The Houses of Parliament in London, also known as the Palace of Westminster, is the place where members of Parliament (M.P.s) gather to make laws.
The Palace of Westminster stands on the riverside near Westminster Abbey. Tourists always go to see them. Those who visit the Houses of Parliament may sit in the Strangers’ Gallery looking down into the House of Commons and listen to the debates. The members of each House meet in sessions which begin at the end of October and last for about one hundred and sixty days.
The sittings usually begin at 10 o’clock in the morning and end in the late afternoon; but if Parliament is discussing an important question, sittings may go on till late at night. When Parliament is in session, a flag can be seen over the building, and when the House of Commons is still sitting after dark, there is a light over the face of Big Ben.
The members of the House of Commons sit on two sides of the hall. The Speaker is the chairperson at all the debates in the House of Commons, and their duty is to keep order. The Speaker is elected by all the members of the House of Commons. He belongs to one of the political parties in Parliament, but whenever votes are equal, he votes with the government.
The chairperson of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor. He sits on the Woolsack, a large bag of wool covered with red cloth. If shows that wool made England rich.
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The House of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament constitute perhaps the most popular and widely spread image of London, known and recognized throughout the whole world. In this famous palace are also many meeting halls and various parliamentary offices.
The Palace of Westminster, together with Victoria Tower and the Clock Tower – which houses the most famous clock in the world, Big Ben – form an unmistakable architectural complex. But the Towers and the Houses of Parliament are not only associated architecturally, but also in the democratic spirit that rules the political life developed in the House of Commons, for, if Parliament is sitting – British parliamentary debates constitute an exemplary political spectacle – the flag flies on top of Victoria Tower during the whole day. If the debates go on during the night – which quite often happens in the dynamic parliamentary life of Great Britain, especially if matters highly important for the nation are being discussed – a light burns above Big Ben in the Clock Tower. This light at night and the flag during the day-time signal for the people of London that the members of Parliament, each from his own political point of view, are watching over the nation’s interests.
The Houses of Parliament can be visited by the public. The entrance is through the door located at the foot of Victoria Tower and next to the Royal Arch. Visitors start at the Royal Gallery and then go to the House of Lords. Here there is the historical Woolsack, where the Lord Chancellor takes his place to preside over the sittings. From here, visitors proceed towards the Central Corridor, crossing the Antechamber of the Lords. The historical frescos that decorate the walls of the Central Corridor are very interesting. Passing from here visitors arrive at the Antechamber of the Commons and then continue to the actual Commons itself.
At the end of the House of Commons is the Speaker’s Chair, on the right side of which the members of the parliamentary majority sit. The members of the groups that form the Opposition sit on the left, directly facing the Government benches.
Another interesting point in the Houses of Parliament is St. Stephen’s Hall, which is decorated with very valuable frescos. From St. Stephen’s Hall one reaches Westminster Hall. It is one of the oldest buildings in London.
Дома Парламента
Дома Парламента являются, пожалуй, самым популярным и широко распространенным символом Лондона, известным и признаным во всем мире. В этом знаменитом дворце множество залов для собраний и различных парламентских кабинетов.
Вестминстерский дворец, вместе с Башней Виктории и Часовой башней – на которой находятся самые известные часы в мире, Биг Бен – формируют безошибочно узнаваемый архитектурный комплекс. Башни и здания парламента связаны не только архитектурно, но и демократическим духом, что правит в политической жизни Палаты общин. Если парламент заседает – британские парламентские дебаты представляют собой пример политического зрелища – флаг развивается на вершине башни Виктория в течение всего дня. Если дебаты продолжаются в ночное время – что довольно часто бывает в динамической парламентской жизни Великобритании, особенно, если обсуждаются вопросы очень важные для нации в настоящее время – свет горит над Биг-Беном в Часовой башне. Этот свет в ночное время и флаг в дневное время – сигнал для людей, что члены парламента, каждый со своей политической точкой зрения, блюдят интересы нации.
Здания Парламента можно посещать общественности. Вход через дверь расположенную у подножия башни Виктория и рядом с Королевской аркой. Посетители начинают осмотр с Королевской галереи, а затем переходят в Палату лордов. Здесь есть исторический мешок с шерстью, где лорд-канцлер занимает место и председательствует на заседаниях. Отсюда посетители проходят в Центральный коридор, пересекая Прихожую Палаты лордов. Исторические фрески, украшающие стены Центрального коридора являются очень интересными. Проходя мимо Прихожей Палаты общин, посетители проходят в саму Палату общин.
В конце Палаты общин находится трон спикера, по правую сторону от которого сидят члены парламентского большинства. Члены групп, которые образуют оппозицию сидят слева, прямо напротив скамьи правительства.
Еще один интересный момент в здании парламента – зал Св. Стефана, который украшают очень ценные фрески. Из зала Святого Стефана вы попадаете в Вестминстер-Холл. Это одно из самых старых зданий в Лондоне.
The Houses of Parliament in London, also known as the Palace of Westminster, is the place where members of Parliament (M.P.s) gather to make laws. The Palace of Westminster stands on the riverside near Westminster Abbey. Tourists always go to see them. Those who visit the Houses of Parliament may sit in the Strangers’ Gallery looking down into the House of Commons and listen to the debates. The members of each House meet in sessions which begin at the end of October and last for about one hundred and sixty days. The sittings usually begin at 10 o’clock in the morning and end in the late afternoon; but if Parliament is discussing an important question, sittings may go on till late at night. When Parliament is in session, a flag can be seen over the building, and when the House of Commons is still sitting after dark, there is a light over the face of Big Ben. The members of the House of Commons sit on two sides of the hall. The Speaker is the chairperson at all the debates in the House of Commons, and their duty is to keep order. The Speaker is elected by all the members of the House of Commons. He belongs to one of the political parties in Parliament, but whenever votes are equal, he votes with the government. The chairperson of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor. He sits on the Woolsack, a large bag of wool covered with red cloth. If shows that wool made England rich. Дома парламента в Лондоне, также известный как Вестминстерский дворец, является местом, где члены парламента (депутаты) собираются, чтобы принимать законы.Вестминстерский дворец стоит на берегу реки возле Вестминстерского аббатства. Туристы всегда идут, чтобы видеть их. Те, кто посетит здание парламента может сидеть в галерее чужих глядя в Палате общин и слушать дебаты. Члены каждой встретиться дом в сессиях, которые начинаются в конце октября и продлится около ста шестидесяти дней. Заседания обычно начинаются в 10 часов утра и заканчиваются в конце дня; но если парламент обсуждает важный вопрос, заседание может идти до поздней ночи. Когда парламент на сессии, флаг может быть видно над зданием, и когда Палата общин все еще сидит после наступления темноты, есть свет по лицу Big Ben. Члены Палаты общин сидят на двух сторонах зала.Спикер председателя на всех дебатах в Палате общин, и их обязанность поддерживать порядок.Спикер избирается всеми членами Палаты общин. Он принадлежит к одной из политических партий в парламенте, но всякий раз, когда равенства голосов, он голосует с правительством.Председатель Палаты лордов лорд-канцлер. Он сидит на мешок с шерстью, большой мешок шерсти, покрытой красной тканью. Если видно, что шерсть сделала Англию богатой.
Представлено сочинение на английском языке Вестминстерский дворец/ Westminster Palace с переводом на русский язык.
| Westminster Palace | Вестминстерский дворец |
| One of the most beautiful buildings in London is Westminster Palace. It’s a huge structure on the bank of the river Thames in Westminster district of London. The building connects with the Trafalgar Square and Whitehall Street. | Одним из самых красивых зданий в Лондоне является Вестминстерский дворец. Это огромное сооружение на берегу реки Темзы в Вестминстерском районе Лондона. Здание соединяется с Трафальгарской площадью и Уайтхолл-стрит. |
| Originally, from 1529 the palace has been the English monarchs’ residence. After the fire in 1834, the building has been completely rebuilt and now it serves as the place of British Parliamentary meetings. | Первоначально, с 1529, дворец был резиденцией английских монархов. После пожара в 1834 году, здание было полностью перестроено, и теперь оно служит местом заседания британского парламента. |
| The building contains about 1200 rooms, 100 stairs, and 5 kilometer of halls. The biggest and the oldest part of the building is called Westminster-hall. It was erected in 1097 and occupies the area of 1800 square kilometers. This room has once served a place of the English Supreme Court’s sessions. Many prominent people were sentenced to death here, among them, Guy Fawkes, Thomas Moore, Charles I and many others. Westminster Palace has several high towers. | В здании есть около 1200 комнат, 100 лестниц, и холлов в 5 километров. Самая большая и старинная часть здания называется Вестминстер-холл. Он был построен в 1097 году и занимает площадь 1800 квадратных километров. Эта комната когда-то служила местом заседания английского Верховного суда. Многие известные люди были приговорены к смерти здесь, среди них, Гай Фокс, Томас Мур, Карла I и многие другие. Вестминстерский дворец имеет несколько высоких башен. |
| The most famous of all is Big Ben. Everybody knows that it’s the biggest clock in the world and that it’s the symbol of Great Britain. Another well-known tower is the Victoria Tower. It’s a bit higher than Big Ben. | Самой известной из всех является Биг-Бен. Все знают, что это самые большие в мире часы, и что это символ Великобритании. Другая известная башня – это Башня Виктории. Она немного выше, чем Биг-Бен. |
| In 1987 the Westminster Palace and the adjacent Church of St. Margaret were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. By the way the world-famous Westminster Abbey is situated right behind the Westminster Palace. | В 1987 году Вестминстерский дворец и прилегающая к нему церковь Святой Маргариты, были включены в Список всемирного наследия ЮНЕСКО. Кстати, всемирно известное Вестминстерское аббатство находится прямо за Вестминстерским дворцом. |
The British Parliament is the oldest in the world. It originated in the 12th century as Witenagemot, the body of wise councillors to consult the King in his policy. The British Parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and the Queen as its head.
The House of Commons plays the major role in law-making. It consists of Members of Parliament (called MPs for short). Each of them represents an area in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. MPs are elected either at a general election or at a by-election following the death or retirement. Parliamentary elections are held every 5 years and it is the Prime Minister who decides on the exact day of the election. The minimum voting age is 18. And the voting is taken by secret ballot. The election campaign lasts about 3 weeks.
The British parliamentary system depends on politicals parties. The party which wins the majority of seats forms the goverment and its leader usually becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister chooses about 20 MPs from his party to become the cabinet of ministers. Each minister is responsible for a particular area in the goverment. The second largest party becomes the official opposition with its own leader and “shadow cabinet”. The leader of the opposition is a recognized post in the House of Commons.The parliament and the monarch have different roles in the goverment and they only meet together on symbolic occasions, such as coronation of a new monarch or the opening of the parliament.In reality, the House of Commons is the one of three which has true power.
The House of Commons is made up of six hundred and fifty elected members, it is presided over by the speaker, a member acceptable to the whole house. MPs sit on two sides of the hall, one side for the governing party and the other for 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 session of the House of Commons lasts for 160-175 days.
Parliament has intervals during his work. MPs are paid for their parliamentary work and have to attend the sittings. As mention above, the House of Commons plays the major role in law making. The procedure is the following: a proposed law (“a bill”) has to go through three stages in 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 parliamentary committy. And the third reading is a report stage, when the work of the committy is reported on to the house. This is usually the most important stage in the process. When the bill passes through the House of Commons, it is sent to the House of Lords for discussion, when the Lords agree it, the bill is taken to the Queen for royal assent, when the Queen sings the bill, it becomes act of the Parliament and the Law of the Land.
The House of Lords has more than 1000 members, although only about 250 take an active part in the work in the house. Members of this Upper House are not elected, they sit there because of their rank, the chairman of the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor. And he sits on a special seat, called “Wool Sack.” 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.
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