英美文化15个话题

1.What different ethnic(民族的）groups are there in UK? Why are there so many? Where do they live? How are they different from the majority of people: language? Clothing? Music? What effect do different ethnic groups have on a country?different ethnic groups：（1）English people：The English are an ethnic group native to England, who speak the English language.（2）Scottish people：an ethnic group native to Scotland（3）Irish people：The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland.（4）Welsh peopleWhy are there so many?The late 3rd century, the Pits invaded Britain’s north of Hadrian’s Wall.In the 6th century, the Scots settled in Pitish territory.In the mid-5th century, a new wave of invaders Jutes, Saxons and Angles came to Britain.From the end of the 8th century, Viking and Danish attacked England. With the development of industry and the process of Economic Globalization, Britain keeps receiving more and more citizens of the whole world, as a result of which, the peoples and culture in Britain will be increasingly colorful.Where do they live?England people live on the central and southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain, plus such offshore islands as the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly. Scotland people live on the mainland of Scotland which lies off the north-west coast of Continental Europe.Northern Ireland people live on the north-east of the island of Ireland,shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland.Wales people live on the Welsh Peninsula(威尔士半岛）.Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language historically restricted to most of the Highlands. About 80000 people still speak this old Celtic language, with most living on coastal islands and north-western HighlandsScottish kilt :A knee-length garment with pleats（褶）at the rear（背面）, originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands of the 16th century. It is most often made of woolen cloth in a tartan（花格）pattern.Different ethnic groups have on a country can promote the exchange of different cultures,but it Easily lead to ethnic conflict.1.How would you describe the traits(特点) of the people in Britain? Mainly from two aspects: (1) appearance & (2)character(1)Appearanceruddy complexion(红润的肤色)；white；plump(胖乎乎的、丰满的)；athletic(健壮的)；chiseled face(脸部轮廓分明)(2)Character（& examples）✓Conservative保守的(British still uses mile, instead of metric system 公制；still keeps the monarchy君主制)✓Polite(It can be seen from their conversation. For example, “I don’t really like to ask you, but…”)✓Aloof and quiet冷漠安静(In the morning subway, people just read their newspaper, seldom talk to each other.)✓Humorous✓Privacy and individualism注重隐私、个人主义(My home is my castle. The wind can come in, but the Kings and Queens and human beings can never come in without my permission.)2.Do you think people all over the world are basically the same orbasically very different?As a famous going says, “You can not find two leaves which are exactly the same in the world.” That is like you and me. Neither the same nor very different, people are similar in some ways and different to some extent.For examples, everyone has a name. All names are symbols. And people all over the world wear clothes which are different, but it shares a same purpose, that is, to keep out of the cold or to be beautiful.(More examples: food,house,transport,faith…)3.How are the British people different from Chinese?Aspects: appearance, body, (略)eating habits, traits✓Eating habits:(中国)Three meals a day,; Rice &noodles ; Dishes in one plate, using chopsticks ; Sit around a big table(英国)Four meals a day, afternoon tea; Bread& Italy noodles ; Using spoons,knives & forks✓Different traits:(中国) Nervous&hard-working; Generous; Hospitable热情好客的(英国)Conservative; Polite; Aloof and quiet; Humorous; Privacy and individualism1.How religious are the British?✓Key words:multi-faith 宗教多元化; secularised世俗化; post-Christian后基督教Forms of Christianity have dominated religious life in what is now the United Kingdom for over 1,400 years.Immigration and demographic change have contributed to the growth of other faiths, most notably Islam since the middle of the 20th century.✓Data:(信仰宗教的人数比例)In 2001, Christians 71.6%; Islam 2.8%; no religion 15%In 2011, Christians 59.3%; Islam 4.8%; no religion 25%✓Changes:A survey in 2007 showed only one in ten Britons actually attend churchweekly.Half of the Muslims are less than 25 years old,but about a quarter of the Christians are nearly 80 years old.So it is estimated that the number of Muslims will be higher than Christians in 20 years.2.What major religious beliefs are there in Britain?The major religious beliefs are Christianity and Islam.The official religion in Britain is Christianity as practised by the Anglican Church. Followers of this branch of Christianity are known as Protestants(新教徒) and make up the majority of the population, although there are also many Catholics.Christians constitute about 71% of the population, but Britain is a multi-faith society and all other religions, including:Islam, Hinduism,Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism. About 23% of Britain follow no particular religion.3.What are the differences and similarities between them? Differences:The biggest difference lies in the recognition of God to the chosen people.(最大的区别在与上帝对选民的认同) The Christianity think that the Christi ans have the priority to be chosen. Islam doesn’t favor certain people for they think that all men are equal. Similarities:They have a common origin, a common ancestry, a common shrine(圣地)People say that a history of Britain is a history of invasion. Do youagree or disagree? Find evidence to support your view. Please be specific and go down to the details.I claim that the invasion includes being invaded and invasion. So, from this angle, I agree with the view that a history of Britain is a history of invasion.1.Being invaded:Before the English Bourgeois Revolution(英国资产阶级革命), Britain had been invaded by other countries for a long time.✓The First Invader: Evidences show that the first settler of Britain is the Iberian(伊比利亚人) from the Iberian Peninsula(半岛), who lived there for a very long period. After years of peace, here came the first invader, the Celts(凯尔特人). It was about 5th century BC, when the invader killed the Iberian and made Celtic the daily language.✓Roman Conquest: In BC 55, Julius Caesar(凯撒大帝) tried several times to conquer the Celts，but failed. However, the Celts didn't escape from the government of the Romans. Only 12 years later, the Romans managed to conquer Britain by its army. A new ruler usually means a totally different life style. The language, the custom and the culture changed irresistibly.✓German Conquest(日耳曼征服): In 407, the Romans left Britain for their own reason, after which, the Jutes(朱特人), the Angles(盎格鲁人) and the Saxons(撒克逊人) became the new governor. The three tribes(部族) all spoke West Germanic languages(西日耳曼语), but different dialects, together they fostered the Old English.✓Scandinavian Conquest(斯堪的纳维亚征服):From 787 on, invaders from Scandinavian Peninsula, mainly the Danish(丹麦人) and the Norwegians(挪威人) , have continuously fought Britain for centuries.At the end of 10th century, the Danish and the Norwegians was the governors of Britain actually. Furthermore, in the early 11th century, Britain even became a part of the Danish empire. As a result, the Scandinavian culture, which develop in the northern Europe, greatly effect British culture.✓Norman Conquest(诺曼征服): Edward, the great king of Britain, died in 1066. He didn’t have a son, so it led to an argument of who was to be the successor. William the Conqueror(征服者威廉), who led his army against Britain, finally became the winner.William is actually a conqueror, because he made Britain varied much. For instance, to strengthen the central crown(中央王权), he made strict laws and even pulled down the castles of the Saxons. Years later, there was only two Saxon castles left. Besides, the Normans spoke French, making French and English interact with each other. So we can see so many French words in English today.✓The Great Transform: Being invaded for many times, Britain haddeveloped indeed. As we know, culture spears when different ones meet. Every time there was a conquest, every time there was a chance to improve. After a long history of being conquered, of learning and developing, Britain have gathered enough knowledge and power, to be an invader.The victory at the war against Spanish Armada(西班牙无敌舰队) in 1588 was a turning point. From then on, Britain gradually became the world’s biggest Colonizing Nation(殖民国家）—— The Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets.2.Invasion:With the development of the economy and society, British had become more and more aggressive.✓In 1600，The British invaded India.✓The British who built “Trap slave station"(捕奴站） in Gambia冈比亚）had expanded colonies crazily after 1688.✓In the middle of the nineteenth century, the United Kingdom conquered Myanmar and Malaysia as well as despoiled "The Dutch colonial" in South Africa. In Oceania, they conquered a great quantity of islands like New Zealand and put them all into the territor y of the British empire.✓In 1840 the British launched the first Opium War.(第一次鸦片战争）✓In 1854, the Crimean War（克里米亚战争）was a conflict in which Russia lost to an alliance of France, Britain, the Ottoman Empie, andSardinia. The immediate cause involved the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land, which was controlled by the Ottoman Empire.✓ 1856-1860 the British launched the second Opium War.✓In 1900 the UK joined Siege of the international Legations.In China:In nineteenth century, the British gained a lot of wealth in China through the same measure——doing the opium trade. After Lin Zexu banning the opium in Humen, the British waged the first Opium War in 1840 and the result of the war was Treaty of Nanking(南京条约）, which Britain could get the power of controlling Hong Kong.In 1856,Britain invaded the Qing Dynasty in the second time and burned The Old Summer Palace with France. And in 1900,the British joined Siege of the International Legations（八国联军）and invaded the Qing Dynasty in the third time. During these three wars, Britain gained a number of money and rare historical relics form China.Sun-never-setting empire: how it started, proceeded, and declined, and its impact on world civilization. Try to make it specific. You can view the empire from a special perspective, for example, you can talk about the topic in terms of tea. Of course, this is just a suggestion.1.Start:(Mercantilism:重商主义)2.Proceed:The Britain became the Sun-never-setting empire in the middle of eighteenthcentury.3.Decline:After the end of 19th century, the British began to go downhill.✓The Britain didn’t seize the opportunity of the second industrial revolution. But at this time, other countries developed quickly, such as Germany and America.✓The impacts of the two world wars✓Capitalist（资本主义）economy depression✓Independence Movement: Irish war of independence; India war of independence✓In 1997,Hongkong return to China, which indicates the funeral of the empire.4.Influence:6.Make a study on the evolvement of the British Constitutional Monarchy(君主立宪制) by describing how power has been shifted转向from the Monarch 君主to the Lords 上议院and then to the Commons 下议院.对英国君主立宪制的演变,描述了如何权力已转向从君主到上议院，然后下议院（一）What is Constitutional Monarchy?1. Differs from absolute monarchy(君主专制)2. A form of government3. a monarch acts as head of state(君主作为国家元首)4. sole source of political power政治权力的唯一来源5. monarch bound by constitution君主受宪法约束When？什么时候开始Since 1689 the Glorious Revolution （光荣革命）parliament（议会）passed <<the Bill of Rights>>(<<权利法案>>) ——It limits the power of the king and ensure the parliament legislative authority(立法权)and financial power(财政权).——the parliament not only holds the legislative authority, but also have the right of supervision(监督权)for the government.Why？political basis：England（英国）the Glorious Revolution of 1688limits on the power of the monarch(限制君主权利)economic base：Age of Discovery大航海时代the capitalist class 资本家阶级political rights政治权利Although a series of laws are created to limit the power of the king ,itdoesn't meant that the king loses all the power.partial legislative authority(部分的立法权)He has the last power on the Proposed Law(法案否决权)diplomatic power（外交权）and so on（二）权力如何从君主转向上议院，然后到下议院the House of Lords(上议院) has advantages over the House of Commons （下议院）the House of Lords control the structure of senator of the House of Commons上议院他众议院控制下议院的参议员结构They have the same profit它们具有相同的利益the House of Lords take control of the government. 上议院控制政府the House of Lords has a good relationship with the king.上议院与国王的良好关系the House of Lords is mainly consist of clergy(神职人员) and nobility. They have the superior status because they have a lot of land. They are lording the political life.上议院主要由神职人员和贵族组成他们有优越的地位，他们有大量的土地。