英语国家概况名词解释

1.the Hardian’s Wall:It was one of the two great walls built by the Romans to keep the Picts out of the area they had conquered.2.Alfred the Great：Alfred was a strong king of the wisemen. It was created by the Anglo-Saxons to advise the king. It’s the basi s of the Privy Council which still exists today.3.William the Conqueror：William was Duke of Normandy. He landed his army in Oct, 1066 and defeated king Harold. Then he was crowned king of England on Christams Day the same year. He established a strong Norman government and the feudal system in England.4.the battle of Hastings：In 1066, King Edward died with no heir, the Witan chose Harold as king. William, Duke of Normandy, invaded England. On October 14, the two armies met near Hasting. After a day’s battle, Harold was killed and his army completely defeated. So this battle was very important on the way of the Roman conquest.5.Domesday Book：Under William, the feudal system was established. William sent officials to compile a property record known as Domesday Book, which completed in 1086. It was the result of a general survey of England made in 1085. It stated the extent, value, the population, state of cultivation, and ownership of the land. It seemed to the English like the Book of doom on Judgement Day.6.the Great Charter：King John’s reign caused much discontent among the barons. In 1215, he was forced to sign a document, known as Mangna Cara, or the Great Charter. It has 63 clauses. Though it has long been regarded as the foundation of English liberities, its spirit was t he limitation of the king’s powers, keeping them within the bounds of the feudal law of the land.7.the Hundred Years’ War：It referred to the intermittent war between France and England that last from 1337 to 1453. The causes were partly territorial and partly economic. When Edward III claimed the French Crown but the French refused to recognize, the war broke out. At first the English were successful, but in the end, they were defeated and lost almost all their possessions in France. The expelling of the English was a blessing for both countries.8.Joan of Arc：She was a national heroine of France during the Hundred Years’ War. She successfully led the French to drive the English out of France.9.the Black Death：It was the deadly bubonic plague who spread through Europe in the 14th century. It swept through England without warning and any cure, and sparing no victims. It killed between half and one-third of the population of England. Thus, much land was left untended and labour was short. It caused far-reaching economic consequences.10.the Wars of Roses：They referred to the battles between the House of Lancaster and the House of York between 1455 and 1485. The former was symbolized by the red rose, and the latter by the white one. After the wars, feudalism received its death blow and the king’s power became supreme. Thdor monarchs ruled England and Wales for over two hundred years.11.Bloody Mary：Henry VIII’s daughter and a devout Catholic. When she became Queen, she persecuted and burnt many Protestants. So she was given the nickname “Bloody Mary”. Mary is also remembered as the monarch who lost the French port of Calais.12.Elizabeth I：One of the greatest monarchs in British history. She reigned England, Wales and Ireland for 45 years and remained single. Her reign was a time of confident English nationalism and of great achievements in literature and other arts, in exploration and in battle.13.Oliver Cromwell：The leader during the Civil War who led the New Model Army to defeat the king and condemned him to death. Then he declared England a Commonwealth and made himself Lord of Protector. He ruled England till the restoration of charles II in 1660.14.the Bill of Rights：In 1689, William and Mary accepted the Bill of Rights to be crowned jointly. The bill excluded any Roman Catholic from the succession, confirmed the principle of parliamentary supremacy and guaranteed free speech within both the two Houses. Thus the age of constitutional monarchy began.15.Whigs and Tories：It referred to the two party names which originated with the Glorious Revolution of 1688. The Whigs were those who opposed absolute monarchy and supported the right to religious freedom for Noncomformists. The Tories were those who supported hereditary monarchy and were reluctant to remove kings. The Whigs formed a coalition with dissident Tories and became the Liberal Party. The Tories were the forerunners of the Conservative Party.16.James Watt：The Scottish inventor who produced an efficient steam engine with rotary motion that could be applied to textile and other machinery.17.Winston Churchill：Prime Minister of Britain during the Second World War. He took over Chamberlain in 1940 and received massive popular support. He led his country to final victory in 1945. He was defeated in the general election of 1945, but returned to power in 1951.18.Agribusiness：It refers to the new farming in Britain, because it’s equipped and managed like an industrial business with a set of inputs into the farm of processes which occur on the farm, and outputs or products which leave the farm. The emphasis is upon intensive farming, designes to give the maximum output of crops and animals.19.the British Constitution：There is no written constitution in the United Kingdom. The British Constitution is not set out in any single document, but made up of statute law, common law and conventions. The Judiciary determines common law and interpret statues.20.Queen Elizabeth II：The present Sovereign, born in 1926, came to the throne in 1952 and was crowned in 1953. The Queen is the symbol of the whole nation, the center of many national ceremonies and the leader of society.21.the Opposition：In the General Election, the party which wins the second largest number of seats becomes the offcial Opposition, with its own leader and “shadow cabinet”. The aims ofthe Opposition are to contribute to the formulation of policy and legislation, to oppose government proposals, to seek amendments to government bills, and to put forward its own policies in order to win the next general election.22.the Privy Council：Formerly the chief source of executive power. It gave the Sovereign private (“privy”) advice on the government of the country. Today its role is mainly formal, advising the Sovereign to approve certain government decrees and issuing royal proclamation. Its membership is about mon law：A written law gathered from numerous decisions of the courts and other sources.24.the jury：A legal system established in England since king Henry II. The jury consists of ordinary, independent citizens summoned by the court: 12 persons in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 15 persons in Scotland. In criminal trials by jury, the judge passes sentence but the jury decide the issue of guilt or innocence.25.the NHS：The National Health Service was established in the UK in 1948 and based first on Acts of Parliament. This Service provides for every resident a full range of medical services. It is based upon the principle that there should be full range of publicly provided services designed to help the individual stay healthy. It is now a largely free prehensive schools：State secondary schools which take pupils without reference to ability and provide a wide-ranging secondary education for all or most of the children in a district. About 90 per cent of the state secondary school population in GB attend comprehensive school.27.public schools：Fee-paying secondary schools which are longestablished and have gained a reputation for their high academic standards, as well as their exclusiveness and snobbery. The bo ys’ public schools include such well-known schools as Eton and Harrow, and girls’ famous schools include Roedean. Most of the members of the British Establishment were educated at a public school.28.the Great Lakes：The Great Lakes are the most important lakes in the United States. They are Lake Superior, which is the largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Michigan —— the only one entirely in the U.S. —— Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. They are all located between Canada and the United States except Lake Michigan.29.New England：New England is made up of six states of the North-East. They are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. It is sometimes called the birthplace of America.30.baby boom：“baby boom” refe rs to the great increase of birth rate between 1946 and 1964. People born in this period are called baby bammers.31.the Chinese Exclusion Act：It was passed by the U.S. Congress in may, 1882. It stopped Chinese immigration for ten years.32.the Bill of Rights：In 1789, James Madison introduced in the House of Representations a series of amendments which later were drafted into twelve proposed amendments and sent to the states for ratification. Ten of them were ratified in 1791 and became the first ten amendments to the Constitution —— the Bill of Rights.33.the Emancipation Proclamation：During the Civil war, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to get more support for the Union at home and abroad. It granted freedom to all slaves.34.the Constitutional Convention：In 1787, a conference was held in Philadelphia to consider what should be done to make the Articles of Confederation adequate. All the delegates agreed to revise the Articles of Confederation and draw up a new plan of government. After struggle, the Constitution was ratified at last. This conference is called the Constitutional Conversion.35.the Progressive Movement：The Progressive Movement is a movement demanding government regulation of the economy and social conditions. It spread quickly with the support of large numbers of people across the country. It was not an organized campaign with clearly defined goals.36.the Peace Conference：The Peace Conference or the Paris Conference, began on January 18, 1919. The conference was actually a conference of division of colonies of Germany, Austro-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire and the grabbing of as much as possible from the defeated nations. It was dominated by the Big Four (the United States, Britain. France, and Italy)37.the Truman Doctrine: ：On March 12, 1949, President Truman put forward the Truman Doctrine in a speech to the joint session of Congress. The Truman Doctrine meant to say that the U.S. government would support any country which said it was fighting against Communism.38.the Marshall Plan：On June 5, 1947, the Secretary of State George Marshall announced the Marshall Plan, which meant that in order to protect Western Europe from possible Soviet expansion, the United States decided to offer Western European countries economic aid.39.the New Frontier：It was the President Kennedy’s program which promised civil rights for blacks, federal aid to farmers and to education, medical care for all and the abolition of poverty.40.checks and balances:The government is divided into three branches, the legislative, the executive and the judicial, each has part of the powers but not all the power. And each branch of government can check, or block, the actions of the other branches. The three branches are thus in balance. This called “checks and balances”.。

题型：选择，判断，名词解释，填空名词解释重点整理如下：英国经济的相对衰落：英国已经历了经济的下降，因为1945.But这是一个相对而不是绝对的下降。

英国是富裕和更富有成效的，比它在1945年，但由于其他国家的发展更为迅速，从第二大经济体，第六下滑。

私有化在1908s：英国经济在20世纪70年代经历了一个特别恶劣的时期，高通胀率和英镑贬值，因此，在20世纪80年代，当根据撒切尔夫人的保守党执政时期，一个广泛的方案。

进行了私有化。

许多国有企业（如钢铁，电信，天然气，航空航天）到了私人公司的私有化是在控制通货膨胀取得了成功，但同时失业率迅速上升。

英国经济的主要部门：主要行业，如农业，渔业和采矿，制造这些初级产品的复杂商品的第二产业;和大专（或服务）的产业，如：英国国家经济可以划分成三个主要领域银行，保险，旅游业和零售业。

综合学校：综合学校是在英国最流行的中学，这些学校承认不参考他们的学术能力的儿童提供普通教育的学生可以学习一切从喜欢文学，喜欢烹饪的实用科目的学科。

文法学校。

文法学校在英国中学的类型选择通过一个名为“11 - PULS”考试在11岁以下的儿童，这些儿童与最高分去文法学校，这些学校打好重点上先进的学科，而不是更普遍的综合学校的课程，并期望他们的学生去上大学。

俗称独立学校：独立学校是公立学校，这实际上是私人学校接收他们通过私营部门和学费率的资金，与一些政府援助的独立学校是不是国民教育体系的一部分，但教学的质量和标准。

通过参观女王陛下的学校督察保持这些学校限制学生的父母都比较丰富。

公开大学：。

开放大学是在英国成立的1960年为人们谁可能不会得到经济和社会原因高等教育机会的它是对所有人开放，并并没有要求在同一个正式的其他大学教育资格大学其次通过电视，广播，通信，视频和Q研究中心的净工作课程，公开大学学业结束。

成功的学生将被授予大学学位。

邦联条：独立战争胜利后，美国新的国家是一个虚弱的国民政府组织联合会章程协议下的所谓国会，每个国家都有自己的政府，其自身的规律。

名词解释Unit 1 A Brief Introduction to the United KingdomⅠ第一章英国简介1✧ 1. LondonLondon is the largest city located in the south of the country. It is dominant in Britain in all sorts of ways. It is the cultural and business centre and the headquarters of the vast majority of Britain's big companies. It is not only the financial centre of the nation, but also one of the three major international financial centres in the world.伦敦位于该国南部最大的城市。

从各方面来看，它是英国主导。

它是文化和商业中心，绝大多数英国大公司总部。

它不仅是国家的金融中心，而且在世界三大国际金融中心之一。

2.Robin HoodRobin Hood was a Saxon nobleman. As he could no longer put up with oppressions from the Normans, he became an outlaw and bid himself with his band of "merry men" in the forest. From this secret place, he went out to rob from the rich to give the poor.罗宾汉是一个撒克逊的贵族。

因为他再也无法容忍诺曼人的压迫，他成为逃犯并且让自己和他的"快活人" 帮派呆在森林里。

英语国家概况(名词解释)第一部分英国概况1 the Commonwealth:It is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. Member nations are joined together economically and have certain trading arrangements. The Commonwealth has no special powers. The decision to become a member of the Commonwealth is left to each nation.2. British Empire:Britain has been one of the most important countries in the world. About a hundred years ago, as a result of its imperialist expansion, Britain ruled an empire that had one fourth of the world’s people and one fourth of the world’s land area. It had colonies ont only in North America, but also I Asia, Africa and Australia. However, the two world wars greatly weakened Britain. The British colonies became independent one after another . The British Empire gradually disappeared and it was replaced by the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1931.3 Alfred the Great: Alfred was the King of Wessex, who was strong enough to defeat the invading Danes and reached a friendly agreement with them. He founded a strong fleet and is known as ‘the father of the British navy.’He also reorganized the Saxon army, making it more efficient. He encouraged learning in others, established schools and formulated a legal system. He translated a Latin book into English. All these make him worthy of his title ‘ Alfred the Great’4Heptarchy:During the Anglo-Saxon’s time, Britain was divided into many kingdoms. These seven principal kingdoms of Kent, Essex, Sussex, Wessex, East Anglia,Mercia and Nothumbria have beengiven the name of Heptarchy.5the Witan: The Witnam was thecouncil or meeting of the wisemen. Itwas created by the Anglo-Saxons toadvise the king. It’s the basis of thePrivy Council which still exists today.6 English feudal system: In thissystem, the King owned all the landpersonally, who gave his barons largeestates in England in return for apromise of lilitary service and aproportion of the land’s produce.7 the Black Death: It was the modernname given to the deadly bubonicplague, an epidemic disease spread byrat fleas through Europe in the 14thcentury, particularly in 1347-1350. Itswept through England in the summerof 1348 without warning, and withoutany cure. It killed between one half andone third of the population of England,causing far-reaching economicconsequences.8 Oliver Cromwell: He was the leaderof the Parliamentary Army during theEnglish Civil War in the revolutionaryperiod of the 17th century. He defeatedKing Charles I and condemned him todeath in 1649. After that, he establishedthe Commonwealth in England andbecame the Lord Protector of thecountry. The Commonwealth endedwith the Restoration of Charles II in1660.9 Blood Mary: It is the nicknamegiven to Mary I , the English Queenwho succeeded to the throne afterEdward VI. She was a devout Catholicand had so many protestants burnt todeath that she is remembered less byher official title Mary I that by hernickname Blood Mary.10 the Industrial Revolution :It referto the mechanization of industry andthe consequent changes in social andeconomic organization in Britain in thelate 18th and early 19th centuries.Britain was the first country toindustrialize in Europe.11 Whigs(in Britain):The name ofWhigs originated with the GloriousRevolution. It was known by thenickname. It was a derogatory name forcattle drivers. Loosely speaking, theWhigs were those who opposedabsolute monarchy and supported theright to religious freedom forNonconformists.12 Tories (in Britain) : The name ofTories originated with the GloriousRevolution . It was known by thenickname. It was an Irish wordmeaning thugs. The Tories were thosewho supported hereditary monarchyand were reluctant to remove kings.The Tories were the forerunners of theConservative Party, which still bearsthe nickname today.13 the House of Lords: The House ofLords is a part of Parliament . It ismade up of the Lords Spiritual and theLords Temporal. The main function ofthe House of Lords is to bring the wideexperience of its members into theprocess of law-making.14 the House of Commons:TheHouse of Commons is a part ofparliament , and its members areelected by universal adult suffrage. Itconsists of 651 Members of Parliament(MPs). It has the ultimate authority inmaking laws.15 constitutional monarchy : It is aform of government in which themonarch’s power is limited byParliament. The United Kingdom is aconstitutional monarchy: the head of State is a king or a queen. In practice, the Sovereigh reigns, but does not rule. The United Kingdom is governed, in the name of the Sovereign, by His or Her majestry’s Government.16 the Cabinet:The Cabinet consists of usually 20 most senior ministers. Ministers are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Ministers are responsible collectively to Parliament for all Cabinet decisions; individual Ministers are responsibl to Parliament for the work of their departments.17 the Privy Council:The Privy Council is a consultative body of the British monarch. Its origin can be traced back to the times of the Norman Kings. After the Gloious Revolution of 1688, its importance was gradually diminished and replaced by the Cabinet. Today, it is still a consultation body of the British monarch. Its membership is about 400, and includes all Cabinet ministers, the speaker of the House of Commons, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and senior British and Commonwealth statesmen.18 the Metropolitan Police Force:The police service for the United Kingdom is organized and controlled on a local basis under the Home Secretary and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Secretaries. London’s Metropolitan Police Force is directly under the control of the Home Secretary.19NHS:The full name of NHS is National Health Service. The National Health Service provides for every resident, regardless of income, a full range of medical service. The service was established in the United Kingdom in 1948. 20 bank holidays:Official publicholidays are also called ‘bank holidays’.The term ‘Bank Holidays’ goes back tothe Bank Holidays Act of 1871, whichowes its name to the fact that banks areclosed on the days specified.21Remembrance Sunday:The onlyreally important patriotic festival isRemembrance Sunday. It is also calledArmistice Day, which is the Sundaynearest to November 11. On thisSunday the dead of both world wars areremembered in special church servicesand civic ceremonies, the chief ofwhich is the laying of wreathes at theCenotaph, London by members of theroyal family in the presence of leadingstatesmen and politicians.22 Church of England:Church ofEngland is the most importantestablished church in Britain. It islegally recognized as official church ofthe State. It is uniquely related to theCrown in that the Sovereign must be amember of that Church and mustpromise to uphold it. The Church isalso linked with the State through theHouse of Lords, in which the twoarchbishops and some other bishopshave seats.23 Boxing Day:In Britain December26th is called Boxing Day because itwas formerly the custom to give‘Christmas boxes’, or gifts of money ,to servants and tradesmen on this day.24Open University:The OpenUniversity is a non-residentialuniversity. It is so named because it isopen to all to become students. TheUniversity was founded in 1969 andbegan its first courses in 1970. TheUniversity offers degree and othercourses for adult students of all ages inBritain and the other member countriesof the European Union. It uses acombination of specially producedprinted texts, correspondence tuition ,television and radio broadcasts andaudio/ video cassettes.25IRA :The full name for IRA is IrishRepublic Army. It is a nationalistorganization formed by MichaelCollins after the Easter Uprising of1916. The IRA opposed the separationof Northern Ireland from the Republicof Ireland in the 1920s by terroristmethods. It has been responsible formany raids and bomb explosions inEngland and in Northern Ireland.26the Anglo-Irish Treaty: In 1921 theBritish signed the Anglo-Irish Treatyestablishing an Irish Free State withdominion status with a separategovernment in theProtestant-dominated Northern Ireland.27the Great Famine:The GreatFaminine began in Ireland in 1845. Itwas caused by the failure of potatocrop. One of the most dramatic,large-scale sociological consequencesof the Great Famine was a significantpopulation decline in Ireland. Manypeople died of hunger. There was also abig flow of emigration from Ireland.About 6 million people left Irelandeither for Britain, the United States orCanada in the century following theGreat Famine.第二部分美国部分1Ellis Island: Ellis Island of New Yorkas an important immigration receptionspot in the 1890s and at the turn of thecentury.2baby boom: Baby boom refers to thegreat increase of birth ratebetween1946 and 1964. Nearly 80million Americans were born in thisperiod . People born in this period arecalled baby boomers.3 ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’:The first blacks were brought to North America as slaves in 1619. For a long period of time they were concentrated in the agricultural South, working on plantations growing cotton and tobacco. Their life was no better than that of cattle. In order to keep the black slaves under control, the slave-owners resorted to brutal methods. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is the novel giving a vivid description of the miserable life of the black slaves.4the Civil Rights Act of 1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is considered to be the most far-reaching act on civil rights in modern times, forbidding discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and national origin. It’s the result of a strong Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The act added protections for the rights to vote, to use public facilities and to enjoy the same education as white people. It also contained provisions guaranteeing equal employment opportunities.5 the Puritans: The Puritans were wealthy, well-educated gentlemen. They wanted to purify the Church of England. Dissatisfied with the political corruption in England and threatened with religious persecution, the Puritan leaders saw the New World as a refuge provided by God for those he meant to save.6 ‘No taxation without representation’:This was the slogan of the people in the colonies before the War of Independence. They opposed the British policies toward the colonies. By the slogan they declared that, without their representatives taking part in decision-making, they had no obligation to pay taxes.7the Bill of Rights:In 1789, JamesMadison introduced in the House ofRepresentatives a series ofamendments which later were draftedinto twelve proposed amendents andsent to the states for ratification. Ten ofthem were ratified in 1791 and this firstten amendments to the constitutionwere called the Bill of Rights.8 abolitionists:They were people,mostly Northern humanitarians, whostrongly opposed slavery and aimed toabolish the system.9 the Gettysburg Address:TheGettysburg Address refers to the shortspeech made by President Lincolnwhen he dedicated the nationalcemetery at Gettysburg. He ended hisspeech with ‘the government of thepeopled, by the people, for the people,shall not perish from the earth’10 the Emancipation Proclamation:After the Civil War began, Lincolnissued the Emancipation Proclamationto win more support at home andabroad. It granted freedom to all slavesin areas still controlled by theConfederacy.11 the First Bontinental Congress: In1774, the First Continental Congresswas held in Philadelphia, whichencouraged Americans to refuse to buyBritish goods, and organized colonialmilitia units.12 the New Deal: The program wasput forward by President Franklin D.Roosevelt in 1932 to deal with theGreat Depression. Roosevelt madeCongress pass a large number of NewDeal acts and helped to set up manyefficient social economical andfinancial systems. The New Deal didhelp overcome the most seriouseconomic crisis of the capitalist systemup to that time.13 the Muchrakers: At the turn of the20th century in the United States, thereemerged a group of reform-mindedjournalists, who made investigationsand exposed various dark sides of theseemingly prosperous society.President Theodore Roosevelt calledthem Muchrakers.14 The stock market crash of 1929:On October24, 1929, the New Yorkstock market crashed. It was calledBlack Thursday, because it was thebeginning of a long economicdepression. The Great Depression hadfar-reaching consequences. It sweptthrough the globe quickly. The rate ofunemployment increased rapidly. Agreat deal of companies and businessesclosed and went into bankruptcy.American economy didn’t recover untilthe New Deal was put forward.15 the Ku Klux Klan: The Ku KluxKlan was the first organized in 1866and then reformed in 1867. The KuKlux Klan terrorized and attacked notonly blacks, but also progressives,labor union organizers ,Communist orsocialist party members.16. McCarthyism:Joseph R.McCarthy was a senator. He started acampain of wild accusation and arrestsin 1950. His full-scale anti-Communisthysteria in American history was calledMcCarthyism . In December 1954,theSenate condemned him for certainimproper, extreme behavior andMcCarthysim ended.17 Richard Nixon: Richard Nixon wasthe former President of the UnitedStates of America. In the early 1970s,he was involved in the Watergatescandal, for which he was forced toresign from the presidency.18Truman Doctrine:On March 20, 1949, President Truman put forward the Truman Doctrine in his speech to the joint session of Congress. The Doctrine meant to support any country which said it was fighting communism.19 monetarist policies:Since the American economy was plagued by stagflation, in the early 1980s, the traditional Keynesian approach was replaced by new monetarist policies, which sought to fight inflation by increasing supply and reducing demand. On the one hand, taxes were cut to increase economic dynamism. On the other hand, interest rates were raised to reduce the supply of money.20 the US Federal system:It is a system of government in which has two layers of rule. There is central or federal government for the nation which alone has the power to answer questions that affect the nation as a whole. There are also state and local governments . Each layer of government has separate and distinct powers laid down in the Constitution. 21 separation of power:It refers to the principle that the national government is divided into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. In the legislative branch, power is divided further nto two houses. Each branch has part of the powers but not all the power.22 US presidential inauguration: In the US the presidential term of four years begins on January 20. The President starts his official duties with an inauguraton ceremony, traditionally held on the steps of the US Capitol. The President publicly takes an oath of office, which is administered by the Chief Justice of the United States. Theoath-taking ceremony is usuallyfollowed by an inauguration address.23 public school: Public schoolsusually larger in size, are operated bypublicly elected or appointed schooloffcials. The program and activities ofthe schools are under the control ofthese officials. The schools aresupported mainly by public funds.24 private school: Private schools arecontrolled by an individual or by anagency other than a state, a subdivisionof a state or the federal government .They are usually supported by fundswhich are not public funds and theoperation of the school’s program restswith people who are not publiclyelected or appointed officials.25 school districts: They aresubdivisions of the states.Currently,there are some 15,500 operating localpublic school districts. Each localschool district has a governing boardwhich is usually elected by thevoters.Its major responsibilities are thehiring of professional and support staff,determining the most suitable localcurriculum, and developing andapproving a budget to carry outeducational program.26 Easter Sunday:Easter Sunday isthe second of the two most importantreligious holidays for Christians. It’s onthe first Sunday after the full moon thatoccurs on or after March 21, and it’sfor celebrating the rising of JesusChrist from his tomb, where he hadlain for three days following his death.On the Easter morning, millions ofpeople gather together to salute anotherEaster dawn. The Easter Parade is verypopular in the United States. There areseveral symbols for Easter. The eggand the hare are those most frequentlyassociated with Easter.27 Halloween:Halloween is anight-time children’s day and a time forfrightening costumes, masks , parties,games and tricks--- all for fun.Children with curious masks fo fromhouse to house to frighten friends orneighbours and threaten them with‘Trick or treat’.第三部分加拿大，澳大利亚28the Canadian Shield : Almost halfof Canada is covered by the CanadianShield. It is a semicircular band ofrocky highlands and plateaus aroundHudson Bay from the northern shoresof Quebec to the Artic shores of theNorthwest Territories. It is a region ofrounded hills, tens of thousands oflakes and swamp. The Shield containsa wealth of minerals , much water andgreat forests.29 the Statute of Westminster: By theStatute of Westminster in 1931 theBritish Dominions, including Canada,were formally declared to be partnernations with Britain and ‘equal instatus, in no way subordinate to eachother’, and bound together only bytheir loyalty to a common Crown.Since then, Canada became a memberof the Commonwealth of Nations.30 Bilingualism in Canada:Bilingualism means having twolanguages. In Canada the officialLanguage Act went into effect in 1969.The Act made English and French theofficial languages of Canada. Theyhave equal status and rights in allinstituations of Parliament and theFederal Government.31 Multiculturalism:For a long timethe Canadian Government pursued apolicy of assimilation , that is toassimilate different minority groups into the mainstream Canadian culture. But immigrants from different countries still kept their own cultures, religious, languages, and ways of life. So in 1976, the Canadian Government adopted a policy of multiculturalism. Accordingly immigrants may be instructed in at least one official language to help them become full participants in Canadian society and, at the same time, are encouraged to maintain their particular cultural heritage.32 school of air :children learn their lessons through a radio educational system called School of the Air. Lessons are transmitted by radio. Homework is now exchanged by fax.33 the Flying Doctors:It is a special health service which provides medical care for people living in isolated areas in Australia. Doctors travel by plane from their base and keep in touch with their patients by radio.34 Maoritanga:In New Zealand, Maoritanga in Maori culture, the Maori way of life and view of the world. Maori views of the world, of nature, of education, of spirituality and of death, are becoming more and more part of the New Zealand way of life.35 Kiwi:The kiwi is a noctural bird that can’t fly in New Zealand. The kiwi is a national symbol an New Zealanders refer to themselves as Kiwis.36 the Treaty of Waitangi:The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement between the chiefs of the Maori people and the British Crown in 1840.37 Waitangi Day:In 1840, the first official governor, William Hobson, was sent to negotiate with Maori leaders. In 1840 Hobson, representng QueenVictoria, and some Maori chiefs,signed the Treaty of Waitangi. ModernNew Zealand was founded. Theanniversary of the signing, February 6,is celebrated as New Zealand NationalDay, Waitangi Day, and is a nationalholiday.38Mark Twain: Mark Twain’s realname was Samuel Langhorne Clemens.He gained a wide knowledge ofhumanity through his life experience.In 1865, he became nationally famouswith his short story The CelebratedJumping Frog. The Adventures of TomSawyer was an immediate success as‘a boy book’, and The Adventures ofHuckleberry Finn became his masterbook. All stories of his novels aresimple and he presented Americansocial life through portrayal of localplaces he knew best and through hiscolloquial style. His other famousbooks are: A Tramp Abroad, Life on theMississippi, The Gilded Age andInnocents Abroad.39Walt Whitman:Walt Whitman is anAmerican poet. He broke free from theconvention of the poetic rhymeexhibiting a freedom in form unknownbefore. In his masterpiece Leaves ofGrass, he praised the ideas of equalityand democracy and celebrated thedignity, the self-reliant spirit and thejoy of the common man. He was thefirst to explore fully the possibilities offree verse. He invented a completelynew and completely American form ofpoetic expression.40knicherbockers era: In the early partof the nineteenth century, New YorkCity was the centre of Americanwriting. Its writers were called‘Knickerbockers’and the period from1810 to 1840 is known as the‘knickerbockers era’of Americanliterature. The name comes from AHistory of New York, by DiedrickKnickerbocker written by WashingtonIrving.41 Ernest Hemingway:ErnestHemingway was one of the mostimportant American writers in the 20th ,and was the spokensman for the ‘LostGeneration’ of young intellectuals whobecame disappointed and bitter afterWorld War I. He was awarded theNobel Prize for Literature in 1954. Hisfirst important novel The Sun AlsoRises is a description of young peoplein the post-war era.He wrote a lot ofother novels and short stories. AFarewell to Arms and For Whom theBell Tolls are two novels about the Firstand Second World Wars. The Old Manand the Sea is considered to be hisrepresentative work . He is also famousfor his simple style and carefulstructuring of his fiction.42 Theodore Dreiser:TheodoreDreiser was one of the naturalists whoin their works reported truthfully andobjectively the life in the slums. Hisfirst novel Sister Carrie traces thematerial rise of Carrie Meeber and thetragic decline of Hurstwood. Hispursue was to describe the actual stateof things in the United States. Hisdescription of the sharp contrast ofwealth and poverty in Chicago andNew York was another example. Hewas also famous for his Trilogy ofDesire and An American Tragedy ,which is considered to be his best.。

The Hundred Years’War (1337-1453)The Hundred Years’War was a series of wars fought between England and France over trade, Territory, security and the throne.The Hundred Years’War promoted the concept of English Nationalism（民族主义）and the development of the textile industry because it reducedthe export of English wool. The war raised the social position of the bourgeois（资产阶级）class. All these factors contributed to the decline of feudalism in England.Black DeathBlack Death was the modern name given to the deadly bubonic plague（黑死病）, an epidemic disease(流行病) spread by rat fleas（鼠疫跳蚤）. It was a fierce and widespread outbreak of plague(瘟疫) that ravaged（毁坏）the whole of Europe in the 14th century. It hit England first in 1349 with subsequent waves between 1360 and 1375 . The plague killed perhaps up to one-third of the British population. As a result of the plague, much land was left untended and there was a terrible shortage of labour. The Wars of RosesBetween 1455 and 1485 a series of battles were fought between the two branches of the Plantagenet family, the House of Lancaster, symbolized by the red rose, and the House of York, symbolized by the white rose, ended with the failure of the House of York.Fought between two branches of the Plantagenet family.1485 the Lancastrian Henry Tudor, defeated King Richard II and found the House of Tudors. From these Wars, English feudalism received its death blow（致命的打击）. The great medieval nobility was much weakened.The English RenaissanceThe English Renaissance reached its height in the first 15th century,was largely literary, and it achieved its finest expression in the so-called Elizabethan drama.Civil war and restorationEnglish Civil War between 1642 to 1651 is also called Puritan Revolution.(清教徒革命)From 1649 to 1658 England was called a Commonwealth. It was ruled first by Oliver Cromwell as the Lord Protector.The Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution refers to the mechanization of industry and the consequences in social and economic organization in Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Britain was the first country to industrialize. The Industrial Revolution in Britain first began in the textile industry.Constitutional MonarchyIt is a form of government in which head of the state is a king or a queen and the monarch’s power is limited by Parliament. In practice, the Sovereign reigns, but does not rule. In English history, constitutional monarchy was established after Glorious Revolution in 1688.Queen Elizabeth II is the current monarch of the United Kingdom.Civil ServiceThe government departments are staffed by members of the Civil Service, whose duty is to assist in carrying out the administration of laws passed by Parliament. Changes of government do not involve changes in department staff. Civil servants are recruited mainly by competitive examination.The judiciary 司法制度The judicial branch of the British government is rather complicated in that England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland al have their own legal systems, with considerable differences in law, organization and practice. The legal system of Northern Ireland is similar to that of England and Wales, but Scotland had a distinct legal system based on Roman law, which is the legal basis for most European countries.British law consists of 2 parts, civil and criminal, with different courts at various levels to handle cases in each category.The Metropolitan PoliceThe police force is responsible for the security of London, with its headquarters at New Scotland Yard. It is directly under the control of Home Secretary.The City of LondonThe City of London is the business centre of London where large financial organizations are located, such as the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and Lloyd’s (a famous insurance company).Bank holidaysOfficial public holidays are also called “Bank holidays”. The term “Bank holidays”goes back to the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, which owes its name to the fact that banks are closed on the days specified.Open UniversityThe Open University(also commonly referred to by its initialism OU) is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom. The university is funded by a combination of student fees, contract income, and allocations for teaching and research by the higher education funding bodies in each of the four countries of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). It is notable for having an open entry policy, i.e. students' previous academic achievements are not taken into account for entry to most undergraduate courses. The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off-campus, but many of its courses (both undergraduate and postgraduate) can be studied off-campus anywhere in the world.The OU was established in 1969 and the first students enrolled in January 1971. The University administration is based at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, but has regional centres in each of its thirteen regions around the United Kingdom. It also has offices and regional examination centres in most other European countries. The University awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, as well as non-degree qualifications such as diplomas and certificates, or continuing education units.。

英语国家概况名词解释1、The Constitution:Britain has no written Constitution.The foundations of the British state are laid out in statute law,which are laws passed by Parliament; the common laws, which are laws established through commom practice in courts;and conventions.2、The house of Common: It’s the real center of British political life because it is the place where about 650 elected representatives(Members of Parliament) make and debate policy,These MPs are elected in the General Elections and should represent the interests of the people who vote for them.3、The electoral campaign:Before a general election,the political parties would start their electoral campaigns in order to make their ideologies and policies known to the public.The campaign involves advertisements in newspapers, door-to-door campaigning,postal deliveries of leaflets and ‘party electoral broadcasts” on the television.The parties also try to attack and critisise the opponents’ policies.Therefore,these campaigns sometimes can be quite aggressive and critical.4、Class system in British society:The class system does exist in British society.Most of British population would claim themselves to be either of middle-class or working-class,though some people would actually belong to the upper middle-class or lower middle-class.Class divisions are not simply economic,they are cultural as well.People of different classes may defferent may differ in the kind of newspaper they read,in the way they speak and in the kind of education they receive.One of the distinctive features about the British class system is that aristocratic titles can still be inherited.5、Relative decline of the UK economy:The UK has experienced an economic decline since 1945.But this is a relative decline rather than an absolute one.Britain is wealthier and more productive than it was in 1945,but since other countries developed more rapidly,it has slid from being the second largest economy to being the six.6、Comprehensive schools:are the most popular secondary schools in Britain today.Such schools admit children without reference to their academic abilities and provide a general education.Pupils can study everything from academic subjects like literature to more practical subjects like cooking7、Grammar school s:it’s a type of secondary schools in Britain.Grammar schools select children at the age 11,through an examination called “the 11-plus”.Those children with the highest marks go to grammar schools.These schools lay emphasis on advanced academic subjects rather than the more general curriculum of the comprehensive schools and expect many of their pupils to go on to universities.8、Independent schools:are commonly called public schools which are actually private schools that receive their funding through the private sector and tuition rates,with some government assitance.Independent schools are not part of national education system,but the quality of instruction and standards are maintained through visits from Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools.These schools are restricted to the students whose parents are comparatively rich.9、the first English settle in North America:The first English permanent settlement was organized in 1607 by the London Company with a charter from the English King.The colonists settled in Virginia and survived by imposing strict discipline on themselves and by transplanting tobacco into the colony of Virginia.In 1619,the settlers elected their delegates and set up the House of Burgesses,and the same time they bought and enslaved black servants.These two events greatly influenced the political and social development of the United States later.10、Puritanism:were those who followes the doctrine of John Calvin and wanted to purify the Church of England.They believe that human beings were predestined by God before they were born.Some were God’s chosen people while others were damned to hell.No church nor good works could save people.The sign of being God’s elect was the success in his work or the prosperity in his calling.They also argued that everyone must read the Bible in order to find God’s will and establish a direct contact with God.These beliefs had great impact on American culture.11、George Washington:was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic.He was the Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in War of Independence against the British colonial rule and the first President of the United States.12、The executive:The chief executive is the President,who is elected to a four-year term.A president can be elected to only two terms according to an amendment passed in 1951.The president can propose legislation to Congress.He can veto any bill passed by Congress.The veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both houses.The president can appoint federal judges as vacancies occur.He is the commander in chief of the armed forced.The president has other broad authorities in running the government departments and handling foreign relations.13、The Bill of Rights:consists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791.The Bill of Rights was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech,the right to assemble in public places,the right to own weapons and so on.14、Industrial Revolution in America:After independence,American was principally an agricultural country.The Industrial Revolution in England brought many changes to American industry between 1776 and 1860.One key development was the introduction of the factory system.A second development was the “American system” of mass production.A third development was the application of new technologies to industrial tasks.Afourth development was the emergence of new forms of business organization---the bank and the corporation.15、Agribusiness:Because American agricuiture is big business,people coined the term “agribusiness” to reflect the large-scale nature of agricultural enterprises in the modern US economy.The term covers the entire complex of farm-related business,from the individual farmer to the multinational maker of farm chemicals.It also includes farmer cooperatives,ruralbanks,shippers of farm products,commodity dealers,firms that manufacture farmequipment,food-processing industries,grocery chains and many other business.16、Higher education:In America,higher education refers to education on the college level.American higher education includes four categories of institutions.They are the university,the four-year undergraduate institution(the college) the technical training institution and the two-year or community college.Some are supported by public funds and some by private funds.Many universities and colleges have won reputations for providing their students with a higher quality of education.The great majority are generally regarded as quite satisfatory.17、NBA:stands for National Basketball Association.Founded in 1950,it’s the association of professional teams in the United States.It has two divisions:the Eastern Division and the Western Division.NBA is very popular not only in the US.but all over the world.The best NBA star in NBA history is Mcchiael Jordan.18、Yellowstone Nationa Park:is the oldest and one of the largest national park in the US.It’s named after the Yellowstone River that flows through the area.It is known for its geysers and hot springs among other natural wonders.19、Football hooligans:reflect the violence associated with football.While all social classes used to join in the local football march,it was regarded as being not at all suitable for gentlemen.Visitors from abroad sometimes complained about stumbling into the midst of a rough and dangerous game when walking the streets of London,while local householders and merchants were troubled by having their windows broken by stray footballs.Dringking hard went along with playing hard.Today,violence is still associated with football.They are supporters of rival teams.They sometimes clash before,during and after matches and occationally run riot through the town,breaking windows and beating each other up.20、Winbledon:is the name of a London suburb.In Winbledon the world’s best players gather to compete on grass courts.It’s one of the major events of the British sporting calendar and probably the most famous tennis event in the world.Besides actually watching the tennis matches,other activies closely associated with the Winbledon fortnight are eating strawberries andcream,drinking champagne and hoping that it doesn’t rain.21、The three traditions of Chrismas in Britain:one is the Christmas Pantomime,a comical musical play.The main male character is played by a young woman while the main female character,often an ugly woman called ‘the Dame,’ is played by a man.Another is to hear the Queen give her Christmas message to her realm over the televition and radio.A third is Boxing Day,which falls on the day after Christmas.Traditionally,it was on Boxing Day that people gave Christmas gifts or money to their staff or servants.Now that most British people do not have servants,this custom is no longer observed.However,a new Boxing Day custom has emerged,in thecities:shopping.Shops open up to sell off all their Christmas stock decorations,food,cards and gift items at low prices.。

英语国家概况名词解释新Document number【980KGB-6898YT-769T8CB-246UT-18GG08】英语国家概况名词解释1、The Constitution:Britain has no written Constitution.The foundations of the British state are laid out in statute law,which are laws passed by Parliament; the common laws, which are laws established through commom practice in courts;and conventions.2、The house of Common: It’s the real center of British political life because it is the place where about 650 elected representatives(Members of Parliament) make and debate policy,These MPs are elected in the General Elections and should represent the interests of the people who vote for them.3、The electoral campaign:Before a general election,the political parties would start their electoral campaigns in order to make their ideologies and policies known to the public.The campaign involves advertisements in newspapers, door-to-door campaigning,postal deliveries of leaflets and ‘party electoral broadcasts” on the television.The parties also try to attack and critisise the opponents’ policies.Therefore,these campaigns sometimes can be quiteaggressive and critical.4、Class system in British society:The class system does exist in British society.Most of British population would claim themselves to be either of middle-class or working-class,though some people would actually belong to the upper middle-class or lower middle-class.Class divisions are not simply economic,they are cultural as well.People of different classes may defferent may differ in the kind of newspaper they read,in the way they speak and in the kind of education they receive.One of the distinctive features about the British class system is that aristocratic titles can still be inherited.5、Relative decline of the UK economy:The UK has experienced an economic decline since 1945.But this is a relative decline ratherthan an absolute one.Britain is wealthier and more productive than it was in 1945,but since other countries developed more rapidly,it has slid from being the second largest economy to being the six.6、Comprehensive schools:are the most popular secondary schools in Britain today.Such schools admit children without reference to their academic abilities and provide a general education.Pupils can study everything from academic subjects like literature to more practical subjects like cooking7、Grammar schools:it’s a type of secondary schools inBritain.Grammar schools select children at the age 11,through an examination called “the 11-plus”.Those children with the highest marks go to grammar schools.These schools lay emphasis on advanced academic subjects rather than the more general curriculum of the comprehensive schools and expect many of their pupils to go on to universities.8、Independent schools:are commonly called public schools which are actually private schools that receive their funding through theprivate sector and tuition rates,with some governmentassitance.Independent schools are not part of national education system,but the quality of instruction and standards are maintained through visits from Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools.These schools are restricted to the students whose parents are comparatively rich.9、the first English settle in North America:The first English permanent settlement was organized in 1607 by the London Company with a charter from the English King.The colonists settled in Virginia and survived by imposing strict discipline on themselves and by transplanting tobacco into the colony of Virginia.In 1619,the settlers elected their delegates and set up the House of Burgesses,and the same time they bought and enslaved black servants.These two events greatly influenced the political and social development of the United States later.10、Puritanism:were those who followes the doctrine of John Calvin and wanted to purify the Church of England.They believe that human beings were predestined by God before they were born.Some were God’s chosen people while others were damned to hell.No church nor good works could save people.The sign of being God’s elect was the success in his work or the prosperity in his calling.They also argued that everyone must read the Bible in order to find God’s will and establish a direct contact with God.These beliefs had great impact on American culture.11、George Washington:was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic.He was the Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in War of Independence against the British colonial rule and the first President of the United States.12、The executive:The chief executive is the President,who is elected to a four-year term.A president can be elected to only two terms according to an amendment passed in 1951.The president can propose legislation to Congress.He can veto any bill passed by Congress.The veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both houses.The president can appoint federal judges as vacancies occur.He is the commander in chief of the armed forced.The president has other broad authorities in running the government departments and handling foreign relations.13、The Bill of Rights:consists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791.The Bill of Rights was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech,the right to assemble in public places,the right to own weapons and so on.14、Industrial Revolution in America:After independence,American was principally an agricultural country.The Industrial Revolution in England brought many changes to American industry between 1776 and 1860.One key development was the introduction of the factory system.A second development was the “American system” of mass production.A third development was theapplication of new technologies to industrial tasks.Afourth development was the emergence of new forms of business organization---the bank and the corporation.15、Agribusiness:Because American agricuiture is big business,people coined the term “agribusiness” to reflect the large-scale nature of agricultural enterprises in the modern US economy.The term covers the entire complex offarm-related business,from the individual farmer to the multinational maker of farm chemicals.It also includes farmer cooperatives,rural banks,shippers of farm products,commodity dealers,firms that manufacture farm equipment,food-processing industries,grocery chains and many other business.16、Higher education:In America,higher education refers to education on the college level.American higher education includes four categories of institutions.They are the university,the four-year undergraduateinstitution(the college) the technical training institution and the two-year or community college.Some are supported by public funds and some by private funds.Many universities and colleges have won reputations for providing their students with a higher quality of education.The great majority are generally regarded as quite satisfatory.17、NBA:stands for National Basketball Association.Founded in 1950,it’s the association of professional teams in the United States.It has two divisions:the Eastern Division and the Western Division.NBA is very popular not only in the US.but all over the world.The best NBA star in NBA history is Mcchiael Jordan.18、Yellowstone Nationa Park:is the oldest and one of the largest national park in the US.It’s named after the Yellowstone River that flows through the area.It is known for its geysers and hot springs among other natural wonders. 19、Football hooligans:reflect the violence associated with football.While all social classes used to join in the local football march,it was regarded as being not at all suitable for gentlemen.Visitors from abroad sometimes complained about stumbling into the midst of a rough and dangerous game when walking the streets of London,while local householders and merchants were troubled by having their windows broken by stray footballs.Dringking hard went along with playing hard.Today,violence is still associated with football.They are supporters of rival teams.They sometimes clash before,during and after matches and occationally run riot through the town,breaking windows and beating each other up.20、Winbledon:is the name of a London suburb.In Winbledon the world’s best players gather to compete on grass courts.It’s one of the major events of the British sporting calendar and probably the most famous tennis event in the world.Besides actually watching the tennis matches,other activies closely associated with the Winbledon fortnight are eating strawberries andcream,drinking champagne and hoping that it doesn’t rain.21、The three traditions of Chrismas in Britain:one is the Christmas Pantomime,a comical musical play.The main male character is played by a young woman while the main female character,often an ugly woman called ‘the Dame,’is played by a man.Another is to hear the Queen give her Christmas message toher realm over the televition and radio.A third is Boxing Day,which falls on the day after Christmas.Traditionally,it was on Boxing Day that people gave Christmas gifts or money to their staff or servants.Now that most British people do not have servants,this custom is no longer observed.However,a new Boxing Day custom has emerged,in the cities:shopping.Shops open up to sell off all their Christmas stock decorations,food,cards and gift items at low prices.。

⾃考英语国家概况名词解释英语国家概况名词解释1 The British Empire ⼤英帝国About a hundred years ago, as result of its imperialist expansion, Britain ruled and empire that had one fourth of the world’s people and one fourth of the world’s land area. The two world wars greatly weakened Britain. The British Empire gradually disappeared and it was replaced by the British Commonwealth or the Commonwealth of Nation in 1931.2.Stonehenge-It is a group of huge monuments of grant rock Slabs on salisbury plain in Southwest England built as long ago as the New Stone Age. It is generally believed that stonehenge served some sort of religious purposes. The Celts----The Celts came to Britain in three main waves. The first wave were the Gales, the second wave were the Brythons and the Belgae came about 150BC. The Celts were practised farmers. The Celtic tribes are ancestors of the Highland Scots, the Irish and the Welsh, And their languages are the basis of both Welsh and Gaelic. They religion was Druidism.3.The British Commonwealth 英联邦The British Empire was replaced by the British Commonwealth or the Commonwealth of Nations in 1931.It is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. Member nations are joined together economically and have certain trading arrangements. The Commonwealth has no special powers. The decision to become a member of the Commonwealth is left to each member nation. At present there are 50 members counties whit in the commonwealth (1991). 是曾为英国殖民地，但现在已经独⽴构成的⾃由联合体。

英语国家概况名词解释复习范围1. Puritanism: 清教徒主义Puritans were those who followed the doctrine of Jonh Calvin and wantedto purify the Church of England. They believe that human beings werepredestined by God before they were born. Some were God’s chosen peoplewhile others were damned to hell. No church nor good works could savepeople. The sign of being God’s elect was the success in his work orthe prosperity in his calling. They also argued that everyone must readthe Bible in order to find God’s will and establish a direct contactwith God. These beliefs had great impact on American culture.2. The Declaration of Independence : 独立宣言The Declaration of Independence was mainly drafted by Thomas Jeffersonand adopted by the Congress on July 4, 1776, where the people of 13English colonies in North America were fighting for their freedom andindependence from the British colonial rule. The document declaredthat all men were equal and that they were entitled to have someunalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.It also explained the philosophy of government: the powers ofgovernments came from the consent of the governed and the purpose ofgovernments were to secure the rights mentioned above. The theory ofpolities and the guiding principles of the American Revolution mainlycame from John Lock.3. George Washington :George Washington was one of the founding fathers of the AmericanRepublic. He was the Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in theWar of Independence against the British colonial rule and the firstPresident of the United States.4. WASP: The early immigrants were generally known as the White Anglo-SaxonProtestants because most of them believed in the protestant church. Theyplayed the main role in the founding of the 13 colonies and establishedthe ruling position of their English language. They transplanted Englishvalues and traditions to the colonies and played the decisive role inwinning independence from England. Today it is estimated that about 33%of Americans are of British origin.5. Three Faiths in the US : By the 1950's,the three faiths model of American religionhad developed. American were considered to come in three basic varieties:protestants, Catholic and Jewish. In terms of numbers, the Protestantsare the strongest, the Catholica are next to the Protestants and theJewish are the smallest among the three groups.6. Religious liberty in the US : The Declaration of Independence guaranteed thebasic right of religious freedom and this right was a political necessity.The First Amendment to the US Constitution explicitly forbade the federalgovernment to give special favors to any religion or to hinder the freepractice, or exercise, of religion. When desputes about the relationshipbetween government and religion arise, American courts must settle them.But American institutions presuppose a Supreme Being, thereforeChristianity is often, in practice, more favored than other religions.7. The “Lost Generation”: 迷惘的一代In the aftermath of World War Ⅰ, manynovelists produced a literature of disillusionment. Some lived in Europe.They were known as the “Lost Generation.” Two of the mostrepresentative writers of the The “Lost Generation” were Hemingway andFitzgerald.8.Hemingway : 海明威 an American writer of fiction who won the Nobel Prize forliterature in 1954 (1899-1961). Among his best booiks were The Sun AlsoRises, A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls.9. High education in the USIn America, higher education refers to education on the college level.America higher education includes four categories of institution .They are the university , the four-year undergraduateinstitution( the college) the technical training institution and thetwo-year or community college. Some are supported by public funds andsome by private funds. Many universities and colleges have wonreputations for providing their students with a higher quality ofeducation. The great majority are generally regarded as quitesatisfactory.10 The civil rights movementIt is one of the most important of all social movements in the 1960sin America. Rose Parks’ spontaneous action in 1955 was believed tobe true beginning of the civil rights movement. The black students’sit-in at a department lunch counter in the North Carolina touchedoff the nationwide civil rights movement. During the first half ofthe decade, civil rights organizations like the SNCC,CORE,and SCLCstruggled for racial integration by providing leadership, tactics,network and the people. In the latter half of the decade, some blackorganizations changed their nonviolent tactics, and emphasized onmore radical means to end discrimination and raised the self-imageof the blacks. The civil rights movement produced such great leadersas Martin Luther King.Jr., and Malcolm X, who inspired a generationof both blacks and whites to devote their lives to fighting for racialequality in the US.11. Martin Luther King.Jr.A black Baptist minister, he was the leader of the Southern ChristianLeadership Conference during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.To promote his philosophy of nonviolent protest against segregationand other kinds of social injustice,King organized a series of“marches”, including the march on Washington of August, 1963, whenKing delivered his famous” I Have aDream”speech.As a civil rights leader, King worked ont only to endracial discrimination and poverty , but also to raise the self imageof the blacks.Due to his strong belief in non-violent peacefulprotest,King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.He wasassassinated in the city of Memphis in April 1968.12. The House of Lords and Commons in the UKThe House of LordsThe House of Lords consists of the Lords Spiritual, who are theArchbishops and most prominent bishops of the Church of England; andthe Lords Temporal , which regers to those lords who either haveinherited the seat from their forefathers or they have beenappointed .The lords mainly represent themselves instead of theinterests of the pubilc.The House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the real center of British life because itis the place where about 650 elected representatives(Members ofParliament) make and debate policy. These MPs are elected in theGeneral Elections and should represent the interests of the peoplewho vote for them.13. RomanticismRoughly the first third of the 19th century makes up Englishliterat ure’s romantic period. Writers of romantic literature aremore concerned with imagination and feeling than with the power ofreason. A volume of poems called Lyrical Ballads written by WilliamWordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge is regard as the romanticpoetry’s “Declaration of Independence.” Keats, Byron and Shelly,the three great poets, brought the Romantic Movement to its height.The spirit of Romanticism also occurred in the novel.14. ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare (1561-1616) was a famous dramatist and poet. Hecreated a large number of masterpieces, including comedy, tragedy andhistorical dramas. Shakespeare’s plays fall into categories, orclasses. He excels in each kind. The tragedies include Romeo andJuliet, Hamlet , Othello, King lear, and Macbeth. Among the comediesare The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twlfth Night ,and The Tempest.His history plays, based on English history, includeRichard III, Richard II, Henry IV, and Henry V.16. Terra NulliusTerra Nullius is from Latin. It means a land that is owned by no one. The British declared the Australian continent Terra Nullius tojustify their invasion of the indigenous people’s land. It servedto legitimize their taking possession of the land and devalue theindigenous people as uncivilized and not fully human.17. The “Washminster” form policy in AustraliaThe “Washminster” form of polity is adopted by the Australian government. It is a mixture of the US Washington system of governmentand the British Westminster system. This means that the politicalstructure of the government is based on a Federation of States witha three-tire system of government. However, the chief executive isa Prime Minister, instead of a President as in the US system.18. The Bloc QuebecoisThe Bloc Quebecois was founded in 1990 by a former Conservative cabinet minister and later separatist Lucien Bouchard. It is a Quebecseparatist party intended to complement the provincial PartiQuebecois (PQ) on the federal level. Its main concern is only to dothe best for Quebec, and wants to separate entirely from the federalgovernment. In the 1993 elections the party became the second largestin the Canadian parliament, and the charismatic Bouchard becameleader of the opposition.19. The Cold WarBy the end of World War II, the United States, which had not suffered as much as other allied countries, became the strongestcountry in the world. As the possessor of atomic tombs and much ofthe world’s gold reserv e and industrial production in his hand, thepolicy-makers of the US wanted a world order dominated by the US, aworld market free and open to American goods and services. In pursuingthis gold, the US encountered determined resistance from the SovietUnion. Gradually the two wartime allies fell apart and the Cold Warbegan.20. Unilateralism (the US)When George W. Bush became president in 2001, he and his topadvisers pursued a strategy that has significantly changed some ofthe principles that have been practiced in American foreign policyfor years. This strategy has two prominent elements: unilateralismand faith in military strength. The review policies and internationalagreements from the point of view of American national interests. Ifthey think any international agreement is not in line with Americannational interests, they will not hesitate to discard it.20. London : London is the largest city located in the south of the country. It isdominant in Britain in all sorts of ways. It is not only the financialcenter of the nation, but also one of the three major internationalfinancial centers in the world.21. Percy Bysshe Shelley : 雪莱His writing has a wide range. The lovely musicalquality of his work appears in the fine verses of “Ode to the West Wind”and “To a Skylark.” “The Revolt of Islam,” renamed as “The Rise ofIslam,” preaches revolution, and Defense of Poetry upholds the placeof imagination and love in the arts. The long poem Adonais is a beautifullament written on the death of Keats. A month before his 30th birthdayhe drowned while sailing in the Mediterranean. His ashes lie in the sameRoman cemetery where Keats is buried.22. the relationship between the UK and the US :The British foreign policy is alsoaffected by its relationship with the United States. During World War2, the two countries were closely allied and continued to work togetherclosely in the postwar years, because they had many things in common aboutthe past and the world situation. Even today, British and Americanpolicy-makers share the general ideas in many respects. However,Britain’s “special relationship” with the United Stated has gonethrough many ups and downs. The British are beginning to realize thattheir own foreign policy actions can be limited by the United States.But both sides have worked hard to maintain the “special relationship.”23. the Great Barrier Reef : 大堡礁The Great Barrier Reef, the largest coralstructure in the world, extends for over 2000 kilometers along the coastof Queensland, Australia. It is an important part of the marineecosystems, and abounds a lot of rare marine plants and animals in someof the island and coral reef. Great Barrier Reef has been listed as theWorld Natural Heritage.24. the Dreaming (Australia) : 创梦信仰The Dreaming is the belief system fromancient times that has bound indigenous groups together. The centralprinciple of the Dreaming is that the people who live on the continenthave special responsibilities to the land. The people don’t own the land;instead the land owns the people. The stories of the Dreaming provideprinciples of how people should live and interact with each other. Theyalso provide knowledge of the land so that the indigenous people cansurvive in the life-threatening environment.25. James Joyce : 詹姆士乔伊斯The novelist James Joyce is famous s the writer whochanged the nature of the novel forever. In common with many of thewriters before him, Joyce was extraordinarily self-conscious about thelanguage in which he was writing. As he has his hero say in The Portraitof the Artist as a Young Man, he didn’t feel that the English was hisnative tongue: it was a foreign language, even although it pretended tobe the same as the one he had learned himself, which was in fact a regionalvariant, knows as Hiberno-English.。

1.The British Isles: The British Isles are made up of two large islands and hundredsof small ones. The two large islands are Great Britain and Ireland.2.The Commonwealth ( or the British Commonwealth): It is a free association ofindependent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It has no special powers.The decision is left to each nation. At present there are 50 member countries within the Commonwealth.3.Witan: It was the council or meeting of the wise men. It was created by theAnglo-Saxons to advise the king. It’s the basis of the Privy Council which still exists today.4.Alred the Great: Alfred was a strong king of Wessex. He defeated the Danes andreached a friendly agreement with them. He founded a strong fleet and is known as “ the father of the British navy”. He also translated books, established schools and formulated a legal system. He got the title “Alfred the Great”.5.William the Conqueror: He was the Duke of Normandy and was crowned King ofEngland after having defeated King Harold. He established a strong Norman government and the feudal system in England.6.Edward the Confessor: He was the king of England but he spent most of his life inNormandy. He appointed many Norman priest and ministers. He is also said to have promised the English throne to William, Duke of Normandy. When Edward died , four men laid claim to the English throne and finally William won the victory and established a Norman government.7.The Great Charter: King John’s reign caused much discontent among the barons.In 1215, he was forded to sign a document, known as Magna Carta, or the Great Charter. It has 63 clauses. Though it has long been regarded as the foundation of English liberties, its spirit was the limitation of the king’s powers, keeping them within the bounds of the feudal law of the land.8.The Black Death: It was a deadly disease which spread through Europe includingEngland in the 14th century. It killed between one half and one third of the population of England and reduced England’s population from four million to two million by the end of the 14the century. As a result, much land was left untendedand labor was short.9.The Wars of Roses: It refers to the battles between the House of Lancaster and theHouse of York between 1455 and 1485. The former was symbolized by the red rose and latter by the white one. After the wars, feudalism received its death blow and the kin g’s power became supreme. Tudor monarchs ruled England and Wales for over two hundred years.10.Elizabeth I: One of the greatest monarchs on British history. She reigned Englandfor 45 years and remained single in her life. Her reign was a time of confident English nationalism and of great achievements in literature and other art, in exploration and in battle.11.Oliver Cromwell: He was the leader of the Parliamentary army in the Civil Warsof the Great Britain in the middle of the 17th century. Under his leadership, the parliamentary army defeated the King’s army. Cromwell signed the death warrant of the King Charles and declared England a Commonwealth. He became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England. Then he suppressed the rebellion in Ireland, killing many people there. He died in 1658.12.The Glorious Revolution of 1688: As John II was a Catholic king and wasintolerant by England. The English politicians appealed to a Protestant king, William of Orange, Jame’s Dutch nephew and the husband of Mary, James’s daughter, to invade and take the English throne. In 1688, William landed at England and took over the English throne. Because this takeover was relatively smooth, with no bloodshed, nor any execution of the King. It was known as the Glorious Revolution.13.Whigs: It refers to one party name which originated with the Glorious Revolutionof 1688. The Whigs were those who opposed absolute monarchy and supported the right to religious freedom for Nonconformists. They formed a coalition with dissident Tories and became the Liberal Party.14.Tories: It refers to one party name which originated with the Glorious Revolutionof 1688. The Tories were those who supported hereditary monarchy and were reluctant to remove kings. The Tories were the forerunners of the ConservativeParty.15.Luddites: After the industrial revolution in Britain, many workers worked andlived in bad conditions. Luddites were led by Ludd to destroy the hated machines, ubt were severely punished by the government.16.The people’s Charter of 1838: In 1838, the Chartists drew up a charter of politicaldemands, known as the People’s Charter. It has 6 points: 1) the vote for all adult males, 2) voting by secret ballot, 3) equal electoral districts, 4) abolition of property qualifications for members of Parliament. 5)payment of members of Parliament, and 6) annual Parliament. The 6 points were achieved gradually although the 6th has never been practical.17.Thatcherism: Mrs. Thatcher’s policies were called Thatcherism. It included thereturn to private ownership of state-owned industries, the use of monetarist policies to control inflation, the weakening of trade unions, the strengthening of the role of market forces in the economy and an emphasis on law and order.18.The monarchy: It is the oldest institution of government, going back to at leastthe9th century; the head of State is a king or a queen, but in practice, the queen or king reigns, does not rule.19.The Civil List: It is an annual grant approved by parliament. The grant is made tothe British Sovereign and members of the royal family. It is used to cover the expense involved in carry out their public duties.20.Black Rod: it is also called the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod which isresponsible for security , accommodation and services in the House of Lords’ part of the Palace of Westminster.21.The National Health Service: It was established in the UK in 1948, and providesfor every resident in the UK, regardless of income, a full range of medical services.22.Bank holidays: Bank holidays are also called official public holidays. The term“Bank Holiday”goes back to the Bank Holidays Act in 1871, which owes its name to the fact that banks are closed on the days specified.23.Easter: It is the chief Christian festival, which celebrates the Resurrection ofChrist, on the first Sunday after the first full moon that coincides with, or comes after, the spring equinox. Easter is traditionally associated with the eating of Easter eggs.24.Good Friday: It commemorates the crucifixion of Christ.25.Whit Sunday: It is a major festival in the Christian church that falls on the 7thSunday after Easter. It celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to Christ’s apostles seven weeks after his death.26.Guy Fawkes Day: It originates from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. A Catholic GuyFawkes attempted to blow up the House of Parliament but was discovered. Now, on this day, children make a “guy” out of straw. At night, they let off fireworks and burn the guy.27.Oxbridge: It refers to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.28.Quality newspapers: they are directed at readers who want full information on awide range of public matters. There are 5 quality daily and 4 quality Sundays.They are normally broadsheet in format.29.Pantomime: It is a kind of play based on a traditional fairy tale and performed atChristmas time. It is characterized y singing, dancing, clowning, topical jokes. It is developed out of dumb show. Dan Leno was one of the great pantomime actors.But it decline after the WWI.30.IRA: It stands for Irish Republican Army. It commits in to the goal of a unitedIreland, probably in violent way.31.the Declaration of Independence: It was drafted y Thomas Jefferson, and it wasadopted by the American Congress o July 4, 1776 which later became the National Day of the US. It is a clear explanation of the political theory behind the revolution and this theory came from the British philosopher John Locker.32.Manifest Destiny: The expansionist movement produced a theory of “ManifestDestiny”. It first appeared I an article written by John Sullivan. Its implications are three fold: 1) the inevitability of the founding of the US. 2) the legitimacy of the expansion of American Territory; 3) the spread of American democracy being the task of American people who were chosen to do the Lord’s work.issez faire: It is a tradition on the 19th century in American government. It meansthe government should merely preserve order and protect property, leaving the control over the economy to the business people.34.baby boom: It refers to the great increase of birth rate between 1946 and 1964.People born in this period are called baby boomers.35.The Federalist Papers: In 1787, the newspapers of New York City carried at shortintervals 85 letters to the public written under the name of Publius. Later it was known that these letters were written by Hamilton, Madison and Jay and they were called the Federalist Papers.36.The Bill of Rights: In 1789, Madison introduced in the House a series ofamendments for ratification. Ten of them were ratified in 1791 and became the first ten amendments to the constitution---the Bill of Rights.37.The Emancipation Proclamation: During the Civil War, Lincoln issued theEmancipation Proclamation to get more support for the Union at home and abroad.It granted freedom to all slaves.38.The Muckrakers: They are a group of reform-minded journalists. They madeinvestigations and exposed various dark sides of the seemingly prosperous society.39.The Progressive Movement: It is a movement demanding government regulationof the economy and social conditions. It spread quickly with the support of large numbers of people across the country. It was not an organized campaign with clearly defined goals.40.the Red Scare: In 1917, the October Revolution took place in Russia andCommunist ideas spread quickly in Europe. This caused fear among some people who whipped up a kind of senseless excitement about eh danger of Communism in 1919-1920. Many radicals and Communists were arrested or forced to leave the US.41.Isolationist: It was the American foreign policy in the early 1930s, that is, to keepthe United States out of the fighting that was going on in Europe and Asia.42.The Truman Doctrine: In 1949, President Truman put forward the TrumanDoctrine in a speech to the Congress. It meant to say that the US governmentwould support any country which said it was fighting against Communism.43.The Marshall Plan: In 1947, the Secretary of State Marshall announced theMarshall Plan. It meant that in order to protect Western Europe from possible Soviet expansion, the US decided to offer Western European countries economic aid.44.the Smith Act: It was passed by American Congress in 1940 which made itunlawful for many group to advocate or teach the violent overthrow of government in the US, or for nay person to belong to such a group.45.the federal system in the US: It has two layers of rule. There is a central or federalgovernment for the nation which alone has the power to answer questions that affect the nation as a whole. There are also state and local governments. Each layer of government has separate and distinct powers laid down in the Constitution.46.Checks and balances in the US: American government is divided into threebranches, the legislative, the executive and the judicial, each has part of the powers but not all the power. And each branch of government can check the actions of the other branches. The three branches are thus in balance. This is called “ checks and balances”.47.ACTP: American College Testing Program’s examination.48.the community college: This kind of two-year colleges emerged in the early 1990sin the US to meet the immediate need of the economic expansion and rapid rise in immigrants. It calls for education to serve the good of both the individual and society. It is one of the most important innovation in the history of American higher education. Its guiding principle is higher education for everyone and the philosophy that equality must mean equal opportunity for self realization and for the recognition of individual differences.49.Knickerbockers era: In the early part of the 19th century, New York City was thecentre of American writing. Is writers were called “knickerbockers” and the period from 1810 to 1840 is known as the “knickerbockers era”. The name comes from A History of New York, by Knickerbocker written by Washington Irving.50.Transcendentalism: It was a movement that emerged in the 1830s and 1840samong American young intellectuals which emphasized man’s potentiality for goodness, creativity, and self-development. Emerson was regarded as the leader of the movement.51.Lost Generation: It refers to the young intellectuals who became disappointed andbitter after WWI in the US. T. S. Eliot’s Waste Land is considered the manifesto of the “ Lost Generation” and Hemingway is the spokesman for it.52.Harlem Renaissance: Harlem is the north-eastern part of New York City whereblack people are concentrated and where Black writers wrote freely what they wanted to say. They managed to build a battle literature which reflects the feeling, the experience, the history, and the ambitions of the black people. Hughes and Wright were the representatives.53.Independence Day: It is on 4th of July. It is a legal holiday throughout the US. It isAmerica’s most important patriotic holiday, the birthday of the nation.54.Halloween: It is a night-time children’s day on October 31. It is a time for fun.Children with curious masks go from house to house to frighten friends or neighbors and threaten them with “Trick or treat”which means “give me something nice, or I’ll play a trick on you”.55.Thanksgiving Day: It is on the 4th Thursday of November. It is a typical Americanholiday to show thanks for the blessings people have enjoyed.56.The Statute of Westminster: By the Statute of Westminster in 1931 the BritishDominions, including Canada, were formally declared to be partner nations with Britain and “equal in status, in no way subordinate to each other”, and bound together only by their loyalty to a common Crown. Since then Canada became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.57.Eskimo: It is an Indian word meaning “ eaters of raw flesh”. Most of them live inthe northern provinces and territories of Canada.58.multiculturalism: It is a policy recognized in Canada and Australia. According tothis policy migrant groups are able to speak their own language and maintain their own customs.59.Kiwi: The Kiwi is a New Zealand bird, a kind of bird which cannot fly. It is thenational symbol of New Zealand and New Zealanders refer to themselves as Kiwis.60.The Treaty of Waitangi: It was signed between the chiefs of the Maori people andthe British Crown on February 6, 1840. It has three articles. Under the first article, the Maori people gave the Queen of England the right to make laws for the country; the second article promised the Maori full exclusive possession over their lands. If Maori owners wanted to sell land, only the Crown had the right to buy;Under the third article Maoris were granted all the rights and privileges of British subjects. The anniversary of the signing, February 6, is celebrated as New Zealand National Day, Waitangi Day, and is a national holiday.。