英美概况课后习题答案

1. What is the full name of the U.K.?

----United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

2. Why do tourists 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.

3. How many periods can the development of the English language be divided into and what are they?

----The development of the English language can be divided into three periods: Old English, Middle English and Modern English.

4. Why did English become more important after Black Death?

----The laboring and merchant classes grew in economic and social importance after the Black Death, so English also grew in importance compared to French.

1. Who are the British People?

----The first known inhabitants in Britain were Celts who are the ancestors of the Welsh, Scottish and Irish people. Then came the Anglos, the Saxons and the Jutes who brought with them the English language. Many people from other European countries came later, and in modern times there are a lot of immigrants from many former Commonwealth countries from every part of the world. Britain is a country of mixed cultures, and the Britain people are also composed of people from different ethic and culture backgrounds.

2. What is Standard English?

----Standard English is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England. It is widely used in media and taught at schools. It is preferred by the educated, middle-class people. It has developed and has been promoted as a model for correct Britain English. It is also the norm carried overseas. Today, Standard English is codified to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary are much the same everywhere in the world where English is taught and used.

1. What are the two components of the British Parliament?

----the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

2. What were some of Queen Victoria's major achievement?

---- Queen Victoria made tremendous achievements in almost every aspect.

She promoted further industrial revolution, the building of railways and the growing of trade and commerce. By the end of her reign, Britain had developed to an empire including a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world's landmass.

3. What were the two camps in Europe in World War 1?

----The Central Powers which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and the Allied Powers which were mainly comprised of France, the Russia Empire, the Britain Empire, Italy and the United States.

4. Why did Britain cooperate closely with the United States after World War 2?

----Because they were allied during the war and shared the same worries about the former Soviet Union.

1. What were the results of the Industrial Revolution in Britain?

----The Industrial Revolution changed Britain in many ways. First, industrial country 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.

2. The Rise and Fall of the British Empire?

----Colonization of Newfoundland, the first British colony overseas, in 1583 marked the beginning of the British Empire. By 1837, British 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 19th century, the British Empire included a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world's landmass. During the mid-19th century, the British government consolidated the existing colonies by bringing them under the direct control of the government. Before World War 1, 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 independence since the 1940s, which inevitably led to the fall the Empire.