation toward the royal family. For years - shall I be candid here for a moment? - I thought they were insupportably boring and only marginally attractive, but everybody in England adored them. Then when, by a small (2) ……...., they finally started doing arresting and erratic things and started making the News of the World on merit— when, in a (3) ……....., they finally became interesting—the whole nation was suddenly saying, "Shocking. Let's get rid of them." Only that week, I had watched with open mouth a television program in which four (4) …….... of British intellectual life sat around discussing whether the nation should (5) ............ with Prince Charles and leapfrog to little Prince William. If you are going to have a system of hereditary privilege, then


surely you have to take what (6) .......... comes your way no matter how ponderous the poor fellow may be.

1. A. feeling В. attitudes С. contacts D. attachment2. A. miracle В. way С. chance D. surprise3. A. time В. minute С. wonder D. word4. A. characters В. figures С. pillars D. cornerstones5. A. side В. dispense С. do away D. cope6. A. gives В. goes С. Is D. comes

WRITING PRACTICE: SUMMARY

What is a Summary?A summary is an overview of a text. The main idea is given, but details, examples and formalities are left out. The main aim of summarising is to reduce or condense a text to its most important ideas.

How to Summarise? Read the text and make notes of the key ideas and the main points, leaving out

examples, evidence etc. In the introduction it is important to characterise the article as a whole

bringing out the main idea of the text (remember that the main idea of the text is usually either worded in the sub-title or in the last sentence of the introductory paragraph).

Your summary should begin with the reference to the author of the article, its title and the source

Pay special attention to paragraphing (ideally, there is one central idea in every paragraph presented in a topic sentence).

Rewrite your notes in your own words; restate the main ideas and the arguments of the author while remaining neutral and impartial in tone.

The summary should be approximately one-third of the original text.

Skim the text “Why the Monarchy must stay”, paying special attention to the text structure. Single out the thesis, the topic sentences, if any, and the conclusion. Read the text again making notes of the main ideas and arguments of the author.Now read the summary written by an American student and analyze it. Comparing the summary and the original text, find as many examples of paraphrasing as possible.

In his article “Why the Monarchy must stay” published in the Newsweek magazine on March 11, 1996 Harold Brooks-Baker writes that Great Britain’s monarchy should be preserved not only because of its symbolic and historical significance. The author makes the case for monarchy both by giving convincing arguments in its support and by refuting the counter arguments of the republicans.


http://www.newsweek.com/1996/03/10/why-the-monarchy-must-stay.html

The monarchy should be preserved first and foremost due to its role as a functioning part of British political and cultural life. The main political benefit of having a monarch as the head of state is that, unlike a president, a monarch is not a politician. The monarch is above the changeable and sometimes murky world of politics. In England’s constitutional monarchy, Queen Elizabeth II serves as an impartial observer of the political process, and even a check on politicians’ power. Although the British monarch does not make real political decisions, deferring instead to Parliament, the power to declare war, choose a Prime Minister, and dissolve Parliament legally rest with the monarch. This ensures that no elected politician could take these powers for himself. The monarchy guides Great Britain on its traditional path, keeping the political system from undergoing radical changes. At the same time, it is precisely the fact that the monarchy refrains from engaging directly in political matters that has allowed Britain’s political system to incorporate changes that may appear to conflict philosophically with the institution of the monarchy, such as socialism.

The decision to do away with the monarchy would greatly interfere with nearly every aspect of British life, from the Royal mail, to currency, to Britain’s relationship with the 53 countries of the British Commonwealth. The monarch is a unifying force that fosters goodwill, trade, and cooperation between these nations. Of course, the end of the monarchy would also mean the end of centuries of British tradition, not to mention the significant loss of revenue from the tourist trade.

Statistics that purport to show public dissatisfaction with the monarchy are mostly fuelled by embarrassment or disapproval of the actions of members of the royal family. But the monarchy still commands respect due to its historical significance and because it is a lasting institution, greater than the individual who holds the title.

Now summarise the article Why Monarchy? By Paul James following the abovementioned summary-writing technique.

READING 4: READ THE TEXT AND DO THE ASSIGNMENTS THAT FOLLOW

NEW GUIDE TO ‘IRRITATING’ ENGLAND9 May 2008 BBC.co.uk

England is a nation of "overweight, alcopop-swilling, sex- and celebrity-obsessed TV addicts", according to a new tourist guide book.

The latest edition of the Rough Guide says no other country is as "insular, self-important and irritating". But in turn none is more "fascinating, beautiful and culturally diverse", with such "an unparalleled range of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes". Oxford is "superb", Bath "unmissable" and Newcastle "vibrant", it adds.

'Deeply conservative' Backhanded compliments abound in the book, which was produced by four

British travel writers. "It's a nation that prides itself on patriotism - yet has a Scottish prime minister, Italian football coach and a Greek royal consort," it says.


England "isn't just one place, but a perpetual collision of culture, class and race". On the one hand, "a genuine haven for refugees" with immigrants from more than 100 ethnic backgrounds, but on the other, "a deeply conservative place".

In some ways the country is losing its diversity, the guide claims, "where the hearts of many towns - and increasingly their outskirts - consist of identikit retail zones". "Yet it's also a country where individuality and creativity flourish, fuelling* a thriving pop culture and producing one of the most dynamic fashion, music and arts scenes to be found anywhere."

Certain towns and cities are recommended to visitors, such as Bath which has "graceful, honey-toned terrace, beautifully preserved Roman baths and a vivacious cultural scene". The Lake District, South Downs and Royal Tunbridge Wells also all find favour.

But many other places are criticised. Plymouth has "a bland and modern face", Derby is "unexciting" and Essex is "an unappetising commuter strip just outside London."

'Footie not soccer' The nation's favourite pastime also takes something of a kicking. "Football,

footie, call it what you will (no English fan ever says 'soccer')", the Premier League is overpriced and with players "more famous than pop stars". The guide suggests heading to an "unfashionable provincial" club for the "real experience". "Macclesfield Town against Rochdale on a wet Tuesday night in February - that's a proper football match," it enthuses.

When it comes to England's people the guide gives with one hand - kindly describing them as "animal-loving, tea-drinking, charity donors" whose "warmth is in the humour". But it takes away with the other hand, saying: "The English have become obedient consumers rather than active citizens, with brand loyalty the nearest thing to religious/spiritual belief."

All in all, the Rough Guide concludes: "The only certainty for visitors is that however long you spend in England and however much you see, it still won't be enough to understand the place." A spokesman for the company said he believed would-be visitors would recognise that the comments were "tongue-in-cheek". "Our sense of humour is one of the many reasons, along with heritage and culture that people come here," he said.

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?Say if the statement is TRUE , FALSE or the information on this is NOT GIVEN

1. Many people living in Essex work in London.2. The English are rather unsociable.3. England is not a “melting pot”4. Tickets to provincial football clubs’ games are not very expensive.5. The English are very religious people.6. The guide book abounds in critical comments.

Look at the following list of adjectives used in the text (1-10). Match each adjective with its synonym (a-n)


1. tongue-in-cheek 2. unparalleled 3. back-handed 4. identikit 5. unappetizing 6. obedient7. loyal 8. vivacious9. insular10.unmissable

a. devotedb. livelyc. submissived. obesee. ambiguousf. vividg. a must-seeh. featurelessi. unattractivej. identicalk. self-containedl. extraordinarym. humorous


Now decide which of the above-mentioned words are missing from the following sentences:

1. HTC Desire, the world’s fastest smartphone, allows users to click between e-mails, Facebook pages and the internet with …………… speed.

2. She had to be well brought-up, quiet, calm, religious and …………… to make a good bride for the sheikh.

3. The old image of the ……………, xenophobic Brit has altered dramatically with this new Euro-conscious generation.

4. Unlike many starlets, she wears high street and seeks out niche labels to stand apart from the …………… red-carpet blondes.

5. Barclays has come under fire for slashing savings rates for …………… customers even though there has been no change in the Bank of England rate.

6. The diet industry promotes totally …………… food, but you should go to your fridge and throw out everything that doesn’t inspire you.

7. The offer to become the new chief executive of Marks & Spencer was an …………… opportunity for Marc Bolland.

IDIOM SPOT

To be learned most efficiently the idioms can be grouped in different ways:

as pairs of words by topic by form by key word

In the article New Guide to 'Irritating' England and in the exercises that followed the adjectives tongue-in-cheek and back-handed were used. There are many more so-called body idioms in the English language.

Try to match verbs (1-6) with collocations (a-j) and then find the corresponding definition (i-ix)

1. to see2. to have 3. to put (2)

4. to get 5. to fall6. to win

7. to come8. to stick9. to take10.to turn

a. one's foot downb. on deaf earsc. under smb’s skind. the upper hand

e. heart in sthf. one’s neck outg. a blind eyeh. to a headi. one's best foot forwardj. eye to eyek. neck and neck

1) about something or someone that is annoying;2) to agree totally;3) to find encouragement in something;4) to be ignored;5) have the advantage, be in a stronger position in a contest or a conflict;6) adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience;7) to pretend not to notice;8) to act or appear at one's best; to try to make a good impression;9) to win by a narrow margin;10) to reach a point where action has to be taken;11) to risk incurring criticism or anger by acting or speaking boldly

I. До последнего времени США предпочитали не замечать тот факт, что авторитарные режимы в арабских странах не стремятся внедрять у себя ценности западной демократии.

II. Премьер-министр Таиланда заявил, что правительственным войскам удалось подавить выступления оппозиции.

III. Напряженность в отношениях между компанией Google и властями Китая достигла критической отметки, когда руководство "поисковика" приняло решение о полном отказе от цензуры.

IV. Представители коалиции игнорировали предложенные оппозицией поправки к новой редакции Бюджетного кодекса.

V. Европа и США занимают сходные позиции в вопросе реформирования финансового сектора.

VI. Меркель заняла твёрдую позицию против фонда спасения, в который Германия должна внести как минимум 120 млрд. евро.

VII. Португалия обещает сделать все возможное, чтобы не выходить из зоны евро, хотя и переживает беспрецедентный финансовый кризис.

VIII. На прошедших в Чехии в пятницу парламентских выборах Социал-демократическая партия победила с минимальным преимуществом.

IX. Для чиновников в правительственных органах служебная карьера является главным приоритетом, а их главным принципом является девиз: "не лезь на рожон".

DIY: Search through newspaper and magazine articles to find examples of other body idioms. Suggest how they can be

translated into Russian.

CULTURAL AWARENESS:

BRITISH ECCENTRICITIES QUIZ By J. B. Morris

All the situations below describe ways in which England is different from the rest of Europe.

A. English taps in bathrooms and kitchens are different from the ones used in Europe. In England they have two taps — a hot and cold tap on each side of the basin, instead of one tap with which you can mix the temperature of the water. Why?

1. It is law: taps must be different because hot and cold water comes from different reservoirs. Hot water, because it is for washing only, is not treated with chemicals. You can only drink from the cold tap.

2. Hot water is heated in a tank in the roof of the house. Cold water comes straight from a pipe under the street. The pressure of the water is different and so it's difficult to use a mixer tap.

3. English people are used to very cold water (try swimming when you next visit the UK!). They don't need mixer taps!

B. In most countries, cars drive on the right side of the road. In England (and a few former colonies) they drive on the left-hand side of the road. Why?

1. Because of Napoleon. Most countries drove on the left in the past because when passing someone it is easier to shake hands or draw a sword against an enemy. England was the only place Napoleon didn't invade, everywhere else he forced people to drive on the right.

2. The government wants to protect the British car industry from foreign competitors. Driving on the left, makes foreign cars expensive - they have to change the position of the steering wheel. British cars are therefore cheaper.

3. It is safer to drive on the left. Statistics prove that the brain can work better when the driver is changing gear with the left hand and looking to the right at the other traffic.

C. The English police do not carry guns. They are the only police force in the world not to be armed. Why?

1. In the old English constitution there is a law that says the police can carry swords, but not guns. The constitution has never been updated.

2. All British policemen and women are trained in judo, karate and other martial arts. They don't need guns as their arms and legs are deadly weapons and they wear bulletproof vests.

3. The police don't need guns. Criminals don't have many guns, and it is difficult to buy guns, even illegally, in Britain. If the police started using guns, then criminals would also arm themselves and more people would die.

D. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation), channels of British TV do not show any adverts — only programmes. Why?

1. Everybody who owns a television set in the UK has to pay 110 pounds a year for a license. The money from this license is given to the BBC and so they don't need to raise money from adverts.

2. Each programme is made by different companies like McDonalds or Pepsi. These companies are allowed to put their products in the programmes for people to see (a newsreader drinks Pepsi on the screen, an actor eats a hamburger). The companies then give the programmes to the BBC for free.

3. The BBC is so successful. It sells its programmes to other countries and makes a big profit. It doesn't need to make money from adverts.

E. The United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) has two currencies. What are they, and why have two different forms of money!?

1. You can use dollars in England — they are like a second currency in Britain.2. Scotland has its own currency: Scottish pounds. You can use them anywhere in the

UK.3. The Euro is the second currency, it is accepted everywhere in the European Union.

F. Travelling by train between cities you can choose between two or three completely different prices (they can be one-hundred pounds in difference). Why?

1. England has many different train routes; some of them go through mountains and are more beautiful. These routes cost more.

2. There are first-class trains (faster with restaurants, shops, bars and more comfortable), and second-class trains with no facilities. They vary in price a lot.

3. English trains have been privatised. Different companies compete with different trains on the same routes. You can choose which train company to travel with.

G. The French eat frogs and snails, but in England they eat toads. Why?1. Toads have more vitamins than frogs, and they love a rainy climate. There are

many toad farms in England.2. 'Toad' just means sausage. 'Toad in the hole' is an English dish of sausages baked in

dough.3. French cooking is the best in the world. English cooking is rather boring. Recently

the English started eating toads to show off to the French.

H. On the fifth of November in many places in England there are fireworks and demonstrations with flaming torches and bonfires. People burn effigies of politicians and some other unpopular people. Why?

1. To celebrate the day of independence from America.2. This is Fire Day, a prehistoric ritual. It is the only day on which English people are

allowed to burn fires on the streets and have fireworks.3. To celebrate the saving of Parliament and the king from a plan to blow them up by

rebels hundreds of years ago. Now it is just the excuse for a big party.

WORD FORMATION TECHNIQUES: CONVERSION (VERBING)

Conversions from adjectives to nouns and vice versa are quite common in English. But much more remarked upon is verbing, the creation of a verb by converting a noun or other word. It is a very potent source of neologisms. Verbification has furnished English with countless new expressions, e.g. "host", as in "host a party", and "chair", as in "chair the meeting".

Verbification is sometimes used to create joking words. Sometimes these jocular constructions gain favor and become used in serious discourse, due to a subtle shade of meaning which is present in the neologism but absent from similar standard verbs. In other cases, simple conversion is involved, as with formations like beer, as in beer me ("give me a beer") and eye, as in eye it ("look at it"). A lot of new verbs are created as our language evolves, especially when we're grappling with words for new inventions and ideas.

NB! But not all of them are acceptable - acceptability of terms can only be validated by entries in contemporary dictionaries.

English is an analytic language, unlike Russian which is a synthetic one. That is why it is sometimes difficult to translate converted words into Russian.

Look at the examples of converted words below and suggest their Russian translations:

1. It's also a country where individuality and creativity flourish, fuelling a thriving pop culture and producing one of the most dynamic fashion, music and arts scenes to be found anywhere.

2. But last month talks in Geneva to hammer out the final details surprisingly stalled

3. Judge Lewis said he would try to rule this afternoon4. You'd have domestic production falling, whole cities blacked out, whole

industries threatened.5. Up the difficulty by combining moves.6. The "misery index," a then popular measure that added the unemployment rate

to the inflation rate, had skyrocketed during Carter's tenure.7. The Sunshine State has recently elbowed its way onto the national scene by

moving its primary date up to January 29.8. Though voters voiced discontent with both parties, Republicans took the

bigger drubbing in the polls--for now--as the architects of a needless impasse9. Even within Brussels, thousands of job vacancies go unfilled every month

because nine in ten jobseekers cannot read and write in French and Dutch, prompting employers to bin their applications.

10. Republicans claim that hundreds of voters were tricked into casting absentee ballots that cost the Republicans control of the senate as well.

11. While the FBI was fashioned to fight conventional crime--drug gangs, computer fraud, car theft now it's asked to fight secret terror cells with international reach.

12. The seven-time Grand Slam champion wowed the crowd at Roland Garros by wearing a lacy, black dress during her first-round match.

Try and use the method of conversion when translating the following Russian sentences:

1. Я увидел ее у входа в театр, но пока я протискивался сквозь толпу, она исчезла из вида.

2. Новый тип вакцины впервые был предложен южноафриканскими врачами еще в 1990г.

3. Мы всю ночь провели на вечеринке, отмечая окончание учебного года.4. Принятие подобного закона не оправдано, так как он дает особые

права лишь избранным, при этом ущемляя в правах большинство.5. Они относились к этому ребенку, как к своему родному, отдавая ему

всю свою теплоту и заботу.6. Главная цель выставки – продемонстрировать последние достижения в

области автомобильного дизайна.7. В 2008 году Пекин стал местом проведения летней олимпиады.8. В докладе особое внимание обращается на необходимость создания

системы поддержки малого бизнеса.

READING 5: READ THE TEXT AND WORD ITS MESSAGE. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW

HOW TO FIX THE PRESSJuly 21, 2011 The Economist

BRITAIN needs a new approach to press regulation. The goal seems straightforward enough: newspapers that remain robustly free, which are less flamboyantly horrible, and yet make enough money to survive.

On July 20th David Cameron unveiled a band of worthies, led by a judge, and gave them a year to outline new rules for the press (among other tasks). Signalling an end to pure self-regulation, Mr Cameron talks of a watchdog that is “effectively independent” from government. He has hinted that a model might be found in the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), an industry-funded body that mostly uses peer pressure to police advertising, but can call on legal “backstops”—official regulators with the power to punish stubborn offenders. The leader of the Labour opposition, Ed Miliband, talks of an “independent” watchdog that does not include serving editors in its ranks. He wants it to wield investigative powers and the right to make titles pay compensation and run corrections prominently.

It all sounds sensible, but there is a complication. No part of this three-way puzzle—creating a press that is free, less nasty and sustainable—can be solved in isolation. Just consider what the past few weeks say about British newspapers.

In one sense, the phone-hacking crisis offers encouraging news. When other checks and balances (the police, governments, Parliament) failed, it was the serious press that exposed alleged criminality at the News of the World.

Equally, it is encouraging that (albeit very late in the day) criminal acts by the press brought serious consequences: arrests, resignations and the sight of Mr Murdoch and his son hauled before a committee of the House of Commons. Logically, that would seem to suggest that the priority should be doing what it takes to ensure lawbreaking is tackled, and is not ignored. Politicians have duly proposed ways to rein in press groups with the power to cow those paid to watch over them.

Alas, tackling lawbreaking does not, on its own, fix Britain’s feral press. Many routine acts of press cruelty—shouting through a widow’s letterbox, paparazzi making the children of a celebrity adulterer cry—are legal.

Anyhow, politicians seem minded to compel newspapers to sign up to a new press code. Yet there is cross-party consensus that an Ofpress, licensing journalists or imposing impartiality, would be a step too far. Nor is it clear how a compulsory press code would cover bloggers in pyjamas or gossips with a Twitter feed. These days, reporters cannot be corralled with sanctions such as withholding press cards or access to press rooms.

The press should be offered a much stronger public-interest defence, fixing a big defect in English libel law and boosting genuinely investigative and campaigning reporting. Some newspapers will cavil, arguing that without sensation and intrusion they cannot survive. Tough. The alternatives are worse.

How much freedom should the media have?

What are the benefits that free media bring to society?

In what instances should media be controlled?

What is more important: social harmony or “free to speak” media?

VOCABULARY FOCUS: LAW AND ORDER

Given below are the newspaper clips which contain typical collocations about courts and trials:

Jack Tweed has today denied two counts of rape. Co-defendant Anthony Davis who is on bail, appeared in court where he also pleaded not guilty on two counts of rape. Judge Radford remanded Tweed in custody and set a trial date of April 12.

Kerman describes how she was tracked down, indicted on drug-smuggling and money-laundering charges and sentenced to federal prison for 15 months after pleading guilty to laundering.A Quebec man who was

acquitted of killing a police officer has been granted parole after serving one-third of a 20-month sentence.

Attorney submitted a motion to the court to issue a subpoena to obtain Nord’s testimony at his corruption trial

Active Vocabulary

1. to issue a subpoenato subpoena smb. as a witness — вызывать кого-л. повесткой в качестве свидетеляto subpoena smb. to testify — вызывать кого-л. повесткой для дачи свидетельских показанийto be summoned before a judge — быть вызванным в суд

2. to obtain testimonyto give / bear testimony — давать показания to call smb. in testimony — вызвать кого-л. в качестве свидетеля

3. a trial - судебное разбирательство; судебный процесс, судto be on one's trial — быть под судом to face / to stand / to undergo / to go on trial, to come (to appear) before the bar (before the court / in court) — представать перед судом to bring to / to put on trial — привлекать к суду

4. to indict / to bring (file, lay, level, raise) an accusation (a charge) (against) / to accuse (smb) of (blame for, charge with) (smth) - обвинять кого-л в чём-л

5. to sentence smb. to – приговорить кto serve a sentence – отбыть срокto pass / to impose / to pronounce a sentence upon smb. — выносить приговор кому-л.

6. to plead guilty (not guilty) - признать себя виновным (заявлять о своей невиновности)

7. to acquit (of a crime) – оправдать8. to grant (to release on) parole – досрочно условно освободить9. on counts of / on a charge of – по обвинению в 10.a defendant / an accused - ответчик; обвиняемый, подсудимый

a plaintiff / a claimant - истец

The Sneed court found as a matter of law that the plaintiff's allegations failed to show “aggravating circumstances”.

Although the Governor has no authority to grant pardons or commutations, he/she may grant a reprieve in all cases except impeachment.

11.on bail – под залогto set smb. free / to release / to remand smb. on bail — отпустить кого-л. под залог

12.to take into custody — арестовать, взять под стражу to remand (in custody) – возвращать под стражу

13.mitigating circumstances – смягчающие вину обстоятельстваaggravating circumstances – отягчающие обстоятельства

14.to grant pardon – помиловатьto grant a reprieve – дать отсрочку

What do you call a person who:

o is formally declared not to have committed the crime o has been accused of breaking the law and is being tried in court o brings a case against another in a court of law o is found guilty of a criminal offence and serving a sentence of imprisonment o a person who helps another commit a crime o a person giving sworn testimony to a court of law

What do you call the following crimes:

o a minor, nonindictable offense o a crime regarded in many judicial systems as more serious than a

misdemeanoro the criminal act of deliberately setting fire to propertyo the offense of willfully telling an untruth in a court after having taken an oatho illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially thefto a legal term for any killing of a human being by another human being

Translate the following sentences into English using the collocations from the active vocabulary list of the unit:

Женщина по имени Кристал Мангум арестована по обвинению в поджоге и покушении на убийство своего гражданского мужа.

Бывший начальник таможенного управления признан виновным в получении взятки и осужден к шести годам лишения свободы.

Подозреваемый был немедленно взят под стражу и скоро предстанет перед судом.

Бывший, осужденный за воспрепятствование осуществлению правосудия, сегодня условно-досрочно освобожден.

Президент опроверг заявления о политическом характере дела и сказал, что X. должен признать себя виновным, если хочет быть помилованным.

Польский режиссер Роман Полански сегодня освобожден под залог из тюрьмы швейцарского города Винтертур.

Сотрудник британского МИД Джордж Блейк был признан виновным по всем пунктам обвинения и приговорен к 42 годам лишения свободы.

Cуд принял во внимание отсутствие отягчающих вину обстоятельств, а к смягчающим вину обстоятельствам суд относит: полное признание вины и раскаяние в содеянном.

Несколько высокопоставленных российских чиновников были вызваны повесткой в суд в качестве свидетеля по второму делу ЮКОСа.

What do you call

o a system that allows a prisoner to be released before they have served their full sentence

o a state of being detained or held under guard, especially by the police o a writ ordering a person to attend a courto a crime committed consciously and intentionally o a forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with ito a security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an

arrested person as a guarantee of that person's appearance for trial o a court document authorizing the police to detain someone o a written statement with details of the crimes someone is charged with

Match the verbs in column A with the words in column B and translate the collocations into Russian:

Ato sue to acquit to commit to issueto grant to file to pleadto indictto stand to giveto remand

Ba pardonsmb. on bailtrial guilty to felonysmb. for murderon all countstestimonyperjuryfor damagesfor bankruptcya subpoena

Fill in the gaps with the words from your active vocabulary list. Translate the text into Russian

Van der Sloot Waits in Prison for Murder TrialAs an angry crowd shouted insults, Joran van der Sloot was lead away to

prison to wait his trial after being officially …………… with first-degree murder of a 21-year-old Peruvian woman. The key to the charges against the …………… is that he acted with "ferocity and great cruelty" which under Peruvian law are considered …………… circumstances, allowing the judge to impose the maximum …………… of 35 years if he is …………….

Translate the following from Russian into EnglishПолиция США задержала десять подозреваемых в шпионаже в

Америке и одного на Кипре – его отпустили под залог. В минувший четверг четверо из десяти арестованных предстали перед судом. Двое обвиняемых сознались, что работали на русскую разведку и дают показания. Синтия и Ричард Мерфи оставлены под стражей, остальные отпущены под наблюдение.

Комсомольская правда 8 июля 2010

DIY: In the press find a report of a recent case/conflict and present it in class (it should take not more than 2 minutes). When drafting your presentation try to make use of as many active vocabulary items as possible.

READING 6: WORKING WITH TWO TEXTS

Read the two texts again and underline the points which answer this question:

Is English the world’s lingua franca, or are its days as the world’s second language ending?

Text 1: ENGLISH AS SHE WAS SPOKEDec 16th 2010The Economist print edition

The ENGLISH is the most successful language in the history of the world. It is

spoken on every continent, is learnt as a second language by schoolchildren and is the vehicle of science, global business and popular culture. Many think it will spread without end. But scholars make a surprising prediction: the days of English as the world’s lingua-franca may be numbered.

English is expanding as a lingua-franca but not as a mother tongue. More than 1 billion people speak English worldwide but only about 330m of them as a first language, and this population is not spreading. The future of English is in the hands of countries outside the core Anglophone group. Will they always learn English?

In future two new factors—modern nationalism and technology—will check the spread of English. No confident modern nation would today make a foreign language official. Several of Britain’s ex-colonies once did so but only because English was a neutral language among competing native tongues. English has been rejected in other ex-colonies, such as Sri Lanka and Tanzania, where Anglophone elites gave way to Sinhala- and Swahili-speaking nationalists. In 1990 the Netherlands considered but rejected on nationalist grounds making English the sole language of university education.

English will fade as a lingua-franca but not because some other language will take its place. No pretender is pan-regional enough, and only Africa’s linguistic situation may be sufficiently fluid to have its future choices influenced by outsiders. Rather, English will have no successor because none will be needed. Technology will fill the need.

This argument relies on huge advances in computer translation and speech recognition. So far such software is a disappointment even after 50 years of intense research, and an explosion in the power of computers. But half a century, though aeons in computer time, is an instant in the sweep of language history. Scholars are surely right about the nationalist limits to the spread of English as a mother-tongue. If they are right about the technology too, future generations will come to see English as something like calligraphy or Latin: prestigious and traditional, but increasingly dispensable.

Text 2: ENGLISH IS STILL ON THE MARCHFeb 22nd 2001 The Economist print edition

IS ENGLISH becoming the European Union’s tongue? A survey of the linguistic skills of 16,000 of the Union’s citizens suggests that it is well on the way. Perhaps more surprisingly, it also suggests that more and more (non-British) Europeans accept the idea that all Europeans should learn English.

Over 40% of them claimed to “know” English as a foreign language. Add that to the almost 16% of the EU’s people who are native English-speakers, and already over half the EU claims to be able to converse in English.

The onward march of the English language is often assumed to raise hackles across Europe, particularly in France, but also in Germany and elsewhere. However, the survey suggests that the opposition may be exaggerated. Some 69% of respondents agreed with the proposition that “everyone should speak English”—including 66% of the French, which is only a shade less than the number in Britain.

Given that everyone else is learning English, it is perhaps unsurprising that the British are the worst at learning other European languages. Some 66% of them, judging by the survey, speak no foreign language at all, compared to the EU’s

average of 47%. Luxembourgers are the best linguists: only 2.2% of them are monoglottal. The Dutch are pretty brilliant; over 80% of them speak English.

The rise of English may bolster some European federalists who have long battled against the idea that European political integration, as well as labour mobility within the single market, will be constrained by the lack of a common European language. But they should not be too confident. Even now, nearly half of all EU citizens still speak no language other than their own. And even bilingual countries can find themselves politically divided by language. For an example look no further than Belgium, whose capital, Brussels, serves as the EU’s headquarters. Belgian politics is bitterly divided between French and Dutch speakers—even though all schoolchildren, and certainly all politicians, are meant to speak both languages.

PROFICIENCY FILE

Use of English In this type of exercises you will have to complete a text which has several

numbered spaces. The missing words have a mainly grammatical focus, although there might be a few vocabulary items. Each space must be filled with one word only. First of all read through the whole article carefully and go back and decide which type of word is missing from each space, e.g. a verb, a noun or a preposition, etc. It is very important to read through the whole text carefully before you decide to write anything down. Some answers may be dependent on a sentence which comes later in the text. The areas which are often tested are:

Fixed phrasesRelative pronounsPrepositional phrases

Phrasal verbsPrepositionsCollocations

PronounsArticlesComparison

Notes аrom a Small Island (excerpt)

...Daniel's, the most interesting department store in Britain, always puts me (1) …....... mind of what Britain might have been like (2) …….... communism.It has long seemed to me unfortunate—and I'm taking the global view here—that such an important experiment (3) .......... social organization was left to the Russians when the British clearly would have managed it so much better. All those things that are necessary (4) …….... the successful implementation of a rigorous socialist system are, after all, second nature (5) …….... the British. (6) …….... a start, they like going without. They are great (7) …….... pulling together, particularly (8) ..... the face of adversity, (9) .......... a perceived common good. They will queue patiently for indefinite periods and accept (10) .......... rare fortitude the imposition of rationing, bland diets, and sudden inconvenient shortages of staple goods. They are comfortable (11) .......... faceless bureaucracies and, as Mrs. Thatcher proved, tolerant (12) …….... dictatorships. They will wait uncomplainingly for years for an operation or the delivery of a household appliance. They have a natural gift for making excellent, muttered jokes (13) …….... authority without ever actually challenging it, and they derive universal satisfaction from the sight of the rich and powerful brought low. Most of those (14) …….... the age of twenty-five already dress like East Germans. The conditions, (15) …….... a word, are right.

Please understand I'm not saying that Britain would have been a happier, better place (16) …….... communism, merely that the British would have done it properly. They would have taken it (17) .......... stride, (18) …….... good heart, and without excessive cheating. (19) …….... point of fact, (20) ..... about 1970 it wouldn't have made the slightest discernible difference to most people's lives.

Word formation

In this type of exercises the students will need to read a text and complete the ten numbered spaces with a form of the word at the end of the line.

Read through the text carefully and decide which form of the given word you need to use.

Be careful, as sometimes you will need to use a negative prefix or another form of prefix.

From The Times June 15, 2007Brown Will Put Reform Of The Lords On Back Burner

Peter Riddell


The reform of the House of Lords has been put off, again. Gordon Brown has decided that this is a “manifesto issue”, not a matter for early legislation in this Parliament.There has been a pause since the Commons voted three months ago for a wholly elected second chamber, and the Lords for a wholly appointed one. The problem is less this stalemate than the many (1) .......... questions. A meeting last month of the Cabinet committee on constitutional affairs (known as CA and chaired by Jack Straw, the Leader of the Commons) decided that a lot more work needs to be done. This was also the (2) .......... view of the cross-party group on Lords reform.At heart is the familiar dilemma over the balance between composition and powers: the more elected members there are, the more assertive the reformed House is likely to be. How can the supremacy of the Commons be (3) ..........? How will differences between the House be reconciled without gridlock? Also, what system will be used to elect members? If it is a regional list system asking voters to choose between groups drawn up by the parties, won’t party managers have effectively the same powers of patronage as under appointment? How will life peers be phased out?Mr Straw has been asked to prepare options for both an 80 and 100 per cent elected House. The main (4) .......... preference is still for the former (with the balance coming largely from nonparty peers), (5) .......... since the majority for a (6) .......... elected chamber was inflated by “wrecking” votes by supporters of an appointed House.A statement is (7) .......... before the end of July, promising further consultations and yet another White Paper. Specific proposals will then be set out in the next Labour manifesto. Including a detailed plan in the manifesto would be in order to (8) ..........any resistance in the Lords after the next election.Mr Brown has, for some time, been inclined to take this approach. This is partly because he does not want his government to be bogged down in a time-consuming battle in the Lords. But he is also keen for the future of the Lords to be considered as part of the (9) .......... debate on reviving constitutional reform.In the interim, the Government is keeping a close eye on a Private Member’s Bill put forward by Lord Steel of Aikwood, the former Liberal leader, which is due to have its second reading on July 20. It would prevent the remaining 92 hereditary peers from being (10) .......... through by-elections, put the appointments commission on a statutory basis and make it responsible for selecting new peers.Ministers support some of these aims, but fear the Bill risks preempting the question of election: along the lines that since anomalies have been removed, why do any more? But there is still momentum for change: elections could start around the time of the London Olympics.

resolve

dominate

shrine

ministerspecialwhole

like

come

wide

place

*Explain the meaning of the underlined words, translate them into Russian

Gapped Sentences


This type of exercises mainly tests collocations. There are six questions and each question contains three sentences. In each of the three sentences, one word has been taken out. Only one word will fit all three sentences. The gapped word is always in the same form.

Do not attempt an answer until you have read all three sentences very carefully.

Make sure that your answer will fit in all three sentences. Check that it fits both grammatically and with the sense of the sentences.

1. Checks and balances guard against undue concentrations of power and make certain that all the interests are properly taken into ..........Plato gave an .......... of how aristocratic government declines. These are the funds in the process of being transferred from one customer's .......... to another.2. The party's failure hit her pretty hard and while she was .......... to comfort her husband, it was he that ended up comforting her.The views of people like Ashley were .......... very clearly by their own class experiences.This ballot is about the right of our members to have their pay .......... by free collective bargaining and not by government diktat.3. When we draw a picture of a planet's orbit we show the Sun, of course, and a single line around it in the .......... of an ellipse.A few seconds later she disappeared: as the cloud changed .......... and then vanishedWith the team still taking new .........., Arsenal reached the Cup final for the first time in 19274. True, there is a hard .......... of youngsters who are totally beyond the control of their parents or the social servicesAt the .......... of this debate is the threat of reductions in public funding at a time when cutting the government's colossal budget deficit is a national priority.Yes, quality training will be needed which addresses the .......... values and the health and safety perceptions that are the key to our success.5. The slowly evolving British family leaves a much more easily discernible impact on women's employment in Britain than the possible .......... influence of women's earning opportunities on family formation.Often the paintings appear to be signed on the .......... and occasionally a date is inscribed there also.The Gulf war can be viewed as an attempt to .......... the irreversible.6. If the Government were serious about this matter, would they not .......... some of the obstacles that now stand in the way of successful prosecutions of the Theft Act?It is essential that engineers are in a position to demonstrate that they have carried out their professional responsibilities and have acted to .......... or reduce risks to acceptable levels.


Perhaps it may even spur them to have a rethink and .......... the threat of closure from many wonderful facilities up and down the country.

READING 7: READ AND DISCUSS

CLUBBING TOGETHERGuardian co.ukMarch 14, 2005

No disrespect intended to the institution or its 53 member countries, but today's Commonwealth 1 Day celebrations are not likely to generate much interest or enthusiasm. The Queen's message for this year is that education is the most important instrument for overcoming conflict, natural disasters, inequality, poverty and Aids - all scourges for some of the 1.8 billion people who make up the post-colonial club she heads. The argument is fine but it cannot disguise the fact that the Commonwealth is in sad decline. It has long been overshadowed by Britain's relationships with the US and Europe, though it remains a useful network for deploying "soft power". Its finest hour was fighting apartheid. It has also helped protect democracy in Pakistan, Fiji and Nigeria, but failed with Zimbabwe, when Robert Mugabe walked out in 2003.

Its main advantage is that, unlike other global bodies such as the UN and the G8, the US is not a member. But the organisation that spans continents and regions has suffered from regional approaches to international problems - even though it is quite right that Africa should be singled out for urgent attention. The relative prosperity of India and other Asian countries underscores the old joke about its members having little in common and not much wealth. Prince Charles, who may one day follow his mother to head the Commonwealth, has called it "muddled and confused." Still, though, it commands human and (dwindling) financial resources and expertise, in election-monitoring, poverty eradication and promoting racial harmony, buttressing Nehru's hope that the Commonwealth could help bring "a touch of healing" to global problems. It also speaks English, the language of globalisation.

The Commonwealth has transcended its imperial past but failed to find a role. Perhaps a useful thought for today is that the time has finally come for new management, with the old white "ABC" powers of Australia, Britain and Canada stepping aside to let India, Nigeria and South Africa steer the organisation towards a more relevant future.

1. The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states. All but two of these countries (Mozambique and Rwanda) were formerly part of the British Empire, out of which it developed.


The member states cooperate within a framework of common values and goals as outlined in the Singapore Declaration. These include the promotion of democracy, human rights, good governance, the rule of law, individual liberty, egalitarianism, free trade, multilateralism, and world peace. The Commonwealth is not a political union, but an intergovernmental organisation through which countries with diverse social, political, and economic backgrounds are regarded as equal in status.

Give the background of the Commonwealth and speak on its prospects.

SPEAKING:

Here are some tips for the speaking assignment:

1. Show what you knowThe listeners will evaluate you on what they hear. So make the most of the opportunity to show your English at its best.

2. Start with an overview statement which repeats the topic given, for example:

Today I'm going to talk about the topic of work and pay: why are some people paid more than others?

3. Then say something to acknowledge the importance of the topic:This is a significant issue at the moment in many ways.

This is a really important topic today because...People have been discussing this issue a lot recently.....This question is relevant to my own life, because...This issue is significant in this country at the moment because....

4. After this introduction, try to preview your topic in some way which gives your presentation structure:

I'm going to look at this issue from two angles. Firstly, I will talk about jobs where people are in my opinion overpaid. Then, I will talk about jobs where people are often underpaid. Finally, I will try to explain the differences in pay and give an example from my own country.

5. When you speak, try to give frequent examples to illustrate your ideas. Make use of your own experience and background knowledge.

Only the other day I read in the news that the pay of top Russian footballers has risen 300% in the last twenty years, whereas the pay of some public sector workers, for example nurses, has fallen in real terms. So why is this?

6. Make eye contact with other people in the room and use your hands and facial expressions to convey your message.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Declaration

7. If you dry up towards the end of your speech, either recap what you have said

'Let me now summarise what I have said about this topic...'

or - better - refer to a personal experience that will allow you to keep talking until the end.

Now prepare a 2-minute statement on one of the following topics using the tips given above:

Should Great Britain become a republic or continue as a constitutional monarchy?

What are the ways in which Britain is different from the rest of Europe? How effective is the current British voting system? Will English remain the world’s lingua franca? How much freedom should the media have? Does the Commonwealth serve its purpose?

CONFUSING WORDS

Explain the difference in meaning between the words given below. Use them accordingly in the sentences that follow:

1. misused/disused.a) An airport ………. since its closure ten years before was used for car-racing,b) They complained that the new law had been ………. to suppress individual

liberties.2. unreadable/illegible/eligiblea) His hand-writing is so bad it is ……….b) The book is long, uninteresting and not very well-written. I find it ……….c) Congratulations! You are ………. for the grand prize.3. dissatisfied/unsatisfieda) He ate a meal large enough for three normal people but his appetite was still

……...b) I'm very ………. with this computer. It keeps breaking down.4. historic/historicala) At the meeting of our local ………. society there will be a talk of 19th

Century France.

Продайвода Е.Д. Graduation Course 31Today I'm going to talk about the topic of work and pay: why are some people paid more than others?

b) Today we have gained our independence and our liberty. It is a ………. day for our country.

5. credible/credulousa) She gave a very ………. account of the incidentb) He was ………. enough to believe the manufacturer's claims.6. continual/continuousa) The deadline was getting closer and we were under ………. pressure to

reach our target.b) The exhaustion felt by new parents comes from the ………. disturbance of

their sleep patterns.

DEBATE CLUB: GIVING ARGUMENTS

Arguments are the basic units of a debate. You must know how to draft good arguments. Some of the key features of the model argument include:

1. The “premise” is essentially a one sentence summary of the argument. It should be as concise and to-the-core-point-of-the-argument as is possible. It is put forward as a truth, but which is not proven.

2. Every argument should be backed by supporting evidence - further statements which translate the premises into the conclusion. This is the reasoning process so you should be very careful with the logic you use. Here commands, explanations and emotional appeals may be a useful component of persuasion.

3. Drawn from the premises of the argument is the conclusion (or “claim”) - the statement with which you want the other person to agree. (A useful way of concluding is saying what can, must or should happen. It may well persuade the other person to do something or make some decision.)

Think of counter-argument to the following statement:

Thomas Jefferson, Commonplace Book, 1774-1776: "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms. . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent


homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

Extend the following arguments and give supporting evidence to them:

Guns don’t kill people – people kill people

Citizen gun ownership acts as a deterrent against criminals

Criminals will find a way to commit crimes and violence with or without

guns

Gun restrictions and bans disadvantage citizens against armed criminals

DEVELOPING PRESENTATION SKILLS: POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

Presentations do not have a problem with lack of information. The biggest issue is the way you present it. Remember, in a PowerPoint Presentation whatever information appears on your slides is only part of what you will be saying to your audience. It is meant to capture your listeners’ attention and to emphasize the key points.

Don’t try to provide too much information. With rare exception, you should not have more slides than the number of minutes you were asked to speak. Do not just read your slides – tell your audience more, or help them interpret what they are seeing (graph or picture).

Structure of Your Presentation: State your name, the number of

the group you are in and the name of your presentation on the first slide.

State your presentation objectives or make a brief outline on the second slide.

The total number of slides in the body of your presentation should be no more than the number of minutes you were asked to speak (~10-12 min)

The final slides should carry the conclusion (the bulleted list of conclusions) and invite the audience to ask you questions.

Limit the information on the slide to a single point or idea.


Follow the rule of 5s and 6s. No more than five lines on a page and each line should be no more than six words.

Use short phrases rather than complete sentences. Make certain each phrase is parallel in grammatical structure.

Format of Your Presentation: Keep the font size large but not too large. Generally, a font size of 24 will

suffice in most presentations. Use colors with care. Select 2 or 3 tasteful but contrasting colors. Make your backgrounds simple. If you are using any kind of backgrounds,

make certain they do not overwhelm the information on the screen. Use pictures effectively. Don't overwhelm your slides with pictures.

However, your slides (or at least a good amount of them) should have pictures to hold your audience's attention.

To display information - use a chart whenever possible. For data presentation, use

o bar charts to compare data;o line graphs to show trends;o box charts to illustrate makeup or organizations or processes;o pie charts to emphasize the relationship of parts to the whole; ando photographs to illustrate realism.

Use ALL CAPS for the Title only. Use initial caps or lower-case letters for body text

Do not use underlines – it is very distracting and difficult to read. Use slide builds (where each bulleted point is added to the slide) and

animation but be consistent about the way you do it. Pick an approach, generally Wipe Right, and stay with it.

Proofread your presentation carefully.

DIY: Now draft and give a 10-12 minute PowerPoint presentation on one of the topics discussed or devise a topic of your own. You may also want to speak on: BRITISH CHARACTER – A STIFF UPPER LIPGREAT BRITAIN: THE LAND OF TRADITIONSTHE COMMONWEALTH TODAYENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA BRITISH HUMOUR - DO YOU GET ITA NATION OF ANIMAL LOVERSFOOTBALL: ENGLAND’S GLORY?

LIFE IN THE UK (Practice Test)


1. What is the name of the patron saint of Scotland?A. St AndrewB. St DavidC. St GeorgeD. St Patrick

2. When are general elections held?A. At least every yearB. At least every four yearsC. At least every five yearsD. At least every six years

3. When did the UK join the European Union?A. 1965B. 1973C. 1989D. The UK is not a member of the EU

4. What is a quango?A. A local police officerB. A non-departamental public bodyC. Another name for the Lord ChancellorD. The name of the British citizenship ceremony

5. How is it decided which party forms the Government?A. The members of the House of Lords vote for their preferred partyB. The party that wins the majority of the constituencies forms the GovernmentC. The party with the most candidates forms the GovernmentD. The party with the most votes forms the Government

6. What are functions of the House of Lords? Select two options from below:

A. Suggest amendment to lawsB. Propose new lawsC. Elect the Prime MinisterD. Elect the Speaker of the House of Commons

7. What is the largest ethnic minority in Britain?A. Bangladeshi descentB. Black Caribbean descentC. Indian descentD. Pakistani descent

8. How often does the Cabinet normally meet?A. Bi-weeklyB. DailyC. MonthlyD. Weekly


9. What is the name of the official record of proceedings in Parliament?A. HansardB. Parliament NewsC. The RecorderD. Westminster hour

10.What percentage of the UK population live in England?A. 53%B. 68%C. 75%D. 84%

11.How many member states are there in the Commonwealth?A. 25B. 39C. 53D. 75

12.What are the roles of the Whips in Parliament? Select two correct roles from below

A. Responsible for discipline in their partyB. Ensure attendance of MPs at voting time in the House of ComonsC. Ensure the House od Commons is always safe and secureD. Keep order in the House of Commons during political debates

13.What type of constitution does the UK have? A. A legal constitution B. A written constitution C. An amended D. An unwritten constitution

14.When did all 18-year-olds get the vote? A. 1918 B. 1928 C. 1939D. 1969

15.Who is the monarch not allowed to marry? A. Anyone who is not of royal blood B. Anyone who is not a Protestant C. Anyone who is under the age of 25 D. Anyone who was born outside the UK

16.What's the minimum time you must have been married before you can divorce?

A. Six months B. One year C. Two years


D. Three years

17.What politicians are members of the Shadow Cabinet?

A. Civil servants working in the GovernmentB. Peers from the House of LordsC. Senior members of the main opposition partyD. The remaining MPs in Government who are not in the Cabinet

18.What is an important ceremonial role that the King or Queen performs?A. Chairing proceedings of the House of LordsB. Meeting weekly with Prime MinisterC. Opening of a new parliamentary sessionD. Voting in the House of Commons in case of a tie

19.Which minister can sit in the House of Lords or in the House of Commons?

A. Chancellor of the ExchequerB. Foreign SecretaryC. Lord ChancellorD. Home Secretary

20.What is the name of the system that governs how MPs are elected into the House of Commons?

A. Electoral College systemB. First past the post systemC. Proportional representation system

21.What was the population of the United Kingdom in 2005?A. 39.3 millionB. 49.8 millionC. 59.8 millionD. 98.3 million

22.Members of the House of Lords can stand for election to the House of Commons. Is this statement true or false?

A. TrueB. False

23.When will the British Government adopt the euro as the UK’s currency?A. 2012B. 2015C. NeverD. When the |British people vote for it in a referendum

24.What are the functions of the Speaker of the House of Commons? Select two options from below

A. To keep order during political debateB. To make sure rules are followed in the House of Commons


C. To Promote Members from the House of Commons to the House of LordsD. To give royal assent to new laws.

25.The monarch rules the UK and can reject laws and decisions made by government and the Cabinet. Is this statement true or false?

A. TrueB. False


unit 1 - moscow state institute of international relations web viewunit 1 british core values . ......

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