can be reelected a limitless number of times and so popular MPs have veritable careers as parliamentarians. Unlike the Lords, MPs receive a salary of about *31000 a year. This is about the same pay as an average middle class professional such as a doctor or an accountant would earn and it is thought that MPs will thus be able to identify with the \voter they represent. They also receive allowances for secretaries and researchers, travel and so on.
Most MPs belong to political parties—Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are the major ones. The Prime Minister is of course the leader of the political party which wins the most seats in a
Tony Blair's family
general election. His or her Cabinet nowadays consists of usually around 20 MPs in the governing party who are chosen by the Prime Minister to become government ministers in the Cabinet. The Cabinet carries out the
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functions of policy-making, the coordination of government departments and the supreme control of government. The House of Commons is the real centre of British political life—it is the place where elected representatives make and debate policy--and so its role is discussed in greater detail in the chapter on British Politics.
Words & Expressions
allegation allege allowances Archbishop arguably assemble baron bear sth. in mind cabinet chair charter civic-minded come to a head community confidante
n. v. n. n. adv. v. n. n. v. n. adj. n. n. 指控,宣称 声称，断言 津贴,补贴,零用钱 大主教,主教长 可论证地;可能,大概 召集,聚集 (由国王直接分领地的)贵族 记住（某事） 内阁 担任(会议等的)主席 宪章,共同纲领 关心公益的,热心公民事务的 (事情)达到决定性阶段 社区;团体 知己的女友 12
consent n. contribute v. controversy n. coordination n. councilor n. decadence n. decree v. defy v. derive v. divine adj. doctrine n. electorate n. elitist adj. endear v. evolution n. execute v. executive n. exercise v. expenditure n. extramarital adj. first and foremost formula n. gang n. governance n. governor-general n. grant n. heir n. hereditary adj. instability n. integral adj. jet-setting adj. judiciary n. Law Lord n. legislature n. legitimate adj. Lord Spiritual n. Lord Temporal n. Lounge n. make ends meet matter of course medieval adj. monarchy n. 同意,准许 捐(款等),捐助 争论，争议 协调,协同 顾问;(市、镇等的)政务会委员 堕落,颓废 命令,颁布 (公然)违抗;藐视 取得,得到,形成 神授的,天赐的 教义,教条,信条 (总称)选举人,选民 杰出人物统治(论)的 使受喜欢,使受钟爱 演变,演化 将……处死 （政府的）行政部门，行政当局 运用,行使 (时间、金钱等的)花费，支出 婚外的 首要的是,首先 惯例,常规 一帮,一伙 统治方法,管理方法 (英国殖民地或英联邦国家的)总督 授予物(如补助金等) 继承人,嗣子 世袭的,承袭的 不稳定性,不稳固 基本的，不可缺少的 乘坐喷气飞机飞来飞去的阔佬的 司法部，司法系统 上议院执掌最高司法职务的议员,上议院法官 立法机关，议会 合法的,法律认可的 上议院的神职议员(指主教或大主教) 上议院的世俗议员(指非主教或大主教的贵族议员) 闲逛，闲荡 使收支相抵,勉强维持生计 理所当然的事 中世纪的 君主政体,君主制 13
neutrality oust outrage overturn parley parliamentariay patrilineal precedent prerogative project prominent reassert recession recognizance restraint say scruitinise sitting sovereign squander state-building statute successor summon supremacy Texan throne trace veritable vis-a-vis wage working yacht n. v. v. v. n. adj. adj. adj. n. n. adj. v. n. n. n. n. v. n. n. v. n. n. n. v. n. n. n. v. adj. prep. v. n. n. 中立,中立地位 驱逐,罢黜 激怒，激起……义愤 推翻，废除，使无效 会谈，谈判 国会的，议员的 父系的,父子相传的 先例，前例 特权,独有的权利 计划,规划,方案 重要的,著名的 再断言,准许 (经济的)衰退,衰退期 承认，确认 限制，约束 发言机会,发言权 详细检查,仔细观察 (议会的)开会 君主,最高统治者 浪费，挥霍 创立国家,建国 成文法,法令,法规 继承人，继任者 召唤,召集 至高无上，最高地位 （美国）德克萨斯州人 宝座;王位,帝位 追溯,查考 名副其实的,十足的 同……相对,同……相比 发动 (常用复数)运转,运行,活动 快艇,游艇 14
Supplementary Reading
The Queen and the Parliament
When the Queen opens Parliament arrives
each the
year, Palace
she of
at
Westminster by the gateway
named the Sovereign's Entrance. From there she goes to the Royal Robing Room to put on her crown and robes. Then she walks through the Royal Gallery to the House of Lords and addresses both Houses of Parliament there. But there is one place in the Palace of Westminster where the Queen cannot go.
The Queen is not allowed to go into the House of Commons. Do you know why this is?
The story begins in 1591 in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. This is where William Lenthall was
born. He played an important part
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