英美国家概况复习

1. The civil rights movementIt is one of the most important of all social movements in the 1960s in America. Rosa Parks’ spontaneous action in 1955 was believed to the true beginning of the civil rights movement. The black students’ sit-in at a department lunch counter in North Carolina touched off the nationwide civil rights movement. During the first half of the decade, civil rights organizations like the SNCC,CORE,and SCLC struggled for racial intergration by providing leaderships,network and the people. In the latter half of the decade, some black organizations changed their nonviolent tactics, and emphasized on more radical means to end discrimination and raised the self-image of the blacks. The civil rights movement produced such great leaders as Martin Luther King. Jr, and Malcolm X, who inspired a generation of both blacks and whites to devote their lives to fighting for racial equality in th US.2.A federal system【联邦制】It is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constiuent parts, with some rights reserved to each.3.King ArthurIt is said that he was the King of England in the 5th century and united the British and drove the Saxons back with his magica sword,Excalibur. His real existence is in doubt. He is the central figure of many legends.4. The Anglo-SaxonsThey were two groups of Germanic peoples who settled down in England from the 5th century. They were regarded as the ancestors of the English and the founders of England.5. Riverdance[大河舞] It is a very popular form of dancing based on Ireland’s intricate[错综复杂的]folk dances which are rearranged and modernized and adapted onto current stage performance. Dancing is traditionally part of Irish culture. It is usually accompanied by the Irish pipe and fiddle. The music usually sounds fast and furious. Most of the actionis from the waist down, with the arms held rigidly at the sides.6. The House of CommonsIt is the real center of British political life because it is the place where about 650 elected representatives(members of parliament)make and debate policy. These MPs are elected in the General Elections and should represent the interests of the people who vote for them.7. The Commonwealth【英联邦】In the author’s opinion, the Commowealth is a voluntary association of states which is made up mostly of former British colonies. There are 50 members of the Commonwealth: many of these are developing countries like India and Cyprus; others are developed nations like Australia,Canada and New Zealand. The Commonwealth was set up as a form for continued cooperation and as a sort of support network.8. MaoritangaIt is the Maori word for “Maori culture.” It refers to all the elements of the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous people in New Zealand, including their language, customs and traditions,9. The “Washminster” form polityIt is adopted by the Australian government. It is a mixture of the US Washington system of government and the British Westminster system. This means that the political structure of the government is base on a Federation of States with a three-tier system of government. However, the chief executive is a Prime Minister, instead of a President as in the US system.10. Yellowstone National ParkIt is the oldest and one of the largest national parks in the US. It is named after the Yellowstone River that flows through the area. It is known for its geysers and hot springs among other natural wonders.11 counterculture[反主流文化]In the wake of the Free Speech Movement and the New Left, there appeared a phenomenon that historians called the “counterculture”. The counterculture rejected capitalism and other Americans principles. They had morals different from those taught by their parents. Some group of youth tried to construct different ways of life,. Among the most famous were the hippies. They thought new experience through dropping out, and drug taking. But it was music,rock music particular, that became the chief vehicle for the counter cultural assault on the traditional American society. The counterculture exerted a great influence upon people’s attitudes toward social morals, marriage, career and success.12 Martin Luther King, Jr.A black Baptist minister, he was leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movements 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 worked not only to end racial discrimination and poverty, but also to raise the self image of the blacks. Due to his strong belief in non-violent peaceful protest, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 1964. He was assassinated in the city of Memphis in April 1968.13．Richard NixonRichard Nixon was the former President of the United States. He won the elction in 1968 and was re-elected in 1972.While he was in office, he contributed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China and visited China in 1972.Shortly after he was re-elected ,he was involved in theWatergate scandal,for which he was forced to resign from the presidency.1.Explain your understanding of how the United States isgoverned according to its constitution, including its polity and the check and balance mechanism of governing.if Congress proposes a law that the president think is unwise, the president can veto it. That means the proposal does not became 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 low which is the 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.2. How do you understand the saying: ”British history has been a history of invasion.” ?Before the 1st century AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people:a powerful cultural originating in central Europe. Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by Roman Empire, and England and Wales became part of the Roman Empire for nearly400 years. As the Roman Empire came under threat from the east, the Roman armies and Roman protection were withdrawn from Britain, and Britain was again divided into small kindoms, andagain it came under threat from outside, this time from Germanic peoples:the Angles,and the Saxon.In the 5th century AD it is said that a great leader-King Arthur appeared, united the British, and with his magical sword, Excalibur,drove the Saxons back.whatever Arthur’s success,legend or not,it did not last,for the Anglo-Saxons did succeed in invading Britain,and either absorbed the Celtic people,or pushed them to the western and northern edges of Britain.From the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings, threatened Britain’s shores. Their settlements in England grew until large areas of northern and eastern England were under their control.1066, the Normans, from northern France, who were descendants of Vikings. Under William of Normandy they cross the English Channel and in the Battle of Hastings, defeated an English army under King Harold. This marks the last time .that an army from outside the British Isles succeeded in invading3.Your understanding of the characteristics of American religion and its social functionsFirst of all, American with different religions live together under the same law. The Bill of Rights in the US Constitutioninsists that there should be no state religion.That means that the government has no right to interfere in people’s religious affairs.The freedom of religion and the separation of state and church guaranted in the Constitution is believed to be the basic principles against religious persecution.Secondly,the religious beliefs of Americans continue to be strong with social progress. Every Sunday morning, all over America people pour into the churches. Half of American Protestants are active church members, and there are few who habitually stay away. Not only the Catholic churches,but the Protestant ones too,are flourishing,and new ever-growing suburbs. Through all the social and economic changes religion has remained a constant factor.Thirdly,in the united states every church is a completeluy independent organization,and concerned with its own finance and its own building.if one goes to a Protestant church,he or she will hear morality preached,but not a word of doctrine. Churches and religious sects are expressions of group solidarity rather than of rigid adherence to doctrine.。