英美文化学习资料

Chapter One English HistioryI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following.1. In the year 1066, William the Conqueror invaded England from France, defeating the Saxon king Harold atC .A. the Battle of Crecy C. the Battle of HastingsB. the Battle of Agincourt D. the Battle of Waterloo2. One of the following did not take place during the Middle Ages. It was D .A. the Norman Conquest C. the Hundred Years WarB. the Crusades D. the “Gunpowder Plot”3. The most famous of the English Crusaders was the Norman king, A .A. Richard Lion-Heart C. King ArthurB. King John D. Alfred the Great4. For much of the Middle Ages, Britain was ruled by a (n) B aristocracy.A. English-speaking C. German-speakingB. French-speaking D. Gaelic-speaking5. In England, the Protestant Reformation began with B .A. King John C. Queen ElizabethB. Henry VIII D. Bloody Mary6. Shakespeare lived in the period of C .A. the Middle Ages C. the Elizabethan ageB. the Victorian age D. the Industrial Revolution7. The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English navy took place during C .A. the Middle Ages C. the Elizabethan ageB. the “grab for Africa” D. the Victorian age8. T he “Gunpowder Plot” took place in the reign of A .A. James I C. Henry VIIIB. Elizabeth I D. Charles I9. The king who believed the “Divine Right” to govern, and who was condemned to death during the English Civil War was C .A. Henry VIII C. Charles IB. James I D. James II10. During the whole of the eighteenth century, England’s great enemy was B .A. Spain C. AmericaB. France D. Germany11. One of the following did not take place during the eighteenth century in British history. It was D .A. great victories over France C. the loss of her American coloniesB. the Industrial Revolution D. the founding of the modern police force12. The Reform Bill in the eighteenth century in British history was made to A .A. extend the franchise C. encourage inventionsB. develop trade unions D. improve social services13. One of the following was not a characteristic of the Victorian age. DA. It was an age of national development and national optimism.B. It was an age of stability in family life.C. It was an age of imperialism.D. It was an age of lack of belief in religion.14. One of the following did not take place between the two world wars in British history. It was A .A. the “suffragette” movementB. the independence of the southern part of IrelandC. the great “slump”D. the General Strike15. Which of the following did not take place after the Second World War in British history? CA. The independence of the colonies of the old British empireB. The availability of TV sets and cars to almost every homeC. The “suffragette” movementD. The founding of the “Welfare State”II. Fill in the Blanks1. The Crusades were a series of wars in which armies from all over Europe tried to snatch the “” (i. e. Palestine, where Jesus Christ once lived) from the .2. In British history, the great rivals of the king’s authority during the Middle Ages wereand the local chiefs, called .3. All the kings of the Middle Ages in Britain spoke as their mother tongue, and after the Hundred Years’ War, the language took its place.4. During the Hundred Years’ War between England and France, English bowmen defeated the heavily armed French knights in the famous Battles of and , and the whole of France very nearly fell into English hands.5. The sixteenth century was the age of great voyages of discovery. and were the two great sailors who started the age of discovery.7. Protestantism gradually became the dominant faith in Britain in the reign of .8. Most people associate the Elizabethan age with two things. The first is .The other is .9. The greatest sailor who led the English fleet to victory in fighting the Spanish Armada was .10. The English Civil War resulted in the temporary overthrow of the , and the country became for morethan ten years a sort of republic founded by .11. In the English Civil War, the “Roundhead” supported while the “Cavalier” supported.14. The longest reign in British history was the monarch of the great Queen Victoria, which lasted from the yearto .15. The Origin of Species was written by .17. After World War II, the first two colonies of the old British Empire that became free were ___ and .III. Explanation1. the Hundred Years’ War(1) A war between England and France which lasted, on and off, for a hundred years from 1337 to 1453. (2) It wasfought entirely in France, and the whole of France very nearly fell into English hands in the famous battles of Crecy and Agincourt. (3) Eventually, partly through the inspiration of the brave girl Joan of Arc, and partly through the effective use of guns, the French drove the English from their land for good.2. the Catholic Church(1) It refers to the Christian church headed by the Pope. (2) All members of the church accept the gospel of Christand the teachings of the Bible. Any revolt against the traditional Christian faith was “heresy.” (3) In the Middle Ages, the Pope was extremely powerful. (4) In the sixteenth century, some of the actual beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church were questioned by Protestant doctrines and there was a great deal of persecution by Catholics. 3. the Elizabethan age(1) It refers to the period during the reign of Elizabeth I in British history. (2) It was an age of real literaryachievement, especially that of Shakespeare, and (3) it was an age of adventure on the sea.AnswersI . Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1.;2.;3. A;4. B;5. B;6. C;7. C;8.A;9. C; 10. B; 11. D; 12. A; 13. D; 14. A; 15. CII. Fill in the Blanks1.; the Muslims2. the Church; barons3. French; English4. Crecy; Agincourt5. Columbus; Vasco da Gama7. Elizabeth I8. literature; adventure on the sea9. Sir Francis Drake10. monarchy; Oliver Cromwell11. the Parliament; the King (or King CharlesI)14. 1837; 190115. Charles Darwin17. India; PakistanChapter Two British Government SystemI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1. Queen Elizabeth n is “Defender of the Faith”, because ______.A. she is the spiritual leader of the Church of EnglandB. she is the head of the Church of EnglandC. she is the personification of the state.D. she is the symbol of the English values.2. Which of the following is not true?A. The Queen holds meetings of the Privy Council.B. The Queen receives reports of cabinet meetings in her weekly sessions with the Prime Minister.C. The Queen must take sides when a dispute arises in the Cabinet.D. The Queen is informed and consulted on every aspect of national life.3. Which of the following is not true?A. The Queen is a symbol of the parliamentary democracy.B. She is a symbol of British culture.C. She is a symbol of English tradition.D. She is a symbol of English way of life.4. Which of the following is not a part of the Conventions of the constitution?A. The powers of the Crown are exercised mainly by Ministers.B. The Queen must act on the advice of Ministers.C. MPs enjoy freedom of speech in debate.D. Ministers are responsible to Parliament for their actions.5. How often does the General Election take place?A. At least every three years. C. At least every five years.B. At least every four years. D. At least every six years.6. Why are so many party members elected to Parliament in each Election in Britain?A. Because party members usually enjoy better reputation.B. Because party members have more experience in forming a government.C. Because party members have the backing of nationwide organizations.D. Because people trust party members to a greater degree.7. The executive power is in the hands of _____.A. Parliament C. the Cabinet headed by the Prime MinisterB. the House of Commons D. the Queen8. The real centre of power in Parliament is _____.A. the Queen C. the House of LordsB. the House of Commons D. the Cabinet9. Which of the following is not one of the functions that Parliament plays?A. To serve as the final court of appeal in civil cases and criminal cases.B. To make laws.C. To control and criticize the executive government.D. To control the raising and the spending of money.10. The real power of the British government lies in _____.A. the House of Commons C. the Prime MinisterB. the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister D. the Queen11. Which of the following is the Act that restricted the powers of the Lords in dealing with money?A. The Parliament Act of 1901 C. The Bill of Rights in 1689B. The Parliament Act of 1911 D. The Act of Settlement in 170112. The real power of the House of Lords lies in ____.A. helping to pass money bills C. discussing billsB. delaying bills D. being Supreme Court13. Which of the following is not correct?A. The Speaker presides over the meetings in the House of Commons and sees that procedure is followed.B. The Speaker has the highest power in the House of Commons, he usually takes sides and joins the debates.C. The Speaker controls the debates, seeing that Members do not stray too far from the subject of debate.D. The Speaker interprets the rule of procedure and settles any disputes as to whether things are beingproperly done.14. According to the text, which of the following is the most important privilege enjoyed by MPs?A. Freedom of speech in Parliament. C. High living standards.B. High social status. D. Involvement in law-making.15. Which of the following sentences in true?A. The two big parties have been successful in expanding their powers over recent years.B. The strength of the big parties remains unchanged.C. Members of the two big parties no longer dominate Parliament.D. The two big parties have declined over recent years.II. Fill in the Blanks1. __________ is the oldest secular institution in the United Kingdom.2. A1l English official documents bear the initials OHMS which stands for _________.3. The highest of all honors conferred by the British Queen is __________.4. The British Constitution consists mainly of the following five parts mentioned in the text:(1)__________; (2)__________; (3)__________; (4)__________ and(5)__________.5. A General Election takes place at least every __________ years. In each General Election, ________ are elected members of Parliament.6. Parliament in Britain, strictly speaking, consists of three elements 1)______; (2)________;(3)________.7. The supreme law-making authority in Britain is _________.12. The Queen usually acts on the advice of ___________.13. The executive power of the government is vested mainly in the __________.14. The real centre of power in Parliament is ______; the excusive government is responsible to ______.15. The House of Lords has no Power where ______ Bills are concerned. All other Bills the Lords can only holdup for ________.17. Parliament has three main functions: (1)___________; (2)___________ and (3)_________.18. The present monarch of Britain is _________, her role mainly ___________.III. Explain Each of the Following in English1. British Parliament(1) It includes three elements: the Crown, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. (2) It is the supreme law-making authority in Britain. (3) The real centre of parliamentary power is in the House of Commons. (4) Other functions include: to control and criticize the executive government; to control the raising and the spending of money.2. the British Constitution(l) It is unwritten. (2) Its components include Acts of Parliament, the Prerogative of the Crown, Conventions of the Constitution, Common Law and Parliamentary Privilege. (3) It is more flexible than the written ones in other countries.3. General Election(1) General Election is held at least every five years. (2) The country is divided int0 635 constituencies, each of which returns one Member of Parliament. (3) The one who has the most votes in a constituency becomes a Member of Parliament. (4) The leader of the party with the largest number of members returned to the House of Commons becomes Prime Minister.AnswersI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1) B; 2) C; 3) A; 4)C; 5)C; 6)C; 7)C; 8)B; 9)A; 10)A; 11)B; 12)D; 13)B; 14)A; 15)DII. Fill in the Blanks1. The monarchy2. On Her Majesty’s Service3. the Most Noble Order of the Garter4. Acts of Parliament, the Prerogative of the Crown, Conventions of the Constitution, Common Law, Parliamentary Privilege.5. five; 635.6. the Crown, the House of Lords, the House of Commons.7. Parliament11. The Lord Chancellor12. her ministers13. Cabinet 14. the House of Commons, Parliament15. Money, a year .17. to make laws, to control and criticize theexecutive government, to control the raising and the spending of money.18. Queen Elizabeth II; symbolic.Chapter 3 English LiteratureI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1. Among the following four great English poets, who does not belong to the trio of English poetry giants?A. Chaucer. C. Milton.B. Shakespeare. D. Shelley.2. Which of the following was a realistic writer?A. Jonathan Swift C. Percy B Shelley.B. Daniel Defoe. D. Thomas Hardy.3. The King James Bible __________.A. was written by King James IB. Was translated by King James IC. was translated under the order of King James ID. was directed by King James I4. What flourished in Elizabethan age more than any other form of literature?A. Drama. C. Poetry.B. Novel. D. Essay.5. Which of the following is a tragedy written by Shakespeare?A. Twelfth Night. C. The Tempest.B. Othello. D. Richard II.6. Which of the following is generally considered as one of the masterpieces by Milton?A. Samson Agonistes C. Canterbury Tales.B. King Lear. D. Don Juan.7. Which of the following was the bitterest satirist?A. Walter Scott. C. Jonathan Swift.B. Daniel Defoe. D. Jane Austen.8. Which of the following was Scottish in origin, and wrote in Scottish dialect?A. Robert Burns. C. William M. Thackeray.B. Edmund Burke. D. George Bernard Shaw.9. Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels _____.A. was a novel of hard thrusting satire against the weakness of human beingsB. was a bo ok of the author’s experiences of travels.C. was a children’s book with no political significanceD. was a book about the author’s religious life10. Which of the following was not written by Jane Austen?A. Wuthering Heights. C. Pride and Prejudice.B. Sense and Sensibility. D. Emma.11. Among the following writers, who did not belong to the 20th century?A. John Galsworthy. C. E. M. ForsterB. D. H. Lawrence. D. Oscar Wilde12. When did English literature begin?A. Around 700B.C. C. Around the 8th century.B. After the Norman Conquest. D. Around the 6th century.13. Johnson and James Boswell were twin stars in the 18th century because_____.A. they were good friends.B. they wrote hooks togetherC. Boswell was a writer in his own right and he was as famous as JohnsonD. Boswell wrote Johnson’s biography and became a major literary figure in his own right.14. The writer of The Mill on the Floss was_____.A. Robert Louis Stevenson C. William GoldingB. George Eliot D. W. Somerset Maugham15. Several gifted women have played a part in 20th-century fiction. Which of the following is an exception?A. George Eliot. C. Katherine MansfieldB. Virginia Woolf. D. Elizabeth Bowen.II. Fill in the Blanks1. The study of English literature usually begins with_____.2. The roots of English literature lie deep in the tales of_____ and other Scandinavian countries.3. In the sixteenth century, the most famous writer was_____ who wrote a book called_____ telling of a journey to an imaginary island.4. The most famous work by John Bunyan was called_____.5. Three poets who brought the romantic movement to its height were_____, _____, and_____.6. _____ is regarded as the most important playwright after Shakespeare.7. The use of stream of consciousness was first started by_____, whose masterpiece was_____.8. Name two of the plays written by George Bernard Shaw:_____, _____.9. The author of Vanity Fair was_____; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was done by_____; Charles Dickens wrote_____ and _____ among many other works; The Importance of Being Earnest was written by_____. The representative work of E. M. Forster was_____.10. Shakespeare’s plays fall into three categories. They are____, _____, and_____. Name one play out of each category: _____,_____, _____.11. _____ i s generally regarded as Chaucer’s masterpiece.12. Daniel Defoe was most famous for _____.13. Emily and Charlotte are noted for their novels _____ and _____ which are largely the love stories of a woman for man.14. D. H. Lawrence was one of the most controversial writers of the early 20th century, _____, one of his finest novels, wasbased partly on his own life.Tragedy: Hamlet, King Lear, OthelloComedy: A Midsummer Night’s DreamAs You Like ItTwelfth NightChronicle: Richard IIIPlays: Henry VJulius CaesarIII. Explanations1. The Canterbury Tales(1) It is the masterwork of the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. (2) It is the most important work in Middle English Literature.(3) It is a collection of stories told with superb poetic craft. (4) It gives a cross-section of medieval life.2. William Shakespeare(1) He was an English dramatist and poet in the Elizabethan age. (2) He is generally regarded as the greatest playwright in English literature. (3) His plays fall into three categories: tragedy, such as Hamlet, King Lear, Othello; comedy, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream,As You Like It ,Twelfth Night; and chronicle plays, such as Henry V, Julius Caesar.3. Romantic Literature of the 19th century(1) It refers to a movement in literature during the first third of the 19th century. (2) The central figures of this movement are Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Keats and Shelley. (3)Their writings are characterized by rich imagination and strong feeling.4. Victorian literature(1) It refers roughly to the literature produced during the reign of Queen Victoria. (2) The romantic spirit ceased to be aleading influence. (3) Historical and philosophical writing continued to flourish along with poetry and fiction. (4) Satire and protest against evils in society became strong elements. (5) The later years of the period saw modern kinds of realistic writing and some authors who showed a new, deeper understanding of character.AnswersI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1. D;2. D;3. C;4. A;5. B;6. A;7. C;8. A;9. A; 10. A; 11. D; 12. A; 13. D; 14. B; 15. AII. Fill in the Blanks1. Beowulf2. Denmark3. Thomas More; Utopia4. Pilgrim’s Progress5. Lord Byron, John Keats; Percy Shelley6. George Bernard Shaw7. James Joyce, Ulysses8. Major Babara, Man and Superman9. William M. Thackeray; Lewis Carroll; David Copperfield, Oliver Twist;Oscar Wilde; A passage to India 10. comedies; tragedies; historical plays;Twelfth Night, King Lear, Julius Caesar11. The Canterbury Tales12. Robinson Crusoe13. Wuthering Heights; Jane Eyre14. Sons and LoversChapter 4 Character and MannersI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1. To other Europeans, the best known quality of the British, and in particular of the English, is .A. reserve C. sense of humorB. modesty D. sportsmanship2. If you meet a stranger from Britain, which of the following questions can you ask him?A. How old are you? C. How often do you travel abroad?B. When did you buy your watch? D. What’s your salary?3. In Britain, the following conducts are considered ill-bred except .A. loud speechB. self-praiseC. exchanging handshakes on a first introductionD. laughing at a cripple4. In Britain, if a person is very good at tennis, and someone asks him if he is a good player, he will seldom reply.A. I’m not bad. C. I think I’m quite good.B. Yes. D. Well, I’m very keen on tennis.5. English sense of humour is characterized by .A. self-praise C. self-deprecationB. self-confidence D. self-exaggeration6. Humor is highly prized in England, however, the English do not laugh at .A. one’s own faults C. one’s own failuresB. one’s own ideals D. a tragedy7. Which of the following is not true about the typical Englishman?A. He likes to think of himself as more reliable.B. He distrusts exaggerated promises.C. He is distrustful of any kind of self-praise.D. He doesn't expect reserve in others.8. The terms such as “never hit a man when he’s down” and “playing fair” reflect a sense of .A. humor C. sportsmanshipB. modesty D. responsibility9. Which of the following is not true about the English class system?A. It is an embarrassing subject for English people.B. Working-class students cannot receive a university education.C. The class system is much less rigid than it was.D. The class system still exists below the surface.10. The most obvious difference between the working class and the middle class in England is their .A. dress C. workB. accent D. meal11. British habits of politeness are on the whole very .A. informal C. formalB. complicated D. odd12. If you are invited to an evening meal in a British home, which of the following is considered impolite?A. To arrive early.B. To arrive ten minutes late.C. To pay attention to table manners.D. To take your leave between ten and eleven o' clock.13. In Britain, you can usually offer money to .A. a driver who gives you a liftB. someone who stops to help you to mend a punctureC. someone who gives you first aidD. railway porters who carry your baggage14. If old people are respected in Britain, it is because .A. old age and seniority command authority among the BritishB. modern development needs the experience of old peopleC. old people are felt to be in need of protection and supportD. they always keep pace with the times15. Which of the following is not true about politeness in Britain?A. British greetings are complicated.B. British people do not readily ask each other to do anything which would involve real inconvenience.C. The British are rather particular about table manners.D. Politeness towards women is less observed today than it used to he.II. Fill in the Blanks1. Geographically speaking, the people of the and , especially the Welsh, are much less reserved than those of the and in Britain.2. Within their hearts, the English are perhaps no less conceited than anybody else, but in their relation with others they value at least a show of .3. Prince Philip once said that is “God’s greatest gift to mankind.”4. Boxing, rugby, association football, hockey, tennis and cricket were all first organized and given rules in the country .5. The middle class in Britain consists chiefly of _ _ and of all kinds. The working class consists chiefly of and workers.6. In England, middle-class people using slightly varying kinds of which is the kind of English spoken by ____ announcers and taught to overseas pupils. Typical working-class speak in many different __ accents, which are generally felt to be rather ugly and uneducated.7. One of the biggest barriers of social equality in England is the education system. To have been to a “public school” immediately marks you out as one of the class.III. Explanations1. English sportsmanship(1) Sportsmanship is an English ideal that is highly valued in Britain. (2) Sportsmanship is the ability topractise a sport in obedience to its rules, while also showing generosit y to one’s opponent and good temper in defeat. (3) Sportsmanship as an ideal is applied to life in general. This is proved by the number of sporting terms used in ordinary speech.2. English class system(1) As a social convention, the English class system is much less rigid than it was, but it still exists below thesurface. (2) Br oadly speaking, it means there are two classes, the “middle class” and t he “working class”. The middle class consists chiefly of well-to-do business men and professional people of all kinds; the working class consists chiefly of manual and unskilled workers. (3) The most obvious difference between them is in their accent. The middle classes also tend to live a more formal life than working-class people, and are usually more cultured.AnswersI. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1. A;2. C;3. C;4. B;5. C;6. D;7. D;8. C;9. B; 10. B;11. A; 12. A; 13. D; 14. C; 15. AⅡ. Fill in the Blanks1. North; West; South; East2. modesty3. a sense of humor4. Britain5. well-to-do business men; professional people;manual; unskilled6. received pronunciation; BBC; local7. two-class; middleChapter 5 EducationⅠ. Choose the Correct Answer from Each of the Following1. In Britain, the great majority of parents send their children to .A. public schools C. State schoolsB. private schools D. voluntary schools2. In British education, boys and girls are usually separated in .A. inf ants’ schools C. universitiesB. junior schools D. university colleges3. The “eleven plus” is the examination taken by children in their last year at .A. nursery school C. prep schoolB. primary school D. secondary school4. In the examination called th e “eleven plus”, studen ts with the highest marks go to .A. grammar schools C. secondary modern schoolsB. technical schools D. public schools5. If a student wants to go to university in Britain, he will take the examination called .A. the Certificate of Secondary EducationB. the Ordinary level of the General Certificate of EducationC. the Advanced level of the General Certificate M EducationD. the common entrance examination6. Public schools in England are usually attended by those whose parents are .A. rich C. both rich and politically conservativeB. politically conservative D. liberal7. About of income of British universities is provided by the State.A. one-quarter C. three-quartersB. half D. one-third8. Which of the following is not a characteristic of Open University?A. It is open to everybody.B. It is non-residential.C. Lectures are broadcast on TV and radio.D. No university degree is awarded.9. Which of the following is a feature of British education as a whole?A. Education is chaotic.B. Education is very expensive.C. Education is highly centralized.D. Education is rather independent and enjoys a great deal of freedom.10. Which of the following does not reflect the characteristic of freedom in British education?A. No centralized control from the central government.B. The different types of schools.C. The diverse system of university degrees.。