英语国家概况课程设计.docx

华南农业大学珠江学院英语国家概况课程测评设计系： 外国语系 年级专业：2013级商务英语1303班 学号： 姓名（手写签名）： 提交日期： 2016年12月20日 成绩评定： A Guide to English-Speaking CountriesI The United Kongdom of Great Britain1.1Geography, People and Language1.1.1 Geography latitudes 49N and 61N and longitudes 8 W to 2E About 243000 square kilometers England,Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland The longest river:Severn River The largest Lake in the British lsles:Lough Neagh The River Thames: the longest river in England and the second longest in the United Kingdoma historical landmark in the city of London. Climate: Temperate, with warm summers, cool winters and plentiful precipitation, Winter fog, Rainy days, Instability/ChangeabilityMajor Cities: London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the political, industrial,cultural and financial center of the country ,also is the one of the worlds leading banking and financial centers.(Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, The Palace of Westminster,Guildhall,Hyde Paris, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, London Eye) Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland.the city is administrative,financial,legal,medical and insurance center of Scotland,it has beautiful scenery and renowned architectureLandmarks Symbols of Edinburgh: Edinburgh castle, Palace of Holyrood. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales for 58 years ,is the youngest capital city in Europe.one of the most fashionable cities in the United Kingdom. Belfast is the largest city and the capital of northern Ireland ,is an important historic city.1.1.2PeopleOverall population: about 63 millionImmigrants:Italians,Greeks,Australians,New Zealanders,etc.1.1.3 LanguageOld English（5th11th）Middle English（11th15th） Modern English（15th）Standard English 1.2 History1.2.1 The Founding of the NationRoman Britain and the Anglo-Saxons:Prehistoric Period(history undocumented)Celtic Britain(5th8th Century BC)The name of BritainBritonsRoman Britain(43 AD5 th Century)Julius Caesar invaded BritainThe Anglo-Saxon Invasion(5th8th Century)Germanic people &English&Roman ChristiantySt.Augustine:founded the Christianchurchin southern EnglandDanish Invasion(8th Century1066)Alfred the GreatThe Norman ConquestThe military conquest of England by WilliamFeudal Society: Great Charter Brith of Parliament Hundred Years War(1337-1453) The War of the Roses(1455-1485) 1.2.2 Transition to the Modern AgeReligious Reformation2 religious camps:Catholic and ProtestantImmediate cause:Herry VIIIs divorceAct of Supremacy:Herry VIII“the only supreme head of the church of England”In essence, the Reformation was a political movement in a religious guise.Golden Age of English HistoryThe Civil WarThe civil war(1642-1651):the monarchy was abolishedThe Commonwealth(1649-1660)Parliament had Charles II as king of England. This put an end to the Commonwealth.Restoration and the Glorious Revolution1661,Charles II:to restore the old social order1685,James II: to reestablish CatholicismBill of Rights:limiting the power of the monarch and guaranteeing the authority of ParliamentThe Industrial RevolutionSeven Years War(1756-1763)The Industrial Revoltuion took place first in Britain for the following reasons:huge market1.2.3The Rise and Fall of the British EmpireFirst British Empire: 19th CenturySecond British Empire during the Victorian Age:Mid-and late-19th CenturyWorld War I:Most countries support the Allies Powers and Allies Powers won.The cost of the war for Britaini was great.World War II：Germany-launching a plan to conquer EuropeBritain-appeasementThe Fall of the Empire:Independence movementIndia,Pakistan,Burma,Malaya,and Egyt1.2.4 Britain since World War II1.3 Government and the Commonwealth1.3.1 ConstitutionBritish Constitution is made up of:Statutory Law/Common Law/Conventions1.3.2 GovernmentThe Legislature(Basic Structure of UK Central Government)Parliament(the law-making body of Britain& the parliament consists of the King or Queen, the House of Lords, the House of Commons)Queen(Queen Elizabeth II is a “constitutional monarch”)The House of the Lords(the Upper House):The House of Commons:to pass laws,bills and acts of Parliament/to scrutinize,criticize and restrain the actions of the government/ to influence the future government policy)The Executive: head of the governmentThe Cabinet:supreme decision-making body in the British government Privy Council (its main duty is to give advice)The Judiciary (two branches of law: Civil law & Criminal law)1.3.3 Political PartiesOverall IntroductionComparative Description on the two major partiesConservative PartyLabor PartyDevelopmentFrom Tories(a political group which appeared under King Charles II) ByUnionists,liberals,socialists and the Fabian SocietyTimeThe middle of the 19 th century(old)In 1990(young)CharacteristicsRight wing party They stand for private enterprise and freedom from state control.Left wing party They stand for national and communal growth.SupportersMiddle & upper-middle class People of higher positionWorking calss and common people relatively poor or underprivilegedRight (Margaret Thatcher)Left(Tony Blair/Gordon Brown)1.3.4 ElectionHeld every five years in the 646 constituencies1.3.5The CommonwealthOrigin of the Commonwealth:in 1949,”British” was dropped from the title of “Commonwealth”the London Declaration accepted and recognized Indias continued membership as a republic.From 1960 onwards ,new members joined the Commonwealth.Characteristics and Functions:a voluntary association of the independent sovereign states/to advocate democracy,human rights,and to promote economic cooperation and growth of its membersMembers:an organization composed of 53 states in 2005/a population of approximately 1.8billion people ,some 30 percent of the worlds total populationOrganizations:The headquarters are all located in London/the Commonwealth Secretariat/Commonwealth MinistersMeeting held annually.Commonwealth Day:the second Monday in March every year/an opportunity to promote understanding of global issues,internatonal cooperation and the efforts to improve the lives of its 1.8 billion citizens.1.4 Economy1.4.1 Recent History of British EconomyGroup of 8:a forum for the governments of the worlds eight wealthiest countires that originated in 1975.Economic decline(after world war II)causes:two world war great economic lossBritain failed to invest in industry after World War IIPolicies :(mixed economy ) & during the 20 th century the government has become involved in the economy through introduction of social welfare policies and laws to regulate industrial relations.1945-1979:result:Britains economic growth fell behind that of western European countries1979-1997:result:Britains economic growth still lagged behind/in 1997,the labor party Tony Blair (the “Third Way”) Result: Britains economic growth surpassed other major European countries1.4.2 Current British EconomyThe worlds fifth largest economyNatural Resources & Infrastructures:Principal resourcesoil and gas/Large amount of coalAgriculture：Mild climate-favorable environment for agriculture and stock raising.Energy Production: (Shell、British Petroleum、British Gas)Services industries: the strongest performing sector in the UK economy.Finance: London known as the worlds leading international financial centreThe London foreign exchange market is the largest in the worldFund Management Securities Dealing1.5 Education, Media and Holiday1.5.1 EducationEducation Policy:Compulsory education Comprehensive schools/Grammar schools/Vocational schoolsSubjects : mathematics, English, science, geography, history, technology, music, arts, physical education and a foreign language.Educational SystemPrimary and Secondary Education : (State systemlocal authority maintained / Independent systemPublic schools)Independent system famous schools:Eton ,Harrow and WinchesterNational curriculumHigher Education1.5.2 MediaNewspaperslong established industrythe worlds oldest Sunday newspaper)The TimesTelevision and BroadcastThe British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) 1936Independent Television(ITV)19551.5.3Holidays and FestivalChristmas: celebration of the brith of Jesus ChristBoxing Day: the day following Christmas dayEaster:the oldest and most important Christian festivalNational festival:on November 5Bonfire Night:light huge bonfireMothers Day:first celebrated in 1908April FoolsDay: playing practical jokes on this day.Remembrance Sunday:held on the second Sunday in November 1.6 LiteratureThe Old English Period and Middle English Period (450-1500)The Old English Period:the epic BeowulfThe Middle English Period:With the Norma Conquest in 1066,Britian entered the Middle Ages(1066-1485)Geoffrey ChaucerThe Renaissance (1500-1660) Sonnet:of the Italian origin ,one of the best-known sonnet writers is Willian Shakespeare,who wrote 154 of them.Drama：The highest glory of the English Renaissance isdramaWilliam Shakespeare(1564-1616): was born in that house on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon in April 1564.Comedy: a midsummer mightsdream(1595) / the merchant of Venice(1598) Tragedies: Hamlet（1601） / Remeo and Juliet (1597)The Neo-Classical Period (1660-1785)Historical Background RepresentativesJohn Milton:(1608-1674) Paradise Lost Alexander Pope:(1688-1744) the first English poet who could lived off the sales of his worksJonathan Swift:(1667-1745) YahooDaniel Defoe:(1660-1731) Robinson Crusoe The Romantic Period (1785-1830)Pioneers of Romantic PoetsPioneers:William Wordsworth(1770-1850) & Samuel Taylor Coleridge(1772-1834) Declaration of Independence of romantic poetryLyrical Ballads(1798)The Major“Second Generation”of Romantic Poets:Geogre Gordon Byron(1788-1824)John Keats(1785-1821)The Victorian Period (1832-1901)Critical Realism:Features Representatives RepresentativesCharles Dickens(1812-1870) Jane Austen(1775-1817) : Bronte Sisters( Charlotte & Emily & Anne) :George Eliot(1819-1880) Thomas Hardy(1840-1928) :The Modern Period (1914-1945)Fiction:Joseph Conrad(1857-1924) . Virginia Woolf(1882-1941) .James Joyce (1882-1941) D.H.Lawrence(1885-1930) Poetry:William Butler Yeats(1865-1939) . Thomas Stearns Eliot(1888-1965)Drama:George Berenard Shaw(1856-1950)The Postmodern Period(1945-)Fiction:George Orwell(1903-1950)Drama:Samuel Beckett(1906-1989)Q:Why to say British history has been a history of invasion? Illustrate this point with examples how did each of the invasions influence English culture?A: Before the first century AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people: a powerful culture originating in central Europe. Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by the Roman empire, and England and Wales (though not Scotland or Ireland) became a part of the Roman empire for nearly 400 years.Two more groups of invaders were to come after the English: from the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings, threatened Britains shores. William the duke of Normandy ,France in 1066 at an annual rate of military invasion.Q:What is your idea about UK keeping the monarch?A:Inreality,theKingorQueendoeseverythingontheadviceofthePrimeMinister,andhis/herroleissymbolic,ceremonial,andnotpolitical. Britain for heads of state and the separation system, the emperor is the phantom head only courtesy and symbolic meaning, it is the general understanding of jurists, emperor actually in some cases, there are still and its extensive influence, even the Blair once said England can do without me, but not without her majesty the queen, the prime minister is the head of government, direct the work of the cabinet.Q:What the power differences between Elizabeth I and Elizabeth II ? A: The reign of Elizabeth I, is a parliamentary system, not the prime minister, right in the hands of the queen. Elizabeth II is a constitutional monarchy, the prime ministers power larger than the queen, the queen became king series and died. The queen is only the nominal head of state, is appointed by the queen is responsible for the technical secretary, but in fact the queen cannot appoint or dismiss ministers and officials; Prime minister general by the majority leader of the house of Commons, and advised the queen appointed by the prime minister other cabinet members. And the British government is not responsible to the queen, it must be responsible to the house of Commons, which indirectly responsible to British voters.II The United States of America1.1Geography, People and Language1.1.1 GeographyIn the central part of North America / Canada on the north / Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico on the south / Atlantic Ocean on the east / Pacific Ocean on the west9,6 million square kilometers Original 48 states (Alaska & Hawaii)Main Geographical Regions:New England(Harvard)、The Mid-Atlantic States(New York)、The South、The Midwest(Chicago)、The Southwest、The west(California)The Mississippi River as the “father of waters” & The great Lakes1.1.2Climate mainly temperate with some mild subtropical zones with only the southern Florida and Hawaii being tropical1.1.3Natural Resources rich in mineral/ oil / Energy crisis:oil consumption and reservation1.1.4Major CitiesNew Yorkcommercial and financial center Washington D.Csent of the federal governmentLos Anglessecond largest cityChicago the windy city Seattle, Philadelphia, Sam Francisco1.1.5Pople the third most populous nation in the world,ranking behind China and IndiaAbout 8 million black people were brought to America from Afria as slaves from 1620 to 1820.the black people account for about 12% of population.1.2History1.2.1Ameica in the Colonial EraPilgrims Fathers:Boston Tea Party: in 1773The First Continental Congress :1774-091.2.2The War of IndependenceThe Shot of Lexington : in April 19,1775The Second Continental Congress: founding Continental Army and NavyDeclaration of Independence:on july 4,1776 / drafted by Thomas JeffersonProcess of the War:dragged on for seven yearsThe Establishment of the Constitution:on May 25,17871.2.3The Civil WarCauses of Civil War:Economic、political The North:23 states,22million populationComparison of Power: The South:11states,9 million populationThe Fierce War:Abraham LincolnInfluence of the Civil War:abolished the slavery system1.2.4America in the 20 th CenturyWorld War I:outbreak of the first world war / US entered the war in 1917Post WWI to the 1940s:the booming 1920s / the great depression / New DealWorld War II : broke out in September,1939 and ended in August,1945Post WWII Years: The Cold War / Truman Doctrine / NATO/ The Korean War / The Vietnam War1.2.5America in the 21 th CenturyGeorge W.Bush Period : the econom remains as fastThe War against Terrorism : on September 11,2001Invasion of Iraq : March 20,20031.3Government1.3.1 ConstitutionBase instrument law,drawn up in 1787,came into effect in 17891.3.2 Federal System & GovernmentThe Federal GovernmentThe Executive Branch:White House / President/Watergate ScandalThe Legislative Branch : Congress/ the Senate/The House of Represntatives/The Funtion of CongressThe Judicial Branch:The Supreme Court is the highest court1.3.3 Political PartiesSymbols of Parties:Donkey & ElephantThe Democratic Party ：Liberal The Republican Party :ConservationFunction of Parties :to nominate candidates for office and help them in their election campaigns1.3.4 ElectionThe process is complex / four stages/1.3.5 Foreign PolicyNeutrality :fourteen pointsContainment and Intervention : cold war ,historic step,US domination1.4Economy1.4.1 General IntroductionUSthe current industrial,economic and technological giantMixed economyPrivate businesses produce most goods and services“Cunsumer economy”1.4.2History of American EconomyThe Colonial PeriodMassachusettsOther coloniesEnglish investors turned overcolonial characters to the srttlersSecondary industriesClear regional patterns of developmentDisputes over taxation and other matters with BritainAmerican Revolution:bolstered by an emerging middle classSince American Independence Constitution established the nation as a unified market Alexander Hamiltons economic development strategy(subsidiestariffsbankdebts)The Industrial Revolution (1860)The Southtural and dependent on the North for capital and manutactured goodsNorthernensured the destiny of the nation and economic systemSecond industrial revolution(1960s)The 20 th CenturySuffered Great Depression in the 1930sRoosevelts New DealAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 20091.4.3Current American EconomyAgriculture:Agribusinesslow-cost outputfarmers not work on the farms full time.Manufacturing Industry:formed an industrial system with large productivity.Serivce Industry:Tremendous growth in employment in the service sector since the 1970s.High-tech Industry:ranking first in the world leading computer companies 、engineering、information technology in the worldForeign Trade:from domestic-oriented to internationally-oriented Exports about 10% of the worlds total Biggest percentage of imports in the world1.5Education,Media and Holidays1.5.1EducationIdeals