Britain version2.0
Part One Geography
Chapter I A brief introduction to physical geography Where is the U. K. ? And what is it made up of? What is its total area? -The U. K. is situated in Northwestern Europe, lying to the north of France and the west of the Netherlands and Denmark. It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Its total area is 242 534 square kilometers.
What are the present features of the climate of Britain?
- Britain has a maritime c1imate-- winters are not too cold and summers are: not too hot. Therefore, its temperature varies within a small range, rarely falling below -5'C in winter or rising about 24'C in summer. Sunshine hours are fewer in more southerly
climates
The "backbone of England": It refers to the Pennines, a range of hills extending about 257 km southward from the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border to central England.
What percentage of the country's water requirements are obtained from underground sources?
-About 38% of the country's water requirements depend on underground sources.
Chapter III Economy
What are the characteristics of the British economy?
-The British economy was the first to have been fully industrialized. Britain was one of the world's most advanced manufacturing and trading nations. The pound sterling is the exchange currency for about one third of the world's foreign trade. The agriculture does not produce
enough food to meet the country's basic needs and part of all vital foodstuffs has to be imported. The labor force is homogeneous.
Chapter V The Main Cities
Which city is the capital of England and Great Britain? Is it the political centre of the Commonwealth?
-London is the capital of England, and it is also the political centre of the Commonwealth.
What does London consist of administratively?
-London administratively consists of the city of London, the original nucleus, retaining a medieval system of government of courts of aldermen and an elected lord mayor; and Greater London a metropolitan county, made up of Inner London boroughs and 20 Outer London boroughs.
Greater London: It is a metropolitan
county (pop. 7 million), made up of 12 Inner London boroughs, 20 Outer London boroughs.
Part Three Culture
Chapter I Education
How many years does a pupil study at a primary state school?
-Six years, from the age of five to eleve n.
Which type of schools enrolls the top pupils at secondary education?
- Grammar schools enrolls the top pupils at secondary educatio n.
How many types of universities are there in Britain? Which two universities are the most famous ones? -There are five types: 1) old universities, 2) the four Scottish universities, 3): the middle-aged universities, 4) the new universities, 5) the Open University, and Buckingham University (independent university). Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest
and the most famous in the world.
How are" public" schools financed?
-Public schools in the UK are financed mainly by fees paid by parents and private funds.
Eton College: It is one of the largest independent secondary schools in England and one of the most prestigious. How do you understand "Marriage signifies the beginning of a new and independent family"?
-British society is based on family life and the family is a self-contained economic and social unit with mother, father and children living together alone in their own house. So marriage signifies the beginning of a new and independent famil y.
How do the newlyweds solve the problem of housing?
-1) They look through advertisements to find a house for rent. 2) They may
mortgage a house through a building societ y. 3) If they have enough money they may buy a house, but this seldom happens.
What is the first course of an English lunch? Do you think it similar or different from the Chinese way of serving food? -The first course of an English lunch is a small quantity of soup .It is different from the Chinese way of serving food. In China this is usually the last course Can you show us an example of the conservative characteristic of the British people?
-One example is that the British people have been slow adopting rational reforms, such as the metric syste m. Some people say that the Englishman is like a cold fish that has just come out of the ice. What do you thi nk of that?
-This may be true. The British people are cold by nature. They do not show their
feelings very much and do not show their emotion if they are very happy and neither do they if they are sad. For example, when you work at a factory, the guy whom you work with never tells you anything about himself. You may work with him for years, yet you even don't know where he lives, how many children he has and what his interests are.
fierce individualism: It is the idea that the rights and freedom of the individual are the most important rights. exclusiveness: This is the best -known quality of the British people .It means, "I am English. You stay away from me. I am exclusive. I am quite happy to be: myself. I do not need you. Leave me
alone."
Chapter III Customs and Habits What did John Bull denote in the seventeenth century and what is his image?
-John Bull denotes Britain or any
英语国家概况（1）（2）问题库答案 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 ? 1. 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 ? 2. 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. 3. 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 ? 4.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? 5. 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.
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
Political System 1. The British Monarchy is hereditary 2. The Constitutional Monarchy started at the end of the __17th __ century. 3. The __ Crown _ is used as a symbol of the whole nation and is described as the representative of the people. 4. The oldest part of British Parliament is _ the House of Lords ___. 5. The decision making organ in British Parliament is __ the Cabinet __. 6. The life of Parliament is fixed at ___ five _ years. 7. The House of Commons consists of _651___ members who are elected from the _651____ electoral districts. 8. The titles of the lords, such as Duke, Marquis, Earl, V iscount and Baron, are __ hereditary __. 9. The quorum in the House of Commons is ___ forty _ members. 10. The _ British government _ _____ is the supreme administrative institution. 11. The __ Cabinet is the core of leadership of the British government. 12. The Privy Council was established in the 15th century when __ Henry V __ was on the throne. 13. Not until ___1937 _ could the cabinet have a legal basis. 14. The number of the cabinet members varies, being generally about ___20 __. 15. The president (or head) of the House of Lords in Britain is __ Lord Chancellor __. 16. ___ The Labour Party _ was formed by the trade unions, cooperatives, the Social Democratic Federation, the Independent Labour Party and the Fabian Society in 1900. 17. It is the _ Prime Minister __ who organizes the Cabinet and presides over its meetings. 18. The Shadow Cabinet is organized by the _ Opposition ___. 19. London, because of its special location, is divided into _32____ boroughs and the city of London. 20. “The Morning Star” is the official paper of the ___ Communist Party __. 21. The following persons except ___ criminals _ have no right to vote. 22. In England and Wales, the jury consists of ___ twelve _ people in criminal and civil cases. 23. Legally any citizen aged from ___18__ to __65___ who has never been sent to prison can be a member of the jury. 24. The head of the police force of a county, etc. is called _ Chief Constable __. 25. A __ barrister ___ appointed to act for the State is called Queen’s Counsel. 26. Now the House of Lords can prevent a bill from passing into a law for __ one year _. 27. The High Court of Justice includes the following divisions except _ the Criminal Division _. 28. During the Civil War, the supporters of the King and the Church were known as _ Loyalists _. I. Fill in the Blanks 1. The present sovereign is __ Queen Elizabeth II ___ _____. 2. Elizabeth II came to the throne on Feb. 6th, _ 1952 3. The vital power lies in the ___ Prime Minister __ _____, and his/her cabinet. 4. The __ Crown ___ is the only legal and constitutional link binding the members of the Commonwealth to the home country and to one another. 5. The British Parliament consists of three elements – the _ Crown ____, the House of __ Lords ___, and the House of _ Commons ____. 6. The British legislature is _ Parliament ____.
《英语国家概况》课程习题集西南科技大学成人、网络教育学院版权所有 习题 【说明】：本课程《英语国家概况》（编号为12010）共有单选题,名词解释题,简答题,填空题2等多种试题类型，其中，本习题集中有[简答题]等试题类型未进入。 一、单选题 1. Celts were different groups of ancient people who came originally from________ A. France B. Denmark C. Ireland D. Germany 2. Who invaded and conquered Britain for the first time in 55 BC? A. Emperor Claudius B. Julius Caesar C. King Alfred D. King Ethelred 3. Who is the author of Murder in the Cathedral? A. Christopher Marlowe B. T. S. Eliot C. Ben Johnson D. Thomas Becket 4.When Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, and was succeeded by his son, ______, the regime began immediately to collapse. A. Henry B. Hamilton C. Richard D. Charles 5. The 18th century saw selective breeding of cattle, sheep and houses by _________. A. Jethro Tull B. Thomas Coke C. George III D. Robert Bakewell 6. Which of the following is not one of the members of the Lords Temporal? A. all hereditary peers and peeresses of the England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom (but not peers of Ireland) B. lire peers created to assist the House in its judicial duties C. senior bishops of the Church of England D. all other life peers 7. Two years after the ending of the Hundred Years’ War with France, England was thrown into another series of civil wars, ________. A. the War of the Celts
英语国家概况（谢福之主编）课后答案 一、选择题（答案在下面） I. Choose the one that best completes each of the following statements. 1.The two main islands of the British Isles are . A. Great Britain and Ireland B. Great Britain and Scotland C. Great Britain and Wales D. Great Britain and England 2.is the capital city of Scotland. A. Belfast B. Edinburgh C. Aberdeen D. Cardiff 3.According to a 2005 estimate, Britain now has a population of over million. A. 160 B. 600 C. 60 D. 16 4.Among the four parts of the United Kingdom, is the smallest. A. England B. Scotland C. Wales D. Northern Ireland 5.Almost a quarter of the British population lives in England. A. northeastern B. southeastern C. northwestern D. southwestern 6.English belongs to the group of Indo-European family of languages. A. Celtic B. Indo-Iranian C. Germanic D. Roman 7.The introduction of Christianity to Britain added the first element of words to English. A. Danish and Finnish B. Dutch and German C. French and Italian D. Latin and Greek 8.The evolution of Middle English was reinforced by the influence. A. Norman B. Dutch C. German D. Danish 9.Samuel Johnson’s dictionary was influential in establishing a standard form of . A. grammar B. handwriting C. spelling D. pronunciation 10.At present, nearly of the world’s population communicate in English. A. half B. a quarter C. one third D. one fifth 11.The attack on Rome ended the Roman occupation in Britain in 410. A. Norman B. Danish C. Celtic D. Germanic 12.By the late 7th century, became the dominant religion in England. A. Celtic Christianity B. Anglo-Saxon Christianity C. Germanic Christianity D. Roman Christianity 13.Westminster Abbey was built at the time of . A. St. Augustine B. Edward the Confessor C. William the Conqueror D. Alfred the Great 14.The marked the establishment of feudalism in England. A. Viking invasion B. signing of the Magna Carta C. Norman Conquest D. Adoption of common law 15.The end of the Wars of the Roses led to the rule of . A. the House of Valois B. the House of York C. the House of Tudor D. the House of Lancaster 16.The direct cause for the Religious Reformation was King Henry VIII’s effort to . A. divorce his wife B. break with Rome C. support the Protestants D. declare his supreme power over the
4. The 1920s in the United States has been described as a period of .在美国20世纪20年代，被描述为一个物质和精神沮丧的成功 7. When we speak of “father of waters” or “old man river”，we are referring to . 当我们说“水”或“老人河之父”，我们指的是密西西比河
8. Celts were different groups of ancient people who came originally from . 凯尔特人是不同群体的古代人来自德国 13. The ， the backbone of the North American continent， is also known as the Continental Divide.落基山脉，北美大陆的脊梁，也被称为大陆分水岭。
14. To help the British East India Company out of difficulty，the British government allowed the company to sell at a lower price in the colonies through its own people. 为了帮助不列颠东印度公司摆脱困境，英国政府允许公司以较低的价格向殖民地通过自己的人卖茶 21. The first Puritans came to America were on the ship_______. A. Codpeed B. Susan Constant C. May Flower 五月花 D. Discovery
《英美概况》教学大纲 课程编号：12307058 课程名称：英美概况 学时分配：36学时，2-19 学分：2分 考核方式：考查，闭卷 课程类别：专业限选课 面向对象：外事二年级学生 一、课程的任务和目的： 《英美概况》是介绍英语国家社会与文化入门的一门课程。开设本课的目的在于使学生通过学习，了解英美国家的历史、地理、社会、经济、政治、教育等方面的情况及其文化传统，内容庞杂、信息量大。 培养学生正确分析有关英美等国问题的能力，并能以正确的眼光看待世界上所发生的问题，提高学生对文化差异的敏感性、宽容性和处理文化差异的灵活性，培养学生跨文化交际能力。把学生培养成为高素质的人才，同时又能爱祖国、热爱社会主义，致力为祖国的繁荣、发达而努力的人才，培养学生树立正确世界观。 同时，通过课文的学习和各种练习的实践，达到提高英语水平的目的。通过比较学习不同文化中具有特殊文化涵义的词语与表达式，可以促使学生掌握一些特殊词语的深层次意义，是对词汇的学习以及翻译水平的提高的有益补充；通过开展中外文化的比较，让学生切身感受到成功的交际仅有语言是远远不够的，文化方面的因素有时所起的作用远远大于语言本身，必将为英语学习者成功地参与国际商务活动，更有效地进行国际合作与交流打下坚实的文化基础。
二、课程的基本要求： 要求熟悉英语国家的地理、历史、发展现状、文化传统、风俗习惯，具有较强的跨文化交际意识。 三、课程的主要内容： 主要包括英美两国的地理、历史、政体制度、教育、新闻媒体、风俗习惯等内容，目的在于开阔学生的视野，扩大他们的知识面，并注意借鉴最新研究成果，合理吸收最新知识，进一步增强其实用性。 四、课程教学内容与要求 第一章：美国简况（国家的组成、国土等）（2学时） 教学要求：通过教学使学生掌握美国地理简况：国家的基本组成，国土等。以及美国国家形成的基本历史发展过程。 教学重点：美国国家形成过程中产生的几个重要的历史事件。 教学难点：分析并了解American Revolution产生的原因。
英美国家概况课后题及答案 Chapter 2 1.The British history before 55BC is basically undocumented.(T) 2.The Celts became the dominant group in Britain between the 8th and 5th centuries BC.(T) 3.The name of Britain came from a Celtic tribe--- the Britons.(T) 4.The Anglo--Saxons came to Britain in the mid--5th century.(T) 5.The chief or king of the Anglo--Saxon tribes exercised power at their own will.(F) 6.The Vikings began to attack the English coast in the 8th century.(T) 7.Henry II built up a large empire which included England and most of France.(T) 8.The Magna Carta was designed to protect the rights of both the privileged class and the townspeople.(F) 9.The Hundred Years' War was a series of wars fought between England and Normans foe trade and territory.(F) 10.In an effort to make a promise between different religious factions,Queen Elizabeth I actually defended the fruit of the Religious Reformation.(T)
《英语国家社会与文化入门》模拟试题及参考答案 Part one Fill in the blanks ( 10 points ) 1.The full name of the United Kingdom is . 2.The Good Friday Agreement, known also as , emerged on 10 April 1998. 3., the ancestor of the present queen, Elizabeth II, united England under his rule in 829. 4.written by Geoffrey Chaucer is often studied by middle school and college students today. 5.The Bonfire Night, which is celebrated in November, sometimes is also called . 6.Columbus discovered the New World in the year of . 7.The Three Faiths in the US refer to Protestant, and Jewish. 8.In 1852, a New England woman named Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a novel titled , which intensified the political debate on slavery. 9.1968 was known in US history as a violent and tragic year in which the great leader of The Civil Rights Movement: was assassinated. 10.The Grand Canyon is carved away for nearly 6 million years by the River. Part two Read the following unfinished statements or questions carefully. For each unfinished statement or question four suggested answers A, B, C and D are given. Choose the one you think best completes the statement or answers the question: ( 20 points ) 1.Franklin Roosevelt’s program for the depression was called . a. Progressivism b. laissez faire c. New Freedom d. New Deal 2. The United States did not join the Second World War directly until in December, 1941. a. Great Depression b. Pearl Harbor incident c. the Japanese attack on China d. the German attack on Poland 3. From 1649 to 1658 England was called a Commonwealth. It was ruled first by Oliver Cromwell as . a. Lord Protector b. Lieutenant General c. Commander of the New Model Army d. President 4. Ireland is in the of Great Britain. a. east b. south c. west d. north 5. WASPs referred to . a. the mainstream Americans b. Hispanics c. Asian-Americans d. Blacks 6. Lincoln's Emancipation proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution formally ended . a. the immigration movement b. the Civil War
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