英语国家概况-英国Unit One

1、英语国家概况英语国家概况 张静静张静静 2012.09 2012.09ContentsContentsThe United Kingdom1The United States of America2Canada3Australia4New Zealand5Distribution of native English- speakers Distribution of native English- speakers by countryby countryThe Anglosphere & AnglophoneApart from Eng as NL, other factorsvEt

2、hnic/racial: white being the largest group. vHistorical: former British colonies or settlements US: 1776, part of Canada: 1763-1867, Ireland: 1922, NZ: 1907, Commonwealth of Nations, NATO.vPredominant religion: ChristianityCommonwealth of the NationObjectivesObjectives v 1.To acquire Specific knowle

3、dge about major English-speaking countries (esp. UK + USA)v 2.To cultivate critical thinking on cultural matters. Research ability (info/material collection and organization, paper writing, reference.)v 3. To improve English competence. Extensive reading and targeted vocabulary acquisition v Methods

4、: 1. presentation报告演示法报告演示法 2. seminar讨论式学习法讨论式学习法 SchedulevThe UK 9 weeks, The USA 9 weeksvUnit One 1 weekvUnit Two 1 weekvUnit Three 2 weeksvUnit Four 1 weekvUnit Five 1 weekvUnit Six vUnit Seven 1 weekvUnit Eight vUnit Nine 1 weekvUnit Ten 1 weekEvaluation & ExpectationEvaluation & Expect

5、ationEvaluation:The final score is made up of two parts: Attendance & performance at regular classes (10%) Mid-term examination(20%) presentation and the final exam(70%)Expectation: Preview texts active part inpresentation & discussionPart OneThe United KingdomContentsContentsThe Country1The

6、 People2Judiciary5Social Services6Education7Way of life84Government and Politics3History Unit One The CountryUnit One The Country 1.1 General Introduction 1.2 Topography 1.3 Rivers and Lakes 1.4 Climate1.1.1 Whats the official name?v“When people say , they sometimes mean Great Britain, sometimes the

7、 United Kingdom, sometimes the British Isles - but never England.” -George Mikes (19121987) Hungarian-born British authorEnglandBritainGreat Britain (GB/G.B.)British IslesBritish EmpireThe CommonwealthThe United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandBritish IslesGeographica

8、lly, the British Isles includes Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, and all the offshore islandsPolitically, the British Isles is made up of U.K. and Republic of Ireland.v Great Britain refers to the largest island of British Isles which includes three political divisions: England, Scotland, and Wa

9、les. It is an island lying off the western coast of Europe, comprising the main territory of the United Kingdom. Dept.of Foreign StudiesGreat BritainBritish Empirevthe British Empire大英帝国大英帝国 A historical term, of the worlds land area and population in 1922 The Sun-never-setting Empire 日不落帝国日不落帝国The

10、CommonwealthvThe Commonwealth (of Nations) is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931, and has 53 member countries until 2007. It is a loose association connected more economically than politically.Official Namethe United Kingdom of Grea

11、t Britain and Northern IrelandGeographically includes Great Britain and Northern IrelandPolitically includes four nationsDept.of Foreign Studies 1801 - The Irish Parliament voted to join the Union. The Kingdom of Great Britain becomes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 1922 - Name chan

12、ged to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, after most of the Southern counties in Ireland choose independence.1536 - Act of Union joins England and Wales1707 - Act of Union unites Scotland and England, together with Wales to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.1.1.2 Position and Bord

13、ersv It has a total land area of 242,514 square kilometers. (Guangxi Autonomous Region)Dept.of Foreign Studies1.1.3 The Union Flag/JackEngland- St Georges CrossScotland- St. Andrews CrossNorthern Ireland- St. Patrick CrossWales-The Red Dragon1.1.4 The Official Coat of ArmsMotto:Dieu et mon Droit (Go

14、d and my right) Honi soit qui maly pense (Evil to him who evil thinks)The Shield EnglandScotlandNorthern IrelandEngland-RoseScotland-ThislteNorthern Ireland-CloverWales-Leek & DaffodilNational flower：Rose National anthem ： “God save the King/Queen” National bird：RedbreastEnglandthe largest(53.7%

15、), most populous(83.8%), the wealthiest.Capital: London(2) Scotlandsecond largest (32.1%), lowest population density (8.4%)Capital: Edinburgh.(3) Walessmallest on the island of GB (8.5%). 4.9%Capital: Cardiff(4) Northern Irelandthe smallest (5.7%, 2.9%) Capital: Belfast.1.1.5 ComponentsFlag:Cross of

16、 St. George National Day:23 April (St. Georges Day)Area:130,281 sq km Population:50,762,900 (2006) Nationality :English and British Climate:Temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North Atlantic CurrentCapital City:LondonMajor Cities:Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Shef

17、fieldOfficial Language:EnglishOfficial Animal LionFlag:Cross of St. Andrew National Day:30 November (St. Andrews Day)Area:77,925 sq kmPopulation:5,116,900 (2006)Capital City:EdinburghMajor Cities:Aberdeen, Dundee, GlasgowOfficial Language:English (Scottish Gaelic is spoken by 1.4 percent of the popu

18、lation)Highest point:Ben Nevis (1,343 m)Official AnimalUnicornThe Scottish Highlanders consider themselves the “true” Scots, and they wear their national dress, the kilt, with pride. Kilts are pleated skirts (百褶裙) made of material with a squared, colored design called a tartan (格子花呢）. They probably

19、derive from the costume of the Roman conquerors. Each Scottish clan (tribe) has its own tartan with specific colors and design and only members of that clan are entitled to wear it. KiltWalesv Wales is smaller than England and Scotland. It is 240 kilometers from north to south and 185 kilometers fro

20、m east to west at its widest part. Its area is 20,776 square kilometers, less than 9% with a population of 2,965,900, about 4.9% of the whole. It is bounded on the north by the Irish Sea, on the west by St. Georges Channel, and on the south by the Bristol Channel. In the east it borders a number of

21、English counties. v The capital of Wales is Cardiff. Cardiff is only a small city with an area of 120 square kilometers and a population of 300,000. About two-thirds of Waless population lives in the south. Flag:Red dragon on a green and white field.National Day:1 March (St. Davids Day)Area:20,732 s

22、q kmPopulation:2,965,900 (2006) Capital City:CardiffMajor Cities:Caerphilly, Newport, SwanseaOfficial Language:English and WelshOfficial Animal DragonNorthern Irelandv This part is the smallest part with an area of about 14,160 square kilometers and a population of about 1,702,600 (2003 estimate). N

23、orthern Ireland constitutes about 17 percent of the land area of Ireland and has 31 percent of the islands population. The rest of the island is occupied by the Republic of Ireland. The capital of Northern Ireland is Belfast.Flag:Cross of St. PatrickNational Day:17 March (St. Patricks Day)Area:13,57

24、6 sq kmPopulation:1,741,600 (2006) Capital City:BelfastOfficial Language:English and Irish123456The UKScotlandGreat BritainEnglandBritish IslesWales1.2 Topography England: it consists of lowland terrain, with some mountainous terrain in the north-west, north and south-west. Scotland: Its geography i

25、s varied, with lowlands in the south and east and highlands in the north and west. Wales: Its mostly mountainous. South Wales is less mountainous than North and Mid Wales. Northern Ireland: Its mostly hilly.Geographic featurevThe north and west of Britain are mainly highlands; and the east and south

26、east are mostly lowlandsvChief mountain ranges: the Pennies in the south (England), the Cambrians in the west, (Wales) and the Grampians in the north (Scotland)vThe Grampians: the largest mountain range in the UKBen Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m).(Scotland)MountainsPenninesv Backb

27、one of Englandv In northern England and southern ScotlandScotland Population: 5.1 Million People: Celts, Anglo-Saxons Language: English, Gaelic Religion: Presbyterian Church of Scotland, other Presbyterian churches, Anglicans, Catholics Wales Capital city: Cardiff Population: 2.9 Million People: Cel

28、ts, Anglo-Saxons Language: Welsh, English Religion: Nonconformist Protestants, Anglicans, CatholicsSnowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales.（1,085m）Northern Ireland Population: 1.6 Million People: Irish Language: English, and Irish Religion: 60% Protestant, 40% Roman Catholic in Northern Ireland (

29、95% Roman Catholic, 3.4% Protestant in the Republic)1.3 Rivers and Lakesv The most important river in Britain and the second longest river: Thames (338 kilometers long) v The longest river : Severn River in Wales (354 kilometers long)v The largest Lake: Lough Neagh ( Northern Ireland)ThamesDept.of F

30、oreign StudiesDept.of Foreign StudiesLake DistrictThe Lake District is a popular holiday destination in north-west England and north Wales, famous for its lakes and its mountains (or fells), and its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth and the Lake Poets

31、. Lough Neaghv With an area of 392 square kilometres, it is the largest lake in the British Isles v An old Irish story tells how the Lough was formed when Irelands legendary giant Finn McCool scooped up a portion of the land and tossed it at a Scottish rival. He missed, and the chunk of earth landed in the Irish Sea, thus creating the Isle of Man. Loch Nessv largest in Scotland (56.4 km)v 300m deepv Loch Ness monster NessieRiver Clyde is the most important river in Scotland. ClimatevBritain is an island country and the surrounding sea gives England a varied climate. vWe never know wha