《英语国家文化》教学大纲.doc

《英语国家文化》教学大纲
一、说明
1、课程的性质、地位和任务
《英语国家文化》是英语专业基础阶段的一门必修课程。本课程的教学是为了使学生了解世界上主要英语国家社会与文化概貌，如地理、人口、经济、政治、历史、语言、文学、宗教、艺术等方面的基本知识。同时，通过课文的学习和各种练习的实践，达到提高英语水平的目的。
本课程是一门实用性很强的文化知识课。一方面通过英语阅读英语国家的背景材料，扩大知识面；另一方面通过学习文化知识，进行语言基本功的训练，巩固和提高英语水平。
2、课程教学的基本要求
（1）在保证该课程教学的科学性和系统性的前提下，着重突出英美两国国情教学的实用性。有关本课程的基本概念和基本知识，作为教学的重点内容，要求学生牢固掌握。要求学生认真阅读教材。在全面理解每章内容的基础上，要把本章与以前各章内容联系起来加以思考。
（2）鼓励学生积极通过教学网站自主学习。要求学生做好读书笔记。笔记是巩固所学知识的一个重要方法。要切实掌握课程内容，必须将读书与思考结合起来，通过写笔记用自己的英语表达，鼓励学生以教材中的某一事件或人物为中心，参阅有关资料，进行归纳和分析。
（3）课堂讲授实行启发式，力求做到少而精，突出重点，并注意将培养和提高学生的分析问题和解决问题的能力放在重要位置。适时播放有关英语国家社会与文化的媒体资料片，以提高学生的学习兴趣，加深对相关知识的理解。
4）坚持课后练习是教好、学好本门课程的关键。在整个教学过程中，将根据正常教学进度布置一定量的课后作业，要求学生按时完成。在完成作用过程中注意三个问题：看清题意，根据题目要求答题；仔细做题，要认真细致地对待作业中的语言，努力做到用词恰当，语法正确；尽量用自己的英语来回答，力求简明，有条理。
3、本课程的重点与难点
重点：了解和掌握主要英语国家地理、历史、经济、政治、文化、社会风俗等方面的基础知识。通过听讲、阅读、讨论、做作业等方式，扩大英语词汇量，复习巩固综合英语课中所学到的知识和技能，进一步提高实际运用英语的能力。
难点：本课程教学内容十分丰富，包括主要英语国家地理、历史、政治、经济、社会文化传统等各方面的基本知识。同时，有关主要英语国家社会与文化的信息不断更新。教学难以覆盖全部课程内容。因此，教学中要正确处理一般和重点的关系。

二、课堂教学时数及课后作业题型分配
《英语国家文化》是一门向学生介绍英语国家的文化渊源、历史发展和人文地理的基本情况，理解其政治体制、经济运行、教育制度和社会活动的基本规律，帮助学生掌握跨文化交流和联系、对比研究的一般方法的课程。
本科旨在丰富学生英语国家文化知识、提高人文修养、启迪多维思考、拓宽国际视野。同时，通过语言教学与文化知识学习结合的原则，既能提高英语语言水平，也能为今后的跨文化交流和进一步研究英语国家文化奠定基础。
作为英语专业的必修课程，《英语国家文化》是基础知识课程，学制为一年，在一年级第二学期和二年级第一学期开设，每周2个学时，共72个学时。其中授课(包括教师讲课、学生讨论、课堂小型练习、学习辅导等)课时68学时，4学时(每学期2学时)为温课考试。每两周布置一次课后作业，一般为300-400字的与课堂知识有一定相关程度的小论文，一是为了培养学生课后复习，广泛阅读课堂相关知识自觉性；二是为了考察学生对课堂知识的熟练掌握程度与灵活运用能力；三是为了培养学习独立思考问题、分析问题、解决问题的能力。
四大知识模块，34章授课具体内容和学时分配如下：
第一模块　美国文化(28学时)
第1章 Geography of the United States 2 学时
主要内容
1. Symbols of the United States
2. Geographic Features of the United States
3. Climate of the United States
4. Environment of the United States
5. River Systems of the United States
6. Natural Resources
7. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Please point out the location, size and the administrative areas of the United States.
2. Please talk about the geographic features of the three basic landform regions of the continental United States.
3. What natural wonders can be found in the Far West of the US?
4. Please talk about river systems of the United States.
5. What are the names of the five Great Lakes? Where are they located?
6. What natural resources is the United States rich in?
第2章 Demographics of the United States 2 学时
主要内容
1. Population
2. Race and Ethnicity
3. Languages of the United States
4. Religion and Religious Belief
5. Social Classes
6. Education of the United States
7. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Why is the United States known as a “melting pot’?
2. What do you know about the history and the present social status of the American Indians, WASPs, the Black people, the Hispanics and Asian Americans living in the United States?
3. Please talk about the population movement. What is the Sun Belt and what is the Rust Belt?
4. Please talk about the religious diversity of the United States.
5. Please give a brief talk of educational system of the United States.
6. What is Ivy League?
第3章 Economy of the United States 2 学时
主要内容
1. The Monetary System of the United States
2. Economy of the United States: A Mixed One
3. Economic Sectors
4. Income Inequality in the United States
5. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Why is US economy a mixed one? And what’s your idea about government intervention in economy?
2. Please talk about agricultural industry of the United States.
3. Please talk about the information and technology sector of the United States.
4. Please talk about the income inequality in the United States.
第4章 Federal Government of the United States 2 学时
主要内容
1. The Constitution of the United States
2. The Congress
3. Presidency
4. Supreme Court
5. Important Departments of the United States
6. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What’s your idea about power-sharing relationship between the President, the Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States?
2. Tell whatever you know about the Constitution of the United States.
3. What powers does the President of the United States have?
4. Please talk about the organization and the working of Congress, and the law-making procedures.
5. What powers does each of the two houses of Congress have? Comment on the Relationship between the President and Congress.
6. Give an account of the federal court system of the US.
第5章 State Governments and Local Governments of the United States 2 学时
主要内容
1. State Government
2. Local Governments
3. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. In what ways is the state government parallel to the federal pattern?
2. Tell what you know about the local governments under the state government.
第6章 Political Parties and General Election 2 学时
主要内容
1. Political Parties
2. United States General Election
3. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Please talk about the two principal parties in the United States.
2. How do Americans choose their President and vice President?
3. According to what is the number of electors of each state fixed?

4. Why is it said that whether a party wins or loses in the few states which have the largest populations is often decisive to the result of the election?
5. How are the President and Vice president of the United States chosen if no candidate receives a majority of the votes of the electors?
第7章 Prehistoric and Colonial America 2 学时
主要内容
1. Prehistoric America
2. Discovery of the New World
3. Establishment of Colonies
4. Thirteen Colonies
5. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. How did Columbus discover the New World?
2. Why is it said that the world discovered by Columbus was a great and rich world?
3. Give a brief account of the colonization in North America in the 17th century and early 18th century.
4. How did the American Indians at first treat the newcomers on the whole? And how were they treated later by colonists?
5. Please talk about New England.
第8章 American Revolution 2 学时
主要内容
1. Causes of the Revolution
2. Origins of the Revolution
3. American War of Independence
4. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What is the French and Indian War?
2. Please talk about the three kinds of colonies in North America.
3. What is Boston Massacre?
4. What is Boston Tea Party?
5. Please talk about the Declaration of Independence?
6. Please talk about the significances of American Revolution.
第9章 American Civil War 2 学时
主要内容
1. Westward Expansion
2. American Civil War
3. Reconstruction and the Rise of Industrialization
4. New Imperialism
5. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Please give a short talk about US Westward Movement.
2. What’s Monroe Doctrine? And What’s the nature of the Doctrine?
3. What are the causes of American Civil War?
4. What are the origins of American Civil War?
5. Please give a brief talk of the three theaters during American Civil War.
6. Please talk about the cost American Civil War.
7. Please talk about effect of American Civil War
8. Please give a short talk about the Reconstruction after American Civil War
9. Please give a short talk about US industrialization.
10. How was US New Imperialism formed?
第10章 America in Two World Wars 2 学时
主要内容
1. America in World War I
2. The Great Depression
3. America in World War II
4. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. When and how was the United States brought into World War I?
2. How did the United States manage to reap a huge fortune out of World War I?
3. How was the Great Depression caused?
4. Please talk about the New Deal and its effect.
第11章 Post-WWII America 2 学时
主要内容
1. The Cold War
2. Civil Rights Movements
3. 1991–Present
4. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What is the Cold War, how was it initated and how did it come to an end?
2. Please give a brief talk of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
3. Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? What was his dream like?
4. Can we say that the last decade was a decade against terrorism for the United States? Why or why not?
5. Could you figure out some reasons from Obama to the presidential election in 2008? Do you believe in his change?
第12章 American Literature 2 学时
主要内容
1. Colonial Literature
2. Early U.S. Literature
3. Unique American Style
4. American Poetry
5. Realism, Twain and James
6. Turn of the Century
7. Post-World War II
8. Contemporary American Fiction
9. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What is Transcendentalism? List some famous writers of the school.
2. Please talk about Emily Dickinson’s poems.
3. Please talk about Mark Twain and his works.
4. Please talk about Hemingway and his works.
5. Please talk about Fitzgerald and his works.
6. Please talk about Joseph Heller and Catch-22
第13章 American Culture 2 学时
主要内容
1. Literature
2. Television
3. Dance
4. Visual Arts
5. Theater
6 Cuisine
7. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What are the three types of television in the United States? Please give a list for each type.
2. What are features of African American Dance, Swing Dance, and Modern Dance?
3. What is Abstract Expression?
4. Please talk about American Theater Today.
第14章 Roaming over America 2 学时
主要内容
Barack Obama
The Declaration of Independence
List of US President
第二模块　英国文化(26学时)
第15章 Geography of the United Kingdom 2 学时
主要内容
1. Name of the Union
2. Symbols of the UK and Its Member Countries
3. Formation of the UK
4 Name of the Peoples
5. Where is the UK and What’s Its Size?
6. Temperate Maritime Climate
7. Natural Resources
8. Question for Discussion
思考题目
1. Discuss the names for the country of the UK as well as the names of its peoples.
2. Could you tell the natural advantages that the UK is blessed with for it to become a great power in the world?
3. Could you list some signs or symbols that could remind you of the UK and its member countries?
第16章 Demographics of the United Kingdom 2 学时
主要内容
1. General Information
2. Population Density
3. Are you British? (identification of nationality)
4. UK Population Distribution (in terms of member country)
5. UK Population Distribution (in terms of age group)
6. Ethnic Groups and Ethnic Conflicts
7. Religion
8. Languages
9. Education
10. Questions for discussion
思考题目
1. What’s your idea of the population diversity of the United Kingdom? Please give details to support your idea?
2. What’s your idea about UK’s language diversity and the government’s language policy?
第17章 Economy of the United Kingdom 2 学时
主要内容
1. General Information
2. Primary Industry: Agriculture and Fishing
3. Secondary Industry: Mining and Manufacturing
4. Tertiary Industry: Service Industry
5. The United Kingdom: A Financial Empire
6. Pound Sterling: The Symbol of the UK
7. GDP Variation
8. Taxation
9. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What’s your idea about London’s financial status in the UK and around the world?
2. What’s your opinion about the closing down of coal mines and fast development of the tertiary industry of the UK?
第18章 Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom 2 学时
主要内容
1. The Framework of the Constitutional Monarchy
2. The Queen: The Supreme Head
3. The Parliament: The Legislative Branch
4. Sub-Parliament
5. The Government: The Executive Branch
6. The Local Government
7. Judiciary System in the UK
8. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What power does the Queen have theoretically? Why is it said she has no real power at all in reality?
2. Why is it said that the Prime Minister is the really powerful leader in Britain？
3. What is the supreme legislative authority in Britain? What does it consist of?
4. Describe the organization of British government and its Cabinet.
5. Why do we say UK judiciary system is rather complicated?
第19章 Political Parties and General Election of the United Kingdom 2 学时
主要内容
1. Introduction to Party Politics
2. The Conservative Party
3. The Labour Party
4. Liberal Democrats: A Merger
5. UK Election
6. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What’s your idea about First Past the Post election system?
2. Give a brief account of the history and the basic policies of the two principal parties in Britain.
3. Do the British elect the Prime Minister? Why and why not?
第20章 Earlier Britain 2 学时
主要内容
1. Prehistoric Britain
2. Roman Britain
3. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Who were the earliest settlers on the British Isles? Where were they from and how did they live there?
2. Why did Caesar twice invade Britain?
3. Try to pronounce the following English proper names. If needed, please look them up in a dictionary. If you find any difference between your supposed pronunciation and the correct pronunciation and your, try to figure out the reason why there is such a difference?
Berwick, Birmingham, Cambridgeshire, Clerkinwell, Derby, Derbyshire, Durham, Edinburgh, Gloucester, Hexham, Leicester, Northumberland, Norwich, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Southwark, Warwick, Warwick, Worcestershire
第21章 Medieval Britain 2 学时
主要内容
1. Anglo-Saxon invasion
2. Viking invasion
3. Norman conquest
4. King John and the Great Charter
5. Birth of Parliament
6. Significance of Norman Conquest
7. Appendix: Feudalism and Medieval Life
8. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Please give a brief talk about “the significances of Norman conquest.”
2. Please talk about the Anglo-Saxon settlement and the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy.
3. Please talk about the Doomsday Book.
4. What are the three major provisions of the Great Charter?
5. How was gradually feudalism established in England?
6. Give a brief account of the circumstances in which Parliament was born in Britain.
第22章 Decline of Feudalism and Rise of Bourgeoisie 2 学时
主要内容
1. Decline of Feudalism
2. Rise of Bourgeoisie
3. Bourgeoisie Revolution
4. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. What were the main causes of the Hundred Years’ war? And what were the consequences of the war?
2. Give a brief account of Wat Tyler’s Uprising.
3. What was the nature of the Wars of the Roses? What were the consequences of the wars?
4. What did Henry VII do to encourage the development of trade?
5. How did the religious Reformation take place in England?
6. What were the major causes of the British Bourgeois Revolution?
7. What was the “Glorious Revolution”?
8. What were the significances of the Bourgeois Revolution in the 17th century?
第23章 Industrial Revolution and Chartist Movement 2 学时
主要内容
1. Industrial Revolution
2. Chartist Movement
3. Growth of Economics
4. Questions for Discussion
思考题目
1. Please talk about Enclosure and its consequences.
2.