A) Cabinet b) benches c) Foreign Secretary

D) backbenchers e) Budget f) Shadow Cabinet

G) Prime Minister h) Speaker i)Home Secretary

J) ministers k) front bench l) Leader of the Opposition

M) Debates n) Opposition o) Chancellor of the Exchequer

This is the House of Commons, where Members of Parliament take their seats on the green leather (1)____ according to their party and position. One of them chosen to be the (2)____, who acts as a kind of chairman of the (3)____ which takes place in the House. In front of him on his right sit the MPs of the biggest party, which forms the government, and facing them sit the MPs of the parties who oppose them, the (4)____. The leaders of these two groups sit at the front on each side. MPs without special positions in their parties sit behind their leaders at the back. They are called (5)____. The leader of the government, the (6)____, sits on the government (7)____,of course, next to his or her (8)____. The most important of these form the (9)____. The minister responsible for relations with other countries is called the (10)____. The one responsible for law and security is called the (11)____. The one who deals with financial matters and prepares the annual (12)____ speech on the economic state of the country is called the (13)____. Opposite this group sits the (14)____ (the main person in the largest party opposing the government) and the (15)____, each member of which specializes in a particular area of government.

Test 2

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the list below:

1.The Parliament Act 1911 fixed the life of a Parliament at five years,

although it may be … and a general election held before the … .

2.The Sovereign’s Assent is required before any legislation can … . 3.The Sovereign has the right to be consulted, the right to encourage and

the right to warn, but the right to veto has long since … .

4.The average number of … for the House of Commons in a normal

session is about 175.

5.The periods when Parliament is not sitting are popularly known as … ,

although the correct term is … .

6.The House of Lords is presided over by the … who is the Speaker in it. 7.The first of the deputy speakers is the … who is appointed by the House

of Lords at the beginning of each session.

8.Other permanent officers of the House include the Clerk of the

Parliament, who is appointed by the … and is responsible for the … . 9.Members of the House of Commons are elected either at a …, after a

Parliament has been dissolved and a new one summoned by the

Sovereign, or at a …, which is held when a vacancy occurs in the

House.

10.The Speaker decides … and gives … when required.

11. Of the permanent officers, who are not MPs, the most important is the

…, appointed by the Crown.

12.A vote is taken by means of a …, that is to say the separation into two

lobbies.

13.In the House of Commons a quorum is not required for the … .

14.The voting procedure in the House of Lords is similar to that in the

Commons except that the Speaker has no … vote.

15.Very occasionally a Bill will go to a …, which has the power to call

witnesses.

16.There are no standing committees in the House of Lords and the Bills

are normally debated in … .

(a) to dissolve, b) expiry of the legal term, c) to take effect, d) to fall into disuse, e) sitting days, f) recesses, h) adjournments, i) Lord Chancellor, j) Lord Chairman of Committees, k) Crown, l) records of proceedings, m) general election, n) by-election, o) points of order, p) rulings, q) Clerk of the House of Commons, r) division, s) transaction of business, t) casting, u) select committee, v) committee of the whole House).