英美概况教案

英美概况An Introduction to Britain and America使用教材：来安方•英美概况•河南人民出版社，2002.任课教师：施海霞任课班级：英语051Teaching Objectives: This course is mainly to make known to the studentstheBritish politics, culture as well as societyat large, and itsposition in the world as far as its long history is concerned.(It might be difficult for the students to understand theBritish political system, its people and its culturaldifferences because of religious reasons. Thus, some emphasisshould be laid on its religious background.)Time Allocation: 4 periodsFocal Points: The Country of today, Understanding of Different NamesI.G en eral In troducti onGreat Brita in, the dominant in dustrial and maritime power of the 19th cen tury, played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and scienee. At its zenith (极盛时期),the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling (瓦解)of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous Europea n n ati on.As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States), a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU (European Union), it chose to rema in outside the Econo mic and Mon etary Un io n for the time being. Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter is suspe nded due to bickeri ng (argue) overthe peace process.Official n ame：The Un ited Kin gdom of Great Britai n and Northern Irela nd. Form of government Constitutional monarchyLegislature: Bicameral legislature with two legislative houses1. House of Lords [675 members (con sisti ng of approximately500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy);2.House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections;members are elected by popular vote to serve five-yearterms unless the House is dissolved earlier)Note: 1) Elections: House of Lords - no elections;House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be heldby May 2010)2) Election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%; seats byparty - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62, other 31 Capital: London, England.National holiday: the UK does not celebrate one particular national holidayConstitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practiceChief of state: Sovereign (君主).Present Queen: Elizabeth II (since February 1952);Head of government: Prime Minister.Present Prime Minister: Anthony (Tony) Blair (since 2 May 1997) (Labor Party) Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; National Anthem: God Save the King (Queen)God Save the QueenGod save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen!Send her victorious,Happy and glorious,Long to reign over us, God save the Queen!O lord God arise, Scatter our enemies, And make them fall! Confound their knavish tricks, Confuse their politics, On you our hopes we fix, God save the Queen!Not in this land alone, But be God's mercies known, From shore to shore!Lord make the nations see, That men should brothers be, And form one family, Thewide world ov'erFrom every latent foe, From the assasins blow, God save the Queen!O'er her thine arm extend, For Britain's sake defend, Our mother, prince, and friend, God save the Queen!Thy choicest gifts in store,On her be pleased to pour,Long may she reign!May she defend our laws,And ever give us cause,To sing with heart and voice,God save the Queen!---What is “ Commonwealt”h ?Commonwealth of Nations, worldwide association of nations and their dependencies,whose members share a common commitment to promoting human rights, democracy, and economic development. All members accept the British monarch as the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. All but one, Mozambique, were once associated in some constitutional way with either the former British Empire or with another member country. The association was formerly known as the British Commonwealth of Nations, but today is referred to simply as the Commonwealth.About 1.7 billio n people live in the 54 in depe ndent n ati ons and the more tha n 20 depe nden ciesthat make up the Common wealth. Only in depe ndent n ati ons can be considered full members; they are all fully sovereign and in no way subordinate to Brita in. Depe nden cies of Common wealth n ati ons are also in cluded in the Common wealth, although not as full members, and can participate in many Common wealth activities. Common wealth members share many customs and traditions as a result of their association with Britain. Many have parliamentary systems of government on the British model, and their judicial and educational institutions are often similar to those in Britain. English is an official Ianguage of many members of the Common wealth. Since 1977 the sec ond Mon day in March has bee n celebrated as Common wealth Day; on that day the British mon arch, as the head of the Common wealth, prese nts an annual message to all member coun tries.Almost all members of the Common wealth were once ruled by Britai n as part ofthe British Empire. Some of them, such as Australia and Can ada, were largely settled by British people. Others, such as India and Nigeria, were areas where British administrators governed a large non-British population.The Common wealth is a flexible and ofte n in formal associati on. Its main fun cti on is to en courage com muni cati on and cooperati on among its diverse members, with their differe nt n eeds and concerns. In 1965 the Common wealth Secretariat was established in London to serve as a cleari nghouse for the excha nge of in formatio n. The Secretariat (秘书处)is headed by the Common wealth secretary gen eral and is resp on sible for carry ing out programs formulated duri ng the various meeti ngs. The secretary gen eral is elected by the Common wealth heads of gover nment from among the many Common wealth diplomats and min isters. The Common wealth Foun datio n provides finan cial and other support to professi onal associati ons and non-gover nment orga ni zati on s, en abli ng these groupsto travel to other Common wealth coun tries to work together.The heads of Com mon wealthgovernme nts meet to discuss com mon problems every two years at Common wealth Heads of Gover nment Meeti ngs (CHOGM). In addition, ministers and experts in education, health, finance, scienee, law, women s issues, youth affairs, and various technical fields meet frequently to consult and act on importa nt issues.Volume I The Great BritainChapter One Land and PeopleSection 1: The British Isles and Great Britain1.Brief history of British people and languageBritain was part of the European Continent many centuries ago. It was later washed off by seawater and became an island.i.The Stonehenge left by the Iberians is the possible origin of Englishhistory. The Iberianswere the first invaders who were dark-haired“Mediterranean”race. (3,500years ago without any written record)ii.The Celts, also called the Britons who were said to have come from eastern and central Europe (France, Belgium and Southern Germany), were regarded as the natives of Great Britain. The fore fathers of the Celts immigrated into Britain in about 7th century B.C.iii.The Romans led by Julius Caesar went across the Channel and invaded Britain in 55 B.C. but in vein. The Romans conquered the Celts in England in the first century A.D. and controlled for about 400 years. The Romancivilization was brought to Britain: language, town, temples, theatres andfine buildings.iv.Germanic tribes from North Europe: Angles, Saxons, Jutes invaded it 410 A.D.The Angles gave their name to England (Angle 'lsand) and the English people.v.Few hundred years later, the Danes from the North -East of Europe fought against one of the earliest and greatest of English kings, Alfred, about 900A.D. In 1016 the Danish leader was put on the throne and began to ruleEngland. Edward the Confessor, the Danish king was a pious Christian built the famous Westminster Abbey where he was buried. It is well known for its Poet's Corner, which is a cemetery for distinguished English poets. All the coronation ceremonies ever since the Norman Conquest have been held in the Abbey.vi.F inally there came the great Norman invasion. Normans ( “North-men”)were originally from Scandinavia. Led by William ( “William the Conqueror”,“Duke William of Normandy”),the Normans from France conquered England in 1066.Origins of the British People: table of invasionsIn chronological orderInvaders ContributionIberians ?Celts (Gaels, Britons) and cultureRomansGermanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes)Scottish and Irish race and culture, Welsh raceLatin alphabet and civilizationEnglish race and languageDanes some peculiarities of dialect in north and east EnglandNormans (French-Speaking) Final unification of England. Great administrative progress.English civilization permanently linked toFrance rather than to Scandinavia. Foundationof aristocracy.Language:Indo-European language (by Neolithic people wandering in Asia and Europe) North Europe f Germanic Ianguage (many tribes) & Other Ianguagesth thAngIo-Saxon: OId EngIish (5 th---12th c.) & brothers in North Europe: GermanIanguageJ 1066 Norman Co nquestMiddIe EngIish (12th---15th c.)J printing introduced to EngIand( SamueI Johnson, 1stdictionary)J expansion of the EngIish EmpireJ RenaissanceModern EngIish2.CIimate and weather:i.Why does weather become a generaI topic for daiIy conversation? Britain isweII known for its changeabIe weather. As a resuIt, EngIish peopIehave evoIved the habit of discussing the weather whenever there is the possibiIity. The temperature in Britain is “strange”because it is “incompatibIe”with the Iatitude: in winter the temperature is “too high”(3-10), whiIe in summer it is “too Iow”(25-32).ii.Some EngIish peopIe say,“Other countries have a cIimate; in EngIand we have weather”.CIimate: average, certain area Iong period weather conditionWeather: day to day particuIar areaThe characteristics of EngIish weather:a.ChangeabIe: One can experience 4 seasons in the course of a singIe day.A warm spring morning fabout 1 hour Iater: bIack cIouds f rain, drizzIeor pouring downf at middy: temperature down, wintry coIdf in the Iateafternoon: the sky wiII cIear, and sun shinesf summer before darkness faIIs So the British peopIe are cautious. Even when it is fine, they wiII bring an umbreIIa with them.b. Abundant rain: almost half of the days are rainy days, much of which comes down in drizzle.c. No striking deference between seasons.d. Foggy in London: smog caused by the pollution of industries, coal usedfor cooking or heating. Now the visibility in London is not as bad as it was before.iii. May Day festival is one of the major English annual festivals with a long history is somewhat like the Chinese festival of Pure Brightness whenChinese people “walk on the green grass “to welcome the return of spring. 3．Map of England:i. The full name of the country & some of the commonly used ones.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandU.K. / the United KingdomGreat Britain / Britain (the biggest island among the British Isles, which includes the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland), which does not include the Northern Ireland. But since it covers the most area of thecountry, it is the name indicating the whole country.England (The importance of England is so great that itself can mean the whole country)ii. The composition of the whole country:The total area of the U.K. is only a little more than 244,700 with apopulationof some 57.4 million (1990)Mountains and highlands: sparsely populatedLowland and plain: densely populatedPhysiographic features: the Highland Zone of the north and west and the LowlandZone of the south and southeast.iii. Some important places to remember:The Pennies, also known as the “Backbone of England ”, are kind of“upland ” in the northern part of England.The Lake District of Cumbria lies on the western side of the Pennies. Some of the famous English poets, such as William Wordsworth, Samuel Coleridge and Robert Southey got their inspiration from and their poems sang high praise of the scenery of this district. They were called the Lake Poets in the history of English literature.The Thames River is the second longest and most important river in U.K. It Area population England 85% Great Britain Scotland highland/lowland/mountain chainWales 5% Northern Ireland terrain plain 10% mountain highlandruns through the Midland of England, which is the most important plain inBritain. It is very favorable for transportation. London and the University town, Oxford, are situated on the river.iv.The neighbors of U.K. on the map:The only country U.K. shares a land border with: the Republic of IrelandTo the north of U.K.: Iceland and NorwayAcross the North Sea: Holland, Germany, Denmark and Norway To the southeast and across the English Channel: France To the south across the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay: Spain and PortugalOn the west corresponding side of the Atlantic Ocean: America & Canada4.Why is English qualified as an international language?The quality of the English language was greatly improved by extensive borrowing, which enabled it to have a large vocabulary for various purposes. The expansion of the British Empire helped to spread English into many countries and places all over the world. It is spoken as the native language in the US, Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Caribbean and South Africa. It is also used as the second language for certain officials as well as social, commercial and educational activities in India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, the Philippines Singapore and Ethiopia. It is also one of the working languages of the United Nations. English is the primary medium for modern science and technology. Almostall the research papers are published in English besides their native tongue. The combined GNP pf the English-speaking countries and places takes up more than halfof the wor'lds total.Section 2: People and the State1. What is UK. Most well known for?i.The first country to establish the Parliament which finally led to partypoliticsii.The first country to witness the bourgeois revolution which resulted in the founding of a democracy with a constitutional monarchy iii.The first country to start the Industrial Revolution which contributed to the establishment of British Empire “on which the sun never se”t iv.The British government system, known as the Westminster System, provided the basic framework for many other western democracies including the USto model on.v.The English language is one of the most important languages in the world.2.Party politics:2 major parties: i. the Conservatives J the Tory Partyii. the Labor J Whig Party (Liberal), Fabian Society, Trade Unions & some minor parties …i.The Party of the Right is the Conservative Party. The Conservatives, alsocalled Tories, are supported by most landowners and businessmen (middleclass and all the upper-middle class--- professional and managerialpeople),i. e. those who have something to “conserve”(keep from change, loss ordestruction). They tend to uphold the existing authority.Doctrines held by the Conservative:a.believe in “private enterprise”b.be against too much government control of industryc.show a willingness to accept controls and changes when it is inevitableii.The Party of the Left is the Labor Party, sometimes called socialists.It was formed with the strong support of the trade unions so as to give the workers political power. (Working class, middle and lower-middle class) Their central believes:a.The businessman cannot be trusted to serve the best interests of thecommunity.b.The supervision of industry (especially big enterprises) by thegovernment compete nationalization, i.e. state ownership of industry.c.Socialism: to even out the distribution of wealth so that everyone has afair share.If the economic situation were rosy, the Labor Party would have less chance to win. If the economic situation is gloomy and many people want changes as a way out, the Labor Party would stand a good chance of winning the election.There is no need to apply for membership in a party. If a person chooses to support a Party's program in the general election, he isautomatically considered as a member of the Party.3．Basic concept and function of the British Government:i.Central Government:a.Monarch (king or queen)--- head of the state, symbol of the national unityb.Parliament (law-making body)--- (approved by the queen) the House ofCommons & the House of Lordsc.the Cabinet (and various departments)--- the executive branch, called “HerMajesty's Government” or “the government ,” responsible to theParliame nt, appo in ted by the Quee n, headed by the Prime min ister fmin isters (head of each departme ntf civil serva ntsAct and bills passed by the Parliament must get the queen'sapproval before going in to effect, i.e. she has the right to veto-There is no knowing what will happen if the Queen does not agree with the government, but fortunately she has given her consent to all governmentdecisions.iii. Local government:Central Government f county governmentf district governmenta.The largest local administrative areas are called counties (once called“shires”) e.g. Yorkshire, Lancashire, Wiltshire.b.The county is subdivided into a number of districtsc.Cities have become districts of the county, e.g. The City of Manchesternow is one of the districts of the County of Greater Manchester.d.“borough”means almost the same as city. Sometimes a city may include anumber of boroughs because the city is very large or the city keepsexpanding in size.The local government is called the “council ”,headed by a Mayor or Lord Mayor.4. Constitution:There is no written constitution in UK. The British constitution has evolved and grown up slowly as a result of countless Acts of Parliament. It is embodied in a number of separate laws: i. Acts of Parliament:mon law: a. tradition/ conventions of the Anglo-Saxonb. verdicts in dealing with specific cases by the Englishlaw courts (by the jury)iii.Equity law: principles of justice outside common lawor statute law, used to correct laws when thesewould apply unfairly in special circumstances iii.European Community legislation5.Police and Justice:i. The English law courts are divided into 3 tiers, which make up the British judicial branch.a.Magistrate's Courts: Every town or borough has one. It is the lowest courtdealing with minor cases by solicitors or counsels. It can only try people for minor, not very serious offences: sentences of not more than 6 months or fine of not more than 400 pounds. It is also known as “Courts of Summaryjurisdiction ”or “Petty Sessions”(courts held by magistrates to hear certain offences without a jury). The judges of magistrate's courts, “Magistrates”or “Justices of the Peace”(J.P), are always ordinary citizens (well-known) and have very little training in law and receive no salary.b.Circuit Courts: regular journey made by judges and barristers to town. Casesare dealt by barrister / lawyers & circuit judges.c. High Courts: Cases dealt by barristers / lawyers & high court judgesii.The profession of lawyers:a.Solicitor: junior lawyer--- To be a solicitor one can only serve atmagistrate's courts: work appre ntice in firm of a solicitor f pass theexam in ati on of the law societyb.Barrister: senior lawyer--- To be a barrister one should:Be a member of one of the 4 Inns of Courtf pass the Bar Exam f keep studyseveral years in the Inn. (earn very little money / life is difficult)If a barrister is successful enough, he will be appointed circuit courtjudge or high court judge.iii.English & American legal principal: “No prison without trial ”i.e. No one is to be punished by law without a just trial by his fellow citizens--- the jurors, also known as jurymen or sworn men, hear evidence and give verdict.Before Henry II th(12th century), jurors acted as witnesses for trials by ordeals or duels. A jury is the body of persons (in US and GB 12) who swear to give a decision (verdict) on issues of fact in a case in a court of justice. To serve as a juror in a jury is a citizen (local resident)'s obligation, not privilege. The juryrepresents the people, and it is the jury, not the judge, which decides whether an accused person is guilty or not.What is known as “ cros-sexamination? ”After the jury takes its place in the “jury box”, the trial begins.The prosecution builds up its case by presenting evidence and witnesses. The prosecuting barrister, or counsel, will question the witnesses so that a story of the supposed crime can be built up for the jury to believe. The defendant's lawyer may also question the witnesses. This is known a“scross-examination”.iv.Police forces:“Do you wish to say anything? You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so. But whatever you say will be taken down in writing and may be given in evidence.”(routine words before detaining anyone)Why is an English policeman called“bobby”or “peeler”?These are nicknames for “Robert Peel”. The English police force is said to have been founded by Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister of William IV.England is well known for its tradition that policemen do not carry firearms (only on special occasions). This forms a sharp contrast betweenEngland and America where policeman are never on duty without firearms.The famous “ ScotlandYard”is the Criminal Investigation Department CID of London police and as such frequently appears in English detective stories.6.Religion (How the British worship)Britain is a Christian country. The first Christian church in England was built at Canterbury. (Who brought Christianity to England?) The US constitution does not allow the government to establish a national church. The state and the church are separated by the law. But England has its state church, which is known as the Church of England (the Anglican Church). It is divided into 2 provinces, York and Canterbury. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Primate of all England, i.e. he is the spiritual leader of the Church of England. The provinces are subdivided into 42 dioceses, which are administered by bishops called by people “My Lord”. His residence is called “Palace”. Each diocese has a central church knownas“cathedral”. A diocese is subdivided into parishes administered by a priest, also called “rector”, “vicar”or “father”. A vicar lives in a vicarage and earn as much as an average worker.The Church of England denies some viewpoints held by the Roman Catholic Church and authority of the Pope and regards the English Queen or King as its top leader.The Church of England is Protestant in nature and it was founded during the Reformation of the Roman Catholic in England. Scotland follows the Presbyterian system.Protestant: (member) of any of the Christian bodies that separated from the Church of Rome at the time of the of the Reformation (16th century) or their later branches.Presbyterian Church: one governed by elders, all of equal rank (Church of Scotland)Free Churches: Methodist Church; The Salvation Army; Baptists; The UnitedReformed Church; Religious Society of Friends7.Characteristics of the English people:One common reason: because of the long history and insular position---island country separated from all the others.A.“Coats off for Britain ”is a popular saying in Britain especially in warsagainst foreigners.That shows their national consciousness and patriotism.B.Conservatism: examples to show that: refuse to change, cling to somethingtraditional, noble titles to distinguished persons, no decimal system incurrency until 1971, Monarchy, fireplace instead of electricity or gas,protest against the closing of old factories and nuclear power station.C.Reservation. The English people are known as “men of action”rather than“words”. They tend to remain silent and avoid showing their feelings andemotions. In most cases,they prefer to read newspapersrather than chitchats (gossip) in public places. Subjects as taboo in small talks: employment,family, marriage, in come, age and religious belief (private affairs)…D.Emphasis on social deference, obedience and good manners: They are taught tobe deferential and obedient to those who are superior in wealth, status orpower by strict home and school discipline.Bad manner: going to other people's houses without being invited; staring at othersGood manner: proper words, right accent and a gentle voice; in friendly talks with “thank you very much.”Instead of “many thanks”;to answer a travelers ' question friendly---to do something that helps to show one's fine breeding.8.Generation Gap: the change in value concept (What causesthat and what is the result of that)The value concept is bound to change in the process of the development of the society. In 1960s, the traditional ideas were greatly challenged by the music group, Beatles who express some less serious feeling of common people by the introduction of American rock and roll in their own way into England.The characteristics of the Beatles: 4 Liverpool boysa.write their words and musicb.call for audience'sparticipationc.express feelings freelyThe influence of the Beatles:a.delay for marriage, decline of birthrate, legal abortion, increase ofdivorce and cohabitation--- to enjoy one's own life in spite of therestriction of the conventionsb.equal right for man and womanc.Young people don't want to follow the way their parents ask them to do, thusarises the generation gap--- Young people demand a“ permissiveso”ciety for individualism and personality, so there is a general decline of parentalauthority.Section 3 National EconomiesBritain 's economic strength lies in its comprehensive industrial system, which is based on a large number of skilled workers, scientific management and advanced th technology as the first country to start the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. With the expansion of the British Empire, UK was called “the workshop of the world (World Plant)” in 1870's. It is true that Britain 's influence on the British Commonwealth and world affairs has been declining since the First World War; nevertheless it is still one of the seven major industrialized countries of the western world (now called G8, “Groups of 8 countries”, after Russia joined it).1.Britain 's forms of economic organization and patterns of ownership are varied: Company: a business owned by a number of investors (private or nationalized/state-owned)Corporation: a group of persons authorized by law to act as an individual for business purpose (similar to company)Incorporation: registering an enterprise with an official registrar ofcompanies.Ltd. (Limited Liability): each company is a legal entity distinct from itsshareholders.Shareholders lia'bility is limited to their ownshares. Owners of unincorporated businessesare personally liablefor any business debts. Ltd. Company means the same as Americancorporation. They are all public companies (PLC).According to the British law, unincorporated businesses owned by privateindividuals are not allowed to sell shares at the stock marketwhile a PLC can.British state-owned enterprises are mainly concerned with public transportation, water supply, and production of coal, steel, electricity and oil.2.Agriculture:Agriculture and husbandry benefit from the favorable climate. It is an industrialized country, but its agriculture remains important, especially for its animal husbandry. Mixed farming of both animals and crops, though relatively less efficient than the highly specialized farming (like the large-scaled specialization in USA), can help to make the farmer's work less seasonal.。