英美概况课后习题答案

英美概况课后习题答案

1. What is the full name of the U.K.?

----United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

2. Why do tourists from all over the world like to go to Scotland?

----They like to enjoy the beautiful Scottish scenery, to drink Scotch whisky and to see Scotsmen wearing kilts and playingbagpipes.

3. How many periods can the development of the English language be divided into and what are they?

----The development of the English language can be divided into three periods: Old English, Middle English and ModernEnglish.

4. Why did English become more important after Black Death?

----The laboring and merchant classes grew in economic and social importance after the Black Death, so English also grewin importance compared to French.

1. Who are the British People?

----The first known inhabitants in Britain were Celts who are the ancestors of the Welsh, Scottish and Irish people. Then camethe Anglos, the Saxons and the Jutes who brought with them the English language. Many people from other Europeancountries came later, and in modern times there are a lot of immigrants from many former Commonwealth countries fromevery part of the world. Britain is a country of mixed cultures, and the Britain people are also composed of people fromdifferent ethic and culture backgrounds.

2. What is Standard English?

----Standard English is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England. It is widely used in media andtaught at schools. It is preferred by the educated, middle-class people. It has developed and has been promoted as a modelfor correct Britain English. It is also

the norm carried overseas. Today, Standard English is codified to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary are much thesame everywhere in the world where English is taught and used.

1. What are the two components of the British Parliament?

----the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

2. What were some of Queen Victoria's major achievement?

---- Q ueen Victoria made tremendous achievements in almost every aspect. She promoted further industrial revolution, thebuilding of railways and the growing of trade and commerce. By the end of her reign, Britain had developed to an empireincluding a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world's landmass.

3. What were the two camps in Europe in World War 1?

----The Central Powers which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and the Allied Powerswhich were mainly comprised of France, the Russia Empire, the Britain Empire, Italy and the United States.

4. Why did Britain cooperate closely with the United States after World War 2?

----Because they were allied during the war and shared the same worries about the former Soviet Union.

1. What were the results of the Industrial Revolution in Britain?

----The Industrial Revolution changed Britain in many ways. First, industrial country increased dramatically. Britain becamethe most advanced industrial country and also the financial center in the world. Second, urbanization took place. Many newcities sprang up. Third, it

caused great changes in the class structure. The old social classes declined, and new ones emerged and developed.

2. The Rise and Fall of the British Empire?----Colonization of Newfoundland, the first British colony overseas, in 1583 marked the beginning of the British Empire. By1837, British had long been an empire which included the colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and manysmall states in the West Indies. By the end of 19th century, the British Empire included a quarter of the global population andnearly a quarter of the world's landmass. During the mid-19th century, the British government consolidated the existingcolonies by bringing them under the direct control of the government. Before World War 1, Britain had the largest colonialempire in the world. However, Britain suffered great loss to its manpower in the two World Wars and exhausted its reservesof gold, dollars and overseas investment. Most of Britain's colonies gained independence since the 1940s, which inevitablyled to the fall the Empire.

1. What are the three functions of the House of Commons?

----to draft laws, to scrutinize, criticize and restrain the activities of the government, and to influence future government policy.

2. Why is the Conservative Party sometimes called the "Right"?

----Because the Conservative Party is supported by landowners and businessmen, who are often from the middle and upper-middle class. 3. What kind of public image does Liberal Democrats have in Britain?

----The Liberal Democrats is perceived as "middle" between the Conservative and the Labor Party. It is comparatively flexibleand