英美概况课后习题答案.doc

1. What is the full name of the U.K.?
----United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2. Why do tourists from all over the world like to go to Scotland?
----They like to enjoy the beautiful Scottish scenery, to drink Scotch whisky and to see Scotsmen wearing kilts and playing bagpipes.
3. How many periods can the development of the English language be divided into and what are they?
----The development of the English language can be divided into three periods: Old English, Middle English and Modern English.
4. Why did English become more important after Black Death?
----The laboring and merchant classes grew in economic and social importance after the Black Death, so English also grew in importance compared to French.
1. Who are the British People?
----The first known inhabitants in Britain were Celts who are the ancestors of the Welsh, Scottish and Irish people. Then came the Anglos, the Saxons and the Jutes who brought with them the English language. Many people from other European countries came later, and in modern times there are a lot of immigrants from many former Commonwealth countries from every part of the world. Britain is a country of mixed cultures, and the Britain people are also composed of people from different ethic and culture backgrounds.
2. What is Standard English?
----Standard English is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England. It is widely used in media and taught at schools. It is preferred by the educated, middle-class people. It has developed and has been promoted as a model for correct Britain English. It is also the norm carried overseas. Today, Standard English is codified to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary are much the same everywhere in the world where English is taught and used.

1. What are the two components of the British Parliament?
----the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
2. What were some of Queen Victoria's major achievement?
---- Queen Victoria made tremendous achievements in almost every aspect. She promoted further industrial revolution, the building of railways and the growing of trade and commerce. By the end of her reign, Britain had developed to an empire including a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world's landmass.
3. What were the two camps in Europe in World War 1?
----The Central Powers which included Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria and the Allied Powers which were mainly comprised of France, the Russia Empire, the Britain Empire, Italy and the United States.
4. Why did Britain cooperate closely with the United States after World War 2?
----Because they were allied during the war and shared the same worries about the former Soviet Union.
1. What were the results of the Industrial Revolution in Britain?
----The Industrial Revolution changed Britain in many ways. First, industrial country increased dramatically. Britain became the most advanced industrial country and also the financial center in the world. Second, urbanization took place. Many new cities sprang up. Third, it caused great changes in the class structure. The old social classes declined, and new ones emerged and developed.
2. The Rise and Fall of the British Empire?
----Colonization of Newfoundland, the first British colony overseas, in 1583 marked the beginning of the British Empire. By 1837, British had long been an empire which included the colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and many small states in the West Indies. By the end of 19th century, the British Empire included a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world's landmass. During the mid-19th century, the British government consolidated the existing colonies by bringing them under the direct control of the government. Before World War 1, Britain had the largest colonial empire in the world. However, Britain suffered great loss to its manpower in the two World Wars and exhausted its reserves of gold, dollars and overseas investment. Most of Britain's colonies gained independence since the 1940s, which inevitably led to the fall the Empire.

1. What are the three functions of the House of Commons?
----to draft laws, to scrutinize, criticize and restrain the activities of the government, and to influence future government policy.
2. Why is the Conservative Party sometimes called the "Right"?
----Because the Conservative Party is supported by landowners and businessmen, who are often from the middle and upper-middle class.
3. What kind of public image does Liberal Democrats have in Britain?
----The Liberal Democrats is perceived as "middle" between the Conservative and the Labor Party. It is comparatively flexible and pragmatic in its balance of the individual and the social. It emphasizes the need for a change in Britain's constitutional arrangements to make the government more democratic and accountable.
4. Why are independent candidates unlikely to win in the general election?
----Because even if they were elected, they would be powerless in Parliament. Therefore, it is not possible for many people to vote for independent candidates.
1. What do British electoral campaigns usually involve during the process of a general election?
----The electoral campaigns usually involve advertising in newspapers, door-to-door campaigning and leaflets. The main parties are given short periods of time on national television to present their policies to the public. Apart from the parties' own publicity, newspapers and TV programs spend a lot of time discussing the campaign, interviewing politicians, and predicting the results.
2. What is the Commonwealth of Nations?
----The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, all of which acknowledge the British monarch as the head. The Commonwealth is not a political union of any sort, and its member states have full autonomy to manage their internal and external affairs. It is primarily an organization in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal interaction after gaining independence. The major activities of the Commonwealth are designed to advocate democracy, human rights, and to promote economic cooperation and growth within its members.

1. What was the negative aspect of Thatcher's reform in the early 1980s?
----Its negative aspect was a rapid increase in unemployment. In 1982, the unemployment rate reached the level of the Great Depression years, with three million people out of work.
2. What are the characteristics of Britain's agriculture?
----British's agriculture is characterized by a small portion of the population engaged in agricultural activities with a high degree of mechanization. Although it employs a mere 1% of the country's labor force, it meets around 60% of the national demands.
3. What happened to Britain's beef industry in the mid-1990s?
----British's beef industry was hit badly by BSE, resulting in a ban on beef exports in 1996.
4. What are some of the popular tourist attraction in Britain?
----The popular tourist attractions in English include: the Dorset and the East Devon Coast, the Lake District, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, university towns of Oxford and Cambridge, Tower of London, St. Paul's Cathedral and so on.
1. What were the major causes of Britain's relative economic decline in the postwar period?
----British's economy experienced a relative decline in the postwar period for several reasons. First, British suffered a great losses in the two World Wars and had gone heavily into debt to finance the war. Second, the era of the British Empire was over. India and other British colonies, which provided raw material and large market for British goods, gained their independence. Third, British was forced to maintain an expensive military presence in many overseas locations until the end of 1960s. Fourth, British had to make substantial financial contributions to NATO and UN Security Council. Finally, British failed to invest in industry after World War 2 whereas its competitors like Germany and Japan caught up with British buy investing in the most modern equipment and means of production.
2. Why do developed nations like Britain encourage the development of the service industry?
----The service industry has played an increasingly important role in economy in the development countries. On the other hand ,it requires a large group of people working in it so that abundant employment opportunities are provided. On the other hand, the service industry causes little pollution.

1. What used to be the major functions of grammar schools and vocational schools in Britain?
----The major functions of grammar schools were to train the most academically capable students and prepare them for university, whereas the major functions of vocational schools were to help less successful students to learn a trade.
2. What kind of subjects do Britain comprehensive schools provide?
----British comprehensive schools provide a general education, offering both academic subjects like literature and science, and practical subjects like cooking and carpentry.
3. In what ways do Britain universities enjoy complete academic freedom?
----British universities enjoy complete academic freedom because they can appoint their own staff, decide which students to admit, provide their own courses and award their own degrees.
4. How do students in the Open University receive their education?
----The students follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, video, and a network of study centers.
5. What role does the media play in Britain leisure culture?
----The media plays an essential role in British leisure culture since it helps to shape the public's opinion, determine people's moral and political orientation and consolidate or undermine the rule of a government.
1. What are the general feature of Britain's independent schools?
----British's independent schools require fees from students. Although the National Curriculum is optional in the independent system, most independent schools teach what the curriculum demands. Independent schools get their funding through tuition fees as well as government assistance. Since they are generally better-funded than most state schools, they can recruit the best teachers and provide superior facilities. However, high tuition fees have become an obstacle for many students to enroll.
2. The "quality press" and the "tabloids" in Britain?
----Among the 10 daily published national newspapers in British, about half of them are regarded as the "quality press" since they carry in-depth articles of particular political and social importance, and reviews and feature articles about "high culture", and they are generally read by well-educated people. The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph are good cases in point of the quality press. The "tabloids", with color photos and striking headlines, usually cover scandals and gossip about celebrities in politics, sports and entertainment. A typical example is The News of the World.
Chapter 8
1. How is the American population distributed?
The distribution of the American population is rather uneven the most densely populated region is the northeastern part of the country. The great plains have a comparatively small population .the south also has a population of almost 57.5million. the west is not densely populated ,except for some metropolitan centers like los Angeles and san Francisco . it has about 20% of the nation’s population.
2. Why was the immigration act of 1942 instituted ?
The new immigrants in the united states , being poor and accustomed to poverty , were willing to work for very low wages .this made other workers afraid that the immigrants would ls and take jobs away from them . this opposition led to the immigration act of 1942.
1．Why is the United States regarded as a”melting pot” and a ”salad bowl” ?
The United States is not merely a nation, but a nation of nations. The immigrants came in waves, including the Europeans, the Africans and the Asians. Therefore, America is described as a "melting pot" where various racial and ethnic groups are assimilate into American culture. Recently, America has been called a "salad bowl" in that people of difference races and ethnic groups mix harmoniously, but at the same time keep their distinct culture and customs.
2． What do you think is the best way to help assimilation in a multicultural society?
The best possible way to help assimilation in a multicultural society is to be open and tolerant toward different cultures. People from different racial and ethnic backgrounds should respect each other. Society should create opportunities to help immigrants become assimilated. At the same time the immigrants should keep their own language, customs and religion, contributing to the diversity of a multicultural society.

Chapter 9
1. Why did American change its policy and enter world war II?
Because of the formation of the axis , the American government feared that the axis countries were wining the war and it might threaten America’s security and interests . it began to provide war equipment to the foreign nations resisting the aggression of the axis power . the Japanese air raid on pearl harbor became the direct cause for America’s entrance into the war.
2. What were Nixon’s well-known contributions during his presidency?
a) brought the Vietnam war to a close
b)reestablishing U.S. relations with china
c) negotiating the firststrategic arms limitation treaty with the former soviet union .
3. What were the contents of Reagan’s economic program?
Reagan’s economic program called for reductions in income taxes and business taxes in order to encourage investment , and it also requested that many government regulations be eliminated so as to reduce the federal government’s role in the day-to-day operation of business.
1. What was the cause of the American Civil War?
The Southern planters of America needed a large number of black African slaves to manage their plantations and they regarded the slaves as their property. In the North, with the development of industry, there was a growing demand for free labor. What’s more, the Northerners demanded a law to protect tariffs and asked the government to finance the building of railways and roads. But the Southerners were against it and advocated free trade so as to purchase cheaper goods from foreign countries. The accumulating conflicts led to the division of the North and the South and finally the American Civil War.
2. What made the United States a powerful country by the end of World War II?
During the two World Wars, America remained neutral in the early stage. However, Americans continued their profitable trade with the warring countries. Therefore, they not only retained their military forces, but als