英语国家概况-美国文化-历史人文环境.doc

Part Three The United States of AmericaChapter 13 Geography第一部分：Location and Size1. 美国的地理位置：The continental United States lies in central North America with Canada to its north, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico to its south, the Atlantic Ocean to its east and the Pacific Ocean to its west. 2. 识记：The two newest states Alaska and Hawaii are separated from the continental United States.3. 简答：Why does the United States have an ideal location for trade?The United State has an ideal location for trade. Its Atlantic coast faces the developed countries of Western Europe and its Pacific coast and Hawaii give the nation an approach to the Far East and Australia. (澳大拉西亚: 一个不明确的地理名词,一般指澳大利亚,新西兰及附近南太平洋诸岛,有时也泛指大洋洲和太平洋岛屿)4. 美国最大和最小的州：Of all the states Alaska is the largest in area and Rhode Island is the smallest, but on the mainland Texas is the largest state of the country.5. 美国两大主要山系：the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky mountains6. 落基山脉的最高峰：the Elbert7. 落基山脉-大陆分水岭：The Rockies, the backbone of the North American continent, is also known as the Continental Divide.8. 名词解释：the Continental Divide (金鸡落下落基，座北朝南north-south line，东边的翅膀沾满蜂蜜密西西比和墨水墨西哥湾；西边的翅膀挥舞着和太平洋边上的加州旅馆say “Hello”!)- The Rockies, the backbone of the North American continent, is also known as the Continental Divide, it is an imaginary north-south line that separates the major river systems of the United States. The rivers that descendfrom the eastern slopes of the Rockies flow into the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico. Those that begin on the western slopes of the Rockies flow to the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.9. 有关 the Mississippi 的重点：(记密西西比的发源地：想象：秘密密西西比地从湖里舀了杯苏打明尼苏达水喝下去，嘻嘻地笑了)Lying between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains is one of the worlds great continental riversthe Mississippi. The Mississippi proper rises in the lake region in North Minnesota and flows south to the Gulf of Mexico. The Mississippi has been called “father of waters” or “old man river”. （英语里father=old man）10. The Ohio River的别称：(鹅害鹅Ohio，鹅害怕，骑着鹿儿Ruhr，逃跑了。)The Ohio River has been called the American Ruhr (after the Ruhr River in Germany). 11. 太平洋沿岸的河流：On the Pacific side there are two great rivers: the Colorado in the south, and the Columbia, which rises in Canada. (科学家和一哥们科：科罗拉多；哥：哥伦比亚在太平洋岸边信口开河，开出了两条大河。)12. 美国的大湖区：The most important lakes in the United States are the Great Lakes. 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.注：可以用Homes 这个单词来帮助同学们记忆美国 的五大湖，H 代表 Lake Huron, O 代表Lake Ontario, M代表Lake Michigan, E代表Lake Erie, S代表Lake Superior. 其中Lake Superior是世界上最大的淡水湖, Lake Michigan完全在美国境内为什么Lake Michigan完全在美国境内呢，因为它和America一样有个M字！13. 五大湖的重要性：The Great Lakes are the economic lifeline of the Midwest, they provide cheap transportation for materials 14. 简答：What are the benefits of the lakes, rivers and seacoasts of the United States? （想象：字头H-N-H是不是都很象河流的形状呢，它们代表三个单词，Harbor-Network-Hydroelectric!）- The long and irregular seacoasts provide many excellent harbors. A large network of lakes and the Atlantic and Gulf rivers links the interior of the country with the coastal cities. Many swift rivers provide good sources of hydroelectric power. 15. 论述：(这道题可以理解后记忆。四个因素，纬度/水/流(currents)/山. 谐音+想象：一根芦苇顺着水流到了山上。)What are the factors which influence the climate of the United States?(1). The United States is located in the middle latitudes north of the equator. Like China many seasonal changes are found there.(2). The cilmate of the United States is influenced by the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes. These large bodies of water help keep temperatures moderate in the regions bordering them.(3). Ocean currents（水流） influence the climate over wide regions. The southeastern coast is warmed by the Gulf Stream. New England is cooled by the waters of the Labrador Current, which enters the Gulf of Maine.(4). The western mountain ranges have an important effect on the climate of the Far East. The Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges prevent westerly winds from bringing moisture to the intermountain region of the West. The Interior Plains of the Midwest, on the other land, are exposed to both the cold northern winds from Canada and the tropical winds from the Gulf of Mexico.16. 有关 New England 的重点：（字头+小故事记忆新英格兰：新英格兰是这么个小孩，一出生就和爸妈闹独立，自己上了三个大学，然后去打工，赚了很多钱，到处去旅游，洋洋得意，后来人们都叫他“扬基佬”）-New England is sometimes called the birthplace of America. It was the chief center of the American War of Independence of 1776 and was also the nations first industrial area.-New England is also well-known for its position in education. Yale, Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are located here. (字头+谐音记这三个大学：雅Yale马马萨诸塞哈哈佛 ！) -Because of New Englands cool climate, beautiful scenery, and places of historic interest, tourism is quite developed here and is one of the most profitable industries.-New Englanders were originally known as Yankees, which came to stand for all Americans.17. 为什么Midwest 的农业比较发达？(Midwest, 种田方法中西Midwest结合，农业当然发达！)- Midwest is a low area. Many parts are flat. The climate is humid continental. The soil is rich, the rain usually plentiful and the growing season long. These factors make the Midwest Americas most important agricultural area.18. 关于 Chicago：Chicago, the largest and busiest port on the Great Lakes, is the largest industrial and commercial center of the area. Chicago is also the cultural capital of the Midwest.19. Omaha, known as the agricultural capital of the United States. （在美国的农业之都，人们每天都用白色的，香喷喷的藕O喂给马ma吃，马吃得很开心，哈哈ha大笑！）20. The South now contains 90% of the American textile industry.21. The West 被分为三部分：The West can be divided into three parts: the Great Plains; the Rocky Mountains; the Intermountain Basin and Plateaus. （想象：太阳下山了暗指美国西部，无数的公鸡落在落基一望无际的大草原上，在盆子盆地里啄着高高的原子弹高原。）22. Colorado has been called the steel city of the west. 23. 美国著名的国家公园：(好记啊：一只落汤鸡飞到一条冰河上，饿晕了，拼命啄着黄石，以为是黄色的谷子呢。)Yellowstone National Park / Rocky Mountain National Park / Glacier National Park24. 胡佛水坝（留着白胡子的大佛站在高高的水坝上，一脚踩在花内华达上，一脚踩在鸭梨亚利桑那上。）Hoover Dam built on the border between Nevada and Arizona is one of the highest dams in the United States. 25. 科罗拉多大峡谷The Grand Canyon in north-western Arizona is one of natures most impressive sights. The bright colors of the canyon walls are a wonderful sight. 26. The Intermountain area 的各大城市及其特点：- Phoenix is the largest city in this area. It is famous as a health resort and vacation spot. （凤凰是山里面最大的鸟，人们从四面八方跑来问它长生不老的秘密，然后在这里度假。）- Tucson is a well-known winter resort （Tucson=图生，谐音+想象：冬天用一大堆花花绿绿的图书生火取暖，所以是个Winter resort, 不怕冷啊，哈！）- Albuquerque is a centre for touring the lands of Native American Peoples and is the site of New Mexicos state university. - Salt Lake City is the centre of transportation and trade for a large part of the area. The largest groups of Native Americans are found on the Colorado Plateau.27. 关于 the region of the Pacific Coast 的重点：The region of the Pacific Coast is characterized by a series of mountain ranges and fertile river valleys.Californias Imperial Valley is one of the worlds most famous irrigated areas.28. 关于Hawaii：（记Mauna Loa谐音：快告诉大家，夏夏威夷天很热的时候，火山爆发喷出无数“玛瑙喽”！）Mauna Loa, the worlds largest active volcano, is located on Hawaii and erupts from time to time.Tourism is Hawaiis most important industry.Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii. Chapter 14 Population, Race and Ethnic Groups1. 关于美国人口：The United States of America, with a population of 255.5 million in July1992, is the third most population country in the world after China and India.Immigration accounts for a major source of population growth.2. *The United States had a more or less open-door policy to immigrants from independence until the 1960s.*Ellis Island of New York was an important immigration reception spot in the 1890s and at the turn of the century.（Ellis, Elton的妹妹 你想移民美国吗，很简单，1。你的托福要60分及格；2。你要经济独立）3. 简答：Why the United States has long been known as a nation of immigrants?- The United States has long been known as a nation of immigrants because many of its people descend from settlers who came from all over the world to make their homes in the new land then populated by native American tribes.4. The first immigrants in American history came from England and the Netherlands.5. 名词解释：indentured servants (indenture: 契约) 理解记忆：为别人打工做为路费去新大陆淘金。- In early settlement in America, some came to the new Continent as indentured servants. These were poor people in Europe who wanted to seek better life in America yet had no money to pay the cross-Atlantic fare. They signed contracts with companies or individuals, committing to work for their masters a specified term in exchange for the journeys expenses to America.6. the largest immigration movement took place in 1815 （谐音+想象：1815=尾巴，一，舞。无数的移民挂在一条无比巨大的尾巴上一路欢歌跳舞，进入了美国。）7. 论述题：Say something about the three immigration waves. （三次移民潮用衣，鹅，山代表一二三大灰狼的故事：大灰狼是一个移民，刚到美国的时候穿了一件彩色的棒球衣，用尾巴（18）打棒球（10），它那不三不四(1830s and 1840s)的怪样子居然拿到了最高分（highest point），结果人们尊称它为“尾巴师父”（1845）;后来大灰狼骑在一头鹅的背上，尾巴象柳枝（1860）一样摇摇摆摆的，象是喝醉酒（1890）；然后它跑到一座最大的山上用尾巴猜酒令（1890），喝得烂醉如泥，要死（14=1914）要活的发酒疯。 - The first immigration wave began in the mid 1810s, grew steadily during the 1830s and 40s and reached the highest point in1845. The second wave covered the period between 1860 and 1890. The third wave was the largest of he three, it happened between 1890 and 1914.8.Mobility is considered to be one of the characteristics of the American people.9. 论述题：Describe the 4 population movements in the U.S. （美国人口四次国内迁移）答题要点：（关键字+想象：西进/城市化/黑人/阳光地带。西城区黑压压一大片乌云把太阳遮住了。1。内战的时候，战争这个巨人把人们象干草一样一把把拎1880到了西部。2。城里人都喜欢用尾巴行酒令1890，谁输了就要喝蚂蚁酒19，举哑铃20，2象个小鸭子吧，嘿嘿。3。数以万计的黑人，排成一条长龙，整齐地喊着拍子，2-4-6，2-4-6！20，40，60年代从南方移到其他地方。4。阳光地带，其实就是加州旅馆那里，在西部和南部，东北和中北的人们怕冷，都去了阳光地带。时间是60年代到现在，记住了第三点，自然就记住了60年代！）*the first movement: from the end of the Civil War to 1880 - westward movement *the second movement: from 1890 to 1920 - from rural areas to cities*the third movement: from 1920 to 1960, with the 1940s, the war years, as the peak - a large number of black people move out of the South to other areas*the forth movement: from the end of the 1960s till now - from the Northeast and Central North to the West and the South, that is, to the sunbelt areas10. 有关 The blacks 的重点：*The largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. is the blacks.*The first blacks were brought to North America as slaves in 1619 （谐音+想象：第一批几百个黑奴们骑在一头巨大的黑牛16上，每人喝着一瓶黑色的蚂蚁酒19，来到了北美.）*In order to keep the black slaves under control, the slave-owners resorted to brutal methods.*Uncle Toms Cabin and Roots are two novels giving a vivid description of the miserable life of the black slaves.*The slave system was formally ended by Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. （林肯撑着一把老伞1863，保护着无数的黑奴，扇了两下雨伞指两年后的第13（雨伞）次修改，把宪法给改了。）*The poverty rate of the blacks is the highest among all racial and ethnic groups.11. 简答或名词解释：The Civil Rights Act of 1964 added protections for the blacks for the right to vote, to use public facilities and to enjoy the same education as white people. It also contained provisions guaranteeing equal employment opportunities. （1964：姨舅很老实，所以享有公民权利）12. 识记：The Vote Rights Act of 1965 was meant to guarantee the blacks and others the right to vote（姨舅流下激动的眼泪，呜呜地哭，因为他终于有选举权了。）13. 名词解释：Hispanics- Hispanics refer to the Spanish-speaking population of the United States, who is large, diverse and rapidly growing one.14. Three major Hispanic groups historically have had the greatest influence on the United States, Mexican-Americans, or Chicanos, make up the largest group; the Puerto Ricans and the Cuban-Americans.（美丽的西班牙女郎把一滴巨大的墨墨西哥裔水滴在玻璃玻多黎格上，敲着腰鼓古巴后裔在玻璃上跳舞。）15.The most important obstacle to Hispanic success in the labor market is their low education.16. 有关 the Asian-Americans 的重点：*The Asian-Americans are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in the United States.*Experts say three Asian traditions best explain the success of Asian-Americans: education, hard work, and family.*The largest group of Asian-Americans are the Chinese-Americans.*Most of the Chinese settled in California.17. 名词解释：powwow（谐音+想象：印第安人爱吃泡泡pow糖，哇哇wow乱叫，喜欢唱歌跳舞打鼓）- The American Indians are making efforts to keep and develop their cultures, one example is the reappearance of the “powwow”, a community celebration including crafts, food, dance, song and the playing of drums.18. 名词解释：WASPs- Traditionally, the mainstream Americans were called WASPs, that is, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants.Chapter 15 American History ( I ) (1600-1900)1. Discovery of the New World*The “first Americans”: Indians*Christopher Columbus: An Italian navigator supported by Spanish Queen led his men to sail across the vast ocean in 1492 and reached some small islands in the now West Indies. He thought he had reached Aisa and didnt know he had discovered a New Continent. （哥伦布是个粗心大意的家伙意大利人，本来要去西藏西班牙赞助，却在西印度群岛上，看到一座寺庙就饿1492了，不想走了。哥伦布的老家和赞助商要记清）*Amerigo Vespucci: The navigator who proved that the land was no India, but a new continent. Therefore, the land was named America after him.2. The Colonial Period*The first English colony at Jamestown, Virginia （1607）6形状是大象的鼻子，这么记：一头大象用鼻子（16）吹泡泡（0），泡泡飘得很高，挂满了整面旗帜（7），在Jamestown的上空迎风飘扬，猎猎作响。*The original 13 colonies: along the east coast of North America: Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Georgia. (13: 雨伞。谐音想象：一把大花伞下面，你系着一条花围裙Virginia=维吉尼亚在和面Maine，面里放满了崭新的火腿New Ham+pshire，然后你吃着火腿面骑着马马萨诸塞，牵Connecticu着牛纽约上路Road=Rhode了，路上看到隆重的婚礼Maryland，北方和南方的孪生姐妹坐在彩车car里North Carolina and South Carolina，新郎New Jersey和男傧相宾州站在桥乔治亚州上迎接新娘。)*Causes for the colonization of the New World (理解记忆)Opportunity was the magic word that drew people to America. It drew English nobles and skilled workmen to America and most of all it drew the poor and the homeless from the farmlands and villages of Europe. It offered people a chance to live a better life than they could hope for in the Old World.*The Pilgrims: To escape religious persecution, they left England and lived in Leyden, Holland, but they feared their children might become Dutchmen, so in 1620, 201 them sailed to the New World in a ship called Mayflower. They arrived at Plymouth and built the Plymouth colony. (他们刚到的那个冬天，有一半人都死了，后来印第安人教他们种玉米，丰收后，举行了第一个“感恩节”，Thanksgiving celebration, 其实他们应该感谢印第安人。)（201个英国人装在一朵有一艘船那么大的五月花里，一溜16烟钻进了美国的天鹅洞20。）The Pilgrims were artisans and peasants.*The Puritans and the Massachusetts BayThe puritans were wealthy and well-educated gentlemen. They wanted to purify the Church of England. The Puritans leaders saw the New World as a refuge provided by God for those He meant to save. So in March 1630, the great Puritan migration began. From 1630 to 1643, some 200 ships transported over 20,000 Englishmen to Massachusetts Bay colony. (下午四点半PM4: 30=Puritans+Massachusetts; 4: 30=16:30=1630开始，13分钟之内1630+13=1643，200条船运了2万个英国佬到马萨诸塞！)*Features of the new colonies (可以出选择题，结合后来的美国文化，容易理解)The features were representative form of government, rule of law, respect of individual rights, religious tolerance and a strong spirit of individual enterprise.3. The War of Independence*Conflicts between the British government and the American people随着经济的发展，殖民地人民要更多的权利；英国政府要控制殖民地的发展，并且要征收更多的税。贸易价格不公平。实施Stamp Tax给养军队。允许东印度公司低价销售茶叶，抢走美国茶商的生意。*The “Boston Tea Party”In 1773, when ships of tea reached Boston, several dozen Boston residents dressed as Indians boarded the ships at night and threw $75,000 worth of tea into the harbor. This came to be known as the “Boston Tea Party”. (在一个黑漆漆的晚上1773，几十个波斯顿人上船倒掉了价值7万5千美金的茶叶，他们一边倒茶，一边高兴地翩翩起舞。75，可以记住7万5)*The First Continental CongressIn September 1774, the First Congress was held in Philadelphia encouraging Amercians to refuse to buy British goods. Colonial militia units were organized.(第一次代表大会1774在费城召开，组建民兵组织，口号是“让英国货一起去死吧！”1774，再也不花费费城一分钱买英国货！)*Lexington and ConcordThe shot of Lexington (1775) marked the start of the War of Independence. *The Second Continental CongressThree weeks after the battles of Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress was held in Philadelphia. The delegates agreed to support the war. The Congress founded a Continental Army and Navy and appointed a committee to draft a formal declaration. *George Washington: The Congress founded a Continental Army and Navy under the command of George Washington, a Virginian militia (民兵) commander.Thomas Jefferson: Tomas Jefferson of Virginia drafted the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the Congress adopted the declaration. (Independence Day! 记忆1776：美国人个个是牛仔，喜欢一起骑牛1776庆祝独立。)*The Declaration of Independence and the political theory behind the American RevolutionThe Declaration is a clear explanation of the political theory behind the revolution and this theory came from the British philosopher John Locke. (独立宣言的理论来自英国哲学家约翰。洛克) 独立的意思约约翰等于一把锁Locke，把门锁上，就算是独立了。(In September 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed. Britain recognized the independence of the United States.)1783, 巴黎条约签定，英国承认美国独立。美国正式独立了，人们高兴得一起爬山（1783）庆祝，拍着巴（巴黎条约）掌说give me five!*The American War of Independence and its significance （意义： 理解记忆）The American War of Independence shows that, in a just war, a weak nation can defeat a strong one. It was a historic event: by smashing the fetters束缚 of colonial rule, the American people gained independe