英语国家概况（下）名词解释
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic. He participated in writing the Declaration of Independence and making the U.S. Constitution.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic. He was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.
the Bill of Rights
The bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791. The Bill of Rights was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble in public places, the right to own weapons and so on,
a federal system
a federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to each.
stock
When starting or expanding business, corporations need to borrow money. They may issue stocks
for people to buy. When people buy stock, they become part owner of the company. If the company makes a profit, they receive a share of it. Likewise, if the company loses money, the stockholders will not make a profit or the value of their shares will drop – they lose money. Therefore buying stock is a risk. three faiths in the U.S.
By the 1950s, the three faiths model of American religion had developed. Americans were considered to come in three basic varieties: Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, the order reflecting the strength in numbers of each group.
The “Beat Generation”
The "Beat Generation" was made up of a group of young writers in the 1950s based in San Francisco. The name referred simultaneously to the rhythm of Jazz music, to their sense that society was worn out, to the interest in new forms of experience, through drugs, alcohol or Eastern mysticism. Alan Ginsburg’s poem Howl set for them a tone of social protest.
the “Lost Generation”
In the aftermath of World War 1, many novelists produced a literature of disillusionment. Some lived abroad They were known as the "Lost Generation". The two most representative writers of the "Lost Generation" were Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
Mark Twain
captured a peculiarly American sense of humor. He represented a new American voice. His major work was The Adventures Huckleberry Finn (1884), which has been called the greatest novel in American literature.
The naturalists
They were novelists who concentrated upon the grim aspects of reality and a deterministic view of life. They were linked with European naturalists such as French novelist Zola. The most representative naturalists in American literature were Stephen Crane, Theodore Dreiser, and Jack London.
Boards of education
Boards of education refer to groups of people who make policies for schools at the state and/or district level. They also make decisions about the school curriculum, teacher standards and c ertification, and the overall measurement of student progress.
12. The Counter Culture
In the wake of Free Speech Movement and the New Left appeared a phenomenon that historians called the “counter culture.” The Counter Culture rejected capitalism and other American principles. They had morals different from those taught by their parents. Some groups of youth tried to construct different ways of life. Among the most famous were the hippies. They sought new experience through dropping out, drugs. But it was music, rock music in particular, that became the chief vehicle for the counter cultural assault on traditional American society. The counter culture exerted a great influence upon people’s attitudes toward social mores, marriage, career, and success.
white-collar crime
White – collar crimes are those committed by higher income groups such as the crimes of fraud, false advertising, corporate price fixing, bribery, embezzlement, industrial pollution, tax evasion and so on. Y et the statistics provided by the FBI tend to overlook white-collar crimes. In fact, white-collar crimes are often ignored by law enforcement agencies. Some sociologists argue that the higher classes may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes.
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon was the former President of the United States. In the early 1970s, he was involved in the Watergate scandal, for which he was forced to resign from the presidency.
The Pony Express System
This was a system of using riders and horses (ponies) to transmit messages and mail orders in the Wild west in mid-19th century. It was replaced by the telegraph system.
PC
PC is shortened form for Personal Computer, also called desktop computer. It was first developed by two amateur inventors and was mainly meant for computing. But today, the most widespread use of the PC is for word processing and communications.
Disneyland
Disneyland is America's most well-known amusement park. It was founded by and named after the movie and cartoon producer Walter Disney. The older park (Disneyland) was located in Los Angeles, California; the other one (Disneyworld) was in Orlando, Florida.
NBA
NBA stands for National Basketball Association. Founded in 1950, it is the association of professional teams in the US. It has two divisions: the Eastern Division and Western Division.
the Canadian identity
It refers to something which is distinctively Canadian, which is different from other countries, and which is the very reason for making Canada so special. For example, two official languages of English and French can be considered as part of the Canadian identity.
the Canadian Mosaic
Canada is a nation of immigrants. When Canada is described as a mosaic, it means the each of the immigrant groups do not have to throw off their old customs, languages and traditions, because there is no particular concept of an overarching Canadian identity. This resembles a mosaic of
different cultures which overlap but do not overwhelm each other.
21.“W ASP” culture
“W ASP”, which stands for “White Anglo-Saxon Protestant”, is believed to be the basis of the mainstream culture of the United States.
22.Elementary school
In the United States, elementary school usually means grades kindergarten (k) through 8. But in some places, it includes only k-6. Many American refer to elementary grades as “grammar school”. Elementary schools teach mathematics, language, arts, social studies and some other subjects.
23.Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American entrepreneur in the late 19th century. He was the first to use assembly line for manufacturing cars. The method significantly lowered unit cost and made it affordable to ordinary Americans.
24Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls are a group of awesome waterfalls on the US-Canada border. The torrent falls over a precipice for a distance of 55 meters and makes roaring sound. There are two sections of falls: the larger section located in Canada is called the Horseshoe Falls; the smaller section in the US is called the American falls.
25.the Scarlet Letter
A novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Set in the Puritan past, this masterpiece is the stark drama of a woman harshly cast out from her community for committing; the sin of adultery. In this novel Hawthorne explored certain moral themes such as guilt, pride and emotional repression.
26. migrant workers
Many big farms hire temporary workers only for a specific chore----such as picking crops. Many of these seasonal workers travel from farm to farm, staying only until the crops are picked. They are known as migrant workers.
27.The National Monument
The National Monument is an unusual artistic project -- four enormous portraits of American Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, are sculpted on Mt Rushmore in the State of South Dakota.
28. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King. Jr., an Atlanta-born Baptist minister, was the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. To promote his philosophy of nonviolent protest against segregation and other kinds of social injustice, King organized a series of "marches", including the March on Washington of August 1963,when King delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech. As a civil rights leader, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated in the city of Memphis in April 1968.
23. service industries
Service industries are industries that sell a service rather than make a product. Service industries range from banking to telecommunications to the provision of meals in restaurants. As more and more people are employed in service industries in the US, it is sometimes said that the US has moved into a “post-industrial era”.
英语国家概况（下）模拟题
I. Directions:
There are 20 questions in this part. Each question is followed by four choices marked A, B, C and D.
Choose the correct answer to each of the questions and write your answer at the corresponding place on the ANSWER SHEET. (20 points)
1.Which of the following was NOT one of the three forces that led to the modern development of
Europe?
A.The growth of capitalism
B. The Renaissance
C.The Religious Reformation
2.
B. Puritans
C. Quakers
D. Church of England
3.Which of the following is NOT a power of the president?
A.The president can veto any bill passed by Congress.
B.The president has the authority to appoint federal judges when vacancies occur.
C.The president has broad power with the executive branch, to issue regulations and directives
regarding the work of the federal departments.
4. The United States produces as much as half of the world’s _______.
A.Wheat and rice
B. Cotton
C. Tobacco and vegetable oil
5. In the United States, people go to church mainly for the following reasons except _____________.
A. for getting together with friends
C. for having a place in a community
6. ___________ was NOT written by Hemingway.
B. The Sun Also Rises
C. A farewell to arms
D. For Whom the Bell Tolls
7. The following authors were women writers who wrote novels in the late 19th and early 20th century
B. Edith Wharton
C. Willa Cather
D. Kate Chopin
8.
A.Universities and colleges
C. Technical institutions
D. Undergraduate institutions
9. In the 1970s, although the income of the black family increased greatly, the total black-white income gap was widened, which of the following was the main factor contributing to this situation?
More white families moved into high-paying jobs.
B.There were more children in black families.
C.White families had increased their authority over others.
10. Drug abuse in the United States is a social problem because it has a wide range of social costs. Which of the following is NOT a dysfunction caused by drug abuse?
A. There are great economic losses because of drug abuse.
B. Drug dependence takes a significant toll in terms of personal health and safety.
11. ___________ made the first desktop PC.
A.IBM
B. Bill Gates
C. Apple Computers
A.Boston
B. New Y ork D. Philadelphia
A.V olleyball C. soccer D. field hockey
14. Jazz music gains acceptance in all classes in American society because of the following reasons. Which is the exception?
A.It initially appealed to the young and rebellious.
B.Jazz musicians worked Indian American music into the music.
Jazz music was made modified and became more refined.
and C.
A.Schroon Lake C. Atlanta D. Washington, D.C.
A.1910 C. 1930 D. 1916
17. Which of the following provinces are densely populated in Canada?
B. Quebec and Manitoba
C. Manitoba and Saskatchewan
D. Saskatchewan and Ontario
18. In V
B. Mandarin Chinese
C. French
D. English
19. What idea is most powerfully presented in Margaret Laurence’s work, making her highly representative of contemporary Canada?
A.women’s position
B. self-analysis
C. political environment
20. When Britain lost its status as a world power after World War Ⅱ, Canada became a junior partner helping ________ global interests.
A.Indian
B. Australian D. Soviet Russian
2. “No taxation without representation” was the rallying cry of __________.
The settlers of Virginia B. The people of Pennsylvania
The colonists in New England
3.
A.J.F. Kennedy C. George Washington D. Thomas Jefferson
5. Three of the following are characteristics of Emily Dickinson’s poem. Which one is not?
A. Her poems mix gaiety and gloom.
D.Her poems show that she was fascinated by both life and death.
7. In the United States school systems, which of the following divisions is true?
A. B. Elementary school, junior high school
D. Junior high school, senior high school
8. A historic moment of the civil rights movement was the March on Washington of August 28,1963
A.John F. Kennedy
B. President Johnson D. Mario Savio
9. The one group within the counter culture best known for their pursuit of happiness as their only goal in life was called ___________.
A.the “Me Generation” the “Hippies” D. the “Beat Generation”
A.tax evasion
B. bribery D. false advertising
11. ___________ led to the end of the Pony Express System.
A. Telephone C. railroad D. steamboat
A.the Appalachian Mountains
C. the Green Mountains
D. the Blue Ridge Mountains
14. Ronald Reagan used to be a _____________.
basketball player
C. conservative political columnist
D. sports writer
15. Which of the following invention facilitated the out-migration-movement into suburban locations?
B. Electric lawn mower
C. Mechanical reaper
D. telephone
16. In J anuary 1965, President Johnson declared “___________” to eliminate poverty “by opening to
A.War against Japan D. New Frontier program
17. Black American s sang the anthem of the civil rights movement, “____________” affirming their commitment to fight racial prejudice.
“Let it all hang out.” B. “Hell, no, we won’t go.”
“We Shall Overcome” D. “Speak your heart without interruption”
18. The three influential Canadian Prime Ministers have lot of things in common. Which of the following is the exception?
A.They came from Quebec and could speak French as fluently as English.
B.They were educated as lawyers.
C.They shard the vision of a strong, united Canada and worked hard to overcome the regionalism
of the country.
19. Around the beginning of 20th century, Chinese laborers came to Canada to ____________？
A.do fur trade
B. open shops D. work as farmers and miners
20. In which period have Canada’s most famous and successful writes appeared?
B. period of nation-building
C. early colonial period
D. pre-European period
1. The United States was rated _____ in the world in terms of land area and the size of population.
A. second
B. third D. fifth
3. Which of the following is the only branch that can make federal laws, and levy federal taxes?
A. The executive C. The judicial D. The president
A. Protestant
B. Judaism D. Catholic
6. _________ was mainly interested in writing about Americans living in Europe.
A. William Dean Howells C. Mark Twain D. Stephen Crane
A. student tuition
B. government funding D. endowments
9. Due to his firm belief in nonviolent peaceful protest in the spirit of India’s leader Gandhi, ______ was
A. Ella Baker C. John F. Kennedy D. James Farmer
10. Which of the following is NOT true?
A.Slavery was mainly in the South.
B.Racial discrimination existed throughout the United States in American history.
Racial segregation after the Civil War existed only in the South.
12. Which invention marked the beginning of “The Age of V
A. newspaper
B. telegraph
C. laundry machine
13. The State of California is on _________.
A. the Atlantic Coast
B. the Gulf of Mexico D. Caribbean Sea
14. The one group within the counter culture best known for their pursuit of happiness as their only goal in life was called ___________.
B.the “Hippies”
15. Three of the following factors contribute to the higher arrest rates among minority groups. Which is
B. Racial prejudice against them.
C. Low social status of these groups.
D. Poverty and unemployment among minority groups.
16. Drug abuse in the United States is a social problem because it has a wide range of social costs. Which of the following is NOT a dysfunction caused by drug abuse?
A. There is a strong association between drug use and crime.
D. There are great economic losses because of drug abuse.
B. German
C. Japanese
D. Finnish
19. Who is the most influential person in the Canadian government?
A. A Cabinet Minister
B. The Governor General
C. The Queen
B. She is a member of the Cabinet.
C. She is a symbol of Canada.
D. She is a symbol of parliamentary democracy.
A. The executive C. The judicial D. The president
A. William Dean Howells
C. Mark Twain
D. Stephen Crane
10. Which of the following is NOT true?
A.Slavery was mainly in the South.
B.Racial discrimination existed throughout the United States in American history.
13. The State of California is on _________.
A. the Atlantic Coast
B. the Gulf of Mexico D. Caribbean Sea
I. 1. The theory of American Revolution and American politics originated mainly from
A. George Washington
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. John Adams
A. New Y ork C. Connecticut D. Georgia
ork C. Y ale University D. Princeton University
B. Racial prejudice against them
C. Low social status of these groups
D. Poverty and unemployment among minority groups
9.Cyrus H McCormick invented _____
A. the electric bulb
B. the revolver D. the railroad
2. The follow ing w ere the founding fathers of the Amer ic an Rep ub lic exc ept
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. George Washing ton
D. Ben jam in Frank lin
6.Wh itma n’s poetry has the fo llow ing e xc ept _______ .
A. Long irregu lar lines
B. Free – f low in g struc ture
ed hau nt ing ima ges D. Cele brat ing th e Am er ic an spir it
7.The follow ing auth ors w ere w omen w riters w ho w rote novels in the lat e 19t h and
ear ly 20t h c entury w ith th e exc ept io n of _______ .
A. Ka te Ch op in
B. Willa Cather
C. Ed ith Wh arton ily D ic k inson
8.Wh ic h of the follow ing is NOT mention ed in Amer ic an h igh er educ at ion? _______
Un ivers it ies and c o lleg es B. Tec hnic a l inst itut io ns
h inst itut io ns D. Undergradu ate inst it ut ions
13. Rona ld Re agan use d to be a _____________.
A. sports w riter
B. basketba ll p la yer
ounc er D. c onservative p o lit ic a l c olumn ist
15. ___________ w e of Winter O lymp ic s.
B.Sc hroon Lak e e Plac id
C. At lanta
D. Washingto n , D.C.
16. The c omp lex dr umm ing in the rh ythm sec t ion of ear ly jaz z mus ic w as brought over to Amer ic a by __________ .
A. Br it ish c olon ists from As ia. Blac k s lav es from West Afr ic a.
C. The Creole from the West In dia.
D. War against Vietnam.
Ⅱ. There are altogether 15blanks in the following sentences. Fill in the blanks and writer your answer at the corresponding places on the ANSWER SHEET. (30 points)
A. The first permanent settlement in North America was established in today’s __21. Virginia,_in the year of _22. 1607
B.The best-known stock exchange is ___23. New Y ork Stock Exchange located in
__24. Wall Street___ area of New Y ork City.
C. “W ASP” stands for _25. White Anglo-Saxon Protestant___ .
D. Public and private colleges depend on three sources of income: _26. student tuition ___, endowments and _27. government funding___.
E.The civil rights movement, together with _28. The youth anti-war___ and
_29. The women’s movement__ during the 1960s had been deeply rooted in U.S. history.
F. Former President Nixon said that __30. crime __ is America’s “number one enemy.”
G. About 25% of all schools of higher education in America are privately operated by_31. religious organizations __.
H. Possibly the most significant technology of the latter part of 20th century is 32. nuclear energy _.
I. American society is a stratified one in which _33. power ___, _34. wealth __ and ___35. prestige __ are unequally distributed among the population.
A._21. The American Revolution_ officially proclaimed the birth of a new American nation.
B. The Three Faiths in the U.S. refer to 22. Protestant _, _23_Catholic _ and _24 Jewish _.
C. Public and private colleges depend on three sources of income: ____25_ student tuition
____,endowments and _____26_ government funding ______.
E. Many people use the notion that American society is a _____28_ melting pot _____while Canada is described as a ______29_ mosaic _______.
F. Canada’s preferred to establish a nation based on___30 peace ___, __31 order ____ and ___32 good government _____.
G._ 33 Baseball _ may still be the great American game, even though it is also popular in other countries.
H. Two major political parties of the United States are 34 the Democratic party_ and 35 the Republican party _
A.Mark Twain’s ____23_The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ____ is considered the greatest
novel in American literature.
The civil rights movement, together with ____24_ The youth anti-war and 25. the women’s movement _ during the 1960s had been deeply rooted in U.S. history.
B.The two most well-known computer companies are____26IBM__ and __27Apple___; now the
largest software company is ___28Microsoft___ whose director is ___29_Bill Gates___.
C.America’s movies are mostly made in _30 Hollywood ___, near the city of ___31 Los Angeles
____ in South California.
D.Jazz music, as a musical form, initially performed and appreciated by 32_ African-Americans .
E.In area, Canada is the ____33second largest_______ country on earth.
G. Abo ut 25% of all sc hools of higher educ at io n in Amer ic a are pr ivat e ly oper ated by _re ligious organiz ations__.
H. Possib ly the most sign if ic ant tec hno log y of the latter part of 20t h c entury is _nucle ar e ne rgy__.
III. Directions: (20%)
There are 10 questions in this part. Answer each of the questions in one full sentence and write you answer on the answer sheet. (20%)
36. What is the symbol of the Democratic Party?------ It is the donkey.
37. Who is the first Secretary of Treasury of the United States?---- Alexander Hamilton
38. Please name three novels written by Ernest Hemingway.
------ The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls
39. Which event proclaimed the birth of a new American nation?----- The American Revolution
40.Which of F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel was about youth’s golden dream turning to disappointment?
------- The Great Gatsby
41. What does the NBA stand for?------ NBA stands for National Basketball Association.
42. What continues to gain more rights and opportunities for women in the Unites States?
------ Women’s movement
43. Are Rocky Mountains the main mountain range in the west of US stretching from the Canadian border to New Mexico? ------ Y es.
44. Which two major foreign forces greatly influenced Canada’s political system?- American and Britain
45. Which province is the manufacturing heartland of Canada? ------ Ontario
36. What church do the majority of Americans belong to?--- They belong to the Protestant Church.
38. What is the best-known stock exchange in the United States?---- New Y ork Stock Exchange
39. Is The Waste Land written by Hemingway? ----- No.
40. What is the symbol of the Republican Party? ---- It is the Elephant.
41. Is research institutions mentioned in American higher education? ----- No.
42. What are two basic characteristics of all social movements according to a professor of history?
----- Structure and spontaneity.
43. When was voice and music first transmitted over the radio? ----- Christmas Eve 1905
44. Did the counter culture exert a great influence upon people’s attitudes towards social mores, marriage, career and success? ------ Y es.
36. How many states were there when the United States was founded? ------13.
38. What does “K” stands for in the term of “K to 12 education”?----- It stands for the kindergarten.
39. What does the W ASP stand for?----- W ASP stands for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.
40. Who contributed to the development of the American system of manufacture in the 20th century? ------ Henry Ford
41. What are two basic characteristics of all social movements according to a professor of history?------ Structure and spontaneity
42. What continues to gain more rights and opportunities for women in the Unites States? -- Women’s movement -
44. What’s the greatest difference between Canada and the UK? --- Canada is a federation---that is, it is ten provinces and two territories, each with their own government, which have joined to form one country.
45. Which two major foreign forces greatly influenced Canada’s political system? --- American and Britain
38. How many am endm ents to the U.S. Const itut ion? ----26.
39. Whic h ev ent proc la ime d the b irth of a new Am eric a n nat ion?
-------- The American Revolution
《英美国家概况2》平时作业
一．Fill in the blanks:
1.American Indians had developed three brilliant civilizations before the Europeans arrived. These three civilizations were ____the Aztecs____, __the Incas____ and ____the Mayas_____________ .
2.Columbus discovered the New World in the year of _____1492___________.
3. _____The American Revolution_____ officially proclaimed the birth of a new American nation.
5.After the War of Independence was won, the national government was called __the Congress____, and the agreement that guided the government was ___the Articles of Confederation______.
6.The US federal government consists of the following three branches: _the executive______, __the legislative____, and ____the judicial___ .
7.There are _____26____ amendments to the US Constitution.
2.The representative work of the “Beat Generation” was Alan Ginsberg’s poem ___Howl___.
3. “The Sound and the Fury” was written by _William Faulkner__ whose prose style was experimental.
5. ____Washington Irving__ and _James Fenimore Cooper_are the two major writers of the post-Revolutionary period.
7.The Three Faiths in the US refer to _____Protestant__, __Catholic_ and __Jewish__.
8.The first Catholic president in the US was ___J. F. Kennedy_____________.
9.T. S. Eliot’s long poem __The Waste Land__ reveals a pessimistic view of post-World War I society.
10.Some of the programs to equalize educational opportunities for all groups were called ___affirmative action programs_________.
1.The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the United States is the blacks who make up about
11.7% (20%)percent of the population．
5. Those who worked in the civil rights movement included __Negro leaders____, black and white young people，and some ____professionals________ and some house wives．
6. According to a professor of history, all social movements have two basic characteristics:
“_____structure____________” and “____spontaneity_____________”.
1. The New World of America was peopled as a result of two long-continuing immigration movements, the first one from (1)___Asia__ and the second from (2)__Europe_ and (3)_Africa___ .
2. The Constitutional Convention was held in the year of (4)__1787________ and the president of the Convention was (5)__George Washington__________.
3. A great economist in the Industrial Revolution Era was an Englishman named (6)____ .
4. The majority of the Catholics in the U.S. are descendants of immigrants from (7)__Ireland_________, (8)__Italy__ _and Poland.
6.About (11)____85______percent of American students go to public schools and (12)_______15______percent attend private schools.
8.American slavery was finally abolished by (15)__the Civil War______, (16)_Lincoln’s emancipation of slaves in 1863_____and (17)__the 13th amendment to the Constitution in 1865_________.
9.Before telegraph was invented, (18)__The Pony Express System_____ was used in the Wild West for transmitting messages.
英语国家概况考试题型如下： 1.选择题（30 X 1’） 2.填空题（20 X 1’） 3.简答（10 X 2’）--必须回答完整的句子 4.分析题（6 X 5’）-- 必须回答完整的句子 总分100 分 主要内容包括： 一．U.S. Geography 1.Full name of U.S.. 2.Number of States: 50 states. 3.After President Jefferson brought the Louisiana territory from France there was a desire for territorial expansion among many frontier men. 4.The U.S. has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometers. The fourth largest countries. 5.Taxas is the largest mainland state of the U.S.. Alaska is the largest state of the U.S.. 6.Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean. 7.America’s movies are mostly made in Hollywood near the city of Los Angeles in south California. 二．U.S. People 1.The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the US is the Blacks (Afriican-Americans). 2.The “first Americans” were the Indians. 3.The Asian-Americans are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in the United States. 4.The first permanent settlement in North America was established in today’s V erginia in the year of 1607. 5.The “Three Faiths” in the U.S. refer to: ?Protestan ?Catholic ?Jewish 6.The majority of the Catholics in the U.S. are descendants of immigrants from Ireland, Italy and Poland. 7.American society is a stratified one in which power, wealth and pestige are unequally distributed among the population. 8.WASP stands for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.
Unit 1 UK 著名景点 Big Ben 大本钟2、Tower Bridge(crosses the River Thames; close to the Tower of London; symbol of London ) 3、Westminster Abbey ( Gothic church in the City of Westminster,London; Coronation and burial site for British monarchs.) 4、Red Double Decker Bus (mass transit) 英国基本知识 1、constituent parts ? England/ Scotland/ Northern Ireland/ Wales(国旗) 2、the national anthem(国歌)? God save the queen 3、The national Emblem? 4、National flower? Rose (Wars of the Roses - civil wars (1455-1485) between the royal house of Lancaster ( red rose) and the royal house of York (white rose).) 5、地理位置 6、Full name?The "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland".（The British Isles不列颠岛; Great Britain; UK ; Commonwealth） 7、Three political divisions（行政区域）: England, Scotland, and Wales. 8、Commonwealth? A free association of sovereign states comprising Great Britain and a number of its former dependencies ; united as ?free and equal members‘. 9、Capital England(London); Scotland(Edinburgh); Wales(Cardiff); Northern Ireland(Belfast) 10、Backbone of England? Pennine 11、Ben Nevis? the highest mountain in UK. 1343m 12、North Ireland? National flower: Irish clover (三叶草)；Lough Neagh (the largest lake in UK) ; industrious; agricultural 13、Rivers and lakes?1. The Severn River(longest river; from the mountain of Wales to the Bristol Channel) 2. The Thames River (Main source of London‘s water supply;Second longest river in Britain; Costwold Hills--North Sea)3. The Clyde River (The most important river in Scotland)4. Lake District 5. Lough Neagh（The largest lake in Britain (396 square kilometers), Northern Ireland.） 14、The climate in Britain?pea souper 超级浓雾 Unit2 UK 1、the first settler? The Iberian(伊比利亚人) 2、Stonehenge(巨石阵)?was a place of healing center；The most important monument left by Iberian；There are about 80 stones, and each is five meters tall. 3、The Celtic language? the basis of both Welsh and Gaelic(盖尔语) (Irish,Scotish). 4、Hadrian ‘s Wall 5、7th century Heptarchy（七国联盟）?(Wessex; Sussex; Kent; Essex; East Anglia; Mercia; Northumbria) 6、Viking pirates(维京海盗) ? Vikings from Denmark；established some small kingdoms；Northern and eastern England 7、The Norman Conquest(1066)? The Normans that invaded England in 1066 came from Normandy in Northern France.
英语国家概况-Land and people I. Different Names for Britain and its Parts 英国的不同名称及其各组成部分 1.Geographical names: the British Isles, Great Britain and England. 地理名称：不列颠群岛，大不列颠和英格兰。 2. Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 官方正式名称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。 3. The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones. 不列颠群岛由两个大岛—大不列颠岛（较大的一个）和爱尔兰岛，及成千上万个小岛组成。 4.Three political divisions on the island：England, Scotland and Wales. 大不列颠岛上有三个政治区：英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士。 (1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the largest, most populous section. 英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部，是最大，人口最稠密的地区。 (2) Scotland is in the north of Great Britain. It has three natural zones (the Highlands in the north; the Central lowlands; the south Uplands) Capital: Edinburgh 苏格兰位于大不列颠的北部。它有三大自然区：北部高地，中部低地及南部山陵。首府：爱丁堡。 (3) Wales is in the west of Great Britain. Capital: Cardiff 威尔士位于大不列颠的西部。首府：加的夫 (4) Northern Ireland is the fourth region of the UK. Capital: Belfast. 北爱尔兰是英国第四个区域。首府：贝尔法斯特。 5.The Commonwealth (of nations)is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931, and has 50 member countries until 1991. 英联邦是独立的前英国殖民地组成的自由联合体。它成立于1931年，至1990年止已有50个成员国。 II. Geographical Features 英国的地理特征 1.Geographical position of Britain: 英国的地理位置： Britain is an island country surrounded by the sea. It lies in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe. It is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the south and the North Sea in the east. 英国是一个岛国。它位于大西洋北部，与欧洲大陆的北海岸隔海相望。南面的英吉利海峡和东面的北海将它与欧洲其它部分隔开。 2.The north and west of Britain are mainly highlands; and the east and southeast are mostly lowlands. 英国的西部和北部主要是高地，东部和东南部主要是低地。 III. Rivers and Lakes 河流与湖泊 Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m).
Chapter 1 land and people are the differences between Britain and the British Isles, Great Britain,England,the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth The British Isles,Greant Britina and England are geographical names, no the official names of the country,while the official name is the United Kingdom,but the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britian. the geographical position of Britian Britain is an island country. It lies in the north Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of is separated from the rest of Europe by the English channel in the south and the North Sea in the east. in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland The north and west of Britain are mainly highland, while the south and south-east are mostly lowlands. Britain have a favourable climate why Yes,it has a favourable climate, because it has a maritime type of climate---winters are mild,not too cold and summers are cool, not too has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole has a small range of temperature,too. are the factors which influence the climate in Britain Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest
英语国家概况期末重点（必考） 1 How many periods can the development of the English language be divided into and what are they ? The development of the English language can be divided into three periods:Old English, Middle English and Modern English. 2 What are the two components of the British Parliament ? They are the House of Commons and the House of Lords. 3 What were some of Queen Victoria’s major achievements? Queen Victoria made tremendous achievements in almost every aspect. She promoted further industrial revolution, the building of railways and the growing of trade and commerce. By the end of her reign, britain had developed to an empire including a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass. 4 What are the three functions of the House of Commons ? The three functions are: to draft laws, to scrutinize, criticize and restrain the activities of the government, and to influence future government policy. 5 What kind of subjects do British comprehensive schools provide ? British comprehensive schools provide a general education, offering both academic subjects like literatuure and science,and practical subjects like cooking and carpentry. 6 How do students in the Open University receive their education ?
英语国家概况（阅读） 1、Which of the following statements is NOT true? C.The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a very important political party in Britain 2、Which of the following statements is NOT correct? D.Parliament has no power to change the terms of the Constitution. 3、To get a bachelor’s degree, an American undergraduate student is required to do the following except ____. C.taking certain subjects such as history, language and philosophy 4、Which of the following is the only branch that can make federal laws, and levy federal taxes? B.The legislative. 5、Which one of the following is NOT particularly British Christmas tradition? C.Eating chocolate eggs on Easter Day. 6、Which of the following statements is NOT true about blacks after the 1960s? A.Blacks felt that they could be fully integrated into the mainstream of American life. 7、The New Deal was started by ___. A.Franklin Roosevelt. 8、Which of the following is NOT based on the fact? A.Members of Parliament elect the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. 9、Three of the following are characteristics of London, Which of the four is the EXCEPTION? C.London is not only the largest city in Britain, but also the largest in the world 10、In order to go to university, secondary school students in the US must meet the following requirements except that ___. D.They pass the college entrance examinations 11、Which of the following statements is NOT correct? When the War of Independence was over, ___. D.the relationships between the states and the national government were clearly defined. 12、Which of the following about the tabloids is not true? A.They are big format newspapers. 13、In the 17th century,the English government encouraged people from Scotland and Northern England to emigrate to the north of Ireland, because ____. A.they wanted to increase its control over Ireland 14、The largest religion in the US is ___. B.Christianity 15、Which of the following is NOT a feature of the House of Lords? C.The lords are expected to represent the interests of the public.
《英语国家概况》补充材料 A：名词解释补充 The Pilgrim Fathers（英国清教徒）: This is given to those members who made the first crossing on the famous Mayflower, which landed at Plymouth harbor in December 1620. Jacksonian democracy（杰克森式民主）:It is used in American politics to describe the period when the “common man” participated in the government, occurring after Jeffersonian democracy. The Progressive Movement（革新运动）:It was a reform movement that reached its height in the early 20th century. This arose as a response to the vast changes brought by industrialization. The Union Flag（英国国旗）:Also known as the Union Jack. It is the national flag of the UK. It symbolizes the 4 administrative nations, the England, Scotland, Wales and the Northern Ireland. The red cross stands for England, the diagonal Red Cross stands for Ireland and the diagonal white cross stands for Scotland. British Commonwealth（英联邦）:Also known as the Commonwealth of Nations. It includes the UK and the 40 or so former British colonies that are now sovereign states. It was formally established in 1931. European Union（欧盟）:It is an economic and political union established in 1993. The establishment of the European Union expanded the political scope of the European Economic, especially in the area of foreign and security policies, and provided for the creation of a central European bank and the adoption of a common currency. Domesday Book（末日审判书）: The written record of a census and survey of English landowners and their property made by order of William the Conqueror in 1085-1086. Stonehenge（巨石阵）:A group of standing stones on a plain in the southern England. The arrangement of the stones suggests that it was used as a religious center and also as an astronomical observatory. Julius Caesar（凯撒大帝）:He is a roman general, statesman and historian. He invaded British, conquered the army of his political enemy Pompey, and pursued other enemies to Egypt. He returned to Rome, and was given a order by the people to rule as dictator until he was murdered. Protestantism（新教）: One of the 3 major branches of Christianity, originating in the 16th century Reformation in Europe. Margaret Thatcher（撒切尔夫人）: She is the first British female Prime Minister who held the office of PM Longer than anyone else in the 20th century. She was elected in 1979, shored up a Conservative-led government, favored privatization plans. Her nickname is “The Iron Lady”; she was elected to three consecutive terms and resigned in1990 Keynesian（凯恩斯主义）: The economic theories of economist Keynes, who advocate government monetary and fiscal programs, designed to increase employment and stimulate business activity. Westminster Abbey（威斯敏斯特教堂）:A famous church located in London, where English monarchs are crowned and distinguished English subjects are buried. The Poets’ Corner conta ins the graves of great English writers. Grammar school: Originally meant to educate the young in Latin grammar and that of another European language. These schools in modern UK are intended to teach a highly academic class and teach students to deal with abstract concepts. The American Revolution（独立战争）: Also known as the War of Independence, it began in 1775 and ended in 1783. It ended 2 centuries of British rule for most of the North American colonies and created the United States of America.
英语国家概况课程标准 课程代码： 适用专业：商务英语 一、课程概述 1．课程性质 语言是文化的载体，文化是语言的基础。英语语言学习和英国国家文化相互依存、密不可分。一个优秀的英语语言学习者，若不了解该语言背后所承载的民族文化，其交际能力也会受到限制。该课程能使学生了解和掌握英美两国政治，历史，经济，社会，文化和教育等基本知识，了解英美国家社会发展、现状和影响这两个国家社会发展的因素，拓展学生的知识面，培养学生文化意识，启发学生了解西方社会，了解交际规则，增强学生的英语语言学习能力，为后续专业课程的学习打下一定的基础，进而为培养高技能应用型复合人才打下基础。 2．课程设计思路 本课程在设计上围绕合作学习法—任务型教学法、比较教学法、线索梳理法、启发式等教学法。 合作学习法—任务型教学法 合作学习法又称协作学习，是以合作学习小组为基本形式，系统利用教学中动态因素之间的互动，促进学生的学习，以团体成绩作为评价标准，共同完成教学活动。任务型教学法是一种以任务或活动为核心单位计划组织语言教学的途径,一种强调“在做中学”的语言教学方法。合作学习法与任务型教学法结合是指教师设计学习任务，指导并帮助学生以小组为单位通过合作、协商完成学习任务的教学过程。主要采用组织演示、演讲、讨论等形式。 2）比较教学法 比较教学法是在教学过程中，利用教学内容的相互联系和区别，促进学生掌握和巩固教学内容、达到教学目标的一种逻辑思维方法。例如，在学习美国的政体时，我们可以和英国政体、甚至是我国的政体进行比较，异中求同，同中求异。从而对“Parliament”、“Congress”和我国的NPC （The National People’s Congress）形成更深刻的理解。运用这种教学法不仅有利于学生掌握基本知识与技能，而且有利于提高学生的创造性思维能力。3）线索梳理法 线索梳理法，尤其是历史年代轴线表示法是表达历史线索最清晰的一种方式，这种方式的特点是易于梳理，可操作性强，非常直接，便于记忆。比如说，英国历史很长，如果不进行梳理，很难记忆，如果整理成一条线索，效果却不能同日而语： Early settlers——Roman invasions——Anglo-Saxons——the Viking and Danish Invasions——the Norman Conquest——William’s Rule——the Great Charter——the Hundred Year’s War——the English Reformation——the English Renaissance——the Civil War——the Glorious Revolution——the Industrial Revolution——the two World Wars 同样，美国历史部分可整理成这样一条线索： The war of Independence——the War of 1812——territorial expansion and Westward Movement——the Civil War——the two World Wars——the Cold War——the Berlin Blockade——the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s——the Vietnam War 二、课程培养目标 1．知识目标 了解主要英语国家的地理，历史，经济和政治等方面的概况；了解主要英语国家的文化传统，风俗习惯和社会生活的其他有关情况。 2．技能目标 扩大知识面，有效弥补英语专业学生知识面窄的不足；提高英语阅读的能力和语言应用能力。 3．素质目标
广东外语外贸大学成人高等教育 《英语国家概况》第一套复习题 I. Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for True and F for False . ( 1.5 points each , 30 points in total ) 1.The island of Great Britain is geographically divided into three parts: England, Scotland and Wales. 2.People from different parts of Britain like to use the name England to refer to their country. 3.In terms of population and area, Northern Ireland is the second largest part of the United Kingdom. 4.Because of political troubles, Northern Ireland has been quite significant among the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. 5.The majority of the people in Britain are descendants of the Anglo-Saxons. 6.The Celtic people are the earliest known inhabitants of Britain. 7.English changed into what is described as Modern English from the late 16th century. 8.The British history before 55 BC is basically undocumented. 9.The Celts became the dominant group in Britain between the 8th and 5th centuries BC. 10.The name of Britain came from a Celtic tribe – the Britons. 11.The Anglo –Saxons came to Britain in the mid-5th century. 12.The Vikings began to attack the English coasts in the 8th century. 13.Henry II built up a large empire which included England and most of France. 14.The Magna Carta was designed to protect the rights of both the privileged class and the townspeople. 15.The Hundred Years’War was a series of wars fought between England and Normans for trade and territory. 16.In an effort to make a compromise between different religious factions, Queen Elizabeth I actually defended the fruit of the Religious Reformation. 17.In reality, the British King or Queen is the source of all government powers. 18.British Parliament is the law-making body of the Commonwealth of Nations. 19.The members in the House of Commons in Britain are appointed rather than elected. 20.Britain was the first industrialized nation in the world. Answer keys: 1. T 2. F 3. F 4. T 5. T 6. T 7. F 8. T 9. T 10. T 11.T 12. T 13. T 14. F 15. F 16. T 17. F 18. F 19. F 20. T II. Choose the one that best completes each of the following statements. (2 points each, 40 points in total) 1. ___B_____ is the capitall city of Scotland. A. Belfast B. Edinburgh C. Aberdeen D. Cardiff 2. Among the four parts of the United Kingdom, ____D_____ is the smallest. A. England B. Scotland C. Wales D. Northern Ireland 3. Almost a quarter of the British population lives in ____B_______ England. A. northeastern B.southeastern C. northwestern D. southwestern
2011英语国家概况期末考 1 of 100 Whose speech is closest to BBC English? A Cockney Southerners in England northerners in England A Welsh 2 of 100 The two newest states which joined the United States are _____. Alaska and Hawaii California and New Mexico Alaska and Florida Hawaii and Oregon 3 of 100
Which of the following is NOT one of the general standards for admission into an institution of higher learning in the U. S. A.? ACTP GPA MBA SAT 4 of 100 Britain's longest rivers are _____. the Severn and the Thames the Thames and the Clyde the Clyde and the Humber the Severn and the Clyde 5 of 100 New Englanders were originally known as _______. Yankees German farmers
Fishermen from Scandinavia English Puritans 6 of 100 The Constitution of the United States provides that _____ shall be President of the Senate. the Chief Justice the Secretary of State the Vice President the President 7 of 100 Which of the following is NOT one of the clauses in Magna Carta? There should be the same weights and measures throughout the country. The principle of parliamentary supremacy should be confirmed and free speech in Parliament should be guaranteed.