华东师范大学英美文化考试资料总结.doc

主题：期末考试题型与范围期末考试的题型有:1. 听力(点填空)2. 阅读理解3. 选择题4. 匹配体(即提供一组名词术语和何一组解释,要求将名词术语与相应解释文字匹配起来)5. 判断对错考试内容就是课本中的地理、历史、政治和教育共四章内容，题目只涉及课本内容，不涉及课堂拓展内容，所以请大家务必好好看书。另外考试请记住带收音机，并在试卷上写好自己的上课时间（单双周/星期/第几节课）Americans established their basic system of public schools in 1825.A basic reading literacy 99%Equality of opportunity Elementary through collegeAmerican public school system: Generally speakingPrimaryelementary schools six years of elementary schools compulsory education two years of junior high (middle )school secondaryhigh schools four years of senior high school Finally higher levelscollege undergraduate and graduate programsGenerally speaking,five years old and ending at 16 to 18, but can vary slightly from state to state.12 years different 6-3-3 5-3-4 but all do guarantee 12years of compulsory education.Education requirements can generally be satisfied by attending:public schools, state-certified private schools, religious, privately owned, etc.or an approved home school program. School attendance is mandatory and nearly universal at the primary and secondary levels (often known inside the United States as the elementary and high school levels). Education in the United States is provided mainly by government, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Official name: the United States of America，Often called as the United States, the U.S., the US, the USA, or simply America, or the States in American spoken EnglishNational Anthem国歌: The Star-Spangled Banner 星条旗永不落National Day国庆节: July 4National flower: roseNational stone: blue sapphire National bird: bald eagleCapital: Washington D.C. (as a memorial to George Washington and Christopher Columbus)Nickname: Uncle SamAmerican Government and PoliticsI. Foundations1. Articles of Confederation2. American Constitution3. Bill of Rights1. The Articles of Confederationn When the War of Independence was over, the United States was not one unified nation as it is today. Each new state was organized very much like an independent nation, they1) had its own government2) made its own laws3) handled all of its internal affairsn The agreement that set the plan of cooperation (the states cooperate with the Congress or with each other) was called The Articles of Confederation（1781）联邦条款n However, it has two serious weaknesses:1) no national executive or law-enforcing branch2) the Congresss inability to regulate trade and levy taxes 征税 n On February 21, 1787, Congress called for a Constitutional Convention 制宪会议 to be held in May to revise the articles. All of the states except Rhode Island were represented.2. American Constitutionn Between May and September,1787, the convention wrote the present Constitution for the United StatesThe Constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government.It became the fundamental law of the land on March 4, 1789.n It retained some of the features of the Articles of Confederation but gave considerably more power to the federal government. n The new Constitution provided for executive and judicial branches of government, lacking in the Articles, and allowed the government to tax its citizens. n The Constitution also called for the election of a national leader, or president.n It provided that federal laws would be made only by a Congress made up of representatives elected by the people.n It also provided for national court system headed by a Supreme Court.3. Bill of Rightsn The first ten amendments to the U.S Constitution were called the Bill of Rightsn It was adopted in 1791 and promises to protect individuals rights. II. Government Institutions 1. The Executive Branch2. The Judiciary Branch3. The Legislative BranchGovernmentn The government was set up according to the American Constitution, based on 3 general principlesw Federalismw The Separation of Powersw Respect for the Constitution and the rule of lawPrinciple 1. FederalismEach American is subject to 2 governments1. That of the Union 2. That of his statePrinciple 2. Separation of powers1) Executive2) Legislature3) Judicial The 3 elements are checked and balanced 1. The Executive Branchn Executive Head- president w The Chief Executive of the United States is the president, who, together with the vice president, is elected to a four-year term.w In 1951, a constitutional amendment set a limit of two termsn Two Presidenciesw The President has several significant leadership roles. w The leadership roles are divided into two large areas of authority and responsibility, domestic policy and foreign affairs policy. w The leadership roles are generally referred to as the two presidencies.1) The Domestic Policy Presidencyw Chief formulator of public policy, often proposes legislation to Congressw has the formal constitutional authority to oversee the execution and implementation of the law. w has broad powers to issue regulations and directions regarding the work of the federal governmentw has the ability to significantly influence the legislative and judicial branches. w Appoints federal judges as vacancies occur, including members of the Supreme Court.w Appoints the heads and senior officials of the executive branch agencies(Each appointment must be confirmed by the Senate House)Cabinetw The appointed secretaries of the major departments of the government make up the presidents cabinet.w The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departmentsthe Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General. 司法部长2) The Foreign Policy Presidencyw the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces More significantly, while the Congress has the authority to Declare War, presidents since Washington have made war without explicit congressional cooperation.w Primarily responsible for foreign relations with other nationsw Appoints ambassadors and other officials subject to Senate approvalw Formulates and manages the nations foreign policy with the secretary of state 国务卿w Represents his country in consultations with other heads of statew Negotiates treaties with other countries through his officials. (Such treaties must be approved by two-thirds vote of the Senate.)w Also negotiates with other nations less formal “executive agreements”. 行政协定 (Such agreements are not subject to Senate approval.)n White House-where the first family live2. The Legislative Branchw The United States Congress is the chief legislative or law-making body in the land. w It is the only branch that can make federal laws, levy taxes, declare war or put foreign treaties into effect.All Legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. (Article I, Section 1, of the United States Constitution)n Two Houses comparisonNumber of membersw The Senate is composed of 2 members from each state.w Membership in the House of Representatives is based on population and size of the state, there are 435 seats elected from constituencies.Membershipw The Constitution requires that U.S. Senators must be at least 30 years of age, citizens of the U.S for at least 9 years, and residents of the states from which they are elected. w The senatorial term is 6 years, and every 2 years one-third of the Senate stands for re-election.w Members of the House of Representatives must be at least 25, citizens for 7 years, and residents of the states which send them to Congress. Lawmakingw Each house of the Congress has the power to introduce legislation on any subject, EXCEPT revenue bills which must first come from the House of Representatives. w The Constitution provides that the Vice president shall be president of the Senate. He has no vote, except in a case of a tie.w The House of Representatives choose its own presiding officer the Speaker of the House.3. The Judicial Branchw Constitution, Article IIIw Section 1. The Judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Courtw 合众国的司法权属于最高法院.w Section 2 The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity衡平法, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority.w 司法权适用的范围，应包括在本宪法、合众国法律、和合众国已订的及将订的条约之下发生的一切涉及普通法及衡平法的案件w The Supreme Court, created by the Judiciary Act 联邦司法法 of September 24, 1789, has final authority in all legal questions or controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States.w The size of the Supreme Court is determined by the Congress. There are currently 9 justices on the Courta Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices. 一名首席大法官及8名大法官w If without an impeachable 弹劾 offense, Supreme Court Justices serve for life or until they voluntarily retire.III. Voting & Electionsn Candidates & Campaignsu The president election was held every 4 years:u The Constitution requires the President candidate to be a natural-born American citizen at least 35 years of age. u The electors of all fifty states and the District of Columbiaa total of 538 personscomprise what is known as the Electoral College.（选举团）To be successful, a candidate for the Presidency must receive 270 votes. u Every successful political campaign consists of three essential ingredients: a good candidate an adequate organization sufficient money to make the campaign go onw In most elections, each major party selects a candidate and supports him or her with money, advice, and publicity. w Because it is expensive to run a campaign, minor parties and independent candidates with smaller funds find it difficult to compete against the major party candidates for votes.n Political partiesw Political parties, which are made up of groups of voters who share similar political views, or philosophies, are an important feature of the American political system.Two Major Partiesw There are two major American parties the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.Two Major Partiesthe Democratic Partyw Evolved from Thomas Jeffersons party.w The symbol of the party is the donkey.the Republican Partyw Formed in the 1850s by people in the states of the North and West who wanted the government to prevent the expansion of slavery into new states. (Abraham Lincoln is among them.)w The symbol of the party is the elephant.The Democratic Partyw Most Americans consider the Democratic party the more liberal party.w The Democrats believe the federal government and the state governments should be active in providing social and economic programs for those who need them.w The Democrats earned the reputation in the 1930s during the economic depression.w Democrats set up government programs to provide paid employment for people building public works“New Deal” by President Roosevelt. （罗斯福新政）The Republican Partyw American people tend to regard the Republicans more conservative.w Republicans believe too many social programs are too costly to the tax-payers.w They place more emphasis on private enterprise and often accuse the Democrats of making the government too expensive and harm individual in