1. "British history has been a history of invasion". Please illustrate this point with the examples from the text. How did each of the invasions influence English culture ?
British history has been a history of invasions. Before the first century AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people: a powerful culture originating in central Europe. Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by the Roman empire, and England and Wales (though not Scotland or Ireland) became a part of the Roman empire for nearly 400 years.Two more groups of invaders were to come after the English: from the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings, threatened Britain's shores….
2. What are some general characteristics of Scotland ?
Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area. It is also the most confident of its own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of the UK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unified state independent of the UK. Thus it is not a big leap for the Scottish to imagine themselves independent again.
Physically, Scotland is the most rugged part of the UK, with areas of sparsely populated mountains and lakes in the north (The Highlands), and in the south (The Southern Uplands). Three-quarters of the population lives in the lowland zone which spans the country between these two highland areas. The largest city is Glasgow, in the west of this zone. Scotland's capital city is Edinburgh, on the east coast forty miles away from Glasgow. It is renowned for its beauty, and dominated by its great castle on a high rock in the centre of the city. Both cities have ancient and internationally respected universities dating from the 15th century.
3. Describe Wales' unification with Great Britain.
Wales was always under pressure from its English neighbours, particularly after the Norman conquest, when Norman barons set up castles and estates in Wales under the authority of the English Crown. Some brief campaigns are the only times in history when Wales has existed as a unified independent nation.
4. Are there any differences between England and Wales in terms of cultural tradition ?
Yes, there are. The close long-standing relationship means that modern Wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses—its legal system and its education system are exactly the same as in England. Often official statistics are given for "England and Wales". However, Wales is different, and one of the key markers of that difference is the Welsh language—the old British Celtic tongue which is still in daily use.
5. Why is Northern Ireland, according to the author, so significant in the United Kingdom? What is the political problem there?
Until 1921 the full name of the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland", because the whole island of Ireland was politically integrated with Great Britain, and had been since 1801, while Britain's domination of the Irish dated back centuries even before that date. But Irish desires for an independent Irish state were never lost, and one of the key issues in late nineteenth century British politics was a
campaign in parliament for what was called "home-rule"—Irish political control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.
6. What are some of the factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today?
Along with the political campaign for home-rule there were groups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engaging in guerilla or terrorist activities against British institutions and the British military forces. During the First World War and immediately after, this activity increased, sometimes brutally suppressed by British forces.
7.Different parties and groups in the United Kingdom have different solutions to the political problem in Northern Ireland. Please sum up their different attitudes.
Margaret Thatcher's government did not give in to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death. This event revitalised the political campaign of Sinn Fein, the legal political party which supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which they called the policy of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box".
8. Has the author offered a solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland?
The problem lay in the "commitment to peaceful methods" aspect of the possible talks. Province-wide elections are planned under a complex formula to ensure a wide range of representation on the body which will carry out these talks, in an attempt to give them legitimacy. Without the participation of Sinn Fein and the IRA it is hard to see them succeeding. Northern Ireland is poised on the brink—a new peaceful future, or a return to the violence that has claimed 3150 lives so far.
9What is the oldest institution of government?
The oldest institution of government is the Monarchy (rule by the king).
10. What is the name of the charter of liberty and political rights granted by King John in 1215?
It was a gang of feudal barons and the Church which opposed some of King John's (1199—1216) policies. This opposition was so powerful that the king finally granted them a charter of liberty and political rights, still known by its medieval Latin name of Magna Carta大宪章. Magna Carta placed some limits on the king's ability to abuse his royal power. This is still regarded as Britain's key expression of the rights of citizens against the Crown.
11. Do you think Elizabethan Drama occupies a significant position in British literature? Who is the most important figure in Elizabethan Drama? What are some of his major works?
Shakespeare is the most important figure at that time. He excels in each kind. The tragedies include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Among the comedies are The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer
Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. His history plays, based on English history, include Richard III, Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V. Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra are tragedies on classical themes.
12. What do we call the group of important Parliamentarians?
The House of Commons.
13.Who can stand for election as an MP?
Anyone who is eligible vote to can stand as an MP. It is necessary only to make a deposit of500 pounds (a quite easily obtainable amount in the UK) which is lost if the candidate does not receive at least 5% of the vote.
17. What are the three major parties? Which party is the party that spent most time in power?
There are three major national parties: The Conservative party and the Labour party are the two biggest, and any general election is really about which of those two is going to govern. But there is a third important party, the Liberal Democrats, who usually receive up to about 20% of the votes: not enough to form a government, but enough to have a big impact on which of the other two parties does so. The Conservative Party spent most time in power
When was the British economy dominant in the world?
By the 1880s the British economy was dominant in the world, producing one third of the world's manufactured goods, half its coal and iron, half its cotton.
●By what time was the UK overtaken by other countries, such as the US and Germany?
But even by 1900 this was no longer the case, the UK having been overtaken by both the United States and Germany; and certainly from 1945 until the present, the story of the UK economy is usually thought of as one of decline.
●Which country does it refer to as "the Jewel in the Crown"? When did it gain its independence?
India, popularly known as "The Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, gained its independence in 1947.
●What are some of the positive and negative effects of non-white immigrants on British society according to the
author?
This has a number of consequences for British society, mainly positive, though with some indirect negative effects. On the positive side such immigrant groups bring their culture with them, which increases the variety and interest within British culture: for example, the UK, which used to have a bad reputation for food, now has a cuisine as varied as any, with Indian and Chinese restaurants in every community, as well as many other varieties in bigger cities. This variety in restaurant food has resulted in more experimentation at home, so that shops now carry a much wider variety of goods to supply the demand, and there are many TV programmes and books devoted to all kinds of different cooking. The negative side of things lies largely in the attitude of some of their white neighbours.
●What is the general situation of racial relations in the UK?
While there is a growing ethnic minority middle-class, and many individual success stories, by most measures the immigrant population is worse-off economically speaking than the white population as a whole. Individuals from
ethnic minorities are more likely to be unemployed; and they are under-represented in politics too, though there are now a number of black and Asian MPs. But there are also a number of small political parties in the UK with overtly racist policies.
●Why is Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in Middle English, still read and studied today?
With the Norman Conquest in 1066 Britain entered the Middle Ages (1066—1485), and the language of the royal court became French. So literature of that period was written in French or Latin. But one work from these times often studied today by middle school and college students is The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343—1400). He was the first court poet to write in English.
●When was the term "parliament" first used officially?
The word "parliament" comes from the verb "to parley", that is, to discuss or talk. The term was first used officially in 1236 to describe the gathering of feudal barons and representatives from counties and towns which the king occasionally summoned if he wanted to raise money.
●The author says that "the media are central to British leisure culture", why does the author say so?
On an average day, 90 per cent of Britons over the age of 15 read a national or local paper. And in the evening, most Britons settle down to watch some television: 96 percent of the population watch TV at least once a week, making it Britain's most popular leisure activity. The third most popular pastime, after watching telly and reading newspapers, is listening to the radio, an activity in which 73 per cent of the population engages in on a weekly basis. It is obvious, then, that the media are central to British leisure culture.
●What are some of the characteristics of British newspaper culture? In what way is it different from the United
States?
British newspaper culture is unusual in the extent to which class and educational differences are reflected in the newspapers people read. In other developed countries like Japan and the United States, newspaper reading is a mainly middle-class habit, but in Britain the "lower classes" are also regular readers.
●What is Postmodernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples?
Postmodernists can be thought of as abandoning that search. Meaning does not exist outside of the human head, likewise it does not exist inside a book, waiting to be discovered, instead it is made in the process of reading a book, or of making sense of the world….
●What is Modernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples?
Modernism in literature can be seen as a reaction against the nineteenth century forms discussed above, which can be thought of as assuming understanding between writer and reader, resulting in the simple communication of an agreed version of the "world". This approach to writing is known as "Realism." Instead, Modernist writers express the difficulty they see in understanding and communicating how the world works. Often, therefore, Modernist
writing seems disorganized, hard to understand. It often portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the action….
●What is the origin of football?
There are legends that suggest that games like football and rugby actually derived from the "sport" of ancient warriors celebrating victory by kicking around the decapitated head of an enemy. There is a similar grisly tale told about origins of bowling: it is said that in ancient times, Scottish warriors rolled the skulls of their enemies along the grass for sport.
●What is the goal of education in the U.K.?
The goal of British education is to socialize children.
●Is the British education system run by the state or the private sector?
The British education system run by the state.
●Where do British universities receive their funds besides students tuition?
In the UK, the amount of funding each university receives is based on its size, the number of students it teaches, and the research it conducts. So far, the UK has only one privately funded university, the University of Buckingham.
●Why does the author say that "the way the living arrangements of a society as a whole are organized tells us
something about that society"?
For individual members of any society the home they live in is of great importance in their lives. The way the living arrangements of a society as a whole are organized tells us something about that society—its standard of living, its social and familial structure, the distribution of wealth in a society—both in terms of geography and social hierarchy—and even something about that society's values and dreams.
●What and how did the British empire end? How did the British react to this reality?
Two world wars had seriously influenced its empire position. The end of the great British empire was surprisingly rapid. In 1946, Jordan, in the Middle East, was granted independence. The following year, India and Pakistan followed suit. In 1948, Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) were granted independence and left the Commonwealth as well, refusing to recognise the British monarch as the head of their new states. Throughout the next few decades, the process of decolonisation continued as other territories and possessions received their independence or were returned to their rightful rulers.
●. Why does the author think that Britain has the "special relationship" with the United States? Does this
relationship still exist?
Another major factor which influences British foreign policy is its relationship with the United States. This was quite natural, as the two were closely allied during World War II, and continued to work together closely in the post war years because they shared many of the same worries about the Soviet Union. Even today, in many respects
British and American policy-makers agree generally on, for example, how the global economy should be managed, how a warlike state should be dealt with, issues about arms control and so on.
●What was the unique American phenomenon ? How did it come into being? Do you think it still exists in
today's American society?
He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new ran k he holds.… Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world.… The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and f orm new opinions.…
●In what way did Puritanism influence American culture?
New England also established another American tradition—a strain of often intolerant moralism. The Puritans believed that governments should enforce God's morality. They strictly punished drunks, adulterers, violators of the Sabbath and other religious believers different from themselves. Roger Williams, one of the Puritans who protested that the state should not interfere with religion, was driven out of Massachusetts. In 1635, he set up Rhode Island colony, which guaranteed religious freedom and the separation of church and state. The Puritans also have left rich cultural heritage to future Americans. The American values such as individualism, hard work, respect of education owe very much to the Puritan beliefs.
●What are the two political parties in the United States? Do you think they are fundamentally different?
the United States has two major political parties. One is the Democratic Party, which evolved out of Thomas Jefferson's party, formed before 1800. The symbol of the party is the donkey. The other is the Republican Party, which was formed in the 1850s, by people in the states of the North and West, such as Abraham Lincoln, who wanted the government to prevent the expansion of slavery into new states then being admitted to the union. The symbol of the Republican Party is the elephant.
●What is the Bill of Rights? Do you think that it was necessary to write the Bill of Rights explicitly into the
U.S. Constitution?
The Bill of Rights: the first 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were added within two years of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. These amendments remain intact today, as they were written two centuries ago. The first guarantees freedom of worship, speech and press, the right of peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government to correct wrongs. The Bill of Rights and subsequent constitutional amendments guarantee the American people the fullest possible opportunity to enjoy fundamental human rights.
●Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? Was it necessary to change the Articles of Confederation and
write a new constitution for the new nation of the United States at the time?
The Articles of Confederation failed because the states did not cooperate with the Congress or with each other. When the Congress needed money to pay the national army or to pay debts owed to France and other nations, some states refused to contribute. The Congress had been given no authority to force any state to do anything. It could not tax any citizen. Only the state in which a citizen lived could do that.
●What is a federal system? What are some of the major differences between a federal system and a
confederation?
The Constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government. A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to each. The Constitution also called for the election of a national leader, or president. It provided that federal laws would be made only by a Congress made up of representatives elected by the people. It also provided for a national court system headed by a Supreme Court.
●What are some of the major powers of each of the three branches of the U.S. government? How are the
three branches supposed to check and balance each other
If Congress proposes a law that the president thinks is unwise, the president can veto it. That means the proposal does not become law. Congress can enact the law despite the president's views only if two-thirds of the members of both houses vote in favor of it.
If Congress passes a law which is then challenged in the courts as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has the power to declare the law unconstitutional and therefore no longer in effect.
The president has the power to make treaties with other nations and to make all appointments to federal positions, including the position of Supreme Court justice. The Senate, however, must approve all treaties and confirm all appointments before they become official. In this way the Congress can prevent the president from making unwise appointments
●What are the major characteristics of education in America?
Americans have a strong tendency to educate their children about major public concerns—problems such as environmental pollution, nuclear issues, neighborhood crime and drugs. Responding to public pressure, boards of education in different areas often add courses on various relevant issues to the elementary and secondary school curriculum.
●What are some of the major themes in novels written by the "Lost Generation"?
The "Lost Generation" is a term used to describe the generation of young men and women who came to maturity in the 20s. Some of them fought in World War I. They became disgusted with war and disillusioned with the post-war society. They shared the same sense of dislocation, rootlessness and disillusionment.
●What is the goal of education in the United States? Discuss the similarities and differences in Great Britain,
the United States and China concerning the goals of education.
The goal is—and has been since the early decades of the republic—to achieve universal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the general public. Though this goal has not yet been fully achieved, it remains an ideal toward which the American educational system is directed. The progress which has been made is notable both for its scope and for the educational methods which have been developed in the process of achieving it.
●What does an American student learn?
American students pass through several levels of schooling—and thus, several curricula—on their way to a high school diploma. They attend: Elementary School, Secondary School, high school.
●What were the major social movements of the 1960s? And what was the historical background of the social
movements of that decade?
The Civil Rights Movement, Youth Anti-war Movement, Women’s Liberation movement and et c.
●The black political movement that began as a force for integration changed course in the mid-1960s and
began to emphasize black uniqueness and even black separatism. What caused this transformation?
Although these segregation laws were illegal under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, the US government would not declare the Southern laws unconstitutional until there were cases brought in federal courts. The civil rights movement began when black people spontaneously protested segregation laws and created organizations to make the protests successful. Long before the students in Greensboro, North Carolina began their sit-ins, there were many others who protested the segregation laws.
●Draw analogies between the black revolution and the women's movement. What common assumptions do
they share?
The women activities were most in the civil rights and anti-war movements before. They believed the male leaders of these movements were discriminating against women in the movement just like White’s di scrimination against black men. They became known as the "women's liberation" group, or "women's lib", used radical tactics and received a great deal of bad publicity. This group found strong support among large numbers of young activists from other organizations.
●What does poverty mean in the United States ? Why is poverty a social problem in America?
Poverty in the United States does not simply mean that the poor do not live quite as well as other citizens. It means many old people eating dog and cat food to supplement their diets. It means malnutrition and deprivation for hundreds of thousands of children. It means greater susceptibility to disease, to alcoholism, to victimization by criminals, and to mental disorders. It often means unstable marriages, slum housing, illiteracy, ignorance, inadequate medical facilities, and shortened life expectancy. Poverty can mean low self-esteem, despair, and stunting of human potential.
学院 专业班级 学 号 姓 名 教室 号 座位 号 . ———— 装 —————订 — ————线——————外——————不——————要——————答 — ———— 题 — ——— ( 第 1 页， 共6 页 ) 页 ) ( 第 2 页， 共 6 页 ) 湖南涉外经济学院2016-2017学年度第 一 学期期末课程 《英语国家概况》考察试卷 专业年级： 2014级商英本科 考核方式：闭卷 考试时量：90分钟 试卷类型： 题 号 一 合计 复核人 应得分 100 实得分 得分 评卷人 复核人 I.You are required to interpret the following terms.（10X5′） One Standard English Two Magna Carta Three The Reformation Four The Seperation of Three Powers Five Thatcherism Six Critical Realism Eight Thanksgiving Day Nine the Lost Generation Ten Industial Revolution II You are required to answer the following questions.(5X10) 1. How does the english language develops into a universal lingua franca? 2. What is the British Empire? 3. What do we know about the Renaissance? 4. Why is American regarded as a “nation of immigrants ”? 5. What is your understanding of “checks and balance ”?
The industrial revolution refers to the mechanization of industry and the consequent changes in social and economic organization in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Britain was the first country to industrialize. The industrial revolution A period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, production, and transportation had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in Britain. The Industrial Revolution, was a period of unprecedented technological, economic and social change that completely transformed British culture from a largely rural, static society with limited production and division of labour into the world's first modern industrial society. the Black Death It was the deadly bubonic plague who spread through Europe in the 14th century. It swept through England without warning and any cure, and sparing no victims. It killed between half and one-third of the population of England. Thus, much land was left untended and labor was short. It caused far-reaching economic consequences. The Black Death----It was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. It is widely thought to have been an outbreak of bubonic plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestisis and have started in Central Asia. It came without warning, and without any cue.The Black Death is estimated to have killed30% to 60% of Europe's population and had profound effects on the course of European history. In England, it killed almost half of the total population, causing far-reaching economic consequences. the Progressive Movement The Progressive Movement is a movement demanding government regulation of the economy and social conditions. It spread quickly with the support of large numbers of people across the country. It was not an organized campaign with clearly defined goals.(Rather, it was a number of diverse efforts at political, social, and economic reforms. In spite of limitations of the movement, it brought about changes and improvement in many fields.) Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and about 410. Britannia already had cultural and economic links with Continental Europe, but the invaders introduced new developments in agriculture, urbanisation, industry and architecture, leaving a legacy that is still apparent today. The first Romans to campaign extensively in Britain were
英美概况解答题 1.Why is the climate of Britain much milder than of many places in the same latitude? a.The climate of Britain is moderated by the Atlantic Gulf Stream. b.It is influenced by the west wind belt, which blow over the country all the year round and bring warm and wet air from the Atlantic Ocean. c.Topography of Great Britain .Britain is surrounded by seawaters, which can balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer. 2. What are the characteristics of the British economy? a. Britain is one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing and trading nations. b. Its currency, the pound sterling, is the exchange currency for about one third of the world’s foreign trade. c. the British economy was the first to have been fully industrialize d. d. British agriculture does not produce enough food to meet the country’s basic needs, and therefore part of all vital foodstuffs has to be imported.. e. the British labour force is remarkably homogeneous. 3. Why do British people think of themselves as Englishmen, Scotsmen, Welshmen and Irishmen, not as Britons? The British people have a way of living together without really doing so, that is peculiarly British. In normal times they take the national division very much for granted. They have their own way traditions. For example, Scotland has its own national church and its own system of law. Wales possesses a language and a culture of its own. 4.What were the consequences of the Norman Conquest? a.The Norman Conquest caused important consequences. It increased the process of feudalism. b.William the Conqueror established a strong monarchy in England. c.In 1086 William the Conqueror had his officials go through England and make a general survey of the land, known as the Domesday Book. d.After the conquest William retained most of the old English customs of government. e.The Norman Conquest also brought about changes in church. f.Along with the Normans came the French language. 5.In what ways did Henry II consolidate the monarchy? a.Henry II took some measures to consolidate the monarchy. Firstly, he carried out a series of reforms to strengthen his power. He strengthened the Great Council .But the most important step is that the Royal powers of justices were greatly expanded. b.As for administration, the major reform of his reign was the Inquest of Sheriffs in 1170. c.In 1181 Henry issued the “Assize of Arms”. d.Henry II wanted to restore the relationship between church and state that had existed under the Norman kings. 6.What were the comments and the nature of the Great Charter? Comments: (1)The king was not to exact extra payments from the feudal vassals (or towns) without their consent;(2)that laws were not to be modified by arbitrary action of the king;(3)if the king should attempt to free himself from the law, the vassals had the right to force the king to obey it, by civil war or by otherwise. Nature: (1)The Great Charter was essentially a feudal document.(2)It had a progressive
英美概况练习题 一、将下列汉语单词译成英语，作为提示，每个词、词类和第一个字母以及用短线表示，其余字母数，已给出。 1、饲养v.f________ 2.英勇的a.g____________ 3.普遍的 a . w _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 4.贸易 n .t _ _ _ _ 5.占领 v .o _ _ _ _ _ 6.城市的 a .u _ _ _ _ 7.平均 n. a _ _ _ _ _ _ 8.数量 n .q _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 9.装饰 v .d _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 10.精确的 a .p _ _ _ _ _ _ 11.未来n.f_______ 12.报纸n.n__________ 13.教育v.e________ 14.预算 n .b _ _ _ _ _ 15.题目 n .t _ _ _ _ 16.刺激 v .s _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 17.诚实的 a .h _ _ _ _ _ 18.开关 n .s _ _ _ _ _ 19.著名的 a . f _ _ _ _ _ 20.独立的 a .i _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 21.混合 v .m _ _ 22.说服 v . p _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 23.管子 n . p _ _ _ 24.表扬 v . p _ _ _ _ _ 25.第三 num . t _ _ _ _ 二、将括号中的各词变为适当形式填入空白。答案写在答卷纸上。 1、During the war the British navy_________(play) 2.Most users don’t limit________(them)simply to E-mail. 3.In American colleges and universities,a vast array of subjects________(offer). 4. Experiments have to be made under ___________(care) controlled conditions. 5.Garage-sale items usually ___________(price) at a very small part of their original cost. 6.The part of the moon ____________(face) away from the sun appears dark. 7.He was the first to draw a map that ____________(base) on all available knowledge, rather than on guess or imagination. 8.By the time we got to the airport the plane ____________(take) off. 9.A plant that grows more than three _____________(foot) is unusual in that area. 10.In 1964, the Olympic Games in Tokyo became the first program ____________(transmit) via satellite. 11.At the same time a number of more fundamental reforms_________(enact). 12.Between 1488 and 1534 Europeans _________(make)several important voyages to esplore the world. 13. But for the traffic jam, we ___________(will, arrive) on time .
dotourists from all over the world like to go to Scotland They like to enjoy the beautiful Scottish scenery, to drink Scotch whisky and to see Scotsmen wearing kilts and playing bagpipes. were the results of the Industrial Revolution in Britain The Industrial Revolution changed Britain in many ways. First, industrial productivity increased dramatically. Britain became the most advanced industrial country and also the financial center in the world. Second, urbanization took place. Many new cities sprang up. Third, it caused great changes in the class structure. The old social classes declined, and new ones emerged and developed. Rise and Fall of the British Empire. Colonization of Newfoundland, the first Britain colony overseas, in 1583 marked the beginning of the British Empire. By 1837, Britain had long been an empire which included the colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and many small states in the West Indies. By the end of the 19th century, the Britain Empire included a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass. During the mid-19th century, the Britain government consolidated the existing colonies by bringing them under the direct control of the government. Before World War I, Britain had the largest colonial empire in the world. However, Britain suffered great loss to its manpower in the two World Wars and exhausted its reserves of gold, dollars and overseas investment. Most of Britain’s colonies gained indepependence since the 1940s, which inevitably led to the fall of the Empire. 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. is the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, all of which acknowledge the British monarch as the head. The Commonwealth is not a political union of any sort, and its member states have full autonomy to manage their internal and external affairs. It is primarily an organization in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal interaction after gaining independence. The major activities of the Commonwealth are designed to advocate democracy, human rights, and to promote economic cooperation and growth within its members. were the major causes of Britain’s relative economic decline in the postwar period First, Britain suffered great losses in the two World Wars and had gone heavily into debt to finance the war. Second, the era of the Britain Empire was over. India and other British colonies, which provided raw material and large market for Britain goods, gained their independence. Third, Britain was forced to maintain an expensive military presence in many overseas locations until the end of 1960s. Fourth, Britain had to make substantial financial contributions to NATO and UN Security Council. Finally, Britain failed to invest in industry after World War II whereas its competitors like Germany and Japan caught up with Britain by investing in the most modern equipment and means of production.
英语专业考研英美概况自测题（一） British Survey Test Part I Geography 1. The total area of the U.K. is _____. A. 211,440 B. 244,110 C. 241,410 D. 242,534 2. England occupies the _____ portion of the U.K. A. northern B. eastern C. southern 3. The most important part of the U.K. in wealth is _____. A. Northern Ireland B. England C. Scotland 4. _____ is on the western prominence between the Bristol Channel and the Dee estuary. A. Wales B. Scotland C. England 5. Wales was effectively united with England in the _____ century. A. 14th B. 15th C. 16th 6. By the Act of Union of _____ Scotland and the kingdom of England and Wales were constitutionally joined as the Kingdom of Britain. A. 1707 B. 1921 C. 1801 7. Physiographically Britain may be divided into _____ provinces. A. 13 B. 12 C. 14 8. Mt. Ben Nevis stands in _____. A. the Scottish Highlands B. Wales C. England 9. The main rivers parting in Britain runs from _____. A. north to south B. south to north C. east to west 10. Cheviot hills lie along the border between _____ and England. A. Scotland B. Wales C. Vale of Eden 11. The longest river in Britain is _____. A. Severn B. Clyde C. Bann 12. London is situated on the River of _____. A. Parret B. Thames C. Spey 13. Edinburgh is the capital of _____. A. England B. Scotland C. Wales 14. The rivers flowing into the _____ are mainly short. A. North Sea B. English Channel C. Dee estuary 15. Mt. Snowdon stands in _____. A. Scotland B. Wales C. England 16. The source of the important River Thames is in the _____. A. Cotswolds B. Oxford Clay C. Pennines 17. About _____ of the water requirements are obtained from underground sources. A. 50% B. 38% C. 42% 18. Gaelic is mainly spoken in _____. A. Scotland B. England C. Northern Ireland 19. The Bank of England was nationalized in _____. A. 1964 B. 1946 C. 1694
2011英美文化与国家概况期末考试填空与简答复习题 1.Of all these isles, the largest one is called Great Britain. For the sake of convenience, Great Britain is often shortened to Britain. 2.United Kingdom is made up of four parts, England, Wales,ScotlandandNorthern Ireland. 3.The island of Great Britain can be divided into two parts according to its geographic features: the Highland Zone in the north and west and the Lowland zone in the south and southeast. 4.In America, The presiding officer of the senate is the Vice-president of the United States who serves as chairman when the Senate is in session. 5.Britain did not produce cotton and textile industry used to rely on wool as the principal fiber. 6.In Britain, the city Birmingham is well known for its production of automobiles, electricity equipment, electronics, munitions, and arms. 7.British government is produced through contest between two major political parties every five years 8.British can enjoy higher education in three ways:
Unit 1 Geographical Features and Natural Resources 1. How many states are there in the United States? And which two states are geographically separated from the others? (50, Alaska, Hawaii) 2. What are the general characters of the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. 1) To the west of Atlantic coastal plain lie the Appalachian Mountains that begin in Canada and reach all the way to Georgia and Alabama. These are old mountains with rounded tops and wooded hills, usually not exceeding 800m in height. The highest point is only 2000m above the sea. Most of the mountain ridges are low enough to be easily crossed by modern highways. The Appalachians have much beautiful scenery and many tourist resorts. The Ohio and the Tennessee Rivers flow down the western slopes of the Appalachians to the great Mississippi River, deep in the heart of America. 2) To the west of the Great Plains lie the Rocky Mountains, “the backbone of the continent”. These high mountains stretch all the way from Mexico to the Arctic and form what is known as Continental Divide, or Great Divide, the most important watershed on the continent. The Rockies are more than twice as high as the Appalachians and high enough to receive more rain than the surrounding plains and plateaus. Consequently, they are mostly forested. The striking and varied scenery of the Rockies has given rise to the establishment of many national parks here. The other natural wonders include roaming herds of buffalo, elk, deer, antelope and sheep, as well as the famous grizzly bear. Chapter 2 American Population 1.Why is the United States known as a “melting pot”? It means that the US is composed of immigrants from different nations all over the world. ①The people of the US are predominantly white. ②The second most numerous minority in the US were the black people whose forefathers came from Africa. ③American Indians were the original inhabitants on the continent. ④There were about 50.5 million Hispanics in 2010 in the US. They are the Spanish-speaking immigrants from Latin American countries. ⑤The Chinese American have proved to be industrious and intelligent. 2.What factors cause the Americans to move frequently within the United States? ①The desire for economic betterment is generally the most important force inducing migration. ②Geographic difference in economic opportunity, as reflected by such factors as differences in employment opportunities and earning power for workers and differences in the availability and the price of land for farmers. ③Noneconomic factors. Such as climate, racial attitudes, and family tires, influencing migration. 3.Why do many Americans now migrate from cities to suburbs? ①The widespread uses of automobiles and the construction of express highways made it possible for people to live farther away from their jobs. ②The telephone reduced the need for them to work or live in close proximity to one another. ③Suburban areas offered more living space than cities, lower crime rates, less pollution, and superior schools. It is generally believed that they are better place for raising children. Chapter 3 Discovery and Colonization of the New World 1. Discuss the pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas. 1) The Aztecs of Mexico 2) The Incas of Peru 3) The Indians of North America 4) Indian contributions to European culture: Foods, Drugs and Utilitarian objects 2. Why did the discoveries of New World before Columbus not exert great influence in the world at that time?
英国概况 1，英国名称：The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) 2，地理位置：Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles, the largest island in Europe and the eighth-largest island in the world. It lies to the northwest of Continental Europe, with Ireland to the west, and makes up the largest part of the territory of the state known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is surrounded by over 1,000[citation needed] smaller islands and islets. 或者回答British mainland western Europe from Great Britain and Ireland, north-east and many nearby islands， She east by the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, up to the North Atlantic off Iceland, Yugoslavia and the European continent, separated only by a strip of water, the English Channel 3, 英国首都：London 4,组成部分：England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 5,民族：England Welsh、Scotch、Irish 6, 英国国旗：the Union Flag英国国歌：God Save The Queen 天佑女7，三次外族入侵：ⅠRoman Conquest；43AD, the roman empire