英语国家社会与文化入门简答题

英语国家概况（1）（2）问题库答案1."Britishhistoryhasbeenahistoryofinvasion".Pleaseillustratethispointwiththeexamplesfromthetext.HowdideachoftheinvasionsinfluenceEnglishculture?1.Britishhistoryhasbeenahistoryofinvasions.BeforethefirstcenturyADBritainwasmadeupofmanytribalkingdomsofCelticpeople:apowerfulcultureoriginatingincentralEurope.Thenin43ADBritainwasinvadedbytheRomanempire,andEnglandandWales(thoughnotScotlandorIreland)becameapartoftheRomanempirefornearly400years.TwomoregroupsofinvadersweretocomeaftertheEnglish:fromthelate8thcenturyon,raidersfromScandinavia,theferociousVikings,threatenedBritain'sshores….2.WhataresomegeneralcharacteristicsofScotland?2.Scotlandisthesecondlargestofthefournations,bothinpopulationandingeographicalarea.Itisalsothemostconfidentofitsownidentitybecausealoneamongstthenon-EnglishcomponentsoftheUKithaspreviouslyspentasubstantialperiodofhistoryasaunifiedstateindependentoftheUK.ThusitisnotabigleapfortheScottishtoimaginethemselvesindependentagain.Physically,ScotlandisthemostruggedpartoftheUK,withareasofsparselypopulatedmountainsandlakesinthenorth(TheHighlands),andinthesouth(TheSouthernUplands).Three-quartersofthepopulationlivesinthelowlandzonewhichspansthecountrybetweenthesetwohighlandareas.ThelargestcityisGlasgow,inthewestofthiszone.Scotland'scapitalcityisEdinburgh,ontheeastcoastfortymilesawayfromGlasgow.Itisrenownedforitsbeauty,anddominatedbyitsgreatcastleonahighrockinthecentreofthecity.Bothcitieshaveancientandinternationallyrespecteduniversitiesdatingfromthe15thcentury.3.DescribeWales'unificationwithGreatBritain.3.WaleswasalwaysunderpressurefromitsEnglishneighbours,particularlyaftertheNormanconquest,whenNormanbaronssetupcastlesandestatesinWalesundertheauthorityoftheEnglishCrown.SomebriefcampaignsaretheonlytimesinhistorywhenWaleshasexistedasaunifiedindependentnation.4.ArethereanydifferencesbetweenEnglandandWalesintermsofculturaltradition?4.Yes,thereare.Thecloselong-standingrelationshipmeansthatmodernWaleslackssomeoftheoutwardsignsofdifferencewhichScotlandpossesses—itslegalsystemanditseducationsystemareexactlythesameasinEngland.Oftenofficialstatisticsaregivenfor"EnglandandWales".However,Walesisdifferent,andoneofthekeymarkersofthatdifferenceistheWelshlanguage—theoldBritishCeltictonguewhichisstillindailyuse.5.WhyisNorthernIreland,accordingtotheauthor,sosignificantintheUnitedKingdom?Whatisthepoliticalproblemthere?5.Until1921thefullnameoftheUKwas"TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIreland",notonly"NorthernIreland",becausethewholeislandofIrelandwaspoliticallyintegratedwithGreatBritain,andhadbeensince1801,whileBritain'sdominationoftheIrishdatedbackcenturiesevenbeforethatdate.ButIrishdesiresforanindependentIrishstatewereneverlost,andoneofthekeyissuesinlatenineteenthcenturyBritishpoliticswasacampaigninparliamentforwhatwascalled"home-rule"—IrishpoliticalcontrolofIrishaffairs.TheHomeRuleBillwasfinallypassedin1914,buttheprocesswasovertakenbytheFirstWorldWarandwassuspendedforthedurationofthewar.6.WhataresomeofthefactorsinIrishandEnglishhistorythataffectthesituationinNorthernIrelandtoday?6.Alongwiththepoliticalcampaignforhome-rulethereweregroupswhofollowedamoredirectmethodofpursuingIrishindependence,engaginginguerillaorterroristactivitiesagainstBritishinstitutionsandtheBritishmilitaryforces.DuringtheFirstWorldWarandimmediatelyafter,thisactivityincreased,sometimesbrutallysuppressedbyBritishforces.7.DifferentpartiesandgroupsintheUnitedKingdomhavedifferentsolutionstothepoliticalprobleminNorthernIreland.Pleasesumuptheirdifferentattitudes.7.MargaretThatcher'sgovernmentdidnotgiveintothisdemandforpoliticalstatusand11prisonersstarvedtodeath.ThiseventrevitalisedthepoliticalcampaignofSinnFein,thelegalpoliticalpartywhichsupportstheIRA'srighttofight.ItsleadersspokeofatwincampaignforunionwithIreland,bothpoliticalandmilitary,whichtheycalledthepolicyof"TheBulletandtheBallotBox".8.HastheauthorofferedasolutiontothepoliticalprobleminNorthernIreland?8.Theproblemlayinthe"commitmenttopeacefulmethods"aspectofthepossibletalks.Province-wideelectionsareplannedunderacomplexformulatoensureawiderangeofrepresentationonthebodywhichwillcarryoutthesetalks,inanattempttogivethemlegitimacy.WithouttheparticipationofSinnFeinandtheIRAitishardtoseethemsucceeding.NorthernIrelandispoisedonthebrink—anewpeacefulfuture,orareturntotheviolencethathasclaimed3150livessofar.9.Whatistheoldestinstitutionofgovernment?9.TheoldestinstitutionofgovernmentistheMonarchy(rulebytheking).10.WhatisthenameofthecharteroflibertyandpoliticalrightsgrantedbyKingJohnin1215?10.ItwasagangoffeudalbaronsandtheChurchwhichopposedsomeofKingJohn's(1199—1216)policies.Thisoppositionwassopowerfulthatthekingfinallygrantedthemacharteroflibertyandpoliticalrights,stillknownbyitsmedievalLatinnameofMagnaCarta.MagnaCartaplacedsomelimitsontheking'sabilitytoabusehisroyalpower.ThisisstillregardedasBritain'skeyexpressionoftherightsofcitizensagainsttheCrown.11.DoyouthinkElizabethanDramaoccupiesasignificantpositioninBritishliterature?WhoisthemostimportantfigureinElizabethanDrama?Whataresomeofhismajorworks?11.Shakespeareisthemostimportantfigureatthattime.Heexcelsineachkind.ThetragediesincludeRomeoandJuliet,Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,andMacbeth.AmongthecomediesareTheTamingoftheShrew,AMidsummerNight'sDream,TwelfthNight,andTheTempest.Hishistoryplays,basedonEnglishhistory,includeRichardIII,RichardII,HenryIV,andHenryV.JuliusCaesarandAntonyandCleopatraaretragediesonclassicalthemes.12.WhatdowecallthegroupofimportantParliamentarians?12.TheHouseofCommons.13.WhichpartyformsthegovernmentandwhobecomesPrimeMinister?13.ThepartythatwinsmostvotesingeneralelectionandtheleaderofthiswinningpartywouldbecomePrimeMinister.16.WhocanstandforelectionasanMP?16.AnyonewhoiseligiblevotetocanstandasanMP.Itisnecessaryonlytomakeadepositof500pounds(aquiteeasilyobtainableamountintheUK)whichislostifthecandidatedoesnotreceiveatleast5%ofthevote.17.Whatarethethreemajorparties?Whichpartyisthepartythatspentmosttimeinpower?17.Therearethreemajornationalparties:TheConservativepartyandtheLabourpartyarethetwobiggest,andanygeneralelectionisreallyaboutwhichofthosetwoisgoingtogovern.Butthereisathirdimportantparty,theLiberalDemocrats,whousuallyreceiveuptoabout20%ofthevotes:notenoughtoformagovernment,butenoughtohaveabigimpactonwhichoftheothertwopartiesdoesso.TheConservativePartyspentmosttimeinpower19.WhenwastheBritisheconomydominantintheworld?19.Bythe1880stheBritisheconomywasdominantintheworld,producingonethirdoftheworld'smanufacturedgoods,halfitscoalandiron,halfitscotton.20.BywhattimewastheUKovertakenbyothercountries,suchastheUSandGermany?20.Butevenby1900thiswasnolongerthecase,theUKhavingbeenovertakenbyboththeUnitedStatesandGermany;andcertainlyfrom1945untilthepresent,thestoryoftheUKeconomyisusuallythoughtofasoneofdecline.21.Whichcountrydoesitrefertoas"theJewelintheCrown"?Whendiditgainitsindependence?21.India,popularlyknownas"TheJewelintheCrown"oftheBritishEmpire,gaineditsindependencein1947.22.Whataresomeofthepositiveandnegativeeffectsofnon-whiteimmigrantsonBritishsocietyaccordingtotheauthor?22.ThishasanumberofconsequencesforBritishsociety,mainlypositive,thoughwithsomeindirectnegativeeffects.Onthepositivesidesuchimmigrantgroupsbringtheirculturewiththem,whichincreasesthevarietyandinterestwithinBritishculture:forexample,theUK,whichusedtohaveabadreputationforfood,nowhasacuisineasvariedasany,withIndianandChineserestaurantsineverycommunity,aswellasmanyothervarietiesinbiggercities.Thisvarietyinrestaurantfoodhasresultedinmoreexperimentationathome,sothatshopsnowcarryamuchwidervarietyofgoodstosupplythedemand,andtherearemanyTVprogrammesandbooksdevotedtoallkindsofdifferentcooking.Thenegativesideofthingslieslargelyintheattitudeofsomeoftheirwhiteneighbours.23.WhatisthegeneralsituationofracialrelationsintheUK?23.Whilethereisagrowingethnicminoritymiddle-class,andmanyindividualsuccessstories,bymostmeasurestheimmigrantpopulationisworse-offeconomicallyspeakingthanthewhitepopulationasawhole.Individualsfromethnicminoritiesaremorelikelytobeunemployed;andtheyareunder-representedinpoliticstoo,thoughtherearenowanumberofblackandAsianMPs.ButtherearealsoanumberofsmallpoliticalpartiesintheUKwithovertlyracistpolicies.24.WhyisGeoffreyChaucer,whowroteinMiddleEnglish,stillreadandstudiedtoday?24.WiththeNormanConquestin1066BritainenteredtheMiddleAges(1066—1485),andthelanguageoftheroyalcourtbecameFrench.SoliteratureofthatperiodwaswritteninFrenchorLatin.ButoneworkfromthesetimesoftenstudiedtodaybymiddleschoolandcollegestudentsisTheCanterburyTalesbyGeoffreyChaucer(1343—1400).HewasthefirstcourtpoettowriteinEnglish.25.Whenwastheterm"parliament"firstusedofficially?25.Theword"parliament"comesfromtheverb"toparley",thatis,todiscussortalk.Thetermwasfirstusedofficiallyin1236todescribethegatheringoffeudalbaronsandrepresentativesfromcountiesandtownswhichthekingoccasionallysummonedifhewantedtoraisemoney.26.Theauthorsaysthat"themediaarecentraltoBritishleisureculture",whydoestheauthorsayso?26.Onanaverageday,90percentofBritonsovertheageof15readanationalorlocalpaper.Andintheevening,mostBritonssettledowntowatchsometelevision:96percentofthepopulationwatchTVatleastonceaweek,makingitBritain'smostpopularleisureactivity.Thethirdmostpopularpastime,afterwatchingtellyandreadingnewspapers,islisteningtotheradio,anactivityinwhich73percentofthepopulationengagesinonaweeklybasis.Itisobvious,then,thatthemediaarecentraltoBritishleisureculture.27.WhataresomeofthecharacteristicsofBritishnewspaperculture?InwhatwayisitdifferentfromtheUnitedStates?27.Britishnewspapercultureisunusualintheextenttowhichclassandeducationaldifferencesarereflectedinthenewspaperspeopleread.InotherdevelopedcountrieslikeJapanandtheUnitedStates,newspaperreadingisamainlymiddle-classhabit,butinBritainthe"lowerclasses"arealsoregularreaders.28.IstheBritishpressfreefromthegovernmentcontrolandcensorship?WhatistherelationshipbetweentheBritishpressandpoliticsorbusiness?28.WhileofficiallyspeakingtheBritishpressis"free"fromgovernmentcontrolandcensorshipandcanprintwhatitlikes,therearelimitstowhatwillappearinthedailypaper.29.HowdoestheBBCoperate?HowisitdifferentfromAmericanbroadcastingsystems?29.TheBritishBroadcastingCorporation-morefamiliarlyknownastheBBCoreven"theBeeb"-isBritain'smainpublicservicebroadcasterTheBBCisfundedbylicencefeesandviewersmustbuyalicenseeachyearfortheirTVset.31.WhatisModernism?Canyouillustrateyourpointswithspecificbooksasexamples?31.Modernisminliteraturecanbeseenasareactionagainstthenineteenthcenturyformsdiscussedabove,whichcanbethoughtofasassumingunderstandingbetweenwriterandreader,resultinginthesimplecommunicationofanagreedversionofthe"world".Thisapproachtowritingisknownas"Realism."Instead,Modernistwritersexpressthedifficultytheyseeinunderstandingandcommunicatinghowtheworldworks.Often,therefore,Modernistwritingseemsdisorganized,hardtounderstand.Itoftenportraystheactionfromtheviewpointofasingleconfusedindividual,ratherthanfromtheviewpointofanall-knowingimpersonalnarratoroutsidetheaction….32.WhatisPostmodernism?Canyouillustrateyourpointswithspecificbooksasexamples?32.Postmodernistscanbethoughtofasabandoningthatsearch.Meaningdoesnotexistoutsideofthehumanhead,likewiseitdoesnotexistinsideabook,waitingtobediscovered,insteaditismadeintheprocessofreadingabook,orofmakingsenseoftheworld….33.HowhastheChristianchurchinfluencedBritishsports?Pleasepickupsomeexamplesfromthetext.33.TenniswasinventedinBritainanditowesitsorigins,literally,totheChurch.Churchrecordsindicatethatbythemid-fifteenthcentury,peopleweremakingagameofbouncingaballoffthesideoftheirlocalchurchesorcathedrals,firstusingthehand,andlateraracquet.Thiswascalled"tenys".Suchanticssometimesoffendedtheclergywhocomplainedthatthedignityandtranquilityofthechurchwasshatteredbysuchgames,buttheyalsoillustratehowcentralthechurchwastocommunitylife.34.Whatistheoriginoffootball?34.Therearelegendsthatsuggestthatgameslikefootballandrugbyactuallyderivedfromthe"sport"ofancientwarriorscelebratingvictorybykickingaroundthedecapitatedheadofanenemy.Thereisasimilargrislytaletoldaboutoriginsofbowling:itissaidthatinancienttimes,Scottishwarriorsrolledtheskullsoftheirenemiesalongthegrassforsport.35.Howistheviolenceof"footballhooligans"relatedtotheBritishhistoryoffootball?35.Today,violenceisstillassociatedwithfootball."Footballhooligans",supportersofrivalteams,sometimesclashbefore,duringandaftermatchesandoccasionallyrunriotthroughthetown,breakingwindowsandbeatingeachotherup.Somefootballfanspainttheirfacesandsingorchantfootballsongsanditisnottoodifficulttoimaginetheirwarrior-ancestors.36.WhyiscricketveryEnglish?WhydoestheauthorbelievethatcricketwasassociatedwithasetofEnglishmoralvalues?36.AsgenerationsofpublicschoolboysgrewuptobecomethecivilservantsandrulersoftheUKanditscolonies,cricketbecameassociatedwithasetofmoralvalues,inparticulartheideaof"fairplay"whichcharacterisedBritishgovernment.SirIanBancroft,ahighlevelcivilservantinthe1980s,rememberedthatwhenhebeganhiscareerinWhitehall,onedayhisgovernmentministerwassoangrythathethrewthetelephoneathim.SirIansaidheknewexactlyhowtorespond:"havingplayedcricketIwasabletocatchitandhanditbacktohimpolitely."37.Christmasisthebiggestandbest-lovedBritishholiday?HowdotheBritishcelebratethisholiday?37.Yes.Nowadays,ChristmasiscelebratedbymostBritonsbyexchanginggiftsandChristmascards,preparingholidayfoods,anddecoratinghomesandworkplaceswithcolouredlights,Christmastreesandornaments.38.HowdotheBritishcelebratetheQueen'sBirthday?Whatistheoriginofthisholiday?38.OneofBritain'smostimpressiveandcolourfulfestivalshappensonthesecondSaturdayinJunewhentheQueen'sBirthdayisofficiallycelebratedby"troopingthecolour"aroundBuckinghamPalaceinLondon.39.BonfireNightisonetrulyEnglishholiday.HowandwhydotheEnglishcelebratethisholiday?39.TheEnglishdonotcelebratetheirfamouswritersorbattlesorpatronsaints,althoughtheyhaveallthesethings.However,onetrulyEnglishholidayisBonfireNight—sometimescalledGuyFawkesNight—celebratedintheearlyautumn.40.HowdotheProtestantsandCatholicscelebratetheirownholidaysinNorthernIreland?Whattraditionsarebehindtheircelebrations?40.Anotherfestivalwhichcomesfromthe17thcenturybattlesbetweenCatholicsandProtestantsistheProtestantcelebrationoftheirvictoryattheBattleoftheBoyne(12July)in1690.NorthernIrishCatholicscelebratethebirthdayofthepatronsaintofIreland,StPatrick,onMarch17eachyear.41.HowisHogmanaycelebratedinScotland?WhatotherfestivalsarecelebratedinScotland?41.WhilemostBritishpeoplewelcomethecomingoftheNewYearwithparties,inScotland,NewYear'sEvecalledHogmanay(31December)—isthemajorwintercelebration,andovershadowsChristmas(calledYuleinScotland)whichisaveryquietaffair.HowHogmanayiscelebratedvariesthroughoutScotland,butonewidelypractisedcustomis"firstfooting".ThereisasuperstitiousbeliefthatthefirstpersontocrossthethresholdofahouseholdintheNewYearcanbringluckandprosperity:theappearanceofayoung,preferablydarkhairedandhandsomeman,isconsideredparticularlylucky.Firstfootersoftenbringabottleofspirits,alcohol,alumpofcoalorapeatasagiftandaregivena"dramofwhisky"astheirreward.42.WhicharethetwomostimportantandfamousuniversitiesinBritain?42.CambridgeUniversityandOxford43.WhatisthegoalofeducationintheU.K.?43.ThegoalofBritisheducationistosocializechildren.44.IstheBritisheducationsystemrunbythestateortheprivatesector?44.TheBritisheducationsystemrunbythestate.45.WheredoBritishuniversitiesreceivetheirfundsbesidesstudentstuition?45.IntheUK,theamountoffundingeachuniversityreceivesisbasedonitssize,thenumberofstudentsitteaches,andtheresearchitconducts.Sofar,theUKhasonlyoneprivatelyfundeduniversity,theUniversityof46.Whydoestheauthorsaythat"thewaythelivingarrangementsofasocietyasawholeareorganizedtellsussomethingaboutthatsociety"?46.Forindividualmembersofanysocietythehometheyliveinisofgreatimportanceintheirlives.Thewaythelivingarrangementsofasocietyasawholeareorganizedtellsussomethingaboutthatsociety—itsstandardofliving,itssocialandfamilialstructure,thedistributionofwealthinasociety—bothintermsofgeographyandsocialhierarchy—andevensomethingaboutthatsociety'svaluesanddreams.47.WhatarethefourmaintypesofhomeinBritain?Howdotheyreflectthecostandstatusofhomes?WhataresomeofthemajortypesofhomeinChina?47.Thereare,broadlyspeaking,fourmaintypesofhome.Thefirstkindare"flats"(orapartments),ofvaryingsize,ofteninmodernmulti-storeypurpose-builtbuildings,thoughsometimesmadebysub-dividingbigoldhouses.Flatsareoftenpubliclyowned.Thesecondkindare"terraced"houses:thatis,individualtwo-storeyhousesbuiltjoiningontoeachotherateachsideinaterraceorrow.Thesecondkindare"terraced"houses:thatis,individualtwo-storeyhousesbuiltjoiningontoeachotherateachsideinaterraceorrow;thefourthoneis“detached.”48.HowarepeopleintheUKdividedintodifferentclasses?48.TheBritishpeoplearedividedintoclasseseconomically,culturally,educationallyandetc.49.IstheclasssystemsimilarwiththeUnitedStates?49.WhatisdistinctiveabouttheBritishclass-system,andwhichmarksitasdifferentfromtheAmericanorChinesesocialstructure,isthatithasalsoretainedahereditaryaristocracy.50.WhatandhowdidtheBritishempireend?HowdidtheBritishreacttothisreality?50.Twoworldwarshadseriouslyinfluenceditsempireposition.TheendofthegreatBritishempirewassurprisinglyrapid.In1946,Jordan,intheMiddleEast,wasgrantedindependence.Thefollowingyear,IndiaandPakistanfollowedsuit.In1948,BurmaandCeylon(nowSriLanka)weregrantedindependenceandlefttheCommonwealthaswell,refusingtorecognisetheBritishmonarchastheheadoftheirnewstates.Throughoutthenextfewdecades,theprocessofdecolonisationcontinuedasotherterritoriesandpossessionsreceivedtheirindependenceorwerereturnedtotheirrightfulrulers.51.WhatarethefoundationsofBritain'sforeignpolicy?51.ThecontemporaryforeignpolicyoftheUKisgreatlyinfluencedbyitsimperialhistoryandalsobyitsgeopoliticaltraits.PerhapsthemostimportantsinglefactorwhichinfluencesBritishpolicy-makersisitshistory.52.HowisBritain'sforeignpolicymade?Doesthegovernment'sforeignpolicyrepresentthedesiresofBritishcitizens?52.ThePrimeMinisterandCabinetdecideonthegeneraldirectionofBritain'sforeignpolicy.ThemaingovernmentdepartmentinvolvedisofcoursetheForeignandCommonwealthOffice(FCO),butmanyothergovernmentministriesalsoplayapartinformulatingandexecutingthegovernment'sdecisions.53.WhydoestheauthorsaythatthedecisiontojointheECwasandremainscontroversialinBritain?53.ThedecisiontojointheEECwasverycontroversial;andtoday,Britain'sparticipationintheEuropeanUnion,asitisnowcalled,remainscontroversial.AtthecentreofthecontroversyisthefactthatitisnotclearwhattheEuropeanUnion(EU)isandwhatitwillbecome.TheUKhasalwaysbeenveryinterestedinencouragingfreetradebetweencountriesandisthereforeverysupportiveoftheEUasafreetradearea.However,theUKhasalwaysbeenlessenthusiasticaboutgivingupitsnationalsovereignty(thatis,itscontrolovernationaldecision-making)toaEuropeangovernment.54.WhydoestheauthorthinkthatBritainhasthe"specialrelationship"withtheUnitedStates?Doesthisrelationshipstillexist?54.AnothermajorfactorwhichinfluencesBritishforeignpolicyisitsrelationshipwiththeUnitedStates.Thiswasquitenatural,asthetwowerecloselyalliedduringWorldWarII,andcontinuedtoworktogethercloselyinthepostwaryearsbecausetheysharedmanyofthesameworriesabouttheSovietUnion.Eventoday,inmanyrespectsBritishandAmericanpolicy-makersagreegenerallyon,forexample,howtheglobaleconomyshouldbemanaged,howawarlikestateshouldbedealtwith,issuesaboutarmscontrolandsoon.55.WhataresomeofthegeneralcharacteristicsofAustraliaintermsofland,peopleandculture?55.Australiaistheworld'ssmallestcontinentandlargestisland,arelativelyyoungnationestablishedinanancientland.Itsdevelopmentrepresentsatriumphoverremotenessandaharshlandscape…56.DiscusstheclimateinAustralia.WhataresomeofthemajordifferencesbetweenAustraliaandChinaintermsoftheclimate?56.Australiaisthedriestinhabitedcontinentanditsrainfallvariesextremelygeographicallyandseasonally.Meanannualrainfallis465mm.Rainfallvariesfromlessthan150mmoverthecentreofthecontinenttomorethan2minpartsofthetropicsandwesternTasmania.Theaverageannualsurfacerunoff,about440km3,represents12percentoftotalrainfall.Evaporationaccountsformostoftherest.57.WhatarethesixstatesofAustralia?Whataresomeofthemajorsimilaritiesordifferencesintermsofpopulation,earlysettlementandeconomyinthesixstates?57.Australiahassixstates:NewSouthWales(NSW),Victoria,Queensland,SouthAustralia(SA),WesternAustralia(WA)andTasmania.Italsohasthreeinternalterritories-theNorthernTerritory(NT),theAustralianCapitalTerritory(ACT)andtheJervis58.CanyoupointoutsomemaindifferencesbetweentheAustraliangovernmentsystemandtheBritishgovernmentsystem?58.Broadly,theAustralianfederationhasathree-tiersystemofgovernment:theAustralianParliament(thelegislature)andGovernment,responsibleforallmattersofnationalinterest;sixstategovernmentsandtheirlegislatures,complementingtheactivitiesofthenationalgovernment(plustheAustralianCapitalterritoryandtheNorthernTerritory,whicharesimilartothestatesandlargelyself-governing);andabout900localgovernmentbodiesatthecity,town,municipalandshirelevel.59.DiscusstheAustralianeducationsystem.WhataresomeofthefeaturesinthesystemthatarespecificallyAustralian?59.EachstateandterritoryofAustraliahasitsownprimaryandsecondaryeducationsystem.Standards,however,arehighandreasonablyuniform.Withineachstateandterritorysystemtherearetwomaintypesofschool-governmentandnongovernmentschools.Ingovernmentschools,attendedbyabouttwothirdsofchildren,tuitionisfree.Aboutthree-quartersofthenon-governmentschoolsareCatholic.Mostnon-governmentschoolschargefees.60.WhataresomeofthedistinctfeaturesofNewZealand'sgeography?FindoutsimilaritiesanddifferencesintermsofgeographybetweenNewZealandandAustralia.60.SituatedinthesouthwestPacificOcean,NewZealandisalarge,longgroupofislands,1600kilometresfromnorthtosouth.Therearetwomainlandmasses,theNorthIslandandtheSouthIsland,separatedbyCookStrait.Thethirdlargestisland,StewartIsland,issouthofthe61.WhataresomeofthesimilaritiesbetweenNewZealandandBritaininthegovernmentsystem?61.NewZealand'sconstitutionismadeupofparliamentarystatutes(laws),judicialrulings(courtdecisions)andadministrativepractices.NewZealandhasnowrittenconstitution.TheConstitutionAct1986definestherelationshipbetweenthelegislative(Parliament),executive(Governmentdepartmentsandagencies)andjudicial(thecourts)rolesofgovernment.NewZealandisanindependentstate,governedbyademocraticallyelectedparliament.TheHeadofStateistheBritishmonarchQueenElizabethIIinhercapacityasQueenofNewZealand,representedbyaGovernor-General.TheGovernor-General'sagreementisrequiredforanActofParliamenttobecomelaw.62.HowdidmoderndevelopmentinEuropeinfluencethesettlementofNorthAmericancolonies?62.Withthefastdevelopmentofcommerceandtrade,thebourgeoi