英国概况课后练习UNIT1教学教材

英语国家概况（1）（2）100问1. "British history has been a history of invasion". Please illustrate this point with the examples from the text. How did each of the invasions influence English culture ?2. What are some general characteristics of Scotland ?3. Describe Wales' unification with Great Britain.4. Are there any differences between England and Wales in terms of cultural tradition ?5. Why is Northern Ireland, according to the author, so significant in the United Kingdom? What is the political problem there?6. What are some of the factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today?7. Different parties and groups in the United Kingdom have different solutions to the political problem in Northern Ireland. Please sum up their different attitudes.8. Has the author offered a solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland?9. What is the oldest institution of government?10. What is the name of the charter of liberty and political rights granted by King John in 1215?11. Do you think Elizabethan Drama occupies a significant position in British literature? Who is the most important figure in Elizabethan Drama? What are some of his major works?12. What do we call the group of important Parliamentarians?13. Which party forms the government and who becomes Prime Minister?14. What are some of the changes that have take place recently in the Chinese attitude towards sports? How do you account for these changes?15. For how many years is a general election held once in the UK?16. Who can stand for election as an MP?17. What are the three major parties? Which party is the party thatspent most time in power?18. Which party does Tony Blair belong to?19. When was the British economy dominant in the world?20. By what time was the UK overtaken by other countries, such as the US and Germany?21. Which country does it refer to as "the Jewel in the Crown"? When did it gain its independence?22. What are some of the positive and negative effects of non-white immigrants on British society according to the author?23. What is the general situation of racial relations in the UK?24. Why is Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in Middle English, still read and studied today?25. When was the term "parliament" first used officially?26. The author says that "the media are central to British leisure culture", why does the author say so?27. What are some of the characteristics of British newspaper culture?In what way is it different from the United States?28. Is the British press free from the government control and censorship? What is the relationship between the British press and politics or business?29. How does the BBC operate? How is it different from American broadcasting systems?30. What are some of the features of Romantic Literature?31. What is Modernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples?32. What is Postmodernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples?33. How has the Christian church influenced British sports? Please pick up some examples from the text.34. What is the origin of football?35. How is the violence of "football hooligans" related to the British history of football?36. Why is cricket very English? Why does the author believe thatcricket was associated with a set of English moral values?37. Christmas is the biggest and best-loved British holiday? How do the British celebrate this holiday?38. How do the British celebrate the Queen's Birthday? What is theorigin of this holiday?39. Bonfire Night is one truly English holiday. How and why do the English celebrate this holiday?40. How do the Protestants and Catholics celebrate their own holidays in Northern Ireland? What traditions are behind their celebrations?41. How is Hogmanay celebrated in Scotland? What other festivals are celebrated in Scotland?42. Which are the two most important and famous universities in Britain?43. What is the goal of education in the U.K.?44. Is the British education system run by the state or the private sector?45. Where do British universities receive their funds besides students tuition?46. Why does the author say that "the way the living arrangements of a society as a whole are organized tells us something about that society"?47. What are the four main types of home in Britain? How do they reflect the cost and status of homes? What are some of the major types of homein China?48. How are people in the UK divided into different classes?49. Is the class system similar with the United States?50. What and how did the British empire end? How did the British reactto this reality?51. What are the foundations of Britain's foreign policy?52. How is Britain's foreign policy made? Does the government's foreign policy represent the desires of British citizens?53. Why does the author say that the decision to join the EC was and remains controversial in Britain?54. Why does the author think that Britain has the "special relationship" with the United States? Does this relationship still exist?55. What are some of the general characteristics of Australia in termsof land, people and culture?56. Discuss the climate in Australia. What are some of the major differences between Australia and China in terms of the climate?57. What are the six states of Australia? What are some of the major similarities or differences in terms of population, early settlement and economy in the six states?58. Can you point out some main differences between the Australian government system and the British government system?59. Discuss the Australian education system. What are some of the features in the system that are specifically Australian?60. What are some of the distinct features of New Zealand's geography? Find out similarities and differences in terms of geography between New Zealand and Australia.61. What are some of the similarities between New Zealand and Britain in the government system?62. How did modern development in Europe influence the settlement of North American colonies?63. What was the unique American phenomenon ? How did it come into being? Do you think it still exists in today's American society?64. In what way did Puritanism influence American culture?65. What are the two political parties in the United States? Do youthink they are fundamentally different?66. What is the Bill of Rights? Do you think that it was necessary to write the Bill of Rights explicitly into the U.S. Constitution?67. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail? Was it necessary to change the Articles of Confederation and write a new constitution forthe new nation of the United States at the time?68. What is a federal system? What are some of the major differences between a federal system and a confederation?69. What are some of the major powers of each of the three branches of the U.S. government? How are the three branches supposed to check and balance each other?70. It is known to all that buying and selling stocks is a risky business. Why do you think there are still so many people involved in it?71. What promotes the diversity in American religion?72. In what way do you think that religious freedom was a historical necessity in the United States?73. What is the relationship between government and religion in America?74. What are some of the features in religion that are particularly American? What are some of the major differences between Americanreligion and religion in Europe?75. What is the main theme in American literature according to the author? How does the author illustrate his point?76. Why did Mark Twain win so many readers both at home and abroad?77. What are the major characteristics of education in America?78. What are some of the major themes in novels written by the "Lost Generation"?79. What is the goal of education in the United States? Discuss the similarities and differences in Great Britain, the United States and China concerning the goals of education.80. What does an American student learn?81. What were the major social movements of the 1960s? And what was the historical background of the social movements of that decade?82. The black political movement that began as a force for integration changed course in the mid-1960s and began to emphasize black uniqueness and even black separatism. What caused this transformation?83. Draw analogies between the black revolution and the women's movement. What common assumptions do they share?84. The author says that the United States was founded on the principle of human equality, but in practice the nation has fallen far short ofthat ideal. Illustrate this point with what you have learned from this book.85. What does poverty mean in the United States ? Why is poverty asocial problem in America?86. Why does the author emphasize that the invention of one technology has to be supported by a number of related technologies which form a supporting system? Give examples.87. When are the American football matches held?88. Why did a musical form of black origin gain acceptance in all classes in America and spread throughout the country?89. What are the contributions made by Louis Armstrong to the early jazz music?90. Why Canada is regularly rated as having the best standard of living in the world?91.What is the distinct feature in Canadian modern literature?92. Discuss the similarities and differences in the government systems between the U.K. and Canada.93. What are some of the characteristics of the Canadian party system?94. What are some of the things that make Canada a unique andinteresting country?95. How do you understand "multiculturalism"?96. Why do you think the author says that Canada has avoided the worst excesses of intolerance and prejudice?97. What is the Canada's Place in the World Economy?98. Do you think the Canadian government should subsidize theinefficient Canadian farmers or import foodstuff from neighbouring American states?99. Why is the idea of survival thought of as the central symbol of Canadian literature? What does cultural survival mean in Canadian literature?100. What are the major reasons for Canada's active role ininternational organizations? And how does Canada play its active role? 外国语学院：曾倩英语国家概况（1）（2）问题库答案1. British history has been a history of invasions. Before the firstcentury AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people:a powerful culture originating in central Europe. Then in 43AD Britainwas invaded by the Roman empire, and England and Wales (though notScotland or Ireland) became a part of the Roman empire for nearly 400years.Two more groups of invaders were to come after the English: fromthe late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings,threatened Britain's shores….2. Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both inpopulation and in geographical area. It is also the most confident ofits own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of theUK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unifiedstate independent of the UK. Thus it is not a big leap for the Scottishto imagine themselves independent again.Physically, Scotland is the most rugged part of the UK, with areas ofsparsely populated mountains and lakes in the north (The Highlands), andin the south (The Southern Uplands). Three-quarters of the populationlives in the lowland zone which spans the country between these twohighland areas. The largest city is Glasgow, in the west of this zone.Scotland's capital city is Edinburgh, on the east coast forty miles awayfrom Glasgow. It is renowned for its beauty, and dominated by its greatcastle on a high rock in the centre of the city. Both cities haveancient and internationally respected universities dating from the 15thcentury.3. Wales was always under pressure from its English neighbours,particularly after the Norman conquest, when Norman barons set upcastles and estates in Wales under the authority of the English Crown.Some brief campaigns are the only times in history when Wales hasexisted as a unified independent nation.4.Yes, there are. The close long-standing relationship means that modernWales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotlandpossesses—its legal system and its education system are exactly thesame as in England. Often official statistics are given for "England and Wales". However, Wales is different, and one of the key markers of that difference is the Welsh language—the old British Celtic tongue which is still in daily use.5. Until 1921 the full name of the UK was "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland", not only "Northern Ireland", because the whole island of Ireland was politically integrated with Great Britain, and had been since 1801, while Britain's domination of the Irish dated back centuries even before that date. But Irish desires for an independent Irish state were never lost, and one of the key issues in late nineteenth century British politics was a campaign in parliament for what was called "home-rule"—Irish political control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.6. Along with the political campaign for home-rule there were groups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engagingin guerilla or terrorist activities against British institutions and the British military forces. During the First World War and immediately after, this activity increased, sometimes brutally suppressed by British forces.7. Margaret Thatcher's government did not give in to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death. This event revitalised the political campaign of Sinn Fein, the legal political party which supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which they called the policy of "The Bullet and the Ballot Box".8. The problem lay in the "commitment to peaceful methods" aspect of the possible talks. Province-wide elections are planned under a complex formula to ensure a wide range of representation on the body which will carry out these talks, in an attempt to give them legitimacy. Without the participation of Sinn Fein and the IRA it is hard to see them succeeding. Northern Ireland is poised on the brink—a new peaceful future, or a return to the violence that has claimed 3150 lives so far.9. The oldest institution of government is the Monarchy (rule by the king).10. It was a gang of feudal barons and the Church which opposed some of King John's (1199—1216) policies. This opposition was so powerful that the king finally granted them a charter of liberty and political rights, still known by its medieval Latin name of Magna Carta. Magna Carta placed some limits on the king's ability to abuse his royal power. This is still regarded as Britain's key expression of the rights of citizens against the Crown.11. Shakespeare is the most important figure at that time. He excels in each kind. The tragedies include Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth. Among the comedies are The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest. His history plays, based on English history, include Richard III, Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V. Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra are tragedies on classical themes.12. The House of Commons.13. The party that wins most votes in general election and the leader of this winning party would become Prime Minister.14. Th ey more and more like sports….15. For five years.16. Anyone who is eligible vote to can stand as an MP. It is necessary only to make a deposit of 500 pounds (a quite easily obtainable amountin the UK) which is lost if the candidate does not receive at least 5% of the vote.17. There are three major national parties: The Conservative party and the Labour party are the two biggest, and any general election is really about which of those two is going to govern. But there is a third important party, the Liberal Democrats, who usually receive up to about 20% of the votes: not enough to form a government, but enough to have a big impact on which of the other two parties does so. The Conservative Party spent most time in power18. Tony Blair belong to Labor Party.19. By the 1880s the British economy was dominant in the world,producing one third of the world's manufactured goods, half its coal and iron, half its cotton.20. But even by 1900 this was no longer the case, the UK having been overtaken by both the United States and Germany; and certainly from 1945 until the present, the story of the UK economy is usually thought of as one of decline.21. India, popularly known as "The Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, gained its independence in 1947.22. This has a number of consequences for British society, mainly positive, though with some indirect negative effects. On the positive side such immigrant groups bring their culture with them, whichincreases the variety and interest within British culture: for example, the UK, which used to have a bad reputation for food, now has a cuisine as varied as any, with Indian and Chinese restaurants in every community, as well as many other varieties in bigger cities. This variety in restaurant food has resulted in more experimentation at home, so that shops now carry a much wider variety of goods to supply the demand, and there are many TV programmes and books devoted to all kinds of different cooking. The negative side of things lies largely in the attitude of some of their white neighbours.23. While there is a growing ethnic minority middle-class, and many individual success stories, by most measures the immigrant population is worse-off economically speaking than the white population as a whole. Individuals from ethnic minorities are more likely to be unemployed; and they are under-represented in politics too, though there are now a number of black and Asian MPs. But there are also a number of small political parties in the UK with overtly racist policies.24. With the Norman Conquest in 1066 Britain entered the Middle Ages (1066—1485), and the language of the royal court became French. So literature of that period was written in French or Latin. But one work from these times often studied today by middle school and college students is The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1343—1400). He was the first court poet to write in English.25. The word "parliament" comes from the verb "to parley", that is, to discuss or talk. The term was first used officially in 1236 to describe the gathering of feudal barons and representatives from counties and towns which the king occasionally summoned if he wanted to raise money.26. On an average day, 90 per cent of Britons over the age of 15 read a national or local paper. And in the evening, most Britons settle down to watch some television: 96 percent of the population watch TV at least once a week, making it Britain's most popular leisure activity. Thethird most popular pastime, after watching telly and reading newspapers, is listening to the radio, an activity in which 73 per cent of the population engages in on a weekly basis. It is obvious, then, that the media are central to British leisure culture.27. British newspaper culture is unusual in the extent to which class and educational differences are reflected in the newspapers people read. In other developed countries like Japan and the United States, newspaper reading is a mainly middle-class habit, but in Britain the "lower classes" are also regular readers.28. While officially speaking the British press is "free" from government control and censorship and can print what it likes, there are limits to what will appear in the daily paper.29. The British Broadcasting Corporation - more familiarly known as the BBC or even "the Beeb" - is Britain's main public service broadcaster The BBC is funded by licence fees and viewers must buy a license each year for their TV set.30. Roughly the first third of the 19th century makes up English literature's romantic period. Writers of romantic literature are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power of reason, which marked the 18th century. Perhaps the rather violent and ugly world about them drove 19th-century writers to a literary refuge.31. Modernism in literature can be seen as a reaction against the nineteenth century forms discussed above, which can be thought of as assuming understanding between writer and reader, resulting in the simple communication of an agreed version of the "world". This approach to writing is known as "Realism." Instead, Modernist writers express the difficulty they see in understanding and communicating how the worldworks. Often, therefore, Modernist writing seems disorganized, hard to understand. It often portrays the action from the viewpoint of a single confused individual, rather than from the viewpoint of an all-knowing impersonal narrator outside the action….32. Postmodernists can be thought of as abandoning that search. Meaning does not exist outside of the human head, likewise it does not exist inside a book, waiting to be discovered, instead it is made in the process of reading a book, or of making sense of the world….33. Tennis was invented in Britain and it owes its origins, literally,to the Church. Church records indicate that by the mid-fifteenth century, people were making a game of bouncing a ball off the side of their local churches or cathedrals, first using the hand, and later a racquet. This was called "tenys". Such antics sometimes offended the clergy who complained that the dignity and tranquility of the church was shattered by such games, but they also illustrate how central the church was to community life.34. There are legends that suggest that games like football and rugby actually derived from the "sport" of ancient warriors celebratingvictory by kicking around the decapitated head of an enemy. There is a similar grisly tale told about origins of bowling: it is said that in ancient times, Scottish warriors rolled the skulls of their enemiesalong the grass for sport.35. Today, violence is still associated with football. "Football hooligans", supporters of rival teams, sometimes clash before, duringand after matches and occasionally run riot through the town, breaking windows and beating each other up. Some football fans paint their faces and sing or chant football songs and it is not too difficult to imagine their warrior-ancestors.36. As generations of public school boys grew up to become the civil servants and rulers of the UK and its colonies, cricket becameassociated with a set of moral values, in particular the idea of "fair play" which characterised British government. Sir Ian Bancroft, a high level civil servant in the 1980s, remembered that when he began his career in Whitehall, one day his government minister was so angry thathe threw the telephone at him. Sir Ian said he knew exactly how torespond: "having played cricket I was able to catch it and hand it back to him politely."37. Yes. Nowadays, Christmas is celebrated by most Britons by exchanging gifts and Christmas cards, preparing holiday foods, and decorating homes and workplaces with coloured lights, Christmas trees and ornaments.38. One of Britain's most impressive and colourful festivals happens on the second Saturday in June when the Queen's Birthday is officially celebrated by "trooping the colour" around Buckingham Palace in London.39. The English do not celebrate their famous writers or battles or patron saints, although they have all these things. However, one truly English holiday is Bonfire Night—sometimes called Guy Fawkes Night—celebrated in the early autumn.40. Another festival which comes from the 17th century battles between Catholics and Protestants is the Protestant celebration of their victory at the Battle of the Boyne (12 July) in 1690. Northern Irish Catholics celebrate the birthday of the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick, on March 17 each year.41. While most British people welcome the coming of the New Year with parties, in Scotland, New Year's Eve called Hogmanay (31 December)—is the major winter celebration, and overshadows Christmas (called Yule in Scotland) which is a very quiet affair. How Hogmanay is celebrated varies throughout Scotland, but one widely practised custom is "first footing". There is a superstitious belief that the first person to cross the threshold of a household in the New Year can bring luck and prosperity: the appearance of a young, preferably dark haired and handsome man, is considered particularly lucky. First footers often bring a bottle of spirits, alcohol, a lump of coal or a peat as a gift and are given a "dram of whisky" as their reward.42. Cambridge University and Oxford University.43. The goal of British education is to socialize children.44. The British education system run by the state.45. In the UK, the amount of funding each university receives is basedon its size, the number of students it teaches, and the research it conducts. So far, the UK has only one privately funded university, the University of Buckingham.46. For individual members of any society the home they live in is of great importance in their lives. The way the living arrangements of a society as a whole are organized tells us something about that society—its standard of living, its social and familial structure, thedistribution of wealth in a society—both in terms of geography andsocial hierarchy—and even something about that society's values and dreams.47. There are, broadly speaking, four main types of home. The first kind are "flats" (or apartments), of varying size, often in modern multi-storey purpose-built buildings, though sometimes made by sub-dividingbig old houses. Flats are often publicly owned. The second kind are "terraced" houses: that is, individual two-storey houses built joiningon to each other at each side in a terrace or row. The second kind are "terraced" houses: that is, individual two-storey houses built joiningon to each other at each side in a terrace or row; the fourth one is “detached.”48. The British people are divided into classes economically, culturally, educationally and etc.49. What is distinctive about the British class-system, and which marks it as different from the American or Chinese social structure, is thatit has also retained a hereditary aristocracy.50. Two world wars had seriously influenced its empire position. The end of the great British empire was surprisingly rapid. In 1946, Jordan,in the Middle East, was granted independence. The following year, India and Pakistan followed suit. In 1948, Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) were granted independence and left the Commonwealth as well, refusing to recognise the British monarch as the head of their new states. Throughout the next few decades, the process of decolonisation continued as other territories and possessions received their independence or were returned to their rightful rulers.51. The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced byits imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits. Perhaps the。

英语国家概况课后习题（附答案）Chapter 1Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —F—1.People in different parts of Britain like to use the name England to refer to their country.—T—2.The Severn River is the longest river of Britain ,which originates in Wales and flows through western England.—F—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 bello w-10℃in January.—T—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. —F—8.English evolved into what is now described as Modern English from the late 16th century.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1.The two main islands of the British Isles are—A—A.Great Britain and IrelandB.Great Britain and ShcotlandC.Great Britain and EnglandD.Great Britain and England2. —B—is the capital city of Scotland.A.BelfastB.EdinburghC.LondonD.Cardiff3. Among the four parts of the United Kingdom, —D—is the smallest.A.EnglandB.ScotlandC.WalesD.Northern Ireland4. English belongs to the —C—group of the Indo-European family oflanguages.A.CelticB.NormanC.GermanticD.Roman5. The introduction of Christianity to Britain added the first element of -—D—words to English.A.Danish and FinnishB.Dutch and GermanC.French and Italiantin and Greek6. The evolution of Middle English was reinforced by the—A—influence.A.NormanB.DutchC.GermanD.Danish7. Samuel Johnson’s dictionary was influential in establishing a standardform of—C—.8. At present,nearly —C—of the world’s populations communicate inEnglish.A.halfB.a quarterC.one thirdD.one fifthⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.Why do tourist from all over the world like go to Scotland?2.How many periods can the development of the English language be dividedintoand what are they?3.Why did English become more important after the Black Death?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.Who are the British people?2.What is Standard English?Chapter 2Ⅰ.Read the following statements and decide whether they are true(T) or false(F). —T—1.Birtish history before 55 BC is basically undocumented.—T—2.The Anglo Saxon came to Britain in the 5th century.—F—3.The chief or king of the Anglo Saxon tribes exercised power at their own will.—T—4.The Viking began to attack the English coast in the 8th century. —T—5.Henry Ⅱbuilt up a large empire which included England and most of france.—F—6.The Magana Carta was designed to protect the rights of both the privileged class and townspeople.—F—7.The Hundred Years’War was a series of wars fought between the British and the Vikings for trade and territory.—T—8.In an effort to make a compromise between different religious factions,Queen Elizabeth Ⅰactually defended the fruit the Reformation. Ⅱ. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The—D—attack on Rome ended the Roman occupation in Britain in 410.A. NormanB. DanishC.CelticD.Germanic2. By the late 7th century, —D—became the dominant religion in England.A. Celtic ChristianityB. Anglo Saxons ChristianityC.Germanic ChristianityD. Roman Christianity3. The—C—marked the establishment of feudualism in England.A.Viking invasionsB. signing of the Magna CartaC.Norman ConquestD.adoption of common law4. The end of the Wars of the Roses led to the rule of—C—A.the House of ValoisB. the House of YorkC. the House of TudorD. the House of Lancaster5. The direct cause ofor the Reformation was King Henry Ⅷ’s effortto—A—.A.divorce his wifeB.break with RomeC.support the ProtestantD.declare his supreme power over the church6. The English Civil War broke out in1642 between —B—A.the Protestant and the PuritansB.the Royalist and the ParliamentarianC.the nobles and the peasantsD.the aristocrats and the Christians7. —A—was passed after the Glorious Revolution.A.The Bill of RightsB.The Act of SupremacyC.The Provisions of OxfordD.The Magna Carta8. The Industrail Revolution was accomplished in Britain by the middle ofthe —C—century.A.17thB.18thC.19thD.20thⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.What were Queen Victoria’s major achievements?2.What were the two camps in the World WarⅠ?3.Why did Britain cooperate closely with the Uinited States after World War Ⅱ?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.What were the results of the Industrail revolution in Britain?2.Explain the rise and fall of the British Empire.Chapter 3Ⅰ.Read the following statements and decide whether they are true(T) or false(F). —T—1.Conventions are regarded less important than the statutory law in the working of the England government.—F—2.The British monarchy has never been interrupted throughout the history.—F—3.In reality,the British King or Queen is the house 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.—T—6.The British Prime Minister is the leader of the minority party in Parliament.—F—7.Cabinet members are chosen by the Prime Minister from various political parties in Parliament.—T—8.The legal systems in England ,Wales,Scotland and Northern Ireland are much similar in terms of law,orgalizations and practice.Ⅱ. Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1.The British government is characterized by a division of powers betweenthree of the following branchs EXCEPT the—C—.A.judiciaryB.legislatureC.monarchyD.executive2. The importance of the British monarchy can be seen in its effect on—D—.A.passing billsB.advising the gowernmentsC.political partiesD.public attitude3. As a revising chamber ,the House of Lords is expected to—B—the Houseof Commons.A.rivalplementC.criticizeD.inspect4. —A—is at the center of the British political system.A.The CabinetB.The House of LordsC.The House of CommonsD.The Privy Council5. The main duty of the British Privy Council is to —B—.A.make decisionsB.give adviceC.pass billsD.supervise the Cabinet6. Generally speaking,the British Parliament operates on a —B—system.A.single partyB.two partyC.three partyD.multi party7. The politices of the Conservative Party are characterized by pragmatismand—D—.ernment interventionB.nationalization of enterprisesC.social reformD.a belief in individualiam8. In Britain,the parliamentary general election is held every—C—years.A.threeB.fourC.fiveD.sixⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.What are the three functions of the House of Commons?2.What kind of public image does the Liberal Democrats have in Britain?3.Why are independent candidates unlikely towin in the general elections? Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.What do British electoral campaigns usually involves during the processof a general election?2.What is the Commonwealth of Nations?Chapter 4Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —T—1.Britain was the first industrialized nation in the world.—T—2.The British economy experienced a relative decline during the postwar period.—F—3.Limited resources and high unemployment rate were persistent. —F—4.Thatcher’s revolution turned out to be agreat success in dealing with all the British economic and social problems.—T—5.The economic approach adopted by Tony Blair was different from that of the old Labor Party and the Conservetive Party.—T—6.Blair made the Bank of England independent in oder to separate politics from economic policy.—F—7.Britain is an important oil exporter since its oil industry has a long history.—T—8.Nuclear power is one of the major energy sources in Britain.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The —A—in the early 1970s worsened an already stagnant economy in Britain.A.oil crisisB.high inflation ratesrge importsD.unemployment problem2. Of the following practices, —C—did not belong to Thatcher’s social welfare reform.A.reducing child benefitsB.shortening the period of unemployment benefitsC.reducing unemploymentD.lowering old age pension3. The Blair government was successful in the following aspect EXPECT—D—.A.limiting government spendingB.keeping inflation under controlC.reducing unemploymentD.reducing inequality4. Britain has devoted about—C—of its land area to agriculture.A.50%B.60%C.70%D.80%5. Britain’s important fishing areas include all the following EXCEPT—D—.A.the North SeaB.the English ChannelC.the area around the Irish coastD.the sea area between Britain and Ireland6. Coal mining industry in Britain provides—B—of the energy consumed inthe country.A.one thirdB.one fourthC.one fifthD.two thirds7. The car industry in Britain is mostly —A—.A.foreign ownedB.state ownedC.joint ownedD.privately owned8. Of the following sectors in Britain, —C—has experienced spectaculargrowth since the end of the World War Ⅱ.A.agricultureB.the energy industryC.the service sectorD.the manufacturing industryⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.What was the negative aspect of Thatcher’s reform in the early 1980s.2.What are the charactoristics of Britain’sagriculture?3.What happened to Britain’s beef industry in the mid 1990s?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.What were the major causes of Britain’s relative economic decline in thepostwar period?2.Why do developed nations like Britian encourage the development of the service industry?Chapter 5Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —F—1.The Britain government has been responsible for education since the early 1800s.—F—cation inBritain is compulsory for all children between the ages of 6 and 15.—F—3.The National Curriculum is compulsory in both the states system and the independent system.—T—4.When children finish their schooling at 16,they are required to take a national GCSE examination.—T—5.Graduates from state schools in Britain have a less favorable chance to enter famous universities than those from independent schools. —F—6.The Times is the world oldest Sunday newspapers.—F—7.The BBC World Service broadcast only in English throughout the world. —T—8. Some British holidays are celebrated to mark important events in the Christian calendar,and some others are related to local customs and traditions.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. In Britain,the division between grammer schools and vocational schools was ended by the introduction of comprehensive schools in the —D—.A.1930sB.1940sC.1950sD.1960s2. Over—C—of British children receive primary and secondary education through the independent system.A.5%B.6%C.7%D.Partially funded 8%3. Partially funded by central government grants,most of the British universities receive the remaining funds from all the following sources EXCEPT—B—.A.tuition feesB.loansC.donationsD.corporate contributions4. To be admitted to the Open University, one needs—B—.A.some educational qualificatonsB.no educational qualificationsC.the General Certificate of Education Advanced level.D. the General Certificate of Secondary Education5. Among Britain’s quality press,the following newspapers are regarded asthe “Big Three”EXCEPT—C—.A.The TimesB.The GuardianC.The ObserverD.The Daily Telegraph6. Life On Earth is a kind of —C—program produced by the BBC is popularworldwide.A.radioB.dramaC.documentaryD.soap opera7. —D—is Britain’s top pay television provider.A.BSBB.SkyTVC.BBCD.BSkyB8. The following Christmas traditions are particularly BritishEXCEPT—A—.A.Trooping the ColorB.the Queen’s Christmas messageC.Boxing DayD.the Christmas pantomimeⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.What used to be the major functions of grammer schools and vocational schools in Britain.2.What kind of subjects do British comprehensive schools provide?3.In what ways do British universities enjoy complete academic freedom?4.What role does the media play in Britain leisure culture?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.What are the general features of Britain’s independent schools?2.What are the “Quality Press”and the “tabloids”in Britain?Chapter 6Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —F—1.The Canterbury Tales is representative work of the old English period. —T—2.The Renaissance is characterized by admiration of the Greek and Latin classic works.—T—3.As a great English peot,Alexander Pope also translated Homer’s Iliad. —F—4.Jhonathan Swift is probably the foremost prose satirist in the English language,and Robinson Crusoe is his masterpiece.—F—5.William Wordsworth amd Sumuel Taylor Colerdge brought the Romantic Movement to its height.—F—6.Lord Byron distinguished himself by the musical quality of his short poems,such as “Ode to the West Winds”.—F—7.Jane Austen is a well known novelist of the stream of consciousness school.—T—8.Joseph Conrad is classified as a forerunner of Modernism,which prevailed before World War Ⅱ.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The most significant achievement of the English Renaissance is—B—.A.poetryB.dramaC.novelD.pamphlet2. —C—is viewed as Romantic poetry’s “Declaration of independence”.A. “I Wonder Lonely as a Cloud”B.Don JuanC.The preface to Lyrical BalladsD.Prometheus Unbound3.Of Dicken’s novels, —B—is considered most autobiographical.A.A Tale of Two CitiesB.Davied CopperfiedC.Oliver TwistD.Great Expectations4. —D—is a representative of English Critical Realism in the turn of the 19thcentury.A.Robert Louis SetevensonB.John MiltonC.Joseph ConardD.Thomas Hardy5. Of the following books, —C—is NOT written by Thomas Hardy.A.Jude the ObscureB.Tess of the d’UrbervillesC.Adam BedeD.The Return of the Native6. —A—is not included in the modernist group.A.Oscar WildeB.Virginia WoolfC.William Bulter YeatsD.T.S.Eliot7. Of the following writers, —B— is NOT a Nobel Prize winner.A.Samuel BeckettB.James JoyceC.William GoldingD.V.S.Naipual8. Waiting for Godot is written by—A—.A.Samuel BeckettB.Geroge OrwellC. William GoldingwranceⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.What are the three catergries of Shakespeare’s plays and their representatives?2.What is Critical Realism?3.What are the two new literary trends prevailing at the end of 19th century?4.What is the stream of consciousness?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.What is Romanticism?2.What are the characteristics of English literauture in the 20th century?Chapter 7Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —F—1.The Republic of Ireland occupies the entire area of the island of Ireland. —F—2.The earliest inhabitants in Ireland were Celtic tribes from Europe. —F—3.In the 1800s, Ireland gained in prosperity because it became a part of Britain.—T—4.In the 1930s, Ireland was not indeed a republic, but belonged to the British Commonwealth of Nations.—F—5.Ireland’s economy wasn’t affected by World War Ⅱbecause it remained neutral during the war.—F—6.In 1949, Britain recognized the independence of the Irish Republic and returned the six northern counties.—F—7.English is the only official language in Ireland because the majority of people speak it as their mother tongue.—T—8.Catholicism in Ireland is more than a mere matter of private faith, but of public identity.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. --B-- established a unified Irish culture and language in the 6th century BC.A. Hunter-gatherers from BritainB. Celtic tribesC. British invadersD. The Vikings2. Divergent views about --C--resulted in the Irish Civil War.A. the Act of UnionB. the Unilateral Declaration of IndependenceC. the Anglo-Irish TreatyD. the Anglo-Irish Agreement3. --C---was the first Irish President to visit Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ.A. Eamon de ValeraB. John A. CostelloC. Mary RobinsonD. Albert Reynolds4. ---D--brought Anglo-Irish relations to a new height.A. The British recognition of the Irish RepublicB. The signing of the Downing Street DeclarationC. The signing of the Belfast AgreementD. The IRA’s formal declaration of the disarmament in 20055. In Ireland, the head of state is--B---A. the Prime MinisterB. the PresidentC. the British monarchD. the General Governor6. ---C---has been the dominant party in Ireland since 1930s and supportspeaceful reunification of the island of Ireland.A. Fine GaelB. The Labor PartyC. Fianna FailD. The Progressive Democrats7. Emigration in Ireland started since the --A--A. medieval periodB. 17th centuryC. Great Potato FamineD. early 18th century8. Ireland now has a --B-- economy.A. agriculture-basedB. knowledge-basedC. industry-basedD. foreign investment-basedⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1. Why was Cork given the nickname “the Rebel County”?2. Who were the first groups of people that came to Ireland?3. Why did Ireland remain neutral in World War Ⅱ？Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1. What is the significance of the following documents: the Act of Union, the Anglo-Irish Treaty, the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the Belfast Agreement?2. What are the goals of the main political parties in Ireland?Chapter 8Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —F—1.The eastern highlands formed by the Appalachian Range hold one-third of the country’s continental territory.—T—2.The climate in the United States can be classified as temperate, with some mild subtropical and tropical zones.—T—3.A 50-centimeter rainfall line runs through the middle of the United States.—T—4.New York is composed of five boroughs, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island and Queens.—F—5.San Francisco is the second largest city after New York and the world-famous Hollywood is located here.—T—6.During the 1830s and the 1840s, many Northern Europeans and Irish immigrants came to America.—T—7.Almost half of the immigrants coming to the United States in the 1980s were Asians.—T—8.Basic American cultural values are freedom, equality and desire to work hard for a higher standard of living.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The U.S. lies in --B--North America, with Canada to the north, Mexico to the south, the Atlantic to its ----and the Pacific to its -----.A. northern, east, westB. central, east, westC. southern, west, eastD. western, west, east2. The continental United States has--C---states.A. 50B. 49C. 48D. 353. The state of --A--- is the largest in area of all the U.S. states.A. AlaskaB. HawaiiC. TexasD. Florida4. The longest river in the U.S. is ---B---A. the Missouri RiverB. the Mississippi RiverC. the Ohio RiverD. the Lake Itasca5. Some of the world-famous universities like Harvard, Yale and MIT arelocated in--C--.A. the SouthB. the WestC. New EnglandD. the Midwest6. San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego all belong to --D--A. MontanaB. UtahC. MaineD. California7. The Immigration Act of 1924 restricted further immigration into theUnited States, particularly from--A----.A. EuropeB. AsiaC. AfricaD. South America8. The characteristics of the dominant American culture are--D-A. English-speaking, Northern European, Roman Catholic andmiddle-classB. English-speaking, Western European, Roman Catholic and upper-classC. English-speaking, Northern European, Protestant and upper-classD. English-speaking, Western European, Protestant and middle-classⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1. How is the American population distributed?2. Why was the Immigration Act of 1924 instituted?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1. Why is the United States regarded as a “melting pot” and a “salad bowl”?2. What do you think is the best way to help assimilation in a multicultural society?Chapter 9Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are ture(T) or false (F). —T—1.American was named after Amerigo Vespucci,who arrived on the new continent after Columbus.—F—2.The Second Continental Congress was held in Phiadelphia,and the Continental Army and Navy was established under the command of Thomas Jerfferson.—T—3.The Amemrican Civil War not only put an end to slavery,but also make American a single,indivisible nation.—F—4.Most American people approved of the Vietnam War.—T—5.In1990,American troops and the troops from allied nations took joint military action in order to drive Iraqi troops out of Kuwait.—F—6.According to the American government,Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were responsible for the terrorist event on Septemble11,2001. —T—7.The Bush administration regarded Iraq a nation among the “axis of the evil”.—F—8.On March 20,2003,American and United Nations’troops, supposed by several other countries,began an invasion of Iraq.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1. The first successful English conoly in North America was founded at—C—in——.A.Jamestown,LouisianaB.Boston, MassachusettsC.Jamestown,VirginiaD.Plymouth,Gergia2. The Seven Years’War occurred between—C—.A.the French and the American IndiansB.the French and the SpanishC.the French and the BritishD. the British and the American Indians3. “No taxation without representation”was the rallying slogan of—D—.A.the settlers of VirginiaB.the people of PennsylvaniaC.the colonists in New EnglandD.the people of the 13 colonies4. In May 1775, —B—was held in Phiadelphia and began to assume thefunctions of a provisional government.A.the First Continental CongressB.the Second Continental CongressC.the Boston Tea PartyD.the Congress of Confederation5. Abraham Lincoln issued the —C—to grant freedom to all slaves.A.Declaration of IndependenceB.ConstitutionC.Emancipation ProclamationD.Bill of Rights6. The policy of the United States was —A—at the beginning of the twoWorld Wars.A.nuetralityB.full involvementC.partial involvementD.appeasement7. President —C— introduced the NⅡew Deal to deal with the problems ofthe Great Depression.A.WilsonB.TrumanC.RooseveltD.Kennedy8. The Vietanam War was a long time suffering for Americans,and itscontinued throughout the terms of president—D—.A.Johnson,Nixon and FordB.Truman,Eisenhower and KennedyC.Kennedy,Johnson and NixonD.Eisenhower,kennedy and Johnson Ⅲ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.Why did American change its policy and enter World War Ⅱ?2.What were Nixon’s well known contributions during his presidency?3.What were the measure s of Reagan’s economic program?Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.What was the course of the American Civil War?2.What made the United States a powerful country by the end of World War Ⅱ?Chapter 10Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are true(T) or false (F).—F—1.The Bill of Right was written into the Constitution in 1787.—T—2.The form of the American government is based on three main principles: federalism, the separation of powers and respect for the Constitution and rule of law.—F—3.The US Congress consists of two houses: the House of Commons and the House of Lords.—T—4.The judicial branch of the US federal government consists of a series of courts: the supreme court, the courts of appeals and the district courts. —F—5.The Democratic Party is conservative in terms of its ideology.—T—6.The American presidential campaigns adhere to the “winner-takes-all”practice.—F—7.The American foreign policy throughout World War 2 was neutrality. —T—8.The American foreign policy during the Cold War period was containment and intervention.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1.The US.Constitution came into effect in –B--A. 1787B. 1789C. 1791D.17932. The Constitution of the United States --C--A. gives the most power to CongressB. gives the most power tothe presidentC. tries to give each branch enough power to balance the othersD. gives the most power to the Supreme Court3.The Bill of Right –B--A. defines the rights of Congress and the rights of the PresidentB. guarantees citizens of the US specific individual rights and freedomC. is part of the Declaration of IndependenceD. has norelationship with the Constitution.4.The terms for a Senator and Representative are __D_ and ___ yearsreapectively.A. 2;4B.2;3C. 2;6D.6;25. All the following can make legislative proposals EXCEPT –C--A. the senatorB. the RepresentativeC. the secretary of stateD. the president6.The following are all powers of the President EXCEPT CA. vetoing any bills passed by CongressB. appointing federal judges when vacancies occurC. making lawsD.issuing executive orders7. The Supreme Court is composed of __D_ justicesA. 6B. 7C. 8D.98. The president is directly voted into office by _C__A. all citizens of AmericaB. the citizens over 18 years oldC. electors elected by the votersD. the senators and therepresentativesⅢ.Give brief answers to the following questions.1.what are the two characteristics of the us constitution?2.what are the qualifications for a senator and a representative respectively?3.what are the major powers of the Supreme Court?4.what are the differences between the Democrats and the Republicans in terms of political ideology.Ⅳ.State your understanding of the following questions.1.How is the American President voted into office? What are your ideas about the American election?2.what was President Eisenhower’s foreign policy and what were the consequences?Chapter 11Ⅰ.Read the following statement and decide whether they are true(T) or false (F). —T—1.America is the world’s largest industrial nation.—T—2.In the US Constitution ,the recognition of the importance of ‘intellectual property’ could be identified.—F—3.Although slavery was abolished as a result of the Civil War, the owners of plantations in the South made more profits from selling their agricultural products.—F—4. President Roosevelt’s New Deal had little effect in dealing with the economic crisis in the early 1930s—F—5. The 1960s was a period of consolidation for the American business. —T—6. American agriculture exports outweigh imports, leaving a surplus in the agricultural balance of trade.—T—7. Auto production is one of the important sectors in American manufacturing industry.—F—8. The growth and decline of the American foreign trade has little to do with the world economy.Ⅱ.Choose the best answer to complete each of the following statements.1.America produces a major portion of the world’s products in the following fields EXCEPT __C_A. machineryB. automobilesC. oreD. chemicals2. The modern American economy progressed from___ to____, and then to __C__A. a colonial economy, a handcraft economy, an industrial economyB. a farming economy, a handcraft economy, an industrial economyC. a colonial economy, a farming economy, an industrial economyD. a handcraft economy, a farming economy, an industrial economy。

四年级下英语教案-Unit 1 London is the capital of London-外研社三起一、教学目标1.了解伦敦是英国的首都及其特色；2.能够正确发音和书写单词capital和flag；3.能够描述伦敦的风景和文化；4.培养学生的英语口语和听力能力。

二、教学重点1.新单词的学习：capital, flag；2.学生口语和听力的培养。

三、教学难点1.对单词capital和flag的正确发音和书写；2.使学生了解伦敦的特色和文化。

四、教学过程A. Class Opening1.点名；2.问候学生；3.确认学生是否完成了课前作业。

B. Lead-in1.教师问学生：What city is the capital of China? What is the capital of England?2.教师带领学生观看伦敦的图片，带领学生认识伦敦的地标建筑和文化；3.让学生描述伦敦的风景和文化。

C. Presentation1.教师发音和读出单词capital，让学生跟读；2.教师出示单词capital的图片，让学生联想该单词的含义；3.教师用图片展示英国国旗，让学生尝试说出这个国旗的名称，然后教师正确发音flag，并让学生跟读；4.教师带领学生学习新词汇，让学生掌握单词的发音和书写。

D. Practice1.教师出示伦敦市政厅的图片，让学生描述该建筑外观及其特色，同时强调这是伦敦市政府所在的地方；2.教师播放一段短小的伦敦介绍视频，让学生倾听并尝试记下所展示的重要信息；3.教师出示其他伦敦的地标建筑的图片或视频，并让学生描述。

E. Production1.将学生分为三人一组，让他们用英语交流伦敦的景点和文化，并展示在班级上；2.让学生分享他们在伦敦旅游的经历或想法；3.通过表彰和展示积极的表现来激励学生的学习兴趣和积极性。

F. Closing1.点评课堂表现；2.布置下一堂课的作业。

五、作业1.用英语完成一篇有关伦敦风景的小短文，描述伦敦的建筑、景点等；2.让学生根据自己的喜好和兴趣找一张伦敦的图片或图片集，并撰写简短的英文介绍；3.让学生在家观看伦敦相关的短片或视频，尝试听懂并记录视频中提到的重要信息。

英语国家概况课后题摘要：一、英语国家概况概述1.英美两国的历史背景2.地理位置及气候特点3.政治体制及社会制度二、英国概况1.历史发展简述2.地理位置及气候特点3.政治体制及社会制度4.经济状况及产业结构5.文化教育及著名旅游景点三、美国概况1.历史发展简述2.地理位置及气候特点3.政治体制及社会制度4.经济状况及产业结构5.文化教育及著名旅游景点正文：一、英语国家概况概述英语国家概况主要涉及英国和美国两个国家。

这两个国家具有深厚的历史背景，独特的地理位置和气候特点，以及各自的政治体制和社会制度。

在这部分，我们将对这两个国家进行简要的概述。

二、英国概况英国，全名“大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国”，位于欧洲西北部，由英格兰、苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰四个部分组成。

英国是一个具有君主立宪制政体的国家，现任君主是伊丽莎白二世女王。

英国气候多样，但总体上属于海洋性气候，四季分明。

英国的经济以服务业为主，特别是金融、教育、旅游等产业具有较高地位。

在文化教育方面，英国拥有世界一流的大学，如牛津、剑桥等，吸引了全球众多学子前来求学。

著名旅游景点包括白金汉宫、大本钟、伦敦塔桥等。

三、美国概况美国，全名“美利坚合众国”，位于北美洲，东临大西洋，西濒太平洋。

美国是一个民主共和制国家，实行总统制。

美国的气候同样多样，但大部分地区属于温带大陆性气候。

美国是全球最大的经济体，拥有高度发达的工业、农业和服务业。

美国在科技、金融、航空航天等领域具有领先地位。

在文化教育方面，美国拥有众多世界顶级大学，如哈佛、耶鲁、斯坦福等。

著名旅游景点包括自由女神像、大峡谷、黄石国家公园等。

以上就是对英国和美国这两个英语国家的概况介绍。

英美文化与国家概况British and American Studies ( British Part )Unit One大学英语第一教研室余非编2013年2月Unit 1 The Country and the People Contents:1.Geographic Features2.People and Religion3.Official and Local Languages------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Geographic Features1.1Component （组成部分）✧To the west and off the European Continent, several thousand of islands exist on theContinental Shelf. They are generally called the British Isles（不列颠群岛）.✧Of all these isles, the largest one is called Great Britain（大不列颠；英国）. For the sake ofconvenience, Great Britain is often shorten to Britain.✧The island of Great Britain runs nearly 1,000 kilometers from south to north . It extends , atthe widest part, about 500 kilometers from west to east.✧Still to the west of Great Britain is Ireland , the second largest island. It is politically dividedinto two parts, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.✧The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国)is made up of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and a number of smaller islands around them.The total area of U.K. is over 245,000 square kilometers. Its total population is about60.94million (2008)Traditionally, Great Britain is divided into three countries or political regions:✧England in the south✧Scotland in the north✧Wales in the southwest.England :✧The largest area of all the three✧Its area : almost 60% of the whole island✧Its population : over 50 million .✧The importance of Engla nd is so great in Britain that some foreigners just say “England”when they mean Britain, and they say the “English people” when they mean the British people.Scotland :✧The second largest both in area and population✧Its area : about 78,760 square kilometers✧Its population : more than 5 million.Wales✧The smallest of the three both in area and population✧Its area : about 20,700 square kilometers✧Its population : about 2.7 million.Northern Ireland✧Its area : about 14,000 square kilometers✧Its population : about 1.5 million.Supplement 1Ireland✧Ireland was an independent kingdom before the Anglo-Norman（盎格鲁-诺曼语的）invaders came. Henry VIII（亨利八世）was the first English king to conquer Ireland and force English law on the Irish people. Soon after the conquest, large numbers of Scottish immigrants came in and established a colony in Ulster (阿尔斯特), another name for Northern Ireland.✧The Irish people were mostly Roman Catholics （罗马天主教）and they were opposed to theEnglish occupation. The English Government put down the rebellion made by the Irish people and passed the Penal Law (刑法) in 1690, which deprived the Irish Catholics of all their legal rights.✧Irish people never stopped fighting for independence. Their successful struggle finally led tothe establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1927 within British Commonwealth（英联邦.In 1948 Ireland withdraw from Commonwealth and declared itself a republic.✧However, since most of the immigrants from Britain were Protestants (新教徒) , theyrefused to separate themselves form their home country. They held the northeast of the island , and up to now they continue to keep it within the United Kingdom. It is today’ s Northern Ireland.Supplement 2Irish Republican Army ( IRA)✧Nowadays, in Northern Ireland there are one-third of people are still Roman Catholics ,whodemand independence from Britain that is dominated by Protestantism (新教徒主义、新教徒).✧Therefore, some radical Roman Catholics organized a military group fighting for theindependence of Northern Ireland. It often resorts to terrorist campaigns （战役；活动）of bombing, murdering and arson.1.2 Physical Features（自然特色）✧Leaving Ireland on one side, The island of Great Britain can be divided into two partsaccording to its geographic features:1) The Highland Zone in the north and west and2) The Lowland Zone in the south and southeast.✧Britain is an island country, with its coastline running about 8,000 kilometers.✧The coastline is highly irregular with many bays and inlets that provide lots of harbors andshelters for ship and boats.✧As an island country, Great Britain does not share a land border with any other countriesexcept the Republic of Ireland.✧To the north of Great Britain the seaway is open and leads to the Arctic Ocean(北冰洋).✧Across the North Sea Britain faces such countries as Holland, Germany , Denmark andNorway.✧To the southeast and across the English Channel is France , which is linked with Britain by atunnel called the Channel Tunnel (海峡隧道)，open to traffic in 1994, was built by Britishand French private investors. The main tunnel is 50-km long at an average depth of 40 meters below the seabed.✧The tunnel has great symbolic importance as an unbroken link between Britain and theEuropean Continent.The Highlands of Scotland:✧Scotland is a mountainous country , with its highlands taking up over half of the country. BenNevis, the highest mountain in Britain, with an elevation of 1,300 meters in North Scotland. The Central Lowlands of Scotland:✧ A great valley , which forms the Central Lowlands of Scotland , is lying to the south of theHighlands of Scotland, the valley is also called the Middle Valley. It is the most important economic region in Scotland and accommodates three-quarters of Scotland’s total population.✧The Southern Uplands: The land on the southern side of the Central Lowlands of Scotland isknown as the Southern Upland. The area includes some very old mountains with round tops. The Pennines (奔宁山脉)：✧In the northern part of England, include some old mountains which make up a kind of plateau.Pennine Chains run about 120 kilometers from south to north , known as the backbone of England.The Lake District:✧Well-known for its unique lakes, is situated on the western side of the Pennines. The area hasthe finest scenery in Britain. It is also well-known in the history of English literature because it was home to Lake Poets (湖畔[派]诗人)，such as William Wordsworth (华兹华斯)；Robert Southey(罗伯特.骚塞_ .The Welsh Massif:✧This massif embraces all the hill masses that near to the west of middle part of England.2.People and Religion2.1 People✧The United Kingdom has a population of 60.94 million (2008), with an average populationdensity of 244 persons per sq km.✧British’s population is overwhelmingly urban, with about 90% living in urban areas and 10%living in rural areas.✧Like U.S.A, the United Kingdom is also a melting-pot of different cultures. It has a diversepopulation that includes people from almost every continent of the world , such as Indians, Chinese and Africans, but a majority of them are white westerns.✧Immigrants from India make up 1.5% of the population; Chinese, 0.3%; and Africans, 0.03%.✧Asian and black minorities are still suffering from discrimination and disadvantages.✧However, the British government has passed laws to ensure fairness and justice for ethnicminorities. The Race Relations Act of 1976 makes it illegal to discriminate against any person because of race, color, nationality, or origin, and it is a criminal offense to incite racial hatred.Ethnic component of white people in Britain :①English people : originate from the descendents of English-speaking Anglo-Saxonsand the Jutes(朱特人), who arrived in Britain as invaders between the 5th and 7thcenturies A.D.②Scottish and Welsh people: Most of them originate from Celts ---The first settlers wholived on this land, but later driven to the North and West by later arrivers.③French-speaking Normans: conquered England in 1066, adding another ethniccomponent to the nation.✧The U.K. has a smaller percentage of younger people and a higher percentage of older people,with more than 20% of the people over the age of 60; those under the age of 15 years make up only 19.5 of the population.✧Life expectancy in Britain is 75 years for men and 81 years for women. (2001)2.2 Religion✧The British law protects religious freedom. Everyone has the freedom to believe any church,or not to believe any religion at all. Most of the world’s religi ons have followers in Britain.✧The majority of the British people believe in Christianity., which is the religion of thefollowers of Jesus Christ. The first Christian church was established at Canterbury (坎特伯雷，英格兰东南部一座自治市)。

Britain version2.0Part One Geography Chapter I A brief introduction tophysical geographyWhere is the U. K. ? And what is it made up of? What is its total area?- The U.K. is situated in Northwestern Europe, lying to the north of France and the west of the Netherlands and Denmark. It is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Its total area is 242 534 square kilometers.What are the present features of the climate of Britain?- Britain has a maritime c1imate-- winters are not too cold and summers are: not too hot. Therefore, its temperature varies within a small range, rarely falling below -5'C in winter or rising about 24'C in summer. Sunshine hours are fewer in more southerlyclimatesThe "backbone of England": It refers to the Pennines, a range of hills extending about 257 km southward from the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border to central England.What percentage of the country's water requirements are obtained from underground sources?- About 38% of the country's water requirements depend on underground sources.Chapter III EconomyWhat are the characteristics of the British economy?- The British economy was the first to have been fully industrialized. Britain was one of the world's most advanced manufacturing and trading nations. The pound sterling is the exchange currency for about one third of the world'sforeign trade. The agriculture does not produce enough food to meet the country's basic needs and part of all vital foodstuffs has to be imported. The labor force is homogeneous.Chapter V The Main Cities Which city is the capital of England and Great Britain? Is it the political centre of the Commonwealth?- London is the capital of England, and it is also the political centre of the Commonwealth.What does London consist of administratively?- London administratively consists of the city of London, the original nucleus, retaining a medieval system of government of courts of aldermen and an elected lord mayor; and Greater London a metropolitan county, made up of Inner London boroughs and 20 Outer London boroughs.Greater London: It is a metropolitan county (pop. 7 million), made up of 12 Inner London boroughs, 20 Outer London boroughs.Part Three CultureChapter I EducationHow many years does a pupil study at a primary state school?- Six years, from the age of five to eleven.Which type of schools enrolls the top pupils at secondary education?- Grammar schools enrolls the top pupils at secondary education.How many types of universities are there in Britain? Which two universities are the most famous ones? - There are five types: 1) old universities, 2) the four Scottish universities, 3): the middle-aged universities, 4) the new universities, 5) the Open University, and BuckinghamUniversity (independent university). Oxford and Cambridge are the oldest and the most famous in the world. How are" public" schools financed?- Public schools in the UK are financed mainly by fees paid by parents and private funds.Eton College: It is one of the largest independent secondary schools in England and one of the most prestigious.How do you understand "Marriage signifies the beginning of a new and independent family"?- British society is based on family life and the family is a self-contained economic and social unit with mother, father and children living together alone in their own house. So marriage signifies the beginning of a new and independent family.How do the newlyweds solve theproblem of housing?- 1) They look through advertisements to find a house for rent. 2) They may mortgage a house through a building society. 3) If they have enough money they may buy a house, but this seldom happens.What is the first course of an English lunch? Do you think it similar or different from the Chinese way of serving food?- The first course of an English lunch is a small quantity of soup. It is different from the Chinese way of serving food. In China this is usually the last course. Can you show us an example of the conservative characteristic of the British people?- One example is that the British people have been slow adopting rational reforms, such as the metric system. Some people say that the Englishman islike a cold fish that has just come out of the ice. What do you think of that?- This may be true. The British people are cold by nature. They do not show their feelings very much and do not show their emotion if they are very happy and neither do they if they are sad. For example, when you work at a factory, the guy whom you work with never tells you anything about himself. You may work with him for years, yet you even don't know where he lives, how many children he has and what his interests are.fierce individualism: It is the idea that the rights and freedom of the individual are the most important rights. exclusiveness: This is the best-known quality of the British people. It means, " I am English. You stay away from me.I am exclusive. I am quite happy to be: myself. I do not need you. Leave mealone. "Chapter III Customs and Habits What did John Bull denote in the seventeenth century and what is his image?- John Bull denotes Britain or any Englishman in the 17th century. His image is short and fat, with a tall hat on his head and pair of boots on his feet. Why does an Englishman like to talk about the weather?- There are probably two reasons. One is the uncertainty of the weather. Another reason is that weather is a subject which is quite safe, friendly to talk. about.What are the three "Don'ts"? And three "ings"?- Three "Don'ts": Don't jump up the queue. Don't ask a woman's age. Don't try to bargain in Britain when you do shopping.Three" Ings": betting, drinking and tipping.J ohn Bull: It is the nickname of England or a typical Englishman. Chapter IV Holidays and Festivals How long approximately do the industrial workers have for holidays?- The industrial workers have at least four weeks' paid holiday.How do the English people usually spend holidays?- They usually spend their holidays at the resorts of the seaside. There they have swimming, bathing, or have other kinds of amusement, such as shooting, roundabouts, watching a beauty contest, going to a concert or a party. And some of the people go abroad for sightseeing. What festival is the greatest in Britain? What is its significance and at what time is it celebrated?- Christmas Day is the greatest festivalin Britain. Its significance• is to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ which is on December 25. Christmas: Christmas Day is on December 25, which is the greatest of the Christian festivals, commemorating it as the birth of Jesus Christ. It is basically, a home or family festival. Those who live away try to get back home to: celebrate the day with the family. People send presents; cards to each other especially children have their presents from Santa Claus. People usually have al sumptuous dinner, many kinds of amusement.Chapter V Wages and Social Benefits How long is the standard working week usually in Britain?- The standard working week is usually thirty-five and forty hours, and often spread over five days, from Monday to Friday.What is the difference between wages and Salary?- Wages is payment made or received for work or services, usually week in cash. Salary is payment for regular work, usually monthly.How many kinds of pensions in the United Kingdom?- There are mainly six kinds of pensions in the United Kingdom. They are Occupational Pension, Personal Pension, State Pension, Pension Credit, Over 80 Pension and Stakeholder Pension.What are the three main groups of Christianity? Which group does the Church of England belong to?- The three groups of Christianity are Catholicism, the Orthodox Eastern Church, and Protestantism. The Church of England belongs to Protestantism.What are the main features and tendencies of religion in Britain?- The main features are: 1) There is no "Christian" political party, no anti-religious or anti-clerical party either. 2) There is a widespread interest in religion. The main tendencies of religion in Britain are 1) the unity among the churches, 2) more social, 3) up-to-date.What are Crown's constitutional rights? - The Queen appointed all ministers in the Government. She summons, prologues and dissolves Parliament. She concludes treaties and declares war. In the new session she makes the opening speech and outlines her government's programme. She gives her assent to bills before they become law. She confers peerages and other honors.What is the core of the leadership ofthe British government?- The Cabinet is the core of the leadership of the British government. What does the Cabinet consist of?- The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister, the Lord President of the Privy council, the heads of the most important Departments and a few ministers without portfolios.。