英语国家社会文化入门课后题答案

1、Book1Unit11.WhatwastheBritishEmpire?Whatdoyouknowaboutit?Inwhatwayisthe“Empire”stillfeltinBritainandintheinternationalfield?TheBritishEmpirecomprisedthedominions,colonies,protectorates,mandates,andotherterritoriesruledoradministeredbytheUnitedKingdom,thathadoriginatedwiththeoverseascoloniesandtradin

2、gpostsestablishedbyEnglandinthelate16thandearly17thcenturies.Intheinternationalfield,Britainhasgreatvoiceinpolitics,economyandcultureandsoon.2.WhyimpossibletosumupBritishpeoplewithafewsimplephrases:TheUKismadeupofdifferentelements.Itincludes4partswithintheonenation-state.Itisnowamultiracialsocietywi

3、thdifferentreligionbelieves.Itisdividedeconomicallyanditisasocietywithaclass-structure.Andwithineachofthefourcountriestherearedifferentregions.Sincethiscountrywassocomplicatedbothinhistoryorhumanity,itisimpossibletosumuptheirpeople.3.Ahistoryofinvasions:(1)Beforethe1stcenturyADBritainwasmadeupoftrib

4、alkindomsofCelticpeople.TheybroughtthecentralEuropenculturetoBritain.Thenin43AD,RomanEmpireinvadedBritainandcontrolleditforslavesocietybutalsodisseminatedtheirCatholicism.(2)However,inthe5thcentury,theRomanEmpirerapidlywanedinpowerandBritainwasconqueredbytheAnglesandtheSaxons.InordertodefendtheSaxon

5、s,agreatleaderKingArthurappeared.Hecreatedtheroundtabletosatisfyalltheknightsrequirementofhavingequalprecedence.ThusitgraduallyformedthemonarchyinBritainasamoredemocraticsystem.WhetherArthursarealpersoninthehistoryornot,Anglo-SaxonsdidsucceedininvadingBritainandtheyweretheforefathersoftheEnglish.(3)

6、Inthe8thcentury,theVikingsfromDenmarkcontrolledthenothernandeasternEngland.AAnglo-Saxonherio,kingAlfredtheGreatfoughtagainstthevikingswiththetrulyEnglish.AndthatswhytheresacertainculturaldifferencebetweennorthernersandsouthernersinEngland(4)Later,theNomansfromnorthernFrance,undertheleadingofWilliamo

7、fNormandy,killedthekingandWilliambecametheFristofEngland.TheyimportedarullingclassthatFrench-speakingNormanaristocracyrulledSaxonandEnglish-speakingpopulation.Inthiscondition,therewerentalotofrebellionsamongtheEnglishpeople.ThatdirectlyformedanEnglishuniquecharacter:arichlyunconventionalinteriorlife

8、hiddenbyanexternalconformity.Eventoday,wecanstillfindthispersonalityfromtheBritishpeoplethroughtheirlifestyles.whichtheEnglishhavewishedtoseetheirmonarchassomethingotherthanaremotedictator.(3)anglo-saxoninvadersweretheforefathersoftheEnglish.ByVikingssettlementstheEnlishheroesweretrulyEnglish.Therer

9、emainstothisdayacertainculturaldividebetweennorthernersandsouthernersinengland.(4)NormanaristocracyrulingalargelySaxonandEnglish-speakingpopulation.thelegendofRobinHood.4.GeneralcharacteristicofScotland:Scotlandisthesecondlargestofthefournations,bothinpopulationandingeographicalarea.Itisalsothemostc

10、onfidentofitsownidentitybecausealoneamongstthenon-EnglishcomponentsoftheUKithaspreviouslyspentasubstantialperiodofhistoryasaunifiedstateindependentoftheUK.(1)rugged.(2)notconqueredbytheRomans(3)maintainitsseparatepoliticalidentityformorethanahundredyears.(4)eagerforindependence.HowScotlandbecamepart

11、oftheunionofGreatBritain:in1707byagreementoftheEnglishandScottishparliaments,ScotlandjoinedtheUnion.In1745therewasabrutalmilitaryresponsefromtheBritisharmy.TherebelarmywasdestroyedatthebattleofCullodeninnorthernScotland.5.DescribeWalesandtheunificationwithBritain:(1)waleswasanimportantelementinBrita

12、insindustrialrevolution,asithadrichcoaldeposits.Itissuccessfulinattractinginvestmentfromabroad.WaleshasbeendominatedbyEnglandforlongerthantheothernationsoftheunion.Despitethisnearnessandlong-standingpoliticalintegrationWalesretainsapowerfulsenseofitsdifferencefromEngland.(2)WaleshasbeendominatedbyEn

13、glandforlongerthantheothernationsoftheunion.Despitethisnearnessandlong-standingpoliticalintegrationWalesretainsapowerfulsenseofitsdifferencefromEngland.In1536,waleswasbroughtlegally,administratively,andpoliticallyintotheUKbyanactoftheBritishparliament.Thiscloselong-standingrelationshipmeansthatmoder

14、nwaleslackssomeoftheoutwardsignsofdifferencewhichScotlandpossesses-itslegalsystemanditseducationsystemareexactlythesameasinEngland.6.DifferencesbetweenEngland,ScotlandandWalesintermsofculturaltradition:书上说的比较散，建议参照festival那章的答案，这里只有一些零散的不系统的比较(1)Englishcharacter:arichlyunconventionalinteriorlifehidd

15、enbyanexternalconformity.Butyoungpeoplearenotallstereotypes.Butitiscertainlytruethatthelifelessfrontsofmanyenglishhousesconcealbeautifulbackgardens.(2)ThedreamofanindependentScotlandhasnotvanished.Theyarealwayseagerforfreedom.Scotlandhasagreattraditionofinnovationinthearts,philosophyandscience.Super

16、ficiallyfullyintegratedintotheUK,butconcealedbeneaththisisastill-strongScottishidentity.SomepeoplespeakGaelic.(3)Walesisdifferent,andoneofthekeymarkersofthatdiffeneceistheWelshlanguage-theoldBritishCeltictonguewhichisstillindailyuse.ModernwaleslackssomeoftheoutwardsignsofdifferencewhichScotlandposse

17、sses.(itslegalsystemandeducationsystemareexactlythesameasinEngland)Unit21.WhyisNorthernIrelandsosignificantintheUK:ThoughNorthernIrelandissmallitissignificantbecauseofthepoliticaltroublesthere.Itspoliticalproblem:TheproblemisinNorthernIrelandin1921insouthernIrelandindependencefromBritain,IrelandNort

18、handSouthfollowingtheseparationofissuesleftoverbyhistory,mixeditwithhistorical,political,ethnicandreligiousconflicts,extremelycomplex.Irelandindependence,storemainunderBritishrulewithintheframeworkofthe6inthenorthernislandofIrelandresidentsofthepro-BritishProtestantmajority(about51%),theCatholicnati

19、onalistminority(about38%),asaresultofthetwomajorforcesinNorthernIrelandOnthecontrarypositionofownershipandleadtoconfrontation,conflict.因为发现实在太难sumup了，所以就搜了一下，以下是wikipedia版本NorthernIrelandwasformanyyearsthesiteofaviolentandbitterethno-politicalconflicttheTroubleswhichwascausedbydivisionsbetweennation

20、alists,whoarepredominantlyRomanCatholic,andunionists,whoarepredominantlyProtestant.UnionistswantNorthernIrelandtoremainasapartoftheUnitedKingdom,6whilenationalistswishforittobepoliticallyreunitedwiththerestofIreland,independentofBritishrule.网络其他版本Until1921thefullnameoftheUKwasTheUnitedKingdomofGreat

21、BritainandIreland,notonlyNorthernIreland,becausethewholeislandofIrelandwaspoliticallyintegratedwithGreatBritain,andhadbeensince1801,whileBritainsdominationoftheIrishdatedbackcenturiesevenbeforethatdate.ButIrishdesiresforanindependentIrishstatewereneverlost,andoneofthekeyissuesinlatenineteenthcentury

22、Britishpoliticswasacampaigninparliamentforwhatwascalledhome-ruleIrishpoliticalcontrolofIrishaffairs.TheHomeRuleBillwasfinallypassedin1914,buttheprocesswasovertakenbytheFirstWorldWarandwassuspendedforthedurationofthewar.2.FactorsinIrishandEnglishhistorythataffectthesituationinNorthernIrelandtoday:Alo

23、ngwiththepoliticalcampaignforhome-rulethereweregroupswhofollowedamoredirectmethodofpursuingIrishindependence,engaginginguerillaorterroristactivitiesagainstBritishinstitutionsandtheBritishmilitaryforces.DuringtheFirstWorldWarandimmediatelyafter,thisactivityincreased,sometimesbrutallysuppressedbyBriti

24、shforces.3.SumupsolutionstoNIspoliticalproblemsofdifferentpartiesandgroupsintheUK:MargaretThatchersgovernmentdidnotgiveintothisdemandforpoliticalstatusand11prisonersstarvedtodeath.ThiseventrevitalisedthepoliticalcampaignofSinnFein,thelegalpoliticalpartywhichsupportstheIRAsrighttofight.Itsleadersspok

25、eofatwincampaignforunionwithIreland,bothpoliticalandmilitary,whichtheycalledthepolicyofTheBulletandtheBallotBox.4.WhatdoyouthinkshouldbetherightsolutiontothepoliticalprobleminNorthernIreland:IthinktheycanasktheUNforhelp./Keepthepresentstatus.Turntoothercountriesforhelp.自由发挥啦Unit31.Characteristicsoft

26、heBritishconstitutionalmonarchy:ThemonarchofthecountryhaslimitedrightsbecauseofBillofRight.Forexample,whiletheofficialheadofstateisthequeen,herpowersarelargelytraditionalandsymbolic.ThegovernmentatnationalandlocallevelsiselectedbythepeopleandgovernsaccordingtoBritishconstitutionalprinciples.HowtheEn

27、glishmonarchyevolvedtopresentconstitutionalmonarchy:Originallythepowerofthemonarchwaslargelyderivedfromtheancientdoctrineofthedivinerightofkings.ForathousandyearsBritainhashadahereditarykingorqueenastheheadofthestate.WhiletheKingintheoryhadGodonhisside,inpracticeeveninmedievaltimesitwasthoughtthathe

28、shouldnotexerciseabsolutepower.KingJohnwasunwillingtoreceiveadvicefromprominentmen,whichledbattlesbetweenthekingandotherpowerfulgroups.Finallythekinggrantedthemacharter,namedMagnaCarta,oflivertyandpoliticalrights.Thecivilwar2.Thecivilwarwasrootedinadisputeoverthepowerofthekingvis-a-visParliament.Jam

29、esIandhissuccessorCharlesIbothinsistedontheirdivinerightaskings.TheyfeltParliamenthadnorealpoliticalrighttoexist,butonlyexistedbecausethekingallowedittodoso.Itwastheefforttoreasserttherightsofparliamentthatledtothecivilwar.EnglishRevolution:EnglishRevolutionhasbeenusedtodescribetwodifferenteventsinE

30、nglishhistory.ThefirstwastheGloriousRevolutionof1688,wherebyJamesIIwasreplacedbyWilliamIIIandMaryIIasmonarchandaconstitutionalmonarchyestablished,wasdescribedbyWhighistoriansastheEnglishRevolution.1Inthetwentieth-century,however,MarxisthistoriansusedthetermEnglishRevolutiontodescribetheperiodoftheEn

31、glishCivilWarsandCommonwealthperiod(1640-1660),inwhichParliamentchallengedKingCharlesIsauthority,engagedincivilconflictagainsthisforces,andexecutedhimin1649.Thiswasfollowedbyaten-yearperiodofbourgeoisrepublicangovernment,theCommonwealth,beforemonarchywasrestoredintheshapeofCharlesson,CharlesII,in166

32、0.3.HistoryofEnglishparliament:Traditionally,whenmedievalkingswantedtoraisemoneyhewouldtrytopersuadetheGreatCouncil,agatheringofleading,wealthybaronswhichthekingssummonedseveraltimesayear.Laterkingsfoundthisgroupwassosmallthattheycouldnotmakeendsmeet.SotheywidenedtheGreatCounciltoincluderepresentati

33、vesofcounties,citiesandtownsandgetthemtocontribute.ItwasinthiswaythattheGreatCouncilcametoincludetheHouseofLords(whoweresummoned)andtheHouseofCommons(representativesofcommunities).WhatroledidtheparliamentplayintheCivilWar:SinceJamesIandCharlesIboththoughtthatParliamentdidntneedtoexist,theParliamentw

34、asenraged.LeadingpoliticiansandchurchauthoritiesaskedWilliamofOrangetoreplacethemtwo.In1689ParliamentpassedthebillofRightswhichensuredthattheKingwouldneverbeabletoignoreParliament.4.CharacteristicsofBritishconstitution:Unlikemanynations,Britainhasnocoreconstitutionaldocuments.Contents:Statutelaws(la

35、wspassedbyParliament);thecommonlaws(lawswhichhavebeenestablishedthroughcommonpracticeinthecourts);andconventions(rulesandpracticeswhichdonotexistlegallybutareneverthelessregardedasvitaltotheworkingsofgovernment).5.Whyparliamentissupreme:becauseitalonehasthepowertochangethetermsoftheConstitution.Ther

36、earenolegalrestraintsuponParliament.Parliamentsfunction:First,itpasseslaws.Second,itprovidesthemeansofcarryingontheworkofgovernmentbyvotingfortaxation.Third,itscrutinisesgovernmentpolicy,administrationandexpenditure.Fourth,itdebatesthemajorissuesoftheday.Queen/Kingsrole:Tosymbolisethetraditionanduni

37、tyoftheBritishstate.TorepresentBritainathomeandbroad.Tosetstandardsofgoodcitizenshipandfamilylife.Sheislegallyheadoftheexecutive,anintegralpartofthelegislature,headofthejudiciary,commanderinchiefofthearmedforcesandsupremegovernoroftheChurchofEngland.PMsrole:ThePrimeMinisteristheleaderofthepoliticalp

38、artywhichwinsthemostseatsinageneralelection.He/Shechoseusuallyaround20MPstobecomegovernmentministersintheCabinet.Togethertheycarryourthefunctionsofpolicy-making,thecoordinationofgovernmentdepartmentsandthesupremecontrolofgovernment.6.TheHouseofLords:ItwasbelowtheQueen,consistingoftheLordsSpiritual(w

39、hoaretheArchbishopsandmostprominentbishopsoftheChurchofEngland)andtheLordsTemporal(whichreferstothoselordswhoeitherhaveinheritedtheseatfromtheirforefathersoftheyhavebeenappointed).Thelordsmainlyrepresentthemselvesinsteadoftheinterestsofthepublic.ItistheupperhouseoftheParliamentoftheUnitedKingdom,the

40、UnitedKingdomsnationallegislature.Itremainstherelationshipwithgovernment,debateslegislationandhassomepowertoamendorrejectbills(hassomelegislativefunctions).Unit41.AnyonewhoiseligibletovotecanstandasanMP.Itisnecessaryonlytomakeadepositof500pounds.Whysmallpartiesandindependentcandidatespowerless:Voter

41、swillseeitasawastedvotebecauseeveniftheyweretowintheseattheywouldbepowerlessinparliamentagainstthebigpartiesrepresentatives.Votingthemwillpreventthevotersfromcontributingtothecompetitionbetweenthebigpartiesastowhichofthemwillformagovernment.2.ThreebigpartiesintheUK:theLabourparty,theConservativepart

42、y,theLiberalDemocrats.Similarities:SinceConservativebegantohaveafartherlysenseofobligationtothelessfortunateinsociety,theydidntdismantleprinciplestheLaboursetup.ThatindicatesthatthusthedifferencebetweentheLabourandConservativeisoneofdegree,notanabsolute.Dissimilarities:(1)Labourisasocialistparty.The

43、ybelieveasocietyshouldberelativelyequalineconomictermsandthatpartoftheroleofgovernmentistoactasaredistributiveagent.Theythinkgovernmentshouldprovidearangeofpublicservices,thereforehightaxes.(2)Conservativeisthepartythatspentmosttimeinpower.Theyareseenasthepartyoftheindividual,protectingindividualsri

44、ghttoacquirewealthandtospendithowtheychoose,thereforelowtaxes.(3)LiberalDemocratsisapartyofthemiddle,occupyingtheideologicalgroundbetweenthetwomainparties.Theyarecomparativelyflexibleandpragmaticintheirbalanceoftheindividualandthesocial.3.Recentpoliticaltrends注意下一小问:(1)Conservativeswontheelectionund

45、ertheirleaderMargaretThatcherinthe1970s.Duringthattimetheeconomydidbadly,withhighinflationandlowgrowth.(2)shedismissedbeingfartherly,encouragesentrepreneurship.Oneofthemajorpolicieswastheprivatisazionofnationalisedindustry.(3)partofthemechanismofchangewasalessredistributivetaxationsystem.Taxratewere

46、cuttoallowpeopletokeepmoreofwhattheyearned.Authorsopinion:The1980shaveseenBritishpoliticsmovetotheright,awayfromthepulicandtowardtheprivate;awayfromthesocial,andtowardtheindividual,andallpartieshavehadtoadjusttothosechanges.4.Howpeoplearedividedintodifferentclasses:(1)employment:manual(orblue-collar

47、)workersusuallycallthemselvesworking-class,andoffice(orwhite-collar)workerswouldusuallycallthemselvesmiddle-class.(2)culturaldifferences:likewhatnewspapertheyread.Working-classoftenreadTHESUN,anewspaperwithlittlehardnewsandmoreaboutsoapoperas,royalfamilyandsports.Middle-classoftenreadTHEGUARDIAN,ala

48、rgernewspaperwithlongerstories,coveringnationalandinternationalevents.(3)education:privateschoolorpublicschool.(4)theUKhasalsoretainedahereditaryaristocracy.(5)thewaytheyspeak.ComparewiththeUSandChina:notsimilaratall.TheUKhasalsoretainedahereditaryaristocracy.Amongthestudentsattheprivateschoolsatten

49、dedbytheupper-middle-classabovewouldbeathinscatteringofaristocraticchildren,whowillinherittitleslikebaronets.ThisisduetoBritainsdifferenthistoryandconvention.Unit51.Absolutedeclinemeansrecession,developinginaminusspeed.RelativedeclinemeansthatalthoughtheUKimproved,othercountriesdevelopedmorerapidlyt

50、hantheUK,whichmadeitslidfrombeingthesecondlargesteconomytobeingthesixth.Reasons:(1)TheUKhadgoneintodebtafterWWII.(2)Britainspentahigherproportionofitsnationalwealthonthemilitarythanmostofitscompetitors.(JoiningNATOandUNSecurityCouncil)(3)Theeraofempirewasover.Formercolonialcountriesannouncedindepend

51、ence,leavingBritainasamedium-sizeEuporeancountry.(4)Britainsindustrysurvivedcomparativelyunaffected,butitscompetitorsdidnot.SothecompetitorsinvestedinmodernequipmentandnewproductswhileBritishindustrystillcontinuewitholderones.(5)Lowratesofinvestment.TheUKlacksacloserelationshipbetweenindustryandbank

52、sduetoitshistory.Alowrateofdomesticindustrialinvestmentcoupledwithaveryhighrateofoverseasinvestment.2.WhatdidtheconservativepartyunderMrs.ThatcherpromisetodototheUKnationaleconomyin1979:Aradicalprogrammeofreform.Whatwasherradicalreformprogramme:Bureaucracywasreduced,(foreignexchangecontrolswerelifte

53、d,rulesgoverningbanksloosened,forexample).Throughoutthe1980sanextensiveprogrammeofprivatisationwascarriedout.Wasissuccessful:Itseemedinsomewaystobesuccessfulinthatinflationcameundercontrol,andbusinessmadeprofits.Thenegativeaspectwasarapidincreaseinunemployment.Thenationaleconomyasawholecontinuedtogr

54、owatlowerratesthanitscompetitors.3.Mainareasinnationaleconomies:Primaryindustriessuchasagriculture,fishingandmining;secondaryindustrieswhichmanufacturecomplexgoodsfromthoseprimaryproducts;tertiary/serviceindustriessuchasbanking,insurance,tourismandtheretailing.Developmentofeach:(1)agriculturalsector

55、issmallbutefficient.EnergyproductionisanimportantpartoftheUKeconomy.(2)inthesecondarysector,manufacturingindustryremainsimportant,producing22%ofnationalwealth.(3)tertiaryorserviceindustriesproduce65%ofnationalwealth.4.Whyrelativelyshrinkingoftheimportantsecondaryindustryandaspectaculargrowthintertia

56、ryorserviceindustries:Alotofthetertiaryorserviceindustriesisdomesticactivity,accountingforabout10%oftheworldsexportsofsuchservices.70%oftheUKsworkforceareemployedintheservicesector.ComparetertiaryindustriesinChinainthepast20yearsorso:ChinesetertiaryindustriesdidntgrowasfastastheUK,thoughtheportionwa

57、sincreasing.Howisthisgrowthrelatedtothereformandopeninguptotheoutsideworld:Chinawasfamousforthenameofworldfactory,whichmeansChineseworkforcescanproduceproductsatlowpaid.Chinaisadevelopingcountry,experiencingthetransferofmanufacturingisreasonable.However,asChinaisdeveloping,wagesofworkforcesarealsoin

58、creasing.ComparingtoIndia,wemayloseouradvantagegradually.Unit61.WhyGeoffreyChaucersworkwritteninMiddleEnglishcanstillreadandstudiedtoday:Itisnotableforitsdiversity,bothintherangeofsocialtypesamongstthe31pilgrims,andtherangeinstyleofthestoriestheytell.2.DoyouthinkElizabethanDramaoccupiesasignificantp

59、ositioninBritishliterature:Yes.Elizabethandrama,andShakespeareinparticular,isconsideredtobeamongtheearliestworktodisplayamodernperceptionoftheworld:fullofmoraldoubtsandpoliticalinsecurities,wheretherightofthosewhowieldpowertodosoisputinquestion.ThemostimportantfigureinElizabethanDrama:WilliamShakesp

60、eareSomeofhiswell-knownplays:(tragedies)RomeoandJuliet,Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth;(comedies)TheTamingoftheShrew,AMidsummerNightsDream,TwelfthNight,theTempest;(historyplays)RichardIII,RichardII,HenryIV,HenryVjJuliusCaesar,AntonyandCleopatra.3.SomeofthefeaturesofRomanticLiterature:writersofromant