英语国家概况课后习题答案完整版

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social . it emphasizes the need for a change in Britain’s constitutional arrangements to make the government more democratic and accountable.

12. Why are independent candidates unlikely to win in the general election ?

A; Because even if they were elected, they would be powerless in parliament. Therefore , it is not possible for many people to vote for independent candidates. Chapter 4 economy

1. What was the negative aspect of Thatcher’s reform in the early 1980s?

A: its negative aspect was a rapid increase in unemployment . in 1982,the unemployment rate reached the level of the great depression years, with three million people out of work. 2. What are the characteristics of Britain’s agriculture?

A:britain’s agriculture is characterized by a small portion of the population engaged in agriculture activities with a high degree of mechanization. Although it employs a mere 1% of the country’s labor force , it meets around 60% of the national demands. 3. What happened to Britain’s beef industry in the mid-1990s?

A: Britain’s beef industry was hit badly by BSE, resulting in a ban on beef exports in 1996. 4. What are some of the popular tourist attractions in Britain?

The popular tourist attractions in England include : The Dorset and the East Devon Coast, the Lake District, Stonehenge , Windsor Castle, University towns of Oxford and Cambridge, Tower of London ,St.Paul’s cathedral and so on . Chapter 5 education ,media and holidays

1. What used to be the major functions of grammar schools and vocational schools in Britain?

The major functions of grammar schools were to train the most academically capable students and prepare them for university , whereas the major functions of vocational schools were to help less successful students to learn a trade.

2. What kind of subjects do Britain comprehensive schools provide?

Britain comprehensive schools provide a general education, offering both academic subjects like literature and science, and practical subjects like cooking and carpentry. 3. In what ways do British universities enjoy complete academic freedom?

British universities enjoy complete academic freedom because they can appoint their own staff, decide which students to admit, provide their own courses and award their own degrees.

4. How do the students in the open university receive their education?

The students follow university courses through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence ,video, and a network of study centers. 5. What role dose the media play in British leisure culture?

The media play an essential role in British leisure culture since it helps to shape the public’s opinion, determine people’s moral and political orientation and consolidate or undermine the rule or a government. Chapter 6 literature

1. What are the three categories of Shakespeare’s play and their representatives?

Shakespeare’s plays fall into three categories: comedy, tragedy and historical play. The representatives of his comedies include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It and Twelfth Night. His major historical plays include Richard Ⅲ，HenryⅣ and Cleopatra . His great tragedies are represented by Hamlet, Othello, King Lear ,

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Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. 2. What is critical Realism?

critical Realism is a literary school which flourished in the 40s and early 50s of the 19th century .the critical realists described the chief traits of the society and criticized the capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint . the greatest English critical realist was Charles Dickens .

3. What are the two new literary trends prevailing at the end of 19th century?

The new literary trends that prevailed at the end of 19th century are neo-romanticism and aestheticism. Those who belong to neo-romanticism laid emphasis on the invention of exciting adventures and fascinating stories, and those of aestheticism believed in “art for art’s sake”.

4. What is stream of consciousness?

stream of consciousness is the writing technique which puts the unorganized flow of thought on page . writers who adopt this technique give precedence to the depiction of the characters’ mental and emotional reactions to external events, rather than the events themselves.

Chapter 7 society and culture USA

Chapter 8 geography and people

1. How is the American population distributed?

The distribution of the American population is rather uneven . the most densely populated region is the northeastern part of the country. The great plains have a comparatively small population . the south also has a population of almost 57.5million. the west is not densely populated ,except for some metropolitan centers like los Angeles and san Francisco . it has about 20% of the nation’s population.

2. How is the life of the native Americans today ?

About one third of all native Americans now live on reservations and the others live in cities. Poverty and unemployment are the major problems for them , especially on the reservations .

3. Why was the immigration act of 1942 instituted ?

The new immigrants in the united states , being poor and accustomed to poverty , were willing to work for very low wages .this made other workers afraid that the immigrants would lower wage levels and take jobs away from them . this opposition led to the immigration act of 1942.

Chapter 9 history

1. Why did American change its policy and enter world war II?

Because of the formation of the axis , the American government feared that the axis countries were wining the war and it might threaten America’s security and interests . it began to provide war equipment to the foreign nations resisting the aggression of the axis power . the Japanese air raid on pearl harbor became the direct cause for America’s entrance into the war.

2. What were Nixon’s well-known contributions during his presidency?

a)brought the Vietnam war to a close ;b)reestablishing U.S. relations with china ;c) negotiating the first strategic arms limitation treaty with the former soviet union .

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3. What were the contents of Reagan’s economic program?

Reagan’s economic program called for reductions in income taxes and business taxes in order to encourage investment , and it also requested that many government regulations be eliminated so as to reduce the federal government’s role in the day-to-day operation of business.

Chapter 10 government

1. What are the two characteristics of the U.S. constitution?

One is “checks and balances”, the other is that the power of the central government and the powers of state governments are specified.

2. What are the qualifications for a senator and a representative respectively?

A senator must be over 30 years old , a U.S. citizen for at least nine years, and a resident in the state which they represent . a representative should be at least 25 years old and a U.S. citizen for no less than seven years.

3. What are the major powers of the supreme court?

a)to interpret laws ;b)to hear appeals from any federal court cases; c)to hear appeals from state court cases that involve the constitution or national laws ; d)may declare a law unconstitutional ; e) may declare a presidential act unconstitutional.

4. What is the difference between the democrats and the republicans in terms of political

opinions?

The democrats want the government to play an important role in the economy and emphasize full employment as a matter of national concern . they favor civil rights laws , a strong social security system which gives enterprises a greater freedom and demand that the government control inflation. They stress the need for law and order, and oppose complete government social programs and free choice of abortion . they also favor a strong military posture and assertive stand in international relations. 5. What is the content of president Wilson’s fourteen points?

president Wilson’s fourteen points include: abandonment of secret international agreements; freedom of the sea; free trade between nations ; reduction of armaments ; adjustment of colonial claims in the interests of the inhabitants affected; self-rule for subjugated European nationalities ; and the establishment of an association of nations which guarantees the political independence and territorial integrity of all nations. Chapter 11 economy

1. What industry developments took place during the colonial period of America?

During the colonial period ,the secondary industries developed as the colonies grew . a variety of specialized sawmills and gristmills appeared. Colonists established shipyards to build fishing fleets and trading vessels . they also built small iron forges . by the 18th century , regional patterns of development in America had become clear. 2. How did the civil war affect the American economy?

After the civil war , the large southern cotton plantations became much less profitable . northern industries , which had expanded rapidly because of the demands of the war ,surged ahead.

3. Why does America try to reduce trade barriers?

Because the united states has increasingly realized that open bilateral trade will not only advance its own economic interests, but also enhance domestic stability and its peaceful

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relationship with other nations.

Chapter 12 education , media and holidays

1. How does an American university choose its applicants?

a)their high school records; b) recommendations from their high school teachers; c) the impression they make during interviews at the university ; d) their scores on the SAT. 2. What functions do American higher education institutions perform?

Higher education institutions in the united states have three functions: teaching , research and public service , and each has its own emphasis with regard to its function . 3. What similarities do four famous university share?

They all have a long history , they all have an excellent faculty , a large number of students and have made extensive academic achievements. Some of their graduates are very successful or influential in some areas such as politics, arts and business. 4. What are the origins of thanksgiving day?

Thanksgiving is associated with the time when Europeans first came to the new world , in 1620,the mayflower arrived and brought about 150 pilgrims. Life at the beginning was very hard and there was not enough food , so many of them died. During the following summer the native America helped them and then they had a bountiful harvest. So they held a big celebration to thank god and the native Americans. Chapter 13 literature

1. What is the essence of American Puritanism?

American Puritanism stress predestination , original sin, total depravity, and limited atonement or the salvation of a selected few who would receive God’s grace. 2. What themes are reflected in Theodore Dreiser’s works?

Theodore Dreiser’s novels deal with everyday life, often its sordid side. Dreiser found that living in such a materialistic society, the human individual is obsessed with an endless and meaningless search for satisfaction of their desires . he embraced social Darwinism and advocated the idea of “the survival of the fittest”. 3. What is the lost Generation?

The lost Generation refer to the young American writers caught up in the world war I and cut off values yet unable to come to terms with the new era when civilization has gone mad . they produced works of disillusionment. Two of the most representative writers of the lost generation are Ernest Hemingway and F.Scott Fitzgerald. 4. What is the Beat Movement?

The Beat Movement began in the middle of the 1950s. the word “beat” suggests a non-conformist , rebellious attitude toward conventional values concerning sex. Religion and the America way of life , an attitude which results from the feeling of depression and exhaustion and the need to escape into an unconventional, communal mode of life. The representatives are Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac.

宁可累死在路上，也不能闲死在家里！宁可去碰壁，也不能面壁。是狼就要练好牙，是羊就要练好腿。什么是奋斗？奋斗就是每天很难，可一年一年却越来越容易。不奋斗就是每天都很容易，可一年一年越来越难。能干的人，不在情绪上计较，只在做事上认真；无能的人！不在做事上认真，只在情绪上计较。拼一个春夏秋冬！赢一个无悔人生！早安！—————献给所有努力的人

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