Aim: to consolidate knowledge of political systems of the USA, Great Britain, Russia.
The students are divided into 3 teams according to the countries. The competition consists of several stages. For each right answer or task the team gets a point.
Ход КВН
1. Performing theNational Anthem of the country
The students have texts before them.
| The UK | The USA | The Russian Federation |
| God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen: Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us: God save the Queen. |
A song “America, the Beautiful” (more popular) O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain. America! America! God shed his grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea. |
Россия – священная наша держава! Россия – любимая наша страна! Могучая воля, великая слава – Твоё достоянье на все времена. Славься, Отечество наше свободное – Братских народов союз вековой. Предками данная мудрость народная. Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой! |
2. Choose the national flag of your country and explain what it means.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS:
| The UK | The USA | The Russian Federation |
| The flag of the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack, is made up of three crosses. The upright red cross on a white background is the cross of the 1 St George, the patron of England. The white diagonal cross on a blue background is the cross of St. Andrew, the patron of Scotland. The red diagonal cross on a white background is the cross of St. Patrick, the patron of Ireland. | The American flag is often called “The Stars and Stripes”, it is also called “Old Glory”. It represents the growth of the nation. It has 13 stripes, 7 red and 6 white which stand for the original 13 states. In the top left hand corner there are 50 white stars on a blue background: one star for each state. | The state symbol of Russia is a three-coloured banner with three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red. The white stripe symbolizes the earth, the blue one is for the sky, and the red one symbolizes the liberty. |
3. Brain-storming about the political systems of the USA, Great Britain and Russia:
- What kind of state is the UK (the USA, the Russian Federation)?
- Who is the head of state?
- Which institutions exercise the legislative/ executive/judicial power in the country?
- What houses does the Parliament of the country consist of?
- Are they elected?
- Who heads the government?
- Is he/she elected or appointed?
- Which institution is he/she responsible to?
4. Choose the best variant to make the information correct:
А) Britain is a (1)constitutional/absolute monarchy. This means that the head of state is the Queen. But in fact she has no real power. She gives her royal assent to new laws, even if she doesn’t like them. Every (2) spring/autumn she opens Parliament, but the speech she makes from her throne is written by (3) the Prime Minister/Prince Charles.
The Queen is a symbol of Britain’s (4) short/long history and a tradition and her most important function is ceremonial. The Queen represents Britain when she meets (5) other heads of state/famous people.
(6)Once a week/Every day she has a meeting with the Prime Minister.
Every year she speaks on TV on (7) her birthday/Christmas Day. She opens new hospitals, bridges and museums. After disasters, she sends (8) messages/money to the families of the victims.
Answers: 1. constitutional 2. autumn 3. the Prime Minister 4. long 5. other heads of state 6.Once a week 7. on Christmas Day 8.Messages
B) The highest law in the USA which describes the powers of the national government and the powers of the state governments is (1) the Constitution/the Bill of rights.
The first 10 amendments to the US Constitution are called (2) the Bill of Freedoms/the Bill of Rights.
The US President’s term is (3) four/six years.
The US Government has (4) two/three branches.
Congress is a meeting of (5) representatives/members of political parties from all states.
Congress meets in (6) the White House/the US Capitol.
People who work in the Senate are called senators and people who work in the House of Representatives are called (7) members of Parliament/congressmen.
There are (8) fewer/more senators than congressmen in the US Congress
Answers: 1. The Constitution 2. the Bill of Rights 3. four 4. three 5. representatives 6. the US Capitol 7. congressmen.8. fewer
C) (1) The Duma/The President guarantees the basic rights of the people in Russia.
The Russian President is elected by (2) the people/the Supreme Court.
(3) The people/The Government elect the members of the Federal Assembly.
The Duma consists of (4) 540/450 deputies.
The Federation Council is a meeting of (5) representatives/members of political parties from all the subjects of the Russian Federation.
The Chairman of the Government is (6) appointed/elected.
The building on Krasnopresnenskaya Embankment belongs to (7) the Federal Government/the Duma.
In Russia (8) the Supreme Court/the Constitutional Court can declare laws unconstitutional.
Answers: 1. The President 2. the people 3. the people 4. 450 5. representatives 6. appointed 7. the Federal Government 8. the Constitutional Court
5. Match the person and the country. Introduce him or her.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
POSSIBLE ANSWER:
Foto №1 is Barak Obama. He is the first dark-skinned president of the USA.
6. The teams in turn name a trait of character the head of state should have.
The winner is the team to name the most traits.
A quick quiz about the present-day leaders of the countries:
- How old is Elisabeth II? (Barak Obama, Dmitry Medvedev)
- Where was she/he born?
- What education does she/he have?
- What is her/his husband’s/wife’s name?
- How many children does she/he have?
- What is she/he interested in?
- When was she/he first crowned/elected a president?
ANSWERS:
- Elisabeth II was born in 1926 in London. She was educated at home. Her husband’s name is Philip. They have four children. Elisabeth II is widely known for her interest in horses and horse-racing. She was crowned in Westminster Abbey in June 1953.
- Barak Obama was born in 1961 in the state of Hawaii. He got a higher education at the Columbia University. His wife’s name is Michelle. They have two daughters. B. Obama is fond of writing books. He also likes jazz music. He became a president of the USA on January, 20 in 2009.
- Dmitry Medvedev was born in 1965 in St.Petersburg. He got a higher education in his native city. His wife’s name is Svetlana. They have a son. D. Medvedev enjoys rock music, sport and photography. He was elected a president of Russia in 2008.
7. Tell an interesting story/information connected with the political system of these countries.
(their home assignment)
For example:
Have you ever heard about the mysterious echo in National Statuary Hall? There were times when Representatives met there to discuss political problems. So Mr. Quincy Adams’ desk was just on the place where he could hear whispered discussions of the opposing party on the far side of the room. He surprised every one when he seemed to guess what the other side was going to do before they did it.
or:
The Houses of Parliament in London, known also as the Palace of Westminster, is the place where members of Parliament gather together to make laws. 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. All the time 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 chairman of the House of Lords is Lord Chancellor. He sits on the woolsack, a large bag of wool covered with red cloth. It shows that wool made England rich.