英国概况 Britain(英文)

Britain

Chapter One

Geography. People and Language

New Words & Phrases.

temperate 温带、和的

precipitation 降雨量

latitude 纬度

immigrant 移民

colony 殖民地

diverse 多样化的

Germanic 日尔曼语系的

evolve 演变，发展

Vikings 北欧海盗

codify 编簨,系统化

undocumented 无文件记载的

subsequently 随后的

barbarian 野蛮人

division 部分，分界线

husbandary 饲养业

missionary 传教士

monastery 修道院

I.Geography

1.full name: the United Kindom of Great Britain and Northen Lreland.

2.Location: the U.K locates to the northwest of mainland Europe,an island country

surrounded by sea,It lies in the North Atlantic Ocean.

3.Area: 242.910 square kilometers

position: British Isles

5.Political division: England, Scotland, Wales, Northen Island

6.Mountain: Ben Nevis (本尼维斯)，1st 1343m

7.River: Seven River (塞文河)，1st ,338km (in Wales)

Thames River(in England), 2nd ,336km

ke: Lough Neagh(内湖)，1st ,338km

(in Northern Ireland)

9.climate:a maritime climate

plentiful preciperation

foggy,rainy, instablility

10:Major Cities:

1st :London,capital

2nd :Birmingham(伯明翰)

3rd :Leeds(利兹)

II.People

1.Race:the English 81.5%

The Scottish 9.6%

The Irish 1.9%

The North Irish 7%

2.Population: 60 million (a 2005 estimate)

3.Religion: Christianity

nguage: English is a member of the Indo-European family of language. It is in the Germanic group of this family.

1.Periods

Old English(5th -1150)

The Angles,Saxons and Jutes drove the Celtic-speaking people out of what is now England into Scotland,Wales, and the Ireland in the 5th and 6th century, they used the language of northeastern regien of the Netherland—that is now called Old English.

Middle English(1150-1550)

In 1066, William, the Conqueror invaded and conquered England, they used French as the official language,so many French words came into English vocabulary. English day by day evolved into what is now referred to as Middle English.

Modern English(1550-now)

In 1467, The printing press was introduced by William Caxton,who brought standardization to English, the dialect of London became the standard. Spelling and grammar became fixed.

2.Standard English

It is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England, adopted as a broadcasting standard in the British media.It is used as much in printed material and is normally taught in schools and to non –native speakers learning language. It is called Queen’s English or BBC English. At present, nearly a quarter of the world’s population use English. It has became a universal linguia franca

Chapter Two History

New words and Phrases

pious 虔诚的

coronation 加冕

feudalism 封建制度

charter 宪章

constitution 宪法

provision 条款

parliament 议会

monarchy 君主制度

Puritan 清教徒

dominion 领土，统治权

retake 收回

originate 发源

maritime 海上的，靠海的