《英美概况》教学大纲

《英语国家概况》课程教学大纲
课程编号：B0715110
课程名称：英语国家概况
总学时：32
适用对象：英语专业本科三年级学生
先修课程：基础英语，英语口语，英语听力，英语语音，英语写作
后续课程：英美文学
一、课程性质、目标与任务
1.课程类型：必修课√□选修课□
公共课□专业基础课□专业课√□集中实践教学环节□
2.课程性质：纯实践课□纯理论课□实践为主课□理论为主课√□理实一体化□
3.课程目标及任务
《英语国家概况》是介绍英语国家社会与文化入门的一门课程。

开设本课的目的在于使学生通过学习，了解英美国家的历史、地理、社会、经济、政治、教育等方面的情况及其文化传统，内容庞杂、信息量大。

培养学生正确分析有关英美等国问题的能力，并能以正确的眼光看待世界上所发生的问题，提高学生对文化差异的敏感性、宽容性和处理文化差异的灵活性，培养学生跨文化交际能力。

把学生培养成为高素质的人才，同时又能爱祖国、热爱社会主义，致力为祖国的繁荣、发达而努力的人才，培养学生树立正确世界观。

同时，通过课文的学习和各种练习的实践，达到提高英语水平的目的。

通过比较学习不同文化中具有特殊文化涵义的词语与表达式，可以促使学生掌握一些特殊词语的深层次意义，是对词汇的学习以及翻译水平的提高的有益补充；通过开展中外文化的比较，让学生切身感受到成功的交际仅有语言是远远不够的，文
化方面的因素有时所起的作用远远大于语言本身，必将为英语学习者成功地参与国际商务活动，更有效地进行国际合作与交流打下坚实的文化基础。

二、课时分配
三、教学组织
Unit One Introduction to the UK
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 geographical features, climate
2 characteristics of the UK
3 history of the UK
4distribution of the UK’s population
[本章主要内容]：
1 geographical features, climate
2 characteristics of the UK
3 history of the UK
4distribution of the UK’s population
[本章重点]：
1 features of invasion of the UK
2 the Great Empire, gentleman
[本章难点]：
Troubles in the Northern Ireland
[本章思考题]：
1．What is gentleman?
2．The influences of the Great Empire
Unit Two The government of the UK
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 Constitutional Monarchy
2 British parliament and its functions
3 British government
[本章主要内容]：
1 Constitutional Monarchy
2 British parliament and its functions
3 British government
[本章重点]：
1 Constitutional Monarchy
2 British parliament and its functions
[本章难点]：
Constitutional Monarchy
[本章思考题]：
1．How long do you think the royal family can exist?
Unit Three Politics, class and race
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 understanding of the general election of the UK
2 social class
3 races
[本章主要内容]：
1 understanding of the general election of the UK
2 social class
3 races
[本章重点]：
1 the general election of the UK
2 multiracial society
[本章难点]：
the general election of the UK
[本章思考题]：
1．The system of general elections and its influence in the world
Unit Four The UK economy
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 understanding the position of the UK after the WW II
2. the reason of the decline
3 characteristics of British agriculture and industry
[本章主要内容]：
1 understanding the position of the UK after the WW II
2. the reason of the decline
3 characteristics of British agriculture and industry
[本章重点]：
1 the reasons for the decline
2.the trends for the British economy
[本章难点]：
the reasons for the decline he general election of the UK
[本章思考题]：
1．The privatization and reform in the economic development
Unit Five British literature
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 the history of British literature
2 writers
3 schools
4 divisions of literal periods
[本章主要内容]：
1 the history of British literature
2 writers
3 schools
4 divisions of literal periods
[本章重点]：
1 the history of British literature
2 well-known writers
[本章难点]：
divisions of literal periods
[本章思考题]：
1．Describe a writer/ a school/work you are most familiar with?
Unit Six British education system
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 the history of education
2 education systems
3 higher education
[本章主要内容]：
1 the history of education
2 education systems
3 higher education
[本章重点]：
1 the history of education
2 education systems
[本章难点]：
higher education
[本章思考题]：
1．Compare British and Chinese higher education
Unit Seven British Foreign Relations
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 UK foreign policies and their makings
2 Britain and international institutions
3 Britain and the United States
[本章主要内容]：
1 UK foreign policies and their makings
2 Britain and international institutions
3 Britain and the United States
[本章重点]：
1 UK foreign policies and their makings
2 Britain and the United States
[本章难点]：
Britain and the United States
[本章思考题]：
1．The change of British image in international world from Iraqi war
Unit Eight the British Media
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 British newspapers
2 broadcast media
3 television media
[本章主要内容]：
1 British newspapers
2 broadcast media
3 television media
[本章重点]：
1 British newspapers
2 broadcast media
[本章难点]：
British newspapers
[本章思考题]：
1．The functions of media in cultural acquisition
Unit Nine American beginnings
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 a new land
2 the settlement in Virginia
3 Puritan New England
4 Catholic Maryland
5 Quaker Pennsylvania
6 American revolution
[本章主要内容]：
1 a new land
2 the settlement in Virginia
3 Puritan New England
4 Catholic Maryland
5 Quaker Pennsylvania
6 American revolution
[本章重点]：
1 A new land
2 American revolution
[本章难点]：
American revolution
[本章思考题]：
1．How did modern development in Europe influence the settlement of North American colonies?
Unit Ten Political system in the United States
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of :
1 legislative branch
2 executive branch
3 Judicial branch
4 political parties
[本章主要内容]：
1 legislative branch
2 executive branch
3 Judicial branch
4 political parties
[本章重点]：
1 Checks and balance
2 Political parties
[本章难点]：
checks and balance
[本章思考题]：
Compare the political systems between the UK and the USA
Unit Eleven American economy
[教学目标与要求]：
understanding of:
1.industry revolution
2.free enterprise
3 . American agriculture
[本章主要内容]：
1.industry revolution
2.free enterprise
3. American agriculture
[本章重点]：
1 free enterprise
2. the roots of affluence
[本章难点]：
the roots of affluence
[本章思考题]：
The influences of American economy on the world
Unit Twelve Religion in the USA
[教学目标与要求]：
understanding of:
1 religious liberty
2. protestants in the USA
3. Catholics in the USA
[本章主要内容]：
1 religious liberty
2. protestants in the USA
3. Catholics in the USA
[本章重点]：
1 religious liberty
2 religious diversity
[本章难点]：
American character of religion
[本章思考题]：
The effects of religion on American culture and everyday life
Unit Thirteen American literature
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 the history of American literature
2 writers
3 schools
4 divisions of literal periods
[本章主要内容]：
1 the history of American literature
2 writers
3 schools
4 divisions of literal periods
[本章重点]：
1 the history of American literature
2 well-known writers
[本章难点]：
divisions of literal periods
[本章思考题]：
Describe a writer/ a school/work you are most familiar with?
Unit Fourteen Education system in the United States
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 the history of education
2 education systems
3 higher education
[本章主要内容]：
1 the history of education
2 education systems
3 higher education
[本章重点]：
1 the history of education
2 education systems
[本章难点]：
higher education
[本章思考题]：
1．Why American schools have more international students than any other countries?
Unit Fifteen Social problems in the USA
[教学目标与要求]：
Understanding of:
1 racial problems
2 drug abuse
3 crimes
4.abuse of power by government and corporation
[本章主要内容]：
1 racial problems
2 drug abuse
3 crimes
4.abuse of power by government and corporation
[本章重点]：
1 racial problems
2 drug abuse
[本章难点]：
racial problems
[本章思考题]：
Why is it perceived as a major threat to American society?
Unit Sixteen Post-WWII American foreign policy
[教学目标与要求]：
understanding of:
1 the beginning of the cold war
2 arm races
3 the engagement and expansion
[本章主要内容]：
1 the beginning of the cold war
2 arm races
3 the engagement and expansion
[本章重点]：
1 the cold war
2 the engagement and expansion
[本章难点]：
the cold war
[本章思考题]：
The current international relationships and the role America plays in it
四、课程考核
学生总评成绩取决于学生的出勤情况、课堂参与、学期论文、课后作业和期末考试成绩。

考试采取正规闭卷考试的形式，采用名词解释、填空/多项选择、简答等形式考察学生对以英美两个国家社会、文化各方面的熟悉与掌握情况，以及考察学生在所学知识的基础上对一些设及所学国家问题的分析能力。

成绩评定采用百分制，有平时出勤、课堂参与、课后作业、学期论文及期末考试组成，两部分分别占30%和70%。

五、主教材与教学参考书目
（一）主教材
《英语国家社会与文化入门》朱永涛王立礼主编高等教育出版社（二）教学参考书目
[1]周富强、霍海洪编著，2000, 《新编英语国家文化基础教程》，中国社会科学出版社。

[2]来安方编著，1996,《英语国家概况》，河南教育出版社。

[3]最新出版的英文报刊如China Daily，Beijing Review，China Construction资料文献；美国CNN电视节目录像；VOA、BBC广播录音等。

[4]邓炎昌，刘润清著，1994, 《语言与文化》，北京：外语教学与研究出版社。

[5]胡文仲（主编），1994，《文化与交际》，北京：北京外国语大学。

[6]龚毓秀（主编），1999，《语言，文化，教学》，广州：中山大学出版社。

[7]朱永涛（主编），2001，《英语国家社会与文化入门》（The Society and Culture of Major English-Speaking Countries），北京：高等教育出版社。