英语概况课后习题答案

英语国家概况(1)(2)100问

1.“Britishhistoryhasbeenahistoryofinvasion".Pleaseillustratethis

pointwiththeexamplesfromthetext.Howdideachoftheinvasions

influenceEnglishculture?

2.WhataresomegeneralcharacteristicsofScotland?

3.DescribeWales*unificationwithGreatBritain.

4.ArethereanydifferencesbetweenEnglandandWalesintermsof

culturaltradition?

5.WhyisNorthernIreland,accordingtotheauthor,sosignificantinthe

UnitedKingdom?Whatisthepoliticalproblemthere?

6.WhataresomeofthefactorsinIrishandEnglishhistorythataffectthe

situationinNorthernIrelandtoday?

7.DifferentpartiesandgroupsintheUnitedKingdomhavedifferent

solutionstothepoliticalprobleminNorthernIreland.Pleasesumuptheir

differentattitudes.

8.HastheauthorofferedasolutiontothepoliticalprobleminNorthern

Ireland?

9.Whatistheoldestinstitutionofgovernment?

10.Whatisthenameofthecharteroflibertyandpoliticalrights

grantedbyKingJohnin1215?

11.DoyouthinkElizabethanDramaoccupiesasignificantpositionin

Britishliterature?WhoisthemostimportantfigureinElizabethanDrama?

Whataresomeofhismajorworks?

12.WhatdowecallthegroupofimportantParliamentarians?

13.WhichpartyformsthegovernmentandwhobecomesPrime

Minister?

14.Whataresomeofthechangesthathavetakeplacerecentlyinthe

Chineseattitudetowardssports?Howdoyouaccountforthesechanges?

15.ForhowmanyyearsisageneralelectionheldonceintheUK?

16.WhocanstandforelectionasanMP?

17.Whatarethethreemajorparties?Whichpartyisthepartythatspent

mosttimeinpower?

18.WhichpartydoesTonyBlairbelongto?

19.WhenwastheBritisheconomydominantintheworld?

20.BywhattimewastheUKovertakenbyothercountries,suchasthe

USandGermany?

21.WhichcountrydoesitrefertoasHtheJewelintheCrown**?Whendid

itgainitsindependence?

22.Whataresomeofthepositiveandnegativeeffectsofnon-white

immigrantsonBritishsocietyaccordingtotheauthor?

23.WhatisthegeneralsituationofracialrelationsintheUK?

24.WhyisGeoffreyChaucer,whowroteinMiddleEnglish,stillreadand

studiedtoday?

25.Whenwastheterm"parliament"firstusedofficially?

26.Theauthorsaysthat"themediaarecentraltoBritishleisureculture”,

whydoestheauthorsayso?

27.WhataresomeofthecharacteristicsofBritishnewspaperculture?In

whatwayisitdifferentfromtheUnitedStates?

28.IstheBritishpressfreefromthegovernmentcontrolandcensorship?

WhatistherelationshipbetweentheBritishpressandpoliticsor

business?

29.HowdoestheBBCoperate?HowisitdifferentfromAmerican

broadcastingsystems?

30.WhataresomeofthefeaturesofRomanticLiterature?

31.WhatisModernism?Canyouillustrateyourpointswithspecific

booksasexamples?

32.WhatisPostmodernism?Canyouillustrateyourpointswithspecific

booksasexamples?

33.HowhastheChristianchurchinfluencedBritishsports?Pleasepick

upsomeexamplesfromthetext.

34.Whatistheoriginoffootball?

35.Howistheviolenceofnfootballhooligans"relatedtotheBritish

historyoffootball?

36.WhyiscricketveryEnglish?Whydoestheauthorbelievethatcricket

wasassociatedwithasetofEnglishmoralvalues?

37.Christmasisthebiggestandbest-lovedBritishholiday?Howdothe

Britishcelebratethisholiday?

38.HowdotheBritishcelebratetheQueen!sBirthday?Whatistheorigin

ofthisholiday?

39.BonfireNightisonetrulyEnglishholiday.Howandwhydothe

Englishcelebratethisholiday?

40.HowdotheProtestantsandCatholicscelebratetheirownholidaysin

NorthernIreland?Whattraditionsarebehindtheircelebrations?

41.HowisHogmanaycelebratedinScotland?Whatotherfestivalsare

celebratedinScotland?

42.WhicharethetwomostimportantandfamousuniversitiesinBritain?

43.WhatisthegoalofeducationintheU.K.?

44.IstheBritisheducationsystemrunbythestateortheprivatesector?

45.WheredoBritishuniversitiesreceivetheirfundsbesidesstudentstuition?

46.Whydoestheauthorsaythat"thewaythelivingarrangementsofa

societyasawholeareorganizedtellsussomethingaboutthatsociety11?

47.WhatarethefourmaintypesofhomeinBritain?Howdotheyreflect

thecostandstatusofhomes?Whataresomeofthemajortypesofhome

inChina?

48.HowarepeopleintheUKdividedintodifferentclasses?

49.IstheclasssystemsimilarwiththeUnitedStates?

50.WhatandhowdidtheBritishempireend?HowdidtheBritishreact

tothisreality?

51.WhatarethefoundationsofBritainfsforeignpolicy?

52.HowisBritain'sforeignpolicymade?Doesthegovernment'sforeign

policyrepresentthedesiresofBritishcitizens?

53.WhydoestheauthorsaythatthedecisiontojointheECwasand

remainscontroversialinBritain?

54.WhydoestheauthorthinkthatBritainhasthe''specialrelationship"

withtheUnitedStates?Doesthisrelationshipstillexist?

55.WhataresomeofthegeneralcharacteristicsofAustraliaintermsof

land,peopleandculture?

56.DiscusstheclimateinAustralia.Whataresomeofthemajor

differencesbetweenAustraliaandChinaintermsoftheclimate?

57.WhatarethesixstatesofAustralia?Whataresomeofthemajor

similaritiesordifferencesintermsofpopulation,earlysettlementand

economyinthesixstates?

58.CanyoupointoutsomemaindifferencesbetweentheAustralian

governmentsystemandtheBritishgovernmentsystem?

59.DiscusstheAustralianeducationsystem.Whataresomeofthe

featuresinthesystemthatarespecificallyAustralian?

60.WhataresomeofthedistinctfeaturesofNewZealand'sgeography?

FindoutsimilaritiesanddifferencesintermsofgeographybetweenNew

ZealandandAustralia.

61.WhataresomeofthesimilaritiesbetweenNewZealandandBritain

inthegovernmentsystem?

62.HowdidmoderndevelopmentinEuropeinfluencethesettlementof

NorthAmericancolonies?

63.WhatwastheuniqueAmericanphenomenon?Howdiditcomeinto

being?Doyouthinkitstillexistsintoday'sAmericansociety?

64.InwhatwaydidPuritanisminfluenceAmericanculture?

65.WhatarethetwopoliticalpartiesintheUnitedStates?Doyouthink

theyarefundamentallydifferent?

66.WhatistheBillofRights?Doyouthinkthatitwasnecessarytowrite

theBillofRightsexplicitlyintotheU.S.Constitution?

67.WhydidtheArticlesofConfederationfail?Wasitnecessaryto

changetheArticlesofConfederationandwriteanewconstitutionforthe

newnationoftheUnitedStatesatthetime?

68.Whatisafederalsystem?Whataresomeofthemajordifferences

betweenafederalsystemandaconfederation?

69.Whataresomeofthemajorpowersofeachofthethreebranchesof

theU.S.government?Howarethethreebranchessupposedtocheckand

balanceeachother?

70.Itisknowntoallthatbuyingandsellingstocksisariskybusiness.

Whydoyouthinktherearestillsomanypeopleinvolvedinit?

71.WhatpromotesthediversityinAmericanreligion?

72.Inwhatwaydoyouthinkthatreligiousfreedomwasahistorical

necessityintheUnitedStates?

73.Whatistherelationshipbetweengovernmentandreligionin

America?

74.Whataresomeofthefeaturesinreligionthatareparticularly

American?WhataresomeofthemajordifferencesbetweenAmerican

religionandreligioninEurope?

75.WhatisthemainthemeinAmericanliteratureaccordingtotheauthor?

Howdoestheauthorillustratehispoint?

76.WhydidMarkTwainwinsomanyreadersbothathomeandabroad?

77.WhatarethemajorcharacteristicsofeducationinAmerica?

78.Whataresomeofthemajorthemesinnovelswrittenbythe”Lost

Generation^?

79.WhatisthegoalofeducationintheUnitedStates?Discussthe

similaritiesanddifferencesinGreatBritain,theUnitedStatesandChina

concerningthegoalsofeducation.

80.WhatdoesanAmericanstudentlearn?

81.Whatwerethemajorsocialmovementsofthe1960s?Andwhatwas

thehistoricalbackgroundofthesocialmovementsofthatdecade?

82.Theblackpoliticalmovementthatbeganasaforceforintegration

changedcourseinthemid-1960sandbegantoemphasizeblack

uniquenessandevenblackseparatism.Whatcausedthistransformation?

83.Drawanalogiesbetweentheblackrevolutionandthewomen's

movement.Whatcommonassumptionsdotheyshare?

84.TheauthorsaysthattheUnitedStateswasfoundedontheprincipleof

humanequality,butinpracticethenationhasfallenfarshortofthatideal.

Illustratethispointwithwhatyouhavelearnedfromthisbook.

85.WhatdoespovertymeanintheUnitedStates?Whyispovertya

socialprobleminAmerica?

86.Whydoestheauthoremphasizethattheinventionofonetechnology

hastobesupportedbyanumberofrelatedtechnologieswhichforma

supportingsystem?Giveexamples.

87.WhenaretheAmericanfootballmatchesheld?

88.Whydidamusicalformofblackorigingainacceptanceinallclasses

inAmericaandspreadthroughoutthecountry?

89.WhatarethecontributionsmadebyLouisArmstrongtotheearlyjazz

music?

90.WhyCanadaisregularlyratedashavingthebeststandardoflivingin

theworld?

91.WhatisthedistinctfeatureinCanadianmodernliterature?

92.Discussthesimilaritiesanddifferencesinthegovernmentsystems

betweentheU.K.andCanada.

93.WhataresomeofthecharacteristicsoftheCanadianpartysystem?

94.WhataresomeofthethingsthatmakeCanadaauniqueand

interestingcountry?

95.Howdoyouunderstand"multiculturalism11?

96.WhydoyouthinktheauthorsaysthatCanadahasavoidedtheworst

excessesofintoleranceandprejudice?

97.WhatistheCanada'sPlaceintheWorldEconomy?

98.DoyouthinktheCanadiangovernmentshouldsubsidizethe

inefficientCanadianfarmersorimportfoodstufffromneighbouring

Americanstates?

99.Whyistheideaofsurvivalthoughtofasthecentralsymbolof

Canadianliterature?WhatdoesculturalsurvivalmeaninCanadian

literature?

100.WhatarethemajorreasonsforCanada'sactiveroleininternational

organizations?AndhowdoesCanadaplayitsactiverole?外国语学院：

曾倩

英语国家概况(1)(2)问题库答案

1.Britishhistoryhasbeenahistoryofinvasions.Beforethefirstcentury

ADBritainwasmadeupofmanytribalkingdomsofCelticpeople:a

powerfulcultureoriginatingincentralEurope.Thenin43ADBritainwas

invadedbytheRomanempire,andEnglandandWales(thoughnot

ScotlandorIreland)becameapartoftheRomanempirefornearly400

years.TwomoregroupsofinvadersweretocomeaftertheEnglish:from

thelate8thcenturyon,raidersfromScandinavia,theferociousVikings,

threatenedBritain'sshores,,

2.Scotlandisthesecondlargestofthefournations,bothinpopulation

andingeographicalarea.Itisalsothemostconfidentofitsownidentity

becausealoneamongstthenon-EnglishcomponentsoftheUKithas

previouslyspentasubstantialperiodofhistoryasaunifiedstate

independentoftheUK.ThusitisnotabigleapfortheScottishto

imaginethemselvesindependentagain.

Physically,ScotlandisthemostruggedpartoftheUK,withareasof

sparselypopulatedmountainsandlakesinthenorth(TheHighlands),and

inthesouth(TheSouthernUplands).Three-quartersofthepopulation

livesinthelowlandzonewhichspansthecountrybetweenthesetwo

highlandareas.ThelargestcityisGlasgow,inthewestofthiszone.

Scotland'scapitalcityisEdinburgh,ontheeastcoastfortymilesaway

fromGlasgow.Itisrenownedforitsbeauty,anddominatedbyitsgreat

castdeonahighrockinthecentreofthecity.Bothcitieshaveancientand

internationallyrespecteduniversitiesdatingfromthe15thcentury.

3.WaleswasalwaysunderpressurefromitsEnglishneighbours,

particularlyaftertheNormanconquest,whenNormanbaronssetup

castlesandestatesinWalesundertheauthorityJoftheEnodishCrown.

SomebriefcampaignsaretheonlytimesinhistorywhenWaleshasexisted

asaunifiedindependentnation.

4.Yes,thereare.Thecloselong-standingrelationshipmeansthatmodern

WaleslackssomeoftheoutwardsignsofdifferencewhichScotland

possesses一itslegalsystemanditseducationsystemareexactlythesame

asinEngland.Oftenofficialstatisticsaregivenfor"EnglandandWales11.

However,Walesisdifferent,andoneofthekevmarkersofthatdifference

istheWelshlanguage一theoldBritishCeltictonguewhichisstillin

dailyuse.

5.Until1921thefullnameoftheUKwas"TheUnitedKingdomofGreat

BritainandIreland**,notonly"NorthernIreland”,becausethewhole

islandofIrelandwaspoliticallyintegratedwithGreatBritain,andhad

beensince1801,whileBritain'sdominationoftheIrishdatedback

centuriesevenbeforethatdate.ButIrishdesiresforanindependentIrish

statewereneverlost,andoneofthekeyissuesinlatenineteenthcentury

Britishpoliticswasacampaigninparliamentforwhatwascalled,'home-

rule"-IrishpoliticalcontrolofIrishaffairs.TheHomeRuleBillwas

finallypassedin1914,buttheprocesswasovertakenbytheFirstWorld

Warandwassuspendedforthedurationofthewar.

6.Alongwiththepoliticalcampaignforhome-rulethereweregroups

whofollowedamoredirectmethodofpursuingIrishindependence,

engaginginguerillaorterroristactivitiesagainstBritishinstitutionsand

theBritishmilitaryforces.DuringtheFirstWorldWarandimmediately

after,thisactivityincreased,sometimesbrutallysuppressedbyBritish

forces.

7.MargaretThatcher'sgovernmentdidnotgiveintothisdemandfor

politicalstatusand11prisonersstarvedtodeath.Thiseventrevitalised

thepoliticalcampaignofSinnFein,thelegalpoliticalpartywhich

supportstheIRA'srighttofight.Itsleadersspokeofatwincampaignfor

unionwithIreland,bothpoliticalandmilitary,whichtheycalledthe

policyof"TheBulletandtheBallotBox".

8.Theproblemlayinthe^commitmenttopeacefulmethods**aspectof

thepossibletalks.Province-wideelectionsareplannedunderacomplex

formulatoensureawiderangeofrepresentationonthebodywhichwill

carryoutthesetalks,inanattempttogivethemlegitimacy.Withoutthe

participationofSinnFeinandtheIRAitishardtoseethemsucceeding.

NorthernIrelandispoisedonthebrink——anewpeacefulfuture,ora

returntotheviolencethathasclaimed3150livessofar.

9.TheoldestinstitutionofgovernmentistheMonarchy(rulebythe

king).

10.ItwasagangoffeudalbaronsandtheChurchwhichopposedsomeof

KingJohnfs(1199——1216)policies.Thisoppositionwassopowerfulthat

thekingfinallygrantedthemacharteroflibertyandpoliticalrights,still

knownbyitsmedievalLatinnameofMagnaCarta.MagnaCartaplaced

somelimitsontheking'sabilitytoabusehisroyalpower.Thisisstill

regardedasBritain'skeyexpressionoftherightsofcitizensagainstthe

Crown.

11.Shakespeareisthemostimportantfigureatthattime.Heexcelsin

eachkind.ThetragediesincludeRomeoandJuliet,Hamlet,Othello,King

Lear,andMacbeth.AmongthecomediesareTheTamingoftheShrew,A

MidsummerNight'sDream,TwelfthNight,andTheTempest.Hishistory

plays,basedonEnglishhistory,includeRichardIII,RichardII,HenryIV,

andHenryV.JuliusCaesarandAntonyandCleopatraaretragedieson

classicalthemes.

12.TheHouseofCommons.

13.Thepartythatwinsmostvotesingeneralelectionandtheleaderof

thiswinningpartywouldbecomePrimeMinister.

14.Theymoreandmorelikesports,,

15.Forfiveyears.

16.AnyonewhoiseligiblevotetocanstandasanMP.Itisnecessary

onlytomakeadepositof500pounds(aquiteeasilyobtainableamountin

theUK)whichislostifthecandidatedoesnotreceiveatleast5%ofthe

vote.

17.Therearethreemajornationalparties:TheConservativepartyandthe

Labourpartyarethetwobiggest,andanygeneralelectionisreallyabout

whichofthosetwoisgoingtogovern.Butthereisathirdimportantparty,

theLiberalDemocrats,whousuallyreceiveuptoabout20%ofthevotes:

notenoughtoformagovernment,butenoughtohaveabigimpacton

whichoftheothertwopartiesdoesso.TheConservativePartyspent

mosttimeinpower

18.TonyBlairbelongtoLaborParty.

19.Bythe1880stheBritisheconomywasdominantintheworld,

producingonethirdoftheworld'smanufacturedgoods,halfitscoaland

iron,halfitscotton.

20.Butevenby1900thiswasnolongerthecase,theUKhavingbeen

overtakenbyboththeUnitedStatesandGermany;andcertainlyfrom

1945untilthepresent,thestoryoftheUKeconomyisusuallythoughtof

asoneofdecline.

21.India,popularlyknownas"TheJewelintheCrown*,oftheBritish

Empire,gaineditsindependencein1947.

22.ThishasanumberofconsequencesforBritishsociety,mainly

positive,thoughwithsomeindirectnegativeeffects.Onthepositiveside

suchimmigrantgroupsbringtheirculturewiththem,whichincreasesthe

varietyandinterestwithinBritishculture:forexample,theUK,which

usedtohaveabadreputationforfood,nowhasacuisineasvariedasany,

withIndianandChineserestaurantsineverycommunity,aswellasmany

othervarietiesinbiggercities.Thisvarietyinrestaurantfoodhasresulted

inmoreexperimentationathome,sothatshopsnowcarryamuchwider

varietyofgoodstosupplythedemand,andtherearemanyTV

programmesandbooksdevotedtoallkindsofdifferentcooking.The

negativesideofthingslieslargelyintheattitudeofsomeoftheirwhite

neighbours.

23.Whilethereisagrowingethnicminoritymiddle-class,andmany

individualsuccessstories,bymostmeasurestheimmigrantpopulationis

worse-offeconomicallyspeakingthanthewhitepopulationasawhole.

Individualsfromethnicminoritiesaremorelikelytobeunemployed;and

theyareunder-representedinpoliticstoo,thoughtherearenowanumber

ofblackandAsianMPs.Buttherearealsoanumberofsmallpolitical

partiesintheUKwithovertlyracistpolicies.

24.WiththeNormanConquestin1066BritainenteredtheMiddleAges

(1066——1485),andthelanguageoftheroyalcourtbecameFrench.So

literatureofthatperiodwaswritteninFrenchorLatin.Butonework

fromthesetimesoftenstudiedtodaybymiddleschoolandcollege

studentsisTheCanterburyTalesbyGeoffreyChaucer(1343——1400).He

wasthefirstcourtpoettowriteinEnglish.

25.Theword"parliament"comesfromtheverbHtoparley1,,thatis,to

discussortalk.Thetermwasfirstusedofficiallyin1236todescribethe

gatheringoffeudalbaronsandrepresentativesfromcountiesandtowns

whichthekingoccasionallysummonedifhewantedtoraisemoney.

26.Onanaverageday,90percentofBritonsovertheageof15reada

nationalorlocalpaper.Andintheevening,mostBritonssettledownto

watchsometelevision:96percentofthepopulationwatchTVatleast

onceaweek,makingitBritain'smostpopularleisureactivity.Thethird

mostpopularpastime,afterwatchingtellyandreadingnewspapers,is

listeningtotheradio,anactivityinwhich73percentofthepopulation

engagesinonaweeklybasis.Itisobvious,then,thatthemediaare

centraltoBritishleisureculture.

27.Britishnewspapercultureisunusualintheextenttowhichclassand

educationaldifferencesarereflectedinthenewspaperspeopleread.In

otherdevelopedcountrieslikeJapanandtheUnitedStates,newspaper

readingisamainlymiddle-classhabit,butinBritainthe"lowerclasses11

arealsoregularreaders.

28.WhileofficiallyspeakingtheBritishpressis"free"fromgovernment

controlandcensorshipandcanprintwhatitlikes,therearelimitstowhat

willappearinthedailypaper.

29.TheBritishBroadcastingCorporation-morefamiliarlyknownasthe

BBCoreven"theBeebH-isBritain'smainpublicservicebroadcasterThe

BBCisfundedbylicencefeesandviewersmustbuyalicenseeachyear

fortheirTVset.

30.Roughlythefirstthirdofthe19thcenturymakesupEnglish

literature^romanticperiod.Writersofromanticliteraturearemore

concernedwithimaginationandfeelingthanwiththepowerofreason,

whichmarkedthe18thcentury.Perhapstheratherviolentanduglyworld

aboutthemdrove19th-centurywriterstoaliteraryrefuge.

31.Modernisminliteraturecanbeseenasareactionagainstthe

nineteenthcenturyformsdiscussedabove,whichcanbethoughtofas

assumingunderstandingbetweenwriterandreader,resultinginthe

simplecommunicationofanagreedversionofthe"world".Thisapproach

towritingisknownas"Realism."Instead,Modernistwritersexpressthe

difficultytheyseeinunderstandingandcommunicatinghowtheworld

works.Often,therefore,Modernistwritingseemsdisorganized,hardto

understand.Itoftenportraystheactionfromtheviewpointofasingle

confusedindividual,ratherthanfromtheviewpointofanall-knowing

impersonalnarratoroutsidetheaction,

32.Postmodernistscanbethoughtofasabandoningthatsearch.Meaning

doesnotexistoutsideofthehumanhead,likewiseitdoesnotexistinside

abook,waitingtobediscovered,insteaditismadeintheprocessof

readingabook,orofmakingsenseoftheworld,

33.TenniswasinventedinBritainanditowesitsorigins,literally,tothe

Church.Churchrecordsindicatethatbythemid-fifteenthcentury,people

weremakingagameofbouncingaballoffthesideoftheirlocal

churchesorcathedrals,firstusingthehand,andlateraracquet.Thiswas

called"tenys”.Suchanticssometimesoffendedtheclergywho

complainedthatthedignityandtranquilityofthechurchwasshatteredby

suchgames,buttheyalsoillustratehowcentralthechurchwasto

communitylife.

34.Therearelegendsthatsuggestthatgameslikefootballandrugby

actuallyderivedfromthe"sport*,ofancientwarriorscelebratingvictory

bykickingaroundthedecapitatedheadofanenemy.Thereisasimilar

grislytaletoldaboutoriginsofbowling:itissaidthatinancienttimes,

Scottishwarriorsrolledtheskullsoftheirenemiesalongthegrassfor

sport.

35.Today,violenceisstillassociatedwithfootball."Footballhooligans11,

supportersofrivalteams,sometimesclashbefore,duringandafter

matchesandoccasionallyrunriotthroughthetown,breakingwindows

andbeatingeachotherup.Somefootballfanspainttheirfacesandsingor

chantfootballsongsanditisnottoodifficulttoimaginetheirwarrior­

ancestors.

36.Asgenerationsofpublicschoolboysgrewuptobecomethecivil

servantsandrulersoftheUKanditscolonies,cricketbecameassociated

withasetofmoralvalues,inparticulartheideaof"fairplay,which

characterisedBritishgovernment.SirIanBancroft,ahighlevelcivil

servantinthe1980s,rememberedthatwhenhebeganhiscareerin

Whitehall,onedayhisgovernmentministerwassoangrythathethrew

thetelephoneathim.SirIansaidheknewexactlyhowtorespond:

“havingplayedcricketIwasabletocatchitandhanditbacktohim

politely.11

37.Yes.Nowadays,ChristmasiscelebratedbymostBritonsby

exchanginggiftsandChristmascards,preparingholidayfoods,and

decoratinghomesandworkplaceswithcolouredlights,Christmastrees

andornaments.

38.OneofBritain'smostimpressiveandcolourfulfestivalshappenson

thesecondSaturdayinJunewhentheQueen'sBirthdayisofficially

celebratedbyntroopingthecolour"aroundBuckinghamPalaceinLondon.

39.TheEnglishdonotcelebratetheirfamouswritersorbattlesorpatron

saints,althoughtheyhaveallthesethings.However,onetrulyEnglish

holidayisBonfireNight——sometimescalledGuyFawkesNight一

celebratedintheearlyautumn.

40.Anotherfestivalwhichcomesfromthe17thcenturybattlesbetween

CatholicsandProtestantsistheProtestantcelebrationoftheirvictoryat

theBattleoftheBoyne(12July)in1690.NorthernIrishCatholics

celebratethebirthdayofthepatronsaintofIreland,StPatrick,onMarch

17eachyear.

41.WhilemostBritishpeoplewelcomethecomingoftheNewYearwith

parties,inScotland,NewYear'sEvecalledHogmanay(31December)一

isthemajorwintercelebration,andovershadowsChristmas(calledYule

inScotland)whichisaveryquietaffair.HowHogmanayiscelebrated

variesthroughoutScotland,butonewidelypractisedcustomisnfirst

footing*.Thereisasuperstitiousbeliefthatthefirstpersontocrossthe

thresholdofahouseholdintheNewYearcanbringluckandprosperity:

theappearanceofayoung,preferablydarkhairedandhandsomeman,is

consideredparticularlylucky.Firstfootersoftenbringabotdeofspirits,

alcohol,alumpofcoalorapeatasagiftandaregivena"dramof

whisky,astheirreward.

42.CambridgeUniversityandOxfordUniversity.

43.ThegoalofBritisheducationistosocializechildren.

44.TheBritisheducationsystemrunbythestate.

45.IntheUK,theamountoffundingeachuniversityreceivesisbasedon

itssize,thenumberofstudentsitteaches,andtheresearchitconducts.So

far,theUKhasonlyoneprivatelyfundeduniversity,theUniversityof

Buckingham.

46.Forindividualmembersofanysocietythehometheyliveinisof

greatimportanceintheirlives.Thewaythelivingarrangementsofa

societyasawholeareorganizedtellsussomethingaboutthatsociety—

itsstandardofliving,itssocialandfamilialstructure,thedistributionof

wealthinasociety一bothintermsofgeographyandsocialhierarchy一and

evensomethingaboutthatsociety'svaluesanddreams.

47.Thereare,broadlyspeaking,fourmaintypesofhome.Thefirstkind

are"flats”(orapartments),ofvaryingsize,ofteninmodernmulti-storey

purpose-builtbuildings,thoughsometime