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余志远版《英语国家概况》复习资料
英语国家概况
（按新考纲整理的余志远版本完整版）
英国部分
1. What is
the full name of the United Kingdom?
It is the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland.
2. What are the two large island that
make up the British Isles?
They are Great Britain and Ireland.
3. What are the four
political divisions of the United Kingdom?
They are England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland.
4.
Why
does
the
United
Kingdom
have
a
mild
climate,
even
though
it
lies
farther
north
than
our
Heilongjiang Province?
Because Britain?s climat
e is
influenced by the Gulf Stream.
5. How many metropolitan areas does
England have?
England has seven metropolitan areas.
6. What is the backbone of
England?
It is the Pennines.
7. What is the largest lake in the
British Isles?
It is Lough Neagh.
8. From what languages is English
derived?
England is mainly
derived from the Anglo-Saxon and Norman-French
languages.
9. What is an
eisteddfod?
An eisteddfod
is a Welsh festival of poetry, music and other
arts.
10. What have the
Scottish people been famous for?
The Scottish people have been famous
for their close-knit clans, colorful plaid kilts,
and skill as fierce
warriors.
11. How long was Britain
under the Roman occupation?
Britain was under the Roman occupation
for nearly 400 years.
12.
Why was the Roman impact upon the Britons
surprisingly limited?
The
Roman
impact
on
the
Britons
was
surprisingly
limited
because
the
Romans
always
treated
the
Britons as a subject people of slave
class and they never intermarried with the native
Britons.
13. When did the Anglo-Saxons
begin to settle in Britain?
The Anglo-Saxons began to settle in
Britain in the 5th century.
14. When did England begin to be
Christianized?
England
began to be Christianized in 579.
15. What was the result of the Synod of
Whitby in Yorkshire in 664?
The result of the Synod of Whitby was
that the Roman missionaries gained the upper hand
over the
Celtic missionaries.
16.
What
was
Harold
doing
when
he
was
informed
of
the
invasion
of
Northumbria
by
Tostig
and
Harold
Hardrada?
He was in the
south preparing to resist the expected attack from
Normandy.
17. Where did
Harold defeat Tostig and Hardrada?
Harold defeated Tostig and Harold
Hardrada at Stanford Bridge.
18. By whom was William crowned King of
England in Westminster Abbey?
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William was crowned King of England in
Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of York.
19. What did William do
after he suppressed the Saxon risings in the
north?
He built a string of
defense castles to ensure his military control of
the whole country.
20. Was
the Norman Conquest the last successful invasion
of England?
Yes. The Norman
Conquest
was
the
last
successful
invasion
of England because
England has never
been invaded since.
21. Why did William I give
his barons large estates in England?
William I gave large estates to his
barons because he wanted to get a promise of
military service and a
proportion of
the land?s produce.
22.
What was the peculiar feature of the feudal system
of England?
All
landowners,
big
and
small,
took
the
oath
of
allegiance
for
the
land
they
held,
not
only
to
their
immediate lord, but also to the king.
23. Why did William I have
the Domesday Book compiled?
William I had the Domesday Book
compiled because he wanted to have a reliable
record of all his land,
his tenants and
their possessions and to discover how much his
tenants could be asked to pay by way
of
taxes.
24. What was William
I ?s policy towards the church?
He wanted to keep it completely under
his control, but at the same time to uphold its
power.
25. Why did Henry II
make Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury?
He thought that Thomas
Becket would assist him in carrying out legal
reforms.
26. What brought
Henry II into collision with Thomas Becket, the
Archbishop of Canterbury?
The exceptional privileges enjoyed by
the clergy brought Henry II into collision with
Thomas Becket.
27.
What
are
the
two
aspects
of
the
Norman
legacy
that
contributed
to
great
domestic
unrest
in
England
in the 12th and 13th centuries?
One
was
England?s
possession
of
territory
in
France.
The
other
was
Norman
adherence
to
Roman
Catholicism.
28. Who was the French
national heroine during the Hundred Year?s War who
helped the French to
drive the English
out of France?
Joan of Arc.
29. When did the government
establish rules for the first time to keep down
wages?
The government
established rules for the first time to keep down
wages in 1351.
30. How many
peasant in Kent and Essex were killed by Richard
II ?s troops?
40,000
peasants in Kent and Essex were killed by Richard
II?s
troops.
31.
What were the emblems of the Houses of York and
Lancaster?
The emblem of
the House of York was a white rose and the emblem
of the House of Lancaster was a
red
rose.
32. What was the
impact of the Wars of the Roses on feudalism in
England?
The Wars of the
Roses dealt a death blow to feudalism in England.
33. How did Elizabeth I try
to avoid troubling Parliament too often for
pounds?
She tried to avoid
troubling Parliament by making strict economies at
Court.
34. What questions
did Elizabeth I treat as personal and private?
These questions were her
religion, her marriage, her foreign policy, the
succession to the throne, and
her
finance.
35. How did
Elizabeth I manage to maintain in friendly
relationship with France?
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She
managed
to
maintain
a
friendly
relationship
with
France
through
her
marriage
alliances
which
were never
materialized.
36. When was
Mary Queen of Scots executed?
Mary Queen of Scots was executed in
1587.
37. What did the
destruction of the Spanish Armada show?
It showe
d
England?s superiority as a naval power.
38. What was the long-term
result of the Gunpowder Plot?
The long-term result of the Gunpowder
Plot has been an annual celebration of November 5,
when a
bonfire is lit to burn a guy and
a firework display is arranged.
39. What was Puritanism noted for?
It was noted for simple
dress, high moral standards and very egalitarian
attitudes.
40. What is a constitutional
monarchy?
A constitutional
monarchy is one whose power is limited by
Parliament.
41. What did
the Whigs stand for in the early 19th century?
They stood for a reduction
in Crown patronage, sympathy towards
Nonconformists, and care for the
interests of merchants and bankers.
42. Why did changes in
farming methods affect lives of millions in the
18th century?
Changes in
farming methods affected lives of millions in the
18th century England because village and
agriculture were the backbone of
England at that time.
43.
What did the land owners want to do in the late
18th and early 19th centuries?
They w
anted to replace the
small farms cultivated on the
“open
-
field” system by
larger, economically
more efficient
farms with hedge-divided fields.
44. Why was King George III nicknamed
“Farmer George”?
King
George III was nicknamed “Farmer George” because
he
was very enthusiastic about
agricultural
changes at Winsor.
45. What were the two
events which most alarmed the British ruling
classes in the closing decades of
the
18th century?
They were the
American War of Independence and the French
Revolution.
46. When did
the British begin to transport convicts to
Australia?
The British
began to transport convicts to Australia in 1788.
47. What was the result of
the general strike of 1926?
The strike failed. The miners were
forced to return to work with longer hours and
lower wages even
than before. Yet,
outside the mining district, the strike seemed to
have improved relations between the
workers and the middle classes.
48. Why d4id Edward VIII
abdicate in 1936 after a reign of 10 months?
Edward VIII abdicated
because he wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, a
twice-divorced American.
49. When did Britain finally become a
full member of the European Economic Community?
Britain finally became a
full member of the European Economic Community in
January,1973.
50. Why was Mrs. Thatcher
removed from office in 1990?
It
was
because
of
her
opposition
to
European
Union
and
her
imposition
of
an
extremely
unpopular
flat-
rate “poll tax” in
place of property taxes to pay or local government
service.
61. Where does the
Sovereig
n?s coronation take place?
The Sovereign?s coronation
takes place at Westminster Abbey in London.
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62. When is the Sovereign?s birthday
officially celebrated?
It
is officially celebrated in June every year.
63. What does the Duke of
Edinburgh do when the Queen pays state visits to
foreign governments?
He
accompanies her.
64. Where
does the Queen?s expenditure arising from public
duties come from?
The
Queen?s
expenditure
arising
from
public
duties
comes
from
the
Civil
List
and
government
departments.
65. What does the term
“parliament” originally mean?
The term “parliament” originally means
a meeting for a parley or discussion.
66. What is the main function of the
House of Lords?
The
main
function
of
the
House
of
Lords
is
to
bring
the
wide
experience
of
its
members
into
the
process of law-making.
67. What is the Speaker?s task in the
House of Commons?
His task
is to preside over the House and enforce the rules
of order.
68. How many
counties are there in England and Wales?
There are 53 counties in
England and Wales.
69. What
are the three island areas where single-tier
authorities were introduced in Scotland?
They are the Orkneys, the
Shetlands and the Western Isles.
70. How do local authorities in Great
Britain raise revenue?
They
raise revenue through the council tax.
81. Are British people obliged to use
the National Health Service?
No. They are not obliged to use the
service.
82. What are
services for elderly people aimed at?
Services for elderly people are aimed
at helping them live at home whenever possible.
83. What is the aim of the
social security system?
The
aim of the social security is to secure a basic
standard of living for people in financial need.
84. At what age do men and
women generally retire?
Men
generally retire at the age of 65, and women at
the ate of 60.
85. What are
the two established churches in Britain?
They are the Church of
England in England and the Church of Scotland in
Scotland.
86. How many
provinces does the Church of England have?
The Church of England has
two provinces: Canterbury and York.
87. When were the first women priests
ordained in Britain?
They
were ordained in March 1994.
88. Who founded the Salvation Army in
the East of London in 1865?
William Booth, a great follower of John
Wesley, founded the Salvation Army.
89. Where do the people in London go to
see the Christmas decorations?
They go to Oxford Street, Regent Street
and Piccadilly to see the Christmas decorations.
90. Why is December 26th
called “Boxing Day”?
December 26th is
called
Boxing Day because it was formerly the custom to
give “Christmas boxes”, or
gifts of
money, to servants and tradesmen on this day.
91. How many kinds of state
secondary schools are there in Great Britain?
Three. They are grammar
school, secondary modern school and comprehensive
school.
92. When was the
Open University founded? When did it begin its
first courses?
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It was founded in 1969, and it began
its first courses in 1970.
93. Why is the Open University so
named?
It is so named
because it is
“open” to all to become
students.
94. How much
money is spent on press advertising every year in
Great Britain?
About
￡
5,100 million.
95. How much time do British people
spend a day watching television?
People spend an average of over three
and a half hours a day watching television.
96. How are the state-run
television channels BBC1 and BBC2 financed?
They are financed from the
sale of television licences.
97. How are independent channels ITV
and C4 funded?
They are
funded entirely by advertising.
98. When did the BBC begin to provide
regular television broadcasts?
The BBC began to provide regular
television broadcasts in 1936.
99. Which sport is regarded as
typically English?
Cricket
is the most typically English sport.
100. What is a “copyright” library?
It is a library which is
entitled to receive a free copy of every book
published in the United Kingdom.
美国部分
1. How does the United States rank
among the countries of the world in population and
area?
The
United
States
of
America
is
the
third-
largest
country
in
the
world
in
population
and
the
fourth-largest country
in area.
2. What are the
two major mountain ranges in the United States?
They are the Appalachian
Highlands and the Rocky Mountains.
3. What is the Continental Divide, or
Great Divide?
The
Continental Divide, or Great Divide, is an
imaginary line that separates streams that flow
into the
Pacific Ocean from those that
flow into the Atlantic.
4.
What are the five Great Lakes of the United
States?
They are Erie,
Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior.
5. How many geographical
regions can be found in the United States? What
are they?
There are seven
geographical regions in the United States. They
are New England, the Middle Atlantic
States, the southern States, the
Midwestern States, the Rocky Mountain states, the
Southwestern States,
and the Pacific
Coast States and the New States.
6. What states are in New England?
New England is made up of
six states of the North-East. They are Maine, New
Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts,
Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
7. Apart from Now York City, what other
large cites are located in the Middle Atlantic
region?
Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Newark.
8. What is the Midwest famous for?
The Midwest is famous for
its large stretches of fertile soil.
9. What states make up the Pacific
Coast Region?
The
region
known
as
the
Pacific
Coast
includes
the
western
parts
of
Washington
and
Oregon
and
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nearly all of California.
10. What role does tourism play in
Hawaii?s economy?
Tourism
is Hawaii?s most important industry.
11. What is the population of the
United States? How does it rank in the world?
The
United
States
is
the
third
most
populous
country
in
the
world
after
China
and
India,
with
a
population of 267 million (estimated)
in April 1997.
12. What is
the reason for the growth of population in
Florida?
It is because of
its warm climate and convenience in doing business
with and traveling to Central and
South
America.
13. Which are the
five biggest cities, in terms of population, in
the United States?
New
York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco,
Philadelphia.
14. Why are
people moving so often in the United States?
People often move from one
place to another for various reasons: to look for
better job opportunity or
for better
climate or for other goals.
15. What are some of the consequences
of the outflow of city residents to the suburbs?
The movement brings serious
consequences to big cities: rising unemployment
rate, the increase of the
number of
poor people, the worsening of city living
conditions and the fall of government revenues.
16. Which are the three
largest groups of Hispanics?
The Chicanos, the Puerto Ricans and the
Cuban-Americans.
17. Why do
many Puerto Ricans go to the United States?
They are drawn to the
United States by better job opportunities.
18. What explanation do
experts give for the success of Asian-Americans?
The
experts
attribute
the
success
to
Asian
cultural
tradition:
emphasis
on
education,
hard
work
and
family.
19. What was the fate of
Japanese-Americans in WWII?
The Japanese-Americans were taken to
relocation centers in isolated parts of the
western mountain and
plains states and
stayed behind barbed wires.
20. Can you give an example to show the
awakening of American Indians?
Many
Indians
are
taking
legal
steps
to
demand
compensation
for
land
and
resources
grabbed
from
them illegally.
21. What is one of the
explanations of how the early Indians came to the
Americans?
One of the
explanations is the Indians crossed from Asia on
the landbridge that connected Siberia and
Alaska.
22. How
did the Plymouth settlers manage to survive?
The neighboring Indians
came to teach them how to grow corn and they
succeeded in having a good
harvest.
23. In what way were the
Puritans different from the Pilgrims?
The
Pilgrims
were
mostly
poor,
labouring
people
while
the
Puritans
were
wealthy,
well-educated
gentlemen.
24.
Did the War of Independence start with the
adoption of the Declaration of Independence?
No. It started when clashes
took place at Concord and Lexington.
25. What was the chief weakness of the
Articles of Confederation?
The chief weakness was the document
failed to set up a government that could function.
26. What was the
significance of the adoption of the Bill of
Rights?
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The
adoption
of
the
Bill
of
Rights
in
addition
to
the
Constitution
completed
the
foundation
of
the
American constitutional
system.
27. Why did
American territorial expansion threaten British
interest?
Because some
Americans wanted to take advantage of the war in
Europe to expand into Canada. This
ran
counter to British interest.
28. What was the Compromise of 1850?
The Compromise of 1850 was
an arrangement which kept a balance between free
and slave states in
the Senate.
29. Why did the Civil War
break out?
The
Civil
War
broke
out
because
the
southern
states
left
the
Union
and
formed
a
new
nation
but
president Lincoln was determined to
maintain the Union.
30. How
did the government help in the development of
American economy?
The
government carried out the policy of trade
protectionism.
31.
What
were
the
three
features
in
the
growth
of
American
economy
at
the
beginning
of
the
20th
century?
Large
corporation, urbanization and new technology were
the three features.
32.
What was the basic demand of the Progressive
Movement?
The basic demand
was government regulation of economic and social
conditions.
33. Why did the
United States pursue a policy of pro-Ally
partiality in the early part of WWI?
Because of ethnic ties, cultural
tradition, social background, economic interests
and successful British
propaganda, the
U.S. government pursued such a policy.
34. What were the immediate causes that
led the United States into the war?
The
immediate
causes
were
Germany?s
unlimited
submarine
warfare
and
Germany?s
attempt
to
get
Mexico into the war against the United
States.
35. What government
policies in the 1920s helped big business?
The
policies
of
tariff
protection,
favorable
tax
rates
and
little
government
restrictions
contributed
to
high profits of big
businesses.
36. How did
many Americans view their country after WWI?
They believed that American
political, economic and social institutions were
the best in the world.
37.
What was the experience of WWI veterans demanding
payment of bonuses in Washington D.C. in
1932?
They were
driven out of the capital by military force
directed by General McArthur.
38.
What
were
some
of
the
personal
characteristics
of
F.D.R.
that
helped
him
in
doing
his
work
as
president?
He
had
a
sure
sense
of
what
was
practical
or
possible,
a
strong
sense
of
timing
and
was
a
great
communicator.
39. What were the two guiding
principles underlying American diplomatic
activities in WWII?
The
first
was
to
win
the
war;
the
second
was
to
bring
the
Soviet Union
into
a postwar
world
order
under American
leadership.
40. What was
the basic reason for the postponement of the
opening of the Second Front?
It was a reflection of the desire of
not letting the Soviet Union expand into eastern
and central Europe
too quickly.
41. What was the postwar
strategy of the United States?
The strategy was American leadership of
the world and open market for American goods and
capital.
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42. What was the theory put forward by
the Soviet Union in around 1946?
There could be no long-term peaceful
co-existence between socialism and capitalism.
43. What was the immediate
cause of the Berlin crisis in 1948?
The Soviet Union cut off Western routes
to West Berlin.
44. What
decision did President Truman make to deal with
the Berlin crisis?
He
decided to mobilize all possible American cargo
planes to airlift supplies into West Berlin.
45.
What
effect
did
the
Berlin
blockade
have
on
the
people
in
West
Berlin
and
western
occupied
zones?
it pushed
the people in West Berlin and western occupied
zones further to the side of the United States
because they were grateful for American
airlifts.
46. What measure
did the United States take in the Cuban Missile
Crisis?
The
United
States
introduced
a
naval
blockade
around
Cuba
and
demanded
the
dismantlement
and
withdrawal of the missiles from Cuba.
47. Did the allies of the
United States give their full support to the U.S.
in the Vietnam War?
No ,
some criticized the United States for escalation
of the war, some refused to support American war
efforts.
48.
What is the significance of the Shanghai
Communique?
The key thing
is American commitment to a one China policy.
49. What is the importance
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
The Act outlawed racial discrimination
in housing and employment.
50. What is the Port Huron Statement
about?
The Port Huron
Statement was the platform of the Students for a
Democratic Society ( SDS ) which
condemned racism, poverty amidst
plenty, big corporations and the Cold War.
51.
How
does
the
United
States
rank
among
the
countries
of
the
world
in
the
total
value
of
its
economic
production?
The United
States ranks first among the countries of the
world in the value of its economic production.
52. What kind of system is
the United States economy based on?
The United States economy is based on a
free enterprise system.
53.
What are the factors that have helped build the
United States into the economic giant it is today?
The United States has one
of the world?s most varied populations, and the
vast space and resources of
the land,
the ideals of freedom and economic opportunity,
and hard work by the people have helped
build the United States into the
economic giant it is today.
54. What are the major natural
resources in the United States?
Fertile soil, forests, water, and
minerals are the major natural resources in the
United States.
55. What are
some of the leading farm products in the United
States?
They are corn,
wheat, beef cattle, milk, soybeans, cotton,
chickens and eggs, and hogs.
56. What has helped make U.S farms the
most efficient in the world?
The
use
of
modern
farm
machinery
and
agricultural
methods
has
helped
make
U.S.
farms
the
most
efficient in the world.
57. What areas have long
been major U.S centers of manufacturing?
The Midwest and Northeast.
58. How does California
rank among the states in the value of its
manufactured goods?
California ranks first among the states
in the value of its manufactured goods.
59. What are the problems
the U.S economy has faced form time to time?
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They are recessions, depressions and
inflation.
60.
Why
is
the
poverty
rate
higher
in
the
United
States
than
in
several
other
industrialized
nations,
including Canada,
Australia, and Germany?
Because they have more generous social
programs for the poor and a higher minimum wage
than the
United States.
61.
What role has the Constitution played?
The
Constitution
has
been
the
basis
for
the
evolution
of
governmental
institutions
and
for
political
stability, economic growth and social
progress in the United States.
62. What were the weaknesses of the
Articles of Confederation?
The weaknesses were: there was no
national executive to enforce the laws and there
was no national
court system and
Congress had no power to tax, nor to regulate
trade between states.
63.
What mechanism did the writers of the Constitution
introduce to provide safeguards?
They introduced the mechanism of
separation of powers and checks and balances.
64. What are the three
branches of the government?
They are the legislative, the executive
and the judicial.
65. How
is the American president elected?
The voters vote for the electors and
the electors vote for the president. But as soon
as the votes of the
voters are counted
the number of electors for each candidate is known
and who has won the election is
known.
66. According to the
Constitution, what judicial power does the
President have?
He has the
power to give reprieves and pardons in federal
criminal cases.
67. How are
the two chambers of Congress made up?
The
Senate
is
composed
of
two
members
from
each
state,
with
a
total
number
of
100
while
membership
in
the
House
of
Representatives
is
based
on
population.
Currently
the
House
has
435
members.
68. What are the two special powers of
the Senate?
One is to
confirm presidential appointments and the other is
to ratify treaties by a tow-thirds vote.
69. What is the composition
of the federal court system?
The federal court system consists of a
supreme court, 11 courts of appeals, 91 district
courts ( including
one for the District
of Columbia and one for Puerto Rico ) and three
courts of special jurisdiction.
70. What is the cause for the decline
of the influence of political parties?
The near destruction of the patronage
system and the wide use of direct primaries in the
selection of
delegates to the party
national conventions contribute to the decline of
the influence of political parties.
71. Is there any single sex educational
institution in the U.S.?
Yes, there are quite a number.
72. Why is it that
responsibility for education fall on the state?
Because it is laid down in
the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution.
73. Why are there many
variations in the education system of the 50
states?
Because each state
is expected to develop policies for the education
within its boundary.
74.
Who is the chief executive officer under the local
board of education?
The
superintendent of schools.
75. What are the three types of high
schools?
They are
comprehensive, academic, vocational and technical
schools.
76. Why does the
number of graduate school enrollment keep
climbing?
西北师范大学外国语学院李升炜
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