大学英语Chapter9、10、12

Chapter 9 HistoryRead the following statements and decide whether they are true(T) or false(F).(T)1.America was named after Amerigo Vespucci,who arrived on the new continent after Columbus.(F)2.The Second Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia,and the Continental Army and Navy were established under the command of Thomas Jefferson.(T)3.The American Civil War not only put an end to slavery,but also made America a single,indivisible nation.(F)4.Most American people approved of the Vietnam War.(T)5.In 1990,American troops and the troops from allied nations took joint military action in order to drive Iraqi troops out of Kuwait.(F)6.According to the American government,Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were responsible for the terrorist event on September 11,2001. (T)7.The Bush administration regarded Iraq a nation among the “axis of the evil”.(F)8.On March 20,2003,American and United Nations’ troops,supported by several other countries,began an invasion of Iraq.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The first successful English colony in North America was foundedat(Jamestown)in(Virginia).2. The Seven Year’s War occurred between(the French and the British).3. “No taxation without representation”was the rallying slogan of(thepeople of the 13 colonies).4. In May 1775,(the Second Continental Congress)was held in Philadelphiaand began to assume the functions of a provisional government.5. Abraham Lincoln issued the(Emancipation Proclamation)to grantfreedom to all slaves.6. The policy of the United States was(neutrality)at the beginning of thetwo World Wars.7. President(Roosevelt)introduced the New Deal to deal with theproblems of the Great Depression.8. The Vietnam War was a long-time suffering for Americans,and itcontinued throughout the terms of Presidents(Eisenhower,Kennedyand Johnson).Give brief answers to the following questions.Why did America change its policy and enter World War Ⅱ?The America’s sit-on-the-fence policy changed in 1940.The American government feared that the Axis countries were winning the war,which might threaten America’s security and interests.The Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor became the direct cause for America’s entrance into World WarⅡ.What were Nixon’s well-known contributions during his presidency?Nixon made three well-known contributions during his presidency:1)ending the U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War;2)reestablishing U.S. relations with China;3)negotiating the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the Soviet Union.State your understanding of the following questions.What was the cause of the American Civil War?The Southern planters of America needed a large number of black African salves to mange their plantations and they regarded the slaves as their property.In the North,with the development of industry,there was a growing demand for free labor.What’s more,the Northerners demanded a law to protect tariffs and asked the government to finance the building of railways and roads.But the Southerners were against it and advocated free trade so as to purchase cheaper goods from foreign countries.The accumulating conflicts led to the division of the North and the South and finally the American Civil War.What made the United States a powerful country by the end of World War Ⅱ?During the two World Wars,America remained neutral in the early stage.However,Americans continued their profitable trade with the warring countries.Therefore,they not only retained their military forces,but also accumulated great wealth.When America entered the wars,it was almost at the end of the wars.By sharing the fruit of victory with other allies,America greatly strengthened its power and became a powerful country by the endof World War Ⅱ.Chapter 10 GovernmentRead the following statements and decide whether they are true(T) or false(F).(F)1.The Bill of Rights was written into the Constitution in 1787.(T)2.The form of the American government is based on three main principles:federalism,the separation of powers and respect for theConstitution and the rule of law.(F)3.The U.S. Congress consists of two houses:the House of Commons and the House of Lords.(T)4.The judicial branch of the U.S. Federal government consists of a series of courts:the Supreme Court,the courts of appeals and the district courts. (F)5.The Democratic Party is conservative in terms of its ideology.(T)6.The American presidential campaigns adhere to the“winner-takes-all”pratice.(F)7.The American foreign policy throughout World War Ⅱ was neutrality. (T)8.The American foreign policy during the Cold War period was containment and intervention.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The U.S. Constitution came into effect in(1789).2. The Constitution of the United States(tries to give each branch enoughpower to balance the others).3. The Bill of Rights(guarantees citizens of the United States specificindividual rights and freedom).4. The terms for a Senator and Representative are(six)and(two)yearsrespectively.5. All the following can make legislative proposals EXCEPT(the Secretary ofState).6. The following are all powers of the President EXCEPT(making laws).7. The Supreme Court is composed of(nine)justices.8. The President is directly voted into office by(electors elected by thevoters).Chapter12 Education,Media and HolidaysRead the following statements and decide whether they are true(T) or false(F).(T)cation is governed by state and local governments instead of the national government in America.(T)2.All American children are offered 12 years of compulsory public education.(F)3.After 12 years of schooling,American students receive a bachelor’s degree upon graduation.(T)4.When selecting a college or university,students have a great concern for its size,location and academic quality.(T)ually,an undergraduate student has to earn at least 120 credits to receive a degree.(F)6.Outstanding graduates of Yale university include President Wilson and more than 80 Senators.(F)7.It is The New York Times that first uncovered the Watergate Scandal in 1972.(F)8.Thanksgiving Day falls on the fourth Tuesday in November.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. Formal education in the United States consistsof(elementary),secondary and higher education.2. Of the following subjects,(politics and business education)are NOToffered to elementary school students.3. Higher education in the United States began with the foundingof(Harvard College).4. Of the following,(research institutions)are NOT among the categories ofAmerican higher education.5. To get a bachelor’s degree,all undergraduate students are required todo the following EXCEPT(working for communities).6. (The New York Times)is sold especially to the upper or upper-middleclass and has a reputation for its serious attitude and great bulk.7. Of the following,(the Public Broadcasting Service(PBS))is NOT amongthe major radio and TV networks in America.8. The National Day of the United States falls on(July 4th)each year.Give brief answers to the following questions.How does an American university choose its applicants?American universities choose applicants on the basis of a)their high school records; b) recommendations from their high school teachers; c) the impression they make during interviews at the university ; d) their scores on the SAT.What functions do American higher education institutions perform? Higher education institutions in the United States have three functions:teaching,research and public service,with each college or university having its own emphasis with regard to its functions.What similarities do the four famous universities share?The four universities all have a long history , they all have an excellent faculty , a large number of students and have made extensive academic achievements. Some of their graduates are very successful or influential in some areas such as politics, arts ,business,etc.State your understanding of the following questions.How does an American university choose its applicants?The first ideal of the American educational system is that as many people as possible should receive as much education as possible.The second ideal is producing a society that is totally literate and of local control.The third ideal is that scholars and students should work to discover new information or conceive new ways to understand what is already known.What functions do American higher education institutions perform?American schools routinely teach the experiences and values of many ethnic cultures.Current textbooks incorporate a variety of ethnic individuals who have achieved success.Struggles for equality are vividly depicted,and past racism is bluntly acknowledge.Cultural pluralism is now generally recognized as the organizing principle of education.Schools at all levels offer students opportunities to learn about different cultures.。