1. In monarchical states most executive powers are in the hands of …:

a) the monarch;

b) ministers;

c) the parliament.

2. In Great Britain executive powers of government belong to …:

a) the majority in the House of Lords;

b) the majority in the House of Commons;

c) the minority in the House of Commons.

3. A constitutional monarch is the head of …:

a) the state;

b) the parliament;

c) the government.

4. In Jordan and Saudi Arabia real powers of government are exercised … :

a) by the ministers;

b) by the parliamentary body;

c) by the king.

5. Such countries as … can serve models of parliamentary and presidential forms of government.

a) Great Britain and the USA;

b) Great Britain and Japan;

c) China and the USA.

6. The president of the USA …:

a) is elected every other year;

b) is elected for six years;

c) is elected for four years.

7. In Great Britain the parliamentary executive system is … the legislative branch.

a) separated from…;

b) linked to …;

c) replaced by … .

8) The prime minister must be a member of …:

a) the House of Lords;

b) the House of Commons;

c) both Houses of Parliament.

9) Features of both presidential and parliamentary systems of government can be found in …:

a) France;

b) Germany;

c) Japan.

Task 2. Look through the text once again and find the information which can be used to characterize the Russian form of government.

Task 3. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.

UNICAMERAL AND BICAMERAL LEGISLATURES

A central feature of any constitution is the legislature. It may be a unicameral body with one chamber or a bicameral body with two chambers.

Unicameral legislatures are to be found in small states with unitary systems of government, among them Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Israel, and New Zealand, or in very tiny states such as Andorra, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein.

The U.S. Senate enjoys special powers not shared by the House of Representatives: it must authorize by a two-thirds majority vote the ratification of international treaties concluded by the president and must confirm the appointments of the most important federal officers made by the president.

The federal character of the Swiss constitution is likewise reflected in the makeup of the nation’s central legislature, which is bicameral. One house, the National Council, consists of 200 members apportioned among the cantons according to population; the other house, the Council of States, consists of 46 members elected by direct ballot — two from each canton.

Bicameralism is also characteristic of governmental systems that are best described as regionalist. Here, too, bicameralism is expressive of the territorial subdivisions that are joined together to form the national state.

A unitary governmental system does not imply unicameralism in the legislature. Most legislatures of unitary states are, in fact, bicameral, though one chamber is usually more powerful than the other. This is true for the world’s oldest and most successful parliament, that of Great Britain, which consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Commons has become by far the more powerful of the two chambers, and the Cabinet is politically responsible only to it. The House of Lords has no control over finances and with respect to other legislation only a modest suspensory veto, which can be easily overcome in the House of Commons by a second vote at an early date.

1. What states usually have unicameral legislatures? Give examples.

2. What Houses does the US Congress consist of? Which House enjoys special powers not shared by the other? What are these powers?

3. What are the Houses of the Swiss legislature?

4. Is bicameralism characteristic of regionalist or unitary systems of government?

Task 4. Make a short summary of the following text. (Remem­ber that a summary normally consists of about 1/10 of the original).