英语国家社会与文化作业

The United KingdomUnit 11. What is the difference between the British Isles and Britain?The Britain Isles consists of two large islands, Britain is one of them.2. What is the difference between the United Kingdom and England?England is a part of the United Kingdom.3. What is the full title of the United Kingdom?The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland4. Where did the British people come from?They are a mixture of many different races, and all the races invaded Britain at various times from Europe.5. What do you know about Sinn Fein Party?Sinn Fein Party is the legal party in Northern Ireland and supporters of the Irish terrorists or freedom-frighters.Unit 21. What is the oldest institution of British government?The oldest institution of British government is the Monarchy (ruled by the king or queen).2. The government of Britain has been shared by three supreme authorities for many centuries. What are they?They are the Monarchy, the Lords and the Commons.3. What does the British parliament consist of now?The British parliament consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.4. Who can form the government in the United Kingdom? And who can become Prime Minister?The party with the most supporters in the Commons forms the government, and the leader of the party becomes the Prime Minister.5. What political system is the United Kingdom?Britain is both a parliament democracy and a constitutional monarchy. While the official head of state is queen, her powers are largely traditional and symbolic. The government at national and local levels is elected by the people and governs according to British constitutional principle.Unit 31. Was the British economy dominant in the world by 1880s? Why do you say that?Yes. By 1880s, Britain produced one third of the worlds manufactured goods, half its cotton. The amount of its shipping was great than that in the rest of the world put together.2. What about the situation by 1990 in United Kingdom?The UK had been overtaken by both the United States and Germany; and from 1945 until the present, the UK economy is usually thought of as one of decline.3. How do you understand the absolute and relative decline in the UK?The decline is not a absolute decline. Britain is not poor, or producing less than was in 1945, in fact it is a lot wealthier and more productive than it was then. The problem is that though it has improved, other countries have improved more rapidly. So this decline is relative to some other economies rather than absolute.4. What about the British economy in the 1970s?Under Margaret Thatcher, an extensive program of privatization was carried out through the 1980s. The national economy as a whole continued to grow at lower rates. 5. The UK economies can be divided into three main areas. What are they?Primary industries Secondary industries Tertiary industries Unit 41. What was much early British writing concerned with? And what is the most famous of these versions of the Bible?Christianity. The most famous is Book of Kells.2. One famous work written by Geoffrey Chaucer was in Middle English. What is it?The Canterbury Tales3. Can you name some dramas about William Shakespeares work?Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth4. Who is the literary giant of the 17th century and what are his famous epic works?John Milton. Paradise Lost and its sequel, Paradise Regained5. Three men brought the Romantic Movement to it height. Who are they?George Gordon Byron, John Keats, and Percy Bysshe ShelleyUnit 51. What is the purpose of the education system?To socialize children2. Who is the British education system run by?The state3. What is the main change according to the 1944 Education Act?It made entry to secondary (middle) schools and universities ”meritocratic”.4. What do you know about the British higher education?British universities are public bodies which receive funds from the central government.5. What do you know about the degree titles in the higher education in the UK?Degree titles vary, but usually one receives a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc), for a second degree Master of Arts(MA) or Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).Unit 61. What about the British military power after WW ended?After a lengthy fight with the Axis powers, Britain was the largest military power in the Western Europe. 2. Who were granted the political independence from the years 1946 to 1948?Jordan, India and Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)3. What is the contemporary foreign policy of the UK greatly influenced by?The contemporary foreign policy of the UK is greatly influenced by its imperial history ( the most important single factor) and also by its geopolitical traits.4. Who are the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council besides Britain?China, French, Russia, and America5. One major factor which influences British foreign policy is its relationship with the United States. Why was quite natural?A s the UK and the USA were closely allied during WW, and continued to work together closely in the post war year because they shared many of the same worries about the Soviet Union.Unit 71. What do you know about some newspapers in the UK?The observer, The Times, The Guardian, Telegraph, News of the World, The Financial Times2. What do you know about tabloid in the UK?It is smaller newspapers with color photos and catchy headlines. They are often called the gutter press because they deal in scandals and gossip, usually about famous people in politic, sport