English Worksheet - Vocabulary Record November

09
YEAR 12 - POLITICS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
Based on English Vocabulary in Use /Upper-Intermediate-Advanced - CUP

PEOPLE AND BODIES INVOLVED IN POLITICS

MP – Member of Parliament / PM – Prime Minister
Statesman/woman – someone who uses his/her political position wisely and well
Chamber – hall used by a group of legislators
Cabinet – a committee of the most important members* in the government
Chancellor of the Exchequer* – (UK) – Minister of Finance (taxes)
Foreign Secretary* / Home Secretary *– Minister of Foreign/Internal affairs (Foreign/Home
Office)
Mayor – Head of a town or city council
ELECTIONS
Ballot – Election / the piece of paper on which you indicate your choice in a secret vote
Constituency – a political area whose inhabitants are represented by one MP
Policy – the programme of action of a particular government or ministry (≠ politics)
By(e)-election – an election in one constituency (as opposed to general election)
Marginal seat – a parliamentary seat held by a very small majority of votes
The opposition /the Shadow Cabinet / Shadow Foreign Secretary
Stand/run for Parliament – to a candidate in an election

PRACTICE
1. Complete the table

abstract noun Person noun verb adjective

revolution REVOLUTIONARY REVOLUTIONISE REVOLUTIONARY
election ELECTOR ELECT ELECTIVE
DICTATORSHIP dictator DICTATE DICTATORIAL
PRESIDENCY president PRESIDE PRESIDENTIAL
representation REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENT REPRESENTATIVE
politics POLITICIAN POLITICISE POLITICAL

2. Read the text about politics in the UK and fill in the missing words

Parliament in the UK consists of two CHAMBERS: The House of Commons and the House of
Lords. In the House of Commons there are 650 MPs, each representing one CONSTITUENCY.
The ruling party in the Commons is the one which gains a MAJORITY of seats. The main
figure in that party is called the PM. The Commons is elected for a maximum of five years
although the PM may call a general ELECTION any time within that period.

3. Choose the correct word from the choices offered.

a. Our MP’s just died so we’ll soon have a vote/referendum/bye-election.

b. What is your country’s economic politics/policy/ politician?

c. Do you think deserved to be referred to as a politician/statesman/President?

d. She’s running/sitting/walking for Parliament in the next election.

e. His father was voted/stood/elected MP for Croydon.

BELIEF AND OPINION

Phrases and verbs connected with beliefs and opinions. Note different degrees of
formality/informality.
I think/believe/am convinced/feel/reckon
I’ve always held/maintained that
I doubt/suspect

PREPOSITIONS USED WITH BELIEF AND OPINION WORDS

I believe in / my views on / in favour of / have doubts about

BELIEFS, IDEOLOGIES, CONVICTIONS Add more words to this

tree/diagram
Beliefs

Ideologies philosophies convictions

Left/right wing intellectual personal religious moral

Socialist conservative Darwinist vegetarian Muslim

pacifist

ADJECTIVES – Pair these adjectives according to similarity. Note that the

meanings are similar but the same.

fanatical moderate
eccentric committed
conservative obsessive
middle-of-the-road traditional
dedicated radical thinker
firm odd
iconoclast strong

[Create a new section with the words learned in class after watching the Queen’s
and the Opposition leader’s speeches]

My government will bring forward / propose /