英国基本知识exercise about the UK

Exercises 1I. decide whether the following states are true (T) or false (F).1. The United Kingdom is located in southern Europe.2. The United Kingdom consists of four political divisions —England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.3. England is one of the two large islands in the British Isles.4. The British Isles are made up of three large islands and hundreds of small ones.5. Wales lies on the east coast of the island of Great Britain.6. The Commonwealth of Nations is a free association of independent countries which has 54 members.7. In Scotland, rugged mountains, green valleys, and deep, blue lakes provide some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe.8. The longest river in Britain is the Thames.9. The largest lake in Britain is the Lough Neagh in northwest England.10. Britain’s climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that sweeps up fromthe equator and flows past the British Isles.11.The English, the Scots, and the Welsh are Anglo-Saxons, but the Irish are Celts.12.London and England as a whole have great influence over the rest of the United Kingdombecause of their large population.13.People of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi origin are the largest group of immigrants inBritain.pared to the rest of the world, the UK has a smaller percentage of older people and ahigher percentage of younger people.15.The Welsh language is the official language in Wales.16.Scottish Gaelic is the official language in Scotland.17.The English language is the predominant language in Northern Ireland.18.English people all strive to free themselves of regional or local accents in order to sound likeeducated English-speaking people.19.Social class in the UK lays more emphasis on money and property.20.Britishness is associated with political, historical, technological, sporting, and culturalachievements in Britain.21.The first Roman invasion took place in 43 AD, headed by the Emperor Julius Caesar.22.The name “England” derived from the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes who came toEngland in the 5th and 6th centuries.23.The Magna Carta defined the King’s feudal rights, preventing him from arbitrarily collectingrevenue.24.The Black Death once ravaged England, carrying off three fourths of the population.25.During Edward III’s reign, the war with France known as the Hundred Years’ War began.26.The Wars of the Roses were in the main a great contest for Crown between the rival housesof York and Lancaster.27.Queen Mary was a follower of the Church of England and she was determined to makeEngland once again a Protestant country.28.James’ son, Charles I, who succeeded him in 1625, also thought that his right to rule wasGod-given.29.The establishment of the British East India Company in 1600 was a case of economicpenetration.30.Although the monarch does not have any real power, he (or she) does have great influence.31.Britain does not have a written constitution.32.Each Member of Parliament represents a constituency, and holds his seat during the life of aParliament.33.The House of Lords is the second chamber where changes in law can be made.34.The party which wins the second largest number of seats in the House of Lords becomes theofficial Opposition.35.Ministers are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.36.The two major parties in Britain today are the Conservative Party and the Liberal DemocraticParty.37.Ministers in Britain cannot be elected Members of Parliament at the same time.38.Although Britain is a unitary state, it does not have a single legal system.39. A Magistrates’ Court sits with a jury.40.The main courts of civil jurisdiction in England and Wales are the County Courts.41. A century ago the British economy was among the strongest in the world.42.John Maynard Keynes was an influential American economist.43. A strong opponent of the policies of the Labor Party, Margaret Thatcher worked to increasegovernment control over the British economy.44.In Britain service industries account for about two-thirds of its gross domestic product.45.Most of the United Kingdom’s trade is with other developed countries, especially othermembers of the European Union.46.Today, the City of London is the center of London where government departments arelocated.47.Christianity was first introduced into Britain by St. Augustine in the 6th century.48.Under the Act of Settlement 1701, the British monarch is required to be a member of theChurch of England.49.The Supreme Governor of the Church of England is the Archbishop of Canterbury.50.Canterbury Cathedral is used for the Coronation of all British Monarchs.51.The Baptist Union of Great Britain is the largest of the Free Churches in Britain.52.The UK has the second largest Jewish community in Western Europe.53.Parents are required by law to ensure that their children receive compulsory full-timeeducation between the age of 5 and 16.54.Most of the state secondary school population in Great Britain attends comprehensiveschools.55.In the UK, public schools are publicly-funded schools.56.In the UK, most undergraduate (bachelor’s) degrees take three years to complete.57.The Open University was intended to give opportunities to adults who have been unable totake conventional higher education.58.More than 70 British citizens have been awarded the Nobel Prize in science, second only tothe United States.II Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question.1.The British Isles are made up of _______.A. three large islands and hundreds of small onesB. three large islands and dozens of small onesC. two large islands and hundreds of small onesD. two large islands and dozens of small ones2.Which of the following is NOT a political division on the island of Great Britain?A. England.B. Scotland.C. Northern Ireland.D. Wales.3.Britain is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the _______ and theNorth Sea in the east.A. eastB. southC. westD. north4.The Republic of Ireland was totally independent in the year _______.A. 1920B. 1945C. 1918D. 19495.The highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, lies in ______.A. the HighlandsB. the Southern UplandsC. the Central LowlandsD. the Lake District6.The British Empire was replaced by the British Commonwealth or the Commonwealth ofNations in __________.A. 1921B. 1931C. 1945D. 19507.The mountain system the Pennines is often called the backbone of _______.A. EnglandB. ScotlandC. Great BritainD. Ireland8.The regional capital of Northern Ireland is _______.A. GlasgowB. EdinburghC. CardiffD. Belfast9.Which of the following statements about the climate in Britain is NOT true?A. Britain’s climate is of the maritime type.B. Winters in Britain are extremely cold.C. Summers in Britain are cool.D. Britain is warmer than Harbin in winter.10.The English people and the English language were born from the union of ________.A. the Angles and the SaxonsB. Romans and the Norman FrenchC. Danes or Vikings and the Norman FrenchD. Norman conquerors and the defeated Anglo-Saxons11.The first known settlers of Britain were _______.A. the IberiansB. the Beaker FolkC. the CeltsD. the Romans12.About 80,000 Scots speak Gaelic which is an ancient _________.A. Scottish languageB. English languageC. Irish languageD. Celtic language13.About three million people have migrated to Britain since World War II. They are mainlyfrom the West Indies, India and __________.A. IndonesiaB. SingaporeC. Hong KongD. Pakistan14.In Britain _______ of the population is urban and _______ is rural.A. 90% ; 10%B. 80% ; 20%C. 70% ; 30%D. 60% ; 40%15.The ancestors of the Welsh were the ancient __________.A. CeltsB. RomansC. NormansD. Britons16.The average population density in Britain is ______ people per square kilometer.A. 250B. 370C. 800D. 50017.During the 5th century when the Roman Empire fell, the Germanic _________ invaded andconquered Britain.A. Angles and CeltsB. Angles and PictsC. Angles and BrythonsD. Angles and Saxons18.The upper class in Britain consists of the following except _________.A. peerageB. gentryC. landownersD. professionals19.In 1066 Harold and his troops fought against William’s army on Senlac field near ________.A. LondonB. NormandyC. StandfordD. Hastings20.The Plantagenet Dynasty was founded by _________.A. HenryB. Henry IIC. King JosephD. Count of Anjor21.English Reformation was carried out by _______ to change the religion in England fromCatholicism to Protestantism.A. Edward VIB. Henry VIIIC. Mary ID. Elizabeth I22.King John was forced by the barons to sign the _______ which restricted the King’s power.A. Bill of RightsB. Petition of RightC. Provisions of OxfordD. Great Charter23.Simon de Montfort’s reform is considered to be the beginning of English _______.A. parliamentB. cabinetC. constitutionD. liberty24.From 1649 to 1658 England was called a Commonwealth. It was ruled first by OliverCromwell as _______.A. Lord ProtectorB. Lieutenant GeneralC. Commander of the New Model ArmyD. President25.William of Orange started Constitutional Monarchy by accepting _______ in 1689.A. Bill of RightsB. Petition of RightC. Provisions of OxfordD. Great Charter26.The 1851 London Great Exposition was held in the Crystal Palace which was designed byQueen _______’s husband Albert.A. MaryB. Elizabeth IC. VictoriaD. Anne27.The British Prime Minister who led the British to defeat Nazi Germany is _______.A. ChurchillB. ChamberlainC. MacDonaldD. Macmillan28.The British constitution is made up of the following EXCEPT ___________.A. Commonwealth lawB. statute lawC. common lawD. ancient documents29.The House of Commons is elected by universal suffrage and has about ___________Members of Parliament.A. 650B. 660C. 670D. 68030.British Conservative Party was formerly called _______ Party in the 18th century.A. WhigB. ToryC. LiberalD. Nationalist31.The United Kingdom is governed in the name of ___________, by ___________.A. the King; the Prime MinisterB. the Queen; the Prime MinisterC. the Prime Minister; His or Her Majesty’s GovernmentD. the Sovereign; His or Her Majesty’s Government32.________ is the “supreme governor” of the Church of England.A. The monarchB. The Archbishop of YorkC. The Archbishop of CanterburyD. The Roman Pope33.In Britain the citizens aged ____________ or over have the right to vote.A. 16B. 18C. 21D. 3034.By tradition, the leader of the majority party is appointed ____________ by the Sovereign inthe United Kingdom.A. Prime MinisterB. Member of ParliamentC. Lord of AppealD. Speaker of the House35.The Liberal Democratic Party is the combination of the Social Democratic Party and_____________.A. the Conservative PartyB. the Labour PartyC. the Liberal PartyD. the Green Party36.Parliament has the following functions EXCEPT ____________.A. making lawB. authorizing taxation and public expenditureC. declaring warD. examining the actions of the government37.All criminal trials are held in open court because the criminal law presumes the _______ ofthe accused until he has been proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.A. guiltB. impartialityC. innocenceD. honesty38.The jury consists of ordinary, independent citizens summoned by the court: 12 in England,Wales and Northern Island, and ___________ in Scotland.A. 12B. 13C. 14D. 1539.Whether the accused is guilty or innocent is decided by _________.A. the policemenB. the juryC. the judgeD. the sheriff40.In England and Wales the highest judicial appointments are made by the Queen on the adviceof ________.A. the Lord ChancellorB. the Home SecretaryC. the Prime MinisterD. the Attorney General41.Criminal cases in England and Wales may NOT be tried in ____________.A. the Magistrates’ CourtB. the Court of AppealC. the High CourtD. the Crown Court42.The three “lay” magistrates that make up a Magistrates’ Court in Britain are known as_________.A. Justices of the PeaceB. stipendiary magistratesC. Justices of LawD. part-time magistrates43.The most serious criminal offences in Scotland are tried in __________.A. the District CourtB. the Sheriff CourtC. the High Court of JusticiaryD. the Crown Court44.The economic policy Britain pursued in the 1950s and 1960s was based on the theory of_______.A. Adam SmithB. John Maynard KeynesC. Margaret ThatcherD. Karl Marx45.Under Margaret Thatcher Britain experienced ______.A. economic recessionB. economic expansionC. economic declineD. economic depression46.In Britain less than ________ of the population are farmers.A. 2%B. 4%C. 6%D. 10%47.In the ______ Britain became a net exporter of oil.A. 1960sB. 1970sC. 1980sD. 1990s48.To stimulate economic recovery, the Thatcher Government carried out all the followingpolicies but ______.A. privatizationB. interventionismC. deregulationD. market liberalization49.Britain is the ____ largest trading nation in the world.A. thirdB. fourthC. fifthD. sixth50.British oil fields were discovered on the _______.A. English ChannelB. Irish SeaC. Norwegian SeaD. North Sea51.________ is the largest of the Free Churches.A. The BaptistsB. The Methodist ChurchC. The Roman Catholic ChurchD. The Church in Wales52.Established Churches in Britain are ___________.A. Church of England and Church of WalesB. Church of Wales and Church of ScotlandC. the Anglican ChurchesD. Church of England and Church of Scotland53.The Free Churches do NOT include _________.A. the Church of EnglandB. the Methodist ChurchC. the Baptist ChurchD. the United Reformed Church54.The principal non-Christian communities in Britain are _______.A. the MoslemsB. the BuddhistsC. the HindusD. the Jews55.The Church of Scotland is a ________ church.A. MethodistB. BaptistC. PresbyterianD. Catholic56.In Great Britain, the ___________ is uniquely related to the Crown.A. Church of EnglandB. Church of ScotlandC. Church of IrelandD. Church of Wales57.The Church of England has two provinces. They are ________.A. Canterbury and YorkB. London and YorkC. Durham and CanterburyD. London and Winchester58.There are some _______ universities in Britain, including the Open University.A. 70B. 80C. 90D. 10059.The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge date from the _____________ centuries.A. 12th and 13thB. 13th and 14thC. 14th and 15thD. 15th and 16th60.The usual age for transfer from primary to secondary schools is _____________ in England,Wales and Northern Ireland.A. 14B. 13C. 12D. 1161.In Britain, private schools are often called ______.A. comprehensive schoolsB. grammar schoolsC. secondary modern schoolsD. independent schools62.In Britain, education at primary levels emphasizes the following EXCEPT ____________.A. readingB. writingC. arithmeticD. science63.The following universities belong to “red-brick” universities EXCEPT _________.A. University of LeedsB. University of LiverpoolC. University of ManchesterD. University of GlasgowIII. Fill in the Blanks1.The full name of UK is ______________________________________________________.2.__________, ____________, ___________ and _____________are the four constituent partsof the UK.3.The Island of Great Britain is made up of ____________, ___________, and ____________.4.The British Isles is made up of _______________, _______________ and ______________.5.Physically, Great Britain can be divided into two major natural regions:_________________and _________________.6.The UK is bordered on the south by the _________________, on the east by__________________.7.___________is the largest, most populous, and wealthiest part of the UK.8.______________is the longest river in the UK, and the second largest but most importantriver is the ________________.9.The largest lake is ____________________which is found in Northern Ireland.10.The UK has a _________________________________climate.11._____________________is known as the “backbone of England”.12.The majority of the Irish people are descendants of ___________ people; and the English aredescendants of_______________________.13.The constitution in the UK consists of _____________________, _________________________________________, ancient documents and European Union law.14.In UK today, the official head of state is _________________ while the real center ofpolitical life is in______________________.15.The party which wins the majority seats in parliament forms ________ and the party leaderbecomes ___________.16.The head of government is __________________ who is the _________ of the winning party17.Strictly speaking, the Parliament today consists of ________________, _________________,and ________________.18.There are 3 major political parties in the UK: _________________________,_______________________, and _____________________.19.______________ is the Prime Minister of UK now. He is the leader of _____________ party.20.House of Lords, known as __________________________, consist of _________________,______________________ and the law lords.21.The official residence of British queen is _____________________, and the residence of thePrime Minister is ______________________.22.The general election is held every _________years.23.The Wars of the Roses were staged between the houses of _______________ and______________ for the English throne.24.In UK education is ___________________for children from the age of 5 -16.25.In UK about 90% of secondary schools are _______________ schools which provide generaleducation.26.The famous public schools like ____________ and ____________in UK are most famousprivate secondary schools.27.The UK’s oldest and foremost universities are __________ and_____________.28.In 1989, the Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher introduced a_______________ and unified subjects to all schools throughout the country.29.After 5 years of secondary education students in UK will take their _____________ exams.30.Pupils who hope to attend university will sit ______________ exams.31.Pupils who decide not to go to university may choose to take vocational training and get______________________ which provide preparation for work.32.The church in Britain is divided into the two provinces of _______________ and _________.33.The three major sources of English and Welsh law are ______________, ________________and __________________.IV. Translate the following terms into Chinese1. constitutional monarchy2. parliamentary democracy3. MPs4. the Cabinet member5. primary industry6. tertiary industry7. The Commonwealth Nations 8. maritime climate9. the National Curriculum 10. Open University11. the Legislature 12.the Executive13. the Judiciary 14. House of Lords15. House of Commons 16. PM17. shadow cabinet 18. Coalition government19. BA 20.BS21.MA 22.MSV. Answer questions1.What is the capital of UK, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?2.What are the characteristics of the British Constitution?3.What are the functions of the Parliament? What are the two Houses in the parliament? Whichhas real power? Why?4.What is structure of UK’s national government?5.Can you briefly introduce the British education system?6.According to the financial resources, what are the different types of schools in Britain?7.How can the British universities be classified?8.How do you understand “the rule of law” in Britain?9.What part do the Monarch, the Prime Minister, and the Lord Spiritual, play in the Church ofEngland, respectively?11。