当前位置:文档之家› 英国社会与文化课后练习

英国社会与文化课后练习

英国社会与文化课后练习

I. Multiple Choices: Choose one right answer from the four choices:

1. The Norman Conquest happened in ____

A. 55BC

B.1066

C.700

D.966

2. Which of the following is not true about London?

A. it’s a political, economic and cultural center of the country.

B. it has a larger population than all other cities in England.

C. it is not only the largest city in the country, but also the largest in the world.

D. it has played a significant role in the economic construction of the country.

3. British Recorded history began with _____.

A. Roman invasion

B. the Norman Conquest

C. the Viking and Danish invasion

D. the Anglo-Saxons invasion

4. The English Civil War is also called _____.

A. the Glorious Revolution

B. the Bloody Revolution

C. the Catholic Revolution

D. the Puritan Revolution

5. The Tower of London, a historical sight, located in the center of London, was built by

A. King Arthur

B. Robin Hood

C. Oliver Cromwell

D. William the conqueror

6. In the 18th century, there appeared ____ in England, which owed a great deal to the invention of machines.

A. the Industrial Revolution

B. the Bourgeois Revolution

C. the Wars of the Roses

D. the Religious Reformation

7. _____ was famous for his abdication because of his marriage with a divorced American.

A. Edward VIII

B. Edward VII

C. George VI

D. George VII

8. The House of Lords is presided over by _____.

A. the Lord Chancellor

B. the Queen

C. the Archbishop of Canterbury

D. the Prime Minister

9. The Prime Minister is appointed by _____ and he or she always sits in _____.

A. the Archbishop of Canterbury, the House of Commons

B. the Archbishop of Canterbury, the House of Lords

C. the Queen, the House of Commons

D. the Queen, the House of Lords

10. Which of the following is Not a characteristic of British government?

A. It offers the Queen high political status and supreme power.

B. It is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy.

C. It is the oldest representative democracy in the world.

D. It has no written form of Constitution.

11. The ultimate authority for law-making resides in _____.

A. the Queen

B. the Cabinet

C. the House of Lords

D. the House of Commons

12. The sources of British law include _____.

A. statutes, common law, equity law and European Community law

B. statutes, common law and equity law

C. statutes, common law and European Community law

D. a complete code and statutes

13. The National Health Service was established in the UK in _____ and based at first on _____.

A. 1948, Acts of Parliament

B. 1958, Acts of Parliament

C. 1948, the Bill of Rights

D. 1958, the Bill of Rights

14. Which of the following is Not related to the Constitution?

A. It is a written document which lists out the basic principles for government.

B. It is the foundation of British governance today

C. Conventions and Laws passed by Parliament are part of the Constitution.

D. The common laws are part of the Constitution.

15. Which of the following is NOT a true description of the Queen’s role?

A. The Queen selects the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

B. The Queen symbolizes the tradation and the Cabinet.

C. The Queen acts as a cofidante to the Prime Minister.

D. The Queen is the temporal head of the Church of England.

16. Which of the following is Not a feature of the House of Lords?

A. Lords do not receive salaries and many do not attend Parliament sittings.

B. It consists of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal.

C. The Lords are expected to present the interests of the public.

D. Most of the Lords in the House of Lords are male.

17. Which of the following is NOT based on the fact?

A. Members of Parliament elect the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

B. MPs receive salaries and some other allowances.

C. MPs are expected to represent the interests of the public.

D. Most MPs belong to the major political parties.

18. In Britain, children from the age of 5 to 16 can _____ by law.

A. receive completely free education

B. receive partly free education

C. receive no free education if their families are rich

D. receive no free education at all

19. In Britain, the great majority of parents send their children to ___.

A. private schools

B. independent schools

C. state schools

D. public schools.

20. Which of the following is a privately funded university in Britain?

A. the University of Cambridge.

B. the University of Oxford

C. the University of Edinburgh

D. the University of Buckingham

21. Which of the following is NOT true?

? A. Parents send their children to public schools because they are rich.

? B. Parents send their children to public schools because their children can get better jobs when they leave school.

? C. Parents send their children to public schools because their children can have a better chance of getting into a good university. ? D. Parents send their children to public schools because their children prefer to go to public schools.

22. Which of the following is Not a characteristic of the open University?

A. It’s open to everybody

B. It requires no formal education qualification.

C. No university degree is awarded.

D. University courses are followed through TV, radio, correspondence, etc.

23. In the examination called “the 11 plus”, students with academic potential go to ___.

A. grammar schools

B. comprehensive schools

C. public schools

D. technical schools

24. Which of the following is NOT included in the National Curriculum?

A. Children must study the subjects like English, mathematics, science and so on.

B. Children must sit in A-level exams.

C. Children must pass national tests.

D. Teachers must teach what they are told.

25. Which of the following is NOT true about British education system?

A. It’s run by the state.

B. It’s funded by the state.

C. It’s supervised by the state.

D. It’s dominated by the state.

26. Which of the following schools would admit children without reference to their academic abilities?

A. Comprehensive schools

B. Secondary schools

C. Independent schools

D. Grammar schools

Explain the following terms.

Norman Conquest----The Norman Conquest of 1066 is perhaps the best-known event in English history. William the conqueror confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England.

Alfred the Great----He was king of Wessex, one of the seven Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms. It was he who led the Anglo-Saxon to flight against the invading Danes and maintained peace for a long time. Alfred was not only a brave king at wartime, but also a wise king at peacetime. He encouraged education and introdu ced a legal system. He is known as “the father of the British navy”.

Geoffrey Chaucer----He was an important English poet in the fourteenth century. His best known is The Canterbury Tales, which describes a group of pilgrims travelling to Canterbury to vi sit Thomas Becket’s tomb. Because he was the first important English poet to write in English. He has been known as the “Father of English Poetry”.

The Black Death----It is a modern name given to the dearly bubonic plague, an epidemic disease spread through Europe in the fourteenth century particularly in 1348-1349. It came without warning, and without any cue. In England, it killed almost half of the total population, causing far-reaching economic consequences.

The Wars of Roses ----the name Wars of the Roses was refer to the battles between the House of Lancaster, symbolized by the read rose, and that of York, symbolized by the white, from 1455 to 1485. Henry Tudor, descendant of Duke of Lancaster won victory at Bosworth Fireld in 1485 and put ht country under the rule of the Tudors. From these Wars, English feudalism received its death blow. The great medieval nobility was much weakened.

The Glorious Revolution of 1688 ---- (1) It refers to the event of 1688 in the English Revolution, when the Catholic king James II was forced to flee with his baby son to France. (2) The throne was offered to his Protestant daughter and her husband Dutch king William. (3) The bill of Rights was passed by Parliament to restrict the power of the Monarchy. (4) This was the beginning of the Constitutional Monarchy in Britain.

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 ----(1) It refers to the most famous of a number of Catholic conspiracies in English history which occurred in the reign of James I (2) It was the plot to blow up the King and Parliament, (3) in which a man called Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the House of Commons in the very act of preparing the explosives. (4) "Guy Fawkes' Night" is still celebrated on November 5th each year.

the Protestant Church - (1) It refers to the Christian church whose faith and practice originated with the principles of the Reformation. (2) As the Pope’s political power and religious authority declined in the sixteenth century, (3) Protestant churches sprang up in Northern Europe in opposition to the established Roman Catholic Church. (4) In Britain, Protestantism gradually became the dominant faith in the Elizabethan age.

the Church of England - (1) Also called Anglican Church, it is one of the many "Protestant'' sects which broke away from Roman Catholic Church during the Religious Reformation. (2) It is an established Church, which means that it represents the official state religion, (3) having certain duties towards the state, and receiving certain privileges from it. (4) Its temporal head is the Queen, and twenty-six of its highest priests sit in the House of Lords.

the Protestant Reformation - (1) A religious movement started in 1517, when the German monk Martin Luther posted for debate, (2) a series of theses that challenged Roman Catholic teaching. (3) Many Protestant sects broke away from the central organization of Roman Catholic Church.

(4) Most of the Protestants stressed the Bible as the source and the norm of their teaching instead of the Pope as a Source of authority.

Privy Council ---- (1) A consultative body of the British monarch. (2) Its origin can be traced back to the times of the Norman Kings. After the Glorious Revolution of 1688, its importance was gradually diminished and replaced by the Cabinet. (3) Today, it is still a consultation body of the British monarch. (4) Its membership is about 400, and includes al Cabinet ministers, the speaker of the House of Commons, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and senior British and Commonwealth statesmen.

the English Civil War - (1) One of the most important events in the whole of British history. (2) It is a bitter power struggle (1642--1648) between the monarchy and Parliament. (3) The victory of the Parliament led to the execution (1649) of Charles I and the temporary overthrow of the monarchy, and (4) the country became for more than ten years a sort of republic founded by Oliver Cromwell.

the Industrial Revolution - (1) It refers to the period in British history from 1750 to 1850. (2) Great changes took place with the invention of the steam engine. (3) More factories and big towns were built. (4) It made Britain stronger and richer, and at the same time it also created entirely new social class, the industrial workers.

the Victorian age - (I) It refers to the monarch of Britain under the great Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901, the longest reign in British history. (2) The Victorian age was an age of national development and national optimism. (3) The Victorians were very religious and conservative in family life.

(4) It was also, in its later stages, an age of imperialism.

Constitutional Monarchy - (1) The Constitutional Monarchy is one in which the Monarch respects the Constitution. (2) In law, the monarch is head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature: head of the judiciary; commander-in-chief of all the armed forces and head of the Church of England. In practice, the real power of monarchy has gradually been reduced and today the Queen acts solely on the advice of her ministers. (3) In the Glorious Revolution, William and Mary became the joint rulers of Britain, and the Constitutional Monarchy began. (4) The Bill of Rights which was passed in 1689 restricted the power of the monarchy.

the British Constitution - (1) It is unwritten. (2) Its components include Acts of Parliament, the Prerogative of the Crown, Conventions of the Constitution, Common Law and Parliamentary Privilege. (3) It is more flexible than the written ones in other countries.

the Bill of Rights in 1689 - (1) it was the Bill passed by the Parliament in 1689 after the Glorious Revolution. (2) It laid down a number of things that future monarchs could not do. (3) It marked a sharp decline in powers of the Monarch. (4) It marked the beginning of the British Constitutional Monarchy.

General Election - (1) General Election is held at least every five years. (2) The country is divided into 635 constituencies, each of which returns one Member of Parliament. (3) The one who has the most votes in a constituency becomes a Member of Parliament. (4) The leader of the party with the largest number of members returned to the House of Commons becomes Prime Minister.

British Parliament - (1) It includes three elements: the Crown, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. (2) It is the supreme law-making authority in Birtain. (3) The real centre of parliamentary power is in the House of Commons. (4) Other' functions include: to control and criticize the executive government; to control the raising and the spending of money.

the House of Lords - (1) It is an important part of Parliament. (2) Its members are peers, most of whom are hereditary. (3) Its powers have been severely reduced by the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949. (4)It must pass all financial legislation sent to it from the House of Commons, and can delay other Bills for only one year. (5) It has a special judicial function.

the House of Commons - (1) It consists of 635 elected Members of Parliament. (2) MPs have a number of privileges, eg. the freedom of speech in Parliament. (3) It is by far the most powerful and important element in Parliament, therefore plays the key role in the activities of Parliament as a whole.

English reserve - (1) English reserve is the best known quality of the British, and in particular, of the English, to other Europeans. (2) The English are on the whole reserved: they do not talk very much to strangers, (3) do not show much emotion, and seldom get excited. (4) This reluctance to communicate with others is an unfortunate quality in some ways, since it tends to give the impression of coldness.

English modesty - (1) English modesty is a quality closely related to English reserve. (2) Within their heart, the English are perhaps no less conceited than anybody else, (3) but in their relations with others they value at least a show of modesty. (4) Self-praise is felt to be ill-bred, and the English are typical of self-deprecation.

English sense of humour - (1) English Sense of humour is a quality that is similar to English modesty. Its starting point is self-deprecation, and its great enemy is conceit. (2) Its ideal is to laught at oneself--at one's own faults, one's own failures and embarrassments, even at one's own ideals.

(3) It is an attitude to life rather than the mere ability to laugh at jokes. This attitude is never cruel or disrespectful or malicious.

English sportsmanship - (1) Sportsmanship is an English ideal that is highly valued in Britain. (2) Sportsmanship is the ability to practise a sport in obedience to its rules, while also showing generosity to one's opponent and good temper in defeat. (3) Sportsmanship as an ideal is applied to life in general. This is proved by the number of sporting terms used in ordinary speech.

English class system - (1) As a social convention, the English class system is much less rigid than it was, but it still exists below the surface. (2) Broadly speaking, it means there are two classes, the "middle class" and the "working class". The middle class consists chiefly of well-to-do business men and professional people of all kinds; the working class consists chiefly of manual and unskilled workers. (3) The most obvious difference between them is in their accent. The middle classes also tend to live a more formal life than working-class people, and are usually more cultured.

The National Health Service---- (1) It is a very important part of the welfare system in Britain. (2) It is a nationwide organization based on Acts of Parliament. (3) It provides all kinds of free or nearly free medical treatment both in hospital and outside. (4) It is financed mainly by payments by the state out of general taxation. People are not obliged to use this service. The service is achieving its main objectives with outstanding success.

Answer briefly the following questions.

What were the consequences of the Norman Conquest?

The Norman Conquest of 1066 is one of the best known events in English history. It brought about many consequences. William confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England. Relations with the Continent were opened, and civilization and commerce were extended. Norman-French culture, language, manners, and architecture were been introduced. The church was brought into closer connection with Rome, and the church courts were separated from the civil courts.

4. What were the contents and the significance of the Great Charter?

The Great Charter, or the Magna Carta, was document signed in 1215 between the barons and king John. It had altogether 63 clauses, of which the most important contents were these: (1) no tax should be made without the approval of the Grand Council; (2) no freeman should be arrested, imprisoned, or deprived of his property except by the law of the land; (3) the church should possess all its rights and privileges; (4) London and other towns should retain their ancient rights and privileges; (5) there should be the same weights and measures throughout the country. The Great Charter was a statement of the feudal and legal relationship between the Crown and the barons, a guarantee of the freedom of the Church and a limitation of the powers of the king. The spirit of the Great Charter was the limitation of the powers of the king, but it has long been regarded as the foundation of English liberties.

What do you know about the English Renaissance?

Renaissance was the revival of classical literature and artistic styles in European history. It began in Italy in the early 14th century and spread to

England in the late 15th century. The English Renaissance had 5 characteristics: (1) English culture was revitalized not so much directly by the classics as by contemporary Europeans under the influence of the classics; (2) England as an insular country followed a course of social and political history which was to a great extent independent of the course of history else where in Europe; (3) Owning to the great genius of the 14th century poet chaucer, the native literature was vigorous enough and experienced in assimilating foreign influences without being subjected by them; (4) English Renaissance literature is chiefly artistic, rather than philosophical and scholarly; (5) the Renaissance coincided with the Reformation in England. The English Renaissance was largely literary, and achieved its finest expression in the so-called Elizabethan drama. Its finest exponents were Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and William Shakespeare.

How did the “Glorious Revolution” break out? What was the significance of it?

In 1685 Charles II died and was succeeded by his brother James II. James, who was brought up in exile in Europe, was a Catholic, He hoped to rule without giving up his personal religious views. But England was no more tolerant of a Catholic king in 1688 than 40 years. So the English politicians rejected James II, and appealed to a Protestant king, William of Orange, to invade and take the English throne. William landed in England in 1688. The takeover was relatively smooth, with no bloodshed, no any execution of the king. This was known as the Glorious Revolution. William and his wife Mary were both protestants and became co-monarchs. They accepted the Bill of Rights. It’s the beginning of the age of constitutional monarchy.

What is your comment on land enclosures in England?

Agricultural enclosure became frequent in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It has good as well as bad results: (1) Farms became bigger and bigger units as the great bought up the small; (2) more vegetables, more milk and more dairy produce were consumed, and diet became more varied; (3) enclosure was a disaster for the tenants evicted from their lands by the enclosures. They were forced to look for work in towns, which rapidly became hopelessly over crowded. It also lead to mass emigration, particularly to the New World; (4) a new class hostility was introduced into rural relationships. Concentration of land in fewer hands increased the price of land and dashed the labourers’ hopes of even owning his own l and. Many became wage labourers, earning low rates in spite of agriculture’s new prosperity.

How did the English Industrial Revolution proceed?

The Industrial Revolution began with the textile industry. It’s characterized by a series of inventions and im provements of machines, such as John Ray’s flying shuttle, James Hargreaves’ spinning Jenny, Richard Arkwright’s waterframe and Samuel Cropton’s mule. The Scottis h inventor James Watt produced a very efficient steam engine in 1765, which could be applied to textile and other machinery. The most important element in speeding industrialization was the breakthrough in smelting iron with coke instead of charcoal in 1709. Similar developments occurred in the forging side of the iron industry which enabled iron to replace wool and stone in many sectors of the economy. Improved transporation ran parallel with production. As a result of the industrial revolution, Britain was by 1830 the “workshop of the world”; no other country could compete with her in industrial production.

What do you know about the Chartist Movement and the People’s Charter? What’s your comment on them?

The Chartist Movement was an industrial working class movement that happened in England from 1836 to 1848. In 1836 a group of skilled workers an d small shopkeepers formed the London Working Men’s Association. They drew up a charter of political demands (known as the People’s Charter) in 1838, which had six points: (1) the vote for all adult males, (2) voting by secret ballot, (3) equal ele ctoral districts, (4) abolition of property qualifications for members of Parliament, (5) payment of members of Parliament, and (6) annual Parliament, with a General Election every June. Support for these six demands was loudly voiced all over the country. Other working men formed Chartist groups throughout the country to press Parliament to accept the 6 points. But Parliament rejected them for three times. In the end, the Chartist Movement failed. It failed because of its weak and divided leadership, and its lack of coordination with trade-unionism. The working class was still immature. The Chartist Movement, however, the first nation wide working class movement and drew attention to serious problems. The 6 points were achieved very gradually over the period of 1858-1918, although the sixth has never been practical.

How did the Labour Party come into being?

As the new working class became established in the industrial towns in the late 18th century, they became aware of the power which they could possess if they acted together instead of separately. So various working class organizations were formed which brought about the formation of the Labour Party. The Labour Party had its origins in the Independent Labour Party, which was formed in January, 1893 and Led by Keir Hardie, a Scottish miner. The foundation of an effective party for labour depended on the trade unions. In 1900, representatives of trade unions, the ILP, and a number of small societies set up the Labour Representation Committee (LRC). The LRC changed its name to be Labour Party in time for the general election which was called for 1906. The Labour Party remains one of the two major parties in Britain until today.

What is a constitutional monarchy? When did it begin in Britain?

A constitutional monarchy is a governmental system in which the head of State is a king or a queen who reigns but does not rule. The country is namely reigned by the Sovereign, but virtually by His or Her Majesty’s Government —a body of Ministers who are the leading members of whichever political party the electorate has voted into office, and who are responsible to Parliament. The Constitutional Monarchy in Britain began

in 1689, when king William and Queen Mary jointly accepted the Bill of Rights, which guaranteed free speech within both the House of Lords and the House of Commons and constitutional monarchy, of a monarchy with power limited by Parliament began.

What is the role of the Monarchy in the British government?

The sovereign is the symbol of the whole nation. In law, he/she is head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces of the crown and the “supreme governor” of the established church of England.

What are the main functions of Parliament?

The main functions of Parliament are: (1) to pass laws; (2) to provide the means of carrying on the work of government by voting for taxation; (3) to examine government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditure; (4) to debate the major issues of the day.

Why do the criminal convicts like to be tried first before the magistrates’ courts?

A Magistrates’ court tries summary offences and “either way” offences. It is open to the public and the media and usually con sists of three unpaid “lay” magistrates. A magistrates’ court sits without a jury. The criminal law presumes the innocence of the accused until he has been proved guilty beyond reasonable doubt; every possible step is taken to deny to the prosecution any advantage over the defence. No accused person has to answer the questions of the police before trials; he is not compelled to give evidence or to submit to cross-examination in court.

What does the civil courts system do?

The civil courts system does the following jurisdiction: (1) actions founded upon contract and tort; (2) trust and mortgages cases; (3) actions for the recovery of land; (4) cases involving disputes between landlords and tenants; (5) admiralty cases and patent cases; and (7) divorce cases and other family matters.

What is meant by the term “welfare state” in Britain?

The welfare state is a system of government by which the state provides the economic and social security of its citizens through its organization of health services, pensions and other facilities. The system is funded out of national insurance contributions and taxation. In Britain the term applies mainly to National Health Service (NHS), national insurance and social security.

What is the most important established Church in Britain? How is it related to the Crown and linked with the State?

The most important established Church in Britain is the Church of England. It is uniquely related to the Crown in that the Sovereign must be a member of that church and, as “Defender of the Faith”, must p romise on his or her accession to uphold it. Church of England archbishops, bishops and deans of cathedrals are appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Church is also linked with the State through the House of Lords, in which the two archbishops (of Canterbury and York), the bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, and 21 other senior bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, and 21 other senior bishops have seats

What distinguishes the Open University from all other British Universities?

The Open University is non-residential university which is “open” to all to become students. It offers degree and other courses for adult students of all ages in Britain and other member countries of the EU. It was founded in 1969 and began its first courses in 1970. It was a combination of specially produced printed texts, correspondence tuition, television and radio broadcasts and audio/video cassettes. For some courses, there are residential schools. There is a network of study centers for contact with part-time tutors and counselors, and with fellow students.

相关主题
相关文档 最新文档