英语国家(中英文对照)简介.doc

Land and People 英国的国土与人民
I. Different Names for Britain and its Parts 英国的不同名称及其各组成部分
1.Geographical names: the British Isles, Great Britain and England.
地理名称：不列颠群岛，大不列颠和英格兰。
2.Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
官方正式名称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。
3.The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones.
不列颠群岛由两个大岛—大不列颠岛（较大的一个）和爱尔兰岛，及成千上万个小岛组成。
4.Three political divisions on the island of Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.
大不列颠岛上有三个政治区：英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士。
(1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the largest, most populous section.
英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部，是最大，人口最稠密的地区。
(2) Scotland is in the north of Great Britain. It has three natural zones (the Highlands in the north; the Central lowlands; the south Uplands) Capital: Edinburgh
苏格兰位于大不列颠的北部。它有三大自然区：北部高地，中部低地及南部山陵。首府：爱丁堡。
(3) Wales is in the west of Great Britain. Capital: Cardiff
威尔士位于大不列颠的西部。首府：加的夫
(4) Northern Ireland is the fourth region of the UK. Capital: Belfast.
北爱尔兰是英国第四个区域。首府：贝尔法斯特。
5.The Commonwealth (of nations) is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931, and has 50 member countries until 1991.
英联邦是曾为英国殖民地的、但现已独立国家所构成的自由联合体。它成立于1931年，至1990年止已有50个成员国。
II. Geographical Features 英国的地理特征
1.Geographical position of Britain:
英国的地理位置：
Britain is an island country surrounded by the sea. It lies in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe. It is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the south and the North Sea in the east.
英国是一个岛国。它位于大西洋北部，与欧洲大陆的北海岸隔海相望。南面的英吉利海峡和东面的北海将它与欧洲其它部分隔开。
2.The north and west of Britain are mainly highlands; and the east and southeast are mostly lowlands.
英国的西部和北部主要是高地，东部和东南部主要是低地。
III. Rivers and Lakes 河流与湖泊
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m).
本尼维斯山为英国最高峰，海拔1,343米。
Severn River is the longest river in Britain (338km).
塞文河是英国最长的河流。全长338公里。
Thames River is the second longest and most important river in Britain. (336km).
泰晤士河是英国第二大河，也是英国最重要的河。全长336公里。
Lough Neagh is the largest lake in Britain which is located in Northern Ireland. (396 square kilometres).
讷湖（内伊湖）是英国最大的湖，位于北爱尔兰。面积为396平方公里。
River Clyde is the most important river in Scotland.
克莱德河是苏格兰最重要的河流。
Snowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales.（1,085m）
斯诺多尼亚是威尔士的最高点，海拔1,085米。
IV. Climate 气候
1. Britain''s favorable climate 英国有利的气候条件：
Britain has a maritime climate-winters are not too cold and summers are not too hot. It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The temperature varies within a small range.
英国属于海洋性气候：冬季不过于寒冷，夏季不过于炎热。全年有稳定可靠的降雨量，气温变化幅度小。
2.The factors influence the climate in Britain:
影响英国气候的因素：
1）The surrounding waters tend to balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer;
环绕四周的海水。冬天，海水可使岛内气温升高，夏天则使气温降低，从而起到平衡季节温差的作用；
2）The prevailing south-west winds or the Wester lies blow over the country all the year round bringing warm and wet air in winter and keeping the temperatures moderate;
一年四季盛行的西南风和西风在冬季从大西洋带来温暖、潮湿的空气，使气温适宜；
3）The North Atlantic Drift passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them.
北大西洋暖流经不列颠群岛西海岸，使气候变暖。
3.Rainfall 降雨量：
Britain has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The average annual rainfall in Britain is over 1,000mm. There is a water surplus in the north and west, and a water deficit in the south and east.
英国全年降雨量稳定，平均降雨量超过1000毫米。 英国北部、西部雨量过多，但是南部、东部有所缺乏。
V. The People 人口
英国是个多元文化的国家，人口将近6000万，其中英格兰5000万人，威尔士295万人，苏格兰512万人，北爱尔兰170万人。官方和通用语均为英语。威尔士北部还使用威尔士语，苏格兰西北高地及北爱尔兰通用盖尔语。居民多信奉基督教新教，主要分英格兰教会（也称英国国教圣公会，其成员约占英成人的60％）和苏格兰教会（也称长老会，有成年教徒66万）。另有天主教会和印度教、犹太教及伊斯兰教等较大的宗教社团

1.population distribution 人口分布：
Britain has a population of about 57 millions and it is very unevenly distributed. 90% of the population is urban and only 10% is rural. The population of Britain is made up mainly of the English (81.5%), the Scottish (9.6%), the Welsh (1.9%), the Irish (2.4%), the Northern Irish (1.8%) and other peoples (2.8%).
英国人口约570万，分布极不均匀，90%是城市人口，只有10%是农村人口。英国人口组成为：英格兰人（81.5%），苏格兰人（9.6%），威尔士人（1.9%），爱尔兰人北爱尔兰人和其他民族居民。
2.The difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish:
英伦三岛民族的祖先：
The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons, the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts.
英格兰人祖先属于盎格鲁—萨克逊人，而苏格兰、威尔士和爱尔兰人属于凯尔特人。
3.The difference in character个性差别：
The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people. They are music lovers and are proud of their past.
威尔士人感情丰富，情绪高涨，热爱音乐，为过去感到自豪。
The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious and thrifty people, and they are also hospitable, generous and friendly.
苏格兰人通常被认为严肃、谨慎而且节俭，但是他们同样也热情、大方且友好。
The Irish are people of charm and vivacity. 爱尔兰人充满魅力，生性活泼。
4.The difference in speech between southern England and northern England:
英格兰南方人和北方人语言上的差别：
Southerners speak the type of English close to BBC English; In northern England, regional speech is usually "broader" than that of southern England.
南方人讲的英语接近BBC，北英格兰人的发音通常要比南英格兰人宽。
5.The Welsh keep their language and culture in this way: 威尔士人以这样的方式使他们的语言及文化保持活力。
Throughout the year they have festivals of song and dance and poetry called Eisteddfodau. The great event of the year is the National Eisteddfod. On these occasions competitions are held in Welsh poetry, music, singing and art.
一年中他们有称之为“艺术年会”的唱歌、跳舞、诗歌节。一年中最重要的节日是全国诗歌音乐比赛会。在那里会举行威尔士诗歌、音乐、唱歌和艺术比赛。
6.The main problem in Northern Ireland: 北爱尔兰存在的主要问题：
The fight between the Protestants who are the dominant group, and the Roman Catholics, who are seeking more social, political and economic opportunities.
作为统治者的新教徒和要求更多社会、政治及经济权利的罗马天主教徒之间的斗争。
7.Immigrants: 移民：
About three million have come to Britain to live and find work since World War II.
自从二战以来约有三百万人来英国生活、工作
Government and Administration 英国政府机构
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, the head of state is a king or a queen. The United Kingdom is governed, in the name of the Sovereign by His or Her Majesty’s Government. The System of parliamentary government is not based on a written constitution, the British constitution is not set out in any single document. It is made up of statute law, common law and conventions. The Judiciary determines common law and interprets statutes.
联合王国是君主立宪制国家,国家的首脑是国王或女王。联合王国以君的名义,由国王或女王陛下政府治理。英国的议会制度并不是基于成文宪法,英国宪法不由单一文件构成,而由成文法,习惯法和惯例组成。司法部门裁定习惯法或解释成文法。
I．The Monarchy
君主制
1.Elizabeth II, her title in the United Kingdom is “Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Her Other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.
伊莉莎白二世，她的全称是“上帝神佑，大布列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国以及她的其他领土和领地的女王，英联邦元首，国教保护者伊莉莎白二世。”
2.The Queen is the symbol of the whole nation. In law, She is head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all the armed forces and the “supreme governor” of the Church of England. She gives Royal Assent to Bills passed by parliament.
女王是国家的象征。从法律上讲，她是行政首脑，立法机构的组成部分，司法首脑，全国武装部队总司令，英獭爸粮呶奚稀钡牧煨洹Ｋ蚊紫嗪椭匾恼僭薄６砸榛嵬ü姆ò父栌肌?br>
3.The monarch actually has no real power. The monarch’s power are limited by law and Parliament. Constitutional monarchy began after the Glorious Revolution in 1688.
君主政体实际已无实权。它的权力受限于法律和议会。君主立宪制是从1688年的光荣革命后开始。
III．Parliament
议会
1.The United Kingdom is a unitary, not a federal, state. Parliament consists of the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
英国是中央集权国家，而不是联邦制国家。议会由君主，上议院和下议院组成。
2.The main functions of Parliament are: (1) to pass laws; (2) to provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of government; (3) to examine government Policy and administrations, including proposal for expenditure; and (4) to debate the major issues of the day.
议会的主要作用是：（1）通过立法；（2）投票批准税为政府工作提供资金；（3）检查政府政策和行政管理，包括拨款提议；（4）当天的议题辩论。
3.The House of Lords is made up of the Lords Spiritual and the Lords Temporal. The main function of the House of Lords is to bring the wide experience of its members into the process of lawmaking. In other words, the non-elected House is to act as a chamber of revision, complementing but not rivaling the elect House.
贵族院（上议院）由神职贵族和世俗贵族组成。它的主要作用是用议员的丰富经验帮助立法。换而言之，非选举的上议院是修正议院，补充而非反对由选举产生的下议院。
4.The House of Common is elected by universal adult suffrage and consists of 651 Members of Parliament (MPs). It is in the House of Commons that the ultimate authority.
下议院（平民院）由成人普选产生，由651名议员组成。下议院拥有最终立法权。
5.Britain has a number of parties, but there are only two major parties. These two parties are the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. Since 1945, either the Conservative Party or the Labour Party has held power. The party which wins sufficient seats at a General Election to command a majority of Government. The leader of the majority party is appointed Prime Minister. The party which wins the second largest number of seats becomes the Official Opposition, with its own leader and “shadow cabinet ”. The rule of Opposition is to help the formulation of policy. Criticizes the Government and debate with the Government.
英国有很多政党，但有两个主要的政党—保守党和工党。从1945年以来，两党一直轮流执政，在大选中获多数议席因而在下议院拥有多数支持者的政党组建政府，多数党领袖由君主任命为首相。获得第二多数议席的政党则正式成为“反对党”，有自己的领袖和影子内阁。反对党的目的是帮助制定政策，它可以经常给政府提出批评性的建议和修正议案。
The Cabinet and Ministry
内阁和内阁部长
1. The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet, is responsible for the allocation of functions among ministers and informs the Queen at regular meetings of general business of the Government. Cabinet members hold meetings under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister for a few hours each week to decide Government policy on major issues.
首相主持内阁，负责分配大臣们的职能，在定期会见女王时向女王报告政府事务。内阁在 首相的主持下，每周开会几小时，以决定在重大问题上政府的政策。
2. Ministers are responsible collectively to Parliament for all Cabinet decisions; individual Ministers are responsible to Parliament for the work of their department.
内阁的所有决定由大臣集体向议会负责，各大臣又为各自部门的工作向议会负责。
政府各部和公务员部
1. The principal Government department main includes: the Treasury, the House of office, the Foreign and Commonwealth office, the Ministry of Defense…
主要的政府部门包括：财务部，内务部，外交部，国防部等。
2. Members of the Civil Service are called Civil Services. They staff government departments. Civil Servants are recruited mainly by competitive examination. Civil servants do not belong to any political party. Changes of Government do not involve changes in departmental staff, There are about 541800 civil servants in Britain now.
文职人员部的成员被成为公务员。公务员主要是通过竞争考试录用。公务员部门不属于任何政党，政府的变更并不影响部门职员的变更。英国现约有541800名公务员。
VI．Local Government
地方政府部门
1. There are two main tiers of local authority throughout England and Wales: counties and the smaller districts. Now, England and Wales are divided into 53 counties which are sub-divided into 369 districts.
英格兰和威尔士实行两级地方政府制—郡和比郡小的区。现在英格兰和威尔士分为53个郡，郡下分为369个区。
2. Greater London is divided into 32 boroughs.
大伦敦被分为32个行政区。
Justice and the law 法律与司法机构
There is no single legal system in the United Kingdom. A feature common to all systems of law in the United Kingdom is that there is no complete code. The sources of law include (1) statutes; (2) a large amount of “unwritten” or common law; (3) equity law; (4) European Community. Another common feature is the distinction made between criminal law and civil law.
联合王国不实行完全统一的法律制度。联合王国所有法律制度的一个共同特点是没有以部完整的法典。法典来源包括：（1）成文法；（2）大量的“不成文法”或习惯法；（3）衡平法；（4）欧共体法。另一个共同的特点是刑法和民法之间的区别。
I．Criminal Proceedings
刑事诉讼程序
1. In England and Wales, once the police have charged a person with a criminal offence, the crown Prosecution Service assumes control of the case reviews the evidence to decide whether to prosecute.
在英格兰和威尔士一旦警察指控某人犯有刑事罪，皇家检察总署就要接管此案，并独立地审核证据以决定是否起诉。
2. In Britain all criminal trial are held in open count because the criminal law presumes the innocence of the accused until he has been proved guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The prosecution and the defense get equal treatment. No accused person has to answer the question of the police before trial. He is not compelled to give evidence in count. Every accused person has the right to employ a legal adviser to conduct his defense. If he can not afford to pay, he may be granted aid at public expense. In criminal trial by jury, the judge passes sentence, but the jury decided the issue of guilt or innocence. The jury composed of 12 or ordinary people. If the verdict of the jury can not be unanimous, it must be a majority.
在英国，所有的刑事审判都在法院公开进行。因为刑法认为，在消除合理怀疑证明被告有罪之前，他是无辜的。原告与被告同样平等，审判时被告不必回答警察的问题，不许强迫被告提供证据。每位被告都有权雇佣律师为其辩护。如果他不能支付律师费，可以用公用费用提供帮助。在由陪审团进行的刑事审判中，法官判刑，但陪审团决定是否有罪。陪审团一般由12人组成。如果陪审团不能做出一致判决，也必须是多数决定。
3.A verdict of “ not guilt” means acquittal for the accused, who can never again be charged with that specific crime.
“无罪”裁决意味着被告无罪，并且永远不得再以此罪名对其指控。
IV. The Judiciary
司法机构
There is no ministry of justice in the United Kingdom. Central responsibility lies with the Lord Chancellor the Home Secretary and the Attorney General. In England and Wales, lay magistrates are appointed on behalf of the Crown by the Lord Chancellor who is advised by committees in each county. The Lord Chancellor recommends the High Court and circuit judges. The highest judicial appointments and made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister.
英国没有司法机构。中央政府的司法工作主要由娃哈哈官内政大臣和检察总长负责。在英格兰和威尔士，娃哈哈官根据各部委员会的建议任命外行人员为治安官。娃哈哈官推荐高等法官和巡回法官。最高级别的司法官任命由女王根据首相的建议做出。
V. Police
警察
The police service for United Kingdom is organized and controlled on a local basis under the Home Secretary and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Secretaries. London’s Metropolitan Police Force is directly under the control of Home Secretary. Police officers are not allowed to join a trade union or go on strike. They do not normally carry firearms.
在内政大臣和苏格兰及北爱尔兰国务大臣的指导下英国警察分地组建，并以地方管理为基础。但伦敦警察署直接与内政大臣管辖。警察不得加入工会或罢工。他们通常不佩带手枪。
VI. Treatment of offenders
对违法者的处理
The chief aims of the penal system are to deter the potential lawbreaker and to reform the convicted offender.
刑罚制度的主要目的是阻止潜在的违法者，并改造已判的违法者。
Capital punishment ( a sentence of death ) for murder has been abolished in the U.K, through proposal for its reinstatement are regularly debated by Parliament, and it remains the penalty for treason and piracy.
英国已废除对谋杀罪的死刑，但议会仍经常辩论要恢复死刑，叛国罪和海盗罪仍可判死刑。
Social Affairs 英国社会
I. Health and Social Services
全国医疗保健计划
1. Britain is regarded as a welfare state. This system is funded out of national insurance contributions and taxation. In Britain the term applies mainly to the National Health Service (NHS), national insurance and social security.
英国被认为是福利制度的国家。此制度的所需资金来源于全国保险税和赋税。在英国，这主要是指国民保健制度，国民保险和社会保障制度。
2. The National Health Service provides for every resident, regardless of income, a full range of medical services. The service was established in the U.K. in 1948. Over 82 per cent of the cost of the health service in Great Britain is funded out of general taxation. The rest is met from: (1) the NHS element of National Insurance contributions