《英语专业八级人文知识》(英语国家概况部分)征服冲击波

Part 1 英语国家概况第一章英国第一节概述1 英国四部分首都英格兰(England)首都London，苏格兰（Scotland）首都爱丁堡（Edinburgh），威尔士（Wales）首都加的夫（Cardiff）北爱尔兰（Northern Ireland）首都贝尔法斯特（Belfast）2 英格兰占地面积为整个岛屿的60%（13万平方公里）3 南面的（south）的英吉利海峡（English channel）与东面的（east）的北海（North sea）将英国与欧洲其他部分隔开。

4 爱尔兰的官方语言（official language）是Irish，第二语言是English5 Scotland 位于北部（northernmost part）6 主要作物是大麦（wheat）和小麦（barley）7 最佳农业区是英格兰的东南部（northeast）8 70%的劳动力集中在服务业（service）9 农民仅占人口2%，管理70%的土地。

10 运输业，家庭取暖系统（domestic heating system），食品供应（food supply）很大程度上依赖于石油（oil ）11 在19世纪造船业（shipbuilding）中世界领先12 England 的人口最多第二节地理1 本尼维斯山（Ben Nevis）是英国最高的山（highest mountain）2 斯克菲尔峰（Scafell）是英格兰最高峰（highest peak）3 塞文河（Severn River）是英国最长的河（longest river）4 泰晤士河（Thames River）是英国第二大河和最重要的河流（second and most important river）5 内伊湖（Lough Neagh）是英国最大的湖（largest lake），位于北爱尔兰6 英吉利海峡（The English Channel）是分隔England和France的狭窄海道，连接大西洋（Atlantic ocean）与北海（North Sea）7 英国是海洋性气候（the maritime type），由于受墨西哥湾流（the Gulf Stream）的影响，比同纬度其他地方温度高（warmer），温和适中，冬天温和，夏天凉爽，天气多变（changeable），有时会在一天经历四季变化。

英语专业八级人文知识(1)美国概况1．The traditional dividing line in America between “east” and “west” is The Mississippi River.（密西西比河是美国传统的东方和西方的分界线）2．The earliest part in America to be found and taken over by early settlers is The Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain. ( 最早被早期定居者发现和占领的地方是大西洋及其沿岸平原)3．The largest racial group in the whole population of is Non-hispanics white. ( 非西班牙裔的白人是美国最大的种族群体)4．Before 2000, the largest minority group in the United States is African Americans. ( 2000年以前非裔美国人是美国最大的少数民族群体。

2000年以后，拉丁裔美国人的人数超过了非裔美国人的人数，成为美国第一大少数民族群体)5．America has the world’s oldest written constitution and political party. (美国拥有世界上最古老的宪法和政党)6．The economic problem caused by the depression in 1929 was eventually solved by World War II. (第二次世界大战的爆发帮助美国走出了经济困境) 7．In the United States, primary education requires Six years. (美国的小学要花费大约六年的时间)8．Most college students in the United States are in Public institutions. (大部分美国大学生都在公立学校就读)9．The three main levels of courts of the federal judicial system in America are the United States District Courts; the United States Courts of Appeal ; the United States Supreme Court. (美国的联邦法院系统包括)10．Louisiana (which state )is not governed by the common law. (路易斯安娜州不受共同法的约束)英语专业八级人文知识(2)美国概况1．Of the fifty states of America, 38 states now have the death penalty as punishment.（美国现有38个州惩罚罪犯采用死刑）2．The four major regions of the United Sates are Northeast, South, Midwest and West. （美国的主要四大部分不包括北部）3．The New England Region region’s culture character was shaped largely by Puritan spirit. （美国的新英格兰地区，也就是东北部地区深受清教思想的影响）4．4．California is the largest state in terms of size and population in America. （加利福尼亚州是美国最大的州，拥有人口也最多）5．5．“Hollywood” is often used as a synonym for American films .(好莱坞是美国著名的电影制造地)6．6．The most important and largest river in the United States of America is the Mississippi River.(美国最长的河流是密西西比河，也是美国最重要的一条河流。

英国概况英格兰面积最大苏格兰，爱丁堡为首府威尔士，加的夫，Cardiff为首府北爱尔兰，贝尔法斯特Belfast为首府伦敦，UK首都，皇家法庭royal courts of justice 及圣保罗大教堂st paul’s cathedral在这里。

威斯敏斯特westminster，伦敦市的一个行政区，也叫西敏寺，这里有议会houses of parliament，包含大钟楼big ben，白厅whitehall即英国政府，白金汉宫buckingham palace即英国皇宫，还有st james’hall 圣詹姆斯宫。

The great charter in 1215,1215年大宪章，亦称the great charter or Magna Charta,确保一些平民的政治权利与自由，保障教会不受国王的控制，改革了法律和司法，限制国王及王室官员的行为。

议会雏形，1265年，Simon de Montford 召集the Great Council在西敏寺开会，就是最早的议会，后来发展了House of Lords上议院，House of Commons下议院。

玫瑰战争和英国宗教改革：Richard 三世和Henry Tudor都铎（duduo）打了玫瑰战争，都铎胜利，终成五代都铎王朝。

亨利八世进行宗教改革，想切断英国教会与罗马教皇的关系，使英国教会独立起来。

宗教改革的真正进行是在亨利八世的儿子爱德华时期，新教是Protestant，即基督教，改革叫做“The Reformation”。

伊丽莎白一世时期，伊丽莎白为女王统治英国，她是基督教徒，大力推行新教，从此英国都是信奉新教。

文艺复兴运动The English Renaissance文艺复兴是中世纪到现代的过渡时期，从1350-1650，有300年，从意大利发起，达芬奇等人为代表。

在这段时期，罗马教会经历新教改革，人文主义兴起，海外探索（大航海时代？）。

人文知识英语国家社会与文化主要题型1.自然地理概况201131. The northernmost part of Great Britain is _______.A. Northern IrelandB. WalesC. EnglandD. Scotland200932. The capital of Scotland is ________.A. GlasgowB. EdinburghC. ManchesterD. London2.历史201132. It is generally agreed that _______ were the first Europeans to reach Australia’s shores.A. the FrenchB. the DutchC. the BritishD. the Germans 201034. The Emancipation Proclamation to end the slavery plantation system in the South of the US was issued by ________.A. Abraham LincolnB. Thomas PaineC. George WashingtonD. Thomas Jefferson3.政治（现状）200931. The Head of State of New Zealand is ________.A. the governor-generalB. the Prime MinisterC. the high commissionerD. the monarch of the United Kingdom 2008According to the United States Constitution, the legislative power is invested in _______. A. the federal government B. the Supreme CourtC. the CabinetD. the Congress4.风俗传统2008年Which of the following is the oldest sport in the United States?A. baseballB. tennisC. basketballD. American football考题回顾：1999 年:1. The Observer2. The geographical location of North America3. The old universities in U.K.4. Westminster Palace2000年:1.The titles of English nobility2.The features of Irish landscape3.The longest river in Britain4.The legislative branch in U.K.5.The Hundred Years’ War2001年:1.The founding of Harvard2.The settlement of Anglo-Saxons3.The official name of U.K.4.The economic activity of Canada2002年:1.Wall Street—the financial center2.Big Ben, Benjamin Hall3.The compulsory education in U.K.4.Three branches of U.S.A. government2003年:1.The location of California2.British news agency3.The founding fathers of U.S.A.4.The geography of Canada2004年:1.1920s in U.S.A.2.The largest river in U.S.A.3.The discovery of the New World4.The first settlement in America2005年:1.The capital city of Canada2.How long the U.S. President serves3.The important cities in U.S.A.4.The state church in England2006年:1. The President during the American Civil War was _________.A. Andrew JacksonB. Abraham LincolnC. Thomas JeffersonD. George Washington2. The capital of New Zealand is ____________.A. ChristchurchB. AucklandC. WellingtonD. Hamilton3. Who were the natives of Australia before the arrival of the British settlers?A. the AboriginesB. the MaoriC. the IndiansD. the Eskimos4. The Prime Minister in Britain is head of __________.A. the Shadow CabinetB. the ParliamentC. the OppositionD. the Cabinet2007年:1. The current population in the United Kingdom are descendants of all the following tribesexcept ________.A. the AnglosB. the CeltsC. the JutesD. the Saxons2. The Head of State of Canada is represented by _______.A. the MonarchB. the PresidentC. the Prime MinisterD. the Governor-General3. The Declaration of Independence was written by __________.A. Thomas JeffersonB. George WashingtonC. Alexander HamiltonD. James Madison4. The original inhabitants of Australia is _________.A. The Red IndiansB. the EskimosC. the AboriginesD. The Maoris2008年:1.The largest city in Canada is ___________.A.VancouverB. MontrealC. TorontoD. Ottawa2.According to the United States Constitution, the legislative power is invested in _______.A. the federal governmentB. the Supreme CourtC. the CabinetD. the Congress3. Which of the following is the oldest sport in the United States?A. baseballB. tennisC. basketballD. American football4. The head of the executive branch in New Zealand is _________.A. the PresidentB. the Governor-GeneralC. the British MonarchD. the Prime Minister5. The Canterbury Tales, the collection of stories told by a group of Pilgrims on their way to Canterbury, is an important poetic work by __________.A. William LanglandB. Geoffrey ChaucerC. William ShakespeareD. Alfred Tennyson2009年:1. The Head of State of New Zealand is ___________.A. the Governor-GeneralB. the Prime MinisterC. the high CommissionerD. the Monarch of the United Kingdom2. The Capital of Scotland is ___________.A. GlasgowB. EdinburghC. ManchesterD. London3. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence and became the United States of America?A. Thomas JeffersonB. George WashingtonC. Thomas PaineD. John Adams4. Which of the following cities is located on the eastern coast of Australia?A. PerthB. AdelaideC. SydneyD. Melbourne2010年1. Which of the following is Incorrect?A. The British Constitution includes the Magna Carta of 1215.B. The British Constitution includes Parliamentary acts.C.The British Constitution includes decisions made by courts of law.D.The British Constitution includes one single written constitution.2. The first city ever founded in Canada is ______.A. QuebecB. V ancouverC. TorontoD. Montreal3. When did the Australian Federation officially come into being?A.1770B. 1788C. 1900D. 19014. The Emancipation Proclamation to end the slavery plantation system in the South of the United States was issued by _____.A. Abraham LincolnB. Thomas PaineC. George WashingtonD. Thomas Jefferson2011年：1. The northernmost part of Great Britain is:A. Northern IrelandB. ScotlandC. EnglandD. Wales2. It is generally agreed that ________ were the first Europeans to reach Australia’s shores.A. the FrenchB. the GermansC. the BritishD. the Dutch3. Which is known as the Land of Maple Leaf?A. CanadaB. New ZealandC. Great BritainD. The U.S.A.2012年：1. The Maori people are natives of ___________.A. New ZealandB. AustraliaC. IrelandD. Canada2. The British monarch is the Head of __________.A. ParliamentB. GovernmentC. StateD. Government3. Americans celebrate Independence Day on ___________.A. October 11thB. July 4thC. May 31stD. September 6th4. Canada is bounded on the North by ___________.A. the Great LakesB. the Atlantic OceanC. the Pacific OceanD. the Arctic OceanThe United Kingdom自然地理概况:1. Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Geographical Names: British Isles, Great Britain and England2. Union Jack: the national flag of U.K.3. Geographical position: the English Channel4. Four political divisions: England (London), Scotland (Edinburgh), Wales (Cardiff), Northern Ireland (Belfast)5. The Commonwealth: a free association of independent countries6. Rivers and Lakes: the Severn; Thames; River Clyde; Lough Neagh7. Mountains: Ben Nevis (the highest); Scafell (the highest in England); Snowdonia (the highest in Wales)8. The People: English (Anglo-Saxons); (the Celts) Welsh; Scottish; Irish.9. Eisteddfodau10. Places of historical interest: the Tower of London (William the Conqueror); Big Ben; Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament); Westminster Abbey (coronation, wedding ceremony); St. Paul’s Cathedral (London; Protestant Church); Tower Bridge (1894; suspension bridge close to the Tower of London; River Thames); Speakers’ Corner (London Hyde Park)历史备考点:The Origins of a Nation1. The first known settlers—Iberians2. The Celts (700 B.C.): three waves—Gaels; Brythons; Belgae3. Romans: Julius Caesar (55 B.C.); Claudius (43AD, successful invasion); Christianity4. The Anglo-Saxons: three Germanic tribes (Jutes, Anglos, Saxons)5. The Viking and Danes: Alfred the Great—“the father of the British navy”6. The Norman Conquest: 1066, the best-known event in English historyThe Shaping of the Nation1. The Great Charter: 1215, King John, the statement of the relationship between the Crown and the baron; a guarantee of the freedom of the Church; a limitation of the power of the king (the spirit of the Great Charter or Magna Carta)2. The beginning of parliament: All Estates Parliament—Simon de Montfort, 12653. Black Death: the deadly epidemic disease; the 14th century; reduced the population from 4 million to 2 million;4. The Hundred Years’ War (1337—1453)4. The Peasant Uprising: 1381, Wat Tyler (killed) and Jack Straw; to rebel the Poll Tax; a telling blow to villeinage.Transition to the Modern Age1. The Wars of Roses (1455-1485): the battles between Lancaster (red rose) and York (white rose)2. The English Reformation: (1529-1534) Henry VIII, began with a struggle for divorce (Catherine of Aragon) and ended in the freedom from the Papacy3. Bloody Mary: 300 Protestants4. Elizabeth I: the defeat of Armada (the Spanish fleet)5. The English Renaissance: (rebirth) largely artistic; Elizabethan Drama(Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson and William Shakespeare)6. The Divine Rights of Kings: Charles I7. The Civil Wars (1642-1646; 1647-1649): between the Cavaliers and Roundheads; Oliver Cromwell8. The Restoration9. The Glorious Revolution: 1688, the smooth takeover of English throne by William of Orange10. The Bill of Rights (1689) and the constitutional monarchy11. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605: Guy Fawkes; a national annual celebration (bonfire and firework display) on the 5th of November12. 1707, the Act of Union joined England and Scotland (Anne)1801: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland1921: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandThe British Empire1. Whigs and Tories (the forerunner of the Conservative Party)2. The Enclosure Movement3. The Industrial Revolution: the mechanization of industry; the late 18th and early 19th century4. The Chartist Movement (1836-1848)—“the first broad, really mass, political formed, proletarian revolutionary movement” (Lenin)5. The Labor Party6. The first colony—Newfoundland, 15837. The East Indian Company8. The Opium War: 18409. WWI: the Central Power (Germany and Austria-Hungary); the “Allies”(Britain, France and Russia)10. The Roaring Twenties: women with cropped hair and short dresses; two imports from America: jazz, silent films11. The Swinging Sixties—the permissive age; pop music (the Beatles turned their hometown of Liverpool into a place of pilgrimage)12. 1973: a full member of the European Economic Committee13. Thatcherism: the policies put forward by Margaret Thatcher (the iron lady)14. The Statute of Westminster (1931)政治1. The Constitutional Monarchy2. The monarch3. The components of the English Parliament4. The British Constitution: unwritten5. Prime Minister; the Cabinet; Lord Chancellor6. The Official Opposition; the “shadow cabinet”7. Downing Street No. 10—the official residence of the Prime Minister8. The Speaker—presiding over the House and enforcing the rules of order9. The vote of no confidence (不信任投票)10. Multi-party system教育,社会,文化传统1. NHS—the National Health Service2. Established religion: the Church of England; the Presbyterian in Scotland3. Football: soccer, the 19th century; Rugby; Cricket; golf4. Eton—public school (公学)5. Universities: the oldest university—Oxford; the University of Cambridge; the University of St. Andrews; the University of Edinburgh6. Stratford-on-Avon: the birthplace of William Shakespeare7. Newspapers: the Observer (the world’s oldest national newspaper); the Times (1785, the oldest daily newspaper in U.K.); the Guardian; the Daily Telegraph Periodicals: the Economist: Spectator; The New Statesman (新政治家)BBC-the most important broadcasting companyNews Agencies: the Reuters 路透社(founded in 1851 by German); Press Association (报纸联合社); Extel Financial Ltd. (金融新闻社)8. Easter: the resurrection of Christ, the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox9. Hogmanay10. Boxing Day: December 26th11. Queen’s Birthday: Buckingham Palace; Trooping the Color (女王阅旗仪式) Ireland1.The Emerald Isle: the rich green countryside2.The largest river—the Shannon River3.Two official languages: Irish, English4.National Day: March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day5.Parliament: the House of Representatives (Dail Eireann); the Senate (Seanad)6.The two political parties: Fianna Fail; Fine Gael7.The oldest university in Ireland: the University of Dublin8.Roman Catholics: 93% of the Irish population9.Ulysses: James Joyce’s masterpieceThe United States of America:地理, 人口及基本事实1.The United States of America: the States, the US or Uncle Sam2.American National Flag: 17773.The Rocky Mountains—the backbone the continent; the Continental Divide4.The Mississippi—the world’s third longest continental river, “Father ofWaters”, “Old Man River”.5.The Rio Grande River: the natural boundary between Mexico and the UnitedStates6.The Five Great Lakes: Huron; Ontario; Michigan; Erie; Superior7.The Niagara Falls—between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie8.Yellowstone National Park—the oldest national park in the world and thelargest wildlife preserve in the U.S.A.9.The Statute of Liberty—New York Harbor10.Grand Canyon—the state of Arizona11.Alaska and Hawaii—the two newest states in USA12.Alaska; Rhode Island; Texas13.New England—the birthplace of America14.Thomas Edison—the Wizard of Menlo Park (门洛帕克的奇才) （新泽西州东北部的爱迪生纪念塔）15.Thomas Jefferson—the first one to inaugurate in New York City 1600—1900:1. The discoverers of America: Christopher Columbus; Amerigo Vespucci2. The first colony—Jamestown, Virginia, 16073. The 13 colonies: along the east coast4. May Flower: 1620, Plymouth, the state of Massachusetts5. Stamp Tax: British East India Company; tea at lower prices in colonies6. The Boston Tea Party: 17737. The First Continental Congress: 1774, Philadelphia;8. The Second Continental Congress: 1775, Philadelphia9. The War of Independence10. The Declaration of Independence: drafted by Thomas Jefferson, July 4th, 177611. The Treaty of Paris: 1783, the independence of the United States12. The Constitutional Convention: 178713. The Bill of Rights: the first ten amendments of the Constitution14. Abraham Lincoln: Emancipation Proclamation; Homestead Bill: 186516. The Louisiana Territory17. The Westward Movement18. KKK: Ku Klux Klan1900—1945:1. The “Open Door Policy”2. The 1920s—material success and spiritual frustration3. The Great Depression—1929-19334. “New D eal”—Franklin D. Roosevelt “the only thing we have to fear is feat itself”5. WWI—a yearlong neutrality policy6. Isolationism—1930s, to keep the U.S. out of the war in Europe and Asia7. 1941, the Atlantic Charter8. WWII—(guiding principles) establishing postwar political structure inaccordance with American interests and preventing Soviet Union fromover-expansion1945—:1. The containment policy; the Truman Doctrine; the Marshall Plan2. The Civil Rights Movement3. The Sino-US relations: 1972; 19794. The Vietnam War: 1950-19755. Baby-boomer: 1946-1961, helped to bring an end to the Vietnam War5. The Counterculture Movement6. The New Frontier: John F. Kennedy7. The Watergate Scandal—Nixon, the first to resign in American history8. New Right conservatism9. Desert Storm政治1. The American constitution; 1787, 1789; the oldest written constitution2. The Bill of Rights3. The Separation of three powers4. The Congress: the Senate; the House of Representatives5. The President can appoint the federal court judges, preside over the government, sign and veto laws passed by the Congress;6. Impeachment7. The judicial branch: the Supreme Court8. The bipartisanship—the Republican (elephant); the Democratic (donkey)9. The Democratic: Anti-Federalists; Thomas Jefferson10. The Republican11. “Winner-take-all” principle: applied in all states except Maine教育,社会,文化传统1. The higher education: two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities.2. The best research universities: Harvard (1636), Yale, Princeton, Columbia, MIT (on the east); Stanford, Berkeley (on the west)—private.3. Three functions of the higher education: teaching, research and public service.4. The age of the students admitted by schools: 65. Graded schools: elementary schools (grades 1—8); high school (9—12).6. No national system of education7. Three main types of popular music: Jazz (U.S.’s unique contribution to music); Rock-and-roll; the Western Country music.8. “The Lost Generation”9. Important cities:Washington D.C. (1800, John Adams ordered the transfer of the capital from Philadelphia to Washington D.C.);New York City (city of the world; Times Square; the United Nations;Manhattan—the heart of the city; Wall Street; Broadway);Chicago—the second largest city; “Great Center Market of U.S.”San Francisco—the Golden Gate BridgeLos Angeles—Hollywood and DisneylandPhiladelphia—the city for two Continental Congress; the capital city from 1790 to 1800; founded by William Penn, meaning “the city of Brotherly Love”; the cradle of American libertyHuston—“the Pearl in the Gulf”; “the Space City of the U.S.A.”Detroit—the motor city;10. Independence Day: July 4th, the birthday of the nation;11. Halloween: October 31st12. Thanksgiving Day: a typical American holiday13. Veterans’ Day14. The plane—1903, the Wright brothers15. Newspaper and magazines: the New York Times; Washington Post; the Los Angeles Times; the Wall Street Journal; Time; Newsweek; Readers’ Digest16. The largest public library: Library of Congress; Metropolitan Museum: the 5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City: the Empire State Building: Manhattan, New York City17. Sports: football; baseball; basketballCanada1.The National Day: July 1 (1867)2.The origin of the name “Canada”: “kanata”3.The national flag: Maple Leaf Flag, white square in the centre, a red stylized11-pointed maple leaf4.Two discoverers of Canada: John Cabot; Jacques Cartier5.Official languages: Bilingualism—English, French; the official Language Act(1969)6.Important cities: Ottawa(the capital, the 4th largest city); Vancouver (the 3rdlargest city, ice-free harbor); Montreal (the 2nd largest city); Toronto (the largest city)7.Seven Years’ War: 1756-1763; between France (defeated) and England8.Quebec: the largest province; strong French culture9.The Constitutional Act of 1791: Upper Canada; Lower Canada10.The British North America Acts in 1867: the dominion; the Statute ofWestminster in 1931: independence.11.The head of state: Britain’s monarch, who is represented by the GovernorGeneral12.The Parliament: the Crown, the Senate and the House of Commons13.Constitution: partly written, partly unwritten14.Political parties: the Liberal Party; the Progressive Conservative Party15.Universities: the Laval University; the University of Toronto16.Media:Newspapers; the Toronto Star; the Globe and Mail; Le Journal De Montreal Magazines: MacLean’s; News WeeklyAustralia1. “T he Land Down Under”2. Population: Indigenous Australians; mainly of British descent;3. Australia’s National Day: January 264. Great Barrier Reef: the longest coral reef in the world5. National flower: wattle; national bird: lyrebird6. Important cities: Canberra; Sydney; Melbourne; Brisbane; Adelaide; Perth; Darwin7. 1901: the Commonwealth of Australia; 1931: independence8. Elementary education: 5-11; secondary education: 11-189. Animals: koala; kangaroos10. William Dampier; James Cook11. 1788, as a colony to receive convicts from Britain12. Multiculturalism: 197313. Politics: a federation; a written Constitution; Legislature14. The head of state: Britain’s monarch, represented by the Governor General15. The gold rushes: 1850s16. The Sydney Morning Herald (先驱报): the oldest newspaper in AustraliaNew Zealand1.National Day: December 6th, 18402.The land of the long white cloud3.Cities: Auckland; Wellington4.Official language(s)5.Haka: a dance performed to daunt the enemy and to prepare warriors for thebattle6.The International Date Line7.fault line: the cause of the frequent earthquakes8.The Kiwis: the national symbol9.James Cook--the first Englishman to visit New Zealand10.Abel Tasman: the first European to visit New Zealand in 164211.1840: the Treaty of Wantagi12.No single written constitution13.The head of state: Britain’s monarch, represented by the Governor General14.Only one chamber: the House of Representatives15.the world’s biggest farm16.General election in New Zealand is held every 3 years since 1879; theNational Party, the Labor Party17.Universities: University of Auckland; University of Canterbury。

英语专业八级人文知识二十一篇/yingyu/73/n-130173.html英语专业八级人文知识二十一篇（1）美国概况1 The world-famous Harvard University is in _____.A. MassachusettsB. New YorkC. WashingtonD.C. D. Maine2 Which of the following statements about American education is wrong?A. Elementary and secondary education in America is free and compulsoryB. Private schools are financially supported by religious or nonreligious private organizations or individuals.C. There are more public colleges and universities than the private onesD. Credits taken at community colleges are normally applicable to requirement for a four-year bachelor’s degree.3 _____ is a symbol of American theatre and world-class entertainment.A BroadwayB Wall StreetC The Fifth AvenueD Times Square4 ____ is not a tourist attraction in the United States.A Yellowstone National ParkB Grand CanyonC St. Patrick’s CathedralD Stonehenge5 ____ was an actor before he became the President.A Ronald ReaganB Abraham LincolnC Herbert HooverD Jimmy Carter6 New Englanders were originally known as _____, which come to stand for all Americans.A HippiesB YankeesC Uncle SamD Brother Jonathan7 On the 30th of April 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in _____, which housed the government then.A New YorkB Washington D.C.C PhiladelphiaD Boston8 Which of the following people was not an American President?A John HancockB John AdamsC John Q. AdamsD Jimmy Carter9 Henry Fond was the first man to _____.A design a planeB fly an aeroplaneC mass-productionD design and make a car10 “That government of the people, by the people, for the people, … ”were the words by _____.A Thomas JeffersonB Abraham LincolnC Andrew JohnsonD Theodore Roosevelt练习题答案及题解:1 A, 哈佛大学位于马萨诸塞州的剑桥(Cambridge)镇。

201231. The Maori people are natives ofA. Australia.B. Canada.C. Ireland.D. New Zealand.32. The British monarch is the Head ofA. Parliament.B. State.C. Government.D. Cabinet.33. Americans celebrate Independence Day onA. July 4th.B. October 11th.C. May 31st.D. September 6th.34. Canada is bounded on the north byA. the Pacific Ocean.B. the Atlantic Ocean.C. the Arctic Ocean.D. the Great Lakes.35. Who is the author of The Waste Lana?A. George Bernard Shaw.B. W.B. Yeats.C. Dylan Thomas.D. T.S. Eliot.36. Which of the following novelists wrote The Sound and the Fury?A. William Faulkner.B. Ernest Hemingway.C. Scott Fitzgerald.D. John Steinbeck.37. "The lettuce was lonely without tomatoes and cucumbers for company" is an example ofA. exaggeration.B. understatement.C. personification.D. synecdoche.38. In English ifa word begins with a [l] or a [r], then the next sound must be a vowel. This is a (n)A. assimilation rule.B. sequential rule.C.deletion rule.D. grammar rule.39. Which of the following is an example of clipping?A.APEC.B.Motel.C.Xerox.D.Disco.40. The type of language which is selected as appropriate to a particular type of" situation is calledA. register.B. dialect.C. slang.D. variety.31: new Zealand 32: state 33: July 4th 34: the Arctic Ocean 35: T.S.Eliot 36: William Faulkner 37: personification 38: sequential rule 39: Disco 40: register201131. The northernmost part of Great Britain is _______.A. Northern IrelandB. WalesC. EnglandD. Scotland参考答案：DTIP：选D。

专八人文知识精讲（1）英国国土概况一、Land and People一、英国的国土与人民Different Names for Britain and its Parts英国的不同名称及其各组成部分1.Geographical names: the British Isles, Great Britain and England.地理名称：不列颠群岛，大不列颠和英格兰。

2.Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.官方正式名称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。

3.The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones.不列颠群岛由两个大岛——大不列颠岛（较大的一个）和爱尔兰岛，及成千上万个小岛组成。

4.Three political divisions on the island of Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.大不列颠岛上有三个政治区：英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士。

(1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the largest, most populous section.英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部，是最大，人口最稠密的地区。

(2) Scotland is in the north of Great Britain. It has three natural zones (the Highlands in the north; the Central lowlands; the south Uplands) Capital: Edinburgh苏格兰位于大不列颠的北部。

英语专业八级考试人文知识复习：美国地理概况本文针对英语专业八级考试的人文知识部分，总结了美国国家的主要地理概况，希望对同学们有所帮助。

The Fall Line瀑布线：A point where water-falls or rapids suddenly drop from a higher level to the lower one.瀑布线指的是瀑布急速地从高处向低处流泻的点。

The Appalachian Range阿巴拉契亚山脉：1200 miles long，consists of the Piedmont Plateau, Appalachian Plateaus and Appalachian Range.阿巴拉契亚山脉全场1200英里，由皮德蒙特高原、阿巴拉契亚高原及阿巴拉契亚山脉组成。

The Cordillera Range科迪勒拉山脉：Composed of the Coast Range, the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains.科迪勒拉山脉由海岸山脉、卡斯卡德山以及洛基山组成。

The Great Basin大盆地：The Part between the Colorado and Columbia Plateaus.指的是科罗拉多和哥伦比亚高地之间的部分。

The Great Central Plain中部大平原：The land mass between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachians.指的是洛基山和阿巴拉伊亚山之间的平原。

The Great Plain大平原：The western part of the central plain.大平原：指的是中部平原以西的部分。

The Mississippi River密西西比河：The longest, the most important river in the U.S.A. . It has a drainage area of 3225000 square kilometers.密西西比河是美国最长、最重要的河流。

英国文学一、古英语时期的英国文学（499-1066）1、贝奥武夫（发生在斯堪地亚半岛）2、阿尔弗雷德大帝：英国散文之父二、中古英语时期的英国文学1、allegory体非常盛行2、Romance开始上升到一定的高度3、高文爵士和绿衣骑士4、Willian Langlaud 《农夫皮尔斯的幻象》5、乔叟坎特伯雷故事集（英雄双韵体）6、托马斯.马洛礼《亚瑟王之死》三、文艺复兴时期的英国文学（伊丽莎白时代）（14-16世纪）1、托马斯.莫尔《乌托邦》2、Thomas Wyatt 和Henry Howard引入sonnet3、Philips Sidney 《The defense of Poesie》《阿卡迪亚》描述田园生活；现代长篇小说的先驱4、斯宾塞《仙后》诗人中的诗人；斯宾塞体诗节；5、莎士比亚：长篇叙事诗：《维纳斯和阿多尼斯》、《露克丝受辱记》四大悲剧：哈姆雷特、李尔王、奥赛罗、麦克白7、本.琼森风俗喜剧（comedy of manners）《人性互异》8、约翰.多恩“玄学派”诗歌创始人9、George Herbert 玄学派诗圣10、弗朗西斯.培根现代科学和唯物主义哲学创始人之一《Essays》英国发展史上的里程碑《学术的推进》和《新工具》四、启蒙时期（18世纪）1、约翰、弥尔顿：《失乐园》、《为英国人民争辩》2、约翰、班扬：《天路历程》religious allegory3、约翰、德莱顿：英国新古典主义的杰出代表、桂冠诗人；《论戏剧诗》4、亚历山大.蒲柏：英国新古典主义诗歌的重要代表；英雄双韵体的使用达到登峰造极的使用；《田园组诗》是其最早田园诗歌代表作5、托马斯、格雷：感伤主义中墓园诗派的代表人物《墓园挽歌》6、威廉、布莱克：天真之歌、经验之歌；7、罗伯特、彭斯：苏格兰最杰出的农民诗人；8、Richard Steel和Joseph Addison合作创办《The tatler》和《the spectator》9、Samuel defoe 英国现实主义小说的奠基人之一；《鲁滨逊漂流记》；《铲除非国教徒的捷径》，仪表达自己的不满；10、Jonathan Swift 《一个小小的建议》；《格列佛游记》；《桶的故事》；11、Samuel Richardson 英国现代小说的创始人；帕米拉；克拉丽莎；查尔斯.格蓝迪森爵士的历史；12、Henry Fielding 英国现实主义小说理论的奠基人；《约瑟夫。

英语专业⼋级⼈⽂知识（总结）⼈⽂知识英语国家社会与⽂化考题回顾：1999 年:1. The Observer2. The geographical location of North America3. The old universities in U.K.4. Westminster Palace2000年:1.The titles of English nobility2.The features of Irish landscape3.The longest river in Britain4.The legislative branch in U.K.5.The Hundred Years’ War2001年:1.The founding of Harvard2.The settlement of Anglo-Saxons3.The official name of U.K.4.The economic activity of Canada2002年:1.Wall Street—the financial center2.Big Ben, Benjamin Hall3.The compulsory education in U.K.4.Three branches of U.S.A. government2003年:1.The location of California2.British news agency3.The founding fathers of U.S.A.4.The geography of Canada2004年:1.1920s in U.S.A.2.The largest river in U.S.A.3.The discovery of the New World4.The first settlement in America2005年:1.The capital city of Canada2.How long the U.S. President serves3.The important cities in U.S.A.4.The state church in England2006年:1.The President in the Civil War2. The capital city of New Zealand3. The natives of Australia4. The Prime Minister in Britain is head of the Cabinet2007年:1. The origin of the current British population2. The Head of State of Canada is represented by the Governor-general3. The author of the Declaration of Independence4. The original inhabitants of Australia2008年:1.The largest city in Canada.2.The legislative branch of the U.S. government3.The oldest sport in U.S.A.4.The head of the executive branch in New Zealand2009年:1.The Head of State of New Zealand2.The capital of Scotland3.The author of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. president4.The cities located on the eastern coast of Australia.2010年1. The British Constitution2. The first city in Canada3. The founding of Australian Federation4. The Emancipation ProclamationThe United Kingdom地理、⼈⼝及基本事实:1. Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Geographical Names: British Isles, Great Britain and England2. Geographical position: the English Channel3. Four political divisions: England (London), Scotland (Edinburgh), Wales (Cardiff), Northern Ireland (Belfast)4. The Commonwealth: a free association of independent countries, from 1931 to 1991, 50 member nations4. Rivers and Lakes: the longest—the Severn; Thames—the second longest and the most important; River Clyde—the most important in Scotland; Lough Neagh—the largest lake5. Mountains: Ben Nevis (the highest); Scafell (the highest in England); Snowdonia (the highest in Wales)6. The People: English (Anglo-Saxons); (the Celts) Welsh; Scottish; Irish.7. Eisteddfodau—the annual festival for Welsh poetry, music, singing and art历史备考点:The Origins of a Nation1. The first known settlers—Iberians2. The Celts (700 B.C.): three waves—Gaels; Brythons; Belgae3. Romans:Julius Caesar; Claudius (43AD, successful invasion); Christianity4. The Anglo-Saxons: Three Germanic tribes (Jutes, Anglos, Saxons)The foundation of the English state—shires; narrow-strip, three-field farming system; the manorial system; the Witan (贤⼈会议)5. The Viking and Danes:Alfred the Great—“the father of the British navy”; translate into English Ecclesiastical History of the English People (英国⼈民教会史)；established schools; formulate a legal system6. The Norman Conquest: 1066, the best-known event in English history, William the Conqueror; the establishment of the feudal system; the introduction of Norman French culture, language, manners and architecture; closer connection with RomeThe Shaping of the Nation1. The Great Charter: 1215, King John, 63 clauses. The statement of the relationship between the Crown and the baron; a guarantee of the freedom of the Church; a limitation of the power of the king (the spirit of the Great Charter or Magna Carta)2. All Estates Parliament—Simon de Montfort, 1265, the Great Council, the House of Lords, the House of Commons, the beginning of Parliament3. Black Death: the deadly epidemic disease; the 14th century; reduced the population from 4 million to 2 million;4. The Hundred Years’ War (1337—1453): blessing for both countries,4. The Peasant Uprising: 1381, Wat Tyler (killed) and Jack Straw; a telling blow to villeinage.Transition to the Modern Age1. The Wars of Roses (1455-1485): the battles between Lancaster (red rose) and York (white rose); Henry Tudor (the descendant of Duke of Lancaster) won, thus the rule of Tudors; the death blow to feudalism.2. The English Reformation: (1529-1534) Henry VIII, began with a struggle for divorce (Catherine of Aragon) and ended in the freedom from the Papacy; an independent Church of England; the king—the Supreme Head of the Church of England.3. Bloody Mary: 300 Protestants; the French port of Calais4. Elizabeth I: the defeat of Armada (the Spanish fleet)5. The English Renaissance: (rebirth) largely artistic; Elizabethan Drama (Christopher Marlowe, Ben Johnson and William Shakespeare)6. The Divine Rights of Kings: Charles I7. The Civil Wars (1642-1651): between the Cavaliers (the king’s men) and Roundheads (the Parliamentary supporters); Oliver Cromwell (New Model Army) (Lord Protector); the Puritan Revolution; overthrew the feudal system; the beginning ofthe modern history8. The Restoration; the return of Charles II from his exile in France;9. The Glorious Revolution: 1688, the smooth takeover of English throne by William ofOrange, replacing James II (a Catholic king, the brother of Charles II), with no bloodshed, nor execution of the king.10. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605: Guy Fawkes (Catholic) planted barrels of gun-powder in the cellar of the Parliament; the execution of Fawkes; a national annual celebration (bonfire and firework display)The British Empire1. Whigs and Tories (the forerunner of the Conservative Party)2. The Enclosure Movement:3. The Industrial Revolution: the mechanization of industry; the late 18th and early 19th century; after the revolution, by 1830,“the workshop of the world”; the industrial working class—the proletariat4. The Chartist Movement (1836-1848)—“the first broad, really mass, political formed, proletarian revolutionary movement”(Lenin)5. The Labor Party—the Independent Labor Party(the origin); then the Labor Representation Committee; the Labor Party (1906).6. The first colony—Newfoundland, 15837. The East Indian Company: 1600, the economic penetration; 1858, ruled by the British crown; 1877, Queen Victoria, Empress of India.8. The Opium War: 18409. WWI: the Central Power (Germany and Austria-Hungary); the “Allies”(Britain, France and Russia); The Treaty of Versailles (1919); the League of Nations10. The Roaring Twenties: women with cropped hair and short dresses; two imports from America: jazz, silent films11. The Swinging Sixties—the permissive age; pop music (the Beatles turned their hometown of Liverpool into a place of pilgrimage)12. 1973: a full member of the European Economic Committee13. Thatcherism: the policies put forward by Margaret Thatcher (the iron lady), the return to private ownership of the state-owned industries, the strengthening of the role of market forces, and an emphasis on law and order.14. The Statute of Westminster (1931)政治1. The Constitutional Monarchy2. The monarch: the symbol of the whole nation, the head of the executive, head of judiciary, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the “supreme governor” of the Church of England.3. The components of the English Parliament: the Sovereign, the House of Lords (the oldest part of the Parliament) and the House of Commons (the real center of power in the Parliament) (651 members of Parliament); the maximum duration—five years4. The British Constitution: unwritten, including statute law, common law and conventions.5. Prime Minister—the leader of the majority party; the Cabinet—the core of leadership6. The Official Opposition—the party which wins the second largest number of seats, the“shadow cabinet”7. Downing Street No. 10—the official residence of the Prime Minister8. The Speaker—presiding over the House and enforcing the rules of order教育,社会,⽂化传统1. NHS—the National Health Service, a full range of medical services, the largest single employer of labor in U.K.2. Established religion: the Church of England (the Sovereign as the “Defender of Faith”) (changes only with the consent of the Parliament); the Presbyterian in Scotland3. Football: soccer, 19th century4. Rugby—invented at Rugby school in Warwich shire in the 19th century5. Cricket—the most typical English sport6. The home of golf is Scotland7. Magazines and newspapers: the Spectator; the Times; the Economist8. The most famous music and art festival in Britain9. Easter: the resurrection of Christ, the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox10. Hogmanay—Scottish New Year’s Eve11. Boxing Day: December 26th, the gift to give “Christmas boxes”, or gifts of money, to servants or tradesmanIreland1.The Emerald Isle: rich green countryside2.The largest river—the Shannon River3.Two official languages: Irish, English4.National Day: March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day (the arrival of St. Patrick—the mostimportant event in Irish history)5.Parliament: the House of Representatives (Dail Eireann); the Senate (Seanad)6.The two political parties: Fianna Fail; Fine Gael7.The oldest university in Ireland: the University of Dublin8.Roman Catholics: 93% of the Irish population9.Ulysses: James Joyce’s masterpieceThe United States of America:地理, ⼈⼝及基本事实1.The Rocky Mountains—the backbone the continent2.The Mississippi—the world’s third longest continental river, “Father of Waters”,“Old Man River”.3.The Five Great Lakes: Huron; Ontario; Michigan; Erie; Superior4.The Niagara Falls—between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie5.Yellowstone National Park—the oldest national park in the world and the largestwildlife preserve in the U.S.A.6.The Statute of Liberty—New York Harbor7.Grand Canyon—the state of Arizona8.Alaska and Hawaii—the two newest states in USA9.Alaska—the largest state in area; Rhode Island—the smallest; Texas—the largeststate on the mainland10.New England—the birthplace of America11.The nickname of the U.S.A.: Yankees1600—1900:1. The discoverer of America2. Magellan3. The 13 colonies4. May Flower5. Stamp Tax6. The Boston Tea Party7. The First Continental Congress8. The Second Continental Congress9. The beginning of the War of Independence10. The turning point of the War of Independence11. The Treaty of Paris12. The Constitutional Convention13. The Bill of Rights:14. The turning point of the Civil War15. Lincoln16. The Louisiana Territory17. The Westward Movement:18. KKK: Ku Klux Klan, terrorized and attacked the black, progressives, Communists and social party members. 1900—1945:1. The “Open Door Policy”—Theodore Roosevelt2. The 1920s—material success and spiritual frustration, confusion and purposelessness3. The Great Depression—1929-1933, the stock market crash, from prosperity to bleak despair,3. “N ew deal”—to save American democracy and capitalist system, social security systems,4. WWI—pro-Ally partiality5. Isolationism—1930s, to keep the U.S. out of the war in Europe and Asia6. WWII—(guiding principles) establish postwar political structure in accordance with American interests and; prevent Soviet Union from over-expansion1945—:1. The containment policy2. The Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King (non-violence) and Malcolm X(violence)3. The Sino-US relations: 1972, the Shanghai (Joint) Communique; 1979, the diplomatic relations was established4. The Vietnam War5. Baby-boomer: 1946-1961, helped to bring an end to the Vietnam War5. The Counterculture Movement6. The New Frontier.7. The Watergate Scandal—Nixon, the first to resign in American history8. New Right conservatism9. Desert Storm政治1. The American constitution; 1787, 1789; the oldest written constitution; principles—rule by law: popular sovereignty; separation of power; judicial review; civilian supremacy in military matters; protection of individual rights and federalism2. The Bill of Rights3. The Separation of three powers: Congress (the legislative branch); President (the executive branch); the judicial branch4. The Congress: the Senate (2 members from each state) (vice president as the president of the Senate 副总统为参议院议长); the House of Representatives (based on population) (the presiding officer—the Speaker of the House众议院主持官员)5. The President can appoint the federal court judges, preside over the government, sign and veto laws passed by the Congress;6. Impeachment7. The judicial branch: the Supreme Court; the circuit court of appeals (巡回上诉法院); district court8. The bipartisanship (the two party system)—the Republican; the Democratic The emblem of the two parties9. The Democratic: Anti-Federalists; Thomas Jefferson; greater federal involvement in economic issues and less state’s rights10. The Republican: a less powerful central government; more rights to the states11. “Winner-take-all” principle: applied in all states except Maine教育,社会,⽂化传统1. The higher education: two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities.2. The best research universities: Harvard (1636), Yale, Princeton, Columbia, MIT (on the east); Stanford, Berkeley (on the west)—private.3. Three functions of the higher education: teaching, research and public service.4. The age of the students admitted by schools: 65. Graded schools: elementary schools (grades 1—8); high school (9—12).6. No national system of education, the state establishes policies for the education within its boundary7. Three main types of popular music: Jazz (U.S.’unique contribution to music);Rock-and-roll; the Western Country music.8. “The Lost Generation”9. Nationally observed holiday of America10. Important cities:Washington D.C.(1800, John Adams ordered the transfer of the capital from Philadelphia to Washington D.C.);New York City (city of the world; Times Square; the United Nations; Manhattan—the heart of the city; Wall Street; Broadway); Chicago—the second largest city; “Great Center Market of U.S.”San Francisco—the Golden Gate BridgeLos Angeles—Hollywood and DisneylandPhiladelphia—the city for two Continental Congress; the capital city from 1790 to 1800 Huston—“the Pearl in the Gulf”; “the Space City of the U.S.A.”Detroit—the motor city;11. Independence Day: July 4th, the birthday of the nation;12. Halloween: October 31st, “Trick or Treat”;13. Thanksgiving Day: a typical American holiday; (began with) the Pilgrims; the first celebrated on December 13th, 1621.14. Veterans’ Day: (or the Armistice Day); (celebrated) the signing of 1918 Armistice15. The plane—1903, the Wright brothers16. Newspaper and magazines: the New York Times; Washington Post; the Los Angeles Times; the Wall Street Journal; Time; Newsweek; Readers’ DigestCanada1.The National Day: July 1 (1867)2.The origin of the name “Canada”: “kanata”, a settlement, Indian3.The national flag: Maple Leaf Flag, white square in the centre, a red stylized11-pointed maple leaf4.Two discoverers of Canada: John Cabot (Newfoundland, east coast); JacquesCartier (the St. Lawrence river)5.Official languages: Bilingualism—English, French; the official Language Act (1969)6.Important cities: Ottawa (the capital, the 4th largest city); Vancouver (the thirdlargest city, ice-free harbor); Montreal (the second largest city); Toronto (the largest city, Toronto university—the largest university)7.Seven Years’ War: 1756-1763; between France (defeated) and England8.Quebec: the largest province; strong French culture9.The Constitutional Act of 1791: Upper Canada (English law and constitution);Lower Canada (French law and institutions)10.The British North America Acts in 1867: the dominion; the Statute of Westminster in1931: independence.11.The Parliament: the Crown, the Senate and the House of Commons12.Constitution: partly written, partly unwritten, including fundamental acts, customsand parliamentary traditions of British originAustralia1. “T he Land Down Under”.2. Australia’s National Day: January 26 (1788), the date of the first European settlement of the continent3. Great Barrier Reef: the longest coral reef in the world, from southern Queensland to the Gulf of Papua4. National flower: wattle; national bird: lyrebird5. Important cities: Canberra (the capital); Sydney (New South Wales); Melbourne (Victoria); Brisbane (Queensland); Adelaide (South Australia); Perth (West Australia); Hobart (Tasmania); Darwin (the Northern Territory);6. 1901: the Commonwealth of Australia; 1931: independence, the Statute of Westminster 《威斯敏斯特法案》7. Elementary education: 5-11; secondary education: 11-188. Animals: koala; kangaroos9. William Dampier: the first Englishman to reach Australia, the author of the book A New V oyage Around the World; James Cook: the English put Australia on map, British colony;10. Convicts from Britain11. Multiculturalism: coined in Canada in 1960s, adopted by Australia in 1973, emphasizing the unique characteristics of different cultures in the world .12. Politics: a written Constitution; Legislature: the Queen, the House of Representatives, the Senate13. The gold rushes: 1850s, the discoveries of gold in New South Wales and Victoria New Zealand1.National Day: December 6th, 1840, the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty ofWaitangi, Waitangi Day2.The land of the long white cloud3.Cities: Auckland (the largest city, the North Island), Wellington (the capital, theNorth Island)4.Official languages: English, Maori5.Haka: a dance performed to daunt the enemy and to prepare warriors for the battle6.The International Date Line—just west of the line, the first country to get the newday7.fault line: the cause of the frequent earthquakes8.The Kiwis: the national symbol, the name the New Zealanders called themselves9.Abel Tasman: the first European to visitor, who named the area Statenland, laterNieuw Zeeland10.No single written constitution, including parliamentary statutes, judiciary rulings,administrative practices.11.Only one chamber: the House of Representatives12.the world’s biggest farm, the world’s largest exporter of lamb and mutton, diaryproducts。