英语文化背景知识库

1、英语背景知识参考书目背景知识库I.英语1.2.3.4.5.6.7.(2010-08)英语与梅仁毅 外语教学与研究(2011-06 出(2000-01英语与入门 上(第 3 版)朱永涛、王立礼 高等教育)跨交际:英语习语与英美平洪、 张国扬外语教学与研究(2009-10(2001-06(2001-06(2004-06)英语背景杨晓钰、张翼、 黄宇教育)英语学习背景知识:英国澳大利亚 何田英语学习背景知识:美国孟继有)英语学习背景知识:欧洲概观来鲁宁（同学们可以在馆找西方相关书籍参考）II. 英语知识I.Different Names for Britain and its Parts英国的不同名

2、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 NorthernIreland. 正式名称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰王国。3. The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds o

3、f 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: England,Great BritainLand and People英国的国土与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,mostpopuloussection.英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部，是最大，人口最稠密的

4、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 Ir

5、eland 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.体。它成立于 1931英是的前英国殖民地组成的自由年，至 1990 年止已有 50 个成员

6、国。The Origins of a Nation (5000BC-1066)英国的年1066 年）（公元前 5000I.Arrival and settlement of the Celts 克尔特人的到来和定居Celts were practiced famers. The drained much of marshlands andbuilt houses of wood. Theywre ironworkers, too. Their languages,the Celts languages, are the basis of the language which is still

7、used by some people in Scotland and Wales. Their religion was Druidism (n.德鲁伊教). 克尔特人是有经验的农民，他们排干沼泽地，用木材建造房屋。他们还打造铁器。苏格兰和威尔士语就是以他们的语言为基础发展而来的。1、 The Celts began to arrive Britain about 700 BC.约公元前 700 年，克尔特人来到不列颠岛。2、The Celts came to Britain in three main waves.克尔特人来到不列颠有三次。The first wave were the G

8、aels-came about 600 BC.第一次是约公元前 600 年盖尔人的来临。The second wave were the Brythons-came about 400 BC.是约公元前 400 年布列吞人的抵达。第二次The third wave were the Belgae-came about 150 BC.第三次是约公元前 150 年比利其人的到达。II. The Anglo-Saxons (446-871)盎格鲁撒克逊人（公元 446871 年）1 Basis of Modern English race: the Anglo-Saxons.盎格鲁萨克逊（奠定了英国

9、的基础）In the mid-5th century a new wave of invaders, Jutes, Saxons, and Angles came to Britain. They were three Teutonic tribes.The Jutes, who fished and farmed in Jutland, came to Britainfirst. A Jutish chief became the King of Kent in 449.Then theSaxons, users of the short-sword from northern German

10、y, established their kingdom in Essex, Sussex and Wessex from the end of the 5th century to the beginning of the 6th century. In the second half of the 6th century, the Angles, who also came from northern Germany and were to give their name to the English people, settled in East Anglia, Mercia and N

11、orthumbria. These seven principal kingdoms of Kent, Essex, Sussex, Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbriahave been given the name of Heptarchy.五世纪中叶，朱特人、撒克逊人和盎格鲁人不断不列颠。这是三支日耳曼（条顿）部落。居住在日德兰（现丹麦南部）上从事打渔农耕的朱特人先抵不列颠。一个朱特人首领于 449 年当上了国王。后来从德国北部来的使用短剑的撒克逊人在埃撒克斯、苏塞克斯和威塞克斯建立了王国，期从五世纪末至六世纪初。六世纪后半叶，同样来自德

12、国北部的盎格鲁人，在东盎格利亚、麦西亚以及诺森伯利来定居，同时把他们的族名加诸在英国人够上。这七个主要王国（肯特、埃塞克斯、苏塞克斯、威塞克斯、东英吉利亚、麦西亚和诺森伯利亚），合称为七王国。2The early Anglo-Saxons converted to Christia.最早的盎格鲁撒克逊人改信教。The Anglo-Saxons brought their own Teutonic religion to Britain.Christiasoon disappeared, except among the Celts of Cornwall,Wales,ScotlandandIr

13、eland.In597,PopeGregoryIsentSt.Augustine, the Prior of St. Andrews Monastery in Rome, to Englandto convert the heathen (异教的) English to Christia. In 597 St.Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. He was remarkably successful in converting the king and the nobility, but the conversion of

14、 the common people was largely due to the missionaryactivities of the monks in the north.盎格鲁撒克逊人把日耳曼带到了英国。除了康瓦尔、威尔士、苏格兰和爱尔兰中的克尔特人还信奉教外，教很快就消失了。公元 597，教皇格里高一世把罗马圣安德鲁修道院的院长圣奥古斯丁派遣到英格兰，其使命是使异的英国人皈依教。公元579 年圣奥古丁成为坎特伯雷大主教。在使国王和皈依教方面，奥古斯丁特别。但是普通人的皈依很大程度上归功于北方修道们的传教活动。3The Early Anglo-Saxons make the contr

15、ibutions to the Englishstate.(formation of the English nation)早期盎格鲁撒克逊人为英国做出的贡献。The Anglo-Saxons laid the foundations of the English state. Firstly, they divided the country into shires (which the Normanslater called counties), with shire courts and shire reeves, or sheriffs,responsibleforadminister

16、inglaw.Secondly,theydevisedthenarrow-strip, three-field farming system which continued to the 18th century. Thirdly, they also established the manorial system(庄园制). Finally, they created the Witan（council or meeting of the wisemen） to advise the king, the basis of the Privy Council which stillexists

17、 today.盎格鲁撒克逊人构筑了英国的基础。首先，他们把划分为郡，郡和郡、或行政司法长官负责。其次，他们设计的窄条三区轮作制延用至 18 世纪。此外，他们还建立了领地制。最后，他们还创立了咨议会(贤人会议)，向国王提供建议，这就成为了 今天尚存的枢密院的前身。IVViking and Danish invasions北欧海盗和丹麦人的1The invaders were the Norwegians and the Danes. They attackedvarious parts of England from the end of the 8th century. They became

18、 a serious problem in the 9th century, especially between 835 and 878. They even managed to capture York, an important center ofChristiain 867. By the middle of 9th century, the Viking and theDanes were posing a threat to the Saxon kingdom of Wessex.者是挪威人和丹麦人，从 8 世纪末开始，他们不断英格兰的各个地方。9 世纪，尤其是公元 835-87

19、8他们甚至占领了约克郡，公元 867 年时的已成为严重问题。教中心。到 9 世纪中叶，北欧海盗和丹麦人威胁到撒克逊人的威撒克斯王国的安全。2King Alfred (849-899) and his contributions艾尔弗雷德国王（849-899）和他所做出的贡献Alfred was a king of Wessex. He defeated the Danes and reached a friendly agreement with them in 879. The Danes gained control of the north and east, while he rule

20、d the rest. He also converted some leading Danes into Christians.He founded a strong fleet and is known as “ the father of theBritish navy”. He reorganized the Saxon army, making it moreefficient.HetranslatedaLatinbookintoEnglish.Healsoestablished schools and formulated a legal system. Allthis earns

21、 him the title “Alfred the Great.”阿尔弗雷德是威塞克斯的国王。他打败了丹麦人，并于公元 879年与他们达成了友好协议。协议规定丹麦人英格兰北部和西部（丹麦法区），而他其他地区。他还劝服一些丹麦首领成为。他因为建立了强大舰队，而以“英国之父”闻名于世。他改组了“弗立德”（撒克逊），使之更为高效。他将一本拉丁语的书翻译成英语。同时他还建立了学校，并且阐明了法律制度。所有这一切使他当之无愧于“阿尔弗雷德大王。”的称号。V. The Norman Conquest (1066)诺曼征服（公元 1066 年）1. Reasons for Williams invasio

22、n of England after Edwards death.威廉在爱德华死侵英国的。It was said that king Edward had promised the English throne to William, but the Witan chose Harold as king. So William led his army to invade England. In October 1066, during the important battle of Hastings, William defeated Harold and killed him. One C

23、hristmas Day, William was crowned king of England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England.据说，爱德华国王曾答应把英格兰王位传给诺曼底公爵威廉，但是贤人会议挑选了哈罗德为国王。公元 1066 年 10 月，在哈斯丁斯附近的激烈交锋中，威廉打败了哈罗德，同时哈罗德也在此中战死。在圣诞节加冕，成为英国国王，从此开始了诺曼征服。2The Norman Conquest and its consequences诺曼征服及其产生的影响。The Norman Conquest of 1066 is pe

24、rhaps the best-known event in English history. William the Conqueror confiscated almost all the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxon rule with a strong Norman government. So the feudal system was completely established in England.Relations with the Continent were open

25、ed, and the civilization and commerce were extended. Norman-French culture, language, manners and architecture were introduced. The Church was brought into closer connection with Rome, and the church courts were separated from thecivil courts.1066 年年的诺曼征服也许是英国历史上的最著名。征服者威廉几乎没收了所有土地，将其分发给他的诺曼追随者。他用强的

26、诺曼代替了软弱的萨克逊。于是，制度在英国完全建立。开放了与欧洲大陆的关系，文明和商业得到发展，引进了诺曼法兰西、语言、行为规范和艺术。与罗马的更为密切，与民事分离。3The English is a mixture of nationalities of different origins. Theancestors of many English people were the ancient Angles and Saxons. Some English people are of the Norman-French origin.英国是一个集不同于一体的。许多英国人的祖先是古盎格鲁和撒克

27、逊人。而还有一些英国人的是诺曼血统。The Shaping of the Nation (1066-1381)1066-1381）I. Norman Rule (1066-1381)英国的形成（公元（公元 1066-1381）诺曼1. William's Rule （1066-1087）威廉一世的（公元 1066-1087）England's feudalism under the rule of William the Conqueror在威廉下的英国制度Under William, the feudal system in England was completely es

28、tablished. According to this system, the King owned all the land ally. William gave his barons large estates in England in return for a promise of military service and a proportion of the land's produce.Theseestateswerescatteredfar andwideover the country, so that those who held them could not e

29、asily combine to rebel the king. The barons, who had become William's tenants-in-chief, parceled out land to the lesser nobles, knights and freemen, also in return for goods and services. At the bottom of the feudal scale were the villeins or serfs. One peculiar feature of the feudal system of E

30、ngland was that all landowners must take the oath of allegiance，not only to their immediate lord, but also to the king.在威廉度，国王拥有下，英国的制度得到完全确立。根据此制所有土地。威廉把英国的大片土地分给，条件是换取对方服役和物品。这些地产分散于各处，相距遥远，这样土地拥有者就不易起来国王。已成为国王总佃户的又把土地分配给小、骑士和自由民，同样换取货物和服役。处于等级最底层的是农奴。英国地承租人还是二佃户，都必须要宣誓效制独有的特色就是，无论是土直接，而且要效国王。IICo

31、ntents and the significance of the Great Charter大的内容及意义Great Charter was signed by King John in 1215 under the press of the barons. It consists of sixty-three clauses. Its important provisions are as follows: (1) no tax should be made without the approval of the Grand Council; (2) no freemen should

32、be arrested, imprisoned or deprived of their property; (3) the Church should possess all its rights, together with freedom of elections; (4) London and other towns should retain their traditional rights and privileges, and (5) there should be the same weights and measures throughout the country. (si

33、gnificance) Although The Great Charter has long been popularly regarded as the foundation of English liberties, it was astatement of the feudal and legal relationships between the Crownand the barons, a guarantee of the freedom of the Church and alimitation of the powers of the king. The spirit of t

34、he Great Charterwas the limitation of the powers of the king, keeping them within the bounds of the feudal law of the land.大是约翰国王 1215 年在下签定的。大宪章总共 63 条，其中最重要的内容是：(1)大议会同意，不得征税；(2) 只有根据有关法律才能逮捕、监禁自由人以及他们的；(3)应享受其所利且有自由；（4） 伦敦和其它要统一度量衡。尽管城镇应保留其的传统权力和；(5)人们普遍认为大为英国的自由奠定了基础，但该只是规定国王和之间关系和的书，保证了的自由，限制了国

35、王权利。大的精神实质就是把国王的权利限制在英国法律的范围之内。III.The origins of the English Parliament英国议会的The Great Council is known to be the prototype (原型) of thecurrent British Parliament. In 1265, Simon de Montfort summoned（召集） the Great Council, together with two knights from each county and two citizens from each town. It

36、 later developed into the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Its main role was to offer advice，not to make decisions. There were no elections or parties. Andthe most important part of Parliament was the House of Lords.大议会是英国议会的原型。1265 年，西门德孟福尔召开大议会，各县有两名骑士，各镇有两名市民参加。大议会发展到后来演变成议会，分为上议院和下议院。其作用

37、是咨询而非决定；也没有和政党。议会的最重要的部分是上议院。英语概况精讲系列（六）IVThe Hundred Years' War and its consequences.百年及其结果The Hundred Years War refers to the war between England andFrance that lasted intermittently from 1337 to 1453. The causes of thewar were partly territorial and partlycauses were related with the possessi

38、oneconomic. The territorialby the English kings of the astheFrenchkingsgrewlargeduchyofAquitaineinFrance,stronger,they increasingly coveted this large slice. The economiccauses were connected with cloth manufacturing towns in Flanders, which were the importer of English wool, but they were loyal to

39、the French king politically. Besides, England's desire to stop France from giving aid to Scots and a growing sense of nationalism were the other causes.The English's being driven out of France is regarded as a blessing for both countries. If the English had remained in France, the superior s

40、ize and wealth of France would have hindered the development of a separate English national identity, while France was hindered so long as a foreign power occupied so much Frenchterritory.百年指 1337 年到 1453 年英法之间一场断断续续的，战争的起因既有因素又有因素。起因尤其是英国国王占领了法国的阿基坦大片公爵领地，这是的根源，随着法国国王日增，他们渴望占领这片土地。则与德斯城有关。德斯地区生产棉布的

41、城镇是英国羊毛的主要进口商，但这些城镇在政治上却效忠法国国王。其他还有英国试图法国对苏格兰人的，并且压制不断增强的意识。的结果：把英国人赶出法国对两个都是幸事：若英国人继续留在法国，那么法国人在和上所占的优势必然会阻碍的英国的发展；而在英国占领大量法国的情况下，法国也很难统一。Three stages of the war的三个阶段In the first two stages, the English won some big victories. But in the third stage, they were driven out of Fance.初期，英国取得辉煌胜利。但是最终被逐

42、出法国The battle of Argencourt 阿壤科之战It took place in 1415 and the English won a crushing victory. After the victory, the English king Henry was recognized as the French King.1415 年英国大获全胜，亨利 5 世登上法国王位。Joan of Arc (1412-1431)贞德女士Joan of Arc was a natione in French history. She led andencourages the Frenc

43、h in Hundred Years War.贞德是法国历史上的女drivingthe English outof French in the，她和鼓舞法国将英国驱逐处境。Consequences of the warThe English lost the的后果影响war. The expulsion ofthe English fromFrench is regarded as a blessing for both countries. It helped Englishnational identity as well as French national identity. Two

44、separate nation were born after the war.V. The Black Death黑死病The Black Death is the modern name given to the deadly bubonicplague,an epidemic disease spread by rat fleas across Europe in the 14th century. It swept through England in the summer of 1348. It reduced England's population from four m

45、illion to two million by the end of the 14th century.The economic consequences of the Black Death were far-reaching. As a result of the plague, much land was left untended and there was a terrible shortage of labour. The surviving peasants had better bargaining power and were in a position to change

46、 their serfdom into paid labour. Some landlords, unable or unwilling to pay higher wages, tried to force peasants back into serfdom. In 1351 the government issued a Statute of Labourers which made it a crime for peasants to ask for more wages or for their employers to pay more than the rateslaid dow

47、n by the Justices of the Peace.黑死病是指由蚤的致命的淋巴腺，是一种流行疾病，在 14 世纪了到欧洲。1348 年夏天横扫全英国。英国的人口在 14世纪末从 400 万锐减至 200 万。黑死病对造成的后果更为深远。导致了大片土地无人照管和劳动力极度匮乏。想把耕地变为人力需求较少的牧场。存活的农民处于有利的讨价还价地位，从农奴变为雇佣劳动力。于是一些支付不起或不愿意支付较高工资的想方设法迫使农民农奴地位。1351 年颁布“劳工法令”，规定农民们涨工资的要求，或者是雇主支付比地方官制订的工资水平要高的工资都是。Chapter 4 第四章Transition to t

48、he Modern Age (1455-1688)I. Transition to the Modern Age (1455-1485)向近代英国的过渡(1455 年-1485 年)向现代英国的过渡The Wars of Rose玫瑰The nature and consequences of the Wars of the Roses.The name Wars of the Roses was refer to the battles between the House of Lancaster, symbolized by the read rose, and that of York,

49、 symbolized by the white, from 1455 to 1485. Henry Tudor, descendant of Duke of Lancaster won victory at Bosworth Fireld in 1485 and put the country under the rule of the Tudors. From these Wars, English feudalism received its death blow. The great medieval nobility wasmuch weakened.是指，从 1455 年到 148

50、5 年，以红玫瑰为象征的兰开斯玫瑰特大和以白玫瑰为象征的约克之间的普遍接受的名称。1485 年，兰开斯特的后代亨利都铎取得了博斯沃恩战役的胜利，建立了都铎。这些使英国的受到致命打击，阶层受到了削弱。II. Henry VIII andThe English Reformation亨利八世和英国的Henry VIII was above all responsible for the religious reform of the church. There were three main causes: a desire for change and reform in the church

51、had been growing for many years and now, encouraged by the success of Martin Luther, many people believed its time hadcome; the privilege and wealth of the clergy were resented; and Henryneeded money.亨利八世最重要的是负责进行的有三个主要方面：多年来，人们的意愿不断增长，现在又受马丁路德的鼓舞，许多人认为时机已到；教职的和已引起；亨利需要钱。The reform began as a strugg

52、le for a divorce and ended in freedom from the Papacy. Henry VIII wanted to divorce Catherine ofAragon but the Pope refused. Henrys reforms was to get rid of theEnglishChurchsconnectionwiththePope,andtomakeanindependent Church of England. He made this break with Rome gradually between 1529 and 1534.

53、 He dissolved all of Englands monasteries and nunneries because they were more loyal to the Pope than to their English kings. The laws such as the Act of succession of 1534 and the Act of Supremacy of 1535 made his reform possible. He established the church of England as the national church of the c

54、ountry, and he made himself the supreme head of the church of England.以争取离婚而开始，以脱离教皇而告终。亨利八世欲与阿拉贡的凯瑟琳离婚，但是教皇拒绝了。亨利的目的是摆脱英国与教皇的，成立的英格兰。1529 年至 1534逐渐地与罗马脱离了关系。他解散了所有英国的修道院和修女院，因为后者对教皇比对英国国王更忠诚。1534 年的继位法和 1535 年的王具有了可行性。1535 年他获“英格兰最高首脑”之权法案使称号。Henry VIIIs reform stressed the power of the monarch and

55、 certainly strengthened Henrys position; Parliament had never done such a long and important piece of work before, its importance grew as a result. His attack on the Popes power encouraged many critics ofabuses of the Catholic Church. England was moving away fromCatholicism towardsant ideology.的三大影响：亨利的强调了君主权力，自然巩固了亨利的地位；议会以往从未做过如此漫长而重要的工作，自然其重要性也有所加强；他对教力的打击鼓舞许多人批评指责天主，并希望从天主教转向新教。英语概况精讲系列（八）III. Elizabeth I (1558-1603)伊莉莎白一世（1558 年-1603 年）Elizabeth I and parliament(1)Elizabeth I was the last monarch of the Tudor Dynasty. She was a