《新颖英美概况》练习参考问题详解解析汇报[美国部分]

《最新英美概况》
练习参考答案
（本答案不包括练习中的开放性习题、思考题和讨论题）
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PART TWO The United States
Chapter Eight The Land
P. 209—210
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. the Star-Spangled Banner, Defense of Fort McHenry, 181
2.
2. the Stars and the Stripes, Old Glory, the Star-Spangled Banner.
3. The White House, The Capitol, The Pentagon.
4. June, 14th, June 14th.
5. the Potomac, no state, the Federal government.
6. 36, 36 states.
7. Amerigo Vespucci, American War of Independence.
8. Pierre L’Enfant, light, service.
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. C
2. D
3. C
4. A B C D
5. C D
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
IV Answer the following questions.
1. (1) At first the Continent was named as “America” after explorer Amerigo
Vespucci.
(2) During the American War of Independence, the former British colonies first
used “the thirteen united States of America” in the Declaration of Independence.
(3) The official name of America was adopted on November 15, 1777, when the
Second Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation.
2. The 50 stars represent the 50 States, while the 13 stripes represent the
original thirteen colonies.
White indicates purity and innocence; red indicates valour and bravery, and blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance and justice; it is also a symbol of respect to God.
3. The stars and strips have different meanings.
Each star represents each state in America, while strips represent the original thirteen
colonies before the independence of America.
4. (1) The lyrics of the national anthem come from “Defense of Fort McHenry”,
a poem written during the War of 1812.
The poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song, “The Anacreontic
Song” (or “To Anacreon in Heaven”).
(2) The Star-Spangled Banner was used officially by the Navy in 1889, and was
made the national anthem by congress on March 3, 1931, which was signed by President Herbert Hoover.
5. The White House was built in1792 and its original color was grey.
During the War of 1812, it was badly damaged by the British troops, and in 1814 it was repainted white.
President Roosevelt named it “White House” in the 1940s.
P. 213
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. the central part of, Mexico and Gulf of Mexico, east, west.
2. 48, Hawaii, Alaska.
3. the Rio Grande, Pacific.
4. 9,629,091, the third, Canada.
5. Alaska, Texas.
6. Arctic, glaciers.
II Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. T
2. T
3. T
4. F
5. F
III Answer the following questions.
1. (1) The Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast and Hawaii provide convenient sea
routes for foreign trade.
(2) The long coastline with many harbors and inlets provides favorable
conditions for foreign trade and the fishing industry.
(3) Mainland America, mainly within the northern temperate zone, is favorable
for agriculture.
2. The U.S. and Canada share the “world's longest undefended border.” The border
was demilitarized after the War of 1812 and has remained peaceful. Military collaboration began during World War II and continued throughout the Cold War on both a bilateral basis and a multilateral relationship through NATO. Both countries are NATO members and have high military interdependency, in
particular, during the Cold War against Soviet threat.
Today Canadians and Americans are in close cultural proximity, sharing the same language, similar religion and political systems as well as many values.
Their economic relations are so close (they have been each other’s No. 1 trading partner for years) that the two countries have established the North American Free Trade Agreement, the world’s largest free-trade zone. Both enjoy the most developed and richest economies in the world as well as a comparable standard of living (Canada’s welfare system is even more comprehensive and covers more widely).
To guard the over 8000-kilometer long land border is not only expensive but also unnecessary (in a sense, impossible, because it is too long), because neither people worry that their neighbors would cross the border on a large scale or stay in their country for a long time.
3. The border between the U.S. and Mexico is heavily guarded (mostly on the American
side) against illegal immigrants entering the U.S. while people can enter Mexico freely. The cause is mostly economic rather than political. There is a huge disparity in the standard of living between the U.S. and Mexico whose per capita GDP is only about 20% that of the U.S. (2012 World Bank statistics). It is estimated six out of the eleven million illegal immigrants living in the U.S.
are Mexicans, and millions more plan to enter the U.S. They try to benefit from the American business or job opportunities or from the American welfare system or even to engage in drug-trafficking and smuggling. Another purpose is to combat crime and terrorism, particularly after the 9.11 terrorist attacks. The U.S.-Mexican border areas witness the most serious drug-trafficking and gang violence in the world. Some Mexicans, in particular those haunted by the serious drug-related violence in recent years, try to escape from the violence in Mexico by moving to the U.S. In a word, if the US-Mexico border is open and unguarded as the U.S.-Canada border, there would be millions of Mexicans trying to migrate to America so that the consequent problems would be very difficult for the U.S.
deal with.
4. Alaska, facing Russia across Bering Strait, is located between the Arctic and
Pacific oceans, so it’s important for strategic position and transportation.
5. Hawaii, like a chain of beads, is located in the central Pacific Ocean, the
best place to enjoy the oceanic scenery.
It is famous for natural scenery: white beach, blue sky, and palm trees, etc.
The famous Pacific Fleet is located at Pearl Harbor, Oahu Island.
P. 221—222
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. Lake Superior, Erie, Ontario.
2. Columbia Plateau, the Great Canyon.
3. the Rockies, the father of waters.
4. dairy farming, Harvard, Yale, MIT.
5. Death Valley, Great Salt Lake.
6. 38, Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful.
7. 4,800, British Columbia, the backbone of the continent, Mt. Elbert.
8. Hoover Dam, The Rio Grande, Ruhr.
9. half, “Barn of America”, Great Lakes.
10. dividing line, Lake Erie, New York.
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. A B C
2. D
3. A D
4. A B
5. D
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. T
IV Answer the following questions.
1. New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States
consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, where the earliest English settlements in North America was made.
In the late 18th century, the New England Colonies initiated the resistance to the British Parliament's efforts to impose new taxes without the consent of the colonists. The confrontation led to the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, which resulted in the War of American Independence that brought about the birth of the United States of America.
2. The Appalachians holds one sixth of the continental territory. The mountains
are relatively low, and the average altitude is only 800 meters high.
These old mountains with rounded tops and wooded hills, and have much beautiful scenery and many tourist resorts.
3. It is the most important and longest river in the US. It flows about 6,400 km.
from the Rockies to the Gulf of Mexico, and the fourth longest river in the world.
With hundreds of tributaries, the river is know n as “the father of waters”.
The chief tributaries are the Missouri River, the Ohio River, and the Arkansas, etc.
4. They are the largest lake group in the world and contain about half of the world’s
fresh water. All the five lakes are inter-connected, reaching the Atlantic by way of the St. Lawrence River. They are the important economic lifeline of the Midwest.
The world-famous Niagara Falls also attracts numerous visitors.
5. The Great Plain stretches from the west of the Mississippi to the Rockies, and
covers a distance of about 6,400 kilometers. The land is flat and open, and is originally covered with rich prairie grass, but no trees. Today the area is still
a cattle country. Much of the nation’s wheat is grown here, therefore the area
is known as the “breadbasket” of America.
The Grand Canyon is located in Colorado Plateau, and is cut by Colorado River.
It is one of the great natural wonders of the world, and is set up as national park. It measures about 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide between the tops of its steep walls, and more than a mile deep.
P. 224--225
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. little, 63%.
2. the Central Plains, the Rockies, electricity.
3. Bingham.
4. 1/3, Washington, Oregon.
5. Gulf of Mexico, Okalahoma.
6. gold, gold, Gold Rush.
II. Respond to the following items.
1. America is rich in water resources. As a whole the country has little trouble
with water shortage. Except for the desert regions around the southern Rockies, there are large supplies of fresh water and numerous fertile valleys.
2. About 1/3 of America is covered with forests. The greatest virgin forests are
in the states of Washington and Oregon. America has about 500 million acres of commercial forests and about 75% of commercial timber is produced in the eastern part of the country.
3. In 1848, gold was discovered in California. The news soon spread out, and
thousands of immigrants from around the world invaded the Gold Country of California. The peak of the rush was in 1849, thus the many immigrants became known as the '49ers.
4. Coal deposits are widely distributed in America, and most coal reserves are
to be found in the Appalachians, the Central Plain, and the Rockies.
Most of iron ore is mainly found in the Appalachians and the areas near Lake Superior, and the
most important mining area is in Minnesota.
P. 226--227
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. northern temperate (P225 书中该词拼写错误), landforms and surrounding waters.
2. temperate, tropical.
3. temperate, north, hurricanes.
4. maritime, distinct, similar.
5. Mediterranean, arid, semiarid.
6. temperate, temperature.
II Answer the following questions.
1. The United States is mainly situated in the northern temperature zone. But,
owing to its large size, varied landforms and surrounding waters, the climate is tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the Great Plains, and arid in the Great Basin.
2. New England belongs to maritime climate. It has distinct seasons with a long
cold winter, and short and warm summer. Spring and Fall are warm, and the region receives plenty of rainfall.
The Middle Atlantic States have a similar climate to that of New England, but the average temperature is a little higher.
3. The Great Plains have a variety of weather throughout the year, which is very
cold in winter and very hot in summer, with often strong winds.
4. The climate around the Great Lakes is temperate. Winters are sometimes extremely
cold; summers are very hot; the region receives sufficient rainfall. The wind blows freely, and often causes sudden and extreme changes in temperature and creates many tornadoes.
P. 232
I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. F
3. F
4. T
5. T
6. T P. 237
I Write down the names of the places according to the photos.
1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
2. Niagara Falls
3. Las Vegas
4. Red Rock Country
5. The Grand Canyon
6. Disneyland
P. 240
I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. F
Chapter Nine The People and Their Culture
P. 243
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. third, China, 313.7 million. (书中in 2010错误, 应改为 in 201
2.)
2. 1%, high, below.
3. urban, 250.
4. northeastern part, 1/4, half.
5. New York city, 27 million, Chicago, 9 million.
6. California, Texas.
II Answer the following questions.
1. American population is characterized by variety in composition. The White is
the main stream, and takes up about 72.4% of the total population. Hispanics
16.3%, Blacks 12.6%, Asians 4.8 %, American Indians and Alaska Natives 0.9%,
and Native Hawaii and other Pacific Islanders 0.2%.
2. The most densely populated region is the northeastern area, including parts of New England, the Mid Atlantic and Mid West. The size of the region takes up about 1/4 of the total, but almost 1/2 of the total population lives there.
3. Comparing with the large size, the population density of the Great Pains is low. The northern part is rather empty. In the combined area of North and South Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas, an area as great as France and Italy put together, there are only 6.2 million inhabitants in 2010.
4. The northeastern part is the most densely populated region in America, because this place is the birthplace of America, also the highly developed area.
Since the unfavorable living conditions in the west part of the Great Plains and Rockies, the population is thin.
The south and west used to thinly populated, but with the rapid development in recent years, the population increases fast, and the population along the Pacific Coast grows dense.
P. 247--248
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. 55 million, Mexico.
2. variety, 100, 31.
3. African Americans, slaves.
4. Civil Rights, equal civil rights.
5. Texas, New Mexico.
6. American Indians, Indian Reservations.
II Answer the following questions.
1. Melting pot is metaphorically used to refer to the US because it is a country
of many ethnic groups from different parts of the world, who came to the New World for freedom in politics or religion. They have been dissipating their differen t ethnic cultures towards some “standard” by living and working
together in the “melting pot” of the US and gradually forming a new nation.
2. Indian Reservation is the living place of Indians. Indians were driven westward
to live in these barren desert places when Europeans settled in American continent.
In these isolated places, they were allowed to keep a part of their own culture and customs.
But the Reservations lacked basic public facilities and life-sustaining opportunities. The situation is somewhat better today, but there continues to be problems
3. The Hispanics are Spanish-speaking people from Latin America. Over half of
Hispanic Americans are of Mexican descents. The second largest group is of Puerto Rican origin. Other origins include Cuban Americans, Colombian Americans, Dominican Americans, etc.
P. 250--251
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. 337, 176.
2. Spanish, French.
3. English, American.
4. Spanish, Spanish.
5. Cantonese, third, Chinese American.
6. their native, English.
II Answer the following questions.
1. About 337 languages are spoken by Americans, of which 176 are indigenous, and
52 languages formerly spoken in the country are now extinct.
2. American English was inherited from British colonization, but there are some
changes in spelling, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, etc.
3. Spanish is the second most common language in America. The United States holds
the world’s fifth largest Spanish-speaking population. Spanish is also an official language of Puerto Rico. Spanish is also the most widely taught second language in America.
4. The largest French-speaking communities are in Northeast Maine; Hollywood and
Miami, Florida; New York City; and certain areas of rural Louisiana.
P. 253--254
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. high adherence, diversity.
2. Christians, Protestants, Roman Catholics.
3. 30, Baptists, Methodists.
4. Judaism, Chinese Americans.
5. African Americans, African slaves.
6. India, Asian countries.
II Answer the following questions.
1. The principle of the separation of church and state comes from American
Constitution. The First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and fords the establishment of any religious government.
2. Religion plays an important role in many aspects of American life (politics,
education, charity and culture) as well as in its international relations.
American foreign aid (governmental and private) is very closely related to religion, and based on Christian values that all men and women are the children of God, therefore brothers and sisters; the US State Department issues an annual report on human rights and criticizes the human rights records in many countries (of which religious freedom is stressed), which is regarded as interfering the internal affairs of other countries; American churches sent many missions abroad, establishing churches, schools and hospitals around the world, such as what the missionaries did in China in 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g., John Leighton Stuart <司徒雷登>and the Yanching University <燕京大学>) . They worked with the American government for the diffusion of their religion and values.
Value-oriented diplomacy is one of the characteristics of American international relations. A very important mission of American diplomacy is to diffuse its values around the world, and many such values derive from religion, such as equality, liberty and fraternity; religion even plays a role in the American decisions of war and peace, such as the American war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3. Their basic beliefs include the love of learning; the worship of God out of
love, not out of fear; and the performing of the heartfelt good deeds without concerning about rewards.
4. The major non-Christian religions include Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, etc.
P. 257
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. racial, cultural
2. hard work
3. formal class system
4. “do-it-yourself”
5. The Epic of America
P. 261-262
I Fill in the blanks with names of the holidays.
New Year’s Day
The third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Day
Washington’s Birthday, Presidents Day
The last Monday in May, American Civil
Independence Day, “Fourth of July”
Columbus Day, Christopher Columbus
November 11
The fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving Day
December 25, Christmas Day, Jesus Christ
P. 264
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. 1935
2. Franklin Roosevelt
3. Aid to families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
4. Medicare
P. 270
I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
P. 275
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. Baseball
2. American football
3. the Dream Team
4. the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open
5. mixed martial arts
P. 279
I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. T
2. T
3. F
4. T
5. T
P. 286-287
I Link the following great names with famous sayings below them.
B, A, J, D, F, C, E, I, G, H
Chapter Ten A Brief History of the United States
P. 290-291
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. a broad land bridge
2. adapted to the different environments they lived in
3. hunting, fishing
4. collective
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. D
2. C
3. C (书中C选项中的第四个词“no”删掉)
4. C
5.
A
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. T
IV Answer the following questions.
1. Menzies argued that Zhenghe discovered North America much earlier
than Columbus did. He presented many archeological findings of
Chinese articles in North America which were believed to be left
behind by Zheng’s fleet.
2. Some Native Americans tribes lived in the eastern woods, some in
the western deserts, others along the coastal areas, therefore
different cultures and languages evolved due to the different
environment conditions.
3. Native Americans had developed a relative high civilization (some
could plant maize and bean, some could build dams and big houses with
many rooms, while others could also weave clothes and make pottery).
They had collective ownership of means of production and women in some
tribe enjoyed high status.
4. Native Americans believed that everything in nature had spiritual
power. Damaging the environment such as overfishing would offend the
spiritual power in nature and get punished.
5. The continent of America was named after Amerigo Vespucci, who made
many descriptions of the new continent in his letters and people then
thought he had first discovered North America.
P. 293-294
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. several times larger
2. New Netherland
3. West India
4. make France the most powerful nation in Europe and North America
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. D
2. D
3. D
4. A
5. B
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. F
3. F
4. T
5. F
IV Answer the following questions.
1. Spanish colonists came to North America to find gold, to serve their
king and to spread their religion.
2. People from many places lived together peacefully, they spoke many
different languages, had different religions, they learned to be
tolerant and contributed to the diversity in today’s America.
3. King Louis XIV wanted to develop New France to make France stronger
than Great Britain and Spain by exploiting the natural resources in
New France.
4. The major colonies established by major European powers included
New Spain, New Netherland, New France and the British colonies in
North America. Most colonies were established through the use of force
because European settlers were militarily more powerful than Native
Americans who had only primitive weapons such as spears and arrows. P. 297-298
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. Jamestown, Georgia
2. Puritans wanted to be able to communicate with God directly through
reading the Bible to understand God; education was also important
in cultivating democracy among its citizens.
3. build a school supported by tax
4. diversified, cosmopolitan and tolerant
5. rural and engaged in farming
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. A
2. D
3. D
4. C
5. A
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. F
3. F
4. F
5. F
IV Answer the following questions.
1. Because they were persecuted back in Britain and they wanted to
establish “a city upon hill” in the New World for the rest of the
world to look upon.
2. Because some colonies were merged in larger ones and there were
thirteen colonies before the American War for Independence.
3. The differences were a result of different climate patterns,
different settlers and their values and beliefs.
4. The Mayflower Compact was important because it expressed people’s
will to govern by themselves. It started the democratic election of
leaders and people reached a consensus that they would abide by the
just and equal laws passed by their chosen leaders.
5. Slavery was mostly in the southern colonies because of the climate
condition in the South where summer is long and hot while winter short
and warm. The land is also rich. Therefore, natural conditions makes
planting of cotton, tobacco and rice based on slavery profitable in
the South (while the white were either unfit or too proud to till the
land in the hot climate).
P. 301-302
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. a high degree of autonomy, liberties and democracy
2. they were actually British subjects and needed British protection
3. t hey believed that only their chosen representatives had the power to tax them.
4. the closing of the port of Boston, depriving the self-rule of
Massachusetts
5. appealing to the English king to abolish the Intolerable Acts
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. D
2. A
3. A
4. D
5. D
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. F
2. F
3. F
4. F
5. F
IV Answer the following questions.
1. After the Seven Years’ War, Britain tightened its economic and
political control over the colonists, who resisted the British
control because they had been used to a high-degree autonomy and
democracy.
2. They were named the “Intolerable Acts”because the measures were
intolerable to the colonists. The Acts hurt the economic interests
and violated rights of the colonists. The acts included closing the
port of Boston, the deprivation of self-rule of Massachusetts and
others.
3. The colonists were united and they enjoyed the advantages of being
familiar with the home battleground. They also received foreign aid
from France, Spain and the Netherlands.
4. The Declaration of Independence is significant because it announced
colonists’belief (the first in the world) that all people are equal
and have some natural rights (life, liberty, etc.) that cannot be
violated. It also establishes a political principle that a government
should protect people’s rights since its power comes from people.
If a government violates people’s rights, people then have the right
to overthrow it and establish a new one that can serve people well.
The American Revolution is important because it gave birth to the
first modern republic in the world. It is the first time that colonies
defeated tyrannical oppressors and won independence, setting a good
example for other colonies.
5. Maybe the American Revolution could have ended in failure.
P. 307-308
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. the expanded areas lied west to the earliest colonies
2. millions of acres of land
3. through war, purchase and threats.
4. the Manifest Destiny
5. opportunities to realize their dreams
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. D
2. BC
3. D
4. D
5. D
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
IV Answer the following questions.
1. Politically, it laid the foundation for the U.S. to become a world
power; economically, it financed the American development;
culturally, it is the source of many literary creations and helped
to forge the American national character.
2. Many aspects of the American national character can find their roots
in the Westward Movement such as mobility, independence, optimism and
creativity.
3. It was in nature an excuse to justify their aggressive expansion.
4. American Indians were the real owners of the land and surely
resisted the expansion of the whites. To get their land, the whites
repeatedly killed, expelled and mercilessly exploited the Indians.
Many Indian tribes died out and the survivors were driven to Indian
reservations. Many Indians are still living in poverty.
5. Agriculture was greatly enhanced in the West; agriculture fed the
people and revenue financed the American economic growth; it also
contributed a great deal to the American Industrialization by
providing rich resources, cheap labor and a huge market for industrial
products.
P. 311-312
I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.
1. willingly
2. unified, high/protective, free
3. would be solved by itself
4. abolitionists, abolition
II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
1. B
2. ABCD
3. ABCD
4. AD
5. D
III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:
1. T
2. T
3. F
4. F
5. T
IV Answer the following questions.
1. Slavery broke up the domestic market, making the free movement of
capital and labor impossible.
2. Politically, the balance between the North and South was broken when
more states entered the Union as free states and the South was afraid
that the North would try to abolish slavery when the North could gather
enough votes to pass laws unfavorable to the South; economically, the
North wanted to develop capitalism which demanded free labor, high
tariffs and a unified market and the South wanted to retain its
plantation economy based on slavery; culturally, many people opposed
slavery because of its inhumanity, anti-equality and anti-democracy
nature.
3. After the announcement of the Emancipation of Proclamation,
hundreds of blacks joined the Union army to fight for their freedom;。