《英语国家社会与文化入门》(简称英美概况)美国答案.doc

美国unit 3 1.what is an american? he is either a european, or the descendant of a european, hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country. he is an american, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. . here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labors and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. . the american is a new man, who acts new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions. 4 . in what way did puritanism influence american culture? a. today, puritans are no longer in existence. but their legacies are still felt in american society and culture. for example, the puritans hoped to build a city upon hill an ideal community. since that time, americans have viewed their country as a great experiment, a worthy model for other nations. this sense of mission has been very strong in the minds of many americans. b. the puritans also have left rich cultural heritage to future americans. the american values such as individualism, hard work, respect of education owe very much to the puritan beliefs. unit 4 1 why did the articles of confederation fail? was it necessary to change the articles of confederation and write a new constitution for the new nation of the united states at the time? the articles of confederation failed because the states did not cooperate with the congress or with each other. when the congress needed money to pay the national army or to pay debts owed to france and other nations, some states refused to contribute. the congress had been given no authority to force any state to do anything. it could not tax any citizen. only the state in which a citizen lived could do that. 2. what is a federal system? what are some of the major differences between a federal system and a confederation? the constitution set up a federal system with a strong central government. a federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to each. the constitution also called for the election of a national leader, or president. it provided that federal laws would be made only by a congress made up of representatives elected by the people. it also provided for a national court system headed by a supreme court. 3. what are some of the major powers of each of the three branches of the u.s. government? how are the three branches supposed to check and balance each other? if congress proposes a law that the president thinks is unwise, the president can veto it. that means the proposal does not become law. congress can enact the law despite the presidents views only if two-thirds of the members of both houses vote in favor of it. if congress passes a law which is then challenged in the courts as unconstitutional, the supreme court has the power to declare the law unconstitutional and therefore no longer in effect. the president has the power to make treaties with other nations and to make all appointments to federal positions, including the position of supreme court justice. the senate, however, must approve all treaties and confirm all appointments before they become official. in this way the congress can prevent the president from making unwise appointments 4what is the bill of rights? do you think that it was necessary to write the bill of rights explicitly into the u.s. constitution? the bill of rights: the first 10 amendments, collectively known as the bill of rights, were added within two years of the adoption of the u.s. constitution. these amendments remain intact today, as they were written two centuries ago. the first guarantees freedom of worship, speech and press, the right of peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government to correct wrongs. the bill of rights and subsequent constitutional amendments guarantee the american people the fullest possible opportunity to enjoy fundamental human rights. 5 what are the two political parties in the united states? do you think they are fundamentally different? the united states has two major political parties. one is the democratic party, which evolved out of thomas jeffersons party, formed before 1800. the symbol of the party is the donkey. the other is the republican party, which was formed in the 1850s, by people in the states of the north and west, such as abraham lincoln, who wanted the government to prevent the expansion of slavery into new states then being admitted to the union. the symbol of the republican party is the elephant.unit 6 1. in what way do you think that religious freedom was a historical necessity in the united states? 1. by the middle of the 18th century, many different kinds of protestants lived in america. 2. the great awakening of the 1740s, a revival movement that sought to breathe new feeling and strength into religion, cut across the lines of protestant religious groups, or denominations. 3. a few americans were so influenced by the new science and new ideas of the enlightenment in europe that they became deists, believing that reason teaches that god exists but leaves man free to settle his own affairs. 4. the first amendment to the constitution of the united states forbade the new federal government to give special favors to any religion or to hinder the free practice, or exercise, of religion. 3 what promotes the diversity in american religion? 1. the united states has always been a fertile ground for the growth of new religious movements. frontier america provided plenty of room to set up a new church or found a new community. 2. many religious communities and secular utopias, or experiments in new forms of social living, were founded in 18th and 19th century america. 3. americans with different religions live together under the same law. 4. the religious beliefs of americans continue to be strong with social progress. 5. in the united states every church is a completely independent organization, and concerned with its own finance and its own building. 6. continuous immigration.unit 8 1. what is the goal of education in the united states? discuss the similarities and differences in great britain, the united states and china concerning the goals of education. 答：the goal isand has been since the early decades of the republicto achieve universal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the general public. though this goal has not yet been fully achieved, it remains an ideal toward which the american educational system is directed. the progress which has been made is notable both for its scope and for the educational methods which have been developed in the process of achieving it. 2. how did american education begin to develop? in 1634, they opened a “lateen grammar” school, a school for those who wanted to prepare for college. in 1636, harvard college was founded for the training of religious ministers. in 1634 and 1638, the puritans passed laws declaring that all property could be taxed for the common good, which included the support of school. in 1642 and 1647, the bay colony passed laws requiring all parents to provide reading educating for their children. at the end of the 18th century, elementary education throughout the united states was in local hands. 3. what are the major characteristics of education in america? (1)different education laws for different states. (2)several levels of schooling：elementary schooling，secondary schooling and high schooling. (3)curricula for students: there is no national curriculum in the united states. (3)compulsory education for all students. (4)equal education opportunities for minority groups. (5)strong demand for higher education. (6)the complex system of higher education. some states play a strong role in the selection of learning material for their students. schools were asked not only to teach this new information, but to help students ask their own questions about it. the “inquiry” method of learning , focusing on solving problems rather than memorizing facts, became popular.或者3.what do you think some of the characteristics of education in america? 1. about 85% of american students attend public schools (schools supported by american taxpayers). the other 15% attend private schools, for which their families choose to pay special attendance fees. four out of five private schools in the united states are run by churches, synagogues or other religious groups. in such schools, religious teachings are a part of the curriculum. 2. each of the 50 states in the united states has its own laws regulating education. from state to state, some laws are similar; others are not. education in the united states was to remain in the hands of state and local governments. 3. americans have a strong tendency to educate their children about major public concernsp