美国概况-英文介绍

AGeneralSurveyofUSA主讲人冯嘉文fionaPart1GeneralIntroductionofUSNationalFlagNationalFlag:Thenumberofthestars50starsrepresentthe50statesofAmerica.13stripesrepresentthefirst13statesthatusedtobethecolonies.ImportantFactsAboutUSAFullcountryname:TheUnitedStatesofAmerica(USA)Population:275,000,000Area:3,618,000sqmiles(9,370,000sqkm).The4thlargestintheworld.Capitalcity:Washington,DC(pop:607,000)People:Caucasian（高加索人，白种人）(74%),AfricanAmerican(12%),Latino(9%),Asian(3%),NativeAmerican(0.8%)Languages:English(officiallanguage),plusmanysecondarylanguage,chieflySpanishReligion:Protestant(56%),RomanCatholic(28%),Jewish(2%),Muslim(1%)Government:Federalrepublicof50statesPresident:Obama

GDP:US$9trillionGDPperhead:US$25,850Annualgrowth:4.1%Inflation:2.6%Majorindustries:Oil,electronics,computers,automobilemanufacturing,aerospaceindustries,agriculture.

Majortradingpartners:Canada,Japan,theEUThelongestriver:MississippiRiver,thelongestintheworld.TheGreatLakes:(fromwesttoeast)LakeSuperior,LakeMichigan,LakeHuron,LakeErie,&LakeOntario.LakeMichiganbelongstoUSA.Theother4belongtobothUSA&Canada.ThefamousNiagaraFalls.

Thethreemostfamousnationalparksare1.TheRockyMountain&YellowstoneNationalPark2.TheGreatCanyonofColoradoinArizona3.YosemiteintheSierraNevadaWashingtonD.C.ThecapitaloftheU.S.WashingtonMonumentJeffersonMemorialLincolnMemorialTheWhiteHouseTheCapitolLibraryofCongress波士顿BOSTONBoston—theStateofMassachusettsItistheearliestcityestablishedintheUnitedStates.Ithasmanyfamousuniversities,suchasHarvardUniversity,MassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyandUniversityofBoston.ItisfullofEuropeanatmosphere.波士顿（BOSTON），位于美国东北部，濒临大西洋马萨诸塞湾，是美国新英格兰最大的港口城市和马萨诸塞州的首府。Boston.locatedatsoutheastofUnitedStates.isthebiggestseaportandthecapitalofmasailinnewengland,USA.NewYork(theBigApple)—theStateofNewYorkThelargestcityinboththeU.S.andtheworldSkyscrapersEmpireStateBuildingTheUnitedNationsHeadquartersChinatownWallStreetGreenwichVillageCentralParkCentralParkNewYorkCitySanFrancisco—theStateofCaliforniaIntheearlydaysitwastheplacewhereChinesepeopleconcentrated.GoldenGateBridgeThelargestChinatownoutsideofAsia芝加哥ChicagoChicago—theStateofIllinoisThethirdlargestcityintheU.S.Ithasanickname—“TheSupermarketofAmerica”SearsTowerLincolnPark芝加哥（Chicago）位于美国中西部。芝加哥及其郊区组成的大芝加哥地区，是美国仅次于纽约市和洛杉矶的第三大都会区。ChicagoLocatedintheMidwesternUnitedStates,ChicagoanditssuburbsofgreaterChicagoregionissecondonlytoNewYorkCity,UnitedStatesandthethirdMetropolitanLosPhiladelphia—theStateofPennsylvaniaIndependenceHallBetsyRossHousePennsylvaniaAcademyoftheFineArtsFranklinInstituteHouston—theStateofTexasNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationMannedSpacecraftTherearemanyfamouscorporationsaroundthecity,suchasGeneralElectric(GE)andInternationalBusinessMachines(IBM).LosAngeles(theBigOrange)—theStateofCaliforniaThesecondlargestcityintheU.S.HollywoodBeverlyHillsDisneylandUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles(UCLA)ChinatownislocatedindowntownLosAngelesisaplaceinhabitedbyChinese,withrichChineseculture.MostpeoplepraiseofnoneotherthandrinkingteawithdinnerChineserestaurant.ButtopayattentiontothebestuseofataxiatnightDifferentPartsofUSTheAtlanticCoastThecentralnorth-eastThecentralareaFurtherwestThesouth-westTheWestCoastImportantMountainsTherearethreemajormountainranges:theAppalachiansintheeast,theRockyMountainsinthewest,andtheSierraNevadaalongtheborderofNevadaandCalifornia.AppalachianMts阿巴拉契亚山脉RockyMts落基山脉SierraNevada内华达山脉ImportantRivers(NationalRivers)1*HudsonRiver2*MississippiRiver3*MissouriRiver4*OhioRiver(InternationalRivers)1*ColoradoRiver2*ColumbiaRiver3*RioGranda4*St.LawrenceRiverPart2PoliticalSystemofUSAGeneralPrinciplesFederalismtheseparationofpowersrespectfortheConstitution&theruleoflaw.TheTwoGovernmentsThestategovernmentTheFederalgovernmentPoliticalPartiesDemocrats

RepublicansSeparationofPowersexecutive(thePresident)legislature(Congress)judicialThePresidentThePresidentistheeffectiveheadoftheexecutivebranchofgovernmentaswellasheadofstate.WiththePresident,aVice-Presidentiselected,&ifthePresidentdiestheVice-PresidentbecomesPresidentfortheunexpiredpartofthe4year.TheCongresstheSenate参议院(electedevery6years)theHouseofRepresentatives众议院(2years)ThePartyPoliciesSimple-majorityelectoralsystem,liketheAmericanone,tendtocauseanation’spoliticstobedominatedbycompetitionbetween2parties.The2greatAmericanpartiesareRepublicParty&DemocraticParty.FamousPresidents:

GeorgeWashington(1732-1799)Commander-in-chiefoftheContinentalArmyduringtheAmericanRevolution&1stPresidentoftheU.S.1789-1797)ThomasJefferson(1743-1826)3rdPresidentoftheU.S(1801-1809)&authoroftheDeclarationofIndependence.BenjaminFranklinBenjaminFranklin(1706—1790),Americanstatesman,diplomat,scientistandwriter.HewasbornintoapoorfamilyinMassachusetts,andworkedasprinterapprenticeinhisyouth.AbrahamLincoln(1809-1865)16thPresidentoftheU.S.(1861-1865)FamousandadmiredbecauseofhisleadershipduringthedifficultperiodoftheAmericanCivilWarandtheliberationofNegroesfromslavery.Part3AmericanHistoryTheEarliestInhabitants20,000yearsago,AmericanIndiansColumbusfoundthenewcontinent10,000yearsago,thelaterEskimostheyear1000,theearliestEuropeansDiscoveryInlate15th-centuryEurope,therewasagreatdemandforspices,textilesanddyesfromAsia.ChristopherColumbus,amarinerfromItaly,mistakenlybelievedthathecouldreachtheFarEastbysailing6,400kilometerswestfromEurope.EnglishSettlementsThefirstsuccessfulEnglishcolonyinAmericawasfoundedatJamestown,Virginiain1607.Ofthefirst105colonists,73diedofhungeranddiseasewithinsevenmonthsoftheirarrival.OnegroupofEnglishPuritanscrossedtheAtlanticintheshipMayflowerandsettledatPlymouth,Massachusettsin1620.AmuchlargerPuritancolonywasestablishedintheBostonareain1630.ColonialEraBy1733Englishsettlershadoccupied13coloniesalongtheAtlanticcoast,namely,Connecticut,NewHampshire,NewYork,NewJersey,Massachusetts,Pennsylvania,Delaware,Virginia,NorthCarolina,SouthCarolina,Georgia,RhodeIsland,andMaryland.

WarofIndependenceApril19,1775,theAmericanWarofIndependencebegan.May1775,asecondContinentalCongressmetinPhiladelphia.ThomasJeffersondraftedaDeclarationofIndependence,TheTreatyofPariswassignedinSeptember1783,inwhichBritainrecognizedtheindependenceoftheUnitedStates.

TheDeclarationofIndependenceTheConstitutionCivilWarTime:1861--1865Participants:theSouth(Democratic)andtheNorth(Republican)Cause:AbrahamLincolnwaselectedaspresidentThePreface:LincolnwaselectedasPresident---1860年11月SouthCarolinavotedtoleavetheUnion---thesignalofthewarTheelevensouthernstatesformanindependentnation—theConfederateStatesofAmerica(beginning)TheprocessoftheCivilWar

Thefirststage(186i-1862夏)FailureafterfailurecametotheNorth.(seethecontrast)Thesecondstage：（1862，9—1865，4）

TheEmancipationProclamation---1863,1,1HomesteadBill—1862,5BattleofGettysburg---1863,7.1,turningpointThethirdstage:thevictory.1865,4,2Richmondwasabandon.

TheNorthTheSouthPopulation2234万910万IndustryDevelopedFewrailroadsmanyNearlyzeroMilitaryNotwellequippedFullyarmed

InfluenceofthewarTwoachievements:realizetheunificationoftheAmericannationEndtheslaverysystemWesternMovementTime:theyearsfollowingtheendofthecivilwarin1965People:minersPurpose:seekforgoldandsilverPlace:RockymountainregionFamousfigures:hiredhorsemen-cowboysResults:IndiansarewithdrewandbuffaloweredestroyedProgressivemovementCause:economybooming+prosperityspreadingbutpovertycoexistMeasures:changepolicybefore1900:laissez-faireafter1900:progressivismAchievements:passinglawsrestrictingchildlabor,protectingwomenworkers,limitingworkhoursandprovidingworkermencompensation

letthesleepingdoglieNewDealEconomycircle:lowestpoint—recovery---recession—prosperity—recession---lowestpoint1929,10,24BlackThursday,GreatDepressionbrokeout.HooverFranklinD.RooselveltNewDealPart4AmericanEducationStructureofAmericanEducationEarlychildhoodeducationGrammarschoolorelementaryschool(primary)Highschool(secondary)Collegeanduniversity(higher/tertiaryeducation)EducationintheUnitedStatesofAmerica美国教育体系

I.

Thegoalofeducation“Giveamanafishandhewilleatforaday.Teachamanhowtofishandhewilleatfortherestofhislife.”---ChineseProverb

Thegoalofeducationistoachieveuniversalliteracyandtoprovideindividualswitheducationalopportunities.

EducationintheUnitedStatesisprovidedmainlybygovernment,withcontrolandfundingcomingfromthreelevels:federal,state,andlocal.Eachof50statesintheUnitedStateshasitsownlawsregulatingeducation.Fromstatetostate,somelawsaresimilar;othersarenot.II.Education–alocalmatterIII.ExpenditureofEducationEducationalfundsarefromseveralsources.Fundsforelementaryandsecondaryschoolscomefrom3sources:about50%fromlocalpropertytaxes,40-50%fromthestates,8%-9%fromthefederalgovernment.ElementaryschoolandsecondaryschoolInmostareas,freepublicschooleducationbeginswithkindergartenclassesfor5yearsold.Almostallthe50stateshavelawsthatrequire12yearsofcompulsoryattendanceatschoolforchildren.Insomeschoolsystem,the12gradesaredividedintotwostages,thefirst6gradesforelementaryschoolandthenext6gradesforsecondaryschool.Inotherschoolsystem,therearethreedivisions:elementaryschool(grades1—6),juniorhighschool(7—9),andseniorhighschool(10—12).EducationintheUnitedStatesGradeAgePreschoolKindergarten5-6ElementarySchool1stGrade2ndGrade3rdGrade4thGrade5thGrade6-77-88-912-1310-116thGrade7thGrade8thGrade11-129-1013-14MiddleSchool9thGrade14-1510thGrade11thGrade12thGrade15-1616-1717-18HighSchoolIV.CurriculaforStudents1.ElementarySchoolAlthoughthefederalgovernmenthasnonationalcurriculumforeducation,almosteveryelementaryschoolprovidesinstructioninthesesubjects:languagearts;math;penmanship;science;socialstudies;music;art;andphysicaleducation.PhysicalEducation2.SecondarySchoolSecondaryschoolsofferthesesubjects:English,mathematics,science,socialstudiesandphysicaleducation.Mostschoolsofferforeignlanguages.SpanishisthemostpopularforeignlanguageforAmericans.ClassatmosphereisusuallyrelaxedinAmericanschools.Americaneducatorbelievethatchildrenlearnbetterwhentheyarehappyandinterested,soeveryefforthasbeenmadetoarousetheinterestsoftheindividual.PrivateSchoolsMostprivateschoolsarerelatedtoreligiousgroups.Intheseschools,religiousinstructionispartofthecurriculumToday,about12%ofallAmericanchildrengotoprivateschoolsfortheirelementaryandsecondaryeducation.MiddleSchoolinU.S.AStandardizedTestsInthelastyearofhighschool,studentswhowanttogoontoreceivehighereducationhavetotakesomekindofstandardizedtests.ThemostpopulartestsareScholasticAssessmentTests(SAT)andtheAmericanCollegeTesting(ACT)SATTheSATisathree-hour,multiple-choiceexammeasuringverbal,math,andreasoningskills.ItisrequiredbymosthighereducationinstitutionsintheUnitedStatesfortheadmissiontoundergraduatedegreeprograms.EntranceRequirementofaUniversityoraCollegeSuccessfulapplicantsatsuchcollegesareusuallychosenonthebasisof:TheirhighschoolacademicperformanceLettersofrecommendationfromtheirhighschoolteachersTheimpressiontheymakeduringtheinterviewsattheuniversityTheirscoresonSATTheComplexSystemofHigherEducationItcomprisesfourcategoriesofinstitutions:TheuniversityThefour-yearundergraduateinstitution—thecollegeThetechnicaltraininginstitutionThetwo-year,orcommunity

collegeCreditOneofthemeasurementsforanundergraduateinacademicprogressiscreditor“point”.

Typically,anundergraduatestudenthastoearnacertainnumberofcredits(about120)inordertoreceivethebachelor’sdegreeattheendoffouryearsofcollege.Creditsareearnedbyattendinglectures(orlabclasses)andbysuccessfullycompletingassignmentsandexaminations.StudentswhowanttopursuegraduatestudyhavetotaketheGraduateRecordExamination(GRE),

orthe

LawSchoolAdmissionsTest(LSAT)forlawschool,orthe

MedicalCollegeAdmissionsTest(MCAT)ifonewantstogotoamedicalschool.TableofAcademicDegrees18(age)UndergraduatefortheBachelor’sdegree(4years)1(grade)19220321422GraduateSchoolfortheMaster’s(1-2)523624GraduateSchoolfortheDoctorate(2,3ormore)7258PostdoctoralStudyandResearchPublicUniversitiesPublicuniversitiesareoperatedbyastateorlocalgovernmentSomefamouspublicuniversities:UniversityofCaliforniaatBerkleyUniversityofCaliforniaatLosAngles(UCLA)UniversityofVirginiaIvyLeagueUniversitiesIvyLeagueUniversitiesrefertotheeight

older

privateuniversitiesintheeastofAmerica.HarvardUniversity1636CambridgeMAYaleUniversity1701NewHavenCNPrincetonUniversity1746PrincetonN.JUniversityofPennsylvania

1740PhiladelphiaPAColumbiaUniversity

1754NewYorkCityNYBrownUniversity

1764ProvidenceRIDartmouthCollege

1769HanoverNHCornellUniversity

1865IthacaNYHarvardUniversityPart5AmericanHolidaysJanuary

1

NewYear'sDay(新年）

15

MartinLutherKingJr.'sBirthday

19

MartinLutherKingJr.'sBirthdayObserved

February

12

Lincoln'sBirthday

14

Valentine'sDay（情人节）

16

President'sDay

22

Washingt