Unit 3. Listening.

Task: listen to the text about the political system of Great Britain and choose the right variant in the following sentences:

1. Great Britain is … .

a) an absolute monarchy b) a democratic state c) a constitutional monarchy

2. The formal head of the state is … .

a) the Prime Minister b) the Queen c) the President

3. The power of the queen is … by the Parliament.

a) not limited b) strengthened c) limited

4. The British Parliament consists of … .

a) one chamber b) two chambers c) three chambers

5. The House of Lords is … the House of Commons.

a) smaller than b) the same as c) larger than

6. … seat in the House of Lords.

a) Workers b) Oligarchs c) Peers

7. … of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland seat in the House of Commons.

a) Political leaders b) Businessmen c) Representatives of people

8. The Parliament is headed by … .

a) the House of Lords b) the Queen c) the Prime Minister

9. The Prime Minister is responsible for … .

a) the behaviour of MPs (=Members of Parliament) b) private life of MPs c) the policy conducted by the Parliament

10. Ministers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords may speak … .

a) in both chambers b) in the House of Lords only c) only in the chamber they belong to

11. Elections for the Prime Minister are held every … .

a) three years b) four years c) five years

12. The government is formed by the party … .

a) that has more members b) that used to be an opposition c) that wins the majority of seats in the General Election

13. No. 10 Downing Street is the official residence of … .

a) the Queen b) the Lord Mayor (лорд-мэр) с) the Prime Minister

14. There are the following political parties in Great Britain except … .

a) conservative b) labour c) liberal d) democratic

Unit 4. Additional Reading. The end of an era: london loses its deautiful big red buses.

In December 2005 the last Routemaster bus was retired. What is a Routemaster? Routemaster is the name for the classic red London bus. It is red, has two decks, a 1950s-style bonnet, and an open platform on the back.

The first Routemaster appeared in the London streets in 1954, and served the public for more than fifty years.

It had a revolutionary design: special brakes, a light aluminium body, and power-assisted steering. Because the platform on the back was open, passengers could easily get on and off the bus. The driver didn’t need to open doors, but he needed to look carefully in his mirrors, to see if anyone was about to get on or off.

Of course, because the driver sat in a separate compartment, the bus needed a conductor. There was a special place for the conductor near the platform. He communicated with the driver using a bell system. The stairs to the upper deck were very steep and the conductor (and the passengers) had to climb them while the bus was in motion.

The Routemaster has been replaced by ‘bendy buses’ (buses with two sections connected in the middle, like in Moscow). Some Routemasters will still be used for special tourist routes and can be hired for wedding parties. You can buy one for about 10 000 pounds.

So why has London stopped using these buses?

There are a number of arguments, both for and against these old buses.

For		Against
• • • • • • •	They are specially designed for London’s streets. They are narrow and compact, they can manoeuvre easily. They are fast and comfortable. The journey is much quicker with a conductor (most buses in England don’t have conductors: you must buy your ticket either in advance or from the driver). Passengers just get on the bus and the bus sets off. The conductor checks tickets with the passengers sitting down and the bus moving. Conductors make journeys safer – they can protect passengers. They are a classic British design. They are an important symbol of London and Britain. They are part of our history and heritage.	• • •	If you are old or disabled it is difficult to get on or off a Routemaster. Accessibility is also a problem for passengers with pushchairs. The platform is quite high and the buses are narrow inside. They are 50 years old! They are expensive to maintain and repair. It is dangerous to have an open platform at the back of a moving bus!

Task 1. Find in the text synonyms to the following:

coach, fare collector, to take the bus, cautiously (внимательно), speak with, to construct, quick, convenient, travel, beforehand, to leave, to examine (tickets), secure, significant, invalid, tall, to service, to purchase.

Task 2. Find in the text antonyms to the following:

the first, dark, closed, to get on the bus, lower deck, those, against, wide, inconvenient, slower, to sell, easy, cheap, to break, safe.

Task 3. Match the words with their definitions:

1. Routemaster 2. a bendy bus 3. ticket 4. argument 5. journey 6. fare 7. history

a) the study of past events or a record of these events b) a card or paper entitling (дающий право) to admission, travel, etc. c) money paid by the passenger for travelling d) going to a place or the distance travelled e) a bus having two sections connected in the middle f) something proved by reasoning g) the classic red London bus

Task 4. Give your definitions to the following. For examples see the previous exercise.

Conductor, tourist, bus, driver, passenger, problem.

Task 5. Choose the right variant.

1. The last Routemaster bus was retired in … .

a) March 2007 b) December 2005 c) 1990s

2. Passengers could easily get on and off the bus because … .

a) all of them were sportsmen b) the conductor helped them c) the platform on the back was open

3. The driver had to … .

a) sell tickets b) open the doors c) look at getting on and off passengers in the mirrors

4. The conductor communicated with the driver … .

a) shouting loudly b) phoning him c) using a bell system

5. The retired double-deckers will be used … .

a) as museums on the wheels b) as school buses c) for wedding parties

Task 6. Agree or disagree to the following:

1. The Routemaster has been replaced by bendy buses because it’s too big for London streets.

2. Double-deckers are slow and inconvenient.

3. The journey is quicker if there is no conductor.

4. It’s easy for disabled people to get on a Routemaster.

5. These buses are old and need proper maintenance.

Task 7. Say what you have learnt about:

1. The history of the Routemasters.

2. The design of the Routemasters.

3. The responsibilities of the driver.

4. The duties of the conductor.

5. The advantages of double-deckers.

6. The disadvantages of classic red London buses.