英美文化入门知识点(new)

1、Chapter 1. Greek Mythology1. Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices.2. Greek mythology consists of two parts. One part is

2、about the gods stories, such as where the gods come from, the gods daily activities and the origin of human beings. Everything in the world can be found with a beautiful story. Another part is about the heroes stories. 3. The oldest known Greek literary sources, Homer's epic poems Iliad and

3、 Odyssey, focus on the Trojan War and its aftermath. 4. The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem by Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and

4、 the warrior Achilles.5. The epic poem Odyssey focuses on the Greek character Odysseus and his ten-year journey from Troy to Ithaca after the fall of Troy (Trojan war).6. The Greek gods resembled humans in form and showed human feelings. 7. Theognoy, meaning "the genealogy or birth of the

5、gods", is a poem by Hesiod (8th 7th century BC) describing the origins and genealogies of Greek polytheism. 8. Zeus was the head of the gods, and the spiritual father of gods and people.9. Hera was the wife of Zeus, the queen of heaven and the guardian of marriage. 10. Athena was the godde

6、ss of wisdom and war.11. Apollo was the god of light, poetry, and music.12. Ares was the god of war.13. Aphrodite, whose Roman name was Venus, was the goddess of love. 14. Dionysus, the god of wine and pleasure, was perhaps the most popular gods in ancient Greek. The Greeks devoted many festivals to

7、 this earthly god, and in some regions he became as important as Zeus.15. Prometheus: Prometheus was a titan. Hestole fire from heaven and secretly brought it down to men. Flying into a rage, Zeus let the other gods chain Prometheus to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where a hungry eagle ever tore at his

8、liver which ever grew again. His period of pain was to be thirty-thousand years. At last a hero called Heracles killed the eagle and set the friend of mankind free. 16. Pygmalion: Pygmalion was a sculptor, and had made with wonderful skill a statue of ivory, so beautiful that no living woman co

9、uld be compared to it in beauty. He fell in love with the statue, who eventually turned alive and became his own wife.17. : The Greek Sphinx was a female creature, sometimes depicted as a winged lion with a feminine head, and sometimes as a female with the breast, paws and claws of a lion, a snake t

10、ail and bird wings. She sat on a high rock near Thebes and posed a riddle to all who passed. The riddle was: “What has four feet, two feet and three feet, but one voice?” Those who could not solve the riddle were strangled by her. Finally Oedipus came along and solved the riddle. After hearing the c

11、orrect answer, the Sphinx threw herself headlong down the rock. 18. Oedipus: Oedipus was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his

12、 city and family.19. Oedipus the King was written by Sophocles, one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived.20. Many common expressions can demonstrate Greek mythology's impact on modern societies: 1)an Achilles heel (a single fatal vulnerability); 2)having the Midas tou

13、ch (everything turns to gold); 3) lying in the arms of Morpheus (sleeping) ; 4)opening Pandora's Box (unlocking a world of trouble); 5)rich as Croesus (Croesus was known for his wealth); 6)the face that launched a thousand ships (a woman worth going to war for).21. Words and phrases (see Part 3,

14、 Point 4)Chapter 2. Biblical Stories1. The Bible is a collection of books shared by Jews and Christians alike who believe God speaks to men through His actions and words which are recorded in the Bible.2. The Bible is composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament.3. The Old Testament is not on

15、e book written by a single author, but a collection of 39 books written in classical Hebrew about the history and religion of the people of Israel by many authors. 4. The New Testament is a collection of Jesusmiracles told by his disciples.5. Genesis, the first section of Law, means “origin” in Gree

16、k. It is about the creation of all things including the earth and the sky, the light, man, woman, animals, etc.6. Job is the story of a man who, though having suffered much, kept unchangeable faith in God.7. The New Testament, unlike the Old Testament spanning hundreds of years of history, covers on

17、ly several decades. It is a collection of 27 books about the religious and moral teachings of Christianity, which is divided into 4 main sections: the Gospels, History, Epistles, and Revelation.8. The Bible is also viewed as a work of literature, because the moral and religious teachings are written

18、 in stories and poems which are classified by scholars as epic, myth, and legend.9. The Bible has shaped the western world. It has framed religious view, politics, law, education, literature, culture, and also flavored English language with words and phrases.10-21. (Please check on words and phrases

19、 in Cultural Point 2, Task A and Task B)Chapter 3. UK Geography1. UK is short for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.2. UK lies in Northern Europe or Western Europe.3. The two largest islands in the British Isles are Ireland and Great Britain. Ireland has on it two countries: t

20、he Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, while Great Britain mostly contains three: England, Scotland and Wales. These last three, together with Northern Ireland, form the United Kingdom.4. The second biggest island in the British Isles is Ireland.5. The flag of the United Kingdom is popula

21、rly known as the Union Jack or Union Flag. It comprises the flags of St. George (of England), St. Andrew (of Scotland, also known as the Saltire) and the St. Patrick's Cross (of Ireland) super-imposed on each other.6. London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, a vast metropoli

22、tan area, and a global capital of finance, fashion and culture. 7. Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.8. Birmingham - the UK's second largest city (by population) is in the industrial heartland and many attractions for the travelers. It is a cultural, sporting, entertainment, shopping an

23、d media hub.9. Cardiff is the capital of Wales, host to varied cultural events and many other modern and historical attractions.10. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, home to the largest arts festival in the world and numerous tourist attractions as well as being the second most visited city in t

24、he UK.11. Glasgow is Scotland's largest city, new cultural hotspot, former European City of Culture.12. Manchester is the UK's second largest city by metropolitan area. It is also the third most visited city in the UK after London and Edinburgh.13. The London Eye is the world's third lar

25、gest observation wheel, situated on the South Bank of the Thames with magnificent views over London.14. Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the Queen.15. The former colonies that gained their independence through diplomacy and continue to recognize the authority of the Cr

26、own are known as the Commonwealth Realm.16. The Commonwealth Realm include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and many other former colonies of the British Empire.17. All the Commonwealth countries are independent nations but they still recognize the monarch as the head of state, eve

27、n though the latter has little real power within their borders.18. The location of England, Scotland, Wales, Republic of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland as on the map below:19. Stonehenge is in a World Heritage Site of over 2000 hectares that is considered one of the most archaeologically rich in

28、 Europe. It is home to some of the most important Neolithic and Bronze Age finds and structures in the UK, and contains some 200 scheduled monuments.20. Westminster Abbey and The Palace of Westminster (including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament) in Westminster:the seat of the United Kingdom parl

29、iament and World Heritage site, as well as setting for royal coronations since 1066, most recently that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.Chapter 4. History in UK1. King Harold is the Saxon King who was defeated and killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when the French-speaking Normans under William

30、 the Conqueror invaded England from France.2. Alfred the Great was a fine Saxon King who successfully defeated the invading Dance.3. King Arthur was the king of England in the sixth century. Little was known about him, except that he was associated with the Cornwall and is the central figure of many

31、 legends about him and his Knights of the Round Table.4. The Crusades were a series of wars in the Middle Ages in which armies from all over Europe tried to snatch the “Holy Land” (namely Palestine) from the Infidels, the Muslims. 5. In the Middle Ages, the great rivals of the kings authority w

32、ere the powerful local chiefs called barons and the Church headed by the Pope in Rome who inspired the fear of eternal damnation by “excommunicating”.6. Richard Lion-Heart was a Norman king in the Middle Ages. He was also the most famous of the English Crusaders at that time. 7. Magna Carta was

33、 a document signed in 1215 by King John under compulsion by the powerful barons. It is perhaps the most significant early influence on the extensive historical process that led to the rule of constitutional law today in the English speaking world. It influenced the development of the common law and

34、many constitutional documents, including the United States Constitution. 8. When the English King Edward III (1327-1377) claimed the French Crown by right of his mother Isabella, the French refused to recognize the claim. So, in 1337, Edward declared a war that was to last for a hundred years,

35、known as the Hundred Years' War.9. Joan of Arc was a French saint and national heroine. During the Hundred Years War, her bravery and inspiration provided spirit and morale for French armies. 10. All kings of the Middle Ages spoke French as their mother tongue. After the Hundred Years War,

36、England became completely severed from France, and the English language finally took the place of French in all classes of society.11. “Wars of the Roses” took place between two English royal families, namely the House of York and the House of Lancaster. Such unrest did not come to an end until Henr

37、y Tudor married Elizabeth of York (Edward IVs daughter), thus uniting the two Houses and putting the country under the rule of the Tudors.12. The Catholic Church is the Christian church headed by the Pope. All members of the church accept the gospel of Christ and the teachings of the Bible. Any revo

38、lt against the traditional Christian faith was “heresy”. In the Middle Ages, the Pope was extremely powerful. In the 16th century, some of the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church were questioned by the Protestant doctrines.13. The Protestant Church refers to the Christian church whose faith

39、 and practice originated with the principles of reformation. As the Popes political power and religious authority declined in the sixteenth century, Protestant churches sprang up in Northern Europe in opposition to the established Roman Catholic Church.14. Bloody Mary was the Nickname given to Mary

40、I, Henry IIIs elder daughter, a devout Catholic who had a lot of Protestants burnt to death. She was succeeded by Elizabeth I.15. Protestantism became the dominant faith in Britain in the reign of Elizabeth I, whose main interest lay in creating a strong united country in which there should be no mo

41、re religious persecution.16. The Elizabeth age refers to the period during the reign of Elizabeth I in British history. It was an age of real literary achievement and also that of great adventure on the sea.17. In the reign of James I, there were a number of Catholic conspiracies in English history,

42、 the most famous being the “Gunpowder Plot”. It was the plot to blow up the King and Parliament, in which a man called Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the House of Commons in the very act of preparing the explosives. “Guy Fawkes Night” is still celebrated on November 5the  each year.18.

43、 The English Civil War, one of the most important events in British history, is a bitter power struggle between the monarchy and Parliament. The victory of the Parliament led to the execution(1649) of Charles I and the temporary overthrow of the monarchy, and the country became for more than ten yea

44、rs a sort of republic founded by Oliver Cromwell. In the Civil War, those who support the king were called the “Cavaliers” and those supporting the Parliament were called the “Roundheads”.19. Oliver Cromwell was the Roundhead leader during the English Civil War. He created the New model army，defeate

45、d King Charles I, overthrew the monarchy and he himself became Lord Protector.20. In 1688, the Catholic king James II was forced to flee with his baby son to France. The throne was offered to his Protestant daughter and her husband, the Dutch king William. The Bill of Rights was passed by Parliament

46、 to restrict the power of the Monarchy. This was the beginning of the Constitutional Monarchy in Britain.21. The Industrial Revolution starts from1750 to 1850.22. The rule of Queen Victorian was the longest reign in British History, lasting from 1837 to 1901. The Victorian age was an age of national

47、 development and national optimism. The Victorians were very religious and conservative in family life.23. In British economy, the two most disastrous events were the General Strike in 1926 and the great Slump of the early 1930s. 24. The Blitz of 1940 refers to the bombing of Britain by German

48、planes in 1940, when Hitler sent his bombers day after day to bomb airfields and towns in the south, and then night after night, to bomb London. Chapter 5.AmericanGeography1. The United States shares land borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, and territorial water border wit

49、h Russia in the northwest. The contiguous forty-eighty states are otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Alaska borders the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Bering Strait to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the

50、 north, while Hawaii lies far to the southwest of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean. 2. It is a federal constitutional republic comprising forty-eight contiguous states in North American, Alaska, and also Hawaii. It also administers a collection of non-state territories around the world, including P

51、uerto Rico and other islands.3. There are 50 states and the federal district of Columbia.Of all states of America, Alaska is the largest in area and Rhode Island is the smallest. But on the mainland Texas is the largest state of the country.4. The US covers the area of 9,372,641 square kilometersthe

52、 fourth largest country in the world in size after Russia, Canada and China.5. The US has a population of Population: 320,000,000 (2015)the third most populous country in the world after China and India.6. There are 2 major mountains in the US: The Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. The

53、Appalachian Mountains run slightly from the northeast to southwest. The Rocky Mountains run slightly from the northwest to southeast.7. The GreatPlains lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains. A large portion of the country's agricultural products are grown in

54、 the Great Plains. The Great Plains come to an abrupt end at the Rocky Mountains. 8. The Mississippi and its tributaries drain one of the richest farm areas in the world.They form a 19,000-kilometre system of waterways and serve as important means of transportation. The Mississippi has been cal

55、led “father of waters” and the “old man river”.9. The most important lakes in the United States are the Great Lakes. They are Superior, which is the largest fresh water lake in the world, Lake Michigan, the only entirely in the US., Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. They are all located betwee

56、n Canada and the US except Lake Michigan.10. The East Coast of the United States is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean.The original thirteen colonies of Great Britain in North America all lay along

57、 the East Coast. It is the most populated coastal area in the United States. The major cities on the East Coast are, from north to south, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Miami. 11. The West Coast or Pacific Coast is the coastline along which the contiguous Western United States

58、 meets the North Pacific Ocean. As a region, this term most often refers to the coastal states of California, Oregon and Washington. The major cities on the West Coast are, from north to south, Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. The largest city on the

59、west coast of the United States is Los Angeles. Since the West Coast has been populated by immigrants more recently than the East Coast, its culture is considerably younger.12. There are different types of climate in the US owing to its large size and varied landforms. The overall climate is tempera

60、te, with notable exceptions.13. The national flag of the United States of America. It consists of thirteen equal stripes and fifty small, white, five-pointed stars. The 50 stars on the flag represent of 50 states of the United States of America, and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and became the first states in the US. Nick names for