English topics

Topic N1 "The British Parliament"

The British Parliament is the oldest in the world. Itа originated

in th 12th century as Witenagemot, the body ofа wiseа councellers

whom the King needed to consult pursuing his policy. Theа British

Parliament consists of theа Houseа ofа Lordsа andа theа Houseа of

Commons and the Queen as its head. The House of Commons plays the

major role in law-making. It consists ofа Membersа ofа Parliament

(called MPs for short). Eachа ofа themа representsа anа areaа in

England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. MPs are elected either at a

general election or atа aа by-electionа followingа theа deathа or

retirement. Parliamentary elections are held every 5 years and it

is the Prime Ministerа whoа decidesа onа theа exactа day аofа the

election. The minimum voting age is 18. And the votingа isа taken

by secret ballot. The election campaign lasts about 3 weeks, The

British parliamentary system depends on politicalsа parties. The

party which wins the majority of seats formsа theа govermentа and

its leader usually becomes Primeа Minister. Theа Primeа Minister

chooses about 20 MPs from his partyа toа becomeа theа cabinetа of

ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular areaа in

the goverment. The secondа largestа partyа becomesа theа official

opposition with its own leader and "shadow cabinet". Theа leader

of the opposition is a recognized post in the Houseа ofа Commons.

The parliament andа theа monarchа haveа differentа rolesа inа the

goverment and they only meet together on symbolic occasions, such

as coronation of a new monarch or the opening of theа parliament.

In reality, the House of Commons is the one ofа threeа whichа has

true power. The House of Commons is made up ofа sixа hundredа and

fifty elected members, it is presidedа overа byа theа speaker, a

member acceptable to the whole house. MPs sit on two sides of the

hall, one side for the governing partyа andа theа otherа forа the

opposition. The first 2 rows of seats are occupied by the leading

members of both parties (called "front benches") The back benches

belong to the rank-and-life MPs. Each sessionа ofа theа Houseа of

Commons lasts for 160-175 days. Parliament hasа intervalsа during

his work. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work andа haveа to

attend the sittings. As mention above, the House of Commons plays

the major role in law making. The procedure is theа following:а a

proposed law ("a bill") has to go through three stagesа inа order

to become an act of parliament, these are called "readings". The

first reading is a formality and is simply the publication of the

proposal. The second reading involves debate on the principles of

the bill, it is examination by parliamentaryа committy. Andа the

third reading is a report stage, when the work of the committy is

reported on to the house. Thisа isа usuallyа theа mostа important

stage in the process. When the bill passes through theа Houseа of

Commons, it is sent to the House of Lordsа forа discussion, when

the Lords agree it, the bill is takenа toа theа Queenа forа royal

assent, when the Queen sings the bill, itа becomesа actа ofа the

Parliament and the Law of the Land. The House of Lordsа hasа more

than 1 members, although only about 250 take an active part in

the work in the house. Membersа ofа thisа Upperа Houseа areа not

elected, they sit there because of their rank, theа chairmanа of

the House of Lords is the Lordа Chancellor. Andа heа sitsа onа a

special seat, called "WoolSack" The members of the House of Lords

debate the bill after it has been passed by the House of Commons.

Some changes may be recommended and the agreement between the two

houses is reached by negotiations.

Topic N2 " US Congress"

The United States of America is a federal republic consistingа of

50а states. Eachа ofа whichа hasа itsа own goverment ("state

goverment"). In some ways the Unitedа Statesа isа likeа 50а small

countries. Each state has its own governor, itsа ownа policeа and

its own laws. The present constitution was proclaimed in 1787а in

Philadelphia, the President is the head of the whole countryа and

the goverment and "commandering chief" of theа armedа forces. He

makes the most important decisions and chooses the ministers, the

members of his cabinet. But the President cannot do just whatа he

wants. The Congress must agreeа first. Americansа chooseа aа new

president every four years. The residence of the President is the

White House in Washington, the Capital city. The goverment of the

whole country (the Federal goverment) works from Washington, this

is where the Congress is based. The Capitol is the seat of the US

Congress. Congress is the American parliament which consists of 2

chambers. The Senate and the House of Representatives. Theа first

Congress met in 1789а inа Newа Yorkа city. Theа membershipа then

consisted of 22 senators and 59 representatives. Today theа House

of Representatives has 435 members. Elections to theа houseа take

place every 2 years. There are 100 senators (2 from eachа state),

they are elected to serve for a period of sixа years, butа every

two years elections to the senate took placeа whenа one/thirdа of

its members must be changed or re-elected. Election day is always

in the month of November, on the first Tuesday, afterа theа first

Monday. Americans who aren't yet 25 years old have no right to be

elected to the House of Representatives. Whose, who are underа 30

can't be elected in the Senate. The main political parties in the

United Statesа ofа Americaа areа theа Democraticа Partyа andа the

Republlican Party.

Topic N3 "Business Trips"

Never before in the history of the world have businessmenа traveled

so much as they do today. It is notа surprisingа becauseа weа are

living in a world of growing internationalа tradeа andа expanding

economic and technical cooperation. Fascinating though it isа for

tourist travelling, however, has become the mostа tiringа ofа all

the occupations for manyа businessmenа andа experts. Choosingа a

comfortable hotel to stay at is, therefore, aа matterа of аsome

importance. There are plently of good hotels, motels, andа guest

houses, in theа world, convientlyа locatedа forа majorа business

centers. Manyа developingа countries, suchа asа India, Egypt,

Nigeria, Lybia, etcа haveа excellentа hotels. Their numerous

facilities include both: large and small cocktail barber'sа shops

and conference halls, equippedа withа simultaneous, multilingual

translation systems. There are parking areas which can accomodate

a lot of cars. It might be useful for travelling businessmenа and

tourists toа knowа thatа tailorа shops, shoeа repairа shopsа and

laundry, dry cleaning services are available forа guests. People

in the office help guests to book train orа steamerа ticketsа and

rent a car. They are also ready to give all necessary information.

Nowadays people who go on business mostly travel by air as itа is

the fastest means ofа travelling. Passengersа areа requestedа to

arriveа atа theа airportа 2а hoursа beforeа departureа time on

international flights and an hour on domesticа flightsа asа there

mustа beа enoughа timeа toа completeа the necessary airport

formalities. Passengers must register their tickets, weigh in and

register the luggage. Most airlines have at leastа 2а classesа of

travel: first class and economyа classа whichа isа cheaper. Each

passenger of moreа thanа 2а yearsа ofа ageа hasа aа freeа luggage

allowance. Generallyа this limitа isа 20kgа forа economicа class

passenger and 30kg for first class passenger. Excess luggage must

be paid for except for some articles that can be carried freeа of

charge. Each passenger is given a boarding pass toа beа shownа at

geparture gate and again toа theа stewardessа whenа boardingа the

plane. Watch the electric sign flashes whenа youа areа onа board,

when the "Fasten Seat Belts" sign goes on do it promptly and also

obey the "No Smoking" signal. Do not forget your personal effects

when leaving the plane.

Topic N4 "Customs and Traditions"

There are many customs and traditions inа England. Andа Iа would

like to tell you some of them. First tradition isа calledа "Wrong

side of the bed" When people are bad tempered weа sayа thatа they

must have got out of bed on the wrong side. Originally, itа was

meant quiet literally. People belive that the wayа theyа roseа in

the morning affected their behaivor throughout the day. The wrong

side of the bed was the left side. The leftа alwaysа havingа been

linked with evil. Secondа customа isа calledа "Blowingа outа the

candles" The custom of having candles on birthday cakes goes back

to the ancient Greeks. Worshippers of Artemis, godess of the moon

and hunting, used to place honeyа cakesа onа theа altarsа ofа her

temples on her birthday. The cakes were round like the fullа moon

and lit with tapers. This custom was next recorded in theа middle

ages when German peasantsа litа tapersа onа birthdayа cakes, the

number lit indicating the person's age, plusа anа extraа oneа to

represent the light of life. From earliestа daysа burningа tapers

had been endoued with mystical significance andа itа wasа belived

that when blown out they had the power to grant a secret wish and

ensure a happy year ahead. And the last tradition I would like to

tell you is called "The 5th of November" On the 5thа ofа November

in almost every otwn and village in Englandа youа willа seeа fire

burning, fireworks, cracking and lighting up theа sky. Youа will

see too small groups of children pulling roundа inа aа homeа made

cart, a figure that looks something like a man but consists of an

old suit of clothes, stuffed with straw. The children will sing:"

Remember, remember the 5th of November; Gun powder, treasonа and

plot". And they will ask passers-by for "a penny for the Guy" But

the children with "the Guy" are not likely to knowа whoа orа what

day they are celebrating. They have done this more or lessа every

5th of November since 1605. At that time James the Firstа wasа on

the throne. He was hated with manyа peopleа especialyа theа Roman

catholics against whom many sever laws had been passed. Aа number

of catholics chief of whom was Robert Catesby determined toа kill

the King and his ministers by blowing up the house ofа Parliament

with gunpowder. To help them inа thisа theyа gotа Guyа Fawker, a

soldier of fortune, who would do the actual work. Theа dayа fixed

for attempt was theа 5thа ofа November, theа dayа onа whichа the

Parliament was to open. But one of the consperatorsа hadа several

friends in the parliament and he didn't want them to die. Soа he

wrote a letter to Lord Monteagle begging him to make someа excuse

to beа absentа fromа parliamentа ifа heа valuedа hisа life. Lord

Monteagle took the letter hurrily to the King. Guardsа wereа sent

at once to examine the cellars of the houseа ofа Parliament. And

there they found Guy Fawker about to fire a trailа ofа gunpowder.

He was tortured and hanged, Catesby was killed, resistingа arrest

in his own house. Inа memoryа ofа thatа dayа bonfiresа areа still

lighted, fireworks shoot across the November sky andа figuresа of

Guy Fawker are burnt in the streets.

Topic N5 "Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)"

Thomas Jefferson one of the American President ofа theа pastа was

born in Virginia in 1743. When he was 14 yearsа old, hisа father

died and the young boy was left to choose for himself what to do.

Jefferson studied literature and languages. He also studied to be

a lawyer, and later he wrote many of the Virginiaа laws. Oneа of

the laws for which he worked very much was a lawа toа allowа many

child to go to school free. Schools in America were only forа the

children whose parents were rich. Whenа Jeffersonа wasа stillа a

young man he was one of those who wantedа freedomа fromа England.

His most outstandingа archivmentа wasа asа chiefа authorа ofа the

Declaration of Independence, aа statementа ofа humanа rightsа and

liberties. It was read to the happy people on theа 4thа ofа July,

1776. Jefferson also drew upа theа constitutionа forа hisа state,

Virginia, and served as its governor. He was sentа toа Franceа as

theа foreignа ministerа ofа theа Unitedа Statesа ofа Americaа and

afterwards was President's Washington secretary of state. Aа few

years later he became the country's third president, servingа in

this position for 2 terms. Theа authorа ofа theа Declarationа of

Independence did another important thing for the American people.

He worked out a plan for aа universityа whereа theа studentsа and

teachers could live and work togetherа inа aа villageа buildа for

them. It was one of the first schools to teach science. Today, it

is the university of Virginia. This well knownа manа wasа alsoа a

self-tought architect. He introduced the simple classicalа design

to America when he designed the Virginia State Capitalа Building.

He also designed his own home, he remained theа mostа influencial

architect of his time. Thomas Jefferson didа manyа usefulа things

during his life timeа andа heа alwaysа thoughtа ofа howа toа help

ordinary people. He was aа practicalа andа theoreticalа scientist

too. Jefferson's best traditions have been keptа upа byа American

progressive people in their struggle for peace and democracy.

Topic N6 "Pets"

The English people likeа animalsа veryа much. Pet:а dogs, cats,

horses, ducks, canaries, chickens and other friends of men have a

much better life in Britain, than anywhere else. In Britainа they

have special dog shops, selling food, clothesа andа otherа things

for dogs. There are dog hair-dressing saloons and dogа cemetries.

The English arrange dogs' shows and organize dogs' supper parties

for winners of dogs' competitions. They do all they canа toа make

animals feel well in their homeа andа outsideа theirа homesа too.

There were photographs in English newspapres of a mother duck and

her young family, crossing slowly theа roadа fromа Hydeа Parkа to

Kensington Garden. All traffic around was stoppedа toа letа Mamma

Duck and her little ones walked quitly from one park toа another.

In recent years the English began to show loveа forа moreа exotic

animals such as crocodiles, elephants, tigers, cobras, аcamels.

You won't be surprised, we think, when we tellа youа thatа London

Airport has a special "animal hotel". Everyа yearа thousandsа of

animals arrive at London Airport, someа stayа theа nightа there;

others stay several weeks. In one month, for example, "the hotel"

looked after 47 creatures: birds, insects, fish, elephants,

mpnkey and other animals. There are about 4а dogs, 6

cats, 8 caged birds and lots of other animalsа inа Britain.

The English people belive that they are the onlyа nationа onа the

Earth that is really kind to its animals.

Topic N7 " Washington, DC"

The city of Washington, theа capitalа ofа theа Unitedа Statesа of

America is located in the District ofа Columbiaа (DCа forа short)

Many people consider Washington DC to be one of the most beatiful

cities in the world. It is filled with many parks, wideа streets

and impressive buildings. In the centre of the city, inа Capitol

Park, visitors'а eyesа focusа onа theа Capitol, whereа Congress

convence to inect laws. Many visitors come toа Washingtonа DCа to

see the White House. It is the greatest attractionа forа manyа of

them. The White House, the official residence ofа theа President,

is situated at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. The largest room in

this building of over the hundreds room is the Eastа Room, scene

of many state receptions, balls and musicals. Other famousа rooms

are: the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, which areа used

for afternoon teas and for receptions held before stateа dinners.

The Blue Room, the most formalа ofа theseа "colors"а roomа isа an

oval-shaped room connecting the Green and the Red Rooms. Onа the

second floor, the floorа withа theа familyа quartersа andа quests

rooms, is the Lincoln Room, which one servedа asа anа officeа for

president Lincoln but today serves as anа honorа guestа room. In

this room Lincoln signed the emansipation proclamationа ofа 1863.

Other landmarks inа Washingtonа DCа includeа memorialsа toа three

Presidents: The Washington Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial and The

Jefferson Memorial; The Library of Congress, The National Gallary

of Art, The John F. Kennedy center for theа Perfomingа Arts. The

Capitol is in the very center of Washington. It is located on the

Capitol Hill, the highest point in the city. The Capitolа isа the

highest building in Washington. There is a law in Washingtonа not

to build buildings higher than the Capitol. The conrerа stoneа of

the Capitol was laid by George Washington on Sep 18th, 1793. The

Capitol is the seat of the govermentа ofа theа Unitedа Statesа of

America.