Language practice

 the outside at least, the Houses of Parliament give a firm impression of all those (1) ……… which we are supposed to value in the British form of government. The architecture gives the place a (2) ……… look, and the buildings are sandwiched between a busy square and the river, with Westminster Abbey not far away, making them a (3) ……… between the country house of an eccentric duke and a Victorian railway station. You have only to learn that the (4) ……… refer to each other as ‘The Honourable Member for So and So’ to complete the picture of a dignified gentleman’s club, with of course a few ladies to (5) ……… the numbers. Sadly, over the past few years first radio, and now television, have shown the general (6) ………, who are after all the electorate, what in fact goes on when bills are (7) ……… and questions are asked. The first obvious fact is that the chamber is very rarely full, and there may be only a (8) ……… of members present, some of (9) ……… are quite clearly asleep, telling jokes to their neighbour, or engaged in shouting like badly-behaved schoolchildren. There is not enough (10) ………. for them all in the chamber in any case, which is a second worrying point. Of course, television does not follow the work of (11) ……… which are the small discussion groups that do most of the real work of the House. But the (12) ……… impression that we as (13) ……… receive of the workings of government is not a good one. To put it bluntly, parliament looks disorganised, is clearly behind the times and seems to be (14) ……… with bores and comedians. This is presumably why members resisted for so long the efforts of the BBC to broadcast parliamentary (15) ……… on television.
1. a) views	b) appearances	c) identities	d) features
2. a) fashionable	b) traditional	c) close-up	d) notorious
3. a) mixture	b) combination	c) cross	d) match
4. a) members	b) candidates	c) delegates	d) senators
5. a) take away	b) bring about	c) make up	d) set in
6. a) situation	b) public	c) interest	d) rule
7. a) paid	b) determined	c) voted	d) discussed
8. a) handful	b) majority	c) few	d) number
9. a) these	b) whom	c) them	d) others
10. a) seats	b) places	c) room	d) around
11. a) elections	b) those	c) everyone	d) committees
12. a) overall	b) visual	c) positive	d) striking
13. a) audience	b) often	c) voters	d) well
14. a) working	b) inevitably	c) filled	d) much
15. a) matters	b) committees	c) speeches	d) debates
II. Choose the most appropriate word underlined.
1. By the early evening, most people had administered/cast/selected their votes.
2. The government has decided to hold/introduce/organise an early election.
3. Voting for strike action must be done by secret ballot/electorate/poll.
4. Each member of parliament represents a specific candidate/constituency/convention.
5. Before the election, each party published its election brochure/manifesto/synopsis.
6. Mark Brown has been delegated/nominated/represented for the post of honorary treasurer.
7. It’s impossible to predict which way the election will go because there are so many indefinite/undecided/unknowing voters.
8. My sister has decided to candidate/put in/stand for parliament in the next election.
9. The party’s election campaign/movement/struggle proved to be successful.
10. The National Party won the election with an increased majority/percentage/score.
III. Complete each sentence with one of the words given. Do not use a word more than once.
administration	cabinet	motion	reign
authorities	council	poll
bill	mayor	power
1. Mr Bill Bradford has been elected ……… of Greenswold for the third time.
2. The government has introduced a ……… outlining its plans for the coal industry.
3. Mrs Fletcher has wide experience of ………, having previously been head of a large school in Bristol.
4. According to the latest opinion ………, the National Party are well ahead of their nearest rivals, the Cooperative Party.
5. Although there is an elected assembly, it is generally recognised that General Domenico wields the real ……….
6. There is a locally elected ……… which has responsibility for roads, street lighting, and other facilities.
7. The king enjoyed a long ………, and was eventually succeeded by his son, George.
8. The ……… were slow to take control of the situation after the earthquake.
9. The Leader of the Opposition proposed a ……… of no confidence in the government.
10. Members of the ……… have a meeting with the Prime Minister each week.
IV. Replace the word or words underlined with one of the words given. Do not use a word more than once.
abolished	compulsory	permitted	voluntary
barred	illegal	required
binding	licensed	restricted
1. The proprietor is officially allowed to sell alcohol.
2. The sale of drugs is controlled by law in most countries.
3. Education from the age of five is obligatory in Britain.
4. Students have been banned from using local pubs since the incident.
5. The law prohibiting the sale of fruit in the street has been done away with.
6. For both parties to the agreement, the terms of this contract are to be obeyed.
7. With the application, a passport-sized photograph is necessary.
8. Smoking is not allowed in the classroom.
9. You don’t have to stay after school to help; it’s your own decision.
10. Parking in this street is not allowed on weekdays at certain times.
V. Choose the most suitable word or phrase.
1. The minister has ……… new proposals for discussion with the union.
a) made out	b) set down	c) drawn up	d) worked in
2. The Prime Minister stated that law and order must be ……… at all costs.
a) maintain	b) imposed	c) suppressed	d) conveyed
3. Mr Jackson challenged the government as to who exactly was ……… the country.
a) reigning	b) ministering	c) administrating	d) running
4. Union leaders called for ……… between themselves and the government.
a) speeches	b) elections	c) debates	d) consultations
5. The chairman asked the secretary to take the ……… of the meeting.
a) minutes	b) discussions	c) rulings	d) notes
6. The generals ……… the country in a lightning coup d’etat.
a) overwhelmed	b) took over	c) ran over	d) overruled
7. The minister has a talent for talking to ordinary people as if they were her ……….
a) level	b) fellows	c) counterparts	d) equals
8. There are so many rules and ……… about importing food that you need to consult a good lawyer.
a) laws	b) regulations	c) licences	d) orders
9. A politician always needs to protect his or her ……….
a) notoriety	b) publicity	c) reputation	d) rumour
10. Parliament has now ……… a law making skateboarding illegal on Sundays.
a) passed	b) legislated	c) voted	d) billed
VI. Match the words and phrases in a) to j) with the explanations in 1) to 10).
a) civil disobedience	f) a radical
b) a conformist	g) self-determination
c) a dictatorship	h) the establishment
d) the head of state	i) a licence
e) middle of the road	j) the civil service
1) If you are this, then technically you rule the country.
2) If you are one of these, you believe in complete political change.
3) If you are this, you like to behave in the same way as everyone else.
4) This consists of powerful people and organisations who support the social order.
5) This is an organised campaign involving breaking the law.
6) You might need one of these to get married, to drive, or to own a gun.
7) This is the right for people to decide about their future for themselves, rather than let a colonial power do it for them.
8) If you live under one of these, then you live in a state controlled by one powerful person.
9) If you are this, you have no strong political opinions.
10) the various departments of the government
VII. Complete each sentence with one of the words given.
conventional	formal	progressive	respectable
courteous	oppressed	reactionary
diplomatic	privileged	rebellious
1. If you are ………, you are tactful when dealing with people.
2. If you are ………, you have a good reputation in your community.
3. If you are ………, you are polite.
4. If you are ………, you are strongly against any kind of change.
5. If you are ………, you are being ruled unjustly or cruelly.
6. If you are ………, you behave just like everyone else, perhaps too much so.
7. If you are ………, you are against authority and hard to control.
8. If you are ………, you have more advantages than other people.
9. If you are ………, you like to follow social rules and customs on certain occasions.
10. If you are ………, you are in favour of new ideas.
VIII. Match the words given to the explanations.
ambassador	minister	ringleader	traitor
chairperson	patriot	sovereign
delegate	president	terrorist
1. This person may be the elected head of state.
2. This person is responsible for a government department.
3. This person leads others to make trouble.
4. This person represents their country abroad.
5. This person loves their country.
6. This person represents others at a meeting or conference.
7. This person betrays their country.
8. This person may be the head of state by birth.
9. This person uses violence rather than the political system for political ends.
10. This person is the head of a formal meeting.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
UNIT ONE	3
WINSTON CHURCHILL’S PREP SCHOOL	3
THE IDEA OF SUMMERHILL	5
SUPPLEMENTARY READING	6
SCHOOLS	6
POST-SCHOOL EDUCATION	10
UNIT 2	17
IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH	17
MUSCLE BINDS	17
SUPPLEMENTARY READING	21
HEALTH AND ILLNESS	21
UNIT 3	24
LANGUAGE, GENDER AND SOCIAL LIFE	24
THE MORALS OF GOSSIP	24
DON’T TALK, LISTEN!	27
SUPPLEMENTARY READING	35
GENDER AND LANGUAGE	35
UNIT 4	48
SOCIETY	48
THE UPPER CLASS	48
JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT POLICIES	50
SOCIAL SECURITY	52
UNIT 5	58
LAW	58
LAW AND ORDER	58
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT	61
SUPPLEMENTARY READING	64
CIVIL LAW AND PROCEDURE	64
CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS	66
CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE	69
UNIT 6	93
ECONOMY	93
TAXATION AND TAX SYSTEMS	93
TAX EVASION. BRIBERY. CORRUPTION	95
UNIT 7	103
POLITICS	103
THE GOVERNMENT	103
THE PARLIAMENT	105
TABLE OF CONTENTS	115