I. Different Names for Britain and its Parts
英国的不同名称及其各组成部分
1.Geographical names: the British Isles, Great Britain and England.
地理名称：不列颠群岛，大不列颠和英格兰。
2.Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
官方正式名称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。
3.The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones.
不列颠群岛由两个大岛-大不列颠岛（较大的一个）和爱尔兰岛，及成千上万个小岛组成。
4.Three political divisions on the island of Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.
大不列颠岛上有三个政治区：英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士。
(1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the largest, most populous section. 英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部，是最大，人口最稠密的地区。
(2) Scotland is in the north of Great Britain. It has three natural zones (the Highlands in the north; the Central lowlands; the south Uplands) Capital: Edinburgh
苏格兰位于大不列颠的北部。它有三大自然区：北部高地，中部低地及南部山陵。首府：爱丁堡。
(3) Wales is in the west of Great Britain. Capital: Cardiff
威尔士位于大不列颠的西部。首府：加的夫
(4) Northern Ireland is the fourth region of the UK. Capital: Belfast.
北爱尔兰是英国第四个区域。首府：贝尔法斯特。
5.The Commonwealth (of nations) is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931, and has 50 member countries until 1991. 英联邦是曾为英国殖民地的、但现已独立国家所构成的自由联合体。它成立于1931年，至1990年止已有50个成员国。
II. Geographical Features 英国的地理特征
1.Geographical position of Britain:
英国的地理位置：
Britain is an island country surrounded by the sea. 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.
英国是一个岛国。它位于大西洋北部，与欧洲大陆的北海岸隔海相望。南面的英吉利海峡和东面的北海将它与欧洲其它部分隔开。
2.The north and west of Britain are mainly highlands; and the east and southeast are mostly lowlands.
英国的西部和北部主要是高地，东部和东南部主要是低地。
III. Rivers and Lakes 河流与湖泊
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m).
本尼维斯山为英国最高峰，海拔1,343米。
Severn River is the longest river in Britain (338km).
塞文河是英国最长的河流。全长338公里。
Thames River is the second longest and most important river in Britain. (336km).
泰晤士河是英国第二大河，也是英国最重要的河。全长336公里。
Lough Neagh is the largest lake in Britain which is located in Northern Ireland. (396 square kilometres).
讷湖（内伊湖）是英国最大的湖，位于北爱尔兰。面积为396平方公里。
River Clyde is the most important river in Scotland.
克莱德河是苏格兰最重要的河流。
Snowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales.（1,085m）
斯诺多尼亚是威尔士的最高点，海拔1,085米。
IV. Climate 气候
1. Britain's favorable climate 英国有利的气候条件：
Britain has a maritime climate-winters are not too cold and summers are not too hot. It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The temperature varies within a small range.
英国属于海洋性气候：冬季不过于寒冷，夏季不过于炎热。全年有稳定可靠的降雨量，气温变化幅度小。
2.The factors influence the climate in Britain:
影响英国气候的因素：
1）The surrounding waters tend to balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer;
环绕四周的海水。冬天，海水可使岛内气温升高，夏天则使气温降低，从而起到平衡季节温差的作用；
2)The prevailing south-west winds or the Westerlies blow over the country all the year round bringing warm and wet air in winter and keeping the temperatures moderate;
一年四季盛行的西南风和西风在冬季从大西洋带来温暖、潮湿的空气，使气温适宜；
3）The North Atlantic Drift passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them. 北大西洋暖流经不列颠群岛西海岸，使气候变暖。
3.Rainfall 降雨量：
Britain has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The average annual rainfall in Britain is over 1,000mm. There is a water surplus in the north and west, and a water deficit in the south and east.
英国全年降雨量稳定，平均降雨量超过1000毫米。英国北部、西部雨量过多，但是南部、东部有所缺乏。
V. The People 人口
1.population distribution 人口分布：
Britain has a population of about 57 millions and it is very unevenly distributed. 90% of the population is urban and only 10% is rural. The population of Britain is made up mainly of the English (81.5%), the Scottish (9.6%), the Welsh (1.9%), the Irish (2.4%), the Northern Irish (1.8%) and other peoples (2.8%).
英国人口约570万，分布极不均匀，90%是城市人口，只有10%是农村人口。英国人口组成为：英格兰人（81.5%），苏格兰人（9.6%），威尔士人（1.9%），爱尔兰人、北爱尔兰人和其他民族居民。
2.The difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish: 英伦三岛民族的祖先：
The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons, the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts.
英格兰人祖先属于盎格鲁-萨克逊人，而苏格兰、威尔士和爱尔兰人属于凯尔特人。
3.The difference in character个性差别：
The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people. They are music lovers and are proud of their past.
威尔士人感情丰富，情绪高涨，热爱音乐，为过去感到自豪。
The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious and thrifty people, and they are also hospitable, generous and friendly.
苏格兰人通常被认为严肃、谨慎而且节俭，但是他们同样也热情、大方且友好。
The Irish are charm and vivacity. 爱尔兰人充满魅力，生性活泼。
4.The difference in speech between southern England and northern England:
英格兰南方人和北方人语言上的差别：
Southerners speak the type of English close to BBC English; In northern England, regional speech is usually "broader" than that of southern England.
南方人讲的英语接近BBC，北英格兰人的发音通常要比南英格兰人宽。
5.The Welsh keep their language and culture in this way: 威尔士人以这样的方式使他们的语言及文化保持活力。
Throughout the year they have festivals of song and dance and poetry called Eisteddfodau. The great event of the year is the National Eisteddfod. On these occasions competitions are held in Welsh poetry, music, singing and art.
一年中他们有称之为"艺术年会"的唱歌、跳舞、诗歌节。一年中最重要的节日是全国诗歌音乐比赛会。在那里会举行威尔士诗歌、音乐、唱歌和艺术比赛。
6.The main problem in Northern Ireland: 北爱尔兰存在的主要问题：
The fight between the Protestants who are the dominant group, and the Roman Catholics, who are seeking more social, political and economic opportunities.
作为统治者的新教徒和要求更多社会、政治及经济权利的罗马天主教徒之间的斗争。
7.Immigrants: 移民：
About three million have come to Britain to live and find work since World War II. 自从二战以来约有三百万人来英国生活、工作。
英美文化概况之英国篇 英国早期人文历史常识 （一） 英国东邻北海，西、北面对大西洋，南面是英吉利海峡（the English Channel），与法国隔海相望。 地理上，这里被称为“不列颠群岛”（British Isles），由大不列颠岛（Great Britain）和爱尔兰岛（Ireland）这两大岛屿，以及其它几百个小岛组成。 大不列颠岛上分布着英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士（England,Scotland and Wales）三个区域，而爱尔兰岛则分成北爱尔兰和爱尔兰共和国（Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland）两块。 政治上，大不列颠和北爱尔兰共同组成联合王国（the United Kingdom），而爱尔兰共和国则是独立于联合王国而存在的独立的国家。我们通常所说的英国，则是指联合王国。 联合王国的首都是伦敦（London）；而爱尔兰共和国的首都是都柏林（Dublin）。 大不列颠岛在政治上被划分成英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士三个区域，其中英格兰面积最大、人口最多，总的来说也最为富裕。因此很多人通常会用“英格兰人”（English）指代“不列颠人”（British），这点当然会引起苏格兰人和威尔士人（Scots and Welsh）的不满。不列颠在大约一百年前曾统治着世界上四分之一的人口和土地，其殖民地遍布全球各大洲。二战之后，随着不列颠国力衰退，各殖民地纷纷独立，不列颠帝国（the British Empire）在1931年起被英联邦所取代。
英联邦（the Commonwealth of Nations）是由英国和已经独立的前英国殖民地或附 属国组成的联合体。英国作为英联邦元首并无政治实权；各国在一定协议上相互进行政治、主要是经济方面的磋商和合作；各成员国也有权利选择退出英联邦。 （二） 英国地势西北高、东南低。其西北地区主要地形是高原；而东部和东南部则主要是低地，他们是整个欧洲平原（the Great European Plain）的组成部分。 英格兰占据了大不列颠南面的最大部分土地，那里地势平缓，多为平原、丘陵和沼泽地。特别是英格兰东部沿海地区，土地肥沃，适于耕种。 苏格兰多为山地、湖泊和岛屿，它拥有三大自然区：北部高地，中部低地以及南部山陵。不列颠最高峰尼维斯峰（Ben Nevis）便座落于此，高1,343米。威尔士亦是多山地区，6%的土地被森林覆盖，大部分村庄以放牧为主。 北爱尔兰北部为多岩石、荒蛮的海岸，曲折蜿蜒。其东北部多为高地，东南部为山区，而中部则是低浅的盆地。 不列颠是个岛屿国家，四面环海，它隔着英吉利海峡与欧洲大陆遥遥相望。位处英法两国之间的英吉利海峡最窄之处被称作多佛海峡（Straits of Dover），仅有33公里宽度。1985年英国政府和法国政府决定在多佛海峡处修建海峡隧道。 总长153公里的隧道于1994年五月竣工通车，使得欧洲公路网得以连成一体，被誉为人类工程史上的一个伟业。 英国河流分布细密。塞文河（the Severn）是英国第一大河流，长338公里，它同西
英美文化概况作业 1、what are the differences in political system between the UK and the USA? Ex:课件 2、what is the role of the Monarch in the UK? Ex:课件女王 3、how do you comment on the British education system? Ex:与中国教育进行对比阐述。课本。 4、what do you think of the open University in British？ Ex:英国教育起源招生宗旨培养目标 5、how do you comment on the American ? ex:最后一天讲的，找一个点进行对比。 6、how does novel develop in British literature? Ex: 书本上，稍微动脑筋课件上总结 7、what is the significance of American Puritanism in American literature? Ex:美国文学倾教思想如何在教育中体现的？可以以霍森的小说为例解释、 8、why is that theatrical creations have been on integral part of english的 culture for centuries? Ex:课本上。课件里没有 9、summarize the history development of british music? Ex:课本目录。 10、what innovations have the 20th century artist in the United States made in the field of arts? Ex:课本上的。 11、do the Americans share the same weddings traditions with the British people? Ex、课本上的。
山东经济学院2010--2011学年第 1学期期末试题 英美文化概况（110126）试卷（5） 注意事项：所有的答案都必须写在答题纸上，答在试卷上一律无效 Ⅰ. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F). （本大题共20小题，每小题1分，共20分） 1. Britain is both a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. 2. The divine right of the king means the sovereign derived his authority from his subjects. 3. In Britain, Grammar schools select children at the age of 11 and provide them with a general education. 4. The Prime Minister and Cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain’s foreign policy. 5. The origin of Bowling lies in the victory celebration ceremony by the ancient warriors. 6. Americans have to join a political party in order to vote or to be a candidate for public office. 7. The Clinton Administration made national security, economic prosperity and promotion of democracy the three pillars of the American foreign policy. 8.It takes at least fours years to get a bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher learning in the US. 9. In Britain, Grammar schools select children at the age of 11 and provide them with a general education. 10. The president has the authority to appoint federal judges, and all such court appointments are subject to confirmation by the House of Representatives. 11.The main duty of the Congress is to make laws, including those which levy taxes that pay for the work of the federal government. 12.Most people in Scotland speak the old Celtic language, called “Gaelic” 13. When George W. Bush became President, his foreign policy has two prominent elements: isolationism and faith in military strength. 14. Harvard College was originally founded to train government officials. 15. There are about 60 members of the Commonwealth. 16. The state of Pennsylvania used to be inhabited by the Quakers. - 1 - （共页）
(判断题) Chapter 1 1. People in different parts of Britain like to use the name England to refer to their country. (F) 2. The Severn River is the longest river of Britain, which originates in Wales and flows through western England.(T) 3. Today more than half of the people in Wales still speak the ancient Welsh language. (F) 4. In terms of population and area, Northern Ireland is the second largest part of Britain.(F) 5. Although the climate in Britain is generally mild, the temperature in northern Scotland often falls below -10℃ in January . (F) 6. The majority of the people in Britain are descendants of the Anglo-Saxons.(T) 7. The Celtic people were the earliest known inhabitants of Britain.(T) 8. English evolved into what is now described as Modern English from the late 16th century.(F) Chapter 2 1. British history before 55BC is basically undocumented.(T) 2. The Anglo-Saxons came to Britain in the 5th century.(T) 3. The chief or king of the Anglo-Saxons tribes exercised power at their own will. (F) 4. The Vikings began to attack the English coast in the 8th century.(T) 5. HenryⅡ built up a large empire which included England and most of France.(T) 6. The Magna Carta was designed to protect the rights of both the privileged class and the townspeople.(F) 7. The Hundred Years’War (1337-1453) was a series of wars fought between the British and the Vikings for trade and territory.(F) 8. In an effort to make a compromise between different religious factions, Queen ElizabethⅠactually defended the fruit of the Reformation.(T) Chapter 3 1. Conventions are regarded less important than the statutory law in the working of the British government.(T) 2. The British monarchy has never been interrupted throughout the history.(F) 3. In reality, the British King or Queen is the source of all government powers.(F) 4. The British Parliament is the law-making body of the Commonwealth of Nations.(F) 5. The members of the House of Commons are appointed rather than elected.(F) 6. The British Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party in Parliament.(T) 7. Cabinet members are chosen by the Prime Minister from various political parties in Parliament.(F) 8. The legal systems in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are much similar in terms of law, organization and practice.(T) Chapter 4 1. British was the first industrialized nation in the world.(T) 2. The British economy experienced a relative decline during the post-war period.(T) 3. Limited resources and high unemployment rate were persistent problems that prevented rapid economic development in Britain after World WarⅡ.(F)
1. The Norman Conquest of England (1066) The Medieval 1．Reasons for William’s invasion of England after Edward’s death. It was said that king Edward had promised the English throne to William, but the Witan chose Harold as king. So William led his army to invade England. In October 1066, during the important battle of Hastings, William defeated Harold and killed him. One Christmas Day, William was crowned king of England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England 2．The Norman Conquest and its consequences The Norman Conquest of 1066 is perhaps the best-known event in English history. William the Conqueror confiscated(查抄，充公) almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England. Relations with the Continent were opened, and the civilization and commerce were extended. Norman-French culture, language, manners and architecture were introduced. The Church was brought into closer connection with Rome, and the church courts were separated from the civil courts. 3．The English is a mixture of nationalities of different origins. The ancestors of many English people were the ancient Angles and Saxons. Some English people are of the Norman-French origin. 2.名词解释: The crusades It's a religous war. Pope urban Ⅱlaunched the crusades in 1095,He issued a call for a "Holy War" to gain control over the Holyland of the middle East.It includes social and political factors.That was the battle cry of the thousands of Christians who joined crusades to free the Holy Land from the Muslims. From 1096 to 1270 there were eight major crusades and two children's crusades, both in the year 1212. Only the First and Third Crusades were successful. In the long history of the Crusades, thousands of knights, soldiers, merchants, and peasants lost their lives on the march or in battle. Richard lion-heart T he crown of England passed from Henry II to his 32-year-old son Richard, a.k.a. Lion Heart. Ri chard I had spent six months of his ten-year-reign abroad.His courage and military(军事的) talent, even before he became king, was famous, earning him the nickname of Coeur de Lion (Lion's heart). By the young age of 16 he was already commanding troops in France, putting down rebellions（叛乱）, and he led the Third Crusade. Meet one's waterloo: used to describe someone who has been defeated badly 3.The Hundred Years war The main reason for this war ? Disputes about the territories and throne between England and France were
目录 一、导言 (2) 二、中世纪的英格兰教育——教会机构的教育功能以及接受教育的社会阶层 (2) 三、文艺复兴时期的教育 (5) 四、十八世纪——何谓正确的英文 (8)
第六章英国教育 一、导言 当今的英国教育体制非常复杂，包括多种类型的学校及教育方式。这种复杂性源自英国的保守主义。政府改变教育体制时，往往添加一些新的要素，对现有的体制做些修补，而不是推倒一切，破旧立新。 虽然本章题为“英国教育”，但着重探讨英格兰的教育。威尔士和苏格兰的教育体制受不同的宗教和社会价值观影响，与英格兰的体制稍有差异。本章介绍英国当今教育机构和规章制度的演变，特别关注如下问题的答案：何人应当接受教育？何人为教育付费？何为教育的目标？ 二、中世纪的英格兰教育——教会机构的教育功能以及接受教育的社会阶层 1066年的诺曼征服之前，只有贵族家庭的男童能接受正规教育，承担这些教育工作的是当时屈指可数的学校，或者一些巡回家庭教师。1066年后，征服者威廉建立了全新的政府官僚体系，而且他与官僚化的罗马天主教会关系密切，需要更多有文化修养的牧师和政府办事人员。 中世纪时期，欧洲接受罗马天主教会的统一领导。教会是知识和教育的监管人，而且是文化人的主要雇主。当时有文化的定义是能阅读书写拉丁文，而不是英语。拉丁文是罗马帝国的通用语言，没有以之为母语的人群，但所有重要的欧洲著作都是拉丁文。拉丁文的重要性在现代英语的书面语中都有所体现；英语有许多源自拉丁文的词汇。中世纪期间的英格兰以及欧洲其它地区，年轻男子如果想在教会、法律业或者政府机构求职，就必须会读写拉丁文。由于只有教会能提供正规的拉丁文教育，最有文化的人都是教会机构的成员。这些成员被称为clerics(教士；神职人员)。当时的商人或者政府官员，如果想写信或者做记录，就得聘请一名教士。现代英语里的clerk（办公文员）一词，就源自cleric(教士)。 1、接受教育的条件，教育费用以及教育目标 1）谁能接受教育？ 当时的学校和学徒制提供的正规教育，主要对象是中产阶级家庭的子弟，以及贵族家
英美文化概况简答论述 简答： 1.The Functions of Parliament ① First and foremost, it passes laws. ②provides the means of carrying on the work of government by voting for taxation. ③scrutinize government policy, administration and expenditure and to debate the major issues of the day. ④There are no legal restraints upon Parliament. However, it does not assert its supremacy, but bears the common law in mind and acts according to precedent. Strictly speaking, the Parliament today consists of the Queen, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. 2.George Washington George Washington was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the War of Independence against the British colonial rule and the first President of the United States. 3.The Open University The Open University ―founded in the 1960’s for people who might not get the opportunity for higher educarion for economic and social reasons.It’s open to everybody and doesn’t demand the same formal educational qualifications as the other universities. Universities courses are following through TV, correspondence,videos and a net work of study centers. Ath the end of their studies at the Open University, successful students are awarded a university degree. Universities in the UK. 4.The strategy of Preemption In an address delivered to the West Point graduates, President Bush, for the first time, put forward the strategy of preemption（先发制人）, which is formalized in the National Security Strategy issued in Sept. 2002. By preemption, the US means that when it determines that a country which is repressive and hostile to the US has acquired or produced weapons of mass destruction（大规模杀伤性武器）or has the potential to possess such weapons, the US should use force to remove this threat to US security and should not wait till the danger becomes imminent or until the Us is attacked. This is known as Bush Doctrine. 5. Comprehensive schools Comprehensive schools are the most popular secondary schools in Britain today. Such schools admit children without reference to their academic abilities and provide a general education. Pupils can study everything from academic subjects like literature to more practical subjects like cooking. 6. The Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights consists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791. The Bill of Rights was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble in public places, the right to own weapons and so on.
《英美文化概况》(13) 中国石油大学（北京）2013--2014学年第一学期 《英美文化概况》期末考试试卷A（闭卷考试） 班级：________ 姓名： _______ 学号： ______ Part I Tell whether each of the following statements is true or false. （20 分） 1._________ The best-k nown En glish lege nd, King Arthur, derives from the Anglo- Saxons ' time. 2._________ English drama flourished during Elizabeth I era. 3._________ After World War II, the British economy became the 2nd largest power in the world. 4._________ America was named after the great discoverer Amerigo Vespucci.
5._________ Britain is situated in Western Europe. 6._________ The Lake District is closely related with English literature in the 19 th century. 7._________ The Iongest river in North America is the Missouri River. 8._________ Com mon laws are laws which have bee n established through common practice in the courts. 9.________ The "Bill of Rights" was added to the Constitution in 1791. 10.________ Most heavily populated districts have more senators than the small states. 11._______ The United States has two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Conservative Party. 12.________ Tolerance and respect for others are central to the way of life in the U.K. 13.________ The Protestant Church and the Catholic Church are two major groups in Christianity. 14.________ The second largest religious group in the U.K. is Buddhism. 15. _______ The University of Oxford is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world. 16. _______ Easter Day is to celebrate Christ 's resurrection from the dead.
《英美文化》参考书目 1.周叔麟主编，《新编英美概况教程》，北京大学出版社，2004； 2.袁明著，《美国文化与社会》，北京大学出版社，2003； 3.王恩铭主编，《美国文化与社会》，上海外语教育出版社，2003； 4.罗选民主编，《英美社会与文化》，华中科技大学出版社，1996； 5.刘春伟主编,《英语国家人文知识概况》，机械工业出版社，2006； 6.李延年主审，《英美概况》，国防科技大学出版社，2004； 7.来安方主编，《英美概况》，河南教育出版社，1995； 8.狄艳华主编，《美国文化》，吉林科学技术出版社，2002； 9.陈德等著，《美加风貌》，西北工业大学出版社，1998； 10.常耀信，《美国文学简史》，南开大学出版社，1990； 11.张奎武主编，《英美概况》，吉林科学技术出版社，2004； 12.肖惠云主编,王义副主编，《当代英国概况》，上海教育出版社,2003； 13.周静琼编著，《当代美国概况》,上海教育出版社,2003； 14.朱永涛著，《英语国家社会与文化入门》，高等教育出版社； 15.王九萍等主编，《英美概况(21世纪英语专业系列教材)》，西安交通大学出版社，2009； 16. 来安方，《英美文化与国家概况》，复旦大学出版社，2008； 17. Times Newspapers Limited, for ‘Caribbean Schooling in Britain’ from Times Educational Supplement (March 1991); 18. New Ways to Work, for ‘Finding New Ways to Work’ (June 1994); 19. Good House Keepi ng, for ‘How to Telework’ (April 1994); 20. Daily Express, for ‘How I was hooked on Lotto scratch cards … in an instant’ (April 22 1995); 21. Nicholas Gair (ed.) A Challenge to the Individual; 22. ELM Publications, for ‘Trends in Tourism in the UK 1980 – 1990’, ‘Problems Facing the Seaside Resorts in the 1990s’ & ‘The Impact of Tourism on the U.K.’ by Pat Yale from Tourism in the U.K. (1992); 23. Bedford Square Press, for ‘Categorisation of Prisons in England and Wales’ by Shirley Cooklin from From Arrest to Release (1989);
英美国家文化学习心得 XXX学院学号：XXX 姓名：XXX 我是一名来自物电学院的非英语专业的学生，之所以选修英美文化这门课，就是本着更好地学好 外语的想法的。从初中到高中，一直以来，我就认为语言是文化的一部分，要想学好一门语言，最好 先学习和了解与这门语言相关的文化背景，因为它能够体现出各地风俗的差异及社会历史的发展。 美国语言学家Edard Sapir 说：“语言不能脱离文化而存在，文化反映的是社会所想所做，而语言表达了社会的想法。”脱离了文化的语言是空洞而又无意义的，脱离了语言的文化是没有传承性的，因此，语言与文化是不可或缺的。从这个意义来说，学习一个国家的文化和学习这个国家的语言同等重要。 在外语学习中，缺乏必要的背景知识使会对篇章中某些词语特有的文化内涵体会不出来，这样，即使知道每个词的词典意义也是不可能正确理解篇章的内容。例如，“…a couple who happened to have been the First Family of the nation…” 这段话的字面含义是：一对有幸成为美国第一个家庭的夫妇。The f irst family means the President’s family in the US.但是，“the first family”的真正含义是美国总统之家，而不是美国历史上第一个家庭。如果对美国惯用语有所了解，那么就不难理解这个句子的真正含义。另外，中西方文化存在着巨大的差异, 例如：中国人喜欢关心他人的工作收入、家庭生活、社会交往等情况。而西方人则因为崇尚个人主义, 将自己的收入、家庭、婚姻、年龄等情况视为隐私，而不愿他人了解此类信息。同时，西方人比较自我，经常以自我为中心。深入了解这些中西方文化差异，学生能够更好的理解文章内容，弄懂作者的意图，进而提高阅读能力。因此，掌握好文化知识有助于促进语言的学习。 例如：一张试卷，在做听力题时，判断一个人的听力, 实际上是对一个人的英语水平、知识面、 分析及联想能力的综合检验, 即使材料中有些生词, 也能根据上下文猜测出它们的意思。但是遇到一 些我们不熟悉的材料或与英美文化背景知识有关的材料时, 听起来就感到难得多。尽管有的材料比较 简单, 也听懂了字面意思, 但由于缺乏文化背景知识而不能理解其中的真正含义。例如: 这是美国人 常讲的两个笑话:（1）A: Where are you from? B:I’ll ask her. ( Alaska) A: Why do you askher? （2) A: Where are you f rom? B: How are you. ( Hawaii) 。这两个笑话中, 在A 看来B 是答非所问, 但如果A 了解美国的地理概况, 知道美国有两个远离大陆的洲: 阿拉斯加( Alaska) 和夏威夷 ( Hawaii) , 那么就不会闹出把Alaska 听成I’ll ask her. 把Hawaii 听成“ How are you？”的笑话了。同样，在做翻译题时，即使是一些简单的词语，也不可不顾具体的语言习惯、语言环境和语 言习俗，而随意处理。拿dog 一词为例。Dog 是个十分简单的词,但由于中英文化的差异, 弄不好就会出现错误。“狗”一词在中国人看来总是贬义的, 如我们常用“癞皮狗”、“丧家犬”、“走狗”、“狗头军师”等等来描绘我们所厌恶的人。但在英美国家, 人们对狗的看法和我们截然不同, dog在英语中,特别是在谚语中往往含有褒情善意。如果我们把dog 一词一律译成汉语的“狗”字或把汉语的“狗”字按字面意思译成英语的dog,就可能会曲解原意,闹出笑话。例如:（1）Every dog has his day;(2)You ,indeed,a lucky dog;(3)Last night my father came dog tired.如果初学者不了解中西方文化的差异，往往会想当然地把它们分别译为:（1）每条狗都有自己的节日;（2）你真是一条幸运的狗;（3）昨晚我爸爸回到家中像狗样累。而正确的翻译是（1）人人皆有得意时;（2）你这是个幸运儿;（3)昨晚我父亲回到家中非常累。 其实，在英语课外活动中，也渗透了英美文化。如，看英美电影，听英美歌曲等。从Ghost《人鬼情未了》的真挚爱情中留下了我感动的泪水，从Top Gun《壮志凌云》的青春豪情中让我激动不已，从Schindler’s List《辛德勒名单》的生命尊严中感受到了人生真谛……而影片中丰富优美的语言不仅让我更全面的了解英美国家的政治﹑经济﹑社会﹑文化，而且增长了见识，开阔了视野，有助于全方
I Gap filling 1.Great Britain is composed of three countries which are respectively called ____________, ____________, and ____________. 2.The two chambers that make up the British Parliament are known as _____________________ and_____________________. 3.The first course of an English dinner normally consists of ____________and ____________. 4.The Wars of the Roses derived its name from the ____________ of the two rival noble houses. 5.The capital of Scotland is _____________ which is well-known for its natural beauty. 6.The US system of government is known for _____________________. Under it, the federal government is divided into three branches: _____________, _____________, and _____________. 7.The guiding principle and goal of American culture is pursuit of _____________ and _____________. 8.The _____________ and the _____________are the most typical symbol of Easter Day. 9.For President Lincoln, the first objective of Civil War was _____________________while the second objective was _____________________. 10.The movement started by African Americans for equal rights with whites has been known as the _____________________. 11. The two chambers that make up the British Parliament are known as _________________and _____________________. 12. The monarch summons and dissolves Parliament at the request of the ________________. 13. Suspects in Britain are entitled to a _____________________ right, which means they have the right not to answer any question. 14. Today the British middle class accounts for over ___________of the total population. 15. The founding of circuits led to the founding of the ___________system in England. 16. The Norman Conquest of 1066 was led by ___________. 17. The US Supreme Court is composed of one___________ and eight___________. 18. The consensus of two-thirds of Congressmen can override the President’s___________. 19. The American concept of food is often represented by what is ___________, such as hamburgers. 20. The traditional Christmas colors are ___________and___________. 21. The___________was the direct cause to force the English government to resort to arms. 22. The US Congress often uses the___________clause to broaden its powers. II Definition Explanation 1. Constitutional monarchy 2.Robin Hood 3.Afternoon tea 4.Enlightenment https://www.doczj.com/doc/0b7689364.html, Declaration of Independence 6. Ku Klux Klan 7. Mayflower Compact 8.Stonehenge 9.Life peers 10. Great Migration