英美文化与国家概况课后答案英语国家概况（1）（2）问题库答案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 ?1. British history has been a history of invasions. Before the first century AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people: a powerful culture originating in central Europe. Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by the Roman empire, and England and Wales (though not Scotland or Ireland) became a part of the Roman empire for nearly 400 years.Two more groups of invaders were to come after the English: from the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings, threatened Britain's shores….2. What are some general characteristics of Scotland ?2. Scotland is the second largest of the four nations, both in population and in geographical area. It is also the most confident of its own identity because alone amongst the non-English components of the UK it has previously spent a substantial period of history as a unified state independent of the UK. Thus it is not a big leap for the Scottish to imagine themselves independent again. Physically, Scotland is the most rugged part of the UK, with areas of sparsely populated mountains and lakes in the north (The Highlands), and in the south (The Southern Uplands). Three-quarters of the population lives in the lowland zone which spans the country between these two highland areas. The largest city is Glasgow, in the west of this zone. Scotland's capital city is Edinburgh, on the east coast forty miles away from Glasgow. It is renowned for its beauty, and dominated by its great castle on a high rock in the centre of the city. Both cities have ancient and internationally respected universities dating from the 15th century.3. Describe Wales' unification with Great Britain.3. Wales was always under pressure from its English neighbours, particularly after the Norman conquest, when Norman barons set up castles and estates in Wales under the authority of the English Crown. Some brief campaigns are the only times in history when Wales has existed as a unified independent nation.4. Are there any differences between England and Wales in terms of cultural tradition ?4.Yes, there are. The close long-standing relationship means that modern Wales lacks some of the outward signs of difference which Scotland possesses—its legal system and its education system are exactly the same 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. Why is Northern Ireland, according to the author, so significant in the United Kingdom? What is the political problem there?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 suspendedfor the duration of the war.6. What are some of the factors in Irish and English history that affect the situation in Northern Ireland today?6. Along with the political campaign for home-rule there were groups who followed a more direct method of pursuing Irish independence, engaging in 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. Different parties and groups in the United Kingdom have different solutions to the political problem in Northern Ireland. Please sum up their different attitudes.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. Has the author offered a solution to the political problem in Northern Ireland?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. What is the oldest institution of government?9. The oldest institution of government is the Monarchy (rule by the king).10. What is the name of the charter of liberty and political rights granted by King John in 1215?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. 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?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. What do we call the group of important Parliamentarians?12. The House of Commons.13. Which party forms the government and who becomes Prime Minister?13. The party that wins most votes in general election and the leader of this winning party would become Prime Minister.16. Who can stand for election as an MP?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 amount in the UK) which is lost if the candidate does not receive at least 5% of the vote.17. What are the three major parties? Which party is the party that spent most time in power?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 power19. When was the British economy dominant in the world?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. By what time was the UK overtaken by other countries, such as the US and Germany? 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. Which country does it refer to as "the Jewel in the Crown"? When did it gain its independence?21. India, popularly known as "The Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire, gained its independence in 1947.22. What are some of the positive and negative effects of non-white immigrants on British society according to the author?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, which increases 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. What is the general situation of racial relations in the UK?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. Why is Geoffrey Chaucer, who wrote in Middle English, still read and studied today? 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 inEnglish.25. When was the term "parliament" first used officially?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. The author says that "the media are central to British leisure culture", why does the author say so?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. The third 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. What are some of the characteristics of British newspaper culture? In what way is it different from the United States?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. Is the British press free from the government control and censorship? What is the relationship between the British press and politics or business?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. How does the BBC operate? How is it different from American broadcasting systems? 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.31. What is Modernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples? 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 world works. 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. What is Postmodernism? Can you illustrate your points with specific books as examples?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. How has the Christian church influenced British sports? Please pick up some examples from the text.33. Tennis was invented in Britain and it owes its origins, literally, to the Church. Church recordsindicate 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. What is the origin of football?34. There are legends that suggest that games like football and rugby actually derived from the "sport" of ancient warriors celebrating victory 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 enemies along the grass for sport.35. How is the violence of "football hooligans" related to the British history of football?35. Today, violence is still associated with football. "Football hooligans", supporters of rival teams, sometimes clash before, during and 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. Why is cricket very English? Why does the author believe that cricket was associated with a set of English moral values?36. As generations of public school boys grew up to become the civil servants and rulers of the UK and its colonies, cricket became associated 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 that he threw the telephone at him. Sir Ian said he knew exactly how to respond: "having played cricket I was able to catch it and hand it back to him politely."37. Christmas is the biggest and best-loved British holiday? How do the British celebrate this holiday?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. How do the British celebrate the Queen's Birthday? What is the origin of this holiday? 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. Bonfire Night is one truly English holiday. How and why do the English celebrate this holiday?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. How do the Protestants and Catholics celebrate their own holidays in Northern Ireland? What traditions are behind their celebrations?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. How is Hogmanay celebrated in Scotland? What other festivals are celebrated inScotland?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. Which are the two most important and famous universities in Britain?42. Cambridge University and Oxford University.43. What is the goal of education in the U.K.?43. The goal of British education is to socialize children.44. Is the British education system run by the state or the private sector?44. The British education system run by the state.45. Where do British universities receive their funds besides students tuition?45. In the UK, the amount of funding each university receives is based on 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. 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"?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, the distribution of wealth in a society—both in terms of geography and social hierarchy—and even something about that society's values and dreams.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 home in China?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-dividing big old houses. Flats are often publicly owned. The second kind are "terraced" houses: that is, individual two-storey houses built joining on to each other at each side in a terrace or row. The second kind are "terraced" houses: that is, individual two-storey houses built joining on to each other at each side in a terrace or row; the fourth one is “detached.”48. How are people in the UK divided into different classes?48. The British people are divided into classes economically, culturally, educationally and etc.49. Is the class system similar with the United States?49. What is distinctive about the British class-system, and which marks it as different from the American or Chinese social structure, is that it has also retained a hereditary aristocracy.50. What and how did the British empire end? How did the British react to this reality?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 Britishmonarch 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. What are the foundations of Britain's foreign policy?51. The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced by its imperial history and also by its geopolitical traits. Perhaps the most important single factor which influences British policy-makers is its history.52. How is Britain's foreign policy made? Does the government's foreign policy represent the desires of British citizens?52. The Prime Minister and Cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain's foreign policy. The main government department involved is of course the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), but many other government ministries also play a part in formulating and executing the government's decisions.53. Why does the author say that the decision to join the EC was and remains controversial in Britain?53. The decision to join the EEC was very controversial; and today, Britain's participation in the European Union, as it is now called, remains controversial. At the centre of the controversy is the fact that it is not clear what the European Union(EU) is and what it will become. The UK has always been very interested in encouraging free trade between countries and is therefore very supportive of the EU as a free trade area.However, the UK has always been less enthusiastic about giving up its national sovereignty (that is, its control over national decision-making) to a European government.54. Why does the author think that Britain has the "special relationship" with the United States? Does this relationship still exist?54. Another major factor which influences British foreign policy is its relationship with the United States. This was quite natural, as the two were closely allied during World War II, and continued to work together closely in the post war years because they shared many of the same worries about the Soviet Union. Even today, in many respects British and American policy-makers agree generally on, for example, how the global economy should be managed, how a warlike state should be dealt with, issues about arms control and so on.55. What are some of the general characteristics of Australia in terms of land, people and culture?55. Australia is the world's smallest continent and largest island, a relatively young nation established in an ancient land. Its development represents a triumph over remoteness and a harsh landscap e…56. Discuss the climate in Australia. What are some of the major differences between Australia and China in terms of the climate?56. Australia is the driest inhabited continent and its rainfall varies extremely geographically and seasonally. Mean annual rainfall is 465mm. Rainfall varies from less than 150mm over the centre of the continent to more than 2m in parts of the tropics and western Tasmania. The average annual surface runoff, about 440km3, represents 12 per cent of total rainfall. Evaporation accounts for most of the rest.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?57. Australia has six states: New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, Queensland, South Australia (SA), Western Australia (WA) and Tasmania. It also has three internal territories-the Northern Territory (NT), the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and the Jervis Bay Territory-and seven external territories.58. Can you point out some main differences between the Australian government system and the British government system?58. Broadly, the Australian federation has a three-tier system of government: the Australian Parliament (the legislature) and Government, responsible for all matters of national interest; six state governments and their legislatures, complementing the activities of the national government (plus the Australian Capital territory and the Northern Territory, which are similar to the states and largely self-governing); and about 900 local government bodies at the city, town, municipal and shire level.59. Discuss the Australian education system. What are some of the features in the system that are specifically Australian?59. Each state and territory of Australia has its own primary and secondary education system. Standards, however, are high and reasonably uniform. Within each state and territory system there are two main types of school-government and nongovernment schools. In government schools, attended by about two thirds of children, tuition is free. About three-quarters of the non-government schools are Catholic. Most non-government schools charge fees.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.60. Situated in the southwest Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is a large, long group of islands, 1600 kilometres from north to south. There are two main landmasses, the North Island and the South Island, separated by Cook Strait. The third largest island, Stewart Island, is south of the South Island, and there are many smaller islands, including uninhabited isolated islands hundreds of kilometres offshore. Its nearest large neighbour-Australia—is almost 2 000 km away.61. What are some of the similarities between New Zealand and Britain in the government system?61. New Zealand's constitution is made up of parliamentary statutes (laws), judicial rulings (court decisions) and administrative practices. New Zealand has no written constitution. The Constitution Act 1986 defines the relationship between the legislative (Parliament), executive (Government departments and agencies) and judicial (the courts) roles of government.New Zealand is an independent state, governed by a democratically elected parliament. The Head of State is the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II in her capacity as Queen of New Zealand, represented by a Governor-General. The Governor-General's agreement is required for an Act of Parliament to become law.62. How did modern development in Europe influence the settlement of North American colonies?62. With the fast development of commerce and trade, the bourgeoisie became increasingly powerful in politics as well as in economy. They wanted to share power with feudal lords and in some countries such as England they wanted to have more power from the king so that they could have free development. The English Revolution was the result of this growth of capitalism.63. What was the unique American phenomenon ? How did it come into being? Do you think it still exists in today's American society?。
