英语国家概况笔记.doc

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland英国的历史分四部分:1.The Origins of a Nation2.The Shaping of the Nation3.Transition to the Mordern Age4.The Rise and Fall of the British EmpireHistory of UK Early settlers - Roman Britain - Anglo-Saxons - the Viking and Danish Invations - the Norman Conquest Norman Rule - the Great Charter - the Hundred Years War with France - the Blackdeath and the peasant uprising the English Reformation - Elizabeth I - the English Renaissance - James I - Charles I - the Civil War - the commonwealth - the Glorius Revolution Two parties (Whigs and Tories) - Agricultural changes - the Industrial Revolution - the Chartist Movement - Trade unions and the Labour Party - Colonial Expansion - in the two World WarsChapter 1 Land and People第一部分：Different Names for Britain and its Parts1. 选择题/ 简答题：The official name of the United Kingdom is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland2.选择题/ 简答题： The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones.There are three political divisions on the island of Great Britain：England, Scotland and Wales3.简答题：Why do people tend to use England and English when they mean Britain and British?England is the largest, most populous and generally speaking the richest section. So people tend to use “England” and “English” when they mean “Britain” and “British”.4.名词解释：the Commonwealth of Nations 或 the British CommonwealthThe Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. Member nations are joined together economically and have certain trading arrangements. The Commonwealth has no special powers.。第二部分：Geographical Features1.选择题/ 简答题：Britain is an island country. It is surrounded by the sea. It lies in the north Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe.2. 选择题/ 简答题：Britain is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the south and North Sea in the east.3.名词解释/ 简答题：The English Channel between England and France is quite narrow and the narrowest part is called the Straits of Dover, which is only 33 km across.4.名词解释：ChunnelChunnel stands for channel and tunnel which was cut under the Straits of Dover. With it England and France join together by road. The “Chunnel” was open to traffic in May 1994.5. 选择题/ 简答题：The north and west of Britain are mainly highlands. The east and southeast are mostly lowlands.6. 选择题/ 简答题：England: 130,000平方公里 The Pennines are the principal mountain chain. The highest peak of England is Scafell , in the Lake District in north-west England.7.识记要点：Ben Nevis (1343m), the highest mountain in Britain is located in Scotland.8.选择题/ 简答题：There are three natural zones: the Highlands in the north, the central Lowlands , and the southern Uplands.9. Northern Ireland: Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.第三部分：Rivers and Lakes1. Rivers in Britain do not freeze in winter.* East coast rivers: Tweed / Tyne / Tee / ThamesWest coast rivers: Clyde / Mersey / Severn 2. The longest river is the Severn River which is only 338 km long 3. The second largest and most important river in Britain is the Thames River (336km). 4. 识记要点：Oxford is also on the Thames. River Clyde is the most important river in Scotland.5. 选择题：Lough Neagh is the largest lake in Britain, located in the northern Irland. 6. 选择题/简答题：The Lake District is one of the popular tourist attractions in Britain. It is well known for its wild and beautiful scenery and 15 lakes.第四部分：Climate1. 识记要点：Though it seems that people are always complaining about the weather in Britain because it is rainy and so changeable and unpredictable, the climate in Britain is in fact a favorable one.2. 简答题：请简要描述英国的气候状况。It has a favourable maritime climate-winters are mild, not too cold and summers are cool, not too hot, and it has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year.3. 简答题：影响英国气候的三个主要因素： (1) The surrounding waters 大不列颠岛周围的海域(2) The prevailing south-west winds 盛行的西南风(3) The North Atlantic Drift 北大西洋暖流4. 简答题：英国气候有那些特点？为什么会有这些特点？Since Britains climate is of the maritime type, it is characterised by cool temperatures, frequent cloudy days and rainstorms.5. 识记要点：Britain has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year.6. 识记要点：The average annual rainfall in Britain: over 1000mm.7. 识记要点：As a result of the rainfall distribution in Britain there is a water surplus in the north and west, and a water deficit in the south and east.第五部分 The People 1. 识记要点：90% of the population is urban and only 10% is rural2. 识记要点：There is a great concentration of population in England.3. 选择题/简答题：The English are Anglo-Saxons, but the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts.4. 选择题：The Celts came to Britain after 700 BC. Later they were conquered by the Romans.5. 选择题/简答题：The Germanic conquerors give England its name “Angle” land.6. 选择题/ 简答题：It was from the union of Norman conquerors and the defeated Anglo-Saxons that the English people and English language were born.7. 识记要点：The English have many differences in regional speech. The chief division is between southern England and northern England. Generally speaking southerners speak the type of English closer to BBC English.8. 名词解释：Cockney (伦敦东区人)A Cockney is a Londoner who is born within the sound of Bow Bells-the bells of the church of St. Mary LeBow in east London.9. 选择题：Regional speech is usually broader in northern England than that of southern England.10. 选择题：The ancestors of the Welsh were the ancient Britons.The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people. They are music lovers and proud of their past.11. 选择题/ 简答题：Welsh is an ancient Celtic language. It was given equality with English for all official use in Wales in 1965.12.选择题：Scots are pround that the English never conqured them.14. 选择题：Many Scottish names begin with M, Mc or Mac, which means son of in Gealic, the old Celtic language of the Scots.本章重点课后题：1. What are the differences between Britain and the British Isles, Great Britain, England, the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth?-The British Isles, Great Britain and England are geographical names, not the official names of the country, while the official name is the United Kingdom, but the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain.3. Whereabouts in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland?-The north and west of Britain are mainly highland, while the east and south-east are mostly lowlands.4. Dose Britain have a favourable climate? Why?-Yes, it has a favourable climate. Because it has a maritime type of climate-winter is mild, not too cold, and summer is cool, not too hot. It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. It has a small range of temperature, too.7. What are the three natural zones in Scotland?-The three natural zones in Scotland are: the Highlands in the north, the central Lowlands and the southern Uplands.8. What is the difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish?-The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons, while the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts.Chapter 2 The Origins of a Nation (5000 BC1066)本章概要：(1) 最早的不列颠居民 (5000BC-55BC) (2) 罗马人的入侵 (55BC-410AD)(3) 盎格鲁撒克逊人的入侵 (446-871)(4) 丹麦人的入侵(5) 1066年的诺曼征服第一部分：Early Settlers (from 5000BC55BC)1. 选择题：The first known settlers of Britain were the Iberians (古代伊比利亚人).2.识记要点：At about 2000 BC the Beaker Folk arrived from the areas now known as Holland and the Rhineland. These people took their name from their distinctive bell-shaped drinking vessels with which they were buried in crouching positions in individual graves. (beaker: 大口杯) Key words: pottery making / bronze tools / hill forts / custom of individual burial. 3. 简答题：The Celts came to Britain in three main waves.The first wave were the Gaels （盖尔人）; the second wave were the Brythons（布立吞人）; third wave were the Belgae（比利其人）, the most industrious and vigorous of the Celtic tribes.4. 选择题：The Celts religion was Druidism. 第二部分：Roman Britain (55BC410AD)1. 选择题/简答题：British recorded history begins with the Roman invasion.2. Attention:在记 Roman Britain 这部分内容时，可以和诺曼征服 (Norman Conquest)相结合来理解，这两个事件都在英国历史上有划时代的意义， 英国有记录的历史开始于罗马人的入侵，而1066年的诺曼征服是英国历史上最有影响的事件(The Norman Conquest of 1066 is perhaps the best-known event in English history.)3. 简答题：Julius Caesar, the great Roman general, invaded Britain for the first time in 55BC, partly to gather information about the island and partly to punish the Belgae who had helped their fellow tribesmen in their fight against the conquering Romans in Gaul （高卢）, the land that is now France.4. 选择题：The successful invasion did not take place until nearly a century later, in AD43, headed by the Emperor Claudius. 5. Why was the Roman influence on Britain so limited?- For nearly 400 years Britain was under the Roman occupation. But it was never a total occupation for two reasons.First, some parts of the country resistedSecondly， Roman troops were often withdrawn from Britain to fight in other parts of the Roman Empire.Thirdly, The Romans always treated the Britons as a subject people of slave class. Never during the 4 centuries did the Romans and Britons intermarry. The Romans had no impact on the language or culture of ordinary Britons.6. 识记要点：Picts - a tribe of Scotland，so called because of their “painted faces”. pict=picture-painted face7. 选择题/简答题：The Romans also brought the new religion, Christianity, to Britain.8.Boadicea (or Boudicca): Queen of the Iceni of East Anglia, attempted to drive the Romans from Britain in AD61. She succeeded in destroying the capital of the Romans, Londinium, before being defeated. 9. the Hadrians Wall and Antonine Wall: The Romans built two great walls to keep the Picts. One was Hadrians Wall running from Carlisle to Newcastle, the other was Antonine Wall linking the estuaries of the Forth and the Clyde.第三部分：The Anglo-Saxons (446-871)1. 选择题/简答题：In the mid-5th century a new wave of invaders, Jutes, Saxons, and Angles came to Britain. They were three Teutonic tribes. 2. 名词解释：The seven principal kingdoms of Kent, Essex, Sussex, Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria have been given the name of Heptarchy. 3. 识记要点：When the Northumbrians submitted to him and took him for their master in 829, Egbert actually became an overlord of all the English. 4. 识记要点：The Anglo-Saxons brought their own Teutonic religion to Britain. The names of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday derive from Teutonic gods. 5. 简答题：In 597, Pope Gregory I sent St. Augustine, the Prior of St. Andrews Monastery in Rome, to England to convert the heathen English to Christianity.In 579 St. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.6. What contributions did the early Anglo-Saxons make to the English state?- The Anglo-Saxons laid the foundations of the English state.They divided the country into shires;They devised the narrow-strip, three-field farming system;They also established the manorial system;They created the Witan to advise the king, the basis of the Privy Council which still exists today. 第四部分：The Viking and Danish Invasions1. 识记要点：The Danes gained control of the north and the east of England (“the Danelaw”)2. 名词解释：Alfred the Great (Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy”)3. What do you know about king Alfred? What makes him worthy of the title of Alfred the Great?- Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy” as he founded a strong fleet which first beat the Danes at sea, then protected the coasts and encouraged trade. He also reorganized the fyrd, the Saxon army, making it more efficient. A learned man himself, he encouraged learning in others, established schools and formulated a legal system. This, as well as his admirable work with the army and the navy, makes him worthy of his title “Alfred the Great”. 第五部分：The Norman Conquest1. 识记要点：King Edward - the Confessor2. Why did the William the Conqueror invade England after Edwards death?- It was said that king Edward had promised the English throne to William, Duke of Normandy, but when Edward died, the Witan chose Harold as king. So William led his army to invade England. In October 1066, during the important battle of Hastings, William defeated Harold and killed him. On Christmas Day, William was crowned king of England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England.3. What were the consequences of the Norman Conquest?The Norman Conquest of 1066 is one of the best-known events in English history. It brought about many consequences.William the Conqueror confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England. Relations with the Continent were opened, and civilization and commerce were extended. Norman-French culture, language, manners, and architecture were introduced. The Church was brought into closer connection with Rome, and the church courts were separated from the civil courts.4. Why was the Roman influence on Britain so limited?-Britain was under the Roman occupation for nearly 400 years. The Romans built many towns, roads, temples and buildings. They made good use of Britains natural resources. They also brought the new religion, Christianity, to Britain. However, although Britain became part of the Roman Empire, Roman influence upon Britain was very limited. The Romans treated the Britons as a subject people of slave class. They never intermarried. The Roman had no influence on the language or culture of ordinary Britons.5. What do you know about king Alfred? What makes him worthy of the title of Alfred the Great?-Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy” as he founded a strong fleet which first beat the Danes at sea, then protected the coasts and encouraged trade. A learned man himself, he encouraged leaning in others, established schools and formulated a legal system. This, as well as his admirable work with the army and the navy, makes him worthy of his title “Alfred the Great”. Chapter 3 The Shaping of the Nation (1066-1381)本章概要：1. 诺曼王朝在英国的统治- 威廉一世的统治- 亨利二世的改革2.大宪章运动（其意义和实质）议会的开端3. 英法百年战争 （圣女贞德）4. 黑死病和1381年农民起义- 罗拉德派- 1381年农民起义的意义第一部分：Norman Rule (1066-1381)1. 选择题：Under William, the feudal system in England was completely established.2.识记要点：At the bottom of the feudal scale were the villeins or serfs, unfree peasants who were little better than slaves.3.简答题：威廉统治时期封建制度的特殊特征是什么？- One peculiar feature of the feudal system of England was that all landowners, took the oath of allegiance for the land they held, not only to their immediate lord, but also to the king.4. 选择题：William replaced the Witan, the council of the Anglo-Saxon Kings, with the Grand Council.5. 简答题：Why did William send his clerks to compile the property record known as the Domesday Book?- In order to have a reliable record of all his lands, his tenants and their possessions and to discover how much they could be called upon to pay by way of taxes, William sent his clerks to compile a property record known as Domesday Book.6. 简答题：Why was the property record known as the Domesday Book under the rule of William?- The property record was known as Domesday Book because it seemed to the English not unlike the Book of Doom to be used by the greatest feudal lord of all on Judgment Day.7. 名词解释：Domesday Book 8. 简答题：What do you know about Williams policy to the church?- Williams policy towards the church was to keep it completely under his control, but at the same time to uphold its power.9. 选择题/简答题：William II, known as William Rufus because of his red complexion。10. 选择题：Henry, founder of the Angevin dynasty, usually known as the Plantagenet dynasty, became king (Henry II) and went on to rule for 35 years.11. 选择题/简答题：Henry II was the first king of the House of Plantagenet.12. How did King Henry II reform the courts and the law?-1.Henry II greatly strengthened the kings Court and extended its judicial work, He divided the country into six circuits (a circuit is a county consisting of several towns ) and appointed itinerant justices (traveling judges) to each of them. 2.In Henry IIs reign a common law was gradually established in place of the customs of the manor.3.In Henrys day the jury system was at last replacing old English ordeals by fire and water and old Norman trails by battle.4.As part of his legal reforms, Henry II, wishing to reform certain abuses in Church government, insisted that all clerks charged with criminal offences should be tried in the kings courts instead of in the Bishops courts.13. 简答题：What caused the quarrel between King Henry and Thomas Becket? -It was these exceptional privileges enjoyed by the clergy that brought King Henry into collision with Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.14. 简答题：Geoffrey Chaucer was an English poet, his best known work is The Canterbury Tales, which describes a group of pilgrims traveling to Canterbury to visit Thomas Beckets tomb.第二部分：The Great Charter and the Beginning of Parliament1. 识记要点：The barons charter, or Magna Carta as it came to be known, was presented by a delegation of their class to the king and his advisers in the summer of 1215. 2. 论述题： What was the significance of Magna Carta?- Magna Carta was regarded as the foundation of English liberties, it was a statement of the