英美概况美国部分
英美概况美国部分
Lecture one: Geography and PeopleLocation :Situated in the central part of North America with Canada on the north ,Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico on the south ,the United States is on the east coast of Pacific and west coast of Atlantic.Territorial area:9.5million square kilometers50states and seat of government is Washington D.CLargest state---AlaskaLargest on the continent---TexasSmallest-----Rhode Island(罗德岛州)Newest---HawaiiThree geographical divisions（三大地形区）:Western ,central and eastern part .Land forms and region:Eastern part:Highlands formed by Appalachian rangeWestern part:High plateaus and mountains(Rockies are called as the back bone of the continent). Great central plain:A large plain between the eastern Appalachian and western RockiesMain geographical regions:New England(6,northeast, longest history featured with mountains ,valleys and rivers ,and cities and towns with historic sites ,top-ranking universities )The Mid-Atlantic StatesThe West (11,a wealth of forests and stream notable cities, high-tech industry predominant agricultural yielding,14% of GDP )The Mid-WestThe South(13,plenty of rainfall and mild climate are favorable for agriculture, fast growing industry and population recent years, great size with few large citiesThe SouthwestHawaii:Tourism is the largest source of incomeTropical climateRivers and Lakes:Mississippi River---largess and most important river in the system of GulfKnown as the river to American Indians.Hudson River:Flow through New York.The Great Lakes:Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron and Lake Erie.The most important system of inland waterways in the world.Lake Michigan is wholly within the United StatesPart of the boundary runs through these lakesNiagara Fall is located on the U.S-Canada border between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Climate:Mainly temperate and some mild subtropical areas with only southern Florida and Hawaii being tropical.Natural resources:Abounds in mineral resourcesPopulation:The third most populous country in the worldUneven distribution :most densely populatedNation of Immigrants :White Anglo-Saxon protestantThe Black :The Civil Rights Movements:The Civil Rights Movements began when the black people spontaneously oppose the Segregation Law and establish organizations to make the protest successful.Martin Luther King:The political and religious leaders of non-violent civil rights movementNobel peace prize.Hispanics:Spanish-speaking AmericansMexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans(best economic achievements )MiamiAsian Immigrants :The Chinese were the first Asians to come to the U.S, ”model minority”.Racial Assimilation:America is a nation of many ethnic groups, making it a ”Melting Pot”and a Multi-Cultural SocietySpeak the same languageHave the same habits and manner.Lecture2:government and political systemAmerican constitution :Set down the basic framework of American government.Basic concept :Separation of power ,check and balances.Functions :Founding the American rule of law.Creating the federal system with a supreme national government.Having great flexibilityBuilding up the Republican form of government(共和制政体).Defining and limiting the power of the national government.Defining the relationship between national government and individual(个别)state governments.Guaranteeing the rights of the citizens of America.Supreme law, authority derived from people.Significance :Taking precedence over （为…开创先例）all state constitutions and law.First of its kind in the world, it has inspired dozens of other countries to seek for political reform.Federal system and government:The definition of Federalism(联邦制):The states are united into a federation.Federal government has the delegated power（委托权）.Both federal government and state government are Supreme power in their spheres of authority.Significance of federalism :Unify the states in their pursuit of common goals without completely deprive them of their independence.Federal government:Established by a federalism, there is a federal republic of 50 U.S states, District ofColombia and many other insular(岛屿的) areas.Branches of the government :Legislative ,executive and judicial branch.Separate but equally important ,checked and balanced by each other.The legislative branch :Congress :Briefing :Conference venue（会议场所）：The capitol(国会大厦)with Senate in the north wing and the house of representatives in the south wing.Law making and supreme legislative body.Monitor /supervise and influence aspects of the executive branch(congress’s responsibility :ensure ,comply with the law)Two chambers ----Senate（参议院）and the House of representatives（众议院）. Senate:Two members from each state as required by the Constitution with current membership 100.More important, consent to president’s proposal.The house of representatives:Each congressional district elect a representative.Each state is represented on the basis of population.More partisan that the Senate.The function:Pass the laws for the Union.The revenue bills must be originated in the house of representatives.The executive branch: comprises 14 branches and other independent agencies.Cabinet :formed by department’s heads ----secretaries.President:the chief of executive branch of the federal government. state and commander-in-chief of the military.Presidential residence: White House ,presidential term ：Serve one or two successive terms.Responsibility: taking care of the laws be faithfully executed.Executive Departments :Functions:The day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws.Head of the departments are chosen by president and approved by the Senate .Cabinet :A part of the executive branches of the U.S government and consists of the heads of the executive departments.Secretary of the state:Head of the Department of State, foreign affairs.Judicial branch:Definition:consist of a series of courts:supreme court (highest),court of appeal and district court.What it applies to ?In most criminal cases and some civil cases.Function:Finders of factDecide on whether the defendant committed the crime.Unanimous decision.Political partiesDemocratic party and Republican partyDonkey and ElephantThe Democratic Party(donkey):Liberal.Anti –federalists southwest cotton plantation ownersEmphasizing the governmental interference in economy.The Republican Party(GOP, elephant):Conservative (more assertive in international affairs)Difference and similarity:With regard to economy, the Democrats favor the governmental intervention while the Republicans stress the role of the market.On social issues, the Democrats support a strong social security system while the Republican oppose a large social security programs.Presidential election:Only the candidates nominated by the two Parties have the chance to win a Presidential election.Presidential election has 4 stages：The first stage: choosing the candidatesThe second stage: the campaigning stageThe third stage: votingThe forth stage: meeting the states capitalsLecture3:EconomyThe U.S economy is the current economic, industrial and technological giant.The largest developed country and the only superpower in the worldMixed economy:Emphasizing the private ownership(私有制).Federal government will regulate businesses.Private business produce the most goods and services.Economy system :free enterprise system.Type of business: Proprietorship(独资), cooperation and partnerships.History of American economy:The colonial period:Colonies are settled to escape religious persecutions and business ventures.After the settlement of the new England in1620,The English investors turn over colonial charter to the settlersSubsequently, the settlers established secondary industries formed a clear regional patterns of development.Since the America gained its independence:(词汇自己衔接)The constitution establish the nation as a unified market.Alexander Hamilton’s economic development strategyThe Industrial Revolution ：the boom of the cotton cloth production and textile industry(棉布生产和纺织业的繁荣)During that period of time, the south were dependant on the north for capital and manufactured goods.The Second Industrial Revolution gave birth to an explosion of new discoveries and inventions.In the 20 century :The U.S experienced a period of prosperity in the early of 20 century.Underwent Great Depression in the 1930s.President Roosevelt’s New Deal （massive intervention of the government ）saved itseconomy.略看：历届总统经济政策：Regan administration---new monetarist policiesGeorge Bush H.W----slow recession.Clinton----RecoveryAppearance of the new tycoonCurrent American economy:Agriculture：favorable natural condition.Successful agriculture mode （investment, labor method）and modern technology of farming .Remain to be the foundation of the economyManufacturing industry : America formed an industrial system with large productivity(northeastern is the lead region)Service industry:Financial services :banking, real estates and law servicesPublic welfare services:sheltering and retail servicesTop high-tech industryAdvanced space technology, information technology and computing.Lecture 4: Thirteen Colonies and the Independence War Pilgrim fathers:Columbus discovered the new world in1492.The discovery of new world epoch-making: people come to realise the world is round.Pilgrim Father(English separatists and other colonists) landed on north America on Dec 21th,1620 to escape religious persecutions. Forefather’s day Dec 21th(Mayflower).Thanksgiving day:For celebrating their first harvest of the forefathers.Fourth Thursday of November.Thirteen colonies:Those colonies were separately charted and governed by the Great Britain and finally became independent by signing the Declaration of Independence, which led the American Revolutionary War and the establishment of the U.SThe first colony was Virginia.The independence war:A series of armed conflict between the Great Britain and its 13 colonist for the colonists trying to gain their Independence and the uncontrollable contradictions. The shot of Lexington marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary WarThe Second Continental Congress:Held in Philadelphia ,May 10th , 1775Assume the functions of a national governmentFounding continental Army and NavyAppointed George Washington as the commander-in-chief of America forces. Printing paper money and open diplomatic relations.On fourth of the January,1776 approved the Declaration of IndependentThe Declaration :Consisting two parts：1.Justifing the rights for people to rebel against a government that denied theirnatural rights2.Indicting the King George for his cruel tyranny.Significance :Upholding the principle of equality and freedom of all manThe principle that people have the right to revolt.Independent DayJuly 4thThe course of the independence war:It dragged on for seven yearsThe victory of Saratoga became the turning point of the war.With the Assistance of French, Spain and Holland the war quickly ended.The Treaty of Paris put an end to the war and bring about the Independence of the 13states.Lecture 5:The American Constitution and Civil War.The American Constitution:The Constitutional Convention(制宪会议)Washington(elected as chairman), James Madison and other predominant figures discussed issues on federalism James Madison became “the father of the constitution”.Content :Representation : equal number of Senators, representatives based on population Structure of the government：a strong central government divided into 3 branches. Establishing federalism. (constitution day Sep17,1787)Causing disagreement between the federalist and the anti-federalist.Ten amendments were add to the constitution, known as “The Bill of Rights”.First general election: First President Washington.Significance of the US Constitution:Designed to unite all the people and prevent abuse of power by government officials Dividing the federal government into 3 separate but interdependent part: legislature, judiciary and executive.Becoming the first written constitution in modern sense upholding the principle that government should serve the people.Guaranteeing the unalienable human rights with the adoption of the Bill of Rights ,people’s supremacyupholding equality and political liberalism .The Era of Expansion:Louisiana Purchase became the first major event in American expansion.The Monroe doctrine: show “America for Americans “in foreign policy.Initiating Mexican American War annexed the entire southeast and CaliforniaThe civil war :The American civil war was fought in the united states between the Union and the Confederate States of the America from 1861 until 1865.The only war fight on America soil by Americans.Causes:Economic reason: contradictions between the two different existing economic systemsPolitical reason: the independence of the states.Immediate cause :The dispute over Negro slavery finally led to the session of the southern sates Abraham Lincoln:On Feb 4,1861,Abraham Lincoln took the office and insisted that slavery was evil and should be ultimately abolished.1862,he announced the Emancipation Proclamation, providing all slaves in the rebellion states freedom and setting the stage for the ultimate abolition to slavery. Gettysburg---turning point of the war.Lincoln deliver the famous Gettysburg Address, proposing the 3 principles of an ideal: government of the people, by the people and for the people.Assassinate , Lincoln memorialAftermath(result) :Victorious Union government sought to end the slavery and guarantee a permanently unbreakable union.The Confederate surrendered, the U.S stayed as a whole countrySlavery was totally abolished through the 13 and 14 amendment to the constitution, which swept the obstacles to the development of the U.S capital production.。
英美概况之美国Unit1
The national flag
50 stars: 50 states 13 stripes: the f i r s t 13 states that used to be
colonies red: valor and hardiness white: innocence and purity blue: vigilance, perseverance and justice
The Central valley of Californ highly productive area basic field crops as sugar beets, beans, rice and cotton
Climate
The United States is mainly situated i the northern temperate zone.
Administrative States
· 50 states The largest in area: Alaska The second: Texas The youngest: Alaska and Hawaii
· Afederal district The District of Columbia Capital City: Washington
Yellowstone National Park
It covers an area of about 9000 sq.km.There are about 3,000 geysers and hot springs in the park.There are also other natural wonders.
Deep South
South Carolina Georgia Texas Alabama Mississippi Louisiana
英美概况美国部分第四章
1766----Declaratory Act---- asserting the supremacy of the British parliament in making laws for the colonies.
• Background and the reasons of Revolution
outer ----attitude and acts of England
inner----- development of American
Capitalists
• The Road to the Revolution • The Outbreak of War and the Second
Chapter IV American Revolution
1763--1784
• Independence Hall
Independence Hall in Philadelphia can be considered the birthplace of the United States of America, as it was here that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the Articles of Confederation uniting the thirteen (13) colonies were ratified in 1781 and the Constitution setting out the nations' basic laws was adopted in 1787.
《英美概况》练习参考答案（美国部分）
《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)————————————————————————————————作者：————————————————————————————————日期：《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 StatesChapter Eight The LandP. 209—210I Fill in the blanks with proper words or expressions.1. the Star-Spangled Banner, Defense of Fort McHenry, 1812.2. 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. C2. D3. C4. A B C D5. C DIII Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:1. F2. F3. T4. F5. TIV Answer the following questions.1. (1) At first the Continent was name d as “America” after explorer Amerigo Vespucci.(2) During the American War of Independence, the former British colonies firstused “the thirteen united States of America” in the Declaration of Independence.(3) The official name of America was adopted on November 15, 1777, when theSecond Continental Congress passed the Articles of Confederation.2. The 50 stars represent the 50 States, while the 13 stripes represent the original thirteencolonies.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 thirteencolonies before the independence of America.4. (1) The lyrics of the national anthem come from “Defense of Fort McHenry”, a poemwritten during the War of 1812.The poem was set to the tune of a popular British drinking song, “The AnacreonticSong” (or “To Anacreon in Heaven”).(2) The Star-Spangled Banner was used officially by the Navy in 1889, and was madethe national anthem by congress on March 3, 1931, which was signed by PresidentHerbert 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 wasrepainted white.President Roosevelt named it “White House” in the 1940s.P. 213I 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. T2. T3. T4. F5. FIII Answer the following questions.1. (1) The Atlantic coast, the Pacific coast and Hawaii provideconvenient sea routes forforeign trade.(2) The long coastline with many harbors and inlets provides favorable conditions forforeign trade and the fishing industry.(3) Mainland America, mainly within the northern temperate zone, is favorable foragriculture.2. The U.S. and Canada share the “world's longest undefended border.” The border wasdemilitarized 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 samelanguage, 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 pa rtnerfor years) that the two countries have established the North American Free TradeAgreement, the world’s largest free-trade zone. Both enjoy the most developed andrichest economies in the world as well as a comparable standard of living (Canada’swelfare system is even more comprehensive and covers more widely).To guard the over 8000-kilometer long land border is not only expensive but alsounnecessary (in a sense, impossible, because it is too long), because neither peopleworry that their neighbors would cross the border on a large scale or stay in theircountry 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 locatedbetween 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 toenjoy 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—222I 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 C2. D3. A D4. A B5. DIII Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:1. F2. T3. F4. T5. TIV Answer the following questions.1. New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of thesix 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 relativelylow, 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 theRockies 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 wa ters”.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 adistance 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 Americ a.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--225I 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 watershortage. Except for the desert regions around the southern Rockies, there are large supplies of fresh water and numerousfertile valleys.2. About 1/3 of America is covered with forests. The greatest virgin forests are in the states ofWashington 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 ofimmigrants 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 inthe 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--227I 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 itslarge size, varied landforms and surrounding waters, theclimate 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 winterand 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. 232I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:1. F2. F3. F4. T5. T6. TP. 237I Write down the names of the places according to the photos.1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco2. Niagara Falls3. Las Vegas4. Red Rock Country5. The Grand Canyon6. DisneylandP. 240I Decide which of the following statements is TRUE:1. F2. F3. T4. F5. FChapter Nine The People and Their CultureP. 243I 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 2012.)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 mainstream, 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, butalmost 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--248I 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 ethnicgroups 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 inthese 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 problems3. The Hispanics are Spanish-speaking people from Latin America. Over half of HispanicAmericans 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--251I 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 52languages formerly spoken in the country are now extinct.2. American English was inherited from British colonization, but there are some changes inspelling, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, etc.3. Spanish is the second m ost common language in America. The United States holds the world’sfifth 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--254I 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. TheFirst 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, charityand 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 andcriticizes 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.。
英美概况知识点总结 美国
英美概况知识点总结美国美国概况知识点总结1. 地理位置：美国位于北美洲的中央，与加拿大和墨西哥接壤，东临大西洋，西临太平洋。
2. 面积：美国是世界上第四大的国家，总面积约为9.83万平方公里。
3. 人口：美国是世界上第三大的人口国家，人口约为3.27亿。
4. 政治体制：美国是一个联邦制共和国，政治体制为总统制，国家元首为总统。
5. 首都：美国的首都是华盛顿哥伦比亚特区。
6. 经济实力：美国是世界上最大的经济体，国内生产总值（GDP）居世界首位。
7. 联邦制度：美国是一个由50个州组成的联邦制国家，每个州都享有一定的自治权利。
8. 文化多样性：美国是一个移民国家，拥有来自世界各地的不同种族和文化，因此其文化也非常多样化。
9. 科技实力：美国在航空航天、信息技术、医药和生物技术等领域处于世界领先地位。
10. 社会体系：美国拥有完善的社会保障体系和医疗保健制度，以及广泛的教育资源。
英国概况知识点总结1. 地理位置：英国位于欧洲大陆西北部，横跨大不列颠岛和爱尔兰岛东北部。
2. 面积：英国总面积约为24.12万平方公里。
3. 人口：英国是世界上人口密度最高的国家之一，人口约为6600万。
4. 政治体制：英国是一个君主立宪制国家，国家元首为君主，国家首相为政府首脑。
5. 首都：英国的首都是伦敦，也是英国最大的城市和金融中心。
6. 经济实力：英国是世界上经济实力较强的国家之一，拥有发达的金融、服务和制造业。
7. 文化传统：英国有着悠久的文化传统，包括文学、音乐、戏剧和艺术等领域。
8. 政治影响：英国是联合国安全理事会常任理事国之一，对国际事务有重要影响。
9. 教育体系：英国拥有世界一流的教育资源和大学，吸引了大量国际学生前来留学。
10. 社会福利：英国的社会福利制度完善，提供医疗保障、养老金和失业救济等项目。
美国和英国在政治、经济和文化等方面都有着自己独特的特点，对于全球事务具有重要的影响力。
这些国家的概况知识点总结可以帮助我们更好地了解它们的国情和影响力。
概况模拟题(六)美国地理
英语考研英美概况模拟题（六）美国部分地理American Survey Test地理1. The _____ part of America consists of high plateaus and mountains formed by the Great Cordillera Range.A. easternB. westernC. northeastern2. In eastern _____ lies Death V alley, 85 metres below sea level.A. CaliforniaB. UtahC. Arizona3. In the west of the _____ lie the Colorado Plateaus and the Columbia Plateaus.A. Rocky MountainB. Coast RangeC. Cascades Mountains4. The _____ lies between the Colorado Plateaus and Columbia PlateausA. Great BasinB. Colorado V alleyC. Great Plains5. The famous Y ellowstone National Park is situated in northwestern part of _____.A. CaliforniaB. ArizonaC. Wyoming6. The world-known Colorado V alley lies in northern _____, which is cut by the Colorado River.A. ArizonaB. UtahC. Montana7. Among the five Great Lakes, only _____ is wholly within the United States.A. ErieB. SuperiorC. Michigan8. Only the climate in the southern part of _____ is tropical.A. FloridaB. GeorgiaC. V irginia9. Washington, the capital of the US, is on the _____ river.A. PotomacB. DelawareC. St. Laurence10. The width of the Niagara Fall is about _____ metres and the drop average _____ metres.A. 1650, 50B. 1240, 49C. 1540, 4911. _____ part is the most densely populated region in America.A. The southernB. The northeasternC. The western12. The Great Salt Lake lies in northern _____.A. IdahoB. ArizonaC. NevadaD. Utah13. _____ has been called the “cradle of American Liberty”.A. PhiladelphiaB. PlymouthC. Boston14. About _____ of the world’s annual agricultural products come from the United States.A. halfB. one thirdC. two thirds15. The highest mountain in the U.S. is Mount _____.A. AppalachianB. MekinleyC. Rocky16. Mount Mekinley lies in the _____ Range.A. Sierra NevadaB. CascadesC. Alaska17. The two largest Chinatowns are located in the following cities except _____.A. New Y orkB. San FranciscoC. Miami18. The world’s largest freshwater lake is Lake _____.A. SuperiorB. OntarioC. V ictoria19. The world-famous Niagara Falls lie between lakes of _____.A. Erie and MichiganB. Erie and OntarioC. Superior and Haron20. _____ of the America’s territory is covered with forests.A. 1/4B. 1/5C. 1/321. Texas, having belonged to _____, was annexed by the U.S. in 1845.A. FranceB. RussiaC. Mexico22. Hawaii is in the _____ Ocean.A. AtlanticB. IndianC. Pacific23. The American black population consists of _____ of the total population.A. 1/10B. 1/5C. 1/924. _____ is the largest state in area in the U.S.A.A. FloridaB. LouisianaC. Alaska25. The United States today is the _____ largest country in size in the world.A. thirdB. fifthC. fourth26. About half of the total population is concentrated in the following areas except _____.A. Atlantic CoastB. Pacific CoastC. NorthwestD. around the Great LakesE. Gulf of Mexico27. There are _____ river systems in the U.S.A.A. 8B. 3C. 628. Detroit is famous for the production of _____.A. automobileB. timberC. bamboo29. The City St. Louis in America is called the gateway towards the _____.A. EastB. WestC. NortheastD. Southwest30. The city _____ is given the nickname “Space City of U.S.A.”.A. BostonB. HoustonC. San Francisco31. The _____ were the original inhabitants in America.A. blacksB. IndiansC. Puerto Ricans32. The steel and iron industries are mainly distributed around the city of _____, providing _____ percent of the total output each year.A. Pittsburgh, 60B. Chicago, 50C. New Y ork, 6033. The largest industrial city in America is _____.A. ChicagoB. BostonC. Houston34. Only the climate in the southwestern part of Florida belongs to _____.A. subtropicalB. continentalC. tropical35. ¬_____ is famous for many stores and shops.A. Wall StreetB. BroadwayC. Fifth A venue36. In _____ people can find the historical spot, the Independence National Historical Park.A. PhiladelphiaB. St. LouisC. San Francisco37. Boston is situated in Boston Bay, _____.A. MaineB. MassachusettsC. Connecticut38. The Columbia River and the Colorado River belong to the system of _____.A. the GulfB. the AtlanticC. the PacificI. Fill in the blanks1. The United States is situated in the _____ part of _____ America.2. The U.S. is bounded by _____ on the north and by _____ and the Gulf of Mexico on the south.3. To the west of America lies the _____ Ocean.4. To the east of America lies the _____ Ocean.5. The seat of the American Federal Government is the District of _____.6. The _____ part is made up of the highlands formed by the Appalachian Range.7. The famous _____ National Park is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming.8. The western part of the cent ral plain is also called the “_____ _____”.9. The Mississippi River flows from the _____ lakes to the Gulf of _____.10. The lowest point in the whole of North America is _____ _____.11. The world-known _____ _____ lies in northern Arizona, which is cut by the Colorado River.12. The largest island salt lake in North America is the _____ _____ Lake.13. The United States includes _____ states and a _____ district, the District of Columbia.14. The Declaration of Independence was first read on July 4th, _____.15. The two main tributaries of the _____ River are the Missouri River and the Ohio River.16. The five Great Lakes lie between the boundary of _____ and the United States.17. Through the middle of the country, north and south, runs a line which is known as the _____ _____ _____ _____.18. The South region in America has in general, a warm climate. People often call it the “_____ _____”.19. The largest state, _____, is famous for its glacier, waterfall and ripples.20. There rises the tendency of shifting the centre of industries from the _____ to the _____.21. The famous _____ _____ is known as the financial centre, the symbol of the American monopoly capitalism.22. _____ is the centre of theatres in America.23. The nickname of Pittsburgh is the _____ and _____ City.24. _____ is the second largest in population in the U.S.25. The two youngest states are _____ in the northeastern part of America and _____ in the central Pacific.26. Most of the inhabitants in the U.S. are of _____ origin.27. Negro slaves were first brought to America at the beginning of the _____ century.28. The Death V alley is _____ metres below sea level.29. The population of the United States is about _____ million.30. The Statue of Liberty Island in _____ _____ harbour.31. _____ _____ is the base of the Pacific Fleet of the U.S.A.32. _____ _____ is the smallest state in size and the most densely populated state of the U.S.A.33. From a geographical point of view, the fifty states are grouped into _____ regions.34. The nickname of Houston City is _____ _____.35. _____ became the fiftieth state of the United States in 1959.36. _____ _____ is the longest and the most important river in the system of Gulf.37. The Library of Congress is in the city of _____.38. New England is located in the _____ corner of the country.39. The area of the Pacific coast is known for its growth of fruits, vegetables and wheat, especially in _____.40. The Middle Atlantic Region is marked by its industry. It is often called the _____ Northeast. II. Explain the Following Terms1. “The backbone of the continent”2. melting potIII. Answer the Following Questions1. Give a brief presentation of the U.S. economy.2. Why is Detroit famous?英语考研英美概况模拟题（六）美国地理部分答案：Part II. BAAAC ACAAB BDAAB CCABA CCACC CBABB BAACC ABCII.1. central, north Canada, Mexico Pacific Atlantic Columbia eastern Y ellowstone Great Plains Great, Mexico Death V alley Colorado V alley Great Salt 50, federal 1776 Mississippi Canada 50 centimetre Rainfall Line Sunny South Alaska Southwest Wall Street Broadway Iron, Steel Chicago Alaska, Hawaii European 17th 85 240/256 New Y ork Pearl Harbour Rhode Island 8 Space City Hawaii Mississippi River Washington northeastern California Industrial。
英美概况美国部分第二章
the Great Plain
1) a comparatively small population; 2) the Northern part is empty and
featherless, North and South Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas have 4,390,763 people.
Cuba
"other Spanish“ origin
California, Texas living place other parts of the
nation as well
in the barriors of New York, Chicago and other northern cities
low increase in population.
·New York City---the largest one with more than 18 million people; ·Chicago--- the third largest one with 8 million people.
Asians and Pacific Islanders----7,273,662 people in 1990 represented 2.9% of the whole.
(完整版)英美概况美国部分(修正版)
PART TWO The United States of American1.Population, race and ethnic groups 人口和种族1)introduction 概要①the third most populous country in the world,with 255.5 million people.②a nation of immigrants.Immigration accounts for a major source of population growth.Thereare many racial and ethnic groups. Between 80% and 90% of immigration ot the United States now is from Asian and Hispanic counties.The first immigrants in American history came from England and Netherlands. Population movements are common in America.移民是人口增长的一个主要原因。
到目前80%-90%的移民来自亚洲和西班牙语国家。
美国历史上最早的移民来自于英格兰和荷兰。
人口迁徙在美国很普遍。
2)Black people and the Civil Rights Movement①blacks and slaverythe largest of the racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S., which 12.1 per cent of the population; the first blacks were brought to North America as slaves in 1619.美国最大的少数人种是黑人，占人口的12。
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Lecture one: Geography and PeopleLocation :Situated in the central part of North America with Canada on the north ,Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico on the south ,the United States is on the east coast of Pacific and west coast of Atlantic.Territorial area:9.5million square kilometers50states and seat of government is Washington D.CLargest state---AlaskaLargest on the continent---TexasSmallest-----Rhode Island(罗德岛州)Newest---HawaiiThree geographical divisions（三大地形区）:Western ,central and eastern part .Land forms and region:Eastern part:Highlands formed by Appalachian rangeWestern part:High plateaus and mountains(Rockies are called as the back bone of the continent). Great central plain:A large plain between the eastern Appalachian and western RockiesMain geographical regions:New England(6,northeast, longest history featured with mountains ,valleys and rivers ,and cities and towns with historic sites ,top-ranking universities )The Mid-Atlantic StatesThe West (11,a wealth of forests and stream notable cities, high-tech industry predominant agricultural yielding,14% of GDP )The Mid-WestThe South(13,plenty of rainfall and mild climate are favorable for agriculture, fast growing industry and population recent years, great size with few large citiesThe SouthwestHawaii:Tourism is the largest source of incomeTropical climateRivers and Lakes:Mississippi River---largess and most important river in the system of GulfKnown as the river to American Indians.Hudson River:Flow through New York.The Great Lakes:Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario, Lake Huron and Lake Erie.The most important system of inland waterways in the world.Lake Michigan is wholly within the United StatesPart of the boundary runs through these lakesNiagara Fall is located on the U.S-Canada border between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Climate:Mainly temperate and some mild subtropical areas with only southern Florida and Hawaii being tropical.Natural resources:Abounds in mineral resourcesPopulation:The third most populous country in the worldUneven distribution :most densely populatedNation of Immigrants :White Anglo-Saxon protestantThe Black :The Civil Rights Movements:The Civil Rights Movements began when the black people spontaneously oppose the Segregation Law and establish organizations to make the protest successful.Martin Luther King:The political and religious leaders of non-violent civil rights movementNobel peace prize.Hispanics:Spanish-speaking AmericansMexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban-Americans(best economic achievements )MiamiAsian Immigrants :The Chinese were the first Asians to come to the U.S, ”model minority”.Racial Assimilation:America is a nation of many ethnic groups, making it a ”Melting Pot”and a Multi-Cultural SocietySpeak the same languageHave the same habits and manner.Lecture2:government and political systemAmerican constitution :Set down the basic framework of American government.Basic concept :Separation of power ,check and balances.Functions :Founding the American rule of law.Creating the federal system with a supreme national government.Having great flexibilityBuilding up the Republican form of government(共和制政体).Defining and limiting the power of the national government.Defining the relationship between national government and individual(个别)state governments.Guaranteeing the rights of the citizens of America.Supreme law, authority derived from people.Significance :Taking precedence over （为…开创先例）all state constitutions and law.First of its kind in the world, it has inspired dozens of other countries to seek for political reform.Federal system and government:The definition of Federalism(联邦制):The states are united into a federation.Federal government has the delegated power（委托权）.Both federal government and state government are Supreme power in their spheres of authority.Significance of federalism :Unify the states in their pursuit of common goals without completely deprive them of their independence.Federal government:Established by a federalism, there is a federal republic of 50 U.S states, District ofColombia and many other insular(岛屿的) areas.Branches of the government :Legislative ,executive and judicial branch.Separate but equally important ,checked and balanced by each other.The legislative branch :Congress :Briefing :Conference venue（会议场所）：The capitol(国会大厦)with Senate in the north wing and the house of representatives in the south wing.Law making and supreme legislative body.Monitor /supervise and influence aspects of the executive branch(congress’s responsibility :ensure ,comply with the law)Two chambers ----Senate（参议院）and the House of representatives（众议院）. Senate:Two members from each state as required by the Constitution with current membership 100.More important, consent to president’s proposal.The house of representatives:Each congressional district elect a representative.Each state is represented on the basis of population.More partisan that the Senate.The function:Pass the laws for the Union.The revenue bills must be originated in the house of representatives.The executive branch: comprises 14 branches and other independent agencies.Cabinet :formed by department’s heads ----secretaries.President:the chief of executive branch of the federal government. state and commander-in-chief of the military.Presidential residence: White House ,presidential term ：Serve one or two successive terms.Responsibility: taking care of the laws be faithfully executed.Executive Departments :Functions:The day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws.Head of the departments are chosen by president and approved by the Senate .Cabinet :A part of the executive branches of the U.S government and consists of the heads of the executive departments.Secretary of the state:Head of the Department of State, foreign affairs.Judicial branch:Definition:consist of a series of courts:supreme court (highest),court of appeal and district court.What it applies to ?In most criminal cases and some civil cases.Function:Finders of factDecide on whether the defendant committed the crime.Unanimous decision.Political partiesDemocratic party and Republican partyDonkey and ElephantThe Democratic Party(donkey):Liberal.Anti –federalists southwest cotton plantation ownersEmphasizing the governmental interference in economy.The Republican Party(GOP, elephant):Conservative (more assertive in international affairs)Difference and similarity:With regard to economy, the Democrats favor the governmental intervention while the Republicans stress the role of the market.On social issues, the Democrats support a strong social security system while the Republican oppose a large social security programs.Presidential election:Only the candidates nominated by the two Parties have the chance to win a Presidential election.Presidential election has 4 stages：The first stage: choosing the candidatesThe second stage: the campaigning stageThe third stage: votingThe forth stage: meeting the states capitalsLecture3:EconomyThe U.S economy is the current economic, industrial and technological giant.The largest developed country and the only superpower in the worldMixed economy:Emphasizing the private ownership(私有制).Federal government will regulate businesses.Private business produce the most goods and services.Economy system :free enterprise system.Type of business: Proprietorship(独资), cooperation and partnerships.History of American economy:The colonial period:Colonies are settled to escape religious persecutions and business ventures.After the settlement of the new England in1620,The English investors turn over colonial charter to the settlersSubsequently, the settlers established secondary industries formed a clear regional patterns of development.Since the America gained its independence:(词汇自己衔接)The constitution establish the nation as a unified market.Alexander Hamilton’s economic development strategyThe Industrial Revolution ：the boom of the cotton cloth production and textile industry(棉布生产和纺织业的繁荣)During that period of time, the south were dependant on the north for capital and manufactured goods.The Second Industrial Revolution gave birth to an explosion of new discoveries and inventions.In the 20 century :The U.S experienced a period of prosperity in the early of 20 century.Underwent Great Depression in the 1930s.President Roosevelt’s New Deal （massive intervention of the government ）saved itseconomy.略看：历届总统经济政策：Regan administration---new monetarist policiesGeorge Bush H.W----slow recession.Clinton----RecoveryAppearance of the new tycoonCurrent American economy:Agriculture：favorable natural condition.Successful agriculture mode （investment, labor method）and modern technology of farming .Remain to be the foundation of the economyManufacturing industry : America formed an industrial system with large productivity(northeastern is the lead region)Service industry:Financial services :banking, real estates and law servicesPublic welfare services:sheltering and retail servicesTop high-tech industryAdvanced space technology, information technology and computing.Lecture 4: Thirteen Colonies and the Independence War Pilgrim fathers:Columbus discovered the new world in1492.The discovery of new world epoch-making: people come to realise the world is round.Pilgrim Father(English separatists and other colonists) landed on north America on Dec 21th,1620 to escape religious persecutions. Forefather’s day Dec 21th(Mayflower).Thanksgiving day:For celebrating their first harvest of the forefathers.Fourth Thursday of November.Thirteen colonies:Those colonies were separately charted and governed by the Great Britain and finally became independent by signing the Declaration of Independence, which led the American Revolutionary War and the establishment of the U.SThe first colony was Virginia.The independence war:A series of armed conflict between the Great Britain and its 13 colonist for the colonists trying to gain their Independence and the uncontrollable contradictions. The shot of Lexington marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary WarThe Second Continental Congress:Held in Philadelphia ,May 10th , 1775Assume the functions of a national governmentFounding continental Army and NavyAppointed George Washington as the commander-in-chief of America forces. Printing paper money and open diplomatic relations.On fourth of the January,1776 approved the Declaration of IndependentThe Declaration :Consisting two parts：1.Justifing the rights for people to rebel against a government that denied theirnatural rights2.Indicting the King George for his cruel tyranny.Significance :Upholding the principle of equality and freedom of all manThe principle that people have the right to revolt.Independent DayJuly 4thThe course of the independence war:It dragged on for seven yearsThe victory of Saratoga became the turning point of the war.With the Assistance of French, Spain and Holland the war quickly ended.The Treaty of Paris put an end to the war and bring about the Independence of the 13states.Lecture 5:The American Constitution and Civil War.The American Constitution:The Constitutional Convention(制宪会议)Washington(elected as chairman), James Madison and other predominant figures discussed issues on federalism James Madison became “the father of the constitution”.Content :Representation : equal number of Senators, representatives based on population Structure of the government：a strong central government divided into 3 branches. Establishing federalism. (constitution day Sep17,1787)Causing disagreement between the federalist and the anti-federalist.Ten amendments were add to the constitution, known as “The Bill of Rights”.First general election: First President Washington.Significance of the US Constitution:Designed to unite all the people and prevent abuse of power by government officials Dividing the federal government into 3 separate but interdependent part: legislature, judiciary and executive.Becoming the first written constitution in modern sense upholding the principle that government should serve the people.Guaranteeing the unalienable human rights with the adoption of the Bill of Rights ,people’s supremacyupholding equality and political liberalism .The Era of Expansion:Louisiana Purchase became the first major event in American expansion.The Monroe doctrine: show “America for Americans “in foreign policy.Initiating Mexican American War annexed the entire southeast and CaliforniaThe civil war :The American civil war was fought in the united states between the Union and the Confederate States of the America from 1861 until 1865.The only war fight on America soil by Americans.Causes:Economic reason: contradictions between the two different existing economic systemsPolitical reason: the independence of the states.Immediate cause :The dispute over Negro slavery finally led to the session of the southern sates Abraham Lincoln:On Feb 4,1861,Abraham Lincoln took the office and insisted that slavery was evil and should be ultimately abolished.1862,he announced the Emancipation Proclamation, providing all slaves in the rebellion states freedom and setting the stage for the ultimate abolition to slavery. Gettysburg---turning point of the war.Lincoln deliver the famous Gettysburg Address, proposing the 3 principles of an ideal: government of the people, by the people and for the people.Assassinate , Lincoln memorialAftermath(result) :Victorious Union government sought to end the slavery and guarantee a permanently unbreakable union.The Confederate surrendered, the U.S stayed as a whole countrySlavery was totally abolished through the 13 and 14 amendment to the constitution, which swept the obstacles to the development of the U.S capital production.。