英美概况术语解析及简答题.doc

I. Define the following terms.1. Monopoly: Monopoly, economic situation in which only a single seller or producer supplies a commodity or a service. One or more of the following elements are of great importance in establishing a monopoly: (1) control of a major resource necessary to produce a product, as was the case with bauxite in the pre-World War II aluminum industry; (2) technological capabilities that allow a single firm to produce at reasonable prices all the output of a particular commodity or service, a situation sometimes described as a natural monopoly; (3) exclusive control over a patent on a product or on the processes used to produce the product; and (4) a government franchise that awards a company the sole right to produce a commodity or service in a given area. Among the various kinds of economic monopolies are public utilities, trusts, cartels, and industrial mergers.2. Big Ben:Big Ben is the largest clock in Britain and has kept exact time for the nation since May 1859. It is famous the world over for being the giant four faced clock in London, England. Big Ben is the name of the giant 14-tonne bell that hangs inside the clock tower and chimes every hour of every day in England. The huge bell was hung in 1858 and named after Sir Benjamin Hall, Chief Commissioner of Works at the time the bell was hung. In England you can hear Big Ben chiming daily the nation over, either on television news or radio.3. Independent schools: Independent schools are fee-paying educational institutions. Independent schools usually provide pupils with two stages of education. The principal schools for children of over thirteen (13 18) are usually called public schools and those for younger pupils (8 13) are usually called preparatory (colloquially prep) schools. Many such schools are long established and have gained a reputation for their high standards. However, only about 6% of all children attend these schools.4Redbrick: Redbrick is the name for a group of universities founded between 1850 and 1930, including London University. They were so called because red brick was the favourite building material of the time. As the term red brick already fell into disfavor, they are sometimes called middle-aged universities. Most of these higher education institutions were founded in the biggest industrial towns and in a few other centers. Their first purpose was to provide higher education for local inhabitants who could not afford the cost of going away from home for their studies. As these universities grew bigger and more solidly established, all of them have achieved independent status.5. The new universities: The new universities were all founded after the Second World War. Most of these are in the biggest cities where are already established universities. Although these universities were new, some of them quickly became popular because of their modem approach to university courses.6. The Open University: The Open University is a recent innovation, which provides chances for people of all ages and to which entry is much less restricted. It was founded in 1969 and began its first course in 1971. This educational institution is so named because it is open to all to become students with no formal qualifications to study for a degree. Courses are followed in the students spare time; lectures are broad-cast on radio and TV, and students correspond with their tutors by post. For some of the Open University courses students have to attend one-week summer schools which are held in many of Britain s traditional universities. At the end of the course, successful students are awarded a university degree.7. The Prime Minister: The Prime Minister is the chief executive of the government. He or she is the leader of the party that holds the most seats in the House of Commons. The prime minister presides over the Cabinet and selects the other Cabinet members, who join him or her to form the government that is part of the functioning executive. When legislation comes before the House of Commons, the prime minister can usually count on the support of a majority of the votes because his or her party has a majority of the seats. The prime minister serves as the first lord of the treasury and as minister for the civil service.8. Statue of Liberty要点1. Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty2. Presented to the United States by the people of France on October 28, 1886.3. Commemorating the centennial of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence4. A gesture of friendship from France to the United States5. Standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, it welcomes visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans.9. Ivy League要点1. the eight private institutions of higher education located in the Northeastern United States.2. the top in the U.S. college and university rankings and ranking within the top one percent of the worlds academic institutions3. Harvard University; Yale University; University of Pennsylvania; Princeton University; Columbia University; Brown University; Dartmouth College;Cornell University10. The Bill of Rights要点1. US Constitution has a total of 27 amendments. The first ten, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously (1791)2. Spirit of the Bill of Rights: freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, freedom of petition and freedom of religion3. protection of individual rights instead of the privileges of the government4. considered as the original body of the ConstitutionII. Answer the following questions.1. How does the British climate influence characters of English people?Other countries have a climate; in England we have weather. This statement, often made by Englishmen to describe the peculiar meteorological conditions of their country, is both revealing and true. It is revealing because in it we see the Englishman insisting once again that what happens in England is not the same as what happens elsewhere.In no country other than England, can one experience four seasons in the course of a single day! In England one can experience almost every kind of weather except the most extreme. The snag is that we never can be sure when the different types of weather will occur. This uncertainty about the weather has had a definite effect upon the Englishmans character; it tends to make him cautious. The foreigner may laugh when he sees the Englishman setting forth on a brilliantly sunny morning wearing a raincoat and carrying an umbrella, but he may well regret his laughter later in the day! The English weather has also helped to make the Englishman adaptable. It has been said that one of the reasons why the English colonized so much of the world was that, whatever the weather conditions they met abroad, they had already experienced something like them at home!2, Introduce the 3 main certificates required for secondary schooling students.For secondary schooling students, at least one of the three main certificates is required to demonstrate their educational attainment. Moderately children take the Certificates of Secondary Education (CSE), which indicates satisfactory completion of schooling to the age of 16. More ambitious children take the examinations for the General Certificate of Education at Ordinary Level (GCE 0 Level), which is the required starting-point for many types of professional training. Most young pupils who stay at school after passing their Ordinary Level examinations prepare themselves for the General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level (GCE A Level), which is the standard for entrance to universities and other higher education.3. Whats your idea about the diversity of US population？要点A. US is a melting pot B. Racial and ethnic groupsC. Religious differencesD. Language diversityE. Social classes4. Whats your idea about the power-sharing and power-checking policy of US government?要点A. three branches of the federal government B. power sharing system C. power checking policy D. foundation of the US politics 5. Give comments on relationship between UK and USA.The British foreign policy is also affected by its relationship with the United States. During World War II, the two countries were closely allied and continued to work together closely in the postwar years, because they had many things in common about the past and the world situation. Even today, British and American policy-makers share the general ideas in many respects. However, Britains “special relationship” with the United States has gone through many ups and downs. The Britain are beginning to realize that their own foreign policy actions can be limited by the United States. But both sides have worked hard to maintain the “special relationship”.6. What powers does the Queen of Britain have theoretically? Why is it said that she has no real power at all in reality? The British monarchy stands for the continuity of British history going back to Anglo-Saxon times, and today it serves as a figurehead for the state In theory, the British monarch has enormous powers, but in reality those powers are limited and the Crown follows the dictates and advice of the ministers in Parliament.As the official head of state, the monarch formally summons and dismisses Parliament and the ministers of the Cabinet. The monarch also serves as head of the judiciary, commander in chief of the armed forces, and Supreme Governor of the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. In reality, the government carries out the duties associated with these functions. Theoretically, the monarch appoints all judges, military officers, diplomats, and archbishops, as well as other church officers. The monarch also bestows honors and awards, such as knighthoods and peerages. In reality, all of these appointments are made upon the advice of the prime minister. The prime minister declares war and peace and concludes treaties with foreign states in the name of the Crown. The monarch serves as the ceremonial head of the Commonwealth of Nations and is the ceremonial head of state for 16 Commonwealth countries.7. What are the characteristics of the two major parties in the United States today?Tell briefly the history of the two-party system in the United States .There have been four periods in the history of the two-party system in the United States. In the last years of the 18th century, the debate over the ratification of the Constitution gave rise to the beginnings of the first two major parties. They were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. After the adoption of the constitution with the Bill of Rights, the Anti-federalists began to call themselves Democratic-Republicans. The Federalists gradually disintegrated. After the 1828 election of Andrew Jackson, the Democratic-Republican Party split. The main faction led by Jackson was called the Democratic Party. The faction opposed to Jackson was called the Whig Party which formed in 1834. As the struggle over slavery intensified, the majority of the Whig Party, part of the democrats, and other anti-slavery elements formed the Republican Party in 1854. F