英语国家概况名词解释（Cindy Cheung）
1．A nglo-Saxons
They were two groups of Germanic peoples who settled down in England from the 5th century. They were regarded as the ancestors of the English and the founders of England.
2．S inn Fein
(Unit 2) Sinn Fein is a legal political party in Northern Ireland which supports the IRA to fight for the union of Ireland. The leaders of Sinn Fein prefer union with Ireland by a twin campaign, both military and political which they call the policy of “the Bullet and the Ballot Box”. It believes that without the participation of Sinn Fein the political problem of Northern Ireland cannot be thoroughly solved.
(Unit 11) Author Griffith developed a political party in the period of 1905-08 known as Sinn Fein- meaning “we ourselves” in the Irish language. The Sinn Fein policy was that Irish MPs should withdraw from Westminster and establish an independent parliament. Traditionally, Sinn Fein had close links with the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a secret society struggling for national independence.
3．H ome Rule
Ireland had long been dominated by Britain, but Irish desire for an independent Irish state was never lost. “Home Rule” refers to a campaign for Irish control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.
4．T he Bill of Rights of 1689 (英国1689 《权利法案》)
In 1689, King JamesⅡ’s daughter Mary and her husband William were invited by the politicians and church authorities to take the throne, on condition that they would respect the rights of Parliament. The Bill of Rights was passed in 1689 to ensure that the King would never be able to ignore Parliament.
5．T he functions of Parliament
The functions of Parliament are: to pass laws, to vote for taxation, to scrutinize government policy, administration and expenditure and to debate the major issues of the day.
6．T he House of Commons
The House of Commons is 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.
7．T he importance of general elections
General elections are very important in western democracy. According to the author, the provide opportunities for people to influence future government polities and to replace those incompetent political leaders.
8．P rivatization in the 1980s
The British economy went through a particularly bad period in the 1970s, with high rates of inflation and devaluation of the Pound. Therefore, in the 1980s, when the Conservative party under Margaret Thatcher was in power, an extensive programme of privatization was carried out. Many state-owned businesses (such as steel, telecom, gas, aerospace) were turned into private companies. Privatization was successful in controlling inflation but at the same time unemployment rate increased rapidly.
9．C omprehensive schools
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 cooking.
10．The Open University
