英语国家概况宣讲(2)专题培训课件

ContentsGeography1Climate3NaturalResources4People5MajorCities2WatchthemapofU.S.Acarefullyandfindcluestothefollowingitemslocation(borderingneighbors)States(thesmallest&thelargeststate)SizeandLocationInthecentralpartofNorthAmerica(exceptAlaskaandHawaii);CanadaonthenorthMexicoandtheGulfofMexicoonthesouthAtlanticOceanontheeastPacificOceanonthewesttotalarea—9,5millionsquarekilometers;50statesandthefederaldistrictofColumbia—theseatoftheFederalGovernment.

States

original48statesAlaskaandHawaii,separatedfromthecontinent,becamethe49thand50thstatesin1959.AlaskabordersonnorthwesternCanadaHawaiiliesinthecentralPacificOceanAlaska—thelargestRhodeIsland—thesmallestTexas—thelargestonthemainland1.ThreeGeographicDivisionsGeographicDivisionsCentralpartEasternpartWesternpartTheEasternPartTheeasternpart—thehighlandsformedbytheAppalachianRange(阿巴拉挈亚山脉).onesixthoftheterritoryrelativelylow,withanaveragealtitudeof800metersabovesealevelTheWesternPartHighplateaus(高原)andmountains—extendingfromCanadathroughthewesternpartoftheUnitedStatestoMexicoandfurthersouth.Onethirdofthecountry’sterritoryRockymountainsTheGreatCentralPlainBetweentheAppalachiansintheeastandtheRockyMountainsinthewest.

halfofAmerica’slandmassonthecontinentstretchfromtheGreatLakesinthenorthtotheGulfofMexicointhesouthdrainedbytheMississippianditstributariesfivegreatlakesandNiagaraFallsLakeErie2.MainGeographicalRegions

NewEnglandTheMid-AtlanticStatesTheSouthTheMidwestTheWestTheSouthwestNewEnglandincludingsixstatesinthenortheasterncorner.longhistory—theEuropeans’firstsettlementfeaturedwithmountains,valleysandrivers,andcitiesandtownswithhistoricsitestop-rankinguniversitiesHarvardYaleMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology(MIT)NewENGLAND

TheSouthRegion

including13stateswithplentifulrainfallandamildtowarmclimatefavorableclimateforagriculturefastgrowingindustryandpopulationinrecentyearsgreatsizewithfewlargecitiesNewOrleansMiamiMemphisAtlantaBirminghamAmericanSouthernAreaTheWesternRegionincluding11states,likeWashington,OregonandCalifornia,etc.Oregon--wealthofbeautifulforestsandstreamsCaliforniastrikingnaturalfeatures--centralvalley,highmountains,andhotdrydeserts.notablecitiesSanFranciscoLosAngelesSanDiego14percentofAmericangrossdomesticproductpredominantagricultureyieldinghigh-techindustrycentreOregon&CaliforniaAlaskanorthwesternpartofAmericaAlaska--glaciers,waterfallsandlakesNativepopulationEskimos--halfofallAlaskaNativesIndiansAleutsmainagricultureoutput—seafoodindustrialoutputs—crudepetroleum,naturalgas,preciousmetals,seafoodprocessing,timber,andtourism,etc.AlaskaHawaiieightmajorislandsabout2575kilometreslongsoutheasttonorthwestmildtemperaturechiefproducts—canesugar,pineapple,andflowersanddairyproducts.coffeebeans,bananas,andmacadamianuts.touristbusiness—largestsourceofincome.HawaiiHawaiiDance3.RiverandLakesTheMississippiRiverthelongestandthemostimportantriverinthesystemoftheGulf.length—6,262kilometersdrainagearea—3,225,000squarekilometers.Knownasthe“fatherofwaters”toAmericanIndiansAsMarkTwainwasraisedontheriver,hismostpopularandimportantwritingsareconcernedwiththisarea．TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinntellsthestoryofhowtheboyHuckleberryFinnandhisblackfriendJim,arunawayslave,saileddowntheMississippionaraft.TheMissouriandtheOhio

twoofthelargesttributariesoftheMississippi.formanimportantinlandnavigationandirrigationsystem.TheHudsonRiverlinkedbycanalswiththefiveGreatLakesflowsthroughthestateofNewYorklength—520kilometers.

LakeHuronLakeSuperiorLakeMichiganLakeOntarioLakeErieTheGreatLakesBoundaryBetweenAmericaandCanada

TheGreatLakesThemostimportantsystemofinlandwaterwaysintheworld.LakeMichigan—whollywithintheUnitedStatespartofthenationalboundarybetweentheUnitedStatesandCanadarunsthroughthischainoflakes.NiagaraFalls--locatedontheU.S.–CanadianborderbetweenLakeErieandLakeOntario.ClimateMainlytemperatewithsomemildsubtropicalzoneswithonlythesouthernFloridaandHawaiibeingtropical.50centimeterrainfalllineintheeast—comparativelymorerain,soeasyagriculture;inthewest—muchlessrain(lessthan50cm.ayear)withtheexceptionofthecoastalareasalongthePacific.NaturalResourcesrichinmineralresources

amongthecountrieswiththegreatestreservesofcoal,ironoreandoil.aboundsinlead,copper,zinc,aluminum,phosphaterock,silver,andgold.onefourthoftheterritory—coveredwithforestswhichmainlyconcentrateuponthreeareas:theareaalongthenorthwesterncoastofthePacifictheareainthesouththeareainthenorthrichinoil—oncethelargestoilproducingcountry.oilreserve—alongthecoastoftheGulfofMexico,Texas,Louisiana,andOklahoma.EnergycrisisGulfWarfoughtinearly1991betweenIraqandacoalitionof39countriesorganizedbytheU.S.,mostofwhichrelyonKuwaitandSaudiArabiaasprimarysourceofpetroleum.MajorCities

WhentalkingaboutAmerica,isthereanycitythatyouarefamiliarwith?Andwhy?Tips:

NewYork—commercialandfinancialcenteroftheUnitedStatesWashingtonD.C.—seatofthefederalgovernmentLosAngles—secondlargestcityChicago—thewindycitySeattle;Philadelphia;SanFrancisco;etc.NewYork

Situatedonthreeislands—ManhattanIsland,LongIslandandStatenIslandatthemouthofHudsonRiver.Fiveboroughs—Manhattan,Brooklyn,Bronx,RichmondandQueens.theheadquarteroftheUnitedNationsTimeSquare&CentralParkThestatueoflibertyisahugesculpturelocatedonLibertyIslandinNewYorkHarbor.ThismonumentwasagifttotheUSAfromthepeopleofFranceinrecognitionoftheFrench-AmericanallianceduringtheAmericanRevolution.Theformalnameofthestatueis"LibertyEnlighteningtheWorld".Itpicturesawomanwhohasescapingthechainsoftyranny(thebrokenchainslieatherfeet).Liberty'srighthandholdsatorchthatisasymbolofliberty.LibertywasdesignedbytheFrenchsculptorFredericAugusteBartholdi.Thestatuewasre-assembledintheUSAandwascompletedonOctober28,1886.ThesevenraysofLiberty'scrownsymbolizethesevenseasandsevencontinentsoftheworld.Libertyholdsatabletinherlefthandthatreads"July4,1776"(inRomannumerals),IndependenceDayoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica.

WashingtonD.C.LocatedonthePotomacRiver.governeddirectlybytheFederalgovernment.DistrictofColumbia—namedafterChristopherColumbuscity—namedafterGeorgeWashington,thefirstpresidentofU.S.WashingtonSkyscrapersWorldWarIIMemorialSanFranciscoGoldenGateBridgeCenterofoil-refining,automobiles,chemicals,commerce,finance,andshippingindustry.Chinatown—thelargestChinesesettlementinAmerica.LosAngelssecondlargestcityintheU.S.;fourtimeslargerthanSanFrancisco.importantelectroniccenterknownforthemanufactureoftires,automobilesandaircraft.centerofatomicresearchHollywood—theheartofworld’smotionpicturesindustryTheworldfamousDisneylandattractsmillionsoftouristseveryyear.Chicagothewindycity;secondmostpopulouscityafterNewYork.Foundedintheearly1800s—mainconnectionbetweentheeastcoastcitiesandtheWest.thelargestindustrialcityinthecountry,withhighlydevelopedheavyandlightindustriesthecenterofindustry,transportation,commerceandfinanceintheMidwestarea,alsoaculturecenterSearsTowerChicagobecamehometotheworld'stallestbuildingin1973whenthe110-storySearsTowerwastoppedoff.TheSearsTowerremainedthetallestbuildingintheworlduntilFebruary13,1996.TheSearsTowercontinuestobethetallestbuildinginNorthAmerica.PeopleTheWhite74.7%Asians4.3%TheBlack12.1%MixedRaces2.5%

NativeIndians&Hawaiians0.9%TheUnitedStatesisthethirdmostpopulousnationintheworld,rankingbehindChinaandIndia.AccordingtotheU.S.CensusBureau,theresidentpopulationreachedamilestoneonOct.17,2006,hitting300million.PopulationUnevendistributionThemostdenselypopulatedregion—thenortheasternpartAboutonequarterofthetotallandarea,abouthalfofthetotalpopulation.TheGreatPlains—acomparativelysmallpopulation.TheSouth—apopulationofalmost57.5millionpeople.TheWest—notdenselypopulated;20%ofthepopulationexceptforsomemetropolitancenterslikeLosAngels,andSanFrancisco.NationofImmigrantsRaceandethnicgroupsTheIndiansTheWhiteAnglo-SaxonsProtestants(WASP)TheBlackTheHispanicsTheAsian-AmericansIndiansAbout10millionIndiansinNorthAmericaWhenColumbusarrived.Westwardmovement—thedestructionoftheIndians.Todayabout2.4millionIndiansAboutone-thirdofthemliveonreservations,landthatwasset-asideforthem.Therestlivesincities.Povertyandunemploymentaremajorproblems,especiallyonthereservations.WASPsEuropeandescendantsPilgrimFathersWhiteAnglo-SaxonProtestantswhowerelargelyresponsibleforthewinningofAmerica’sindependence.English—officiallanguageTheBlackAbout8millionblackpeoplewerebroughttoAmericafromAfricaasslavesfrom1620to1820.workonplantationsorlargefarmsoftheSouth.poorandsufferfrompovertyTodaytheblackaccountforabout12%ofthepopulationManyofthemliveintheSouthandinthecitiesofNortheastandMidwest.

CivilRightsMovementSegregationlaws(隔离法)inSouthernstatesintheUSpreventedblackandwhitepeoplefromsittingtogetherinmovietheatres,eatinginthesamerestaurants,drinkingfromthesamewaterfountain,etc.AlthoughthesearenotAmendment(补充法案）totheUSConstitution,theUSgovernmentwouldnotdeclaretheSouthernlawsunconstitutionaluntiltherewerecasesbroughtinthefederalcourts.Thecivilrightsmovementsbeganwhenblackpeoplespontaneouslyprotestedsegregationlawsandcreatedorganizationstomaketheprotestssuccessful.MartinLutherKingMartinLutherKingwasablackminister,whowasagreatpoliticalandreligiousleaderofthenon-violentcivilrightsmovementin1950s.OnAugust28,1963,heledover250,000AmericansonamarchinWashingtonD.C.tofightfortheCivilRightsLawtoguaranteeequalityforallpeople,anddeliveredhisbest-knownspeech“IHaveaDream”beforetheLincolnMemorial.ThushewasawardedtheNobelPrizeforpeacein1964.Buthewastragicallymurderedfouryearslater.ByvoteofCongressin1968,thethirdMondayofeveryJanuaryisnowafederalholidayinMartinLutherKing’shonor.IHaveaDreamIhaveadreamthatonedaythisnationwillriseupandliveoutthetruemeaningofitscreed:Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evidentthatallmenarecreatedequal.IhaveadreamthatonedayontheredhillsofGeorgiathesonsofformerslavesandthesonsofformerslaveownerswillbeabletositdowntogetheratthetableofbrotherhood.IhaveadreamthatonedayeventhestateofMississippi,astateswelteringwiththeheatofinjustice,swelteringwiththeheatofoppression,willbetransformedintoanoasisoffreedomandjustice.Ihaveadreamthatmyfourlittlechildrenwillonedayliveinanationwheretheywillnotbejudgedbythecoloroftheirskinbutbythecontentoftheircharacter.Ihaveadreamtoday!Ihaveadreamthatoneday,downinAlabama,withitsviciousracists,withitsgovernorhavinghislipsdrippingwiththewordsofinterpositionandnullification;onedayrightdowninAlabamalittleblackboysandblackgirlswillbeabletojoinhandswithlittlewhiteboysandwhitegirlsassistersandbrothers.Ihaveadreamtoday!Ihaveadreamthatonedayeveryvalleyshallbeexalted,andeveryhillandmountainshallbemadelow,theroughplaceswillbemadeplain,andthecrookedplaceswillbemadestraight,andthegloryoftheLordshallberevealedandallfleshshallseeittogether.Hispanics

—theSpanish-speakingpopulationoftheUnitedStates

PuertoRicansMexican-AmericansCuban-Americans123ThreemajorHispanicgroups:PuertoRicansTheislandofPuertoRicohasbeenanAmericanpossessionsincetheSpanish-Americanwarof1899andPuertoRicanshavebeenAmericancitizenssince1917.BetterjobopportunitiesintheU.S.havedrawnalargenumberofPuertoRicanstotheU.S.,themajorityofwhomhavesettledinthelargecitiesintheeasternseaboard.CubanAmericansTheCuban-AmericanswhogotawayfromCubaaftertheCubanRevolutionin1959andarenowgatheredintheMiamiarea.Ingeneral,theCuban-Americanshavedonethebesteconomically.TheyleftCubaintheearly60sand,overthepast40years,theyhavecreatedaprosperous“littleCuba”intheMiamiarea.Asianimmigrants—Chinese

AmongtheAsianimmigrants,theChinesewerethefirstAsianstocometotheUnitedStates.Beginningin1847,whenyoungmalepeasantscametoworkinAmericainmines,onrailroads,andinagriculturalfields,theChinesegraduallyranintoeconomicandculturalfearsofthewhitemajority.Facingthis,theChinesedidnottrytoassimilatebutinsteadgravitatedto“Chinatowns

(Audio)”.Discriminatoryimmigrationandnaturalizationretractions,imposedbeginningin1882,werenotremoveduntiltheendofWorldWarII.SincethattimetheChinesehasmovedintothemainstreamofAmerica