英语国家概况的复习重点英语国家概况六国比较英语国家概况 - 地理、人口、气候篇一、地理位置,面积:英国:The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Britain is an island country. It is surounded 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 Borth sea in the east. The Britain covers an area of 244,100 square kms. It runs 1,000 kms from north to south and extends, at the widest part, about 500 kilometres.美国:the United States of America The continental United States lies in central North America with Canada to its north.Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to its South,the Atlantic Ocean to its east and the Pacific Ocean to its west.The two newest states Alaska and Hawaii are separated from the continetal United States.(Joined in 1959) The U.S. has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometres(the 4th largest country in the world).It streches 2,575 kilometres from north to south and 4,500 kilometres from east to west.爱尔兰:the Republic of Ireland(Eire) The Republic of Ireland covers an area of 70,282 sq.km.The cuntry's total boundary si 3,603 km long,of which its land border with Northern Ireland is 434 km. It is bounded on the northeast by Northern Ireland,on the east and southeast by the Irish Sea and St. Geogore's Channel and on the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean.加拿大:Canada Canada is the world's second largest country after Russia. It has a land area of about 10 million sq.km. It covers about two fifths of North American comtinent.North to South(3,200 kilometres),east to west(6,400 kilometres).Canada and United States share a 6,378 kilometre boundary that has not been fortified for over a hundred years. Canada lies to the north of the United States.The 45th parallel marks the boundary between Canada and norhtern Vermont and New York of the United States.澳大利亚:Australia Australia streches from 10 south to 44 south of latitude and 113 east to 154 east of longitude. Australia is the world's smallest continent with an area of 7.7 milion sq.km. But Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It surrounded by the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean to the east,by the Indian Ocean to the west,by the Coral Sea,the Atlantic Sea and Timor Sea to the north,and the Southern Indian Ocean and the Great Australian Bight to the south.新西兰:New Zealand New Zealand is in the Southern Pacific Ocean,halfway between the equator and South Pole. About 1,500 km to the northwest,across the Tasman Sea,is Australia. To the east,10,600 km of the Pacific Ocean separate New Zealand from South America.The icy continent of Antarctica lies 2,300 km to the south. The latitude of the capital city,Wellington,is 40S;the latitude of China's capital is 40N.It is just west of the International Date line,so it is the first country to get the new day. The size of the country is similar to Britain or Japan.二、气候，人口英国: Britain has a population of 57,411,000(1990). A maritime type of climate. Winters are mild,not too cold and summers are cool,not too hot,and it has a steady reliable rainfullthroughtout the whole year. It has a small range of temperature.美国: The United States of America,with a population of 255.5 million in July 1992,is the third most populous country in the wrold. By the year 2050,the population is expected to climb to 383 million,a 50% increase. The United States is located in the middle latitudes north of the equator. And there are different types of climate in different regions. 1)A humid continental climate is found in the north-eastern part of the country.(New England) 2)In the south-eastern United States you can find a humid subtropical climate. *these two zones stretch westward across the United States until they approach the 100th meridian.3)Beyond this point they gradually give way to the continental steppe climate of the Great Plains. 4)The Pacific northwest is favoured with a maritime climate. 5)The souther part of the Pacific coast in California has a Mediterranean climate.爱尔兰: The population of Ireland in 1990 was estimated at 3.5 million. It is expected to grow to 4 million by 2000. The weather of Ireland is described as "mild,moist and changeable".Extreme cold,long frosts,heavy snows in winter and scorching days in summer are uncommon.加拿大: Canada has a population of only a little over 29 million(1994).Toronto(3.4 million),Montreal(2.9 million)and Vancouver(1.3 million) are the most populous cities in Canada. Except for southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta,Canada recieves adequate rainfall.However the climate throughout Canada is varied. 1)A maritime climate similar to that of Washington and Oregon states in the United States is found in the southwestern part of British Colombia. 2)North of these regions lie the evergreen forests of the subarctic taiga. 3)In the far north there is a polar climate with a treeless tundra zone Generally speaking the climate in Canada is unfavourable.Much of Cananda has long and cold winters with deep snow.澳大利亚: Today(1996) Australia's population is about 18 million or about two people to the square kilometre. Most Australia do not know their continent very well because they live on the cool,wet,forested south-east coastland. This is the most pleasant part of the country and the forests are unique but it is not Australia's most common environment. Two thirds of the coutry is hot and dry.新西兰: The population of New Zealand is 3.5 million. Approximately 10% are Maori,or part Maori. The climate in New Zealand is generally temperate,but becasue the country runs northsouth,the climate is varied. In the far north it is subtropical and in some mountainous areas of South island it is almost subarcitc.Seasonal variations are less extreme than in many other countries.英语国家概况 - 政治篇一、基本政治制度和国家元首英国： The United Kingdome is a constitutional monarchy:the head of States is a king or a queen. In practice,the Sovereign reigns,but does not rule:the United Kongdom is governed,in the name of the Sovereign,by His or Her Majestty's Government--a body of Ministers who are the leading members of whichever political party the electorate has voted into office,and who are responsible to Parliament. The present Sovereign is Queen Elizabeth美国： The American Consitution set up a federal systerm of government which has two layers of rule.(central of federal government for the nation ,state and local governments.) The President of the Unites States is head of the executive branch. The White House is his official residence. He is also head of state elected by the whole nation.(4years,two times at the most)爱尔兰： Ireland is a parliamentary republic and a unitary state under the 1937 Consitution. The head of the state is the president.(7years)加拿大： Canada,a self-governing memeber of the Commonwealth of Nations,is a federation of 10 povinces and two territories. Canada, along with Australia, New Zealand and some other Commonwealth countries, recognizes Britain' monarch, Queen Elizabath II, as Head of State.澳大利亚：The Commonwealth of Australia is a federation.The Six colonies joined together as sovereign States.新西兰： New Zealand is a sovereign independent State,which a parliament government and a constitutional monarchy立法机构 ,执法机构二、立法机构英国:Parliament(maximum 5 years duration)Parliament consisted of the Sovereign,the House of Lords(made up of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal) and House of Commons(651).美国：CongressArticle I of the Constitution grants all legislative power of the federal government toa Congress composed of two chambers,a Senate(two members from each state,six year term and every even year,one-third of the Senate stands for re-election ) and a House of Representatives(based on population and its size is therefore not specified in the Constitution.435).爱尔兰：All the legislative power are vested in the national parliament.(Oireachats) Oireachats has two houses. They are the Senate(Seanad) and the House of Representives(Dail Eireann)加拿大：All the legislative power of the federal administration are vested in the Parliament of Canada,which consists of the Crown,the Senate(104) and the House of Commons(295).Therefore,laws must be passed by both Houses of Parliament and signed by the Governor-General in the Queen's name.澳大利亚：The Australian Federal Parliament is modelled on the Westminster system.It is the Legislature.It consists of the Queen and two Houses of Parliament:the House of Representatives and the Senate. 新西兰：New Zealand follows the British Parliamentary system with some varitions.Since 1950 the New Zealand Parliament has had only one chamber,the House of Representatives. (every 3 years)三、执法机构英国:The Prime Minister is apointed by the Queen.He always sits in the House of Commons.And his residence is No.10 Downing Street in London.The party which wins sufficient seats at a General Election to command a majority of supporters in the House of Commons usually forms the Government.Ministers are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The most senior ministers compose the Cabinet.美国：The head of the departments,chosen by the President and approved by the Senate,form a council of advisers generally known as the President. This inculdes the White House staff,the Office of Management and Budget,the Council of Economic Advisers,and the Office of Emergerency Preparedness. The department are as follows(不打上来了,是书上的P305)爱尔兰：The Article 13 of the Constitution provides that the president shall appoint the prime minister(toiseach) on the nomination of the House of Representatives(Dail) and that he shall appoint the other members of the government on the nomination of the prime minister with the previous approval of the Dail.The prime minister holds office either until he chooses to resign or until he loses the support of the majority in the Dail.加拿大：Queen is represented in Canada by the Governor-General,who is appointed on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. In practice, the Governor-General acts only the advice of the Canada Prime Minister and the Cabinet, who also sit in the federal parliament.The Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet exercise executive power as the "Government".澳大利亚：In Australia the Queen is represented by the Govenor-General.(这里和加拿大是完全一样的) The executive is the government of the day.It is formed by the party or coalition of parties,which has a majority of seats in the House of Representatives.The Executive consists of the Prime Minister and the other members of the ministry.新西兰：The leader of the party with a majority of members in the House of Representatives becomes Prime Minister.He or she and about 20 other chosen members,form the Cabinet.四、党派英国:Since the 1945 eiher the Conservative Party or the Labour Party has held power.A new party--the Social and Liberal Democratic Party was formed in 1988.美国：In general,America has a two-party system.The Democrats(the major party now) and the Republicans.爱尔兰：Ireland has a bipolar political system with two major paries,Finna Fail and Fine Gael.The Irish Labour Party is the oldest of all the parties in Ireland. The Progressive Democrats is the largest of the minor partiesafter 1987 election.加拿大：Two party system and one party rule.There are two main federal parties in Canada.They are the Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party.澳大利亚：We can say that Australia has a two-and-half party system of the ALP(Australia Labour Party) on one side and the Liberal Party and National parties on the other.新西兰：For the last 50 years the two main parties have been the National party and the Labour Party.五、司法机构英国: Criminal Courts in England and Wales including: Magistrates Courts,Youth Courts and the Crown CourtsScotland: 1.the High Courts of Justiciary 2.the sheriff court 3. the district court Northern Ireland: Magistrates' courts,Country courts and the Crown CourtCivil Courts in England and Wales: are the Country Court of which there are 270.The High Court deal with the more complicated cases.Scotland:the civil courts are the sheriff court and the Court of Session.Northern Ireland:Country courts are primarily civil law courts. The magistrates' court also deals with certain limited classes of civil cases.The High Court of Justice is the superior civil law court.Appeals from country courts are dealt with by the High Court or the Court of Appeal.美国：The judicial,consists of a system of courts headed by the Supreme Court and including subordinate courts throughtout the country.And it is the organ which has the power to interpret the Constitution.The judicial system has evovlved into the present structure:the Supreme Court,11 courts of appeals,91 district courts,and three courts of special jurisdiction.爱尔兰：Statutes passed by the British Parliament before 1921 have the force of law except those repealed by the Irish Oireachats.The high court has full origianal jurisdiction and power in all matters of law.It also can determine the validity of any law within the provisions of the Constitution.The Supreme Court is the court of final appeal.(a chief jusice and six other jusices)加拿大：Canada law has its source in acts and judicial decisions,and also in British common law. Quebec is an exception since its system is based on the French civil law.The provincial and federal governments have the power to establish courts. The federal Parliament created the Supreme Court of Canada,the Federal Court and various of special jurisdiction.澳大利亚：The High Court is the most superior.It consists of a chief jusice and six other jusices.The Federal Court of Australia was established in 1977.The Family Court was established in 1976.In each state there is a Superior Court. Below it are intermediate courts commonly calledDistrict or County Courts. Below them are Magistrates Courts,Local Courts or Courts of Petty Session.六、农业英国: The Britain were pioneers in modern agriculture and were among the first to bring science and machinery to farming.The new farming has been called "agribusiness".There are mainly six farming types in Britain.They are arable farning,dairy fariming,stock farming,mixed farming,hill farming and market gardening. Because of the cool climate,apples,pears and plums grwo very well in Britain. The North Sea has very good fishing grounds.美国: Yet the United States grows nearly one fourth of the world's grain and supplies a half of all the exports of grain in the world. It ranks first,second,or third in the production and export of corn, wheat, rice, soybeans, oranges, meat,milk, apples,oats,cotton,tobaoo, peanuts,and edible vegetable oil.(具体的在什么地方种什么东西可以参照书上P289-291)爱尔兰: Agriculture generates anestimated 11% of the Ireland GNP,employs 17% of the labour force and produces 25% of total exports. The most signigicant recent development in Irish agriculture has been membership in the European Community.加拿大: The land used for agriculture makes up only 7% in Canada. Canada farms specialize in producing wheat,food crops for animals dairy products,and fruit.Fishing and mining are quite important. The Canada Prairie is the centre of a rich wheat belt. Eastern Canada is noted for a variety of farm products. Dairying is in the lowlands of Quebec and Ontario. Fruits are grown in Western Nova Scotia.澳大利亚: Today,agriculture is the nation's largest and most diverse industry.Australia is one of the world's leading producers of food and natural fibres.Australia is the world's largest exporter of wool,the second largest exporter of meat,the third largest exporter of wheat and a major international supplier of sugar,dairy products,fruits,cotton and rice. Australia's agriculture importance has declined in recent years.新西兰: Vineyards produce international award-winning red and white wines.七、对外贸易英国: Britain is the fifth largest trading country in the world.Napoleon called it a "nation of shopkeepers" Britain's foreign trade is mainly with other developed countries. Which accounts for 79% of exports and 85% of imports. About half with EC. Traditionally,Britain has had a deficit on visible trade and a surplus on invisible trade.美国: Currenty U.S. exports are about 15% of the world's total.The Unites States imports about 13% of all world imports. Canada is the largest single source og goods imported by the U.S.,accounting for nearly 30% of the total. Outside of North America,Europe is the largest source of imports with about 30%,Asia provides about 18%,with smaller percentages from Latin America,Africa,and Australia.爱尔兰: Successive Irish governments have adopted a consistent and postive approoach toward attracting overseas investment. The new foreign firms now account for over 70% of manufactured exports. Ireland is new an industrial exporter. Manufactured goods account for about two-thirds of total wxports.加拿大: A total about four fifths of all foreign investments in Canada are American.澳大利亚: Australia is a middle-level trading nation. The main feature of Australia's trade is that it has always involved the exchange of raw materials for finished products. Australia's trade relations with China have been developing rapidly in recent years. China accouts for about 3% of Australian total exports.新西兰: Trade is New Zealand's linelihood.Foreign investment is increasing and financial markets are active. Western Europe and particularly Britain have traditionally been New Zealand's major export market. The main imports are industrial raw materials,capital equipment and consumer goods. New Zealand is the world's largest exporter of lamb and mutton as well as dairy products.八、当今面临的问题英国: Britain is the oldest industrial country in the world.The term "Britain disease" is noew often used to characterise Britain's economic decline. The Evolution of the Britain Economy since the War:1.Steady development in the 50s and 60s.2.Economic recession in the 70s.3.Economic recovery in the 80s. 这里有一部分是撒切尔的宏,微观措施比较重要(P91-92)美国: The Untied States has a free-market economy with a dominant private sector So the economy system of the United States is principally privately owned.But today,many ofAmerican people still live under the poverty line. Unemployment,inflation,finacial deficit,and trade deficit are the troubles that always face the United States.爱尔兰: The value of imports generally exceeds that of exports. That's why Ireland has a chronic negative balance of trade. Continuing dependence on imported oil is one of the reasons for the high import bill.加拿大: In the past few years however,Canada's unemployment rate has been high.But what is worth nothing is that the cost for manufacturing has increased while the productivity per worker has decreased as compared with the United States or with its ten trading partners. While Canada has one of the world's highest standards of living,not all regions of the country have enjoyed the same degree of prosperity. Some measures have been taken by the Federal government to help those slow grownth regions.澳大利亚: Problems of Australia economy:1.Over-reliance on commodity exports.2.Failure to share in the expansion of international trade.3.The decline of manufaturing industries and the effects of tariffs.九、教育英国: Education is compulsory for between the ages of 5(4 in Northern Ireland) and 16.The protortion of young people entering higher education in universities and colleges was one in four(one in three in Northern Ireland) in 1994.There are 90 universities,including the Open University. The government education departments formulate education policies and are also responsible for the supply and trainging of teachers. Most state school education is the responsibility of local education authorities (LEAs);the rest is provided by self-governing grant-maintained(GM) schools.The British universities are governed by royal charters or by Act of Parliament and enjoy academic freedom. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge date from the 12th and 13th centries.美国: In the United States,education is regarded as both an individual benefit and a social necessity. Formal education in the United States consisteds of elementary,secondary and higher education. Diversity is considered to be an outstanding characteristic of American education.The America Constitution makes it clear that education is a funcation of the state,not the federal government. Higher education in the United States began with the founding of Harvard College in 1636. The system of higher education in the United States has three principle funcations:teaching,research,and public serivce. Another aspect ofAmerican higher education that has drawn the world's attention is the community college and the role it plays.爱尔兰: Schooling is complusory between ages 6 and 15. The chief lanugage of instruction is English. Ireland's oldest university is the University of Dubin. It was founded in 1591.加拿大: Virtually all Canadians devote at least ten years to formal cation is a provincial responsibility. Canadian education is divided into three seccessive levels:elementary,secondary,and post-secondary.The oldest university is Laval University in Quebec City,origianlly founded in1663. The largest is the University fo Torontao with full-time enrolment of over 31,000 students.节日、社会福利篇一、社会福利英国: Britain is a welfare state.(The welfare state is a system of government by which the state provides the economic and social security of its citizens through its organization of health services,pensions and other ficilities.)The system is funded out of national insurance and contributions and taxation.In Britain the term applies mainly to the National Health Service--NHS(1948,the largest single employer of labour in the U.K.),national insurance and social security. Personal Social Services assist elderly people,disabled people,people with learning disabilities or mental illness,children ,and families facing special problems. The Social Security is designed to secure a basic standard of living for people in financial need.(Contributory social security benefit: Retirement pension,Unemployment Benefit,Sickness and Invalidity Benefit,Maternity Allowance and Widows' Benefit.Non-contributory social security benefits: War Pensions,Industrial injuries Disablement Benefit,Child Benefit,Family Credit)加拿大: National health policies and programs have developed in Canada as a result of joint efforts by federal and provincial governments.A universal program for hospital care was introduced in 1958,followed ten years later by universal insurance to meet the cost of physicians'service.The Federal Government paid the provinces one-half the cost of the insurance programs.No Canada lacks access to hospital and medical care for finacial reasons. Federal,provincial and local governements provied a wide range of publicly funded and administered income security and social programs,which are complemented by the serivce of voluntary agencies.新西兰: Treatment at public hospital is free.A percentage of doctor's fees is paid by the state.The Accident Compensation Corporation provides immediate benefits of free medical trearment for everyone who suffers personal injury by accident. New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world to establish a free national dental service for young people. Infants and pre-school children receive free health care and free immunization against a range of diseases. The social support system helps people with personal,family and financial difficulties.二、节日(按照时间的排列,不是按照国家排列,主要是英美两国，其他国家没有涉及，因为其实和他们都是一样的）1.New Years Day/January 1st(所有国家) New Year's Day is part of Scotish "Hogmanay"(New Year's eve)festival,which is more important than Christmas to Scots. It is a legal holiday in U.S. and most people have a day off from work.One of the biggest and most exciting places in the United States on New Year's Eve is Time Square in New Year City.On the first day of the New Year,there are a lot of activities.(Mummers Parade in Philadelphia and the Rose Tournament in Pasadena,California.)2.Martin Luther King's Day/Third Monday of January (美国) Martin Luther King was a black minister,who became a great leader of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. He delivered his best-know speech "I have a dream" before the Lincoin Memorial and he was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1964. By the vote of Congress in 1968,the third Monday of every January is now a federal holiday in his honour.3.Lincoln's Birthday/February 12 (美国) Lincoln led the country during the difficult time of Civil War and he issued the Emancipation Proclamation which officially freed all slaves in the United States.4.Valentine's Day/February 14 (美国) Valentine's Day is a day for lovers.5.Washington's Birthday/February 22 (美国) George Washington is remebered as a great general,as one of the founders of the Republic,as the first President of the United States of America,and also as "the Father of his Country."6.April Fool's Day/April 1st (英国) April Fool's Day is hardly a festival,but on that day you may find that someone has tied your shoe-lace together,ot given you a false message from your employer,or play some practice jokes on you to make you an "April Fool"7.Easter Sunday/A Sunday in March or April (英国,美国) East is the chief Christian festival,which celebrates the Resurrection of Christ,on the first Sunday after the first full moon that conincides with,or comes after,the sprign equinox. Easter Sunday,which comes from the ancient Norweigian festival of Spring sun,is the second of the two most important holidays for Christians. There are several symbols for Easter.(Egg and the hare) The Easter Parade is very popluar in the United States.The most famous one is along the Fifth Avenue in New Year City. University students susally have a week-long "Spring Break" to return home to spend the holiday with thier parents.8.Whit Sunday/falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter(英国) It is a major festival in the Christian church. It celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to Christ's apostles seven weeks after his death.9.Memorial Day/Last Monday in May (美国) This day,originally called "Decoration Day",was first celebrated after the Civil War. Now it is a day to honour the memory of those who have given their lives for their country and people enjoy a three-days weekend. It is celebrated in various ways. Parade,bands,concerts,speeches and dinners are held in every American city.10.Independent Day/July 4 (美国) Independent Day is a legal holiday throughour the United States.It is the birthday of the nation. On July 4,1776,the Continental Congress passed and adopted the Declaration of Independence,which cut the tie with Britain and established a new nation. The army marks the occation by firing a thirteen-gun salute every year. In Washington D.C the President traditionally holds open house at the White House and large national banquets.11.Halloween/October 31 (美国) Halloween is a night-time children's holiday.(Trick or treat)12.Guy Fawkes Day/Novemeber 5 (英国) The only other national festival,which the origin lies in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.13.Veteran's Day/Novmber 11 (美国） Veteran's Daywhich was called the Ameristice Day before,origionally celebrated the signing of the 1918 Ameistice (the end of WWI).Now it honours the memory of all men who have ever fought in defense of the country. People spend the day quietly at home and keep two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m. hoping that future wars will avoided forever and that people will live in a peaceful,friendly world.14.Thanksgiving Day/Fourth Thursday of November (美国) Thanksgiving Day is a typical American holiday.It is an annual day of thanks for the blessings people have enjoyed during the year. The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated by the English settlers in Plymouth,Massachusetts on December 13,1621. Today the Americans usually hold a big family。
