《英美概况》练习参考答案(美国部分)

《最新英美概况》练习参考答案(美国部分)

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《最新英美概况》

练习参考答案

（本答案不包括练习中的开放性习题、思考题和讨论题）

==================================================== PART TWO The United States

Chapter Eight The Land

P. 209—210

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. the Star-Spangled Banner, Defense of Fort McHenry, 181

2.

2. the Stars and the Stripes, Old Glory, the Star-Spangled Banner.

3. The White House, The Capitol, The Pentagon.

4. June, 14th, June 14th.

5. the Potomac, no state, the Federal government.

6. 36, 36 states.

7. Amerigo Vespucci, American War of Independence.

8. Pierre L’Enfant, light, service.

II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

1. C

2. D

3. C

4. A B C D

5. C D

III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:

1. F

2. F

3. T

4. F

5. T

IV Answer the following questions.

1. (1) At first the Continent was named as “America” after explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

(2) During the American War of Independence, the former British colonies first

used “the thirteen united States of America” in the Declaration of Independence.

(3) The official name of America was adopted on November 15, 1777, when the

Second Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation.

2. The 50 stars represent the 50 States, while the 13 stripes represent the original thirteen

colonies.

White indicates purity and innocence; red indicates valour and bravery, and blue symbolizes vigilance, perseverance and justice; it is also a symbol of respect to God.

3. The stars and strips have different meanings.

Each star represents each state in America, while strips represent the original thirteen

colonies before the independence of America.

4. (1) The lyrics of the national anthem come from “Defense of Fort McHenry”, a poem

written during the War of 1812.

The poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song, “The Anacreontic

Song” (or “To Anacreon in Heaven”).

(2) The Star-Spangled Banner was used officially by the Navy in 1889, and was made

the national anthem by congress on March 3, 1931, which was signed by President

Herbert Hoover.

5. The White House was built in1792 and its original color was grey.

During the War of 1812, it was badly damaged by the British troops, and in 1814 it was

repainted white.

President Roosevelt named it “White House” in the 1940s.

P. 213

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. the central part of, Mexico and Gulf of Mexico, east, west.

2. 48, Hawaii, Alaska.

3. the Rio Grande, Pacific.

4. 9,629,091, the third, Canada.

5. Alaska, Texas.

6. Arctic, glaciers.

II Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:

1. T

2. T

3. T

4. F

5. F

III Answer the following questions.

1. (1) The Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast and Hawaii provide convenient sea routes for

foreign trade.

(2) The long coastline with many harbors and inlets provides favorable conditions for

foreign trade and the fishing industry.

(3) Mainland America, mainly within the northern temperate zone, is favorable for

agriculture.

2. The U.S. and Canada share the “world's longest undefended border.” The border was

demilitarized after the War of 1812 and has remained peaceful. Military collaboration began during World War II and continued throughout the Cold War on both a bilateral basis and a multilateral relationship through NATO. Both countries are NATO members and have high military interdependency, in particular, during the Cold War against Soviet threat.

Today Canadians and Americans are in close cultural proximity, sharing the same

language, similar religion and political systems as well as many values.

Their economic relations are so close (they have been each other’s No. 1 trading partner

for years) that the two countries have established the North American Free Trade

Agreement, the world’s largest free-trade zone. Both enjoy the most developed and

richest economies in the world as well as a comparable standard of living (Canada’s

welfare system is even more comprehensive and covers more widely).

To guard the over 8000-kilometer long land border is not only expensive but also

unnecessary (in a sense, impossible, because it is too long), because neither people

worry that their neighbors would cross the border on a large scale or stay in their

country for a long time.

3. The border between the U.S. and Mexico is heavily guarded (mostly on the American side)

against illegal immigrants entering the U.S. while people can enter Mexico freely. The cause is mostly economic rather than political. There is a huge disparity in the standard of living between the U.S. and Mexico whose per capita GDP is only about 20% that of the U.S. (2012 World Bank statistics). It is estimated six out of the eleven million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. are Mexicans, and millions more plan to enter the U.S. They try to benefit from the American business or job opportunities or from the American welfare system or even to engage in drug-trafficking and smuggling. Another purpose is to combat crime and terrorism, particularly after the 9.11 terrorist attacks. The U.S.-Mexican border areas witness the most serious drug-trafficking and gang violence in the world.

Some Mexicans, in particular those haunted by the serious drug-related violence in recent years, try to escape from the violence in Mexico by moving to the U.S. In a word, if the US-Mexico border is open and unguarded as the U.S.-Canada border, there would be millions of Mexicans trying to migrate to America so that the consequent problems would be very difficult for the U.S. deal with.

4. Alaska, facing Russia across Bering Strait, is located between the Arctic and Pacific oceans,

so it’s important for strategic position and transportation.

5. Hawaii, like a chain of beads, is located in the central Pacific Ocean, the best place to

enjoy the oceanic scenery.

It is famous for natural scenery: white beach, blue sky, and palm trees, etc.

The famous Pacific Fleet is located at Pearl Harbor, Oahu Island.

P. 221—222

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. Lake Superior, Erie, Ontario.

2. Columbia Plateau, the Great Canyon.

3. the Rockies, the father of waters.

4. dairy farming, Harvard, Yale, MIT.

5. Death Valley, Great Salt Lake.

6. 38, Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful.

7. 4,800, British Columbia, the backbone of the continent, Mt. Elbert.

8. Hoover Dam, The Rio Grande, Ruhr.

9. half, “Barn of America”, Great Lakes.

10. dividing line, Lake Erie, New York.

II Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.

1. A B C

2. D

3. A D

4. A B

5. D

III Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:

1. F

2. T

3. F

4. T

5. T

IV Answer the following questions.

1. New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the

six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, where the earliest English settlements in North America was made.

In the late 18th century, the New England Colonies initiated the resistance to the British Parliament's efforts to impose new taxes without the consent of the colonists. The confrontation led to the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, which resulted in the War of American Independence that brought about the birth of the United States of America.

2. The Appalachians holds one sixth of the continental territory. The mountains are relatively

low, and the average altitude is only 800 meters high.

These old mountains with rounded tops and wooded hills, and have much beautiful scenery and many tourist resorts.

3. It is the most important and longest river in the US. It flows about 6,400 km. from the

Rockies to the Gulf of Mexico, and the fourth longest river in the world.

With hundreds of tributaries, the river is known as “the father of waters”.The chief tributaries are the Missouri River, the Ohio River, and the Arkansas, etc.

4. They are the largest lake group in the world and contain about half of the world’s fresh water.

All the five lakes are inter-connected, reaching the Atlantic by way of the St. Lawrence River.

They are the important economic lifeline of the Midwest.

The world-famous Niagara Falls also attracts numerous visitors.

5. The Great Plain stretches from the west of the Mississippi to the Rockies, and covers a

distance of about 6,400 kilometers. The land is flat and open, and is originally covered with rich prairie grass, but no trees. Today the area is still a cattle country. Much of the nation’s wheat is grown here, therefore the area is known as the “breadbasket” of America.

The Grand Canyon is located in Colorado Plateau, and is cut by Colorado River. It is one of the great natural wonders of the world, and is set up as national park. It measures about 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide between the tops of its steep walls, and more than a mile deep.

P. 224--225

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. little, 63%.

2. the Central Plains, the Rockies, electricity.

3. Bingham.

4. 1/3, Washington, Oregon.

5. Gulf of Mexico, Okalahoma.

6. gold, gold, Gold Rush.

II. Respond to the following items.

1. America is rich in water resources. As a whole the country has little trouble with water

shortage. Except for the desert regions around the southern Rockies, there are large supplies of fresh water and numerous fertile valleys.

2. About 1/3 of America is covered with forests. The greatest virgin forests are in the states of

Washington and Oregon. America has about 500 million acres of commercial forests and about 75% of commercial timber is produced in the eastern part of the country.

3. In 1848, gold was discovered in California. The news soon spread out, and thousands of

immigrants from around the world invaded the Gold Country of California. The peak of the rush was in 1849, thus the many immigrants became known as the '49ers.

4. Coal deposits are widely distributed in America, and most coal reserves are to be found in

the Appalachians, the Central Plain, and the Rockies.

Most of iron ore is mainly found in the Appalachians and the areas near Lake Superior, and the most important mining area is in Minnesota.

P. 226--227

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. northern temperate (P225 书中该词拼写错误), landforms and surrounding waters.

2. temperate, tropical.

3. temperate, north, hurricanes.

4. maritime, distinct, similar.

5. Mediterranean, arid, semiarid.

6. temperate, temperature.

II Answer the following questions.

1. The United States is mainly situated in the northern temperature zone. But, owing to its

large size, varied landforms and surrounding waters, the climate is tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the Great Plains, and arid in the Great Basin.

2. New England belongs to maritime climate. It has distinct seasons with a long cold winter,

and short and warm summer. Spring and Fall are warm, and the region receives plenty of rainfall.

The Middle Atlantic States have a similar climate to that of New England, but the average temperature is a little higher.

3. The Great Plains have a variety of weather throughout the year, which is very cold in winter

and very hot in summer, with often strong winds.

4. The climate around the Great Lakes is temperate. Winters are sometimes extremely cold;

summers are very hot; the region receives sufficient rainfall. The wind blows freely, and often causes sudden and extreme changes in temperature and creates many tornadoes.

P. 232

I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:

1. F

2. F

3. F

4. T

5. T

6. T

P. 237

I Write down the names of the places according to the photos.

1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

2. Niagara Falls

3. Las Vegas

4. Red Rock Country

5. The Grand Canyon

6. Disneyland

P. 240

I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:

1. F

2. F

3. T

4. F

5. F

Chapter Nine The People and Their Culture

P. 243

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. third, China, 313.7 million. (书中in 2010错误, 应改为in 201

2.)

2. 1%, high, below.

3. urban, 250.

4. northeastern part, 1/4, half.

5. New York city, 27 million, Chicago, 9 million.

6. California, Texas.

II Answer the following questions.

1. American population is characterized by variety in composition. The White is the main

stream, and takes up about 72.4% of the total population. Hispanics 16.3%, Blacks 12.6%, Asians 4.8 %, American Indians and Alaska Natives 0.9%, and Native Hawaii and other

Pacific Islanders 0.2%.

2. The most densely populated region is the northeastern area, including parts of New England, the Mid Atlantic and Mid West. The size of the region takes up about 1/4 of the total, but almost 1/2 of the total population lives there.

3. Comparing with the large size, the population density of the Great Pains is low. The northern part is rather empty. In the combined area of North and South Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas,

an area as great as France and Italy put together, there are only 6.2 million inhabitants in 2010.

4. The northeastern part is the most densely populated region in America, because this place is the birthplace of America, also the highly developed area.

Since the unfavorable living conditions in the west part of the Great Plains and Rockies, the population is thin.

The south and west used to thinly populated, but with the rapid development in recent years, the population increases fast, and the population along the Pacific Coast grows dense.

P. 247--248

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. 55 million, Mexico.

2. variety, 100, 31.

3. African Americans, slaves.

4. Civil Rights, equal civil rights.

5. Texas, New Mexico.

6. American Indians, Indian Reservations.

II Answer the following questions.

1. Melting pot is metaphorically used to refer to the US because it is a country of many ethnic

groups from different parts of the world, who came to the New World for freedom in politics or religion. They have been dissipating their different ethnic cultures towards some “standard” by living and working together in the “melting pot” of the US and gradual ly forming a new nation.

2. Indian Reservation is the living place of Indians. Indians were driven westward to live in

these barren desert places when Europeans settled in American continent. In these isolated places, they were allowed to keep a part of their own culture and customs.

But the Reservations lacked basic public facilities and life-sustaining opportunities. The situation is somewhat better today, but there continues to be problems

3. The Hispanics are Spanish-speaking people from Latin America. Over half of Hispanic

Americans are of Mexican descents. The second largest group is of Puerto Rican origin.

Other origins include Cuban Americans, Colombian Americans, Dominican Americans, etc.

P. 250--251

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. 337, 176.

2. Spanish, French.

3. English, American.

4. Spanish, Spanish.

5. Cantonese, third, Chinese American.

6. their native, English.

II Answer the following questions.

1. About 337 languages are spoken by Americans, of which 176 are indigenous, and 52

languages formerly spoken in the country are now extinct.

2. American English was inherited from British colonization, but there are some changes in

spelling, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, etc.

3. Spanish is the second m ost common language in America. The United States holds the world’s

fifth largest Spanish-speaking population. Spanish is also an official language of Puerto Rico.

Spanish is also the most widely taught second language in America.

4. The largest French-speaking communities are in Northeast Maine; Hollywood and Miami,

Florida; New York City; and certain areas of rural Louisiana.

P. 253--254

I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.

1. high adherence, diversity.

2. Christians, Protestants, Roman Catholics.

3. 30, Baptists, Methodists.

4. Judaism, Chinese Americans.

5. African Americans, African slaves.

6. India, Asian countries.

II Answer the following questions.

1. The principle of the separation of church and state comes from American Constitution. The

First Amendment of the US Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion and fords the establishment of any religious government.

2. Religion plays an important role in many aspects of American life (politics, education, charity

and culture) as well as in its international relations. American foreign aid (governmental and private) is very closely related to religion, and based on Christian values that all men and women are the children of God, therefore brothers and sisters; the US State Department issues an annual report on human rights and criticizes the human rights records in many countries (of which religious freedom is stressed), which is regarded as interfering the internal affairs of other countries; American churches sent many missions abroad, establishing churches, schools and hospitals around the world, such as what the missionaries did in China in 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g., John Leighton Stuart <司徒雷登>and the Yanching University <燕京大学>) . They worked with the American government for the diffusion of their religion and values.

Value-oriented diplomacy is one of the characteristics of American international relations.

A very important mission of American diplomacy is to diffuse its values around the world,

and many such values derive from religion, such as equality, liberty and fraternity; religion even plays a role in the American decisions of war and peace, such as the American war

on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.