英语国家概况社会文化入门简答题上册答案

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英语国家概况社会文化入门简答题上册答案精编版

英语国家概况社会文化入门简答题上册答案精编版

英语国家概况社会文化入门简答题上册答案精编版MQS system office room 【MQS16H-TTMS2A-MQSS8Q8-MQSH16898】u n i t71 (1)What are the purposes of the British education system? (2)Please comment on these purposes. (3)What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system? (4)Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations?答:(1)The purpose of the British education system is to teach children practical skills and socialize them. (2)Children learn practical skills, and the rules and values they need to become good citizens, toparticipate in the community, and to contribute to the economic prosperity of an advanced industrial economy. (3)The purpose of the Chinese education is to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society. (4) In china, people think school is just about teaching children what areoften called” the three R’s---“reading, writing and‘arithmetic”(reading, writing and arithmetic).2. How does the British education reflect social class?British education reflect the deeper divisions in British society in which social class is still very important: class inequality can be erased or continued according to education policy. What’s more, the enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over how “equal” educational opportunity should be. In British, th e accent you speak with, the clothes you wear, and the schools you attend are all markers that identify your social class. The school (or college)tie is a clear marker of social class. Even on informal occasions you will sometimes see men wearing their school ties as belts to hold up their trousers –proudly displaying their attendance at a certain school. In Britain, where you are educated is very important to you future.3 what are the major changes that have taken place since World war 2? Is British education moving towards more progress or more equality? Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.Other major changes to the British education system were caused byworld war Ⅱ。

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案

Book1 Unit 11.What was the British Empire? What do you know about it? In what way is the “Empire” still felt in Britain and in the international field?The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.In the international field, Britain has great voice in politics, economy and culture and so on.2.Why impossible to sum up British people with a few simple phrases: The UK is made up of different elements. It includes 4 parts within the one nation-state. It is now a multiracial society with different religion believes. It is divided economically and it is a society with a class-structure. And within each of the four countries there are different regions. Since this country was so complicated both in history or humanity, it is impossible to sum up their people.3.A history of invasions: (1) Before the 1st century AD Britain was made up of tribal kindoms of Celtic people. They brought the central Europen culture to Britain. Then in 43AD, Roman Empire invaded Britain and controlled itfor slave society but also disseminated their Catholicism. (2)However, in the 5th century, the Roman Empire rapidly waned in power and Britain was conquered by the Angles and the Saxons. In order to defend the Saxons, a great leader—King Arthur appeared. He created the "round table" to satisfy all the knights' requirement of having equal precedence. Thus it gradually formed the monarchy in Britain as a more democratic system. Whether Arthur's a real person in the history or not, Anglo-Saxons did succeed in invading Britain and they were the forefathers of the English.(3)In the 8th century, the Vikings from Denmark controlled the nothern and eastern England. A Anglo-Saxon herio, king Alfred the Great fought against the vikings with the truly English. And that's why there's a certain cultural difference between northerners and southerners in England (4)Later, the Nomans from northern France, under the leading of William of Normandy, killed the king and William became the Frist of England. They imported a rulling class that French-speaking Norman aristocracy rulled Saxon and English-speaking population. In this condition, there weren't a lot of rebellions among the English people. That directly formed an English unique character: a richly unconventional interior life hidden by an external conformity. Even today, we can still find this personality from the British people through their lifestyles.How did they influence culture:[接着上边一起看] (2) a lot of stories of King Arthur, which brought a lot of singers, poets, novelists and filmmakers.Places associated with his legend. Round table was ween as an indicator of the way in which the English have wished to see their monarch as something other than a remote dictator. (3)anglo-saxon invaders were the forefathers of the English. By Vikings' settlements the Enlish heroes were truly English. There remains to this day a certain cultural divide between northerners and southerners in england. (4)Norman aristocracy ruling a largely Saxon and English-speaking population. the legend of Robin Hood.4.General characteristic of Scotland: Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area. It is also the most confident of its own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of the UK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unified state independent of the UK. (1) rugged. (2) not conquered by the Romans (3) maintain its separate political identity for more than a hundred years.(4) eager for independence.How Scotland became part of the union of Great Britain: in 1707 by agreement of the English and Scottish parliaments, Scotland joined the Union. In 1745 there was a brutal military response from the British army. The rebel army was destroyed at the battle of Culloden in northern Scotland.5.Describe Wales and the unification with Britain: (1) wales was an important element in Britain's industrial revolution, as it had rich coal deposits. It is successful in attracting investment from abroad. Wales has been dominated by England for longer than the other nations of the union. Despite this nearness and long-standing political integration Wales retains a powerful sense of its difference from England. (2)Wales has been dominated by England for longer than the other nations of the union. Despite this nearness and long-standing political integration Wales retains a powerful sense of its difference from England. In 1536, wales was brought legally, administratively, and politically into the UK by an act of the British parliament. This close long-standing relationship means that modern wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses --- its legal system and its education system are exactly the same as in England.6.Differences between England, Scotland and Wales in terms of cultural tradition: [书上说的比较散,建议参考festival那章的答案,这里只有一些零散的不系统的比较] (1) English character: a richly unconventional interior life hidden by an external conformity. But young people are not all stereotypes. But it is certainly true that the lifeless fronts of many english houses conceal beautiful back gardens. (2)The dream of an independentScotland has not vanished. They are always eager for freedom. Scotland has a great tradition of innovation in the arts, philosophy and science. "Superficially fully integrated into the UK, but concealed beneath this is a still-strong Scottish identity." Some people speak Gaelic.(3)Wales is different, and one of the key markers of that diffenece is the Welsh language -- the old British Celtic tongue which is still in daily use. Modern wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses. (its legal system and education system are exactly the same as in England)Unit 21.Why is Northern Ireland so significant in the UK: Though Northern Ireland is small it is significant because of the political troubles there.Its political problem: The problem is in Northern Ireland in 1921 in southern Ireland independence from Britain, Ireland North and South following the separation of issues left over by history, mixed it with historical, political, ethnic and religious conflicts, extremely complex. Ireland’s independence, to remain under British rule within the framework of the 6 in the northern island of Ireland residents of the pro-British Protestant majority (about 51%), the Catholic nationalist minority (about 38%), as a result of the two major forces in Northern Ireland On thecontrary position of ownership and lead to confrontation, conflict. [因为发现实在太难sum up了,所以就搜了一下,以下是wikipedia版本]Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter ethno-political conflict —the Troubles —which was caused by divisions between nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom,[6]while nationalists wish for it to be politically reunited with the rest of Ireland, independent of British rule. [网络其它版本]Until 1921 the full name of the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland", because the whole island of Ireland was politically integrated with Great Britain, and had been since 1801, while Britain's domination of the Irish dated back centuries even before that date. But Irish desires for an independent Irish state were never lost, and one of the key issues in late nineteenth century British politics was a campaign in parliament for what was called "home-rule"—Irish political control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.2.Factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today: Along with the political campaign for home-rule there weregroups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engaging in guerilla or terrorist activities against British institutions and the British military forces. During the First World War and immediately after, this activity increased, sometimes brutally suppressed by British forces.3.Sum up solutions to NI's political problems of different parties and groups in the UK: Margaret Thatcher's government did not give in to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death. This event revitalised the political campaign of Sinn Fein, the legal political party which supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which they called the policy of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box".4.What do you think should be the right solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland: I think they can ask the UN for help. / Keep the present status. Turn to other countries for help. [自由发挥啦]Unit 31.Characteristics of the British constitutional monarchy: The monarch of the country has limited rights because of Bill of Right. For example, while the official head of state is the queen, her powers are largely traditional and symbolic. The government at national and local levels is elected by the people and governs according to British constitutional principles.How the English monarchy evolved to present constitutional monarchy: Originally the power of the monarch was largely derived from the ancient doctrine of the "divine right of kings". For a thousand years Britain has had a hereditary king or queen as the head of the state. While the King in theory had God on his side, in practice even in medieval times it was thought that he should not exercise absolute power. King John was unwilling to receive advice from prominent men, which led battles between the king and other powerful groups. Finally the king granted them a charter, named Magna Carta, of liverty and political rights. The civil war2.The civil war was rooted in a dispute over the power of the king vis-a-vis Parliament. James I and his successor Charles I both insisted on their divine right as kings. They felt Parliament had no real political right to exist, but only existed because the king allowed it to do so. It was the effort toreassert the rights of parliament that led to the civil war.English Revolution: "English Revolution" has been used to describe two different events in English history. The first was the Glorious Revolution of 1688, whereby James II was replaced by William III and Mary II as monarch and a constitutional monarchy established, was described by Whig historians as the English Revolution.[1]In the twentieth-century, however, Marxist historians used the term "English Revolution" to describe the period of the English Civil Wars and Commonwealth period (1640-1660), in which Parliament challenged King Charles I's authority, engaged in civil conflict against his forces, and executed him in 1649. This was followed by a ten-year period of bourgeois republican government, the "Commonwealth", before monarchy was restored in the shape of Charles' son, Charles II, in 1660.3.History of English parliament: Traditionally, when medieval kings wanted to raise money he would try to persuade the Great Council, a gathering of leading, wealthy barons which the kings summoned several times a year. Later kings found this group was so small that they could not make ends meet. So they widened the Great Council to include representatives of counties, cities and towns and get them to contribute. It was in this waythat the Great Council came to include the House of Lords(who were summoned) and the House of Commons(representatives of communities).What role did the parliament play in the Civil War: Since James I and Charles I both thought that Parliament didn't need to exist, the Parliament was enraged. Leading politicians and church authorities asked William of Orange to replace them two. In 1689 Parliament passed the bill of Rights which ensured that the King would never be able to ignore Parliament.4.Characteristics of British constitution: Unlike many nations, Britain has no core constitutional documents.Contents: Statute laws(laws passed by Parliament); the common laws(laws which have been established through common practice in the courts); and conventions(rules and practices which do not exist legally but are nevertheless regarded as vital to the workings of government).5.Why parliament is supreme: because it alone has the power to change the terms of the Constitution. There are no legal restraints upon Parliament.Parliament's function: First, it passes laws. Second, it provides the means ofcarrying on the work of government by voting for taxation. Third, it scrutinises government policy, administration and expenditure. Fourth, it debates the major issues of the day.Queen/King's role: To symbolise the tradition and unity of the British state. To represent Britain at home and broad. To set standards of good citizenship and family life. She is legally head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, commander in chief of the armed forces and "supreme governor" of the Church of England.PM's role: The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party which wins the most seats in a general election. He/She chose usually around 20 MPs to become government ministers in the Cabinet. Together they carry our the functions of policy-making, the coordination of government departments and the supreme control of government.6.The House of Lords: It was below the Queen, consisting of the Lords Spiritual(who are the Archbishops and most prominent bishops of the Church of England) and the Lords Temporal(which refers to those lords who either have inherited the seat from their forefathers of they have been appointed). The lords mainly represent themselves instead of the interests of the public. It is the upper house of the Parliament of the UnitedKingdom, the United Kingdom's national legislature. It remains the relationship with government, debates legislation and has some power to amend or reject bills (has some legislative functions).Unit 41.Anyone who is eligible to vote can stand as an MP. It is necessary only to make a deposit of 500 pounds.Why small parties and independent candidates powerless: Voters will see it as a wasted vote because even if they were to win the seat they would be powerless in parliament against the big parties' representatives. Voting them will prevent the voters from contributing to the competition between the big parties as to which of them will form a government.2.Three big parties in the UK: the Labour party, the Conservative party, the Liberal Democrats.Similarities: Since Conservative began to have a "fartherly" sense of obligation to the less fortunate in society, they didn't dismantle principles the Labour set up. That indicates that thus the difference between the Labour and Conservative is one of degree, not an absolute.Dissimilarities: (1) Labour is a socialist party. They believe a society should be relatively equal in economic terms and that part of the role of government is to act as a "redistributive" agent. They think government should provide a range of public services, therefore high taxes. (2) Conservative is the party that spent most time in power. They are seen as the party of the individual, protecting individual's right to acquire wealth and to spend it how they choose, therefore low taxes. (3) Liberal Democrats is a party of the "middle", occupying the ideological ground between the two main parties. They are comparatively flexible and pragmatic in their balance of the individual and the social.3.Recent political trends [注意下一小问]: (1) Conservatives won the election under their leader Margaret Thatcher in the 1970s. During that time the economy did badly, with high inflation and low growth. (2) she dismissed being "fartherly", encourages entrepreneurship. One of the major policies was the privatisazion of nationalised industry. (3)part of the mechanism of change was a less redistributive taxation system. Tax rate were cut to allow people to keep more of what they earned.Author's opinion: The 1980s have seen British politics move to the "right", away from the "pulic" and toward the "private"; away from the "social", andtoward the "individual", and all parties have had to adjust to those changes.4.How people are divided into different classes: (1) employment: manual(or blue-collar) workers usually call themselves working-class, and office(or white-collar) workers would usually call themselves middle-class. (2) cultural differences: like what newspaper they read. Working-class often read THE SUN, a newspaper with little hard news and more about soap operas, royal family and sports. Middle-class often read THE GUARDIAN, a larger newspaper with longer stories, covering national and international events. (3) education: private school or public school. (4) the UK has also retained a hereditary aristocracy. (5) the way they speak.Compare with the US and China: not similar at all. The UK has also retained a hereditary aristocracy. Among the students at the private schools attended by the upper-middle-class above would be a thin scattering of aristocratic children, who will inherit titles like baronets. This is due to Britain's different history and convention.Unit 51.Absolute decline means recession, developing in a minus speed.Relative decline means that although the UK improved, other countries developed more rapidly than the UK, which made it slid from being the second largest economy to being the sixth.Reasons: (1) The UK had gone into debt after WWII. (2) Britain spent a higher proportion of its national wealth on the military than most of its competitors. (Joining NATO and UN Security Council) (3)The era of empire was over. Former colonial countries announced independence, leaving Britain as a medium-size Euporean country. (4)Britain's industry survived comparatively unaffected, but its competitors did not. So the competitors invested in modern equipment and new products while British industry still continue with older ones. (5) Low rates of investment. The UK lacks a close relationship between industry and banks due to its history. A low rate of domestic industrial investment coupled with a very high rate of overseas investment.2.What did the conservative party under Mrs. Thatcher promise to do to the UK national economy in 1979: A radical programme of reform.What was her radical reform programme: Bureaucracy was reduced, (foreign exchange controls were lifted, rules governing banks loosened, for example). Throughout the 1980s an extensive programme of privatisationwas carried out.Was is successful: It seemed in some ways to be successful in that inflation came under control, and business made profits. The negative aspect was a rapid increase in unemployment. The national economy as a whole continued to grow at lower rates than its competitors.3.Main areas in national economies: Primary industries such as agriculture, fishing and mining; secondary industries which manufacture complex goods from those primary products; tertiary/service industries such as banking, insurance, tourism and the retailing.Development of each: (1) agricultural sector is small but efficient. Energy production is an important part of the UK economy. (2)in the secondary sector, manufacturing industry remains important, producing 22% of national wealth. (3)tertiary or service industries produce 65% of national wealth.4.Why relatively shrinking of the important secondary industry and a spectacular growth in tertiary or service industries: A lot of the tertiary or service industries is domestic activity, accounting for about 10% of theworld's exports of such services. 70% of the UK's workforce are employed in the service sector.Compare tertiary industries in China in the past 20 years or so: Chinese tertiary industries didn't grow as fast as the UK, though the portion was increasing.How is this growth related to the reform and opening up to the outside world: China was famous for the name of "world factory", which means Chinese workforces can produce products at low paid. China is a developing country, experiencing the transfer of manufacturing is reasonable. However, as China is developing, wages of workforces are also increasing. Comparing to India, we may lose our "advantage" gradually.Unit 61.Why Geoffrey Chaucer's work written in Middle English can still read and studied today: It is notable for its diversity, both in the range of social types amongst the 31pilgrims, and the range in style of the stories they tell.2.Do you think Elizabethan Drama occupies a significant position in British literature: Yes. Elizabethan drama, and Shakespeare in particular, isconsidered to be among the earliest work to display a "modern" perception of the world: full of moral doubts and political insecurities, where the right of those who wield power to do so is put in question.The most important figure in Elizabethan Drama: William ShakespeareSome of his well-known plays: (tragedies)Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth; (comedies)The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, the Tempest; (history plays)Richard III, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V jJulius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra.3.Some of the features of Romantic Literature: writers of romantic literature are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power of reason.4.Modernism: it refers to a form of literature mainly written before WWII. It is characterized by a high degree of experimentation. It can be seen as a reaction against the 19th century forms of Realism. Modernist writers express the difficulty they see in understanding and communicating how the world works. Often they seem disorganized, hard to understand. Itoften portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the action.Postmodernism: After WWII. Postmodernist can be thought of as abandoning the search of buried meaning below confusing surfaces.Examples to illustrate: (modernist) Virginia Woolf "Mrs.Dalloway""to the Lighthouse""Orlando"; wrence "Sons and Lovers" and E.M.Forster "a Passage to India"; (postmodernist)George Orwell "1984", John Fowles "the French Lieutenant's woman"Book I Unit 7, British Education System1.What are the purposes of the British education system? Please commenton these purposes. What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system? Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations?Schools in Britain do not just teach the students 3 Rs, (reading, writing and arithmetic), but to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society.2.How does the British education system reflect social class?Firstly, in Britain, the school you attend can refer to your social status.And the school tie is a clear market of social class,3.What are the major changes that have taken place since World War II? IsBritish education moving towards more progress or more equality? Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.1)The old education system has disrupted due to the war. So with the help ofthe church and newly powerful trade unions began to reconstruct a new education system.2)The new system emphasizes equality. 1944 education act made entry tosecondary schools and universities meritocratic. Children would be able admitted to schools not because they were of a certain social class or because their parents possessed a certain amount of money, but because of the abilities they displayed. All children were given right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education.3)1989, a national curriculum was introduced by the government.4.Why does the author say that universities in Britain have rather elitist?Most students in British universities are from the middle classes, attend good schools, perform well in their A-levels and receive a fully-funded place in a university. And when they graduate, they can become very influential in banking, the media, the arts, education or even thegovernment.5.What is the Open University in Britain? What do you think of this system?The opening university offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can register without having any formal educational qualifications. They follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centre.I think the system has been quite successful. Thanks to the system, tens ofthousands of Britons, from various statuses attend the Open University each year. And this has improve the equality in Britain’s high education.Unit 8 British Foreign Relations1.What and how did the British Empire end? How did the Britain react to thisreality? How did the end of British imperialism influence the psychology of the British and the making of Britain’s foreign policy?1)After the World War II the British could no longer afford to maintain itsempire; while Britain had won the war, it had paid a terrible price in terms of lives and in terms of economic destruction. And the British realized that countries should be granted the independence and left to run their own affairs. People and territory should not just be treated as a source of economic resources for the ruling centers of commerce in Europe.2)Many people are still alive who can remember when Britain was one of themost powerful and rich nations on earth. It is sometimes hard to thinkabout Britain as it really is today.3)Because Britain lost its empire so recently, british policy makers frequentlyforget that Britain is not as influential as it used to be in world affairs.Historians argue that the British foreign policy makers retain very conservative and traditional views of Britain’s role as a world power and point to many major foreign policy decisions as examples.2.What are the foundations of Britain’s foreign policy?It is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits.Britain’s imperial history made the policy maker very conservative and traditional.And its geopolitical traits created a sense of psychological isolation in its inhabitants. And as Britain is an island state, it naturally developed as a nation of seafarers who roamed the globe looking for territory and economic opportunities.3.How is Britain’s foreign policy made? Does the government’s foreignpolicy represent the desires of British citizen?1)The prime minister and cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain’sforeign policy. The main government department involved is of course the foreign and commonwealth office but many other government ministries also play a part in formulating and executing the government’s decisions.。

英语国家概况课后习题答案解析(完整版)

英语国家概况课后习题答案解析(完整版)
8.The evolution of Middle English was reinforced by theinfluence・
A. NormanB・ DutchC・ GermanD・ Danish
9.Samuel Johnson* s dictionary was influential in establishing a standard form
32. In, the British Parliament passed two important acts to establish a
welfare state・ in the early 1970s worsened an already stagnant economy in Britain.
A. 17thB. 18thC. 19thD. 20th
20.Britain faced strong challenges in its global imperial dominance by the
beginning of thecentury・
A. 17thB. 18thC. 19thD. 20th
27.has a distinct legal system based on Roman law・
A・ WalesB・EnglandC・ ScotlandD・ NorthernIreland
28.Generally speaking, the British Parliament operates on asystem・
D・ a belief in individualism
30.The Labor Party affected the British society greatly in that it・

英语国家概况复习题答案

英语国家概况复习题答案

英语国家概况复习题答案
1. 英国的首都是哪个城市?
答案:伦敦。

2. 美国的官方语言是什么?
答案:英语。

3. 加拿大的首都是哪里?
答案:渥太华。

4. 澳大利亚的货币单位是什么?
答案:澳元。

5. 新西兰的国旗上有哪些颜色?
答案:蓝色、红色和白色。

6. 英国的全称是什么?
答案:大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。

7. 美国的独立日是哪一天?
答案:7月4日。

8. 加拿大的官方语言有哪些?
答案:英语和法语。

9. 澳大利亚最大的城市是哪个?
答案:悉尼。

10. 新西兰的首都是哪里?
答案:惠灵顿。

11. 英国的国花是什么?
答案:玫瑰。

12. 美国的总统任期是多久?
答案:四年。

13. 加拿大的国土面积是多少?
答案:约998万平方公里。

14. 澳大利亚的国宝动物是什么?答案:袋鼠。

15. 新西兰的国花是什么?
答案:银蕨。

16. 英国的国歌是什么?
答案:《天佑女王》。

17. 美国的人口数量大约是多少?答案:约3.3亿。

18. 加拿大的国花是什么?
答案:枫叶。

19. 澳大利亚的国歌是什么?
答案:《前进,美丽的澳大利亚》。

20. 新西兰的官方语言有哪些?答案:英语和毛利语。

英语国家社会与文化入门-简答题

英语国家社会与文化入门-简答题

英语国家概况(1)(2)问题库答案1. "British history has been a history of invasion". Please illustrate this point with the examples from the text. How did each of the invasions influence English culture ?1. British history has been a history of invasions. Before the first century AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people: a powerful culture originating in central Europe. Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by the Roman empire, and England and Wales (though not Scotland or Ireland) became a part of the Roman empire for nearly 400 years.Two more groups of invaders were to come after the English: from the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings, threatened Britain's shores….2. What are some general characteristics of Scotland ?2. Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area. It is also the most confident of its own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of the UK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unified state independent of the UK. Thus it is not a big leap for the Scottish to imagine themselves independent again. Physically, Scotland is the most rugged part of the UK, with areas of sparsely populated mountains and lakes in the north (The Highlands), and in the south (The Southern Uplands). Three-quarters of the population lives in the lowland zone which spans the country between these two highland areas. The largest city is Glasgow, in the west of this zone. Scotland's capital city is Edinburgh, on the east coast forty miles away from Glasgow. It is renowned for its beauty, and dominated by its great castle on a high rock in the centre of the city. Both cities have ancient and internationally respected universities dating from the 15th century.3. Describe Wales' unification with Great Britain.3. Wales was always under pressure from its English neighbours, particularly after the Norman conquest, when Norman barons set up castles and estates in Wales under the authority of the English Crown. Some brief campaigns are the only times in history when Wales has existed as a unified independent nation.4. Are there any differences between England and Wales in terms of cultural tradition ?4.Yes, there are. The close long-standing relationship means that modern Wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses—its legal system and its education system are exactly the same as in England. Often official statistics are given for "England and Wales". However, Wales is different, and one of the key markers of that difference is the Welsh language—the old British Celtic tongue which is still in daily use.5. Why is Northern Ireland, according to the author, so significant in the United Kingdom? What is the political problem there?5. Until 1921 the full name of the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland", because the whole island of Ireland was politically integrated with Great Britain, and had been since 1801, while Britain's domination of the Irish dated back centuries even before that date. But Irish desires for an independent Irish state were never lost, and one of the key issues in late nineteenth century British politics was a campaign in parliament for what was called "home-rule"—Irish political control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.6. What are some of the factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today?6. Along with the political campaign for home-rule there were groups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engaging in guerilla or terrorist activities against British institutions and the British military forces. During the First World War and immediately after, this activity increased, sometimes brutally suppressed by British forces.7. Different parties and groups in the United Kingdom have different solutions to the political problem in Northern Ireland. Please sum up their different attitudes.7. Margaret Thatcher's government did not give in to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death. This event revitalised the political campaign of Sinn Fein, the legal political party which supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which they called the policy of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box".8. Has the author offered a solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland?8. The problem lay in the "commitment to peaceful methods" aspect of the possible talks. Province-wide elections are planned under a complex formula to ensure a wide range of representation on the body which will carry out these talks, in an attempt to give them legitimacy. Without the participation of Sinn Fein and the IRA it is hard to see them succeeding. Northern Ireland is poised on the brink—a new peaceful future, or a return to the violence that has claimed 3150 lives so far.9. What is the oldest institution of government?9. The oldest institution of government is the Monarchy (rule by the king).10. What is the name of the charter of liberty and political rights granted by King John in 1215?10. It was a gang of feudal barons and the Church which opposed some of King John's (1199—1216) policies. This opposition was so powerful that the king finally granted them a charter of liberty and political rights, still known by its medieval Latin name of Magna Carta. Magna Carta placed some limits on the king's ability to abuse his royal power. This is still regarded as Britain's key expression of the rights of citizens against the Crown.11. Do you think Elizabethan Drama occupies a significant position in British literature? Who is the most important figure in Elizabethan Drama? What are some of his major works?11. Shakespeare is the most important figure at that time. He excels in each kind. The tragedies include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Among the comedies are The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. His history plays, based on English history, include Richard III, Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V. Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra are tragedies on classical themes.12. What do we call the group of important Parliamentarians?12. The House of Commons.13. Which party forms the government and who becomes Prime Minister?13. The party that wins most votes in general election and the leader of this winning party would become Prime Minister.16. Who can stand for election as an MP?16. Anyone who is eligible vote to can stand as an MP. It is necessary only to make a deposit of500 pounds (a quite easily obtainable amount in the UK) which is lost if the candidate does not receive at least 5% of the vote.17. What are the three major parties? Which party is the party that spent most time in power?17. There are three major national parties: The Conservative party and the Labour party are the two biggest, and any general election is really about which of those two is going to govern. But there is a third important party, the Liberal Democrats, who usually receive up to about 20% of the votes: not enough to form a government, but enough to have a big impact on which of the other two parties does so. The Conservative Party spent most time in power19. When was the British economy dominant in the world?19. By the 1880s the British economy was dominant in the world, producing one third of the world's manufactured goods, half its coal and iron, half its cotton.20. By what time was the UK overtaken by other countries, such as the US and Germany? 20. But even by 1900 this was no longer the case, the UK having been overtaken by both the United States and Germany; and certainly from 1945 until the present, the story of the UK economy is usually thought of as one of decline.21. Which country does it refer to as "the Jewel in the Crown"? When did it gain its independence?21. India, popularly known as "The Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, gained its independence in 1947.22. What are some of the positive and negative effects of non-white immigrants on British society according to the author?22. This has a number of consequences for British society, mainly positive, though with some indirect negative effects. On the positive side such immigrant groups bring their culture with them, which increases the variety and interest within British culture: for example, the UK, which used to have a bad reputation for food, now has a cuisine as varied as any, with Indian and Chinese restaurants in every community, as well as many other varieties in bigger cities. This variety in restaurant food has resulted in more experimentation at home, so that shops now carry a much wider variety of goods to supply the demand, and there are many TV programmes and books devoted to all kinds of different cooking. The negative side of things lies largely in the attitude of some of their white neighbours.23. What is the general situation of racial relations in the UK?23. While there is a growing ethnic minority middle-class, and many individual success stories, by most measures the immigrant population is worse-off economically speaking than the white population as a whole. Individuals from ethnic minorities are more likely to be unemployed; and they are under-represented in politics too, though there are now a number of black and Asian MPs. But there are also a number of small political parties in the UK with overtly racist policies.24. Why is Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in Middle English, still read and studied today? 24. With the Norman Conquest in 1066 Britain entered the Middle Ages (1066—1485), and the language of the royal court became French. So literature of that period was written in French or Latin. But one work from these times often studied today by middle school and college students is The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343—1400). He was the first court poet to write in English.25. When was the term "parliament" first used officially?25. The word "parliament" comes from the verb "to parley", that is, to discuss or talk. The term was first used officially in 1236 to describe the gathering of feudal barons and representatives from counties and towns which the king occasionally summoned if he wanted to raise money. 26. The author says that "the media are central to British leisure culture", why does the author say so?26. On an average day, 90 per cent of Britons over the age of 15 read a national or local paper. And in the evening, most Britons settle down to watch some television: 96 percent of the population watch TV at least once a week, making it Britain's most popular leisure activity. The third most popular pastime, after watching telly and reading newspapers, is listening to the radio, an activity in which 73 per cent of the population engages in on a weekly basis. It is obvious, then, that the media are central to British leisure culture.27. What are some of the characteristics of British newspaper culture? In what way is it different from the United States?27. British newspaper culture is unusual in the extent to which class and educational differences are reflected in the newspapers people read. In other developed countries like Japan and the United States, newspaper reading is a mainly middle-class habit, but in Britain the "lower classes" are also regular readers.28. Is the British press free from the government control and censorship? What is the relationship between the British press and politics or business?28. While officially speaking the British press is "free" from government control and censorship and can print what it likes, there are limits to what will appear in the daily paper.29. How does the BBC operate? How is it different from American broadcasting systems? 29. The British Broadcasting Corporation - more familiarly known as the BBC or even "the Beeb" - is Britain's main public service broadcaster The BBC is funded by licence fees and viewers must buy a license each year for their TV set.31. What is Modernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples? 31. Modernism in literature can be seen as a reaction against the nineteenth century forms discussed above, which can be thought of as assuming understanding between writer and reader, resulting in the simple communication of an agreed version of the "world". This approach to writing is known as "Realism." Instead, Modernist writers express the difficulty they see in understanding and communicating how the world works. Often, therefore, Modernist writing seems disorganized, hard to understand. It often portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the a ction….32. What is Postmodernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples?32. Postmodernists can be thought of as abandoning that search. Meaning does not exist outside of the human head, likewise it does not exist inside a book, waiting to be discovered, instead it is made in the process of reading a book, or of making sense of the world….33. How has the Christian church influenced British sports? Please pick up some examples from the text.33. Tennis was invented in Britain and it owes its origins, literally, to the Church. Church records indicate that by the mid-fifteenth century, people were making a game of bouncing a ball off the side of their local churches or cathedrals, first using the hand, and later a racquet. This was called"tenys". Such antics sometimes offended the clergy who complained that the dignity and tranquility of the church was shattered by such games, but they also illustrate how central the church was to community life.34. What is the origin of football?34. There are legends that suggest that games like football and rugby actually derived from the "sport" of ancient warriors celebrating victory by kicking around the decapitated head of an enemy. There is a similar grisly tale told about origins of bowling: it is said that in ancient times, Scottish warriors rolled the skulls of their enemies along the grass for sport.35. How is the violence of "football hooligans" related to the British history of football?35. Today, violence is still associated with football. "Football hooligans", supporters of rival teams, sometimes clash before, during and after matches and occasionally run riot through the town, breaking windows and beating each other up. Some football fans paint their faces and sing or chant football songs and it is not too difficult to imagine their warrior-ancestors.36. Why is cricket very English? Why does the author believe that cricket was associated with a set of English moral values?36. As generations of public school boys grew up to become the civil servants and rulers of the UK and its colonies, cricket became associated with a set of moral values, in particular the idea of "fair play" which characterised British government. Sir Ian Bancroft, a high level civil servant in the 1980s, remembered that when he began his career in Whitehall, one day his government minister was so angry that he threw the telephone at him. Sir Ian said he knew exactly how to respond: "having played cricket I was able to catch it and hand it back to him politely."37. Christmas is the biggest and best-loved British holiday? How do the British celebrate this holiday?37. Yes. Nowadays, Christmas is celebrated by most Britons by exchanging gifts and Christmas cards, preparing holiday foods, and decorating homes and workplaces with coloured lights, Christmas trees and ornaments.38. How do the British celebrate the Queen's Birthday? What is the origin of this holiday? 38. One of Britain's most impressive and colourful festivals happens on the second Saturday in June when the Queen's Birthday is officially celebrated by "trooping the colour" around Buckingham Palace in London.39. Bonfire Night is one truly English holiday. How and why do the English celebrate this holiday?39. The English do not celebrate their famous writers or battles or patron saints, although they have all these things. However, one truly English holiday is Bonfire Night—sometimes called Guy Fawkes Night—celebrated in the early autumn.40. How do the Protestants and Catholics celebrate their own holidays in Northern Ireland? What traditions are behind their celebrations?40. Another festival which comes from the 17th century battles between Catholics and Protestants is the Protestant celebration of their victory at the Battle of the Boyne (12 July) in 1690. Northern Irish Catholics celebrate the birthday of the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick, on March 17 each year.41. How is Hogmanay celebrated in Scotland? What other festivals are celebrated in Scotland?41. While most British people welcome the coming of the New Year with parties, in Scotland,New Year's Eve called Hogmanay (31 December)—is the major winter celebration, and overshadows Christmas (called Yule in Scotland) which is a very quiet affair. How Hogmanay is celebrated varies throughout Scotland, but one widely practised custom is "first footing". There is a superstitious belief that the first person to cross the threshold of a household in the New Year can bring luck and prosperity: the appearance of a young, preferably dark haired and handsome man, is considered particularly lucky. First footers often bring a bottle of spirits, alcohol, a lump of coal or a peat as a gift and are given a "dram of whisky" as their reward.42. Which are the two most important and famous universities in Britain?42. Cambridge University and Oxford University.43. What is the goal of education in the U.K.?43. The goal of British education is to socialize children.44. Is the British education system run by the state or the private sector?44. The British education system run by the state.45. Where do British universities receive their funds besides students tuition?45. In the UK, the amount of funding each university receives is based on its size, the number of students it teaches, and the research it conducts. So far, the UK has only one privately funded university, the University of Buckingham.46. Why does the author say that "the way the living arrangements of a society as a whole are organized tells us something about that society"?46. For individual members of any society the home they live in is of great importance in their lives. The way the living arrangements of a society as a whole are organized tells us something about that society—its standard of living, its social and familial structure, the distribution of wealth in a society—both in terms of geography and social hierarchy—and even something about that society's values and dreams.47. What are the four main types of home in Britain? How do they reflect the cost and status of homes? What are some of the major types of home in China?47. There are, broadly speaking, four main types of home. The first kind are "flats" (or apartments), of varying size, often in modern multi-storey purpose-built buildings, though sometimes made by sub-dividing big old houses. Flats are often publicly owned. The second kind are "terraced" houses: that is, individual two-storey houses built joining on to each other at each side in a terrace or row. The second kind are "terraced" houses: that is, individual two-storey houses built joining on to each other at each side in a terrace or row; the fourth one is “detached.”48. How are people in the UK divided into different classes?48. The British people are divided into classes economically, culturally, educationally and etc.49. Is the class system similar with the United States?49. What is distinctive about the British class-system, and which marks it as different from the American or Chinese social structure, is that it has also retained a hereditary aristocracy.50. What and how did the British empire end? How did the British react to this reality?50. Two world wars had seriously influenced its empire position. The end of the great British empire was surprisingly rapid. In 1946, Jordan, in the Middle East, was granted independence. The following year, India and Pakistan followed suit. In 1948, Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) were granted independence and left the Commonwealth as well, refusing to recognise the British monarch as the head of their new states. Throughout the next few decades, the process of decolonisation continued as other territories and possessions received their independence or werereturned to their rightful rulers.51. What are the foundations of Britain's foreign policy?51. The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits. Perhaps the most important single factor which influences British policy-makers is its history.52. How is Britain's foreign policy made? Does the government's foreign policy represent the desires of British citizens?52. The Prime Minister and Cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain's foreign policy. The main government department involved is of course the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), but many other government ministries also play a part in formulating and executing the government's decisions.53. Why does the author say that the decision to join the EC was and remains controversial in Britain?53. The decision to join the EEC was very controversial; and today, Britain's participation in the European Union, as it is now called, remains controversial. At the centre of the controversy is the fact that it is not clear what the European Union(EU) is and what it will become. The UK has always been very interested in encouraging free trade between countries and is therefore very supportive of the EU as a free trade area.However, the UK has always been less enthusiastic about giving up its national sovereignty (that is, its control over national decision-making) to a European government.54. Why does the author think that Britain has the "special relationship" with the United States? Does this relationship still exist?54. Another major factor which influences British foreign policy is its relationship with the United States. This was quite natural, as the two were closely allied during World War II, and continued to work together closely in the post war years because they shared many of the same worries about the Soviet Union. Even today, in many respects British and American policy-makers agree generally on, for example, how the global economy should be managed, how a warlike state should be dealt with, issues about arms control and so on.55. What are some of the general characteristics of Australia in terms of land, people and culture?55. Australia is the world's smallest continent and largest island, a relatively young nation established in an ancient land. Its development represents a triumph over remoteness and a harsh landscape…56. Discuss the climate in Australia. What are some of the major differences between Australia and China in terms of the climate?56. Australia is the driest inhabited continent and its rainfall varies extremely geographically and seasonally. Mean annual rainfall is 465mm. Rainfall varies from less than 150mm over the centre of the continent to more than 2m in parts of the tropics and western Tasmania. The average annual surface runoff, about 440km3, represents 12 per cent of total rainfall. Evaporation accounts for most of the rest.57. What are the six states of Australia? What are some of the major similarities or differences in terms of population, early settlement and economy in the six states?57. Australia has six states: New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, Queensland, South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA) and Tasmania. It also has three internal territories-the Northern Territory(NT), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Jervis Bay Territory-and seven external territories.58. Can you point out some main differences between the Australian government system and the British government system?58. Broadly, the Australian federation has a three-tier system of government: the Australian Parliament (the legislature) and Government, responsible for all matters of national interest; six state governments and their legislatures, complementing the activities of the national government (plus the Australian Capital territory and the Northern Territory, which are similar to the states and largely self-governing); and about 900 local government bodies at the city, town, municipal and shire level.59. Discuss the Australian education system. What are some of the features in the system that are specifically Australian?59. Each state and territory of Australia has its own primary and secondary education system. Standards, however, are high and reasonably uniform. Within each state and territory system there are two main types of school-government and nongovernment schools. In government schools, attended by about two thirds of children, tuition is free. About three-quarters of the non-government schools are Catholic. Most non-government schools charge fees.60. What are some of the distinct features of New Zealand's geography? Find out similarities and differences in terms of geography between New Zealand and Australia.60. Situated in the southwest Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is a large, long group of islands, 1600 kilometres from north to south. There are two main landmasses, the North Island and the South Island, separated by Cook Strait. The third largest island, Stewart Island, is south of the South Island, and there are many smaller islands, including uninhabited isolated islands hundreds of kilometres offshore. Its nearest large neighbour-Australia—is almost 2 000 km away.61. What are some of the similarities between New Zealand and Britain in the government system?61. New Zealand's constitution is made up of parliamentary statutes (laws), judicial rulings (court decisions) and administrative practices. New Zealand has no written constitution. The Constitution Act 1986 defines the relationship between the legislative (Parliament), executive (Government departments and agencies) and judicial (the courts) roles of government.New Zealand is an independent state, governed by a democratically elected parliament. The Head of State is the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II in her capacity as Queen of New Zealand, represented by a Governor-General. The Governor-General's agreement is required for an Act of Parliament to become law.62. How did modern development in Europe influence the settlement of North American colonies?62. With the fast development of commerce and trade, the bourgeoisie became increasingly powerful in politics as well as in economy. They wanted to share power with feudal lords and in some countries such as England they wanted to have more power from the king so that they could have free development. The English Revolution was the result of this growth of capitalism.63. What was the unique American phenomenon ? How did it come into being? Do you think it still exists in today's American society?63. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new。

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案-V1

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案-V1

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案-V1本文主要是基于《英语国家社会与文化入门》这本书的课后题答案,重新整理成一篇相关的文章。

文章主要包含以下几点内容:1. 概述英语国家的社会和文化英语国家包括英国、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰等国家。

这些国家的社会和文化具有一些共同的特点,如英语是主要的交流语言、基督教是主要的信仰、民主制度是主要的政治制度、市场经济是主要的经济体制等等。

同时,这些国家也有各自独特的社会和文化,如英国的皇室文化、美国的多元文化、加拿大的双语文化等等。

2. 了解英语国家的历史和政治英语国家的历史和政治对于我们理解这些国家的社会和文化有着重要的影响。

比如,英国的历史可以追溯到罗马帝国时期,而英国的政治制度也是源于中世纪的君主立宪制度;美国的历史则是以独立战争为标志,建立了自己的独立国家,而美国的政治制度则是通过维护宪法实现的;加拿大则是从法国和英国殖民时期开始的,而加拿大的政治制度是基于联邦制度和议会制度构建的。

3. 探讨英语国家的教育和文化教育和文化也是英语国家的重要组成部分。

英语国家的教育体制包括基础教育、高等教育等多个阶段,其中美国的高等教育是全球最著名的之一。

而文化方面,英语国家拥有丰富多彩的文化产业和艺术形式,如电影、音乐、文学等等。

其中,美国好莱坞电影产业是全球最大的电影产业之一,英国文学也是全球最优秀的之一。

4. 理解英语国家的生活方式和价值观英语国家的生活方式和价值观也是我们需要了解的方面。

在生活方式方面,英语国家注重个人权利和自由,追求高品质的生活和工作环境。

英语国家的价值观则包括自由、平等、民主等。

这些价值观也反映在英语国家的社会制度和法律体系中。

综上所述,了解英语国家的社会和文化,需要从多个方面进行探讨和了解。

我们可以通过阅读相关的书籍和文章、观看电影和纪录片、参加留学和交流项目等方式来深入了解英语国家的生活和文化。

英语国家概况上下册答案

英语国家概况上下册答案

英语国家概况上下册答案第一篇:英语国家概况上下册答案英概:UK:U1(I)5 不确定(II)3 不确定U2,3,5,6,7,8没问题U4(I)8 不确定 U9(I)10,(II)1 有问题U10(I)5不确定10.题改为F USA:U5,7,8,13U3(II)6.选CU4(I)8有问题U6(I)6不确定U9(I)6,7不确定U10(I)第8题改为F 但还不确定U11(I)3,10,12不确定U12(II)8题选BU14(I)第三题改为FU15(II)10选BU16(I)10题改为F; 14题改为F(II)第9题选C 第二篇:英语国家概况课后题总结和答案Chapter 1 land and people1.what are the differences between Britain and the British Isles, Great Britain,England,the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth?The British Isles,Greant Britina and England are geographical names, no the official names of the country,while the official name is the United Kingdom,but the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britian.2.Describe the geographicalposition of Britian?Britain is an island country.It lies in the north Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe.It is separated from the rest of Europe by the English channel in the south and the North Sea in the east.3.Whereabouts in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland?The north and west of Britain are mainly highland, while the south and south-east are mostly lowlands.4.Does Britain have a favourable climate? why?Yes,it has a favourable climate, because it has a maritime type of climate---winters are mild,not too cold and summers are cool, not too hot.It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year.It has a small range of temperature,too.5.what are the factors which influence the climate in Britain? Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest? The factors which influence the climate in Britain are the following three:1)The surrounding waters balance the seasonal differences;2)the prevailing south-west winds bring warm and wet air in winter and keep the temperatures moderate;3)the North Atlantic Drift,a warm current,passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them.The northwestern part has the most rainfall,while the south-eastern corner is the driest.6.Describe the distribution of Britain’s population.Britain has a population of 57 million.It is densely populated, with an average of 237people per square kilometre.It is also very unevenly distributed , with 90%of the population in urban areas,10% in rural areas.Geographically, most British people live in England.Of the total of 57 million people, 47 million live in England, 14 million live in London and Southeastern England.7.What are the three natural zones in Scotland?The three natural zones in Scotland are : the Highlands in the north, the central Lowlands ,and the southern Uplands.8.What is the difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish?The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons,while the Scots,Welsh and rish are Celts.9.What are the differences in character and speech between southern England and northern England? How do the Welsh keep their language and culture alive? The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people.The Scots are hospitable ,generous and friendly.Irish are known for their charm and vivacity as well as for the beauty of their Irish girls.Throughout the year they have festivals of song and dance and poetry called Eisteddfodau.On these occasions competitions are held in Welsh poetry,music,singing and art and in this way they keep the Welsh language and Welsh culture alive.10.What is the main problem in Northern Ireland?Hundreds of years ago Scots and English Protestants were sent to live in Northern Ireland.Since then there has been bitter fighting between the Protestants and the Roman Catholics.The former are the dominant group,while the latter are seeking more social,plitical and economic apportunities.The british Government and the government of Ireland are now working together to bring peace to Northern Ireland.第三篇:英语国家概况名词解释Terms1.A-level: General Certificate of Education Advanced Level referred to as A-level, It is a British general secondary education certificate examination’ advanced courses, is the British national curriculum system, and the students of the university entrance exam courses.2.bible: The Bible is the holy book ofChristianity.It consists of two testaments.The Old T estament contains the Jewish writings before the coming of Christ.The much shorter New Testament contains four accounts(“gospel”)of the life of Christ, followed by the writings of the early Christians, of whom St Paul was the greatest.3.WASP:White Anglo-Saxon Protestant of the original meaning is to point to the United States in power elite group and its culture, customs and moral behavior standard, can now be referring to the European American Protestant people.This group has a huge economic and political power, American society and for the most part of the upper middle class.Despite the increasingly diverse American society, but their cultural, moral and value orientation is to a great extent, affects the development of the United States.4.Independence Day: commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.5.wall street:Wall Street is the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long, 0.7 miles(1.1 km)long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan.Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, the American financial sector(even if financial firms are not physically located there), or signifying New York-based financial interests.Wall Street is the home of the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies.Several other major exchanges have or had headquarters in the Wall Street area, including NASDAQ, the New York Mercantile Exchange, the New York Board of Trade, and the former American StockExchange.Anchored by Wall Street, New York City has been called the world's principal financial center.6.Hollywood:is a district in the central region of Los Angeles, California, in the United States.It is notable for its place as the home of the entertainment industry, including several of its historic studios.Its name has come to represent the motion picture industry of the United States.Hollywood is also a highly ethnically diverse, densely populated, economically diverse neighborhood and retail business district.Hollywood was a small community in 1870 and was incorporated as a municipality in 1903.It merged with the City of Los Angeles in 1910, and soon thereafter a film industry began to emerge, eventually becoming dominant in the world.7.Pilgrim Fathers: is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony inpresent-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States.Their leadership came from the religious congregations of Brownist English Dissenters who had fled the volatile political environment in England for the relative calm and tolerance of 16th–17th century Holland in the Netherlands.Concerned with losing their cultural identity, the group later arranged with English investors to establish a new colony in North America.8.Great Charter:Magna Carta(Latin for Great Charter), also called Magna Carta Libertatum or The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, is an Angevin charter originally issued in Latin in June 1215.It was sealed under oath by King John at Runnymede, on the bank of the River Thames near Windsor, England at June 15, 1215.Magna Carta was the first document forced onto a King of England by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their rights.Question:Melting pot: is a metaphor for a heterogeneous societybecoming more homogeneous, the different elements “melting together” into a harmonious whole with a common culture.It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States.The melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s.The exact term “melting pot” came into general usage in the United States after it was used as a metaphor describing a fusion of nationalities, cultures and ethnicities in the 1908 play of the same name.Separation of powers: Separation of Powers(三权分立)is the basic of thewestern capitalist countries.The origin of the principle of separation of powers can be traced back to(追溯到)the period of Aristotle(亚里士多德时期).It is proposed to avoid the abuse of power(滥用权力).The US Government is divided into three branches so that no one branch has all the power.Each branch has its own purpose:Legislative Branch(立法机构)— to make laws;Executive Branch(行政机构)—to executive laws;Judicial Branch(司法)—interpret the laws;Civil war(U.S.): was a civil war fought from 1861 to 1865, after seven Southern slave states declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America(the “Confederacy” or the “South”, which grew to include eleven states).The states that remained in the Union were known as the “Union” or the “North”.The war had its origin in the fractious issue of slavery, especially the extension of slavery into the western territories.Foreign powers did not intervene.After four years of bloody combat that left over 600,000 soldiers dead and destroyed much of the South's infrastructure, the Confederacy collapsed, slavery was abolished, and the difficult Reconstruction process of restoring national unity and guaranteeing civil rights to the freed slaves began.Presidential Election: is an indirect votein which citizens cast ballots for a slate of members of the U.S.Electoral College;these electors in turn directly elect the President and Vice President.Presidential elections occur quadrennially(the count beginning with the year 1792)on Election Day, the Tuesday between November 2 and 8, coinciding with the general elections of variousother federal, states and local races.The most recent was the 2012 election, held on November 6.The next election will be the 2016 election, which will be held on November 8, 2016.British Newspaper culture: Traditionally, UK newspapers could be split into more serious-minded newspapers, usually referred to as the broadsheets due to their large size, and sometimes known collectively as “the quality press ”, and less serious newspapers, generally kno wn as tabloids , and collectively as “the popular press”, which have tended to focus more on celebrity coverage and human interest stories rather than political reporting or overseas news.Democracy with a constitutional monarchy : Initially after the American and French revolutions, the question was open whether a democracy, in order to restrain unchecked majority rule, should have an élite upper chamber, the members perhaps appointed meritorious experts or having lifetime tenures, or should have a constitutional monarch with limited but real powers.Some countries(as The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavian countries, Thailand, Japan and Bhutan)turned powerful monarchs into constitutional monarchs with limited or, often gradually, merely symbolic roles.Often the monarchy was abolished along with the aristocratic system(as in France, China, Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Greece and Egypt).Many nations had élite upper houses of legislatures which often had lifetime tenure, but eventually these lostpower(as in Britain)or else became elective and remained powerful.Industrial Revolution: was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840.This transition included going from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, improved efficiency of water power, the increasing use of steam power, and the development of machine tools.It also included the change from wood and other bio-fuels to coal.第四篇:2014英语国家概况判断题In the early 20th century, those dominating American life were mostly WASPs.正确In the US, scientific and economic advance and rising material progress have been accompanied by a decline in religious observance.错误The title of Prince of Wales is held by a Welsh according to tradition.错误In Britain, class and educational differences are reflected in the newspaper people read.正确The world' s oldest daily newspaper is The Observer.错误Horse racing is the true royal sport.正确Under a Constitutional Amendament passed in 1951, a president can be elected to only one term.错误The state of Hawaii is a big island in the central Pacific Ocean 错误.Most British people are Protestants while most Irish people are Catholics.正确There is more violence in the US than in other industrialized countries.正确According to the textbook, larger American universities are always better, and more desirable universities are always moreexpensive错误.Harvard College was originally founded to train government officials.错误“ We Shall Overcome!” is a very famous song during the 1960s.错误The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the US now is the blacks, or Afro-Americans.错误Drug abuse in the US has come to be regarded as one of the most challenging social problems facing the nation.错误Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the US正确.John F.Kennedy was the first Catholic elected as the US president正确.The theory of poltiics of the American Revolution came from John Locke, a French philosopher in the 17th century.错误Britain has a written constitution like most countries.错误Queen Elizabeth II is both the head of the state and the head of government in the UK.错误Secrecy is an important part of the voting process.正确 The Labour Party is the oldest party in the UK.错误By the early 1760s, the 13 English colonies in North America were ready to separate themselves from Europe.正确The British state actively interferes with the decision of when,where, how and what children are taught.错误The tradition of having Sunday off derived from the Christian Church.正确It takes at least four years to get a bachelor' s degree from an institution of higher education in the US.正确You must have the A-level qualification to enter British university.错误Britain is no longer an imperial country.正确Scotland was never conquered by the Romans.正确A great moment for the civil rights movement was the March on Washington on August, 1963 when President Kennedy gave the famous “ I Have a Dream” speech.错误It is not very difficult to generalize about the American way of life.错误The most exciting moment in baseball game is a homerun.正确 Most people in Scotland speak the old Celtic language, called “ Gaelic”.错误The British media play an important role in shaping a national culture.正确To advertise in a British newspaper, the only thing you have to worry about is the cost.错误Easter is the biggest and best loved British holiday.错误When the War of Independence was over, the US was on unified nation as it is today.错误The 10 very short paragraphs which guarantee freedom and individual rights and forbid interference with lives of individuals by the government are called the Bill of Rights.正确Super Bowl will decide the champion baseball team of the year in the US.错误Ireland is part of Great Britain错误The Good Friday Agreement was approved on 10 April 1998.正确 Critics of the affirmative action programs are of the opinion that this results in reverse discrimination.正确The anti-war teach-in by white students in Berkeley began the civil rights movement in the 1960s.错误When the civil rights movement began, non-violent, direct action tactics like “ sit-ins” and boycotts were he chief vehicle for social protest.正确George Washington, Banjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln were regarded as the founing fathers of the USA.错误Hollywood films give the wrong impressions that all Americans are rich.正确Thre are more than 100 Protestants sects in the US today.正确Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.正确It is commonly believed that Boxing Day involved the sport of boxing.错误It is no doubt that Britain is the oldest representative democracy in the world.正确The British Prime Minister is directly elected by the people.错误According to the textbook, there are two major political parties in the UK.错误The Conservative Party is the party that spent most time in power正确.The purpose of British education is not only to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills but also to socialize children.正确All secondary schools in Britain are run and supervised by the government.错误The Open Univeristy uses many non-traditional ways to teach students, such as TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, and a network of study centers.正确The stereotype of the English gentleman never applied to the majority of the British people.正确Scotland was unified with England through violent means.错误 Segregating blacks into separate schools was unconstitutional after the decision of the Supreme Court in 1954.正确The US was founded on the principle of human equality, andin reality the nation has lived up to that ideal.错误第五篇:英语国家概况选择题Chapter1 1.The two main islands of the British Isles are A.不列颠群岛的两个主要岛屿是A.Great Britain and Ireland C.Great Britain and WalesB.Great Britain and ScotlandD.Great Britain and England 2.B is the capital city of Scotland.是苏格兰的首府A.BelfastB.EdinburghC.AberdeenD.Cardiff 3.Among the four parts of the United Kingdom, D is the smallest.在英国的四个部分中,是最小的A.England IrelandB.ScotlandC.WalesD.Northern 4.English belongs to the C group of Indo-European family of languages.英语属于印欧语系语系A.CelticB.Indo-IranianC.GermanicD.Roman 5.The introduction of Christianity to Britain added the first element of D words to English.基督教传入英国,增加了英语的第一个元素。

英语国家概况试题及答案

英语国家概况试题及答案

英语国家概况试题及答案一、选择题(每题2分,共20分)1. 英语作为官方语言的国家不包括以下哪一个?A. 美国B. 英国C. 澳大利亚D. 法国答案:D2. 英语起源于哪个国家?A. 法国B. 德国C. 丹麦D. 英格兰答案:D3. 以下哪个国家不是英语国家?A. 加拿大B. 新西兰C. 爱尔兰D. 巴西答案:D4. 英语国家的人口总数大约是多少?A. 1亿B. 3亿C. 5亿D. 10亿答案:C5. 英语国家中,哪个国家的官方语言除了英语还有法语?A. 美国B. 加拿大C. 澳大利亚D. 新西兰答案:B6. 英语国家中,哪个国家是君主立宪制?A. 美国B. 英国C. 澳大利亚D. 新西兰答案:B7. 英语国家中,哪个国家是联邦制?A. 英国B. 加拿大C. 澳大利亚D. 新西兰答案:B8. 英语国家中,哪个国家有“长白云之乡”的美誉?A. 美国B. 英国C. 新西兰D. 澳大利亚答案:C9. 英语国家中,哪个国家的首都不是以英语命名的?A. 美国B. 英国C. 加拿大D. 澳大利亚答案:A10. 英语国家中,哪个国家是世界最大的钻石生产国?A. 英国B. 加拿大C. 澳大利亚D. 博茨瓦纳答案:D(虽然博茨瓦纳不是英语国家,但此题考察的是钻石生产国)二、填空题(每题2分,共20分)1. 英语国家中,______(加拿大)的官方语言除了英语还有法语。

2. 英语起源于______(英格兰)。

3. 英语国家中,______(澳大利亚)被称为“骑在羊背上的国家”。

4. 英语国家中,______(新西兰)被称为“长白云之乡”。

5. 英语国家中,______(美国)是世界最大的经济体。

6. 英语国家中,______(英国)拥有世界上最古老的君主制。

7. 英语国家中,______(加拿大)是世界上面积第二大的国家。

8. 英语国家中,______(澳大利亚)是世界上唯一一个占据整个大陆的国家。

9. 英语国家中,______(美国)的首都华盛顿特区是以美国第一任总统的名字命名的。

《英语国家概况(1)》英语国家社会与文化入门第一次形考部分答案

《英语国家概况(1)》英语国家社会与文化入门第一次形考部分答案

一、单项选择7 、Which of the following description about the Conservative party is Not true?(难度系数:2.00)A、It has been in power for an unusually long period of time.B、It prefers policies that protect individual's rights.C、It receives a lot of the funding from big companies.D、It is known as a party of high taxation levels.参考答案:D5 、Which of the following is Not true about life peers?(难度系数:2.00)A、They are not from the aristocratic families.B、They cannot sit in the House of Lords.C、They earned their titles through their outstanding achievement.D、The titles cannot be inherited by their children.参考答案:B6 、Which of the following statements is Not true about class system in the UK?(难度系数:2.00)A、People of different classes tend to read different kinds of newspapers.B、Class division is only decided by people's income.C、Though social advancement is possible, class affects a person's life chances.D、The way people speak may indentify them as belonging to a particular class.参考答案:B8 、Which of the following is Not included in Household Energy Management Strategy?(难度系数:2.00)A、Every household will have installed loft and cavity insulation where it's practical to do so by 2015.B、7 million homes will have received more substantial eco-upgrades by 2020.C、Every household will have produced their electricity from renewable energy resources.D、29% of carbon emission will have been reduced from the household sector by 2020.参考答案:C3 、Where is the best agricultural land in Britain?(难度系数:1.00)A、In the southeast of England.B、In the northeast of England.C、In the southeast of Scotland.D、In the northeast of Scotland.参考答案:A2 、Which of the following is Not a company in the energy sector?(难度系数:1.00)A、ShellB、ICIC、RTZD、British Gas参考答案:B4 、What did Frank Whittle do in 1937?(难度系数:1.00)A、He invented the first jet plane.B、He developed the first jet engine.C、He made the first powered flight.D、He made the trans-Atlantic flight.参考答案:B1 、Which of the following countries is the last to come out of recession?(难度系数:1.00)A、GermanyB、JapanC、BritainD、France参考答案:C二、判断8 、The amount spengt in national campaign is not limited other than that on TV.(难度系数:2.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:B12 、Liberal Democratic party is the newest of the major national parties.(难度系数:2.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:B10 、The majority of middle-class people today have working class parents or grandparents.(难度系数:2.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:A9 、One of the distinctive features about the British class-system is that it has also retained a hereditary aristocracy.(难度系数:2.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:A11 、The immigrants have problems of unemployment, under-representation in politics and unfair treatment by police and by the justice system.(难度系数:2.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:B7 、On March 2nd, 2010, the British government published its Household Energy Management Strategy.(难度系数:2.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:A6 、Both the U.S. and Canada overtook Britain in economy by 1900.(难度系数:1.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:B3 、In the 1970s, with the soaring price of oil and high rates if inflation, Britain went through a bad period.(难度系数:1.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:A1 、The leader of the Conservatives, Margaret Thatcher stargted a series of reforms.An extensive programme of privatisation was carried out, and she was successful in an all-round way.(难度系数:1.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:B5 、Britain has a large sector of agriculture producing 11.6% of its national wealth.(难度系数:1.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:B4 、A low rate of domestic industrial investment coupled with a very high rate of overseas investment is a characteristic of the UK economy.(难度系数:1.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:A2 、In recent years, Britain is second only to the U.S. as a destination for international drect investment.(难度系数:1.00)A、正确B、错误C、参考答案:A。

英语国家概况社会文化入门简答题上册答案

英语国家概况社会文化入门简答题上册答案

u n i t71 1What are the purposes of the British education system 2Please comment on these purposes. 3What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system 4Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations 答:1The purpose of the British education system is to teach children practical skills and socialize them. 2Children learn practical skills, and the rules and values they need to become good citizens, to participate in the community, and to contribute to the economic prosperity of an advanced industrial economy. 3The purpose of the Chinese education is to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society.4 In china, people think school is just about teaching children what are often called” the three R’s---“reading, writing and ‘arithmetic”reading, writing and arithmetic.2. How does the British education reflect social classBritish education reflect the deeper divisions in British society in which social class is still very important: class inequality can be erased or continued according to education policy. What’s more, the enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over how “equal” educational opportunity should be. In British, the accent you speak with, the clothes you wear, and the schools you attend are all markers that identify your social class. The school or collegetie is a clear marker of social class. Even on informal occasions you will sometimes see men wearing their school ties as belts to hold up their trousers –proudly displaying their attendance at a certain school. In Britain, where you are educated is very important to you future.3 what are the major changes that have taken place since World war 2 Is British education moving towards more progress or more equality Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.Other major changes to the British education system were caused by world war Ⅱ; This time, the new system would emphasize equality. The result was the 1944 Education Act which made entry to secondary schools and universities”merito cratic”. Children would be abilities they displayed. All children were given the right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education. In the1960s,comprehensive schools were introduced all over the country, which ended the division between grammar schools----where the most academically capable pupils were sent to be prepared for university----and vocational school where less successful pupils were sent to learn allowed to let children "compete" for places.4. Why does the author say that universities in Britain have been rather elitist 答:Most students were from the middle classes, attended good schools, performed well in their A-levels and received a fully-funded place in a university. In recent years, great efforts have been made to increase the numbers of and kinds of people that pursue higher education. Access for maturestudents and students without traditional A-level qualifications is widening.5. 1 what is the Open University in Britain 2What do you think of this system1The Open University offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centre. 2It was the Open University which provided the inspiration for the founding of China’s TV and Radio U niversity.Unit 8 British Foreign Relationsand how did the British empire end How did the British react to this reality How did the end of British imperialism influence the psychology of the British and the making of Britain's foreign policy1 The end of the great British empire was surprisingly rapid. In 1946, Jordan, in the Middle East, was granted independence. The following year, India and Pakistan followed suit. In 1948, Burma and Ceylon now Sri Lanka were granted independence and left the Commonwealth as well, refusing to recognise the British monarch as the head of their new states. Throughout the next few decades, the process of decolonisation continued as other territories and possessions received their independence or were returned to their rightful rulers.2 On the one hand, the British could no longer afford to maintain its empire; while Britain had won the war, it had paid a terrible price in terms of lives and in terms of economic destruction. On the other hand, the British realized that countries should be granted the independence and left to run their own affairs. People and territory should not just be treated as a source of economic resources for the ruling centres of commerce in Europe.3Because the end of the British empire is so comparatively recent, many people are still alive who can remember when Britain was one of the most powerful and rich nations on earth.The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is great influenced by its imperial history. Because Britain lost its empire so recently, British policy-makers frequently forget that Britain is not as influential as it used to be in world affairs. Historians argue that the British foreign policy-makers retain very conservative and traditional views of Britain's role as a world power and point to many major foreign policy decisions as examples.2. What are the foundations of Britain's foreign policyThe contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits. Perhaps the most important single factor which influences British policy-makers is its history.3. How is Britain's foreign policy made Does the government's foreign policy represent the desires of British citizens1The Prime Minister and Cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain's foreign policy. The main government department involved is of course theForeign and Commonwealth Office FCO, but many other government ministries also play a part in formulating and executing the government's decisions.2 Since Britain is a parliamentary democracy, the government's foreign policy in theory represents the desires of its electorate, but in fact British citizens are more concerned about issues closer to home. On the whole, they are not very inclined to try to influence the direction of Britain's foreign policy.4. Why does the author say that the decision to join the EC was and remains controversial in Britain1The decision to join the EEC was very controversial; and today, Britain's participation in the European Union, as it is now called, remains controversial. At the centre of the controversy is the fact that it is not clear what the European UnionEU is and what it will become. The UK has always been very interested in encouraging free trade between countries and is therefore very supportive of the EU as a free trade area.2However, the UK has always been less enthusiastic about giving up its national sovereignty that is, its control over national decision-making toa European government.5. Why does the author think that Britain has the "special relationship" with the United States Does this relationship still existAnother major factor which influences British foreign policy is its relationship with the United States. This was quite natural, as the two were closely allied during World War II, and continued to work together closely in the post war years because they shared many of the same worries about the Soviet Union. Even today, in many respects British and Americanpolicy-makers agree generally on, for example, how the global economy should be managed, how a warlike state should be dealt with, issues about arms control and so on.was the purpose of establishing the NATO in the author's opinion Do you agree with him Explain your point.1The purpose of NATO is to protect member states against aggression, to provide a foundation for security in Europe, and to provide a form for transatlantic defence cooperation.2We disagree with the opinion. Actually, the United States is striving to lead and dominate NATO and using it as a means to materialize its global hegemon dream.Unit 9 The British Media1. The author says that “the media” are central to British leisure culture”, why does the author say so What are some of the similarities and differences in terms of the function between the British media and the Chinese media1On an average day, 90 per cent of Britons over the age of 15 read a national or local paper. And in the evening, most Britons settle down to watch some television: 96 percent of the population watch TV at least once a week, making it Britain's most popular leisure activity. The third most popular pastime,after watching telly and reading newspapers, is listening to the radio, an activity in which 73 per cent of the population engages in on a weekly basis. It is obvious, then, that the media are central to British leisure culture. 2In north America, there are literally scores of different channels, to watch, from homeshopping chanels to 24 hours news channels, to channels that specialise in old comedy shows. Britain, in contrast, still has a fairly conservative television culture. There are still only a limited number of television channels, and satellite TV is still not as popular or as widely available as in the United States. this limited number of television channels, and state control of ownership of such channels, helps to unify the entire country. The broadcasting act is designed to keep ownership to broadcast media widely spread so there are no concentrations of media power in the hands of a few, and foreign ownershipthat is ownership outside EUis mainly prohibited. the same legislation also contains safeguards to maintain certain standards of decency, taste, accuracy and balance.are some of the characteristics of British newspaper culture In what way is it different from the United States1British newspaper culture is unusual in the extent to which class and educational differences are reflected in the newspapers people read.2In the United States, newspaper reading is a mainly middle-class habit, but in Britain the "lower classes" are also regular readers.3. Is the British press free from the government control and censorship What is the relationship between the British press and politics or businessThe British press is not free from the government control and censorship. They influence each other mutually.1The British press acts as a watchdog on politics, while there are some political laws such as laws of libel and defamation and the Official Secrets Act which limit the freedom of press as well.2The revenue from businesslike ad makes up the bulk of most newspapers' income, and newspaper is an effective tool of promoting the business. They bring profits to each other.4. How does the BBC operate How is it different from American broadcasting systemsvUnit10 Sports,Holidays and Festivals in Britainsome examples from the text to demonstrate how Christian church has influenced the sports and leisure activities of the BritishOne very obvious example is how Sunday—the day of the week when everyone traditionally went to church – is still the day the most people have off in the UK.is cricket very EnglishWhy does the author believe that cricket was associated with a set of English values1 Cricket was one of the very first team sports in Britain to have organized rules and to be played according to the same rules nationally.2 As generations of public boys grew up to become the civil servants and rulers of the UK and its colony, crickets became associated with a set of moral values, in particular the idea of “fair play” which characterized British government.do the British celebrate Christmas In what way does this holiday and the ways of celebration in Britain reflect Western cultural tradition in general and British traditions in particular.There are three Christmas traditions which are particularly British:one is the Christmas Pantomime, another is to hear the Queen give her Christmas message, and the third one is Boxing Day.第二小问找不到答案;what way are the Welsh people different from England,Scotland,,,and Northern Ireland in celebrating their holidaysIt is in the local festivals of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland that the distinctive cultural and political identities of the four nations of the United Kingdom can be seen. Many festivals and customs have been invented, adopted and used to serve political or religious functions in times of conflict. For example the hist oric battles between the Protestants 新教徒 and Catholics in the 17th ntury are commemorated, often with symbolic or even real violence, in ngland and Northern Ireland. Special days in Scotland and Wales demonst rate their national pride in their unique languages and cultures and mind us that there is much more to the UK than "the English" and "England".unit7 1. lWhat are the purposes of the British education system {2Please comment on these purposes. 3What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system 4Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations lThe purpose of the British education system is to teach children practical skills and socialize them. 2Children learn practical skills, and the rules and values they need to become good citizens, to participate in the community, and to contribute to the economic prosperity of an advanced industrial economy. 3The purpose of the Chinese education is to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society. 4 In china, people think school is just about teaching children what are often called” the three R’s--”reading, writing and ’arithmetic’'reading, writing and arithmetic. 2. How does the British education reflect social classBritish education reflect the deeper divisions in British society in which social class is still very impo内ant: class inequality can be erased or continued according to education policy. What’s more, the enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over how "equal” educational opportunity should be. In British, the accent you speak with, the clothes you wear, and the schools you attend are all markers that identify your social class. The school or collegetie is a clear marker of social class. Even on informal occasions you will sometimes see men wearing their school ties as belts to hold up their trousers -proudly displaying their attendance at a certain school. In Britain, where you are educated is very important to you future. 3 what are the major changes that have taken place since World war 2Is British education moving towards more progress or more equalityPick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points. Other major changes to the British education system were caused by world war E; This time, the new system would emphasize equality. The resL』It was the 1944 Education Act which made entry to secondary schools and universities" meritocratic”. Children would be abilities they displayed. All children were given the right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education. In the 1960s,comprehensive schools were introduced all over the count时,which ended the division between grammar schools…-where the most academically capable pupils were sent to be prepared for university---and vocational school where less successful pupils were sent to learn allowed to let children ”compete” for places. 4. Why does the author say that universities in Britain have been rather elitist Most students were from the middle classes, attended good schools, performed well in their Alevels and received a fully-funded place in a university. In recent years, great efforts have been made to increase the numbers of and kinds of people that pursue higher education. Access for mature students and students without traditional A-level qualifications is widening.5. 1 what is the Open University in Britain 2}What do you think of this system lThe Open University o仔ers a non-traditi;nal route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can follow university cou陀es through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centre. 21t was the Open University which provided the inspiration for the founding of China’s TV and Radio U niversity.。

《英语国家社会与文化入门》(简称英美概况)美国答案.doc

《英语国家社会与文化入门》(简称英美概况)美国答案.doc

美国UNIT 3 l.What is an American? He is either a European, or the descendant of a European, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new go ver nment he obeys, and the new rank he holds.... Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. ... The American is a new man, who acts new principles; he must therefore en tertai n new ideas, and form new opinions. 4 .In what way did Puritanism influe nee America n culture?A. Today, Puritans are no Ion ger in existence. But their legacies are still felt in American society and culture. For example, the Puritans hoped to build "a city upon hill" an ideal comm unity. Since that time, America ns have viewed their country as a great experiment, a worthy model for other nations. This sense of mission has been very strong in the minds of many Americans.B. The Puritans also have left rich cultural heritage to future America ns. The America n values such as in dividualism, hard work, respect of educatio n owe very much to the Puritan beliefs.UNIT 4 1 Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? Was it necessary to change the Articles of Confederation and write a new constitution for the new nation of the United States at the time? The Articles of Confedera廿on failed because the states did not cooperate with the Congress or with each other. When the Congress needed money to pay the national army or to pay debts owed to Fra nee and other nati ons, some states refused to con tribute. The Con gress had bee n given no authority to force any state to do anything. It could not tax any citizen. Only the state in which a citizen lived could do that. 2. What is a federal system? What are some of the major differences between a federal system and a confederation? The Constitution set up a federal system with a strong cen tral go ver nment. A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to each. The Con stituti on also called for the electi on of a nati on al leader, or preside nt. It provided that federal laws would be made only by a Congress made up of representatives elected by the people. It also provided for a national court system headed by a Supreme Court. 3. What are some of the major powers of each of the three bra nches of the U.S. go ver nment? How are the three bra nches supposed to check and bala nee each other? If Con gress proposes a law that the preside nt thinks is un wise, the preside nt can veto it. That means the proposal does not become law. Con gress can en act the law despite the preside nt's views only if two-thirds of the members of both houses vote in favor of it. If Congress passes a law which is then challenged in the courts as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has the power to declare the law unconst:itutional and therefore no Ion ger in effect. The preside nt has the power to make treaties with other nations and to make all appointments to federal positions, including the position of Supreme Court justice. The Sen ate, however; must approve all treaties and con firm all appoi ntme nts before they become official. In this way the Con gress can preve nt the preside nt from maki ng un wise appointments 4. What is the Bill of Rights? Do you think that it was necessary to write the Bill of Rights explicitly into the U.S. Constitution? The Bill of Rights: the first 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were added within two years of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. These amendments remain intact today, as they were written two centuries ago. The first guarantees freedom of worship, speech and press, the right of peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government to correct wrongs. The Bill of Rights and subsequent con stituti onal ame ndme nts guara ntee the America n people the fullest possible opport unity to enjoy fundamental human rights. 5 What are the two political parties in the United States? Do you think they are fun dame ntally different? The Un ited States has two major political parties. One is the Democratic Party, which evolved out of Thomas」efferson's party, formed before 1800. The symbol of the party is the donkey. The other is theRepublican Party, which was formed in the 1850s, by people in the states of the North and West, such as Abraham Lin coin, who wan ted the go ver nment to preve nt the expa nsion of slavery into new states the n being admitted to the union. The symbol of the Republican Party is the elephant.UNIT 6 1. In what way do you think that religious freedom was a historical necessity in the United States? 1. By the middle of the 18th century, many different kinds of Protestants lived in America. 2. The Great Awakening of the 1740s, a "revivamovement that sought to breathe new feeling and st re ngth into religi on, cut across the lines of Protesta nt religious groups, or denominations. 3. A few America ns were so in flue need by the new scie nee and new ideas of the En lighte nment in Europe that they became deists, believing that reason teaches that God exists but leaves man free to settle his own affairs. 4. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States forbade the new federal go ver nment to give special favors to any religio n or to hin der the free practice, or exercise, of religion. 3 What promotes the diversity in American religion? 1. The United States has always been a fertile ground for the growth of new religious movements. Fron tier America provided plenty of room to set up a new church or found a new comm unity. 2. Many religious communities and secular utopias, or experiments in new forms of social living, were foun ded in 18th and 19th century America. 3. America ns with differe nt religions live together under the same law. 4. The religious beliefs of Americans continue to be strong with social progress. 5. In the United States every church is a completely independent organization, and concerned with its own finance and its own building. 6. Continuous immigration.UNIT 8 1. What is the goal of education in the United States? Discuss the similarities and differences in Great Britain, the United States and China concerning the goals of education. 答:The goal is一and has been since the early decades of the republic一to achieve universal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the general public. Though this goal has not yet been fully achieved, it remains an ideal toward which the American educational system is directed. The progress which has bee n made is no table both for its scope and for the educati onal methods which have been developed in the process of achieving it. 2. How did American education begin to develop? In 1634, they ope ned a zz latee n grammar" school, a school for those who wan ted to prepare for college. In 1636, Harvard College was founded for the training of religious ministers. In 1634 and 1638, the Puritans passed laws declaring that all property could be taxed for the comm on good, which in eluded the support of school. I n 1642 and 1647, the Bay Colony passed laws requiring all parents to provide reading educating for their children. At the end of the 18th century, elementary education throughout the United States was in local hands. 3. What are the major characteristics of education in America? (l)Different education laws for different states.(2)Several levels of schooli ng: Eleme ntary Schooli ng, Sec on dary Schooli ng and High Schooli ng.(3)curricula for students: there is no national curriculum in the United States. (3)Compulsory education for all students. (4)Equal education opportunities for minority groups. (5)Strong dema nd for higher educati on. (6)The complex system of higher educati on. Some states play a strong role in the selection of learning material for their students. Schools were asked not only to teach this new information, but to help students ask their own questions about it. The "inquiry" method of learning, focusing on solving problems rather than memorizing facts, became popular. 或者3.What do you think some of the characteristics of education in America? 1. About 85% of American students attend public schools (schools supported by American taxpayers). The other 15% attend private schools, for which their families choose to pay special attendance fees. Four out of five private schools in theUnited States are run by churches, synagogues or other religious groups. In such schools, religious teachings are a part of the curriculum. 2. Each of the 50 states in the United States has its own laws regulating education. From state to state, some laws are similar; others are not. Education in the United States was to remain in the hands of state and local go ver nmen ts. 3. America ns have a str ong tendency to educate their childre n about major public concerns—problems such as environmentai pollution, nuclear issues, neighborhood crime and drugs.Unit9 1, what were the major social movement of the 1960s? And what was the historical background of the social movements of that decade? 一(1) the Civil Rights Movement, the Youth Movement, the Anti-War Movement, Free Speech Movement, Counter Culture, Women's Liberation Movement. (2) 1. During World War Two, many American Negroes had a taste of life outside the South. They knew that life in the segregated South, where Negroes were prevented from working at good jobs and getting good education, was not the American way of life. 2. Women earned less money and had fewer opportunities to advanee than men working in the same jobs, or they became housewives, isolated at home with their children. 3. Many young people resented traditional white male values in US society. 4. When the US army began to fight in Vietnam, many people thought the war was wrong. They did not understand why US troops were fighting in Asia.。

英语国家社会与文化入门简称英美概况澳大利亚答案【VIP专享】

英语国家社会与文化入门简称英美概况澳大利亚答案【VIP专享】

英语国家社会与文化入门简称英美概况澳大利亚答案【VIP专享】澳大利亚上册15 单元 1. What are the unique features of the Australian continent? 答:Isolated from other major land masses, Australia’s distinctive flora and fauna evolved through its long period as an island continent. 2 Discuss the social and cultural values embodied in the Dreaming.讨论社会和文化价值在做梦中的体现Membership in a particular language group was of great social and cultural significance. Traditionally, languages belong to tracts of country which, in the belief system of the Dreaming, have been put in their places by Dreamtime creator figures. 3. Why does the author say that ‘In most of the languages there is no distinction between the words for “belief”,”law” and “knowledge”? Do you think it’s true in your own language? The sacred creation stories are not only explanations about how the country came to be formed, they also provide principles of how people should live and interact with others, especially with whom they may or may not intermarry. 4. (1)What do you know about Zheng He’s voyages in the 15th century? (2)Do you think his fleet got to the northern part of Australia?(3)Why? 答:(1)Yes. (2)Yes. (3) In 1405, Zhu Di the Ming emperor commissioned his admiral ZhengHe to take 317 of his ships to the Middle East and Eastern Africa .Between 1405 and 1433 ZhengHe made seven trips routinely passing through what we now call Southeast and South Asia .I am sure that ZhengHe had gone there ,because there is evidence that several ships from that armada landed on the Aru Islands to the north of Arnhem Land. 5. What is the impact of the assimilation policy on the indigenous people? 同化政策对本土人民的影响是什么?答:Themissionaries on the “protected reserves” set out destroy the culture of the Dreaming and to replace it with Christianity. As the children grew to adulthood many of them had lost both their families and their culture. They were employed as domestic servants or on cattle stations .Young Aboriginal women were continually at risk of rape. Aboriginal people were excluded from the social ,the political ,the education ,the health services and other aspects. Racism was an entrenched part of Australian culture until the 1960s and operated at the personal and institutional level. Unit 18 1. Do you think the Australia government system is a democratic one? Why? Australia has what has been called a “Wash minster” form of polity. In other words it is a mixture of the US, Washington system of government and the British, Westminster system: the political structure is based on a Federation of States and has a three-tier system of government but the chief executive is a Prime Minister not a President. 2. Why do you think Australia adopted the “Wash minister” form of polity? Do you think it reflects the advantages of both systems? The political structure of Australia is based on a Federation of State and has a three-tier system of government, but the chief executive is a Prime Minister not a President. Yes. Although Australia has a three-tier system of government, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet at federal level is the acknowledged centre of Australia parliamentary power. 3. Do you think the pluralist form of government is ideal? What are its drawbacks? Yes. Citizens can choose the government and exert their power. This system secures transparency and thus accountability. Pluralism provides for a ready made alternative government. The Australian government system is a democratic one. Australians understand and conduct life upon a basiccommitment to different.4. Do you think the government can improve the efficiency of the social welfare and social security services by contracting them out to private sector? Yes. It is being encouraged to focus on producing program as marketable commodities to reduce its dependence upon government funding.5. Is the loss of social capital a necessary cost in maintaininga country’s strong economy? Why? Yes. Both the Labor and Coalition Parties have been instrumental in deregulating the economy. The Coalition is associated with the most stringent forms, and the Labor Party isaligned with a political program. As citizens, Australians today are debating whether the loss of “social capital”---the cut-backs of public spending on education, health and the public broadcaster---is a necessary cost in maintaining Australia’s position as one of the “strong” economies in global league tables. However, the Coalition is associated with the most stringent forms of economic rationalism especially with making a balanced budget the programmer focusing more on the balance between social and economic aspects of Australian life. Unit 20 1. Why do you think there was strong racism against Chinese and Pacific Islanders in Australia in the late 19th century? The Chinese constituted the third largest group and were subjected to racism at many levels. They were the target of physical attacks. Pacific Islanders were kidnapped by the “Blackbirder’s”. 2. Do you think Multiculturalism enables migrants from other countries to have equality? Why? Yes. Multiculturalism was identified as comprising three areas of policy: Cultural Identity, Social Justice, Economic Efficiency. 3. Do you think the aboriginal people achieved equality after Mabo andWik decisions? Why? No. There are still many social issues of equity that need to be addressed. 4. Why does the author say“History, culture and politics, the‘ way we see’ and ‘the ways we act’, are intertwined”? The documentation of the wrongs is now a recognized part of the history of Australia. It forms part of the curriculum in schools. 5. Why do you think there are different interpretations of history? Those historians and politicians who want to “disremember”and those who want to reveal the racism that has been part of the construction of modern Australian society 加拿大unit16 1. Discuss the similarities and differences in the government systems between the United kingdom, the United States and Canada. ——Like Britain, Canada is a monarchy. Canada’s system of government is parliamentary democracy as well as the British system. The biggest differences between Canada and the UK are that Canada is a federation, which is the biggest similarity between the United States and Canada.2. What are some of the characteristics of the Canadian party system? ——Throughout most of the 20th century ,federal political power has been held by either the liberal or by the progressive conservatives. Then, regional parties began to arise. And in the last decades the political landscape has altered, with regional parties thriving and national parties failing. 3 What are some of the things that make Canada a unique and interesting country? Pierre Trudeau introduced vigorous programs to promote the use French throughout Canada . His efforts to unite the country were successful to a degree in that many Canadians became familiar with, and committed to French heritage and saw his element as one of the things that made Canada unique and interesting. 4 Who do you think the author says that Canada hasavoided the worst excesses of intolerance and prejudice? ——What Canada policy-makers have tried to do is to find peaceful and fair means to resolve complicated political issues which in so many regions of the world have led to war, bloodshed and injustice . Boring or not, Canada has avoided the worst excesses of intolerance and prejudice that have characterizes many nations Unit18 1 Comment (评论)on the sentence “As is the case in other industrialized(工业化的)countries, more Canadians now provide services than make things”. Canada has seen the export of services as being important to the world economy, and has actively pursued the liberalization(自由)of trade in services through forums(讨However, the potential 论区)like GATT(关贸总协定) and the Free Trade Agreement 。

朱永涛《英语国家社会与文化入门》...

朱永涛《英语国家社会与文化入门》...

朱永涛《英语国家社会与文化入门》...第7章英国教育体系I.Decide whether the following statements are true(T)or false(F):1.The purpose of British education is not only to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills but also to socialize children.______【答案】T【解析】英国教育的一个目的是,教授“3R”,即阅读、写作和算术三种基础科目,为学生积极参与社会提供所需的基本知识和基本技能。

教育的另一个目的是教授学生一些成为好公民所应具备的道理规范和价值观,以便能走上社会,为发达的工业化国家的经济繁荣作贡献。

2.The state seldom interferes with the decision of when,where,how and what children are taught.______ 【答案】F【解析】英国的教育体制其实对儿童接受教育的时间、方式、地点和内容都有规定,家长们自己有选择权,学校中也主要是校长进行管理。

但政府并非完全不干涉儿童的教育。

3.The enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over what should be taught in schools.______【答案】F【解析】英国教育中一个长期以来的特点是教育的不平等性。

虽然英国社会中中产阶级和工人阶级的比例基本上是一比一,但是接受教育的机会却相差很远。

公立学校和私立学校的区别,好的大学和次要大学的区别,都体现了不平等。

英国的教育体制中设有文法学校、综合学校和职业学校等。

对于课堂上教育的内容有比较清晰的界定,在这方面英国国内已形成比较统一的观念。

英语国家社会与文化入门-简答题

英语国家社会与文化入门-简答题

英语国家社会与文化入门-简答题英语国家概况课后问答题Book 1 EnglandChapter 1 Questions for Thought:1. What was the British Empire? What do you know about it? In what way is the“Empire” still felt in Britain and in the international field?Key points:1. Before the end of WWII, the British Empire was one of the most powerful empires; it enjoyed the name of ―an empire on which the sun never set‖ due to its overseas colonies on the world.2. People of the British Empire are descendents of the Anglo-Saxons.3. A system of mo narchy was observed still on today’s Britain, which went through the history.The Queen is still the Head of the Commonwealth.4. the ―Empire‖ still can be felt in the following ways:a. there are still close relationships between the UK and the fifty or more countries which used to be its former colonies, and which maintain links through a loose organization called the Commonwealth of Nations.b. it became one member of the European Union since 1973.c. the effect also lies in the makeup of the British population itself. Newly immigrants mainly came from the former colonies, speciallyfrom India and Caribbean area. d. today the Monarch represents the country in many occasions.e. class exists and lords and peers are obvious evident of the imperial past.2. Why does the author say that it is not possible to sum up the British people with a fewsimple phrases?Key points:Reasons: 1. regional differences---England, Scotland, Wales,Northern Ireland 2. racial differences 3. class differences 4. cultural differences---Highland vs Lowland 5. religious differences---protestants vs Catholics (main in Northern Ireland)3. "British history has been a history of invasion". Pleaseillustrate this point with the examples from the text. How did each of the invasions influence English culture ?Key points:When Who Where from Which part influenceconquered43 Latin-speaking Mediterranean England and Brought theAD— Roman countries Wales (not MediterraneanAD.5th Scotland or civilization,C Ireland) Christian,thAD.5 Angles and Germany Eastern and The ancestor of theC Saxons Southern Britain English people;—1066 (the forefathers (not Wales and King Alfred’s storyof the English; most ofthe founders of Scotland )England) mainly EnglandLate the ferocious Scandinavia Northern and The process ofth(北欧:瑞典、AD.8C Vikings Eastern England, forming a united挪威一带。

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案

Book1 Unit 11.What was the British Empire? What do you know about it? In what way is the “Empire” still felt in Britain and in the international field?The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.In the international field, Britain has great voice in politics, economy and culture and so on.2.Why impossible to sum up British people with a few simple phrases: The UK is made up of different elements. It includes 4 parts within the one nation-state. It is now a multiracial society with different religion believes. It is divided economically and it is a society with a class-structure. And within each of the four countries there are different regions. Since this country was so complicated both in history or humanity, it is impossible to sum up their people.3.A history of invasions: (1) Before the 1st century AD Britain was made up of tribal kindoms of Celtic people. They brought the central Europen culture to Britain. Then in 43AD, Roman Empire invaded Britain and controlled it forslave society but also disseminated their Catholicism. (2)However, in the 5th century, the Roman Empire rapidly waned in power and Britain was conquered by the Angles and the Saxons. In order to defend the Saxons, a great leader—King Arthur appeared. He created the "round table" to satisfy all the knights' requirement of having equal precedence. Thus it gradually formed the monarchy in Britain as a more democratic system. Whether Arthur's a real person in the history or not, Anglo-Saxons did succeed in invading Britain and they were the forefathers of the English. (3)In the 8th century, the Vikings from Denmark controlled the nothern and eastern England. A Anglo-Saxon herio, king Alfred the Great fought against the vikings with the truly English. And that's why there's a certain cultural difference between northerners and southerners in England (4)Later, the Nomans from northern France, under the leading of William of Normandy, killed the king and William became the Frist of England. They imported a rulling class that French-speaking Norman aristocracy rulled Saxon and English-speaking population. In this condition, there weren't a lot of rebellions among the English people. That directly formed an English unique character: a richly unconventional interior life hidden by an external conformity. Even today, we can still find this personality from the British people through their lifestyles.How did they influence culture:[接着上边一起看] (2) a lot of stories of King Arthur, which brought a lot of singers, poets, novelists and filmmakers. Places associated with his legend. Round table was ween as an indicator of the way inwhich the English have wished to see their monarch as something other than a remote dictator. (3)anglo-saxon invaders were the forefathers of the English. By Vikings' settlements the Enlish heroes were truly English. There remains to this day a certain cultural divide between northerners and southerners in england. (4)Norman aristocracy ruling a largely Saxon and English-speaking population. the legend of Robin Hood.4.General characteristic of Scotland: Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area. It is also the most confident of its own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of the UK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unified state independent of the UK. (1) rugged. (2) not conquered by the Romans (3) maintain its separate political identity for more than a hundred years.(4) eager for independence.How Scotland became part of the union of Great Britain: in 1707 by agreement of the English and Scottish parliaments, Scotland joined the Union. In 1745 there was a brutal military response from the British army. The rebel army was destroyed at the battle of Culloden in northern Scotland.5.Describe Wales and the unification with Britain: (1) wales was an importantelement in Britain's industrial revolution, as it had rich coal deposits. It is successful in attracting investment from abroad. Wales has been dominated by England for longer than the other nations of the union. Despite this nearness and long-standing political integration Wales retains a powerful sense of its difference from England. (2)Wales has been dominated by England for longer than the other nations of the union. Despite this nearness and long-standing political integration Wales retains a powerful sense of its difference from England. In 1536, wales was brought legally, administratively, and politically into the UK by an act of the British parliament. This close long-standing relationship means that modern wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses --- its legal system and its education system are exactly the same as in England.6.Differences between England, Scotland and Wales in terms of cultural tradition: [书上说的比较散,建议参考festival那章的答案,这里只有一些零散的不系统的比较] (1) English character: a richly unconventional interior life hidden by an external conformity. But young people are not all stereotypes. But it is certainly true that the lifeless fronts of many english houses conceal beautiful back gardens. (2)The dream of an independent Scotland has not vanished. They are always eager for freedom. Scotland has a great tradition of innovation in the arts, philosophy and science. "Superficially fully integrated into the UK, but concealed beneath this is a still-strong Scottish identity."Some people speak Gaelic.(3)Wales is different, and one of the key markers of that diffenece is the Welsh language -- the old British Celtic tongue which is still in daily use. Modern wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses. (its legal system and education system are exactly the same as in England)Unit 21.Why is Northern Ireland so significant in the UK: Though Northern Ireland is small it is significant because of the political troubles there.Its political problem: The problem is in Northern Ireland in 1921 in southern Ireland independence from Britain, Ireland North and South following the separation of issues left over by history, mixed it with historical, political, ethnic and religious conflicts, extremely complex. Ireland’s independence, to remain under British rule within the framework of the 6 in the northern island of Ireland residents of the pro-British Protestant majority (about 51%), the Catholic nationalist minority (about 38%), as a result of the two major forces in Northern Ireland On the contrary position of ownership and lead to confrontation, conflict. [因为发现实在太难sum up了,所以就搜了一下,以下是wikipedia版本]Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter ethno-political conflict — the Troubles — which was caused by divisions between nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, andunionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom,[6] while nationalists wish for it to be politically reunited with the rest of Ireland, independent of British rule. [网络其它版本]Until 1921 the full name of the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland", because the whole island of Ireland was politically integrated with Great Britain, and had been since 1801, while Britain's domination of the Irish dated back centuries even before that date. But Irish desires for an independent Irish state were never lost, and one of the key issues in late nineteenth century British politics was a campaign in parliament for what was called "home-rule"—Irish political control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.2.Factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today: Along with the political campaign for home-rule there were groups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engaging in guerilla or terrorist activities against British institutions and the British military forces. During the First World War and immediately after, this activity increased, sometimes brutally suppressed by British forces.3.Sum up solutions to NI's political problems of different parties and groups in the UK: Margaret Thatcher's government did not give in to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death. This event revitalised the political campaign of Sinn Fein, the legal political party which supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which they called the policy of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box".4.What do you think should be the right solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland: I think they can ask the UN for help. / Keep the present status. Turn to other countries for help. [自由发挥啦]Unit 31.Characteristics of the British constitutional monarchy: The monarch of the country has limited rights because of Bill of Right. For example, while the official head of state is the queen, her powers are largely traditional and symbolic. The government at national and local levels is elected by the people and governs according to British constitutional principles.How the English monarchy evolved to present constitutional monarchy: Originally the power of the monarch was largely derived from the ancient doctrine of the "divine right of kings". For a thousand years Britain has had a hereditary king or queen as the head of the state. While the King in theory had God on his side, in practice even in medieval times it was thought that he should not exercise absolute power. King John was unwilling to receive advice from prominent men, which led battles between the king and other powerful groups. Finally the king granted them a charter, named Magna Carta, of liverty and political rights. The civil war2.The civil war was rooted in a dispute over the power of the king vis-a-vis Parliament. James I and his successor Charles I both insisted on their divine right as kings. They felt Parliament had no real political right to exist, but only existed because the king allowed it to do so. It was the effort to reassert the rights of parliament that led to the civil war.English Revolution: "English Revolution" has been used to describe two different events in English history. The first was the Glorious Revolution of 1688, whereby James II was replaced by William III and Mary II as monarch and a constitutional monarchy established, was described by Whig historians as the English Revolution.[1]In the twentieth-century, however, Marxist historians used the term "English Revolution" to describe the period of the English Civil Wars and Commonwealth period (1640-1660), in which Parliament challenged King Charles I's authority, engaged in civil conflict against his forces, and executed him in 1649. This was followed by a ten-year period of bourgeois republican government, the "Commonwealth", before monarchy was restored in the shape of Charles' son, Charles II, in 1660.3.History of English parliament: Traditionally, when medieval kings wanted to raise money he would try to persuade the Great Council, a gathering of leading, wealthy barons which the kings summoned several times a year. Later kings found this group was so small that they could not make ends meet. So they widened the Great Council to include representatives of counties, cities and towns and get them to contribute. It was in this way that the Great Council came to include the House of Lords(who were summoned) and the House of Commons(representatives of communities).What role did the parliament play in the Civil War: Since James I and Charles I both thought that Parliament didn't need to exist, the Parliament was enraged. Leading politicians and church authorities asked William of Orange to replace them two. In 1689 Parliament passed the bill of Rights which ensured that the King would never be able to ignore Parliament.4.Characteristics of British constitution: Unlike many nations, Britain has no core constitutional documents.Contents: Statute laws(laws passed by Parliament); the common laws(laws which have been established through common practice in the courts); and conventions(rules and practices which do not exist legally but are nevertheless regarded as vital to the workings of government).5.Why parliament is supreme: because it alone has the power to change the terms of the Constitution. There are no legal restraints upon Parliament.Parliament's function: First, it passes laws. Second, it provides the means of carrying on the work of government by voting for taxation. Third, it scrutinises government policy, administration and expenditure. Fourth, it debates the major issues of the day.Queen/King's role: To symbolise the tradition and unity of the British state. To represent Britain at home and broad. To set standards of good citizenship and family life. She is legally head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, commander in chief of the armed forces and"supreme governor" of the Church of England.PM's role: The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party which wins the most seats in a general election. He/She chose usually around 20 MPs to become government ministers in the Cabinet. Together they carry our the functions of policy-making, the coordination of government departments and the supreme control of government.6.The House of Lords: It was below the Queen, consisting of the Lords Spiritual(who are the Archbishops and most prominent bishops of the Church of England) and the Lords Temporal(which refers to those lords who either have inherited the seat from their forefathers of they have been appointed). The lords mainly represent themselves instead of the interests of the public. It is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom's national legislature. It remains the relationship with government, debates legislation and has some power to amend or reject bills (has some legislative functions).Unit 41.Anyone who is eligible to vote can stand as an MP. It is necessary only to make a deposit of 500 pounds.Why small parties and independent candidates powerless: V oters will see it as a wasted vote because even if they were to win the seat they would be powerless in parliament against the big parties' representatives. V oting them will prevent the voters from contributing to the competition between the big parties as to which of them will form a government.2.Three big parties in the UK: the Labour party, the Conservative party, the Liberal Democrats.Similarities: Since Conservative began to have a "fartherly" sense of obligation to the less fortunate in society, they didn't dismantle principles the Labour set up. That indicates that thus the difference between the Labour and Conservative is one of degree, not an absolute.Dissimilarities: (1) Labour is a socialist party. They believe a society should be relatively equal in economic terms and that part of the role of government is to act as a "redistributive" agent. They think government should provide a range of public services, therefore high taxes. (2) Conservative is the party that spent most time in power. They are seen as the party of the individual, protecting individual's right to acquire wealth and to spend it how they choose, therefore low taxes. (3) Liberal Democrats is a party of the "middle", occupying theideological ground between the two main parties. They are comparatively flexible and pragmatic in their balance of the individual and the social.3.Recent political trends [注意下一小问]: (1) Conservatives won the election under their leader Margaret Thatcher in the 1970s. During that time the economy did badly, with high inflation and low growth. (2) she dismissed being "fartherly", encourages entrepreneurship. One of the major policies was the privatisazion of nationalised industry. (3)part of the mechanism of change was a less redistributive taxation system. Tax rate were cut to allow people to keep more of what they earned.Author's opinion: The 1980s have seen British politics move to the "right", away from the "pulic" and toward the "private"; away from the "social", and toward the "individual", and all parties have had to adjust to those changes.4.How people are divided into different classes: (1) employment: manual(or blue-collar) workers usually call themselves working-class, and office(or white-collar) workers would usually call themselves middle-class. (2) cultural differences: like what newspaper they read. Working-class often read THE SUN, a newspaper with little hard news and more about soap operas, royal family and sports. Middle-class often read THE GUARDIAN, a largernewspaper with longer stories, covering national and international events. (3) education: private school or public school. (4) the UK has also retained a hereditary aristocracy. (5) the way they speak.Compare with the US and China: not similar at all. The UK has also retained a hereditary aristocracy. Among the students at the private schools attended by the upper-middle-class above would be a thin scattering of aristocratic children, who will inherit titles like baronets. This is due to Britain's different history and convention.Unit 51.Absolute decline means recession, developing in a minus speed.Relative decline means that although the UK improved, other countries developed more rapidly than the UK, which made it slid from being the second largest economy to being the sixth.Reasons: (1) The UK had gone into debt after WWII. (2) Britain spent a higher proportion of its national wealth on the military than most of its competitors. (Joining NATO and UN Security Council) (3)The era of empire was over. Former colonial countries announced independence, leaving Britain as a medium-size Euporean country. (4)Britain's industry survived comparatively unaffected, but its competitors did not. So the competitors invested in modernequipment and new products while British industry still continue with older ones. (5) Low rates of investment. The UK lacks a close relationship between industry and banks due to its history. A low rate of domestic industrial investment coupled with a very high rate of overseas investment.2.What did the conservative party under Mrs. Thatcher promise to do to the UK national economy in 1979: A radical programme of reform.What was her radical reform programme: Bureaucracy was reduced, (foreign exchange controls were lifted, rules governing banks loosened, for example). Throughout the 1980s an extensive programme of privatisation was carried out.Was is successful: It seemed in some ways to be successful in that inflation came under control, and business made profits. The negative aspect was a rapid increase in unemployment. The national economy as a whole continued to grow at lower rates than its competitors.3.Main areas in national economies: Primary industries such as agriculture, fishing and mining; secondary industries which manufacture complex goods from those primary products; tertiary/service industries such as banking, insurance, tourism and the retailing.Development of each: (1) agricultural sector is small but efficient. Energy production is an important part of the UK economy. (2)in the secondary sector, manufacturing industry remains important, producing 22% of national wealth.(3)tertiary or service industries produce 65% of national wealth.4.Why relatively shrinking of the important secondary industry and a spectacular growth in tertiary or service industries: A lot of the tertiary or service industries is domestic activity, accounting for about 10% of the world's exports of such services. 70% of the UK's workforce are employed in the service sector.Compare tertiary industries in China in the past 20 years or so: Chinese tertiary industries didn't grow as fast as the UK, though the portion was increasing.How is this growth related to the reform and opening up to the outside world: China was famous for the name of "world factory", which means Chinese workforces can produce products at low paid. China is a developing country, experiencing the transfer of manufacturing is reasonable. However, as China is developing, wages of workforces are also increasing. Comparing to India, we may lose our "advantage" gradually.Unit 6Why Geoffrey Chaucer's work written in Middle English can still read and studied today: It is notable for its diversity, both in the range of social types amongst the 31pilgrims, and the range in style of the stories they tell.2.Do you think Elizabethan Drama occupies a significant position in British literature: Yes. Elizabethan drama, and Shakespeare in particular, is considered to be among the earliest work to display a "modern" perception of the world: full of moral doubts and political insecurities, where the right of those who wield power to do so is put in question.The most important figure in Elizabethan Drama: William ShakespeareSome of his well-known plays: (tragedies)Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth; (comedies)The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, the Tempest; (history plays)Richard III, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V jJulius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra.3.Some of the features of Romantic Literature: writers of romantic literature are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power of reason.Modernism: it refers to a form of literature mainly written before WWII. It is characterized by a high degree of experimentation. It can be seen as a reaction against the 19th century forms of Realism. Modernist writers express the difficulty they see in understanding and communicating how the world works.Often they seem disorganized, hard to understand. It often portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the action.Postmodernism: After WWII. Postmodernist can be thought of as abandoning the search of buried meaning below confusing surfaces.Examples to illustrate: (modernist) Virginia Woolf "Mrs.Dalloway""to the Lighthouse""Orlando"; wrence "Sons and Lovers" and E.M.Forster "a Passage to India"; (postmodernist)George Orwell "1984", John Fowles "the French Lieutenant's woman"Book I Unit 7, British Education System1.What are the purposes of the British education system? Please comment onthese purposes. What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system?Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations?Schools in Britain do not just teach the students 3 Rs, (reading, writing andarithmetic), but to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society.2.How does the British education system reflect social class?Firstly, in Britain, the school you attend can refer to your social status.And the school tie is a clear market of social class,3.What are the major changes that have taken place since World War II? IsBritish education moving towards more progress or more equality? Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.1)The old education system has disrupted due to the war. So with the help of thechurch and newly powerful trade unions began to reconstruct a new education system.2)The new system emphasizes equality. 1944 education act made entry tosecondary schools and universities meritocratic. Children would be able admitted to schools not because they were of a certain social class or because their parents possessed a certain amount of money, but because of the abilities they displayed. All children were given right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education.3)1989, a national curriculum was introduced by the government.4.Why does the author say that universities in Britain have rather elitist?Most students in British universities are from the middle classes, attend good schools, perform well in their A-levels and receive a fully-funded place in a university. And when they graduate, they can become very influential in banking, the media, the arts, education or even the government.5.What is the Open University in Britain? What do you think of this system?The opening university offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can register without having any formal educational qualifications. They follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centre.I think the system has been quite successful. Thanks to the system, tens ofthousands of Britons, from various statuses attend the Open University each year. And this has improve the equality in Britain’s high education.Unit 8 British Foreign Relations1.What and how did the British Empire end? How did the Britain react to thisreality? How did the end of British imperialism influence the psychology of the British and the making of Britain’s fo reign policy?1)After the World War II the British could no longer afford to maintain its empire;while Britain had won the war, it had paid a terrible price in terms of lives and in terms of economic destruction. And the British realized that countries should be granted the independence and left to run their own affairs. People and territory should not just be treated as a source of economic resources for theruling centers of commerce in Europe.2)Many people are still alive who can remember when Britain was one of themost powerful and rich nations on earth. It is sometimes hard to think about Britain as it really is today.3)Because Britain lost its empire so recently, british policy makers frequentlyforget that Britain is not as influential as it used to be in world affairs.Historians argue that the British foreign policy makers retain very conservative and traditional views of Britain’s role as a world power and point to many major foreign policy decisions as examples.2.What are the foundations of Britain’s foreign policy?It is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits.Britain’s imperial history made the policy maker very conservative and traditional.And its geopolitical traits created a sense of psychological isolation in its inhabitants. And as Britain is an island state, it naturally developed as a nation of seafarers who roamed the globe looking for territory and economic opportunities.3.How is Britain’s foreign policy made? Does the government’s foreign policyrepresent the desires of British citizen?1)The prime minister and cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain’sforeign policy. The main government department involved is of course the。

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案(1)

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案(1)

英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案(1)英语国家社会与文化入门课后题答案1. 解释“文化冲击”和“文化适应”的概念。

文化冲击指文化差异所造成的任何程度的压力和不适。

在一个陌生的文化环境中,个体会经历很多像语言、衣着和饮食等方面的文化“冲击”,这可能会导致个体的身体和心理不适和社交疏离。

文化适应是指在一个新的文化环境中操作,并学会新的社会和文化规则。

文化适应不仅是个人的认知过程,也是行为的过程,最终形成一种文化心理和行为的自然界面。

2. 解释英国的名誉制度。

英国的名誉制度是指对某人的指控需通过证明才可认定。

在官方调查之前,在英国的名誉制下,个人指控不会公开,而那些可能被指责为犯罪的人被规定为有罪直到他们可以证明自己无罪。

名誉制度也指一种不断演变中的鸡尾酒策略,其中法律、社会和政治活动以一种复杂的相互作用的方式交织在一起,用来管理各类诉讼和纠纷。

3. 简要介绍美国联邦政府的三个分支。

美国联邦政府的三个分支是行政、立法和司法。

行政权掌握在总统手中,主管美国内政和外交。

美国国会作为立法分支,由参议院和众议院组成,主要负责制定法律和监管政府的行为。

最后,司法部门由联邦最高法院、上诉法院、地区法院等组成,负责审查和解决民事和刑事案件。

4. 什么是美国独立宣言?它对美国社会发展的影响是什么?美国独立宣言是一份具有历史意义的文件,宣布了美国从英国独立,并确立了一份短暂而概括的自由宣言。

独立宣言中包括了人权、民主、平等、自由、权利等观念,影响了美国社会的发展。

独立宣言被认为是美国政治体系中未经修改的基本文件,并为美国社会的社会学和道德观制定了标准,也对全球社会产生了重要影响。

5. 解释加拿大多文化主义概念。

加拿大多文化主义认为,加拿大社会中有很多不同的文化,这些文化之间有所不同,但互相支持。

多文化主义是基于多元文化的,认为构建一个多元的社会体系会为人们的文化奉献和文化多样性带来更大的欣赏和理解。

民族和文化的多样性作为一个统一和可视化的文化艺术成功,使加拿大从多种文化背景中汲取最佳的技能和知识。

英语国家概况试题及答案

英语国家概况试题及答案

英语国家概况试题及答案一、选择题(每题2分,共20分)1. 英语是以下哪个国家的官方语言?A. 中国B. 法国C. 美国D. 巴西答案:C2. 英国的首都是哪里?A. 伦敦B. 巴黎C. 柏林D. 罗马答案:A3. 英语国家中,哪个国家是英联邦的创始成员?A. 美国B. 加拿大C. 澳大利亚D. 新西兰答案:B4. 英语中“Thank you”的意思是:A. 不客气B. 你好C. 谢谢D. 对不起答案:C5. 英语中“Good morning”通常用于:A. 晚上B. 早上C. 中午D. 下午答案:B6. 英语国家中,哪个国家以英语为第二语言?A. 印度B. 中国C. 法国D. 德国答案:A7. 英语中“Please”的意思是:A. 谢谢B. 请C. 对不起D. 再见答案:B8. 英语国家中,哪个国家位于南半球?A. 美国B. 加拿大C. 澳大利亚D. 英国答案:C9. 英语中“Excuse me”通常用于:A. 问路B. 打招呼C. 道歉D. 道别答案:A10. 英语国家中,哪个国家以英语为母语?A. 美国B. 加拿大C. 澳大利亚D. 所有选项答案:D二、填空题(每题1分,共10分)1. 英语国家中,_______(美国)是最大的英语使用国。

2. 英语是_______(联合国)的工作语言之一。

3. 英语国家中,_______(英国)是英语的发源地。

4. 英语国家中,_______(加拿大)的官方语言包括英语和法语。

5. 英语中,表示“再见”的常用语是_______(Goodbye)。

6. 英语国家中,_______(澳大利亚)的首都是堪培拉。

7. 英语国家中,_______(新西兰)位于太平洋地区。

8. 英语中,表示“不用谢”的常用语是_______(You're welcome)。

9. 英语国家中,_______(南非)是非洲唯一以英语为官方语言的国家。

10. 英语中,表示“请稍等”的常用语是_______(Just a moment)。

英语国家社会与文化入门上册答案

英语国家社会与文化入门上册答案

英语国家社会与文化入门上册答案英语国家社会与文化入门上册答案【篇一:英语国家社会与文化入门上册第三版】p> 1、britain is no longer an imperial(帝国) country(t)2、the commonwealth(英联邦)of nations includes all european countries(f)3、1 in 10 of the british population are of non-european ethnicity(种族)(f)4、the stereotype(刻板印象)of the english gentleman never applied to the majority of the british people(t)5、when people outside the uk talk about england, they mistake it as britain sometimes(t)6、the scots and welsh(苏格兰和威尔士)have a strong sense of being british(f)7、scotland(苏格兰) was never conquered by the romans (罗马人)(t)8、most people in scotland speak the celtic(凯尔特)language, called “gaelic”(f)9、scotland was unified with england through peacefulmeans(t)10、wales(威尔士) is rich in coal(煤炭) deposits(存款)(t)11、cardiff(卡迪夫), the capital of wales, is a large city(f)12、the title of prince(王子) of wales is held by a held by a welsh according to tradition(f) 第二单元1、ireland is part of great britain(f)2、“ulster(阿尔斯特)”, referring to northern ireland, was once an ancient irish kingdom(王国)(t)3、the capital of belfast(贝尔法斯特) is a large city with halfa million people(f)4、northern ireland is significant(重要的)because of its manufacturing(制造业) industry(f)5、the majority of irish people were descendants(后代) of the original celtic(凯尔特)people who inhabited british isles (群岛) before the romans arrived 2000 years ago(t)6、most british people are protestants(新教徒) while most irish people are catholics(天主教徒)(t)7、the british government does not have direct rule from london over northern ireland(t)8、sinn fein(新芬党)is a legal political party in northern ireland(t)9、the anglo-irish(岗格鲁-爱尔兰)agreement of 1985 guaranteed the loyalist(政府军) protestant community(社区)their to decide their future in northern ireland(t)10、the good friday agreement(协议) was approved on 10 april 1998(t)11、northern ireland today is governed by separate jurisdictions(司法管辖区): thatf republic(共和国)of ireland that of great britain(f)第三单元1、it is no doubt that britain is the oldest representative democracy(民主) in the world(f)2、in britain, the process of state-building(国家建设) has been one of evolution rather than revolution, contrast to france and the us(与法国和美国相比)(t)3、the oldest institution(机构) of government in britain isthe monarchy(君主政体)(t)4、the divine(神圣的)right of the king means the sovereign (主权) derived(派生的) his authority(权威) fromhis subjects(主题)(f)5、as the king in theory had god on his side, it was thoughtthat he should exercise absolute(绝对) power(f)6、the term “parliament(议会)” was first officially used in 1066 to describe the gathering of feudal barons(封建贵族)and representatives from counties and towns(f)7、britain is both a parliamentary democracy(议会民主制)and a constitutional monarchy(君主立宪制)(t)8、britain, like israel, has a written constitution of the sort which most countries have(f)9、common laws are laws which have been established(建立)through common practice(实践) in the courts(法院)(t) 第四单元1、in the uk, a government cannot stand for longer than five years except in exceptional circumstances(情况下)(t)2、anyone who is eligible(符合条件的)to vote with 500 pounds as deposit(存款) can stand as an mp(国会议员)(f)3、each main party is given some time on national tv to “sell” their policies. the time is not given free and has to be paid by the party(t)4、the amount spent in national campaign(运动)is not limited other than that on tv(f)5、secrecy(保密)is not an important part of the voting process(t)6、there are two major national parties in the u.k. according to the text(f)7、liberal democratic(自由民主) party is the newest of the major national parties(f)8、children from the upper-middle-class(中上层阶级)usually have a better education than those from the working or middle-class(t)9、the majority of middle-class people today have working class parents or grandparents(t)10、one of the distinctive features(独特的特征) about the british class-system is that it has also retained(保留) a hereditary aristocracy(世袭的贵族)(t)11、the majority of britain’s recent immigrants have mainly come from north asia(北亚)and caribbean(加勒比)countries(f)12、most immigrants earn a living by opening restaurants or becoming musicians(f)13、the majority have problems of unemployment publishedits household energy management strategy(家庭能源管理策略)(t)14、on march 2, 2010, the british government publish its household energy management strategy(t)15、on december 27, 2009 the tn climate(气候)change conference was held in copenhagen(t)16、according to the kyoto protocol(京都议定书), the government has agreed that the uk will meet tough targets(艰难的目标) to reduce carbon emissions incrementally(增量)between now and 2020(f)第五单元1、by the 1880’s the british economy was dominant(主导)in the world(t)2、both the us and canada overtook britain in economy by 1900(f)3、by the end of world war ii, britain had gone heavily into debt(债务) in order to develop its manufacturing industry andborrowed large amounts from the us and france(f)4、another reason for british decline is the loss of its colonies (殖民地), especially india, which gained its independence in 1947(t)5、in the 1970s, with the soaring(飙升的) price of oil and high rates of inflation(通货膨胀), britain went through a bad period. in 1979, the labour party had to step down(下台)from the government (t)6、the leader of the conservatives(保守派), margaret thatcher(玛格丽特-撒切尔)started a series of reforms. an extensive(广泛的)programme of privatization(私有的)was carriedout, and she was successful in an all-round(全面的) way (f) 7、tertiary(三级)industries include banking, insurance(保险), tourism(旅游), agriculture and the selling of goods (f)8、britain has a large sector(部门) of agriculture producing 11.6% of its national wealth (f)9、according to the text, the tertiary(三级)industry produces approximately(大约)two-thirds of the national wealth (t)10、the service industry in the uk employs 70% of the total work force (t)11、as a member of the world trade organization, the uk is playing a very important role in the world trade (t)12、the uk is the third biggest international investor(投资者)in the world (f)第六单元1、much early british literature was concerned with christianity(基督教), and anglo-saxons(盎格鲁-撒克逊人)produced many versions(版本) of the bible(圣经) (t)2、beowulf(贝奥武夫) was a sea monster(海怪) killed bya swedish warrior(瑞典战士) (f)3、“the wife of bath(浴的妻子)” is one of the tales(故事)contained in the canterbury tales(坎特伯雷故事集) (t)4、there was a general flowering of culture and intellectual (知识) life in europe during the 17th and 18th century which is known as “the renaissance(文艺复兴时期)” (f)6、keats, shelley and byron(济慈、雪莱和拜伦) brought the romantic movement(浪漫主义运动) to its height (t)7、robinson crusoe(鲁宾逊漂流记)tells the story of a shipwreck and solitary survival(海难和孤独的生存) (t)8、writers of romantic literature(浪漫主义文化)are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power of reason (t)第七单元1、the purpose of british education is not only to provide children with literacy(读写能力) and the other basic skills but also to socialize(社交) children (t)2、the state seldom interferes(干扰) with the decision of when, where, how and what children are taught (f)3、the enduring feature(持久特征) of british education is the continuing debate over what should be taught in schools (f)4、the 1944 education act made entry to secondary schools (中学)and universities “meritocratic(精英)” (t)5、public schools are part of the national education system and funded by the government (f)6、british universities are public bodies which receive funds from central government (t)7、all secondary schools in britain are run and supervised (监督) by the government (t)8、in oxford and cambridge the ba converts to an ma several years later, upon payment of a fee (t)9、independent schools get money mainly through the private sector(部门) and tuition(学费)rates, with some government support (t)10、grammar schools select children at the age of 11 and provide them with a general education (f)第八单元1、when the second world war ended, britain no longer wasthe largest military(军事) power in western europe (f)2、the uk was awarded(授予) a seat on the un(联合国)security council(安理会)in recognition(识别)of its contribution in setting up the united nations (f)3、according to the text, the most important single factorwhich influences british policy-maker is its history (t)4、the prime minister and cabinet(内阁)decide on the general direc tion of britain’s foreign policy (t)5、the main government department involved is the foreignand commonwealth office(外交和联邦事务部)(fco) (t)6、britain is a parliamentary monarch(议会君主) (f)7、there are about 60 members of the commonwealth(英联邦)(f)8、the british host a large american military(军事)presence and there are 63 american military bases in the uk (t)9、britain is not a member of the nato(北约)due to its disagreement with some european countries on defence policy (f)第九单元1、on an average day, an overwhelming(压倒性的)majorityof britons over the age of 15 red a nation or local paper(报纸)(t)2、the british media play an important role in shaping(塑造)a national culture (t)3、in the late seventeenth and early 18th century, as thebritish economy began to industrialise, and as literacy levels rose through the introduction of mass education, more and newspapers began to appear (f)4、free press has the function of keeping an eye on the government, and therefore it is called the watchdog(监管机构)of parliamentary democracy(议会民主制) (t)5、the advertising code(广告代码)ensures that advertisements are legal, decent(体面地), honest and truthful; have a sense of responsibility for consumer and society; and respect the principles of fair competition(竞争)(t)6、it is incorrect to say that class and educational differences are reflected in the newspapers people read (f)7、the telegraph readers, for example, will be soft on crime(犯罪), be quite feminist(女权主义)and interested in green politics (f)8、the tabloids(小报) are smaller format(格式)newspapers with colour photos and catchy headlines(吸引人的标题). they are often called “the gutter press(黄色小报)” (t) 9、the british broadcasting corporation is funded by licence (许可证) fees and viewers must buy a licence each year for their tv set (t)10、the bbc(英国广播公司) world service, the internationalbranch of the bbc, broadcasts in english and 42 other languages throughout the world (t)第十单元1、the tradition of having sunday off derived from(来自)the christian church(基督教堂)(t)2、the origin of bowling(打保龄球)lies in the victory celebration ceremony(仪式) by the ancient warriors (t)3、tennis(网球) is usually regarded as a winter and spring sport (f)4、the game of golf was invented by the scottish(苏格兰)(t)5、the animal-lovers’ groups would like to have horse racing banned(禁止) (t)6、easter(复活节)is the biggest and best loved british holiday (f)7、christmas pantomime(哑剧)is one of the three christmas traditions that are particularly british (t)8、it is commonly believed that boxing day involves the sport of boxing (f)9、the biggest bonfire night(篝火之夜) celebration is held in london (f)10、in ireland, new year’ eve called hogma除夕)(december 31st) is the major winter celebration (t)选择题第一单元1、which of the following is not considered a characteristic of london? (d/the sports centre)2、which of the following is not true about the characteristics of britain? (b/differences of social systemsbetween scotland and wales(威尔士))3、which of the following is not true about britain? (d/it used to be one of the superpowers in the world)4、three of the following are characteristics of london. which of the four is the exception? (c/london is not only the largest city in britain, but also the largest in the world)5、the tower of london, a historical sight, located in the centre of london, was built by (d/william the conqueror)6、who were the ancestors of the english and the founders of england? (a/the anglo-saxons(盎格鲁-撒克逊人))7、which is the largest city in scotland? (c/glasgow(格拉斯哥))8、why did the scottish kings decide to form an independent singular scottish(奇异的苏格兰)state in the century? (a/they needed a unified independent nation to fight against viking raids (维京人袭击))9、where do the majority of people in scotland live? (b/in the lowlands(低地))10、which of the following statements is not true? (b/wales was occupied by the anglo-saxons(盎格鲁-撒克逊人))11、which of the following parties in scotland still wants an independent scotland? (c/the scottish nationalist(民族主义)party)12、when did scotland join the union by agreement of the english and scottish parliaments(议会)?(d/in 1701)13、llywelyn ap gruffudd is not a simple historical figure forthe welsh. he is almost considered the legendary(传奇)hero of welsh nationalism because (d/he unified wales as an independent nation)第二单元1、in the 17th century the english government encouraged people from scotland and northern england to emigrate to the north of ireland, because (a/they wanted to increase its control over ireland)【篇二:英语国家社会与文化入门_上册_翻译】united kingdom 该国,我们正在研究的全称是大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。

英语国家社会与文化入门 课后题答案之欧阳生创编

英语国家社会与文化入门 课后题答案之欧阳生创编

Book1 Unit 1时间:2021.02.08 创作人:欧阳生1.What was the British Empire? What do you know about it? In what way is the “Empire” still felt in Britain and in the international field?The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.In the international field, Britain has great voice in politics, economy and culture and so on.2.Why impossible to sum up British people with a few simple phrases: The UK is made up of different elements. It includes 4 parts within the one nation-state. It is now a multiracial society with different religion believes. It is divided economically and it is a society with a class-structure. And within each of the four countries there are different regions. Since this country was so complicated both in history or humanity, it is impossible to sum up their people. 3.A history of invasions: (1) Before the 1st century AD Britain was made up of tribal kindoms of Celtic people. They brought the central Europen culture to Britain. Then in 43AD, Roman Empire invaded Britain and controlled it for slave society but also disseminated their Catholicism. (2)However, in the 5th century, the Roman Empire rapidly waned in power and Britain was conquered by the Angles and the Saxons. In order to defend the Saxons, a great leader—King Arthur appeared. He created the "round table" to satisfy all the knights' requirement of having equal precedence. Thus it gradually formed the monarchy in Britain as a more democratic system. Whether Arthur's a real person in the history or not, Anglo-Saxons did succeed in invading Britain and they were the forefathers of the English. (3)In the 8th century, the Vikings from Denmark controlled the nothern and eastern England. A Anglo-Saxon herio, king Alfred the Great fought against the vikings with the truly English. And that's why there's a certain cultural difference between northerners and southerners in England (4)Later, the Nomans from northern France, under the leading of William of Normandy, killed the king and William became the Frist of England. They imported a rulling class that French-speaking Norman aristocracy rulled Saxon and English-speaking population. In this condition, there weren't a lot of rebellions among the English people. That directly formed an English unique character: arichly unconventional interior life hidden by an external conformity. Even today, we can still find this personality from the British people through their lifestyles.How did they influence culture:[接着上边一起看] (2) a lot of stories of King Arthur, which brought a lot of singers, poets, novelists and filmmakers. Places associated with his legend. Round table was ween as an indicator of the way in which the English have wished to see their monarch as something other than a remote dictator.(3)anglo-saxon invaders were the forefathers of the English. By Vikings' settlements the Enlish heroes were truly English. There remains to this day a certain cultural divide between northerners and southerners in england. (4)Norman aristocracy ruling a largely Saxon and English-speaking population. the legend of Robin Hood. 4.General characteristic of Scotland: Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area. It is also the most confident of its own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of the UK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unified state independent of the UK. (1) rugged. (2) not conquered by the Romans (3) maintain its separate political identity for more than a hundred years.(4) eager for independence.How Scotland became part of the union of Great Britain: in 1707 byagreement of the English and Scottish parliaments, Scotland joined the Union. In 1745 there was a brutal military response from the British army. The rebel army was destroyed at the battle of Culloden in northern Scotland.5.Describe Wales and the unification with Britain: (1) wales was an important element in Britain's industrial revolution, as it had rich coal deposits. It is successful in attracting investment from abroad. Wales has been dominated by England for longer than the other nations of the union. Despite this nearness and long-standing political integration Wales retains a powerful sense of its difference from England. (2)Wales has been dominated by England for longer than the other nations of the union. Despite this nearness and long-standing political integration Wales retains a powerful sense of its difference from England. In 1536, wales was brought legally, administratively, and politically into the UK by an act of the British parliament. This close long-standing relationship means that modern wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses --- its legal system and its education system are exactly the same as in England.6.Differences between England, Scotland and Wales in terms of cultural tradition: [书上说的比较散,建议参考festival那章的答案,这里只有一些零散的不系统的比较] (1) English character: a richly unconventional interior life hidden by an external conformity. But young people are not all stereotypes. But it is certainly true that the lifeless fronts of many english houses conceal beautiful back gardens. (2)The dream of an independent Scotland has not vanished. They are always eager for freedom. Scotland has a great tradition of innovation in the arts, philosophy and science. "Superficially fully integrated into the UK, but concealed beneath this is a still-strong Scottish identity." Some people speak Gaelic.(3)Wales is different, and one of the key markers of that diffenece is the Welsh language -- the old British Celtic tongue which is still in daily use. Modern wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses. (its legal system and education system are exactly the same as in England)Unit 21.Why is Northern Ireland so significant in the UK: Though Northern Ireland is small it is significant because of the political troubles there.Its political problem: The problem is in Northern Ireland in 1921 in southern Ireland independence from Britain, Ireland North and South following the separation of issues left over by history, mixed it with historical, political, ethnic and religious conflicts, extremelycomplex. Ireland’s independence, to remain under British rule within the framework of the 6 in the northern island of Ireland residents of the pro-British Protestant majority (about 51%), the Catholic nationalist minority (about 38%), as a result of the two major forces in Northern Ireland On the contrary position of ownership and lead to confrontation, conflict. [因为发现实在太难sum up了,所以就搜了一下,以下是wikipedia版本]Northern Ireland was for many years the site of a violent and bitter ethno-political conflict — the Troubles — which was caused by divisions between nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, and unionists, who are predominantly Protestant. Unionists want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom,[6] while nationalists wish for it to be politically reunited with the rest of Ireland, independent of British rule. [网络其它版本]Until 1921 the full name of the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland", because the whole island of Ireland was politically integrated with Great Britain, and had been since 1801, while Britain's domination of the Irish dated back centuries even before that date. But Irish desires for an independent Irish state were never lost, and one of the key issues in late nineteenth century British politics was a campaign in parliament for what was called "home-rule"—Irish political control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, butthe process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.2.Factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today: Along with the political campaign for home-rule there were groups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engaging in guerilla or terrorist activities against British institutions and the British military forces. During the First World War and immediately after, this activity increased, sometimes brutally suppressed by British forces.3.Sum up solutions to NI's political problems of different parties and groups in the UK: Margaret Thatcher's government did not give in to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death. This event revitalised the political campaign of Sinn Fein, the legal political party which supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which they called the policy of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box".4.What do you think should be the right solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland: I think they can ask the UN for help. / Keep the present status. Turn to other countries for help. [自由发挥啦]Unit 31.Characteristics of the British constitutional monarchy: The monarch of the country has limited rights because of Bill of Right. For example, while the official head of state is the queen, her powers are largely traditional and symbolic. The government at national and local levels is elected by the people and governs according to British constitutional principles.How the English monarchy evolved to present constitutional monarchy: Originally the power of the monarch was largely derived from the ancient doctrine of the "divine right of kings". For a thousand years Britain has had a hereditary king or queen as the head of the state. While the King in theory had God on his side, in practice even in medieval times it was thought that he should not exercise absolute power. King John was unwilling to receive advice from prominent men, which led battles between the king and other powerful groups. Finally the king granted them a charter, named Magna Carta, of liverty and political rights. The civil war2.The civil war was rooted in a dispute over the power of the king vis-a-vis Parliament. James I and his successor Charles I both insisted on their divine right as kings. They felt Parliament had noreal political right to exist, but only existed because the king allowed it to do so. It was the effort to reassert the rights of parliament that led to the civil war.English Revolution: "English Revolution" has been used to describe two different events in English history. The first was the Glorious Revolution of 1688, whereby James II was replaced by William III and Mary II as monarch and a constitutional monarchy established, was described by Whig historians as the English Revolution.[1]In the twentieth-century, however, Marxist historians used the term "English Revolution" to describe the period of the English Civil Wars and Commonwealth period (1640-1660), in which Parliament challenged King Charles I's authority, engaged in civil conflict against his forces, and executed him in 1649. This was followed by a ten-year period of bourgeoisrepublican government, the "Commonwealth", before monarchy was restored in the shape of Charles' son, Charles II, in 1660.3.History of English parliament: Traditionally, when medieval kings wanted to raise money he would try to persuade the Great Council, a gathering of leading, wealthy barons which the kings summoned several times a year. Later kings found this group was so small that they could not make ends meet. So they widened the Great Councilto include representatives of counties, cities and towns and get them to contribute. It was in this way that the Great Council came to include the House of Lords(who were summoned) and the House of Commons(representatives of communities).What role did the parliament play in the Civil War: Since James I and Charles I both thought that Parliament didn't need to exist, the Parliament was enraged. Leading politicians and church authorities asked William of Orange to replace them two. In 1689 Parliament passed the bill of Rights which ensured that the King would never be able to ignore Parliament.4.Characteristics of British constitution: Unlike many nations, Britain has no core constitutional documents.Contents: Statute laws(laws passed by Parliament); the common laws(laws which have been established through common practice in the courts); and conventions(rules and practices which do not exist legally but are nevertheless regarded as vital to the workings of government).5.Why parliament is supreme: because it alone has the power to change the terms of the Constitution. There are no legal restraints upon Parliament.Parliament's function: First, it passes laws. Second, it provides themeans of carrying on the work of government by voting for taxation. Third, it scrutinises government policy, administration and expenditure. Fourth, it debates the major issues of the day. Queen/King's role: To symbolise the tradition and unity of the British state. To represent Britain at home and broad. To set standards of good citizenship and family life. She is legally head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, commander in chief of the armed forces and "supreme governor" of the Church of England.PM's role: The Prime Minister is the leader of the political party which wins the most seats in a general election. He/She chose usually around 20 MPs to become government ministers in the Cabinet. Together they carry our the functions of policy-making, the coordination of government departments and the supreme control of government.6.The House of Lords: It was below the Queen, consisting of the Lords Spiritual(who are the Archbishops and most prominent bishops of the Church of England) and the Lords Temporal(which refers to those lords who either have inherited the seat from their forefathers of they have been appointed). The lords mainly represent themselves instead of the interests of the public. It is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the UnitedKingdom's national legislature. It remains the relationship with government, debates legislation and has some power to amend or reject bills (has some legislative functions).Unit 41.Anyone who is eligible to vote can stand as an MP. It is necessary only to make a deposit of 500 pounds.Why small parties and independent candidates powerless: Voters will see it as a wasted vote because even if they were to win the seat they would be powerless in parliament against the big parties' representatives. Voting them will prevent the voters from contributing to the competition between the big parties as to which of them will form a government.2.Three big parties in the UK: the Labour party, the Conservative party, the Liberal Democrats.Similarities: Since Conservative began to have a "fartherly" sense of obligation to the less fortunate in society, they didn't dismantle principles the Labour set up. That indicates that thus the difference between the Labour and Conservative is one of degree, not an absolute.Dissimilarities: (1) Labour is a socialist party. They believe a society should be relatively equal in economic terms and that part of therole of government is to act as a "redistributive" agent. They think government should provide a range of public services, therefore high taxes. (2) Conservative is the party that spent most time in power. They are seen as the party of the individual, protecting individual's right to acquire wealth and to spend it how they choose, therefore low taxes. (3) Liberal Democrats is a party of the "middle", occupying the ideological ground between the two main parties. They are comparatively flexible and pragmatic in their balance of the individual and the social.3.Recent political trends [注意下一小问]: (1) Conservatives won the election under their leader Margaret Thatcher in the 1970s. During that time the economy did badly, with high inflation and low growth. (2) she dismissed being "fartherly", encourages entrepreneurship. One of the major policies was the privatisazion of nationalised industry. (3)part of the mechanism of change was a less redistributive taxation system. Tax rate were cut to allow people to keep more of what they earned.Author's opinion: The 1980s have seen British politics move to the "right", away from the "pulic" and toward the "private"; away from the "social", and toward the "individual", and all parties have had to adjust to those changes.4.How people are divided into different classes: (1) employment: manual(or blue-collar) workers usually call themselves working-class, and office(or white-collar) workers would usually call themselves middle-class. (2) cultural differences: like what newspaper they read. Working-class often read THE SUN, a newspaper with little hard news and more about soap operas, royal family and sports. Middle-class often read THE GUARDIAN, a larger newspaper with longer stories, covering national and international events. (3) education: private school or public school. (4) the UK has also retained a hereditary aristocracy. (5) the way they speak. Compare with the US and China: not similar at all. The UK has also retained a hereditary aristocracy. Among the students at the private schools attended by the upper-middle-class above would be a thin scattering of aristocratic children, who will inherit titles like baronets. This is due to Britain's different history and convention.Unit 51.Absolute decline means recession, developing in a minus speed. Relative decline means that although the UK improved, other countries developed more rapidly than the UK, which made it slid from being the second largest economy to being the sixth. Reasons: (1) The UK had gone into debt after WWII. (2) Britainspent a higher proportion of its national wealth on the military than most of its competitors. (Joining NATO and UN Security Council) (3)The era of empire was over. Former colonial countries announced independence, leaving Britain as a medium-size Euporean country. (4)Britain's industry survived comparatively unaffected, but its competitors did not. So the competitors invested in modern equipment and new products while British industry still continue with older ones. (5) Low rates of investment. The UK lacks a close relationship between industry and banks due to its history. A low rate of domestic industrial investment coupled with a very high rate of overseas investment.2.What did the conservative party under Mrs. Thatcher promise to do to the UK national economy in 1979: A radical programme of reform.What was her radical reform programme: Bureaucracy was reduced, (foreign exchange controls were lifted, rules governing banks loosened, for example). Throughout the 1980s an extensive programme of privatisation was carried out.Was is successful: It seemed in some ways to be successful in that inflation came under control, and business made profits. The negative aspect was a rapid increase in unemployment. The national economy as a whole continued to grow at lower rates thanits competitors.3.Main areas in national economies: Primary industries such as agriculture, fishing and mining; secondary industries which manufacture complex goods from those primary products; tertiary/service industries such as banking, insurance, tourism and the retailing.Development of each: (1) agricultural sector is small but efficient. Energy production is an important part of the UK economy. (2)in the secondary sector, manufacturing industry remains important, producing 22% of national wealth. (3)tertiary or service industries produce 65% of national wealth.4.Why relatively shrinking of the important secondary industry and a spectacular growth in tertiary or service industries: A lot of the tertiary or service industries is domestic activity, accounting for about 10% of the world's exports of such services. 70% of the UK's workforce are employed in the service sector.Compare tertiary industries in China in the past 20 years or so: Chinese tertiary industries didn't grow as fast as the UK, though the portion was increasing.How is this growth related to the reform and opening up to the outside world: China was famous for the name of "world factory",which means Chinese workforces can produce products at low paid. China is a developing country, experiencing the transfer of manufacturing is reasonable. However, as China is developing, wages of workforces are also increasing. Comparing to India, we may lose our "advantage" gradually.Unit 61.Why Geoffrey Chaucer's work written in Middle English can still read and studied today: It is notable for its diversity, both in the range of social types amongst the 31pilgrims, and the range in style of the stories they tell.2.Do you think Elizabethan Drama occupies a significant position in British literature: Yes. Elizabethan drama, and Shakespeare in particular, is considered to be among the earliest work to display a "modern" perception of the world: full of moral doubts and political insecurities, where the right of those who wield power to do so is put in question.The most important figure in Elizabethan Drama: William ShakespeareSome of his well-known plays: (tragedies)Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth; (comedies)The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, the Tempest; (historyplays)Richard III, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V jJulius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra.3.Some of the features of Romantic Literature: writers of romantic literature are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power of reason.4.Modernism: it refers to a form of literature mainly written before WWII. It is characterized by a high degree of experimentation. It can be seen as a reaction against the 19th century forms of Realism. Modernist writers express the difficulty they see in understanding and communicating how the world works. Often they seem disorganized, hard to understand. It often portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the action.Postmodernism: After WWII. Postmodernist can be thought of as abandoning the search of buried meaning below confusing surfaces.Examples to illustrate: (modernist) Virginia Woolf "Mrs.Dalloway""to the Lighthouse""Orlando"; wrence "Sons and Lovers" and E.M.Forster "a Passage to India"; (postmodernist)George Orwell "1984", John Fowles "the FrenchLieutenant's woman"Book I Unit 7, British Education System1.What are the purposes of the British education system? Pleasecomment on these purposes. What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system? Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations?Schools in Britain do not just teach the students 3 Rs, (reading, writing and arithmetic), but to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society.2.How does the British education system reflect social class?Firstly, in Britain, the school you attend can refer to your social status.And the school tie is a clear market of social class,3.What are the major changes that have taken place since World WarII? Is British education moving towards more progress or more equality? Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.1)The old education system has disrupted due to the war. So with thehelp of the church and newly powerful trade unions began to reconstruct a new education system.2)The new system emphasizes equality. 1944 education act madeentry to secondary schools and universities meritocratic. Childrenwould be able admitted to schools not because they were of a certain social class or because their parents possessed a certain amount of money, but because of the abilities they displayed. All children were given right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education.3)1989, a national curriculum was introduced by the government.4.Why does the author say that universities in Britain have ratherelitist?Most students in British universities are from the middle classes, attend good schools, perform well in their A-levels and receive a fully-funded place in a university. And when they graduate, they can become very influential in banking, the media, the arts, education or even the government.5.What is the Open University in Britain? What do you think of thissystem?The opening university offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can register without having any formal educational qualifications.They follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centre.I think the system has been quite successful. Thanks to the system,tens of thousands of Britons, from various statuses attend the Open University each year. And this has improve the equality in Britain’s high education.Unit 8 British Foreign Relations1.What and how did the British Empire end? How did the Britain reactto this reality? How did the end of British imperialism influence the psychology of the British and the making of Britain’s foreign policy?1)After the World War II the British could no longer afford tomaintain its empire; while Britain had won the war, it had paid a terrible price in terms of lives and in terms of economic destruction.And the British realized that countries should be granted the independence and left to run their own affairs. People and territory should not just be treated as a source of economic resources for the ruling centers of commerce in Europe.2)Many people are still alive who can remember when Britain wasone of the most powerful and rich nations on earth. It is sometimes hard to think about Britain as it really is today.3)Because Britain lost its empire so recently, british policy makersfrequently forget that Britain is not as influential as it used to be in world affairs. Historians argue that the British foreign policy makers retain very conservative and traditional views of Britai n’s role as a world power and point to many major foreign policy decisions as examples.2.What are the foundations of Britain’s foreign policy?It is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits.Britain’s imperial history made the policy maker very conservative and traditional.And its geopolitical traits created a sense of psychological isolation in its inhabitants. And as Britain is an island state, it naturally developed as a nation of seafarers who roamed the globe looking for territory and economic opportunities.3.How is Britain’s foreign policy made? Does the government’sforeign policy represent the desires of British citizen?1)The prime minister and cabinet decide on the general direction ofBritain’s foreign policy. T he main government department involved is of course the foreign and commonwealth office but many other government ministries also play a part in formulating and executing the government’s decisions.2)Since Britain is a parliamentary democracy, the governmen t’sforeign policy in theory represented the desires of its electorate , but in fact british citizens are more concerned about issues closer to home. On the whole, they are not very inclined to try to influence the direction of Britain’s foreign policy. Th ere are a number of different interest groups however, and it is interesting that rare occurrences of civil disobedience in the UK often involve。

英语国家概况试题及答案

英语国家概况试题及答案

英语国家概况试题及答案一、选择题1. 英语作为官方语言的国家不包括以下哪个国家?A. 美国B. 印度C. 澳大利亚D. 法国答案:D2. 英语国家中,哪个国家被称为“枫叶之国”?A. 英国B. 加拿大C. 美国D. 澳大利亚答案:B3. 以下哪个城市不是英语国家的首都?A. 伦敦B. 华盛顿C. 悉尼D. 巴黎答案:D二、填空题4. 英语国家中,被称为“狮子山国”的是________。

答案:斯里兰卡5. 英语国家中,_______是唯一一个位于南半球的发达国家。

答案:新西兰三、简答题6. 请简述英语国家中,英国的地理位置。

答案:英国位于欧洲大陆的西北部,由大不列颠岛、爱尔兰岛东北部以及周边的一些小岛组成。

7. 描述一下英语国家中,加拿大的气候特点。

答案:加拿大的气候多样,从太平洋沿岸的温暖湿润到大西洋沿岸的寒冷湿润,再到内陆地区的大陆性气候,不同地区气候差异显著。

四、论述题8. 分析英语国家中,美国的文化特点及其对世界文化的影响。

答案:美国是一个多元文化的国家,其文化特点包括自由、创新、包容性等。

美国文化对世界文化有着深远的影响,如好莱坞电影、流行音乐、科技产品等都在世界各地有着广泛的影响。

五、翻译题9. 将以下句子翻译成英语:英语是全球使用最广泛的语言之一。

答案:English is one of the most widely used languages in the world.10. 将以下句子翻译成中文:The United Kingdom is a countryrich in history and culture.答案:英国是一个历史悠久、文化丰富的国家。

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u n i t71 (1)What are the purposes of the British education system? (2)Please comment on these purposes. (3)What are the main purposes of the Chinese education system? (4)Are there any differences or similarities in the education of the two nations?答:(1)The purpose of the British education system is to teach children practical skills and socialize them. (2)Children learn practical skills, and the rules and values they need to become good citizens, to participate in the community, and to contribute to the economic prosperity of an advanced industrial economy. (3)The purpose of the Chinese education is to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of society. (4) In china, people think school is just about teaching children what are often called” the three R’s---“reading, writing and ‘arithmetic”(reading, writing and arithmetic).2. How does the British education reflect social class?British education reflect the deeper divisions in British society in which social class is still very important: class inequality can be erased or continued according to education policy. What’s more, the enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over how “equal” educational opportunity should be. In British, the accent you speak with, the clothes you wear, and the schools you attend are all markers that identify your social class. The school (or college)tie is a clear marker of social class. Even on informal occasions you will sometimes see men wearing their school ties as belts to hold up their trousers –proudly displaying their attendance at a certain school. In Britain, where you are educated is very important to you future.3 what are the major changes that have taken place since World war 2? Is British education moving towards more progress or more equality? Pick up some examples from the text to illustrate your points.Other major changes to the British education system were caused by world war Ⅱ。

This time, the new system would emphasize equality. The result was the 1944 Education Act which made entry to secondary schools and universities”merito cratic”. Children would be abilities they displayed. All children were given the right to a free secondary education and the main concern was to make sure more children had access to a good education. In the1960s,comprehensive schools were introduced all over the country, which ended the division between grammar schools----where the most academically capable pupils were sent to be prepared for university----and vocational school where less successful pupils were sent to learn allowed to let children "compete" for places.4. Why does the author say that universities in Britain have been rather elitist? 答:Most students were from the middle classes, attended good schools, performed well in their A-levels and received a fully-funded place in a university. In recent years, great efforts have been made to increase thenumbers of and kinds of people that pursue higher education. Access for mature students and students without traditional A-level qualifications is widening.5. (1) what is the Open University in Britain? (2)What do you think of this system?(1)The Open University offers a non-traditional route for people to take university level courses and receive a university degree. People can follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, videos, residential schools and a network of study centre.(2)It was the Open University which provided the inspiration for the founding of China’s TV and Radio University.Unit 8 British Foreign Relationsand how did the British empire end? How did the British react to this reality? How did the end of British imperialism influence the psychology of the British and the making of Britain's foreign policy?(1) The end of the great British empire was surprisingly rapid. In 1946, Jordan, in the Middle East, was granted independence. The following year, India and Pakistan followed suit. In 1948, Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) were granted independence and left the Commonwealth as well, refusing to recognise the British monarch as the head of their new states. Throughout the next few decades, the process of decolonisation continued as other territories and possessions received their independence or were returned to their rightful rulers.(2) On the one hand, the British could no longer afford to maintain its empire; while Britain had won the war, it had paid a terrible price in terms of lives and in terms of economic destruction. On the other hand, the British realized that countries should be granted the independence and left to run their own affairs. People and territory should not just be treated as a source of economic resources for the ruling centres of commerce in Europe.(3)Because the end of the British empire is so comparatively recent, many people are still alive who can remember when Britain was one of the most powerful and rich nations on earth.The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is great influenced by its imperial history. Because Britain lost its empire so recently, British policy-makers frequently forget that Britain is not as influential as it used to be in world affairs. Historians argue that the British foreign policy-makers retain very conservative and traditional views of Britain's role as a world power and point to many major foreign policy decisions as examples.2. What are the foundations of Britain's foreign policy?The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits. Perhaps the most important single factor which influences British policy-makers is its history.3. How is Britain's foreign policy made? Does the government's foreign policy represent the desires of British citizens?(1)The Prime Minister and Cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain's foreign policy. The main government department involved is of course theForeign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), but many other government ministries also play a part in formulating and executing the government's decisions.(2) Since Britain is a parliamentary democracy, the government's foreign policy in theory represents the desires of its electorate, but in fact British citizens are more concerned about issues closer to home. On the whole, they are not very inclined to try to influence the direction of Britain's foreign policy.4. Why does the author say that the decision to join the EC was and remains controversial in Britain?1)The decision to join the EEC was very controversial; and today, Britain's participation in the European Union, as it is now called, remains controversial. At the centre of the controversy is the fact that it is not clear what the European Union(EU) is and what it will become. The UK has always been very interested in encouraging free trade between countries and is therefore very supportive of the EU as a free trade area.2)However, the UK has always been less enthusiastic about giving up its national sovereignty (that is, its control over national decision-making) to a European government.5. Why does the author think that Britain has the "special relationship" with the United States? Does this relationship still exist?Another major factor which influences British foreign policy is its relationship with the United States. This was quite natural, as the two were closely allied during World War II, and continued to work together closely in the post war years because they shared many of the same worries about the Soviet Union. Even today, in many respects British and Americanpolicy-makers agree generally on, for example, how the global economy should be managed, how a warlike state should be dealt with, issues about arms control and so on.was the purpose of establishing the NATO in the author's opinion? Do you agree with him? Explain your point.1)The purpose of NATO is to protect member states against aggression, to provide a foundation for security in Europe, and to provide a form for transatlantic defence cooperation.2)We disagree with the opinion. Actually, the United States is striving to lead and dominate NATO and using it as a means to materialize its global hegemon dream.Unit 9 The British Media1. The author says that “the media” are central to British leisure culture”, why does the author say so? What are some of the similarities and differences in terms of the function between the British media and the Chinese media?(1)On an average day, 90 per cent of Britons over the age of 15 read a national or local paper. And in the evening, most Britons settle down to watch some television: 96 percent of the population watch TV at least once a week, making it Britain's most popular leisure activity. The third most popular pastime, after watching telly and reading newspapers, is listening to the radio, an activity in which 73 per cent of the population engages in on a weekly basis. It is obvious, then, that the media are central to British leisure culture.(2)In north America, there are literally scores of different channels, to watch, from homeshopping chanels to 24 hours news channels, to channels that specialise in old comedy shows. Britain, in contrast, still has a fairly conservative television culture. There are still only a limited number of television channels, and satellite TV is still not as popular or as widely available as in the United States. this limited number of television channels, and state control of ownership of such channels, helps to unify the entire country. The broadcasting act is designed to keep ownership to broadcast media widely spread so there are no concentrations of media power in the hands of a few, and foreign ownership(that is ownership outside EU)is mainly prohibited. the same legislation also contains safeguards to maintain certain standards of decency, taste, accuracy and balance.are some of the characteristics of British newspaper culture? In what way is it different from the United States?1)British newspaper culture is unusual in the extent to which class and educational differences are reflected in the newspapers people read.2)In the United States, newspaper reading is a mainly middle-class habit, but in Britain the "lower classes" are also regular readers.3. Is the British press free from the government control and censorship? What is the relationship between the British press and politics or business? The British press is not free from the government control and censorship. They influence each other mutually.1)The British press acts as a watchdog on politics, while there are some political laws (such as laws of libel and defamation and the Official Secrets Act) which limit the freedom of press as well.2)The revenue from business(like ad) makes up the bulk of most newspapers' income, and newspaper is an effective tool of promoting the business. They bring profits to each other.4. How does the BBC operate? How is it different from American broadcasting systems?vUnit10 Sports,Holidays and Festivals in Britainsome examples from the text to demonstrate how Christian church has influenced the sports and leisure activities of the BritishOne very obvious example is how Sunday—the day of the week when everyone traditionally went to church – is still the day the most people have off in the UK.is cricket very English?Why does the author believe that cricket was associated with a set of English values?1) Cricket was one of the very first team sports in Britain to have organized rules and to be played according to the same rules nationally.2) As generations of public boys grew up to become the civil servants and rulers of the UK and its colony, crickets became associated with a set of moral values, in particular the idea of “fair play” which characterized British government.do the British celebrate Christmas? In what way does this holiday and the ways of celebration in Britain reflect Western cultural tradition in general and British traditions in particular.There are three Christmas traditions which are particularly British:one is the Christmas Pantomime, another is to hear the Queen give her Christmas message, and the third one is Boxing Day.(第二小问找不到答案。

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