1.Emancipists: The emancipists are ex-convicts who were fully or conditionally pardoned for conduct or service. They became successful farmers,lawyers, architects and government administrators. They contributed a lot to the development of Australian society. By the 1820s, a third of the richest men in the colony were emancipists, among them were Mary Reiby and James Ruse.
2.Wakefield Scheme: Wakefield Scheme was devised by Edward Wakefield, a convict and theorist on colonization, to solve the problems of labour shortage in colonial Australia. His proposal on the development of colonial Australia was that land should not be freely and cheaply available. It should be sold at sufficient price to ensure that only men of capital could afford it. The money earned from selling land should be used to assist selected free migrants to Australia.
3.The “Washminster” form of polity: The “Washminster” form of polity is adopted by the Australia government. It is a mixture of the US Washington system of government and the British Westminster system. This means that the political structure of the government is based on a Federation of States with a three-tier system of government. However, the thief executive is a Prime Minister, instead of a President as in the US system.
4.The advantages of the pluralist form of government: The advantages of the pluralist form of government are : it enables the citizens to exercise their political right to choose their own government; it secures transparency and accountability of the government; it provides for an alternative government which can competently take over the state affairs should any government collapse; the citizens can exert their power through major interest groups.
5.Multiculturalism: Multiculturalism was adopted in 1973. It was comprised of policy: Cultural Identity, which means the right to express and share one’s cultural heritage; Social Justice, to right to equal treatment and opportunity; and Economic Efficiency, the need to maintain and develop the skills of all Australia regardless of their backgrounds
6.The Write Australia Policy: The White Australia Policy was officially adopted by the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901, in the Immigration Restriction Art. It was made to stop Chinese and other non-British migrants form entering and setting down in Australia. This was mainly achieved through a diction test in a European language. The White Australia Policy was officially abolished in 1973.
7.The Resource Management Act：The Resource Management Act reflects New Zealander s’ environmental awareness. Under the Act, laws governing land, air and water resources are combined together to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources. It focuses on the effects of human activities on the whole environment as well. The Act came into force in 1991. With it, New Zealand leads the World in environmental legislation.
8.MMPR：MMPR stands for Mixed Member Proportional Representation. Under this new election system, each voter has two votes, the first one for a candidate in their electorate, the second for a political party. The second vote, when counted nation-wide, decides the number of seats each party will take in Parliament.
9.Structures of government：Canada’s system o f government is based on the British system of parliamentary democracy. Like Britain, Canada is a monarchy. The official head of state is the Queen, but she is represented by an official called a Governor General as she doesn’t live in Canada. Canada is a federation with ten provinces and three territories. The gov ernment of the country is referred to as “the federal government”, to distinguish it from
the lower level government of each province. The Canadian parliament is divided into the House of Commons and the Senate. The members of the House of Commons are elected, whereas the senators are appointed by the Governor General, who acts upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The party that wins the most seats in the House of Commons forms the Government and the party leader becomes Prime Minister. The cabinet, chosen by the Prime Minister, is made up of senior MPs from the governing party.
10.Immigration policy of Canada: Canada’s immigration policy is mainly based on practical economic considerations. Immigration meant importing labour, even today immigration policy is based on who the country needs to help it prosper. Another characteristic is that it accepts more readily groups who will more easily fit into the Canadian society. These make Canada look hard-headed rather than humanization. There have been changes in immigration regulations and practices, and the Canadian immigration record is significantly less racist than it used to be.
11.Three factors that influence Canadian economy：First of all, Canadian economy is influenced by Canada’s physical geograph y, which is rich in natural resources; but the huge size and small population of the country has made extracting and transporting goods to markets difficult. The second influence is its neighbour, the United States, which has a much more powerful economy and a larger market. This means that trade has quite naturally developed and regions. The third influence is federal government’s intervention in the economy: the federal government has constantly intervened in the development of the country’s re sources and infrastructure,rather than allowing market forces to play a full role.
12.Canada-US Free Trade Agreement：The Free Trade Agreement was negotiated between Canada and the United States when conservative leader Brian Malroney was the Prime Minister of Canada. FTA came into effect on January 1, 1989 with a schedule of removing tariff protection on most items by 1998. The idea was that freer international trade is beneficial to all. For Canada, this has been an “imperfect” and controversial agreement. One controversial aspect was the agreement to allow free movement of agriculture products, which put Canadian farmers into direct competition with their larger, more competitive American counterparts. Another controversial issue was the provision of a guarantee that US would retain access to Canadian energy supplies in case of emergency or changes in world supplies, which some critics said was a loss of Canadian sovereignty. Entering into the FTA also meant a new, reduce role in the economy for a government that has been by tradition, very interventionist. However, FTA will probably bring benefits in the long run as the world becomes more economically interdependent and more tolerant of the free trade principles envisioned by the GATT.
13.Canada-US relations：The Canadian-US relationship is unique in many ways：First, they are two of the most open and interconnected societies in the world. The sovereignty of the two countries is less formal and concrete. Second, they share a long, undefended border. And they participated in the same military alliance, most notably, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Third, they also share long term interests in their economy. And to facilitate economic integration, the two countries established the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). However, in Canadian-US relationship, there are points where differences of opinion occur. Canadian-American relations have often been rocky because of disagreements over foreign policy.
14.The first Nations:The First Nations are the native tribes of aboriginal people who lived in Canada before the European explorers settled. They were officially referred to as “the First Nations” because they are the original inhabitants of the country, and because there is not one single group or culture—there are many “nations”, or tribes, which have different languages, customs and beliefs.
1.Describe women’s situation in the colonial Australia.
From 1788 to the 1830s, many wives of convicts made desperate efforts to be brought out to live with their husbands.For these wives, being left behind in the UK often meant deprivation even death, for them and their children. A women was claimed as a servant and /or a concubine. Convicts could claim the remaining women. The women who were not claimed claimed either sle pt on the streets or were sent to the “Female Factory”-a prison in Paramatta. Single women were at risk of being viciously treated. For women this vicious system meant that they were obliged to work and sleep with one man or bear the considerable risks of being shared between men. Women in the colony had little choice between an informal family relationship or prostitution.
1.What are some of the key changes that have been introduced by the Australia government since 2007?
Some key changes have been introduced since 2007. The government has withdrawn its troops from Iraq, although it maintains military support for the USA involvement in Afghanistan. The Labour Government also abandoned the Liberal Party’s commitment to a balanced budget by making major government investments in education, health, communications and the environment. The other major political change in the 21st century has been the increased popular support for the Green Party.
3.How has New Zealand avoided the air, water and land pollution problems that other industrialized countries have?
Favourable geographic features, low population and a late development of industry mean New Zealand has avoided the air, water and land pollution problems of more densely populated and heavily industrialized countries.Individuals and their local authorities reduce waste and recycle their rubbish. There are no nuclear power plants or weapons. New Zealand has significantly influenced international attitudes on ozone depletion, whaling, sustainable forestry and the relationship between trade and the environment issues, such as climate change, biodiversity, pollution and waste.
4.What is so unique about Canadian-American relations?
Canadian-American relationship is a unique one: they are two of the most open and inter connected societies in the world. Unlike relations between other states, the sovereignty of the two countries is less formal and concrete and it is pointed out that, for example, Canada doesn’t have a “policy” for dealing with its neighbour. Canadian-American relations have often been rocky because of disagreements over foreign policy. Two heads of state nearly coming to blows—but in a way it characterizes the closeness of the relationship between Canada and the USA. Like brothers, these two countries may quarrel sometimes, but their relationship is too important to ever be seriously jeopardized by disagreements over short- and medium- term issues.
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
Exercises Part one: choose the correct answer: 1.The highest mountain peak in Britain is in ____. A. England B. Scotland C. Wales D. Northern Ireland 2.The longest river in Britain is ___ A. River Severn B. River Thames C. River Mercy D. River Humber 3. The largest lake in Britain is located in ____. A. England B. Scotland C. Wales D.Northern Ireland 4. The highest mountain peak in Britain is called ___. A. Ben Nevis B. Cross Fell C. Snowdon D. Scafell 5. Which of the following is not the feature of British climate? A. coldness B. more rainy days C. changeability D. more fogs 6. The leading anthracite coalfield in Britain are in ____. A. Scotland B. England C. Wales D. the North Sea 7. The English people are descendant of ___. A. Celts B. Romans C. Anglo-Saxons D. Danes 8. London dialect was once disseminated throught the country Not because London was ____. A. a commercial center B. a political center C. a printing center D. a linguistic center 9. The established church of Britain is ____ A. The Church of England B. The Church of Scotland C. Free churches D. The United Reformed Church 10. British economy in the 1970s was characterized by ____ A. stagnation B. inflation C. recovery D. stagflation 11. Britain is the ____ largest country invested and the investor abroad. A. second B. third C. fourth D. fifth 12. The British beef industry has been hit badly by ____. A. SARS B. BSE C. AIDS D. None of the above 13. The central bank in Britain is ____. A. Lloyd B. Barclay C. Midland D. the Bank of England Part Two Fill in the blanks: 1. The total area of Britain is about ____ square kilometers. 2. The chief ranges in England are the ____ and the ____ Mountains. 3. The English people are the descendant of ____, while the Scots, Welsh and Irish are the descendants of the ____. 4. The major languages spoken in Britain are ___，____ and ____. 5. The fishing industry provides ____ % of the UK demand for fish. 6. The British company Glaxo-wellcome is the biggest ____ company in the world. 7. The German company named ___ recently bought Britain’s last major independent car company, Rover. Part Three: Match: 1. Liverpool a, the steel manufacturing center of Britain 2. Hull b, the former center of textile industry of Britain 3. Sheffield c, the fishing port in Hunberside 4. Manchester d, the largest city in Britain 5. Glasgow e, the second largest city in Britain 6. London f, the district of Merseyside 7. Birmingham g, the largest city in Scotland 8. Belfast h, the capital of Wales 9. Edindurgh I, the capital of Northern Ireland 10. Cardiff j, the capital of Scotland Part Four Explain the following terms: 1.the backbone of England 2.the English Channel 3.invisible trade 4.the development areas
1. What is the full name of the U.K.? ----United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2. Why do tourists from all over the world like to go to Scotland? ----They like to enjoy the beautiful Scottish scenery, to drink Scotch whisky and to see Scotsmen wearing kilts and playing bagpipes. 3. How many periods can the development of the English language be divided into and what are they? ----The development of the English language can be divided into three periods: Old English, Middle English and Modern English. 4. Why did English become more important after Black Death? ----The laboring and merchant classes grew in economic and social importance after the Black Death, so English also grew in importance compared to French. 1. Who are the British People? ----The first known inhabitants in Britain were Celts who are the ancestors of the Welsh, Scottish and Irish people. Then came the Anglos, the Saxons and the Jutes who brought with them the English language. Many people from other European countries came later, and in modern times there are a lot of immigrants from many former Commonwealth countries from every part of the world. Britain is a country of mixed cultures, and the Britain people are also composed of people from different ethic and culture backgrounds. 2. What is Standard English? ----Standard English is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England. It is widely used in media and taught at schools. It is preferred by the educated, middle-class people. It has developed and has been promoted as a model for correct Britain English. It is also
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）
英语考研英美概况模拟题 American Survey Test 地理 1.The _____ part of America consists of high plateaus and mountains formed by the Great Cordillera Range. A. eastern B. western C. northeastern 2.In eastern _____ lies Death Valley, 85 metres below sea level. A. California B. Utah C. Arizona 3.In the west of the _____ lie the Colorado Plateaus and the Columbia Plateaus. A. Rocky Mountain B. Coast Range C. Cascades Mountains 4.The _____ lies between the Colorado Plateaus and Columbia Plateaus A. Great Basin B. Colorado Valley C. Great Plains 5.The famous Yellowstone National Park is situated in northwestern part of _____. A. California B. Arizona C. Wyoming 6.The world-known Colorado Valley lies in northern _____, which is cut by the Colorado River. A. Arizona B. Utah C. Montana 7.Among the five Great Lakes, only _____ is wholly within the United States. A. Erie B. Superior C. Michigan 8.Only the climate in the southern part of _____ is tropical. A. Florida B. Georgia C. Virginia 9.Washington, the capital of the US, is on the _____ river. A. Potomac B. Delaware C. St. Laurence 10.The width of the Niagara Fall is about _____ metres and the drop average _____ metres. A. 1650, 50 B. 1240, 49 C. 1540, 49 11._____ part is the most densely populated region in America. A. The southern B. The northeastern C. The western 12.The Great Salt Lake lies in northern _____. A. Idaho B. Arizona C. Nevada D. Utah 13._____ has been called the“ cradle of American Liberty”. A. Philadelphia B. Plymouth C. Boston 14.About _____ of the world ’annuals agricultural products come from the United States. A. half B. one third C. two thirds 15.The highest mountain in the U.S. is Mount _____. A. Appalachian B. Mekinley C. Rocky 16.Mount Mekinley lies in the _____ Range. A. Sierra Nevada B. Cascades C. Alaska 17.The two largest Chinatowns are located in the following cities except _____. A. New York B. San Francisco C. Miami 18.The world ’ s largest freshwater lake is Lake _____. A. Superior B. Ontario C. Victoria
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。
(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)
英美文化作业：英美文化差 异(英文版) -标准化文件发布号：（9456-EUATWK-MWUB-WUNN-INNUL-DDQTY-KII
the differences of British and American culture The British are, in some ways, less conservative than Americans - the drinking age is 18, not 21, homosexual civil unions are legal, and abortion hasn't been a serious political issue in years. Mixing religion and politics is extremely rare in the UK. On the other hand, there are stricter controls on some things - it's much harder to get a driving licence, and the age requirement is higher than in most states, there are speed cameras everwhere, CCTV cameras in many public places (although they may or may not be working), and carrying weapons or other objects for "self defence" is illegal (in particular, note that pepper spray is illegal). Getting into a debate about the right to bear arms will be very time consuming, and may also lead people to think that you're a gun-nut before they've got to know you properly. Smoking in enclosed public places is illegal that includes pubs, the underground, train stations... more or less any non-residential building actually... (similar to New York, so not so much of a cultural difference there). The British apparently have a wider vocabulary of swear words than Americans. While most Britons will use them fairly freely in a social setting, things are a lot more reserved in formal settings & talking to strangers. I've not yet encountered an American "pub" which bears more than a passing resemblance to a typical British pub. People might go to a pub just to drink and socialise, have a pub lunch, or as part of an attempt to get alchohol poisioning (otherwise know as a "pub crawl"), as well as to watch sporting fixtures (which seems to be the main purpose in America). Going to the pub does not usually imply getting drunk. Although the drinking age is 18, bartenders are supposed to ID anyone who looks under 21. Though I doubt your friend will do much driving, he should be aware of the following things: Most cars in the UK have manual transmission. Cars are smaller and more efficient, petrol is more expensive. Speed limits are higher, but enforced more rigourously. Driving in London is not worth it. Central London has a congestion
英美文化试题 1. The executive power is in the hands of ________. A. Parliament B. the House of Commons C. the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister D. the Queen 2. In Britain, government cannot spend any money without the permission of _______. A. the Queen B. the Primer Minister C. the House of Lord D. the House of Commons 3. The general election in Britain is held every _______ years. A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6 4. The famous “Scotland Yard” refers to _______. A. CIA B. CID C. New Scotland Yard D. Greater Londo n 5. Which of the following is not one of the functions that Parliament plays? A. To serve as the final court of appeal in civil cases and criminal cases. B. To make laws. C. To control and criticize the executive government. D. To control the raising and the spending of money. 6. The British government is established on the basis of ______. A. federal system B. central system C. constitutional system D constitutional monarchy 7. _______ is in power in Britain now? A. Labour party B. Conservative Party C. the coalition of Labour Party and Liberal Democratic Party D. the coalition of Conservative Party and Liberal Democratic Party 8. The President of the United States exercises the ______ power. A. legislative B. executive C. judicial D. veto 9. How many continental states were there at the time of independence of the United States? A. 35. C. 48. B. 13. D. 50. 10. Representatives in the United Sates are elected ______. A. annually B. every two years C. every three years D. every four years 11. The congress of America consists of the Representatives and _____. A. parliament B. the House of Commons C. The House of Lords D. Senate 12. The Constitution of the United States says that only ______ can declare war upon other nations. A. the president B. Congress C. Department of Defence D. the National security council 13. The General Election in the United States is held every ______. Year. A. three B. four C. five D. six 14. The newly elected president takes up on ______. A. January 10th B. January 20th of the next year C. march 10th D. April 20th of the next year 15. There are two major parties in USA, one of which is Democratic Party, and the other is______. A. Green party B. Republican Party C. the Federal party D. Conservative party 英美文学复习试题 1. When appreciating a piece of literature, readers are more likely to read the ______ the meanings that attach to words in order to have a deeper understanding.
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.