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1、LifeintheUnitedKingdom:AJourneytoCitizenshipChapter4.HowtheUnitedKingdomisgovernedTheBritishConstitutionAsaconstitutionaldemocracy,theUnitedKingdomisgovernedbyawiderangeofinstitutions,manyofwhichprovidechecksoneachother'spowers.Mostoftheseinstitutionsareoflongst
2、anding:theyincludethemonarchy,Parliament,(consistingoftheHouseofCommonsandtheHouseofLords),theofficeofthePrimeMinister,theCabinet,thejudiciary,thepolice,thecivilservice,andtheinstitutionsoflocalgovernment.Morerecently,devolvedadministrationshavebeensetupforScotl
3、and,WalesandNorthernIreland.Together,theseformalinstitutions,lawsandconventionsformtheBritishConstitution.Somepeoplewouldarguethattherolesofotherlessformalinstitutions,suchasthemediaandpressuregroups,shouldalsobeseenaspartoftheConstitution.TheBritishConstitution
4、isnotwrittendowninanysingledocument,asaretheconstitutionsofmanyothercountries.ThisismainlybecausetheUnitedKingdomhasneverhadalastingrevolution,likeAmericaorFrance,soourmostimportantinstitutionshavebeeninexistenceforhundredsofyears.Somepeoplebelievethatthereshoul
5、dbeasingledocument,butothersbelievethatanunwrittenconstitutionallowsmorescopeforinstitutionstoadapttomeetchangingcircumstancesandpublicexpectations.ThemonarchyQueenElizabethIIistheHeadofStateoftheUnitedKingdom.SheisalsothemonarchorHeadofStateformanycountriesinth
6、eCommonwealth.TheUK,likeDenmark,theNetherlands,Norway,SpainandSweden,hasaconstitutionalmonarchy.ThatmeansthattheKingorQueendoesnotrulethecountry,butappointsthegovernmentwhichthepeoplehavechosenindemocraticelections.Althoughthequeenorkingcanadvise,warnandencourag
7、ethePrimeMinister,thedecisionsongovernmentpoliciesaremadebythePrimeMinisterandCabinet.TheQueenhasreignedsinceherfather'sdeathin1952.PrinceCharles,thePrinceofWales,heroldestson,istheheirtothethrone.TheQueenhasimportantceremonialrolessuchastheopeningofthenewparlia
8、mentarysessioneachyear.OnthisoccasiontheQueenmakesaspeechthatsummarisesthegovernment'spoliciesfortheyearahead.GovernmentThesystemofgovernmentintheUnitedKingdomisaparl
