英美文化概况

英美文化概况 E1 Exercises for British Political System I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F): 1. It is no doubt that Britain is the oldest representative democracy in the world. F 2. In Britain, the process of state-building had been one of evolution rather than revolution, in contrast to France and the US. T 3. The oldest institution of government in Britain is the Monarchy. T 4. The divine right of the king means the sovereign derived his authority from his subjects. F 5. As the king in theory had God on his side, it was thought that he should exercise absolute power. F 6. The term “parliament” was first officially used in 1066 to describe the gathering of feudal barons and representatives from counties and towns. F 7. Britain is both a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy. T 8. Britain, like Israel, has a written constitution of the sort which most countries have. F 9. Common laws are laws which have been established through common practice in the courts. T II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of British government? A A it offers the Queen high political status and supreme power. B it is both a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. C it is the oldest representative democracy in the world. D it has no written form of Constitution 2. Which of the following kings was executed in the civil war? C A James I B James II C Charles I D Charles II 3. What happened in 1215? B A it was the year of Norman Conquest in British history. B forced by barons, king John signed the Magna Carta. C Henry IV granted the Commons the power to review money grants. D King Egbert united England under his rule. 4. Which of the following is not true about the Great Council? C A they included barons and representatives from counties and towns. B they were sometimes summoned by the kings to contribute money. C they later developed into what we now know as the Cabinet. D they represented the aristocrats as well as the communities 5. Under whose reign was the Bill of Rights passed? B A James II B William of Orange C Oliver Cromwell D George I 6. Which of the following is not related to the Constitution? A A it is a written document which lists out the basic principles for government. B it is the foundation of British governance today. C Conventions and Laws passed by Parliament are part of the Constitution. D The common laws are part of the Constitution. 7. Which of the following statements is Not true? D A there are no legal restraints upon Parliament. B strictly speaking, the Queen is part of the Constitution. C Parliament has the supreme power of passing laws D Parliament has no power to change the terms of the Constitution. 8. Which of the following is not a true description of the Queen’s role? A A the Queen selects the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. B the Queen symbolizes the tradition and unity of the British state. C the Queen acts as a confidante to the Prime Minister. D the Queen is the temporal head of the Church of England. 9. Which of the following is not a feature of the House of Lords? C A lords do not receive salaries and many do not attend Parliament sittings. B it consists of the Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal. C the lords are expected to represent the interests of the public. D most of the lords in the House of Lords are males. 10. Which of the following is not based on the fact? A A members of parliament elect the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. B MPs receive salaries and some other allowances C MPs are expected to represent the interests of the public D Most MPs belong to the major political parties. E2 Exercises for “British Education System” I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false(,): ,. The purpose of British education is not only to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills but also to socialize children. T 2. The state seldom interferes with the decision of when, where, how and what children are taught. F 3. The enduring feature of British education is the continuing debate over what should be taught in schools. F 4. The 1944 Education Act made entry to secondary schools and universities “meritocratic”. T 5. Public schools are part of the national education system and funded by the government. F 6. British universities are public bodies which receive funds from central government. T 7. All secondary schools in Britain are run and supervised by the government. F 8. In Oxford and Cambridge the BA converts to an MA several years later, upon payment of a fee. T 9. Independent schools get money mainly through the private sector and tuition rates, with some government support. T 10. Grammar schools select children at the age of 11 and provide them with a general education. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. In Britain, the great majority of parents send their children to _C___ A. private schools B. independent schools C. state schools D. public schools 2. In Britain, children from the age of 5 to 16 _B___ A. can legally receive partly free education B. can legally receive completely free education C. can not receive free education at all D. can not receive free education if their parents are rich 3. If a student wants to go to university in Britain, he will take the examination called __A__ A. General Certificate of Education---Advanced B. General Certificate of Secondary Education C. the common entrance examination D. General National Vocational Qualifications 4. Which of the following is a privately funded university in Britain? D A. The University of Cambridge. B. The University of Oxford. C. The University of Edinburgh. D. The University of Buckingham. 5. Which of the following is NOT true? D A. Parents send their children to public schools because they are rich. B. Parents send their children to public schools because their children can get better jobs when they leave school. C. Parents send their children to public schools because their children can have a better chance of getting into a good university. D. Parents send their children to public schools because their children prefer to go to public schools. 6. Which of the following in NOT a characteristic of the Open University? C A. It’s open to everybody. B. It requires no formal educational qualifications. C. No university degree is awarded. D. University courses are followed through TV, radio, correspondence, etc. 7. In the examination called “the 11 plus”, students with academic potential go to_A___ A. grammar schools. B. comprehensive schools. C. public schools. D. technical schools. 8. Which of the following in NOT included in the National Curriculum? B A. Children must study the subjects like English, mathematics, science and so on. B. Children must sit in A-level exams. C. Children must teach what they are told. D. Teachers must teach what they are told. 9. Which of the following is NOT true about the British education system? D A. It’s run by the state. B. It’s funded by the state. C. It’s supervised by the state. D. It’s dominated by the state. 10. Which of the following schools would admit children without reference to their academic abilities? A A. Comprehensive schools. B. Secondary schools. C. Independent schools. D. Grammar schools. E3 Unit 4 British Foreign Relations I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F): 1. When the Second World War ended, Britain no longer was the largest military power in Western Europe. F 2. The UK was awarded a seat on the UN Security Council in recognition of its contribution in setting up the United Nations. F 3. According to the text, the most important single factor which influences British policy-makers is its history. T 4. The Prime Minister and Cabinet decide on the general direction of Britain’s foreign policy. T 5. The main government department involved is the Foreign and Commonwealth T office (FCO). 6. Britain is a parliamentary monarch. F 7. There are about 60 members of the Commonwealth. F 8. The British host a large American military presence and there are 63 American military bases in the UK. T 9. Britain is not a member of the NATO due to its disagreement with some European counties on defence policy. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. The author holds that Britain had a big influence on the postwar international order because__B__ A. it used to be a great imperial power. B. it had a strong military power and prestige. C. it defeated Hitler’s army. D. it got support from its former colonies. 2. Which countries are the permanent members of the UN Security Council? C A. France, China, Germany, Russia and Britain. B. The United States, France, Britain, Germany and Russia. C. China, Russia, France, Britain and the United States. D. China, Britain, France, the United States and Japan. 3. How much of the globe did Britain rule in its imperial prime? C A. A fourth of the globe. B. A fifth of the globe. C. A third of the globe. D. Two-thirds of the earth. 4. The present British foreign policy is mainly influenced by some of the following factors. Which one is an exception? D A. Its imperial history. B. Its geopolitical traits. C. Its special relationship with the United States. D. Its schizophrenic attitude to Europe. 5. Which of the following is not involved in making the British foreign policy? A A. The Queen of Britain B. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office C. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet. D. The Ministry of Defence and the Treasury. 6. Nowadays the British foreign policy is largely shaped by its participation in__C___. A. the Commonwealth B. the European Economic Community C. the United Nations, the EU, NATO, etc. D. a European federal government 7. Which of the following statements is not true? B A. Britain hosts a large American military force. B. 63 American military bases are under the command of Britain. C. There are 63 American military bases in Britain. D. Britain is an outpost of an American-dominated military bloc. 8. Which of the following countries does not have nuclear weapons capabilities? C A. Britain. B. The United States. C. Italy. D. Russia. 9. Three of the following factors have contributed to Britain’s special relationship with the United States to a certain degree. Which is the exception? B A. Britain and the United States share the general ideas in many respects. B. They have common interests in every respect. C. They agree generally on how the world economy should be managed. D. They have special links in culture. 10. Why does Britain have its nuclear naval force? B A. Because it’s one of the developed countries in the world. B. Because it’s a traditional sea power. C. Because it has an advanced industry D. Because it’s able to produce submarines. E4 Exercises for British Sports, Festivals and Holidays: I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T)or false(F) 1. The tradition of having Sunday off derived from the Christian Church. (T) 2. The origin of bowling lies in the victory celebration ceremony by the ancient warriors. (T) 3.Tennis is usually regarded as a winter and spring sport. (F) 4. The game of golf was invented by the Scottish. (T) 5. The extrtemist animal-lovers’ groups would like to have horse racing banned. (T) 6. Easter is the biggest and best loved British holiday. (F) 7. Christmas Pantomime is one of the three Christmas traditions that are particularly British. (T) 8. It is commonly believed that Boxing Day involves the sport of boxing. (F) 9. The biggest Bonfire night celebration is held in London. (F) 10. in Ireland, New Year’s Eve called Hogmanay (December 31st) is the major winter celebration. (T) II. Choose the answer that best competes the statement or answerw the question: D 1. Which of the following was NOT an activity in Shakespeare’s time? A. Playing football. B. Having a drink at the pub. C. Working the land. D. Attending the Grand National. 2. Which of the following sports was NOT invented in Britain? C A. Football. B. Tennis. C. Basketball. D. Cricket. 3. Which of the following is NOT true about football in Britain? C A. Millions of people attend the FA games each season. B. “Football hooligans” sometimes have violent clashes. C. It was invented by the Scottish people. D. It was once described as “beastly” violent. 4. Where is the international tennis championships held? B A. Wembley. B. Wimbledon. C. London. D. Edinburgh. 5. Which of the following is truly a sport of the royal family? D A. Cricket. B. Skiing. C. Golfing. D. Horse racing. 6. Which one of the following is NOT particularly British Christmas tradition? C A. Engjyoing the Pantomime. B. The Queen broadcasting her Christmas message. C. Eating chocolate eggs. D. Shopping on the Boxing Day. 7. Easter commemorates_____D__. A. the birth of Jesus Christ. B. the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. C. the coming of spring. D. the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 8. Which community observes the traditional Ramadan? D A. hindu. B. Sikh. C. Jewish. D. Muslim. 9. Which celebration particularly happens on the queen’s birthday? C A. Bonfires. B. The Orange March. C. Trooping the Colour. D. Masquerades. 10. Which of the following commemorates the Battle of Boyne? D A. The Bonfire Night celebration in Lewes. B. Trooping the Colour in London. C. The Eisteddfod in Wales. D. The Orange March in Northern Ireland. 11. Of which people is Robert Burns a national poet? C A. The Welsh people. B. The Irish people. C. The Scottish people. D. The English people. 12. On which day is Halloween celebrated? A stththth A. October 31. B. november 5. C. March 17. D. December 25. E5 Exercises for Brief Introduction to the UK I. Decide whether the following statements are true(T) or false(F): 1. Britain is no longer an imperial country. T 2. The Commonwealth of Nations includes all European countries. F 3. 1 in 10 of the British population are of non-European ethnicity. F 4. The stereotype of the English gentleman never applied the majority of the British people T 5. Great Britain includes 3 constituent countries: England, Scotland and Wales. F 6. Northern Ireland is part of Great Britain. F 7. When people outside the UK talk about England, they mistake it as Britain sometimes. T 8. The Scots and the Welsh have a strong sense of being British. F 9. Scotland was never conquered by the Romans. T 10. Most people in Scotland speak the old Celtic language, called “Gaelic”. F 11. Scotland was unified with England through peaceful means. T 12. Wales is rich in coal deposits. T 13. Cardiff, the capital of Wales, is a large city. F 14. The title of Prince of Wales is held by a Welsh according to tradition. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. Which of the following is NOT true of London? D A the cultural center B the business center C The financial center D the sports center 2.Which of the following is not true about the characteristics of Britain? B A Economic differences between north and south. B Differences of social systems between Scotland and Wales. C Class differences between a white-collar worker and a blue-collar worker. D Cultural differences between immigrants and the British. 3. Which of the following can not be found in London? A A teahouses b art galleries c museums d theatres 4.Which of the following is not true about Britain? D A it used to be a powerful imperial country in the world B it plays an active role as a member of European Union. C it is a relatively wealthy and developed country. D it used to be one of the superpowers in the world. 5.Which of the following is not true about London? A A It’s a political, economic and cultural center of the country. B It has a larger population than all other cities in England. C Iit is not only the largest city in the country, but also the largest in the world. D It has played a significant role in the economic construction of the country. 6. The Tower of London, a historical sight, located in the center of London, was built by D A . King Arthur B. Robin Hood C. Oliver Cromwell D. William the conqueror 7. Who were the ancestors of the English and the founders of England? A A. the Anglo-Saxons B. the Normans C. the Vikings D. the Romans 8. Which is the largest city in Scotland? C A Cardiff B. Edinburgh C. Glasgow D. Manchester 9. Why did the Scottish kings decide to form an independent singular Scottish state in the 9th century? A A they needed a unified independent nation to fight against Viking raids. B they felt it necessary to develop their own industry C they were threatened by the Anglo-Saxon’s invasion. D they had to do it in order to resist the British. 10. Where do the majority of people in Scotland live? B A .in the Highlands B. in the Lowlands C. in the Uplands D. in the west of Scotland. 11. Which of the following is not true? B A Wales was invaded by the Romans. B Wales was invaded by the Anglo-Saxons. C Wales was conquered by the Normans. D Wales was threatened by the English. 12. Which of the following parties in Scotland still wants an independent Scotland? C A the Labour Party B the Liberal Party C the Scottish Nationalist Party D the Conservative Party. 13. When did Scotland join the Union by agreement of the English and Scottish Parliaments? D A. in 1715 B. in 1688 C. in 1745 D. in 1707 14. Llywelyn ap Fruffedd is not a simple historical figure for the Welsh. He is almost considered the legendary hero of Welsh nationalism because___D_. A. he became the first Prince of Wales in 1267. B. he brought the English under his control. C. he led a historic uprising against the English. D. he unified Wales as an independent nation. E6 1. Decide whether the following statements are true(T) or false (F): 1. Ireland is part of Great Britain. F 2. Ulster, referring to Northern Ireland, was once an ancient Irish Kingdom. T 3. The capital of Belfast is a large city with half a million people. F 4. Northern Ireland is significant because of its manufacturing industry. F 5. The majority of Irish people were descendants of the original Celtic people who inhabited British Isles before the Romans arrived 2000 years ago. T 6. Most British people are Protestants while most Irish people are Catholics. T 7. The British government doesn’t have direct rule from London over Northern Ireland. F 8. Sinn Fein is a legal political party in Northern Ireland. T 9. The Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 guaranteed the loyalist Protestant community their right to decide their future in Northern Ireland. T 10. The Good Friday Agreement was approved on 10 April 1998. T 11. Northern Ireland today is governed by separate jurisdictions: that of Republic of Ireland and that of Great Britain. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. In the 17th century, the English government encouraged people from Scotland and Northern England to emigrate to the north of Ireland, because…A A they wanted to increase its control over Ireland B they had too many people and didn’t have enough space for them to live in Britain. C they intended to expand their investment. D they believed that Ireland was the best place for them. 2. In 1969, the first British soldiers were seen on Northern Ireland street. They came first…B A to maintain traffic order in Northern Ireland. B to protect Catholics C to protect Protestants D to replace the Royal Ulster Constabulary since they were unable to keep social order 3.Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four nations, but is quite well-known in the world for…D A its most famous landmark, the “Giant’s Causeway” B its rich cultural life C its low living standards D its endless political problems 4.Faced with conflicting demands the British government chose a compromise and organized a partition of Ireland in 1921, because…B A the British government wouldn’t be able to control Ireland any longer by force. B the British government intended to satisfy both sides—Catholics and Protestants C Catholics in Ireland demanded a partition of Ireland. D Protestants welcomed the idea of partition 5.Which of the following statements is NOT true? C A Sinn Fein is a legal party in Northern Ireland. B those who want to unite Northern Ireland with Britain are called Unionists. C the Social democratic and Labor party is a very important political party in Britain. D those who show their loyalty to the British Crown are called Loyalists. 6. In the early 1970s, the IRA…D A. Killed many Protestants and Catholics B. Burned down the houses of Catholics C. Murdered individuals at random D. Carried out a series of bombing and shooting and attacked the security forces as their main target. 7.1972 was the worst year of the political troubles in Northern Ireland, because…B A 13 Catholics were shot dead by the police B 468 people were killed in Northern Ireland C the government carried out a policy known as “internment.” D bloody killing of 468 people fortified Catholic opposition to the British presence in Northern Ireland. 8.Why did the government decide to replace the power-sharing policy with “direct-rule” from London? D A the power-sharing policy was not accepted by the majority of Protestants. B the Northern Irish Parliament could not govern the power effectively. C the power-sharing policy couldn’t be carried out. D all the above. 9. Which of the following statements is not true? C A in 1981, some convicted IRA prisoners went on a hunger-strike B they demanded for the status of being “political prisoners” by starving themselves C Margaret Thatcher’s government gave in to their political demand. D the death of prisoners revitalized the political movement of Sin Fein. 10.How many counties are there in Northern Ireland? B A 26 b 6 c 32 d 20 11.Which of the following agreement is accepted by both Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland? C A the Anglo-Irish Agreement B the Belfast agreement C the Good Friday agreement D the multi-party agreement 12.According to the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland today should be governed by the following jurisdictions except… B A the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland B the jurisdiction of loyalist ministers C the jurisdiction of Great Britain D the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland. B1 Exercises for American Beginnings I Decide whether the following statements are trre(T) or false(F): 1. The question”What is an American?” was first asked by J.Hector St. John de Crevecoeur. T 2. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. T 3. The first English permanent settlement was founded in california. F 4. Massachusetts was established by English puritans who separated themselves from the Roman Catholic Church. F 5. The state of Pennsylvania used to be inhabited by the Quakers. T 6. The theory of politics of the American Revolution came from John Locke, a French thphilosopher in the 17 century. F 7. By the early 1760s, the 13 English puritans who separated themselves from Europe. T 8. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln were regarded as the founding fathers of the United States of America. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. Which of the following statements was correct around the time of the American Revolution? A A. The American had the mixed blood of Europeans or their descendants. B. The American had the mixed blood of Europeans with american Indians. C. The American had the mixed blood of Europeans with blacks. D. The American had the blood of the English and their descendants only. 2. Which of the following was NOT one of the three forces that led to the modern D development of Europe? A. The growth of capitalism. B. The Renaissance. C. The Religious Reformation. D. The spiritual leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. 3. The following were some of the characteristics of Protestantism except ___B___. A. Martin Luther B. Martin Luther King C. John Calvin D. The English king Henry VIII 4. The following were some of the characteristics of Protestantism except __C____. A. challenging the authority of the Pope B. salvation through faith C. salvation through the church D. establishing a direct contact with God 5. Which of the following American values did NOT come from Puritanism? A A. Separation of state and church. B. Respect of education. C. Intolerant moralism. D. A sense of mission. 6. Lord Baltimore’s feudal plan failed NOT because ______D_____. A. there were more Protestant than catholics in Maryland B. the wilderness of the continent made the plan impossible C. there was plenty of land while labor was scarce D. the English king did not like the plan 7. The following were the founding fathers of the American Republic except __C____. A. George Washington B. Thomas Jefferson C. William Penn D. Benjamin Franklin 8. The theory of American politics and the American Revolution originated mainly from _______D____. A. George Washington B. Thomas Jefferson C. John Adams D. John Locke 9. Which of the following was NOT a denomination of Protestantism? A A. Catholics. B. Puritans. C. Quakers. D. Church of England. 10. “No taxation without representation” was the rallying cry of __D_____. A. the settlers of Virginia B. the people of Pennsylvania C. the colonists in New Englian D. the people of 13 colonies on the Eve of the american Revolution. B2 Exercises for Ameican Edution I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) 1. Critics of the affirmative action programs are of the opinion that this results in reverse discrimination T 2. The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act. Or GI Bill of Rights, gave veterans priority in finding better jobs. F 3. American university students have always liked to get degrees that are aimed at preparing them specifically for certain professions. F 4. One of the things that decides whether an applicant can be accepted by a college is T his/her scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests. 5. According to the author, larger universities are always better, and more desirable universities are always more expensive. F 6. It takes at least fours years to get a bachelor’s degree from an institution of higher learning in the US. T 7. Segregating blacks into separate schools was unconstitutional after the decision of the Supreme Court in 1954. T 8. Harvard college was originally founded to train government officials. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. Which of the following subjects are NOT offered to elementary school students? B A. Mathematics and languages B. Politics and business deucation C. Science and social studies D. Music and physical education 2. The expenditure in American public schools is guided or decided by _D____. A. teachers B. students C. headmasters D. boards of education 3. In the united States school systems, which of the following divisions is true? C A. Elementary school, grammar school. B. Elementary school, junior high school. C. Elementary school, secondary school. D. Junior gigh school, senior high school. 4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in American higher education? B A. universities and colleges. B. Research institutions. C. Technical institutions. D. Undergraduate institutions. 5. Three of the following factors have contributed to the flourishing of large universities in America, which is the exception? C A. Large universities offer the best libraries and facilities for scientific research. B. Large universities provide students with “mainframe” computers. C. Large universities offer scholarships to all students. D. Large universities attract students with modern laboratories. 6. Nearly all students want to get into more desirable institutions because __A____. A. they find it easy for them to get jobs after having graduated from one of them B. they enjoy the high prestige of these institutions C. they like the teachers and surroundings in these institutions D. they prefer to have the Scholastic Aptitude Tests 7. In order to go to university, secondary school students must meet the following requirements except that __D____. A. they have high school records and recommendations from their teachers B. they make good impressions during the interviews C. they get good scores in the xcholastic Aptitude Tests D. they pass the college entrance examinations 8. Three of the following unversities have large endowments from wealthy benefators. Which is the exception? B A. Harvard University. B. The State University of New York. C. Yale University. D. Princeton University. 9. Both public and private universities depend on the following sources of income except ___A___. A. investment B. student tuition C. endowments D. government funding 10. To get a bachelor’s degree, an undergraduate student is required to do the following except ______C__. A. attending lecturtes and complete assignments B. passing examinations C. taking certain subjects such as history, language and philosophy D. earnging a certain number of credits at the end of the four years at college B3 Exercises for American Foreign Relations I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F) 1. American foreign policy has been swinging between isolationism and inter-ventionism since World War II. F 2. Pax Americana indicates American policy to create a world order dominated by the United States. T 3. The founding of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 and the Warsaw Pact in 1955 split the world into two military blocs. And the Cold War began. T 4. The United States had its first test of the hydrogen bomb in 1953 after the Soviet union had its such test in 1952. F 5. Sputniks are man-made satellites made by the Soviet Union. T 6. When Ronald Reagan bacame president in 1982, he wanted to beat the Soviet Union in the space technology race and so he initiated the Star Wars project. T 7. In 1948 President Truman put forward the Truman Doctrine, which is generally regarded as the formal declaration of the implementation of the US containment foreign policy. T 8. After the Korean War, the US made necessary adjustments and adopted a strategy of contraction. F 9. At the end of the WWII, a concrete wall, separating East and West Berlin, was built which became the symbol of the Cold War. F 10. The Clinton Administration made national security, economic prosperity and promotion of democracy the three pillars of the American foreign policy. F 11. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, anti-terrorism became a priority on the agenda of the majority of the countries all over the world. T 12. When George W. Bush became President, his foreign policy has two prominent elements: isolationism and faith in military strength. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. The American foreign policy up to WWII can be described as _C__. A. containment B. swinging between containment and interventionism C. swinging between isolationism and internationalism D. unilateralism 2. After the WWII, the United States became a stronger country, proved by the following facts except_A_. A. the US suffered no losses in the war. B. the US was the sole possessor of atomic bombs. C. the US had over 70% of the gold reserve of the world in its coffers. D. the US had over 50% of industrial production of the world in its hand. 3. When was the NATO founded? D A. In 1945. B. in 1955 C. In 1948 D. in 1949 4. When was the Warsaw Pact founded? B A. In 1945. B. in 1955 C. In 1948 D. in 1949 6. What did the US mean by containment? A A. It would use whatever means to prevent the Soviet Union from breaking out of its sphere of influence. B. It wanted to reverse the situation in which the Soviet Union reached parity with the US in nuclear force C. It planned to drag the Soviet Union into another round of arms race D. It intended to shift the balance of terror 7. How long did the Vietnam War last? C A. more than 5 years B. about 10 years C. About 20 years D. More than 25 years 8. When did President Nixon make a trip to China to improve relations with the People’s Republic of China? A A. In 1972 B. In 1973 C. In 1970 D. In 1971 9. On one occasion during the Cold War period, the US and the Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. What was that occasion? C A. the US fought the Korean War B. the US sent 50 000 troops to Vietnam C. the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962. D. Large numbers of people fled East Berlin and East Germany to West Germany in 1961. 10. The Clinton Administration made the following elements the three pillars of American foreign policy. Which of them is not included? B A. national security B. contraction C. Economic prosperity D. Promotion of democracy B4 Exercises for American Political System I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F): 1. When the War of Independence was over, the United States was one unified nation as it is today. F 2. The agreement that set this plan of cooperation among different states after the War of American Independence was called the Constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government F 3. The US Constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government. T 4. The main duty of the Congress is to make laws, including those which levy taxes that pay for the work of the federal government. T 5. Under a Constitutional Amendment passed in 1951, a president can be elected to only one term. F 6. The president has the authority to appoint federal judges, and all such court F appointments are subject to confirmation by the House of Representatives. 7. The 10 very short paragraphs which guarantee freedom and individual rights and forbid interference with lives of individuals by the government are called the Bill of Rights. T 8. The idea of checks and balances as a way of restricting governmental power and preventing its abuse was first provided in the Federalist Papers. T 9. Today, the United States has two major political parties. One is the Democratic Party, formed before 1800. The other is the Republican Party, formed in the 1850s, by people in the states of the North and West. T 10. Americans have to join a political party in order to vote or to be a candidate for public office. F II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question: 1. Which of the following statements is NOT correct? When the War of Independence was over,___D___ A. each new state had its own government. B. Each new state made its own laws and handled all of its internal affairs. C. The national government was called the Congress with little power. D. The relationships between the states and the national government were clearly defined. 2. According to the author, the Articles of Confederation failed because of the following reasons. Which is not true? B A. The new states did not cooperate with the Congress or with each other. B. Some new states wanted to be free from the Union. C. The Congress could not raise money to pay the national army and to pay debts owed to France and other nations. D. The Congress had no power to tax any citizen. 3. Which of the following states refused to participate in the Constitutional Convention? B A. Virginia. B. Rhode Island. C. New York. D. Maryland. 4. Which of the following statements is NOT correct? When the Constitution was written, ___A__. A. there was a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. B. there was no Bill of Rights. C. the Constitution did not have any words guaranteeing the freedoms or the basic rights and privileges of citizens. D. a “Bill of Rights” was added to the Constitution 4 years after the Constitution was made. 5. Which of the following is the only branch that can make federal laws, and levy federal taxed? B A. The executive. B. The legislative. C. The Judicial. D. The president. 6. Which of the following is NOT a power of the president? C A. The president can veto any bill passed by Congress. B. The president has the authority to appoint federal judges when vacancies occur. C. The president can make laws. D. The president has broad powers, with the executive branch, to issue regulations and directives regarding the work of the federal departments. 7. The Bill of Rights consists of__C____. A. 10 very short paragraphs in an amendment B. 10 amendments adopted in 1787 C. 10 amendments added to the Constitution in 1791 D. the president has broad powers, with the executive branch, to issue regulations and directives regarding the work of the federal departments. 8. Which of the following is NOT guaranteed in the Bill of Rights? B A. The freedom of religion. B. The freedom of searching a person’s home by police. C. The freedom of speech and of the press. D. The right to own weapons if one wishes. 9. The following were NOT written into the Constitution in 1787 except __A____. A. the Bill of Rights B. the judicial review C. the political party system D. the powers of the president 10. The New Deal was started by ___A___. A. Franklin Roosevelt B. J. F. Kennedy C. George Washington D. Thomas Jefferson B5 Exercises for American Sports and Scenic Spots I. Decide whether the following statements are true(T)or false (F): 1. Super Bowl will decide the champion baseball team of the year in the United States. F 2. Spectators of American professional sports competitions are interested in eating and entertainment as much as in the game itself. T 3. Viewers go to stadiums to watch the matches because they can have a clearer view of what is happening. F 4. A football team socores 3 points for a touchdown. F 5. The most exciting moment in baseball game is a homerun. T 6. John Steinbeck’s stories were set in the New England area of the United States. F 7. Stanford University is located in the state of Massachusetts. F 8. Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the US. T 9. The Grand Canyon National Park was established by President “Teddy” Roosevelt. T 10. In South Dakota, is the unusual artistic project at Mt. Rushmore, where enormous portraits of four US Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and F>D> Roosevelt, are sculpted on the mountain. F II. Choose the answer that best competes the statement or ansers the question: 1. O.J. simpson used to be a well-known athlete who played __A__. A. American football B. basketball C. baseball D. ice hockey 2. ___C___ is watched in a more relaxed and lazy way than other ball games. A. Football B. Basketball C. Baseball D. Tennis 3. Ronald Reagan used to be a _____B_____. A. basketball player B. sports radio announcer C. conservative political columnist D. sports writer 4. Who invented basketball? D A. Lone Eagle. B. Jackie Robinson. C. Branch Rickey. D. James Naismith. 5. The main mountain range in the west of the US stretching from the Canadian border to New Mexico is _____B_____. A. the Appalachian Mountains B. the Rocky Mountains C. the Green Mountains D. the Blue Ridge Mountains 6. The city of ____A____ has vestiges of old Southern plantations. A. New Orleans B. San Francisco C. Los Angles D. San Diego 7. The Everglades, dubbed with the name of “the River of Grass,” is __C__, containing a large collection of wildlife. A. a green river B. a deep valley C. a subtropical wetlands D. a small island 8. Niagara Falls is located in the state of ____A____. A. New York B. Virginia C. North Carolina D. South Carolina