The United Kingdom
I. Multiple Choice
1. The was “the greatest progressive revolution that mankind had so far experienced,
a time which called for giants and produced giants—giants in power of thought, passion, and character, in universality and learning” (Engels).
a. Renaissance
b. Industrial Revolution
c. Reformation
d. Bourgeois Revolution
2. is regarded as the first English Prime Minster.
a.Duke of Willington
b.William Gladstone
c.Benjamin Disraeli
d.Sir Robert Walpole
3. The official head of Parliament is .
a. the Prime Minister
b. the Monarch
c. the Speaker
d. the Chancellor
4. The present sovereign of Britain is .
a. Elizabeth I
b. Elizabeth II
c. Elizabeth III
d. Edward II
5. is a day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
a. Christmas
b. Good Friday
c. Easter Monday
d. Boxing Day
6. published his book On the Origin of Species which caused a stir in Victorian times.
a. Adam Smith
b. Charles Darwin
c. Thomas More
d. Francis Bacon
7. The largest section of Great Britain is .
a. Scotland
b. Wales
c. England
d. Northern Ireland
8. The Lake District is well known for .
a. its wild and beautiful scenery
b. its varied lakes
c. the Lake Poets
d. all above
9. The highest peak in Great Britain is .
a. Ben Nevis
b. Cross Fell
c. Snowdon
d. Cheviot Hill
10. The capital city of Wales is .
a. Edinburgh
b. Belfast
c. Cardiff
d. Londonderry
11. The part that receives the largest amount of annual rainfall is .
a. the east lowlands
b. the northern part of England
c. the northwestern part of Scotland
d. Wales
12. The longest river in Britain is the .
a. Thames River
b. Severn River
c. Clyde River
d. Tyne River
13. The largest lake of the United Kingdom is in .
a. England
b. Wales
c. Scotland
d. Northern Ireland
14. The vast majority of the people of the UK are .
a. Roman Catholics
b. Presbyterians
c. Anglicans
d. Methodists
15. The English are mainly descendants of .
a. Celts
b. Anglo-Saxons
c. Vikings
d. Norman Conquerors
16. A cockney is a .
a. typical Englishman
b. typical Londoner
c. typical Briton
d. native London dialect speaker
17. The Welsh came to Britain .
a. earlier than the English
b. later than the English
c. together with the English
d. in the 13th century
18. Which word is not exact to describe the Welsh?
a. Musical.
b. Emotional.
c. Cheerful.
d. Suspicious.
19. Most of the Scotsmen now speak .
a. English
b. Celtic
c. Gaelic
d. both English and Gaelic
20. A typical Scotsman is usually depicted in the following word except .
a. brave
b. hard-working
c. economical
d. extravagant
21. Most people in Northern Ireland are .
a. Catholics
b. Protestants
c. Presbyterians
d. Nonconformists
22. The earliest known settlers on the British Isles were .
a. Celts
b. Iberians
c. Gaels
d. Anglo-Saxons
23. The real Roman conquest of Britain began in .
a. 55 BC
b. 54 BC
c. AD 43
d. AD 96
24. Which part of Britain was radically transformed by the Romans?
a. Scotland.
b. Wales.
c. Englan
d.
d. London.
25. Christianity was first brought to England by .
a. Romans
b. Anglo-Saxons
c. Celts
d. Danes
26. Which of the following tribes first came to Britain?
a. Anglos.
b. Saxons.
c. Jutes.
d. Teutons.
27. King Ethelred was called Ethelred the Unready because .
a. he was always unready for fighting
b. he lacked military preparedness
c. he failed to make preparedness
d. he failed to follow good advice
28. The greatest achievement of William the Conqueror was .
a. the establishment of the legal system
b. the introduction of the feudalism
c. the spreading of Norman-French
d. the compiling of the Domesday Book
29. The Domesday Book included all the following points except .
a. all land and property of then England
b. the rights of landowners
c. the duty of every court
d. the power of the king
30. The last of the true Norman Kings was .
a. William Rufus
b. Henry I
c. Henry II
d. Robert
31. The founder of the English legal system and the Common Law was .
a. Henry I
b. Henry II
c. Stephen
d. Matilda
32. The Great Charter includes all the following points except that .
a. no tax should be made without the approval of the council
b. no freemen should be arrested except by the law of the land
c. if the king attempted to free himself from law the vassals had the right to force the king to obey
d. the vassals had the sole power to levy a tax on people
33. The first “Prince of Wales” in English history was .
a. Henry III
b. Edward I
c. Edward II
d. Edward III
34. The Parliament of was known as “model parliament”.
a. Henry III
b. Simon de Monfort
c. Edward I
d. Edward II
35. Wales was conquered by .
a. Edward I
b. Edward II
c. Henry III
d. Richard I
36. The chief demand of the peasants during Tyler?s Rising of 1381 was .
a. to punish the lawyers
b. to raise wages
c. to free villeins
d. to reform the church
37. The War of the Roses ended in 1485 with the accession of , the first king of the House of Tudor.
a. Henry VII
b. Henry VIII
c. John of Gaunt
d. Edward IV
38. Under Henry VII, the justices of the Peace had all the following powers except .
a. trying cases
b. the care of roads and bridges
c. training lawyers
d. the control of guilds
39. John Cabot was sent to discover new way to the East by .
a. the Pope
b. the King of Spain
c. Henry VII
d. Henry VIII
40. Which is not proper to describe the Church of Middle Ages?
a. It was a religious body that had a political power.
b. It was a body that had a legal power.
c. It was a branch of national government controlled by king.
d. It was like an upper-state organization that was very powerful.
41. The external pretext for the Reformation in England was …s divorce case.
a. Henry VII
b. Henry VIII
c. Clement II
d. Charles V
42. Elizabeth I was excommunicated by the Pope in .
a. 1558
b. 1571
c. 1586
d. 1603
43. Who was a Catholic among the following kings and queens?
a. Henry VIII
b. Edward VI
c. “Bloody Mary”
d. Elizabeth I
44. Spanish Armada was defeated in .
a. 1558
b. 1588
c. 1600
d. 1603
45. In drama the most shining representatives of the Elizabethan Age were the following ones except .
a. Christopher Marlowe
b. Edmund Spenser
c. William Shakespeare
d. Ben Jonson
46. Guy Fawkes was .
a. a Protestant
b. a Presbyterian
c. an Anglican
d. a Catholic
47. Which is incorrect to describe King James I?
a. He believed that kings were responsible to parliament.
b. He believed that king derived his authority from God.
c. He tried to make the Church of England subservient to his will.
d. He was quite learned and was remembered by the English for the compiling of the Authorized Version of the Bibl
e.
48. The trouble of Charles I, which led to the first Civil War, came at first when he .
a. dissolved Parliament
b. persecuted Protestant
c. asked people for “loans”
d. wanted to reform the Presbyterian Church in Scotland
49. Which group in the following were inclined to support the King during the Civil War?
a. Merchants.
b. Yeomen and artisans.
c. Catholics.
d. Extreme Protestants.
50. Charles I was tried by the High Court mainly because .
a. he was an absolute king
b. he waned to reform the Church of Scotland
c. he started the Second Civil War
d. he wanted to establish Presbyterianism in England
51. The Rump Parliament was dispersed by Cromwell in .
a. 1649
b. 1651
c. 1653
d. 1658
52. The Great Fire of London broke out in .
a. 1660
b. 1665
c. 1666
d 1667
53. The Glorious Revolution marked the .
a. beginning of the crown supremacy over parliament
b. end of the Civil War
c. failure of the Parliament
d. beginning of the constitutional monarchy
54. England and Scotland were constitutionally united in .
a. 1603
b. 1688
c. 1702
d. 1707
55. After the French and Indian War, Britain got control of .
a. Canada
b. India
c. the Ohio Valley
d. all above
56. When American colonies were fighting for independence, the King of Great Britain was .
a. George I
b. George II
c. George III
d. George IV
57. Britain completed her railway system by .
a. 1800
b. 1820
c. 1850
d. 1870
58. According to the Reform Bill 1832, who got the right to vote?
a. The male workers in cities.
b.. The middle class.
c. The women.
d. Te farmhands.
59. The People?s Charter includes all the following points except .
a. the universal manhood suffrage
b. the abolition of property qualification for MPs
c. the abolition of payment of MPs
d. voting by secret ballot
60. The 19th century economic thinking stems chiefly form .
a. Thomas Malthus
b. David Ricardo
c. Robert Owen
d. Adam Smith
61. The “principle of population” was formulated by .
a. Thomas Malthus
b. David Ricardo
c. Robert Owen
d. Adam Smith
62. Who was probably reluctant to abolish the corn laws?
a. The Tories.
b. The Whigs.
c. The workers.
d. The urban middle class.
63. The incorrect comment on Gladstone is .
a. He stood for laissez faire in economics.
b. He favored economy in public expenditure.
c. he adopted an aggressive foreign policy.
d. He adopted gradual parliamentary reform.
64. The incorrect comment on Disraeli is .
a. He was the founder of the Liberal Party.
b. His policy was to expand the British Empire.
c. He made Queen Victoria Empress of India.
d. Under him the second Reform bill was passed.
65. Which reform bill granted women suffrage?
a. The Reform Bill of 1832.
b. The Reform Bill of 1867.
c. The Reform Bill of 1884.
d. None abov
e.
66. The labour Party was founded in .
a. 1893
b. 1899
c. 1900
d. 1906
67. Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in .
a. 1837
b. 1876
c. 1898
d. 1901
68. The first dominion of Great Britain was .
a. Canada
b. New Zealand
c. Australia
d. the Union of South Africa
69. The Boers in South Africa were from .
a. the Orange Free State
b. Transvaal
c. Germany
d. Netherlands
70. The causes for Britain to join the “Triple Entente”in 1907 were the following ones except .
a. the failure of the British rapprochement with Germany
b. the skillful diplomacy of the French ambassador to Britain
c. the German policy to build a large navy
d. the British splendid isolation policy
71. Britain declared war on Germany in Aug. 1914 when Germany invaded .
a. France
b. Poland
c. Belgium
d. Serbia
72. According to the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, Britain got .
a. most of the Germany?s remaining merchant ships
b. Palestine and Mesopotamia from Turkey
c. German colonies in Africa and in the Pacific Ocean as mandates of the League of Nations
d. all above
73. The British Communist Party was founded in .
a. 1918
b. 1919
c. 1920
d. 1921
74. Mrs. Margaret Thatcher agreed in to return Hong Kong to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
a. 1983
b. 1985
c. 1988
d. 1990
75. The chief cause that led to Mrs. Thatcher?s resignation in 1990 was the .
a. imposition of property taxes
b. imposition of a per-capita tax
c. cutting public expenditure
d. denationalization of private enterprise
76. Anthony Blair became Prime Minister in .
a. 1994
b. 1996
c. 1997
d. 1998
77. Which document, for the first time in English history, forced King to take the advice of nobles?
a. The Petition of Right of 1628.
b. Habeas Corpus Act.
c. Magna Carta.
d. The Bill of Rights of 1689.
78. Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne in .
a. 1951
b. 1952
c. 1953
d. 1954
79. Among the following members the first one to succeed to the throne is .
a. the King?s brother
b. the Catholic son
c. the Protestant daughter
d. the Protestant son
80. The Monarch?s eldest daughter is usually called .
a. Princess of Wales
b. princess royal
c. Princess daughter
d. female Prince of Wales
81. Which is not right to describe the Prime Minister?
a. The head of Cabinet.
b. The head of civil service.
c. The leader of the Party in power.
d. The head of the country.
82. Most of the practical work of the government is done by .
a. the Prime Minister
b. the Cabinet ministers
c. the heads of departments
d. the civil servants
83. A civil servant must be .
a. a member of the Party in power
b. a MP
c. active in politics
d. politically neutral
84. The smallest governmental unit in England is .
a. county
b. district
c. parish
d. community
85. The English Parliament was formally divided into two Houses in .
a. the 13th century
b. the 14th century
c. the 17th century
d. 1688
86. The House of Commons has become more important than the House of Lords since .
a. 1642
b. 1660
c. 1688
d. 1832
87. Now the House of Lords can prevent a bill from passing into law for .
a. three months
b. six months
c. one year
d. two years
88. Among the following ones who cannot vote in parliamentary election?
a. Girls of 18 years old.
b. Civil servants.
c. The judges.
d. The hereditary peers.
89. The general election normally takes place every year.
a. three
b. four
c. five
d. six
90. The High Court of Justice includes the following divisions except the .
a. Queen?s Bench Division
b. Criminal Division
c. Chancery Division
d. Family /Division
91. Which one in the following is usually dealt with by the Chancery Division?
a. The case of murder.
b. The case concerning mortgages.
c. The case of tort.
d. The case concerning divorc
e.
92. Most of the civil cases are actually tried by .
a. Magistrates? Courts
b. County Courts
c. High Court of Justice
d. Crown Court
93. The Whig took the name “Liberal”, while the Tories became the Conservative after .
a. 1760
b. 1830
c. 1832
d. 1916
94. The Labour Party became one of the two major parties after .
a. 1916
b. 1922
c. 1930
d. 1945
95. The Conservative Party supports the following policies except .
a. denationalization
b. free enterprise
c. extending the social service
d. cautious social reform
96. Which one is not correct to comment on the Labour Party?
a. It is a party of anti-Communism.
b. It is in favour of social and economic equality.
c. It is less radical in dealing with foreign affairs.
d. It is a real socialist party.
97. the Labour Party Conference is attended by from trade unions and local associations.
a. representatives
b. delegates
c. party leaders
d. Labour MPs
98. The third largest political party in Britain is the .
a. Social Democratic Party
b. Liberal Party
c. British Communist Party
d. Ulster Unionist Party
99. With the aim of gaining more seats at a general election the Liberal Party formed an official alliance in 1981 with .
a. the SDP
b. the Labour Party
c. the British Communists
d. the Ulster Unionists
100. During a general election the amount of money each candidate can spend is .
a. limited by his party
b. limited by law
c. limited by government
d. unlimited
101. The LEA is responsible for the following matters except .
a. engaging teachers
b. maintaining school buildings
c. paying teachers
d. holding examination
102. The curriculum and teaching methods in a state school is usually decided by the .
a. LEA
b. Education Committee
c. CEO
d. Head Teacher
103. Which aim is more important in primary education?
a. To teach children some skills.
b. To make children learn more knowledge.
c. To foster the potentialities of children.
d. To help children get good marks for examination.
104. What kind of secondary schools now receives the largest umber of students?
a. Grammar Schools.
b. Technical Schools.
c. Comprehensive Schools.
d. Secondary Modern Schools.
105. Which is incorrect to describe the public schools?
a. They are independent schools.
b. They emphasize the importance of character training.
c. They are fee-free schools.
d. They pay higher salaries for their teachers.
106. The income of Oxford University is derived mainly from .
a. endowments and students? fee
b. grants from public funds
c. financial support from government
d. rates of local governments
107. The most famous redbrick university is .
a. Oxford University
b. Cambridge University
c. London University
d. Bristol University
108. Open University communicates with its students mainly by .
a. BBC radio
b. television programs
c. national network of tutors
d. all above
109. The BBC began its regular TV service in .
a. 1922
b. 1927
c. 1936
d. 1945
110. According to the text, the most popular TV channel in Britain is .
a. ITV
b. BBC-1
c. BBC-2
d. TV-am
111. “Fleet Street” is frequently used to stand for .
a. London
b. newspapers
c. the Press
d. national newspapers
112. Which one in the following is not a quality paper?
a. Daily Telegraph.
b. The Times.
c. Daily Express.
d. The Guardian.
113. Which one is not a popular paper?
a. Daily Star.
b. The Observer.
c. Mirror.
d. Sunday peopl
e.
114. The Standard is noted for .
a. up-to-the-minute reporting
b. large advertising sections
c. popular features and profiles of the people in the news
d. all above
115. Which one in the following gives the viewpoint of the left wing of the Labour Party?
a. Economists.
b. Spectator.
c. Tribune.
d. Punch.
116. According to the English law, no person can get married below the age of .
a. 16
b. 18
c. 20
d. 21
117. In England a wedding ceremony in a registry office is usually .
a. more formal than that in a church
b. required by law
c. very grand and formal
d. less formal than in a church
118. The commercially produced breakfast cereal first started in .
a. America
b. England
c. Scotland
d. Wales
119. In Britain supper means .
a. an evening dinner
b. a formal meal in the evening
c. a sumptuous dinner
d. a light meal in the evening
120. The decimal currency came into use in Britain in .
a. 1960
b. 1969
c 1971
d. 1973
121. Which is incorrect to describe the pub in Britain?
a. Children under 16 are not admitted to a pu
b.
b. Te main drink served in pubs is beer.
c. Most pubs sell all kinds of alcohol.
d. The pubs are open all day.
122. Generally speaking the English are .
a. talkative in public places
b. hostile to radical changes
c. quarrelsome
d. impatient of waiting for buses
123. The Beatles were .
a. four famous solo stars
b. four American musicians
c. a pop group formed in Liverpool
d. a pop group who were from America
124. is an important idea to the Industrial Revolution that called for dividing the production process into basic, individual tasks.
a. Division of labour
b. Iron law of wages
c. Laissez faire
d. Maximum of profit
125. Which of the following papers is a quality Sunday newspaper?
a. The Sun.
b. The Times.
c. The Sunday Times
d. The Economist
126. published his book On the Origin of Species which caused a stir in Victorian times.
a. Adam Smith
b. Charles Darwi n
c. Thomas More
d. Francis Bacon
II. True or False
1.Loch Ness is the biggest lake in Britain which is famous for its monster.F
2.Arthurian legends and the stories of Holy Grail of the Middle Ages belong to
Scottish literature.F
3.It was the Romans that brought Christianity to England.T
4.Alfred the Great is given the name of “the Father of the British Navy.”T
5.The Wars of the Roses served actually as a hidden blessing to the English, for it
practically extinguished feudalism in England.
6.The divorce case of King Henry VII led to the Reformation in England.
7.The roundheads that supported the King during English Civil Wars later
developed into the Liberal Party.
8.Adam Smith powerfully supported the economic doctrine know as laissez faire.
9.Queen Elizabeth I was a very great monarch skilful in her ruling of the country
and was regarded as the symbol of the British Empire.
10.The more one has in society, the more likely one is to be a Conservative.
11.The Romans brought Latin alphabet and civilization to England and lived in
harmony with the vernacular inhabitants.
12.The English are different in origin from the Welsh, the Scottish and the Irish.
13.The “backbone of England” refers to the highest peak in Britain---Ben Nevis.
14.Fleet Street is where the first British newspaper, Daily News, was published, and
it has become the center of British newspaper publishing ever since.
15.The Local Education Authority takes charge of all primary and secondary
education within a county or borough.
16.BBC world service broadcasts in 42 languages 24 hours round with its
Headquarters in Bush House, London.
17.In Queen Victoria?s Reign, direct political power moved away from the sovereign,
and modern idea of constitutional monarchy evolved.
18.The Labour Party pursues greater social and economic equality while the
Conservative Party calls for free enterprise and is against nationalization and extending social services.
19.The Church of the Middle Ages had not been only a religious body; it had been a
political and legal power as well. Thus the medieval kings were never full masters in their own country.
20.The struggle between the English Church and Catholicism was essentially a
struggle between the new “nobility” of money and bourgeoisie on the one hand and the remnants of feudalism on the other.
21.The uneven development of capitalist countries was the basic reason for the
rivalry among those capitalist powers, and which finally led to the First World War.
22.There is no advertising on any BBC programme, either sound or television.
23.The British people seldom bargain, they just buy what they want at what they
think a reasonable price, and take such a practice for granted.
24.The British Monarchy is hereditary, and all noble titles are hereditary.
25.The Crown is the only legal and constitutional link binding the members of the
Commonwealth to the home country and to one another.
26.The civil servants cannot vote at elections, neither are they allowed to be
candidates for Parliament.
27.Parishes are the lowest administrative areas which are local communities based
on churches.
28.Only the members of the House of Commons are called members of Parliament.
29.During the development of the Industrial Revolution in Britain, coal was the main
source of power.
30.The largest lake in the UK—Loch Ness is world famous for its monster.
31.Oliver Cromwell conquered Ireland and Scotland, made England a feared military
power in Europe, and expanded its overseas empire, but the revolution he guided did not survive him.
32.Queen Elizabeth I, the “Virgin Queen”, was presented as a selfless woman who
sacrificed personal happiness for the good of the nation, to which she was, in essence, “married.”
33.According to British laws, religious instruction should be given in all schools of
primary and secondary education.
34.The separation of the Church of England from Roman Catholicism was actually a
by-product of Henry VIII?s obsession with producing a male heir.
35.The Labour Party pursues greater social and economic equality while the
Conservative Party calls for free enterprise and is against nationalization and extending social services.
36.After Prince Albert—Queen Victoria?s husband—died, she sank into depression
and for the rest of her reign, she wore black.
37.
III. Blank Filling
1.The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of England,
Scotland, and Wales; numerous smaller coastal islands; and Northern Ireland.
2.The longest river in Britain is the Severn River, and the largest lake is Lough
Neagh in Northern Ireland, while the most famous lake is Loch Ness.
3.The Bank of England is the centre of the British financial system, which was
founded in 1694 and was nationalized in 1946 in order to formalize its role as a public institution and instrument of government control.
4.English is the official language, but not all of the British people speak it. In Wales
many people speak Welsh; in Scotland about 80,000 people in the Highlands possess their own Gaelic language.
5.In about 122 A.D., in order to keep back the Picts and Scots, the Romans built a
wall, called Hadrian?s Wall, from the Solway to the Tyne, and to this day people can still see the remains.
6.Henry II enforce a common law which consisted of the accumulated collection of
judgments given by the highly-trained, learned justices.
7.The Parliament of 1265which is known as the “All Estates Parliament”is
generally considered the “beginning of parliament.”
8.The two results of the Enclosure Movement were: the primitive accumulation of
capital and the continuation of the supply of cheap labour paved the way for the development of capitalism.
9.The external pretext for the Reformation was Henry VIII?s divorce case.
10.The greatest English humanist during Renaissance was Sir Thomas More whose
work “Utopia” became a humanistic classic in the world?s literature.
11.During the English Civil Wars, those who stood for Parliament were called
Roundheads and the supporters of the King were called Cavaliers or Royalists. 12.Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister in English history, gained her
reputation as “the iron lady” for her tight control of Britain?s monetary policy. 13.Generally speaking, there are two systems of primary and secondary education in
Britain—the state school and “public” school.
14.The term “old universities” refers to Oxford and Cambridge, which were the only
tow universities in England until the 19th century.
15.The British press is now divided into two different types of national newspapers:
the quality newspapers (…quality?or …broadsheets?) and popular newspapers (…populars? or …tabloids?).
16.There are three main world religions—Buddhism, Islam and Christianity.
17.Christianity has tree main groups: Catholicism, Orthodox Eastern Church,
Protestantism.
18.The British Parliament consists of three elements: the Crown, the house of Lords
and the House of Commons. The official head of Parliament at present is the Queen.
19.The House of Commons which is also known as the Lower House is where the
real power lies.
20.The British government is the supreme administrative institution which manages
state affairs. The Cabinet is the core of leadership of the British government. 21.The Prime Minister works and lies in his famous residence, No. 10 Downing
Street.
22.The civil servants are required to be politically neutral and confidential. They may
vote at elections but they are not allowed to be candidates for Parliament or to give public support to any political party.
23.The two major parties in Britain today are the Conservative Party and the Labour
Party. Both the Government and Parliament are controlled by the ruling party. 24.In the United Kingdome the House of Lords is the supreme executive body of the
law.
25.The party that wins a majority of seats in the House of Commons will form the
government, and its leader will be the Prime Minister. Another major political party will for the Opposition. The chief members of the Opposition who sit on the front bench in House of Commons are called Frontbenchers. They are the members of the Shadow Cabinet, who are always ready for replacing the party in power if the Government has to resign.
26.The British Law consists of statutes, common law and equity.
27.Ben Nevis, 1343m, is the highest peak in Britain.
28.“The back bone of England” refers to the Pennies.
29.The defeat of Spanish Armada in the year 1588helped establish English
supremacy over the sea.
30.After Seven Years? War, Britain became predominant in North America and India.
31.In the second half of the 18th century, the great economic and social changes were
taking place in Britain. Agricultural and home-based trades and industries gradually gave way to factory-based industries with complex machinery. This
great change was commonly called the industrial revolution.
32.James Watt?s vast improvements to the steam engine made it practical for
large-scale industrial use. The decisive advance in communications in the early 19th century was the invention of the steam rail locomotive by George Stephenson.
33.By the end of the 19th century, the British Empire had climbed to its peak, and
boasted to be a sun-never-setting empire.
34.In Britain, the titles of hereditary peers are, in order of rank, Duke, Marquis, Earl,
Viscount, and Baron.
35.Welsh literature had a profound influence in medieval Europe, as it is the source
both of Arthurian legend and that of the Holy Grail.
36.The English are Anglo-Saxon in origin, but the Welsh, the Scots and the Irish are
Celts.
37.
IV. Explain the Terms
1.Constitutional Monarchy
2.Industrial Revolution
3.Eisteddfod
https://www.doczj.com/doc/556747126.html,monwealth
https://www.doczj.com/doc/556747126.html,monwealth Day
6.Chartist Movement
7.Hadrian?s Wall
8.Heptarchy
9.Domesday Book
10.Wars of Roses
11.Black Death
12.Long Parliament/Short Parliament
13.Brain drain
14.Enclosure Movement
15.Principle of Population
16.Iron Law of Wages
17.Collective Responsibility
V. Questions
1.What do you know about the Wars of the Roses in English history?
2.How do you comment on the Open University?
3.What characteristics do you know are commonly shared by British people in
general? Give specific examples to illustrate.
4.What do you know about the Hundred Years? War in English history?
5.How do you describe the land features of Great Britain?
6.How do the Welsh and Scots feel when you address then the English?
7.Do you think Britain has a changeable weather? Why?
8.How do the Welsh and the Scots differ from the English in character?
9.What was the Roman influence over Britain?
10.What was the effect of the Christianity on the early Anglo-Saxons?
11.What were the consequences of the Norman Conquest?
12.What was the significance of the Great Charter?
13.How did English Parliament come into being?
14.How and why did the Reformation take place in England?
15.How did Elizabeth I deal with her enemy when she became Queen of England?
16.What were the distinctive features of the English Renaissance?
17.What do you know about the Glorious Revolution?
18.Why was Britain the first country to start the Industrial Revolution?
19.What were the causes for the failure of the Chartist Movement?
20.Why was there a new interest in exploration and colonization in the 19th century?
How did the new imperialism differ from the old colonialism?
21.What is the constitutional monarchy? When did it begin in Britain?
22.What is the primary function of Parliament?
23.What are the processes of passing a public bill?
24.What are the general policies of the Conservative Party? The Labour Party?
25.Why is the average daily readership of newspapers in the UK larger than that in
other western countries?
26.What are the differences between quality papers and popular papers?
I. Each of the following below is followed by four alternative answers. Choose the one that would bet complete the statement. 1. The long poem ______ in Anglo-Saxon period was termed England’s national epic. A. The Canterbury Tales B. Paradise Lost C. The Song of Beowulf D. The Fairy Queen 2. Romance, which uses verse or prose to describe the adventures and life of the knights, is the popular literary form in ______. A. Romanticism B. Renaissance C. medieval period D. Anglo-Saxon period 3. Among the great Middle English poets, Geoffrey Chaucer is known for his production of____. A. Piers Plowman B. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight C. Confessio Amantis D. The Canterbury Tales 4. _______ is regarded as the father of English poetry. A. Geoffrey Chaucer B. Edmund Spenser C. John Milton D. W. Wordsworth 5. It is _____ alone who, for the first time in English literature, presented to us a comprehensive realistic picture of the English society of his time and created a whole gallery of vivid characters from all walks of life. A. Geoffrey Chaucer B. Martin Luther C. William Shakespeare D. John Gower 6. One of Chaucer’s main contributions to English poetry is ______. A. he introduced the rhymed stanzas from France to English poetry B. he created striking brilliant panorama of his time and his country C. he wrote in blank verse D. he was the first to write sonnet 7. During the Renaissance, _______ was the first one to introduce the sonnet into English poetry. A. Chaucer B. John Donne C. Thomas Wyatt D. Earl of Surrey 8. During the Renaissance, _______ wrote the first English blank verse. A. Chaucer B. Edmund Spencer C. Thomas Wyatt D. Earl of Surrey 9. Which of the following historical events does not directly help to stimulate the rising of the Renaissance Movement？ A. The rediscovery of ancient Greek and Roman culture B. The new discoveries in geography and astrology C. The Glorious revolution D. The religious reformation and the economic expansion 10. The Renaissance is actually a movement stimulated by a series of historical events. Which one of the following is NOT such an event? A. The rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture. B. England’s domestic rest C. New discovery in geography and astrology. D. The religious reformation and the economic expansion. 11. Generally, the Renaissance refers to the period between ______ and ______ centuries. A. 14th...mid-17th B. 14th...mid-18th C. 16th...mid-18th D. 16th...mid-17th 12. Generally, the Renaissance refers to the period between the 14th and mid-17th centuries, its essence is_______. A. science B. philosophy C. arts D. humanism 13. _______ frequently applied conceits in his poems. A. Edmund Spenser B. John Donne C. William Blake D. Thomas Gray 14. _______ is known as “the poet’s poet”. A. William Shakespeare B. Christopher Marlowe C. Edmund Spenser D. John Donne 15. Romance，which uses narrative verse or prose to tell stories of____ adventures or other heroic deeds，is a popular literary form in the medieval period. A. Christian B. knightly C. pilgrims D. primitive 16. ________ and William Shakespeare are the best representatives of the English humanism. A. Edmund Spenser, Christopher Marlowe B. Thomas More, Christopher Marlowe
The United Kingdom I. Multiple Choice 1. The was “the greatest progressive revolution that mankind had so far experienced, a time which called for giants and produced giants—giants in power of thought, passion, and character, in universality and learning”(Engels). a. Renaissance b. Industrial Revolution c. Reformation d. Bourgeois Revolution 2. is regarded as the first English Prime Minster. a.D uke of Willington b.William Gladstone c.Benjamin Disraeli d.Sir Robert Walpole 3. The official head of Parliament is . a. the Prime Minister b. the Monarch c. the Speaker d. the Chancellor 4. The present sovereign of Britain is . a. Elizabeth I b. Elizabeth II
c. Elizabeth III d. Edward II 5. is a day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. a. Christmas b. Good Friday c. Easter Monday d. Boxing Day 6. published his book On the Origin of Species which caused a stir in Victorian times. a. Adam Smith b. Charles Darwin c. Thomas More d. Francis Bacon 7. The largest section of Great Britain is . a. Scotland b. Wales c. England d. Northern Ireland 8. The Lake District is well known for . a. its wild and beautiful scenery b. its varied lakes c. the Lake Poets
第7章工业革命、美国独立战争和法国革命 7.1 复习笔记 I. The American Revolution II. The French Revolution III. Prerequisites for the Industrial Revolution IV. The Industrial Revolution and Its Consequences 1. The Industrial Revolution 2. Its Consequences I. The American Revolution (美国独立战争) 1. The Navigation Acts (passed in 1651) were intended to increase the prosperity of English merchants and ship builders. 1651年通过了《航海条例》，有利于英国商人和轮船制造者的发展。 2. The process (过程) ①The war broke out in April 1775. ②In October, 1777, the American army won a great battle at Saratoga, which was a turning point. ③By the Treaty of Paris in 1783, Britain recognized the independence of the United States.
①战争开始于1775年4月。 ②1777年10月，美国军队取得萨拉托加大捷，这是美国独立战争的转折点。 ③1783年《巴黎和约》，英国承认了美国的独立。 II. The French Revolution (法国革命) 1. The French Revolution broke out in 1789 and Thomas Paine published “The Rights of Man”. 2. In 1793 Britain became the chief leader of a military alliance with Austria and Prussia against revolutionary France. 3. The allies met at the Congress of Vienna and fought for the spoils of victory. England obtained Ceylon, the-Cape of Good Hope, and a number of Spanish, Dutch and French colonies. 1. 1789年，法国革命爆发，潘恩发表《人权宣言》。 2. 1793年，英国联合澳大利亚和普鲁士，反对法国革命。 3. 盟国在维也纳分赃会议上瓜分胜利品。英国得到锡兰，好望角，以及西班牙，荷兰和法国的殖民地。 III. Prerequisites for the Industrial Revolution (工业革命的必要条件) 1. The conditions for the Industrial Revolution : ①the accumulation of capital; ②the development of capitalist farming and the appearance of a labor reserve; ③the expansion of markets, domestic and foreign. 2. Britain’s population grew fast in this period and the people were skilled in
考试课程：英国文学史及选读考核类型：A 卷 考试方式：闭卷出卷教师: XXX 考试专业：英语考试班级：英语xx班 I.Multiple choice (30 points, 1 point for each) select from the four choices of each item the one that best answers the question or completes the statement. 1._____，a typical example of old English poetry ,is regarded today as the national epic of the Anglo-Saxons. A.The Canterbury Tales B.The Ballad of Robin Hood C.The Song of Beowulf D.Sir Gawain and the Green Kinght 2._____is the most common foot in English poetry. A.The anapest B.The trochee C.The iamb D.The dactyl 3.The Renaissance is actually a movement stimulated by a series of historical events, which one of the following is NOT such an event? A.The rediscovery of ancient Roman and Greek culture. B.England’s domestic rest C.New discovery in geography and astrology D.The religious reformation and the economic expansion 4._____is the most successful religious allegory in the English language. A.The Pilgrims Progress B.Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners C.The Life and Death of Mr.Badman D.The Holy War 5.Generally, the Renaissance refers to the period between the 14th and mid-17th centuries, its essence is _____. A.science B.philosophy C.arts D.humanism 6.“So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,/So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”(Shakespeare, Sonnets18)What does“this”refer to ? A.Lover. B.Time. C.Summer. D.Poetry. 7.“O prince, O chief of my throned powers, /That led th’ embattled seraphim to war/Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds/Fearless, endangered Heaven’s perpetual king”In the third line of the above passage quoted from Milton’s Paradise Los t, the phrase“thy conduct”refers to _____conduct. A.God’s B.Satan’s C.Adam’s D.Eve’s
英语专业考研英美概况自测题（一） British Survey Test Part I Geography 1. The total area of the U.K. is _____. A. 211,440 B. 244,110 C. 241,410 D. 242,534 2. England occupies the _____ portion of the U.K. A. northern B. eastern C. southern 3. The most important part of the U.K. in wealth is _____. A. Northern Ireland B. England C. Scotland 4. _____ is on the western prominence between the Bristol Channel and the Dee estuary. A. Wales B. Scotland C. England 5. Wales was effectively united with England in the _____ century. A. 14th B. 15th C. 16th 6. By the Act of Union of _____ Scotland and the kingdom of England and Wales were constitutionally joined as the Kingdom of Britain. A. 1707 B. 1921 C. 1801 7. Physiographically Britain may be divided into _____ provinces. A. 13 B. 12 C. 14 8. Mt. Ben Nevis stands in _____. A. the Scottish Highlands B. Wales C. England 9. The main rivers parting in Britain runs from _____. A. north to south B. south to north C. east to west 10. Cheviot hills lie along the border between _____ and England. A. Scotland B. Wales C. Vale of Eden 11. The longest river in Britain is _____. A. Severn B. Clyde C. Bann 12. London is situated on the River of _____. A. Parret B. Thames C. Spey 13. Edinburgh is the capital of _____. A. England B. Scotland C. Wales 14. The rivers flowing into the _____ are mainly short. A. North Sea B. English Channel C. Dee estuary 15. Mt. Snowdon stands in _____. A. Scotland B. Wales C. England 16. The source of the important River Thames is in the _____. A. Cotswolds B. Oxford Clay C. Pennines 17. About _____ of the water requirements are obtained from underground sources. A. 50% B. 38% C. 42% 18. Gaelic is mainly spoken in _____. A. Scotland B. England C. Northern Ireland 19. The Bank of England was nationalized in _____. A. 1964 B. 1946 C. 1694
第7章美国文学 7.1 复习笔记 I. A General Introduction II. Fiction III. Poetry IV. Drama I. A General Introduction (简要介绍) 1. The history of American literature is comparatively short, roughly about 200 years. 美国文学的历史很短，大约200年。 2. Many famous writers have earned great fame in the world, such as Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Theodore Dreiser, and Ernest Hemingway. 很多著名作家已赫然立于世界文坛之上。例如惠特曼、马克·吐温、西奥多·德莱赛和欧内斯特·海明威。 II. Fiction (小说) 1. America did not have its fiction until Washington Irving. 美国的小说从华盛顿·欧文开始。
2. American contemporary literature has continued to undergo healthy development in producing new forms and new language. 美国的现代文学继续健康发展，不断涌现出新的形式和新的语言。 3. In 1990s, American literature takes much newer directions and varieties in quality. 20世纪90年代，美国文学呈现出很多新的趋势和种类。 4. There appeared some famous fiction writers in American literature. 美国文学史上出现了很多著名的小说家。 (1) Washington Irving (1783—1859) (华盛顿·欧文) ①Regarded as the “father of American literature”, Washington Irving was the first American to achieve international literary reputation. ②His most famous story “Rip Van Winkle”helps Irving earn great fame in the literary world. ①华盛顿·欧文是第一个在国际上享有盛誉的美国作家，被称为“美国文学之父”。 ②他最著名的故事是“瑞普·凡·温克尔”，使欧文在文学界获得很高的名望。 (2) Nathaniel Hawthorne(1804—1864) (纳撒尼尔·霍桑) ①Hawthorne is a famous American writer in romantic fiction and a pioneer in psychological description. ②His most famous novel is The Scarlet Letter. ①霍桑是美国浪漫主义小说的著名作家，也是心理描写方面的先驱。 ②他最著名的小说是《红字》。 (3) Mark Twain(1835—1910) (马克·吐温)
America The Founding of Colonies殖民地的建立 First Inhabitants：American Indians Discovery of the New World： 1492 Christopher Columbus →the discoverer of America (Italian)Spanish Queen’ s support 1501-2 Amerigo Vespucci →the new land was name after him as America. reached the mouth of Amazon River America—the New World Europe—the Old World 13 colonies： New England Colonies: Mid Atlantic Colonies: Southern Colonies: Massachusetts →（2nd colony，1620）New York Maryland New Hampshire Pennsylvania Virginia →（1st colony，1607）Rhode Island Delaware North Carolina Connecticut South Carolina Georgia →（the last colony，1733）New England Region（6个）: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont 建立原因： Virginia, 1607 Virginia Company For foreign expansion as a way of easing religious dispute and economic distress in England 105 men (no women) Jamestown in honor of the king Massachusetts In 1620 102 Puritans (“Pilgrim Fathers”), in Mayflower, from Plymouth in England to America First in Plymouth (today’s Massachusetts); and then Boston Seek religious freedom Mayflower Compact <五月花号公约>：self-government Hardships when arrived the help of the Indians Thanksgiving Day to thank the Indians and the God for protection The next three colonies Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire Reasons: 1. religious disputes and struggles in Massachusetts intensified 2. more immigrants
.. ;.. 一．中古英语时期 Beowulf is the oldest poem in the English language, and the most important specimen (范例、典范)of Anglo-Saxon literature, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language. The romance is a popular literary form in the medieval period（中世纪）. It uses verse or prose to sing knightly a dventures or other heroic deeds. Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the greatest English poets, whose masterpiece, The Canterbury Tales（《坎特伯雷故事集》）,was one of the most important influences on the development of English literature. Chaucer is considered as the father of English poetry and the founder of English realism. 二．文艺复兴Renaissance Renaissance r efers to the period between the 14th and mid-17th centuries. It marks a transition(过渡) from the medieval to the modern world. It started in Italy with the flowering of painting, sculpture（雕塑）and literature, and then spread to the rest of Europe. Humanism is the essence of Renaissance -----Man is the measure of all things. This was England’s Golden Age in literature. Queen Elizabeth r eigned over the country in this period. The real mainstream of the English Renaissance i s the Elizabethan drama. The most famous dramatists in the Renaissance E ngland are Christopher Marlowe and W illiam Shakespeare. The greatest of the pioneers of English drama was Christopher Marlowe. Francis Bacon was the best known essayist of this period. “Of Studies” is the most popular of Bacon’s 58 essays. Thomas More ——Utopia Edmund Spenser——The Faerie Queene 相关练习 1. Which is the oldest poem in the English language? A. Utopia B. Faerie Queene C. Beowulf D. Hamlet 2. _____ is the father of English poetry. A. Edmund Spenser B. William Shakespeare C. Francis Bacon D. Geoffrey Chaucer 3. ____ is not a playwright during the Renaissance period on England. A. William Shakespeare B. Geoffrey Chaucer C. Christopher Marlowe D. Ben Johnson 三．莎士比亚William Shakespeare “All t he world 's a stage, a nd all the men and women merely p layers.”——William Shakespeare William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright in the world and the finest poet who has written in the English language. Shakespeare understood people more than any other writers. He could create characters that have
英美概况考试重点复习材料（英国部分） 英美概况考试重点复习材料（英国部分） Chapter 1第一章 Land and People 英国的国土与人民 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 Wale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 monwealth (of nations) is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931, and has about 50 member countries until 1991. 英联邦是独立的前英国殖民地组成的自由联合体。它成立于1931 年，至1990年止已有约50个成员国。 Chapter 2 第二章 The Origins of a Nation (5000BC-1066)英国的起源（公元前5000年—1066年）
一．中古英语时期 ?Beowulf is the oldest poem in the English language, and the most important specimen (范例、典范)of Anglo-Saxon literature, and also the oldest surviving epic in the English language. ?The romance is a popular literary form in the medieval period（中世纪）. It uses verse or prose to sing knightly adventures or other heroic deeds. ?Geoffrey Chaucer, one of the greatest English poets, whose masterpiece, The Canterbury Tales（《坎特伯雷故事集》）,was one of the most important influences on the development of English literature. ?Chaucer is considered as the father of English poetry and the founder of English realism. 二．文艺复兴Renaissance ?Renaissance refers to the period between the 14th and mid-17th centuries. It marks a transition(过渡) from the medieval to the modern world. ?It started in Italy with the flowering of painting, sculpture（雕塑）and literature, and then spread to the rest of Europe. ?Humanism is the essence of Renaissance -----Man is the measure of all things. ?This was England’s Golden Age in literature. Queen Elizabeth reigned over the country in this period. The real mainstream of the English Renaissance is the Elizabethan drama. The most famous dramatists in the Renaissance England ? ?“Of Studies” is the most popular of Bacon’s 58 essays. ?Thomas More ——Utopia ?Edmund Spenser——The Faerie Queene 相关练习 ? 1. Which is the oldest poem in the English language? ? A. Utopia B. Faerie Queene ? C. Beowulf D. Hamlet ? 2. _____ is the father of English poetry. ? A. Edmund Spenser B. William Shakespeare ? C. Francis Bacon D. Geoffrey Chaucer ? 3. ____ is not a playwright during the Renaissance period on England. ? A. William Shakespeare B. Geoffrey Chaucer ? C. Christopher Marlowe D. Ben Johnson 三．莎士比亚William Shakespeare ?“All the world 's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”——William Shakespeare ?William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright in the world and the finest poet who has written in the English language. Shakespeare understood people more than any other writers. He could create characters that have