英语国家概况14topic及期末名词解释

1、What different ethnic groups are there in UK? Why are there so many? Where do they live? How are they different from the majority of people: language? Clothing? Music? What effects do different ethnic groups have on a country?英国有哪些不同的民族?为什么有这么多?他们住在哪里?他们与大多数人有什么不同:语言?服装?音乐?不同民族对一个国家有什么影响? Englander, Welsh, Scottish, Irish。(England,Wales,Scotland,Ireland) The majority of the population is descendants后裔of the Anglo-Saxons, a Germanic people from Europe. Most people in Wales and Scotland are descendants of the Celtic people, including the Irish people. They merged through ethnic invasions and immigration In terms of language, Some Scottish people like to use Scottish. Irish people speak English and Gaelic. In terms of clothing, Scottish men wear kilts(a kind of skirt) is most prominent representative, they think that it is a symbol of identity. In music, Scottish bagpipes have become one of the representatives of its culture. In terms of culture, many ethnic groups contribute to cultural exchange and development. But on the other hand, it may make it difficult for the country to manage it. 2、How would you describe the traits of the people in Britain? Do you think people all over the world are basically the same or basically different? How are the British people different from Chinese? 你如何描述英国人的特点?你认为世界各地的人基本上是相同的还是基本不同的?英国人和中国人有什么不同? For me personally, first, most Brits are very polite. It can be seen from their conversation. For example, “I don’t really like to ask you, but…”. Second, most Britons are humorous. This can be seen from their TV shows. As a famous going says, “You can’t find two leaves which are exactly the same in the world.” That is like you and me. Neither the same nor very different, people are similar in some ways and different to some extent. Just like people with the same name and gender, their personalities may be different. In terms of eating habits, The Chinese mainly eat noodles and rice, while the British mainly eat bread and noodles. In terms of character, the Chinese are more euphemistic and the British are more direct. 3、How religious are the British? What major religious beliefs are there in Britain? Historically, what role has religion played in bringing about what the country is now? 英国人有多信仰?英国有哪些主要的宗教信仰?从历史上看,宗教在实现该国现在所扮演的角色是什么? 1、Their beliefs are diverse and popular. In the UK, more than 60% of people are religious. They gradually developed into a multi-faith country through national invasion and immigration. 2、The major religious beliefs are Christianity and Islam. 3、Historically, religion played an indispensable role in British history. Before the Reformation, the rights of the church were far greater than those of the king. Therefore, it affected the direction of the country’s development. After the reform of the religion, it made the national consciousness begin to awaken. This laid the foundation for the United Kingdom becoming a developed country 4、People say that a history of Britain is a history of invasion. Do you agree or disagree? Find evidence to support your view. Please be specific and go down to the details. 人们说英国的历史就是入侵的历史。你同意还是不同意?找到证据来支持你的观点。请具体说明并详细说明。1、I claim that the invasion includes being invaded and invasion. So, from this angle, I agree with the view that a history of Britain is a history of invasion. 2.1、Being invaded: Before the English Bourgeois Revolution(英国资产阶级革命), Britain had been invaded by other countries for a long time. For example, first,the Celtics invaded the United Kingdom. Second, The Romans managed to conquer Britain by its army. Including German Conquest、Norman Conquest(诺曼征服) and so on. 2.2、Invasion: In 1600,The British invaded India. In 1840 the British launched the first Opium War.(第一次鸦片战争)In 1854, the Crimean War(克里米亚战争). 1856-1860 the British launched the second Opium War. and it join in the world war 1. 5、Sun-never-setting empire: how it started, proceeded, and declined, and its impact on world civilization. Try to make it specific. You can view the empire from a special perspective, for example, you can talk about the topic in terms of tea. Of course, this is just a suggestion. 日不落的帝国:它如何开始,继续和衰落,及其对世界文明的影响。尝试使其具体。你可以从一个特殊的角度来看帝国,例如,你可以谈论茶的话题。当然,这只是一个建议。 1、Start: because of the defeating successfully Spanish invincible armada in 1588、gaining victory in the war with the Dutch in the 16th century and the 7-year war with France in the 17th century. So they started to expand to foreign countries. 2、Proceed: The Britain became the Sun-never-setting Empire in the middle of 18century. This empire is becoming more and more powerful 3、Decline: After the end of 19th century, the British began to go downhill. Britain did not catch the opportunity of the second industrial revolution. At this time, other countries developed rapidly and their strength has gradually surpassed Britain, such as Germany and the United States. The impacts of the two world wars and Hong Kong return to China in 1997, indicates the funeral of the empire.(marks the decline of the empire) 4、On the positive side:The first industrial revolution brought advanced technology to the development of world, which promote the development of world science and technology On the negative side:It undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other nations and controls their politics.它破坏了其他国家的主权和领土完整,并控制了其政治。 6、Make a study on the evolvement of the British Constitutional Monarchy by describing how power has been shifted from the Monarch to the Lords and then to the Commons. 研究英国君主立宪制的演变,描述权力如何从君主转移到贵族,然后转移到公地 Since 1689 the Glorious Revolution, parliament(议会)passed “the Bill of Rights”, which limits the power of the king and ensure the parliament legislative authority(立法权)and financial power(财政权) and the parliament not only holds the legislative authority, but also have the right of supervision(监督权)for the government. Through the House of Lords, The king shares rights with the nobles. After 1911, the prime minister are elected by the house of Commons. The senators of the house of Commons hold the post of the principal officials主要官员, and most members of the house of Commons are civilians. So the power finally transferred to civilians 7、How many ways are there for a British person to influence political decisions? Which is the most popular one? Which is the most influential? Try to elaborate your view with concrete information. 英国人影响政治决策有多少种方式?哪一个最受欢迎?哪一个最有影响力?试着用具体的信息来阐述你的观点 1. Demonstration (The most influential way) It is an effective way to express your strong feeling. It is fairer for a small group of people to put forward their opinions and ideas 2. V oting (The most popular way) Because then they can justly support the people they want to support. Advocating freedom. 3.Random survey in the street街头随机调查 4. show and collect opinions In a fixed place.在固定场所展示和收集意见 5.The hearing 听证会 6. Parliamentary debate议会辩论 7. National referendum全民公投 8. Letter Format for public comments on the Internet信函放在网上供公众提意见使用 8、Britain has been one of the world's leading exporters for many years, what do you think China as an emerging power of an exporter can learn from its operation? Please be specific and try to raise concrete figures and cases to support your view. 英国多年来一直是世界主要出口国之一,你认为中国作为出口国的新兴力量可以从其运作中学到什么?请具体说明并尝试提高具体数字和案例以支持您的观点。 The UK benefits from its sound foreign trade policy and trade promotion system framework. Therefore, in 2014 the ONS (Office National Statistics) publish data showing that the production of foreign goods and services deficit scale up to 3.3 billion pounds (about $5.31 billion) 因此,在2014年的ONS(办公室国家统计局)公布的数据显示,生产外国商品和服务贸易逆差扩大的高达3.3十亿英镑(约合5.31十亿) The 2013 defense and security exits a record 13billion pounds UK is the second largest arms export in the world, second only to America 2013年国防和安全退出创纪录的13十亿英镑英国是世界上第二大武器出口,仅次于美国 What can we do? 1. Establish a sound management structure and legal system. 建立完善的管理结构和法律体系 2.Improve the financial service system完善金融服务体系 3. Increase the proportion of Chinese cultural exports 9、What are the features of Oxford and Cambridge that are widely admired? Can they be extended to our country? How? Put forward some suggestions to make our system a better one. 牛津和剑桥有哪些特点被广泛推崇?他们能延伸到我们的国家吗?怎么样?提出一些建议,使我们的系统更好。 1. the freedom of academic research and the protection of intellectual property. Teachers and students can share their points and idea freely 2. the Cambridge university value the infrastructure of science highly for invent new technology. 3.the university sees partnership with company as an important role of building a major system to develop their superiority of innovation. 4、What we know most, the Shenzhen University besides the science park, where gather lots of high-tech industry nearby, such as the Tencent Holdings Limited. Because of this, the deep connection between university and company will be the favorable fortune for the university students, which is a better development for the university educational system. 10、Make a discussion on how the Americans treated the Native Indians during the westward movement, the pros and cons of establishing Indian Reservation. Please use specific information to support your view. 讨论美国人在西迁时如何对待印第安人,以及建立印第安保留地的利弊。请使用特定信息来支持您的观点。How Americans treat Indians? One is the Savage Violence; the other is the ideological change. Indians were forced to move to Indian Reservation, which considered as a barren moor. Through these violence, Americans deprive(剥夺) them of basic living material. Americans used the Scorched earth policy to destroy Indians living goods and materials. As a result, countless Indians died of starvation or freeze. Americans forced Indians to accept their language, culture, even belief of Christian, which destructively shocked their society. Pros to the Indians: in an economic sense, the Indians built many farms, plantations and enterprises. These measures expanded the productive forces of the tribes. The schooling of some Indians even exceeded the Whites, which greatly raised the cultural level of Indians. Pros to the Whites: Meet the requirements for the land of the Whites and ensure the west development smoothly. The cons: The carrying out of the reservations system brought grave disaster to the Indians. Destruction of home, loss of land, years of sufferings during the immigrant, great change of living environment and sharp decrease in population, all these cast independence and freedom to the winds. 11、Discuss the major American social movements of the 1960s via their background, participants, the basic features, and possible common assumptions they shared. What are their legacies and effects, positive and negative, upon contemporary American society?通过他们的背景,参与者,基本特征以及他们共同的可能的共同假设,讨论1960年代的美国主要社会运动。他们对当代美国社会的积极和消极影响是什么? The Civil Rights Movement(民权运动):From 1954 to 1968, in order to end the racial segregation, African American democratized the Civil Rights Movement. The legacies of the movement are the Civil Rights Act of 1964(民权法案), The V oting Rights Act of 1965(投票权法)and The Fair Housing Act of 1968(公平住房法).The influences of this movement are profound. The Blacks ‘life changed a lot. They had more equality, freedom and dignity尊严. Feminist movement: The Women's movement refers to a series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equally pay, women’s suffrage, and sexual violence. The women had the suffrage, the right to initiate divorce proceedings, own property and they can make individual decisions. The youth movement: The youth movement included The Free Speech Movement, the anti-war movement and the counter culture movement. The anti-war movement contributes to the ending of the War in Vietnam and strengthens the power of protesting wars. The FSM contribute to acknowledging the students' right to free speech and academic freedom. The counter culture movement is a fact to manifest the greatness of people’s forces and encouraged people to fight again st unfairness and discrimination. It also leads a worldwide friend of pursuing freedom,love, peace and personality. 12、How has nature been generous to the US in providing particularly favorable conditions and an ideal location for its economic development? 大自然如何对美国提供特别有利的条件和经济发展的理想位置? The United States includes a wide variety of climate types due to its large size and range of geographic features. The climate is good for developing Capitalist agriculture. The United States is located in central North America and also includes the territory north of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest Central Hawaii islands. The transportation there is convenient. The US has a land area of 9.3 million square kilometers. Vast areas of land provided favorable conditions for agricultural and industrial development’s is one of the countries which have the richest mineral resources around the world. The mineral resource consisted of energy minerals, metals, and non-metallic mineral and mineral composition of water. Abundant mineral resources meet the needs of industrial production. It is good for its economic development. 13、Please find data and information that will help us understand American economic power: GDP, GDP per capital, Gini index, currency (the name of the currency and its exchange rate with RMB), trade volume [export and import, main products], and the percentage of the primary sector, secondary sector and tertiary industry in its economy and the main products of each economic sector. 请找到有助于我们了解美国经济实力的数据和信息:GDP,人均GDP,基尼指数,货币(货币名称及其与人民币的汇率),贸易额[进出口,主要产品],第一产业,第二产业和第三产业在经济中的比重和各经济部门的主要产品。 1、Agriculture: American agriculture assumes a richness and variety unmatched in most parts of the world. Today the average American farm covers about 460 acres. Moreover one third of the crop are exported to Europe, Asia, and Latin America. American agricultural exports are estimated to amount to 143 billion dollars, in 2013. 2、Manufacturing industry: U.S. has a large manufacturing industry and nearly 12 million Americans (or 9% of the workforce) are employed directly in manufacturing. The American auto-making company is reined worldwide in 2012 as the biggest and most profitable. 3、High-tech industry: its high-tech industry ranks first in world and plays an important role in the country’s economic growth. 4、Service industry: it is significant to the American economy. 5、U.S. foreign trade has always been playing a significant role in the country’s economic development. The exports of U.S. goods and services reached an all-time record during 2012 totaling 2.2 trillion dollars. 14、Find examples from the American history to illustrate that social security is a significant means to stabilize society on the whole. What are its implications to China? In light of some of Roosevelt's and Kennedy's programs in helping the underprivileged and the unemployed, what improvements do you think the Chinese government should make in helping the needed in order to save the Chinese face? 从美国历史中找到一些例子来说明社会保障是整个社会稳定的重要手段。它对中国有什么影响?鉴于罗斯福和肯尼迪的一些帮助贫困和失业者的,你认为中国政府应该如何帮助拯救中国人的脸面? 1、From 1929 to 1933, the U.S. economy was depressed,There are even 12 to 13 million people in the country who are unemployed, which actually accounts for 25% of the total workforce. For the reason, many people suffered hunger and cold. In terms of social security, facing to the crisis caused by the crisis, President Roosevelt adopted a series of measures and measures. 2、President Roosevelt's Method Gives China Inspiration for Regulating Market Economy. It told China how to better manage the market. 3、For me personally, on the one hand, China should give some homeless vagabonds some basic living guarantees, such as assigning them a job. On the other hand, China can appropriately improve the health insurance benefits of its citizens. Explain the following terms. 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 basis 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 the 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 8. Joan of Arc She was a national heroine of France during the Hundred Years’ War. Sh e 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 of the 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 400. 23. common 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 service. 26. comprehensive 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 boys’ public schools include such well-known schools as Et on 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” refers 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 Convertion. 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”.