新编英美文化视听

新编英美文化视听篇一：打字版英美文化题目

The writer of The Forsyte Saga John Galsorthy , was a Norbel Prize winner for literature in 1932 .

Essay on Criticism was done by Alexander Pope who was in 18th century poet and critic .

William Blake has two collections of poems , which are Song of Experience and Songs of Innocence

D.H. Lawrence was one of the most controversial writers of the early 20th century , Songs and Lovers one of his finest novels , was based partly on his own life .

Emily Bronte and Ovarlotte Bronte are noted for their novel Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre which are largely the love stories of a woman for man .

Daniel Defoe was most famous for Robinson Crusoe

The Canterbury Tales is generally regarlly as Chaucer’s masterpiece .

关于宗教和节日

The Church of England is “ established “ in English only

The Church of Scotland in organization is Presbyterian

The supreme holy authority of the Roman Catholic Church is the Pope in Rome

The puritans were originally an extreme Protestant sect .

The Puritans characteristic is They are strict teetotalers , They believe in plain food and plain clothing , They are honest

The Puritans form temperance societies to combat the evils of strong drink

The religion in Britain is Today only a minority of people go to any kind of Church regularly , Most of the large majority who do not go to Church still believe in God and Heaven in a confused way , It is most uncommon for a Briton to be converted to Muslim or Buddhist faith

The only non-Christian religion that is widespread in Britain is that of the Jews

The Virgin Birth , The Holy Communion , The Resurrection belong to Christian belief

Jesus Christ was a Jew who lived in Palestine 2000 years ago and is accepted by Christians as the son of God

Jesus Christ was miraculously conceived by a virgin named Mary

Christ’s teaching was based on love . According to Christ’s teaching love ,humility, repentence, prayer lead to everlasting happiness in Heaven .

The holy book of Christianity is The Bible , it consitst of two part , the old testament and the new testament

The Trinity , according to the Christian docrine as developed by St Paul and the early Church , refer to the three aspects of the same one God , God Jesus Holy Spirit

The temporal head of the Church of England is the Queen and twenty-six of its highest priests sit in the House of Lords

Roman Catholics believe that in Holy Communion the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ , whereas most Anglicans think they are simply representations

All the nonconformist sects in Britain agree on the essentials of Christianity but have different methods of organization or form of service

Name five major nonconformist sects in Britain; the Presbyterian , the Methodist Church , The Congregational Church , The Baptist Church , The Quakers

Some of the smaller religious sects in Britain have belief which most people find rather odd, For instance the Christian Scientist believe in faith-healing; the seventh-Day Advertists and The

Jehovah’s Witnesses , both believe in an imminent ‘ second coming ‘ of Christ to earth ; The latter-Day Saints have their own religious system and even scriptures of their own; on the edge of Christianity are the Spiritualists who claim to be able to summon the spirits of the dead to advise and comfort the sad and the bereaved

To other European , the best known quality of the British , and in particular of the English , is reserve

If you meet a stranger from Britain , which of the following question How often do you travel abroad ?

In Britain , if a person is very good at tennis , and someone asks him if he is a good player , he will seldom reply Yes

English sense of humour is characterized by self-deprecation

Humour is highly prized in England , however ,the English do not laugh at a tragedy

Which of the following is not true about the typical Englishman ？He doesn’t expect reserve in-others

The terms such as never hit a man when he’s down and playing fair reflect a sense of sportsmanship

Which of the following is not true about the English class system ？Working –class students cannot receive a university education

The most obvious difference between the working class and the middle class in England is their accent

British habits of politeness are on the whole very informal

If you are invited to an evening meal in a British home , which of the following is considered impolite ? To arrive early

In Britain , you can usually offer money to railway porters who carry your baggage

If old people are respected in Britain , it is because old people are felt to be in need of protection and support

Which of the following is not true about politeness in Britain ?

Britain greetings are complicated

Geographically speaking , the people of the North and West , especially the Welsh , are much less reserved than those of the South and East in Britain .

Within their hearts , the English are perhaps on less conceited than anybody else , but in their relation with others they value at least a show of modesty

Prince Philip once said that a sense of humour is God’s greatest gift to mankind

Boxing , rugby association football , hockey , tennis and cricket were all first organized and given rules in the country Britain

The middle class in Britain consists chiefly of Well-to-do business man and professional people of all kinds . The working class consists chiefly of manual and unskilled workers

In England , middle-class people using slightly varying kinds of received pronunciation which is the kind of English spoken BBC announcers and taught to overseas pupils , Typical working class speak in many different local accents , which are generally felt to be rather ugly and uneducated .

One of the biggest barriers of social equality in England is the two-class education system . To have been to a public school immediately marks you out as one of the middle class .

In England , the midday meal of middle class people is called lunch , and they have a rather

formal evening meal called dinner , whereas the working class man’s dinner , if his working hours permit , is at midday , and his smaller , late evening meal is called supper .

In British habits of politeness , Excuse me is used as an advance apology for troubling somebody , Sorry expresses regreat for an accidental disturbance or breach of manner s , Pardon is the polite way of asking somebody to repeat what he has said ‘ Yes , please ‘ is the opposite of ‘ No , thanks ‘when replying to an offer , when you request is granted ; you are always sexpected to say Thank you , when British people ask someone else to do things which would involve real apology like I don’t like asking you , but .

In Britain , the tipping system is confined chiefly to waiters and taxi-drivers , to whom you give an extra tench or eighth of the price of the meal or fare . Hotel servants and railway porters too , expect a small tip if they are of service to you .

In Britain , the great majority of parents send their children to State schools

In Britain education , boys and girls are usually separated in junior schools

Eleven plus is the examination taken by children in their last year at primary school

In the examination called the eleven plus , students with the highest marks go to grammar schools

If a student wants to go to university in Britain , he will bake the examination called the Advanced level of the General Certificate of Education

Public schools in England are usually attended by those whose parents are both rich and politically conservative .

About three-quarters of income of British universities is provided by the State .

Which of the following is not a characteristic of Open Univerisity ? Not university depree is awarded

Every child in Britain must by law receive full-time education from the ago of five to fifteen

In Britain some children go before the ago of five to kindergartens , officially called nursery schools . Most start their education at the age of five in an infants school .

In Britain , the school year begins in the month of September . and is divided into three terms , with holidays at Christmas . Easter and in the summer . The summer holidays are the longest , lasting throughout August and part of September .

In Britain , there are at this time two systems for secondary schooling , the selective and the comprehensive .

In Britain , the schools run by the State is officially called country schools

In Britain , some public schools , like Eton, Rugby , and Harrow , are famous all over the world In Britain , the prep school curriculum differs considerably from that of the junior school , since its main target is not the eleven plus , but the common entrance examination at the age of thirteen , for admission to a co public school .

In Britain education , there is a gradual progress away from exclusiveness and nowhere is this progress more evident than in the universities

新编英美文化视听篇二：分组英美课后习题

Old English Literature

Review Questions

1. Give an account of the history of England from the Celtic settlement to the Norman Conquest.

2. How did Christianity came to England? Name the most important monasteries of this period.

3. Name some representative pieces of the Old English poetry.

4. Name the two most important Christian poets of this period.

5. Analyse the artistic features of Beowulf, using the quoted passage to illustrate your points.

Middle English Literature

I. Fill in the blanks: (30%)

1. The first settlers of the British Isles were ________, and Britain got its name from a branch of this people called ________. But later they were driven to live in ________, ________ and ________.

2. The ________, ________ and ________ were ________ tribes originally living on the Continent. They moved to the British Isles and became the ancestors of the ________ people.

3. The most important event of the Old English Period was ________, which took place in the year ________.

4. The Roman Catholic Church sent ________ to England in 597 ________ the English people to Catholicism.

5. Name two poems of this period apart from Beowulf: ________, and ________.

6. Beowulf is an epic of ________ lines, and it tells the events that took place on ________ before they moved to the British Isles.

7. After the Anglo-Saxon English took in loan words from ________ and ________ and lost most of its ________ and many of its grammar rules, it was called ________.

8. Romance can be divided into three kinds according to subject matter. They are ________, ________ and ________.

9. Romances of the English subject are tales about ________ and his ________.

10. John Wyclif was a translator of ________, William Langland wrote ________ and the most famous English ballads are those about ________.

II. Mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F): (10%)

? The two centers of Christian culture in the Old English Period was in Canterbury and

Northumbria.

? Caedmon belonged to Northumbrian School, whereas the Venerable Bede was a member of

the Canterbury Abbey in south England.

?

?

?

?

? The first English national epic poem is Widsith. Old English poetry is distinguished by its use of alliteration and kennings. Chaucer is the greatest lyrical poet of the Middle English Period The Canterbury Tales is Chaucer's masterpiece, but it is unfinished with only 24 tales written. Modern English is developed from the London dialect of the Middle English Period, which is

a great contribution made by Chaucer to the English language.

? Most of the English popular ballads have their origin in the French folklore.

? The Normans were interested in the Cycle of King Arthur because they wanted to prove they

were lawful heirs to the Celtic ancestors of Britain.

? Chaucer's humanistic ideas anticipate the English Renaissance.

IV. Explain the following literary terms: (15%)

1. epic

2. alliteration

3. iambic pentameter

4. romance

5. ballad

IV. Choose one from each of the following two groups of questions and write a short essay of about 300 words to the first and about 500 words to the second: (45%)

Group One: (20%)

1. Give a historical review of the Old English Period.

2. Say something about the transition from Old English to Middle English and the historical elements that had brought about this transition.

Group Two: (25%)

1. Analyze the theme(s) and artistic features of Beowulf.

2. Comment on Chaucer's achievements and contributions with examples from his works.

English Renaissance Period

Review Questions

1. How did England become the most powerful country during the Tudor reign?

2. What does the word "Renaissance" mean and why do we call this historical period the English Renaissance Period?

3. Give a brief account of Thomas More's life and his major work Utopia.

4. Name Spenser's major literary work and tell what it is about.

5. Name more writers (poets and playwrights) of this period and tell what you know about them.

6. What are Bacon's chief contributions?

7. Who was the greatest playwright before Shakespeare? Discuss one of his plays.

8. What kind of comedy is Ben Jonson's special contribution? And as a playwright how different is Ben Jonson from Shakespeare?

Quiz

Fill in the blanks: (50%)

1. ________ broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and established ________.

2. It was ________ and ________ who introduced Italian sonnets into England.

3. Thomas More's famous line in Utopia that exposes the calamities of the Enclosure Movement is ________.

4. Faerie Queene was planned for 12 books, each standing for one moral principle, but only ________ books were finished centering on the following six virtues: ________, ________, ________, ________, ________, ________and ________.

5. Philip Sidney's essay on poetry is called ________; John Lyly's prose romance has a main character ________, whose name is afterward responsible for an expression in the dictionary to represent a style of speech; Thomas Lodge is mainly remembered today for his prose romance ________, Thomas Nasbe is believed to have joined Marlowe in writing ________; and Robert Greene is connected with Shakespeare for attacking the latter in one of his pamphlets as a(n) ________.

6. Christopher Marlowe used ________ to write his plays and two of his important plays are

________, and ________.

7. Francis Bacon's works are expressions of his thought on ________, and his prose style is best represented in an essay called ________.

8. Ben Jonson's masterpiece is a comedy of humours called ________, and he was made ________ in 1616.

9. List any three of Shakespeare's comedies: ________, ________, and ________.

10. The four great tragedies by Shakespeare are ________, ________, ________, and ________.

11. Shakespeare has produced two tetralogies of English history plays, and the most discussed two are ________, and ________.

12. Falstaff was no good companion for ________, who later became ________, a powerful king of England.

13. ________ was a Jew and a usurer in ________, and he tried to take revenge on the Christians who despised and ill-treated him.

14. lago is the villain in ________, who set a trap to lead ________ to believe that his wife ________ was unfaithful to him.

15. ________ is a spirit in the dramatic romance ________, in which he helped ________, the former duke of ________ to get back the lost power.

16. Shakespeare wrote ________ sonnets, which can be divided into groups with ________ and ________ sonnets in each group.

17. The Shakespearean sonnet rhymes ________, and the last ________ lines are used as a conclusion to sum up the message of the poem.

II. Mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F): (10%)

? The English Enclosure Movement was a drive to fence up large pieces of land to raise sheep. ? The Tudor reign reached its most glorious time under King Hey VIII.

? In 1688 the English navy defeated the Spanish Armada on the high seas.

? Humanism opposed the Roman Catholic Church and the medieval bondage on people's

minds.

? Miracle plays are simple and mostly tell the stories of the Bible.

? The university wits were all university graduates and they lived on university campuses. ? in Shakespeare's days all the female roles were performed by boys.

? Romeo and Juliet was written in the third period of Shakespeare's creative career.

? The Spenserian stanza contains 8 iambic lines of 5 feet each and one last line of 6 feet. ? The Arcadia is a romance in verse by Philip Sidney, which consists of 5 books.

III. Explain the following literary terms: (15%)

1. the Shakespearean sonnet

2. blank verse

3. pastoral poem

4. three unities

5. allegory

IV. Essay question: (25%)

Choose one essay question from the given two and write an essay of at least 500 words.

1. Give a general account of the first flowering of Literature in the English Renaissance Period.

2. Write an introduction of Shakesp

eare, his life and his literary achievements.

The 17th Century Literature

Review Questions

1. What historical elements caused the English Bourgeois Revolution and why is it so called the Puritan Revolution?

2. Tell what you know about Milton's life.

3. Make some comments on the epic poem Paradise Lost.

4. In what way does Samson's last heroic deed remind us of Milton's last phase of life? Review Questions

1. Tell the unique features of the "Metaphysical Poetry".

2. Choose one poem by metaphysical poets and discuss it as well as you can.

3. Introduce the historical background for the emergence of the Restoration drama.

4. Choose to comment on one Restoration comedy writer and his play(s).

Review Questions

1. Choose either Absalom and Achitophel or Mac Flecknoe and analyse it to show Dryden's satirical power.

2. Why is Dryden called "Father of English Literary Criticism"? What are his literary views presented in Of Dramatick Poesie?

3. What kind of a writer is John Bunyan?

4. Discuss as well as you can The Pilgrim's Progress.

Quiz

I. Choose one correct answer from the four offers given after each of the following sentences or questions: (15%)

1. Who was the leader of the Puritan Revolution of England?

A. John Lilburne B. Oliver Cromwell C. Milton D. Charles II

2. Who was executed as the enemy of the English people after the victory of the Bourgeois Revolution?

A. James II B. Queen Elizabeth C. Charles II D. Charles 1

3. The Glorious Revolution took place in the year of ________.

A. 1660 B. 1688 C. 1642 D 1649

4. The Bible was translated under the reign of ________ and published in ________.

A. King James I, 1611 B. King Charles I, 1625

C. King James II, 1688 D. King Charles I1, 1660

5. In the early 17th century there was a group of court poets represented by John Suckling, Robert Herrick, etc. who were called ________.

A. metaphysical poets B. cavalier poets C. satirical poets D. lyrical poets

6. Milton's poem Lycidas is a(n) ________ and his Paradise Lost is written in ________.

A. epic, heroic couplet B. pastoral poem, sonnet

C. lyrical poem, rhymed verse D. elegy, blank verse

7. Metaphysical poets are noted for their use of ________.

A. blank verse B. conceits C. alliteration D. typography

8. In the Restoration Period, drama revived mainly because ________.

A. Charles I1 and his court brought back with them a taste for drama

B. there appeared many good playwrights

C. the new bourgeois class liked drama

D. it was a reaction against the suppression of drama performance by the Puritan government

9. Restoration plays have a significance in the history of English literature because ________.

A. they are very entertaining with witty dialogues

B. they have themes about love and marriage of the city people

C. they anticipate the plays of social manners by later dramatists like Sheridan and Goldsmith

D. they have preserved comedies as a dramatic gee from distinction

I0. William Congreve chose to write his comedies on subjects of ________.

A. family and social pressures on young people's free choice in love and marriage

B. intrigues and deceptions in the games of love and marriage

C. indecent sexual liaisons and the libertine life style

D. the fight over inheritance and marriage for money and rank

11. Of the four speakers in his Of Dramatick Poesie John Dryden speaks through the character called ________.

A. Eugenius B. Crites C. Lisideius D. Neander

12. Besides heroic plays, Dryden also produced ________ such as Secret Love and Marriage a-la-Mode.

A. tragi-comedies B. history plays C. dramatic romances D. problem plays

13. In religion John Bunyan was a ________.

A. Protestant B. Puritan dissenter C. Catholic D. Church of England man

14. The Pilgrim's Progress is a(n) ________.

A. fairy taleB. religious document C. realistic novel D. allegory

15. Before Dryden and Bunyan, the English prose mainly followed the ________ styles.

A. Italian and French B. French and Spanish C. French and Latin D. Spanish and Latin II. Give the full name of the authors of the following works: (10%)

1. Grace Abounding to the Chief o/Sinners

2. The Way of the World

3. Absalom and Achitophel

4. The Flea

5. Areopagutuca; or Speech for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing

6. The Man of Mode

7. The Work of the Beast

8. The Altar

9. The True Levellers' Standard Advanced

10. The Plain-Dealer

III. Identification exercises: You are given three passages below from the works we have introduced in this part. Please read each carefully and then answer the questions attached to each passage (30%)

1. [...] at this fair are all such merchandise sold, as houses, lands, trades, places, honours, prefermentst, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, as whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not.

Questions:

1) From which work is this passage taken and who is its author? (2 points)

2) What is this passage about? (3 points)

新编英美文化视听篇三：英美文化练习答案

Lecture 1 geography

TTFFTFTFFF

1. the North Sea, the English Channel

5. Canada, Mexico2. Great Britain, Ireland 3. London 4. Buckingham Palace 6. Pacific Ocean 7. the Appalachian Mountains, the Rocky Mountains

9. Wall Street 10. San Francisco 8. Christopher Columbus, George Washington

11. Anglo-Saxons, Celts 12. English, Gaelic, Welsh 13. Canada, Mexico, Russia

14. Russia, Canada, China 15. the Mississippi River, the Columbia River

16. the Great Lakes, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan

17. the west, the USA, Mexico, Canada

BDDAB/DBCBA/CCDCBA

Lecture 2

I. 1-5: TFTFT 6-10: TFTFT 11-15 TTTTF 16-20: TTFFT

II. 1-5: DDBCC 6-10: ABACD 11-15: CBCDB 16-20: BCACD

III.

1. The America’s policy of neutrality changed in 1940. Because of the formation of the Axis, the American government feared that the Axis countries were

winning the war and it might thrreaten America’s security and interests. It began to provide war equipment to the foreign nations resisting the aggression of the Axis Powers. The Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor became the direct cause for America’s entrance into the war.

2. Nixon made three well-known contributions: a) brought the Vietnam War to a close; b) reestablishing US relations with China; c) negotiating the first

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the former Soviet Union.

3. Reagan’s economic programs called for reductions in income taxes and business taxes in order to encourage investment, and it proposed deep cuts in

federal spending in every area except defense. It also requested that many government regulations be eliminated so as to reduce the federal government’s role in the day-to-day operation of business.

4.

5. They are the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Queen Victoria made tremendous achievements in almost every aspect. She promoted further industrial revolution, the building of railways and the

growing of trade and commerce. By the end of her reign, Britain had developed to an empire including a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass.

6. The Central Powers which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and the Allied Powers which were mainly comprised

of France, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, Italy and the United States.

7.

IV.

1. The Industrial Revolution changed Britain im many ways. First, industrial productivity increased dramatically. Britain became the most advanced

industrial country and also the financial center in the world. Second, urbanization took place. Many new cities sprang up. Third, it caused great changes in the class structure. The old social classes declined, and new ones emerged and developed.

2. Colonization of Newfoundland, the first British colony overseas, in 1583 marked the beginning of the British Empire. By 1837, Britain had long been an

empire which included the colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and many small states in the West Indies. By the end of the 19th century, the British Empire included a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass. During the mid-19th century, the British government consolidated the existing colonies by bringing them under the direct control of the government. Before World War I, Britain had the largest colonial empire in the world. However, Britain suffered great loss to its manpower in the two World Wars and exhausted its reserves of gold, dollars and overseas investment. Most of Britain’s colonies gained independence since the 1940s, which inevitably led to the fall of the Empire.

3. The issue of slavery was the focus of American politics, economics and cultural life by the mid-19th century. The Southern planters needed a large number

of laborers to manage their plantations, and they regarded the black slaves as their property. In the North, with the development of industry, there was a growing demand for free labor. What’s more, the Northerners demanded a law protecting tariffs and asked the government to finance the building of railways and roads, but the Southerners were strongly against it and advocated free trade so that they could purchase cheaper goods from foreign countries. The accumulating conflicts led to the division of the North and the South and finally the Civil War. Because they were allied during the war and shared the same worries about the former Soviet Union. 18. hurricanes

4. During the world wars, America remained neutral in the early stage of the wars. However, Americans continued their profitable trade with the warring

countries; therefore, they not only retained their military forces but also accumulated great wealth. When America entered the wars, it was almost at the end of the wars,. By sharing the fruit of victory with other allies, America greatly strengthened its power, and became the most powerful country by the end of World War II.

Lecture 3 Politics

1. Tell whether each of the following statement is true or false.

1-10: TTFFT/TFTFF 11-14: FTTF

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct information.

1. Lords; Commons 2. the Prime Minister; the Sovereign/Queen 3. Conservative Party; Labour Party 4. a federal system 5. executive; judicial 6. Senate; Representatives; two 7. the Democratic Party; the Republican Party 8. legislature, monarch, Commons 9. the Queen 10. supreme law 11. Bill of Rights, amendments12. executive, checks and balances 13. Supreme Court 14. Democratic, Republican

3. Choose the correct answer on the basis of what is stated in the text.

1-10: CDAAD/CDBCA 11-17:DDACB/CD

4. Explain the following terms.

1. British Parliament

The British Parliament today consists of three parts: the Queen, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Parliament has a number of different functions. First and foremost, it passes laws. Another role of the Parliament is to scrutinize, or examine the government.

2. Life peer

Life peers receive their noble titles from the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. However, a life peer cannot pass the title on to his or her children. These appointments are usually made for people’s outstanding careers or contributions to society. Famous people who have been made peers are former British Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

3. British Constitution

The U.K. does not have a written constitution, which most countries have. While much of the constitution is written down, it is not systematically written into a single document. The British Constitution is made up of three main parts: Statutes, Common Laws and Conventions.

4. The Labour Party

The Labour Party was developed by the growing trade union movement at the end of the 19th century. It quickly replaced the Liberal Party as one of the two largest political parties in the U.K. The Labour Party supported state control of important industries and a more equal distribution of wealth. It has drawn financial support from the trade unions.

5. The U.S. Constitution

The Constitution of the United States was written as a single political document in 1787. There were only 7 articles in it. The Constitution demands the election of the president, and provides that federal laws would only be made by a Congress. It also provides for a national court system headed by a Supreme Court. The Constitution follows these principles: federal system, “checks and balances” of the powers and respect for the Constitution.

6. A federal system

A federal system is one in which power is shared between the central government and the state government. Therefore, each of the Americans is under the two governments--the federal government and the state government. The federal government has the right to declare war, to tax, to borrow or coin money and to regulate business and trade. Generally speaking, the federal government deals with foreign affairs and matters of general concern to all the states.

7. Checks and balances

When Americans talk about the system of “checks and balances”, they often refer to the three-part government. The system limits the p owers of the three branches. Each branch has powers that the others do not have, and each branch is given power to check the operations of the others, so that no one branch can become too powerful.

8. The Congress

The Congress is the supreme legislative branch of the U.S. government. Under the Constitution, it is the only branch that can make federal laws, levy federal taxes, and declare war upon other countries. The American Congress is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both Senators and Representatives of the House are chosen by a direct election from all of the states.

9. Bill of Rights

Many of the recommendations of the states ratifying conventions were considered later by James Madison as he drafted what became the Bill of The Rights. It is commonly viewed as consisting of the first 10 articles of Amendments to the Constitution. These amendments give all Americans rights to believe in any religion; to speak, write and publish as they like; to gather together peaceably and to petition the government; to be secure in their homes without fear of ueasonable searches and seizure of persons and property; and to receive fair and just treatment in courts of law. The Bill of Rights was added in 1791.

10. jurisdiction

Jurisdiction is the authority to hear and decide cases. According to the Constitution, the federal courts exercise jurisdiction over cases in which the subject involves either the U.S. Constitution, statutes, or treaties; maritime law; or cases in which the litigants include either the U.S. government, more than one state government, one state government and a citizen of another state, citizens of more than one state, or a foreign government or citizen. The state courts exercise jurisdiction over the remaining cases. These include most criminal cases.

11. Electoral College

It is a body that elects the president and vice president. Each state is represented by the same number of members as in its congressional delegation. In another word, each has as many electors as the total representation in Congress (House plus Senate). The voters vote for electors who will cast their ballots in the Electoral College. Because of the winner-take-all feature of the Electoral College, the system gives an advantage to large states and their urban populations.

12. Manifest Destiny

The 19th century journalist John O’Sullivan coined the phrase “manifest destiny” in an 1839 article. It conveyed the belief in the divinely conferred right of the republic to expand westward and bring more of the continent into “the great experiment of Liberty and Federated self-government”.

Questions for Discussion

1. The Articles of Confederation was the first governing Constitution of the United States of America. Although serving a crucial role in the victory in the

American Revolutionary War, a group of reformers felt that the Articles lacked the necessary provisions for a sufficiently effective government. Another problem is that the government lacked taxing authority; it had to request funds from the states. Another criticism of the Articles was that they did not strike the right balance between large and small states in the legislative decision making process.

2. Legislature is a type of representative assembly with the power to create and change laws. The President has the authority to appoint federal judges as

vacancies occur. Under the Constitution, the President is responsible for foreign relations with other nations. He also has the right to veto or sign any bills passed by Congress. He can call into service of the National Guard. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court, which is the only court specifically created by the Constitution. The Supreme Court is the ultimate appellate court in the United States. It usually hears cases on appeal. If Congress proposes a law that the President thinks is unwise, the President can veto it. That means the proposal does not become law. If Congress passes a law which is then challenged in the courts as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has the power to declare the law unconstitutional and therefore no longer in effect.

3. 1) Popular sovereignty, or control by the people

2) A republican government in which the people choose representatives to make decisions for them

3) Limited government with written laws, in contrast to the powerful monarchical English government against which the colonists had rebelled

4) Separation of powers, with checks and balances among branches to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power

5) A federal system that allowed for states’ rights, because the states feared too much centralized control

4. A law begins as a proposal called “a bill”. It is read, studied in committees, commented on and amended in the Senate or House chamber in which it was

introduced. It is then voted upon. If it passes, it is sent to the other house where a similar procedure occurs. Members of both houses work together in “conference committees” if the chambers have passed different versions of the same bill. Groups who try to persuade Congressmen to vote for or against a bill are known as “lobbies.” When both houses of Congress pass a bill on which they agree, it is sent to the president for his signature. Only after it is signed does the bill become a law.

5. Many bills are initiated by the Cabinet, in the House of Commons. The function of the British Parliament is to discuss, criticize, oppose, ask for minor amendments and in the end to approve. Because the majority of the members of the House of Commons belong to the stronger party that forms the government, the majority will inevitably vote for the Cabinet’s proposals. Therefore though Parliament is normally a law-making body, not all the members of the British Parliament are law-makers; in reality, only the members of the stronger party in the House of Commons are.

6. The Queen is the symbol of the whole nation. In law, the Queen is head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, the head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces of the crown and the supreme governor of the established Church of England. Although the Queen’s main function is limited to the mechanical signing of official documents, it has a definite role in the UK. The Queen is the only legal and constitutional link binding the members of the Commonwealth of Nations to the home country and to one another. In this way it is easier to make Britain’s former colonies believe that they are not in any way bound to the English government or its politicians. However, the Queen now has various constitutional rights. She reigns but she does not rule. The United Kingdom is governed in the name of the Queen.

7. The British people greatly value their Opposition. They think there is not a democracy without one because the members of the Opposition are not just trouble-makers. The Opposition criticizes government policy, suggests alternative government policy, exposes its weaker points, suggests amendments and points out other matters which the government may ignore. Their work is based on the agreement that the minority agrees that the majority must govern, and therefore accepts its decisions; and the majority agrees that the minority should criticize, and therefore sets time aside for the criticism to be heard. Therefore there is some cooperation between the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition. The latter also receives a salary from state funds.

Lecture 4 Politics

Fill in blanks:

1. the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, Protestantism（此题有误，应为“three parts 而不是two parts）

2. the Old Testament ，the New Testament

3.

4.

5. the Queen，the Archbishop of Canterbury God, Jesus ， the Holy Spirit humbler forms of life

Choices:

D B A C D

Questions for Discussion

1. The Church of England is not as strong as might at first appear because (1) it is established only in England, not in Scotland, Ireland and Wales; (2) in spiritual matters, it has no strong central authority; (3) even in England, it is only a minority.

2. (1) The successes of modern science are partly responsible for this decline. (2) The general improvement in social conditions and the variety of modern entertainment have made religion appear rather irrelevant.

3. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism

4. the separation of state and church: refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state. Text of the First Amendment to the country's Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." It guarantees the free exercise of religion. The Supreme Court has interpreted this as preventing the government from having any authority in religion. The decision was mainly influenced by European Rationalist and Protestant ideals, but was also a consequence of the pragmatic concerns of minority religious groups and small states that did not want to be under the power or influence of a national religion that did not represent them.

5. Several explanations may be offered. Religion in America has never been identified with an oppressive or dominant social class or set of political

institutions. The Pilgrim Fathers, and many of those who followed them, left Europe to be free to worship in their own way, not as the establish authorities told them to. The American mythology assigns its first place to religious freedom and spontaneity. Paradoxical1y, the original basis of freedom creates a social pressure

in favor of religion. Most people want to identify themselves with dominant values, and going freely to the church of one's choice is a way of doing so, and of gaining acceptance in the face of a subtle demand for conformity. And the church is a place where people can meet others with whom they would like to make friends. Religion, for most people, is important mainly as a means of getting together with others in a context which is so little defined that its values, expressing merely general good will, can be easily shared. Most clergymen run their churches in a way which fits in with the ideas of their congregations. People go to church and it helps them to fee1 that they have a place in a community.

Unit 5 Education

I. 1-8: TTFFTFTF

9-13 FFFTT 14-18: TFFFF

II. 1-7: CBBBDCB

8-16 DBABCCDDA

III.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

IV.

1. 4.The major functions of grammar schools were to train the most academically capable students and prepare them for university, whereas the major f

unctions of vocational schools were to help less successful students to learn a trade.

2. 5.British comprehensive schools provide a general education, offering both academic subjects like literature and science, and practical subjects like

cooking and carpentry.

3. 6.why?British universities enjoy complete academic freedom because they can appoint their own staff, decide which students to admit, provide their

own courses and award their own degrees.

4.

5. The students follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, video, and a network of study centers. 2.Higher education institutions in the United States have three functions: teaching, research and public service, and each has its own emphasis with regard

to its functions.

6． 3.The four universities all have a long history. They all have an excellent faculty, a large number of students and have made extensive academic achievements. Some of their graduates are very successful or influential in some areas such as politics, arts and business.

7.1.American universities choose applicants on the basis of: a) their high school records; b) recommendations from their high school teachers; c) the impression they make during interviews at the university; d) their scores on the SAT.

V.

1. Britain’s independent schools requirre fees from students. Although the National Curriculum is optional in the independent system, most independent schools teach what the curriculum demands. Independent schools get their funding through tuition fees as well as government assistance. Since they are generally better-funded than most state schools, they can recruit the best teachers and provide superior facilities. However, high tuition fees have become an obstacle for many students to eoll.

2. There have been arguments both for and against public schools in Britain. The greatest argument for public schools, some people feel, is the strikingly high proportion of ex-public-schoolboys occupying senior posts in the government, the armed forces, the church, the universities, the professions, and even in business. This, they say, proves the superiority of a public school education. Others say that this is the greatest argument against public schools, since it simply Oxford, Cambridge 5, 16 independent academic, practical secondary, higher education public schools independent, academic Cambridge

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