主要英语国家概况考试复习要点

主要英语国家概况考试复习要点 名词解释: The Renaissance , Started in Italy in the late 14th century, lasted until the early 16th century ;spread to England after the War of the Roses; spread to the rest of Europe in the late 15th century, lasted until the early 17th century , Definition: rebirth of interest in classic cultures of ancient Greece and Rome , Significance: P100-101 , This period produced many important literary figures : Thomas More(1478-1535), Edmund Spencer (1552-15990, Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Christopher Marlowe(1564-1593),William Shakespeare (1564-1616) Mercantilism(重商主义) –The theory and system of political economy pervading in Europe after the decline of feudalism, based on national policies of accumulating billion, establishing colonies and a merchant marine, and developing industry and mining to attain a favorable balance of trade Laissez-faire(自由贸易)---An economic doctrine that opposes government regulation of or interference in commerce beyond the minimum necessary for a free- enterprise system to operate according to its own economic laws The Victorian Age and the Rising of the Second Empire General features 1. A time of great prosperity( fast economic expansion, the growth of the middle class, great social and political reforms, the establishment of the largest Empire in the World) 2. The longest reign in British history 3. The development conservative values which emphasized private responsibility 3. Family life was emphasized--Victoria( Grandmother of Europe) Life in the Victoria Age • Colorful, convenient, comfortable • Class values (Middle class, factory workers) and moral standards: devotion to family life, sense of responsibility, obedient to the law • Transportation , holidays and leisure were developed Political and social reforms Imperial Aggression and the Establishment of the Second Empire • Literarily, outstanding writers expressed the injustices of society • Politically, electorate (选名,选举区)be enlarged and the change of way of recruiting government employees and labor relations regulation • The second empire—New Imperialism (aggressive foreign policy) Dominions, East Asia, Africa Individualism(个人主义): has been a very important ideology in American society It meant self-reliance, independence, and responsibility The origin of Thanksgiving Day: The Pilgrims in 1620, 201 of them sailed to the New World in a ship called Mayflower. The first winter after their arrival was very cold and when spring came, half of them were dead. Then the Indians came to their help and taught them how to grow corn. They had a good harvest that year. So they invited the Indians and held the first Thanksgiving celebration in America to give thanks to God. The Third Way adopted by Tony Blair: Different from both the old Labor Party’s commitment to the nationalization of the economy and its close relationship with the trade unions and the Conservative Party’s emphasis of extreme individualism and its rejection of community Long term economic stability and fiscal transparency Independence of the Bank of England to separate politics and economic policy Changing the old Labor Party’s practice of using tax system, public expenditure and price control to reduce inequality Emphasizing minimum wage and supplementing low wages Emphasizing individual responsibility Supporting the revival of the old Scotland Parliament and Wales Assembly and giving them more control in regional affairs Carrying out Parliamentary reforms Successfully ending the long military confrontation in Northern Ireland American dream : A belief that any individual, no matter how poor, can achieve wealth and fame through diligence and virture Gilded Age(镀金时代): Mark Twain, a period in which superficial prosperity covered tremendous poverty and suffering. (Monopoly replaced free competition and created a group of robber barons at the cost of the common people who suffered a lot) , Some reform-minded intellectuals started the Progressive Movement , The country gave up its early history of anti-colonialism and embarked on the way of imperialist expansion Monroe Doctrine(门罗主义): the U.S. policy regarding the American continents in a message to Congress in 1823. Warned the European nations that all American continents were closed to further colonization; the United States would not interfere with the existing colonies; the American political system was different from that of Europe and Europe should not try to expand its political system to the American continents while America would not interfere with European internal affairs. WASPs(祖先是英国新教徒的美国人): White Anglo-Saxon Protestants The American Character The New Englander is described as stern and self-reliant, the Southerner as gracious and leisurely, and the Westerner as casual and friendly 选择题 UK •The full name of the UK:(The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Geographical names: the British Isles, Great Britain and England •National flag(国旗):The Union Jack(The national flag combines the flags of three of the four parts that from the union: the red represents England; the white saltire stands for Northern Scotland, and the red saltire stands for Northern Ireland.) •National anthem(国歌): God Save the Queen(天佑女王) •GEOGRAPHY/ TOPOGRAPHY Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland) Climate •A temperature maritime type of climate(温带海洋性气候) 1. It is rainy and so changeable and predicable 2. Britain has a favorable maritime climate, and it has a steady reliable rainfall 3. Britain’s climate is characterized by cool temperatures, frequent cloudy days and rainstorms Plenty of rainfall, fog, smog, frost and gales Weather has had a definite effect upon the Englishman’s character. Cautious The National Curriculum(国家考察大纲) •English •Design & Technology •Geography •Maths •Information Technology •Music •Science •Art •Physical Education •History •Modern foreign language •Oxford Famous Students •Oscar Wilde 奥斯卡?王尔德 19c英国最负盛名的剧作家 •Hugh Grant 休?格兰特 •Samuel Johnson塞缪尔?约翰逊英国作家,批评家 •Bill Clinton •Chelsea Clinton •Tony Blair •Margaret Thatcher •Edward Heath The Christian Religion in Britain(基督教) •Beliefs •History –Saxon times th–The Synod of Whitby (664) ~ the Reformation (16 century) –The Celts dominated Western and central Europe in the first millennium BC, Celtic language was spoken throughout Western Europe before the 5th century BC. The Woolen Textile Industry and the Enclosure Movement(圈地运动) , The Hundred years’ War , Spanish invasion of the Netherlands----- helped the English textile industry----produced a new class of clothiers— produced the prototype of modern industrial entrepreneurs Thomas More described the enclosure movement as sheep devour man in his book Utopia , The landlords began to develop a class consciousness , Oxford and Cambridge changed from medieval seminaries for clerics into Renaissance schools for gentlemen Decline of Feudalism(封建王朝的衰落) Reasons: 1. Rising cities , craftsmen, manors 2. Money replaced natural economy of labor & goods 3. Export of wool , more important (shook the foundation) 4. The Hundred Years’ War (Cause, impact) 5. The Black Death 6. Tyler’s Rebellion 7. The War of the Roses (contribute a lot to the decline ) Many Historians believe that feudalism in England ended with the war of the Roses. The Elizabethan Age , Real literary achievement, esp that of Shakespeare , An age of adventure on the sea , Protestantism gradually became the dominant faith in Britain Background • Conditions: labor, capital, market • Politically, after the Glorious Revolution in 1688, England was more stable—Triangle Trade • Financially, the English had accumulated a large capital through trade by the mid 18th century---economic policy ( mercantilism), the East India Company &Hudson’s Bay Company of Canada • Agricultural revolution---labor reserve—enlarge domestic market The impact of the Industrial Revolution • Increase in industrial productivity • Urbanization • Changes in class structure( capitalist class and proletariat class) • Government policy about trade (Mercantilism---laissez-faire) • The first conscious political movement of the proletariat class—The Chartist Movement Literary features: many religious and social critics condemned industrialization and mechanization as dehumanization and warned that the migration of workers from the more natural life of the countryside to the unhealthy, crowded conditions of industrial areas would bring growing social problems (William Blake, Alexander Pope, Daniel Defoe, Henry The three main principles(三权分立)—federalism, the separation of power and respect for the constitution and the rule of law. , The basic function of the states: Providing law and order, education, public health. , The federal government deals with foreign affairs and matters of general concern to all the states. , First, Article sets some rules for the legislative body: Congress , ?The legislative body—congress that consists of two Houses. , ?Second, the executive—the President. , ?Third, regulate the powers of the Supreme Court and Federal courts. , The Constitution sets up a Federal System of the government. Social Impact of the Industrialization P129 见后面 , Immigration and Urbanization: Along with the dramatic increase in industrial productivity, the country went through the process of urbanization. , Labor Unions: The industrial Revolution also caused changes in class structure. It pushed the capitalist class to the top of the social scale . , Rural Problems , The Progressive Movement Julius Caesar and Roman Empire(凯撒大帝与罗马帝国关系): He led Roman troops into Britain in 55BC and then against in 54BC to punish the Celts in Britain for their part in the rebellion. P72 The Danish invasion: Westminster Abbey(西敏寺) a monastery with a big church was built by Edward. Many English kings and queens have held their coronations there. Many English kings and famous English people such as Geoffrey Chaucer ,Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin were buried there. The Norman Conquest: was the last foreign invasion England has experienced.