23. What was unusual about the Article of Confederation? What was the struggle at the Constitutional Convention? How was the conflict solved? —— The Article of Confederation was unusual in many ways. First, it provided for no king. The drafters blamed the troubles with Britain on king George III. So they decided not to have a king but to have a republic. This was revolutionary. Second, while the Articles created a central government in the form of a Congress, the emphasis was still on state powers. Third, the Articles of Confederation was a written constitution for the United States. No important country in the world at that time, including Britain, had a written constitution. At the Constitution Convertion the delegates all agreed it was impossible to try to patch up the Articles of Confederation, and decided to ignore them and draw up a new plan of government. Here contradictions emerged between the bigger states and smaller states, between the industrial commercial interests and landed interests, etc. In the end, the conflict was resolved by the “Great Compromise” of July 16, giving each state and equal vote in the Senate but making representation in the House reflect the size of each state’s population.
24. Why did the Civil War break out? How did the war end? —— In the early 1800s, the Northern states turned from farming to manufacturing. Black slavery soon disappeared in the North. But things were different in the South. The South expanded both its agriculture and its slavery. The problem of slavery became a serous political issue. The abolitionists tried to abolish slavery while the South tried to keep it. When Abraham Lincoln was elected President, the Southern states broke away and formed a new nation. Then Lincoln was determined to maintain the Union and the war broke out on April 12, 1861, Lincoln realized that he could win support for the Union at home and abroad by making the war a just war against slavery. So he issued Emancipation Proclamation. Thus England and France stood by the Union’s side. Many black slaves joined the Union Army. After a series of battles, Robert Lee could no longer hold Richmond. He surrendered on April 9, 1865. The Civil War ended.
25. What were the contents of the New Deal? —— The New Deal included the following contents; (1) establishment and strengthening of government regulation and control of banking, credit and currency systems, overcoming the financial crisis and restriction of certain extreme practices of financial capital; (2) federal government management of relief and establishment of social security system such as the formation of the Civilian Conservation Crops and the setting-up of the Tennessee Valley Authority; (3) stimulation of the recover of industry and agriculture; (4) formulation and implementation of federal labour laws to raise the role of labour in the relations of production; (5) improvement of the situation of minorities and members of certain religious groups.
26. What was the impact of the Vietnam War-on American society? —— The Vietnam War had a great impact on American society. (1) The United States was weakened as a result of the long war. (2) American society had never been so divided since the Civil War. (3) There was serious disagreement with in the ruling circle. (4) The image of the United States, especially the image of the American armed forces, was discredited.
27. Who was McCarthy and what was McCarthyism? —— Joseph R. McCarthy was U.S. Senator. He started his campaign by saying on Feb. 9, 1950 that he had the names of over 200 Communists in the State Department. His campaign of accusation and anti-Communist hysteria was called McCarthyism.
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28. What is counterculture? What are some of the forms of counterculture? —— Counterculture is a movement of revolt against the moral values, the aesthetic standards, the personal behavior and the social relations of conventional society. Revolutionaries became models for some people. Many young people experimented with drugs. Music, especially rock music, became the chief vehicle for the counterculture attack on the status quo.
29. What are the functions of the Congress? —— The Congress has many functions, but the most central is the passage of law. One of the most important non-legislative functions of the Congress is the power to investigate. A second important power is to compel testimony from unwilling witness and to cite for contempt of Congress witness who refuse to testify, and for perjury those who give false testimony.
30. What are some of the characteristics of American education? ——(1) Formal education in the United States consists of elementary, secondary and higher education. (2) Public educations is free and compulsory. (3) Diversity is considered to be an outstanding characteristic of American education. (4)Education is a function of the states, not the federal government. V. Write about 150 on the following topic.
1. Why and how did the English Parliament come into being? —— After king John died in 1216, his son became Henry III. He filled the most important offices with foreigners, undertook an expensive war which ended in the loss of a large land and demanded more money to enable his son to be king of Sicily. So the barons rebelled. Under the leadership of Simon de Montfort, they defeated the king in 1264. In 1265, Simon de Montrort summoned the Great Council to meet at Westminster, together with two knights from each country and two citizens from each town. This meeting has been considered as the earliest parliament. The Great Council developed later into the Lords and the Commons known as a parliament. Both Houses were called to agree to taxation. The Commons could present petitions to the king which were the first parliamentary bills. But Parliament only met by royal invitation. Its role was to offer advice, not to make decisions. The most important part of Parliament was the House of Lords.
2. How did the Civil Wars break out? What were the consequences of the Civil Wars? —— Charles I, also believed “the Divine Right of kings”. His prerogative rights should not be challenged by anyone. It encouraged confrontation with Parliament, whose members had become increasingly Puritan in sympathy. He managed to rule England for 11 years without Parliament. But in 1640, Charles needed money and feared the invasion of the Scots and had to call the Long Parliament. Then a whole series of measures were introduced by the Parliament limiting the authority of the Crown while increasing its own. Thus, by 1642, the king and the commons were at each other’s throats, war was inevitable. In 1642, the first Civil War broke out. By autumn 1646, Parliament held most of England and next year Charles was captured but escaped. He made a deal with the Scots who invaded England but were defeated by Cromwell. Thus was the beginning of the Second Civil War. In November 1648, the king was captured again and condemned to death. The English Civil Wars have been seen a conflict between Parliament and the king, but also as a conflict between the economic interests of the urban middle classes and the traditional economic interests of the Crown. The English Civil Wars not only overthrew feudal system in England but also shook the foundation of the feudal rule in Europe. It is generally regarded as the beginning of modern world history.
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3. Tell briefly the history of the two-party system in the United States. What are the characteristics of the two major parties in the United States today? —— Political parties are the basis of the American political system. In general, America has a two-party system. This means that two major political parties-now the Democrats and the Republicans-dominate politics at the federal, state and local levels. There have been four periods in the history of political parties in America. The first periods of the party system began with the first two major parties or camps —— the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton. Most of the Anti-Federalists later accepted the Constitution with the Bill of Rights, and began to call themselves Democratic-Republican. After the 1828 election of Andrew Jackson, the Democratic-Republican Party split. The main faction, led by Andrew Jackson, called themselves the Democratic Party, while the faction opposed to Jackson formed the Whig Party in 1834. As the struggle over slavery intensified, the majority of the Whig Party, part of the democrats, and other anti-slavery elements founded in 1854 the Republican Party. The third phase of the two-party system ran from the 1860s to the 1920s with the Republican Party dominating the political scene for most of the time. The fourth period began with Franklin D. Roosevelt’s coming into power and lasted till the 1980s. In this period, for about 50 years, with short interruptions, the Democratic Party was dominant. The Two major parties are really not very different today. But this does not mean there is not difference between them. On economic issues, the Democrats traditionally favour government intervention while the Republicans stress the role of the market more. On social issues the Democrats support a strong social security system while the Republicans oppose large government social security programs. In spite of these differences, the two parties both believe in individualism, defend capitalism and uphold private ownership of means of production. In terms of organization the two parties are actually loose political coalitions.
4. What were the causes and consequences of the War of 1812? —— The causes leading to the war were the following: (1) A war between Britain and France was going on in Europe. First the American government adopted a policy of not allowing trading with both countries. Later the U.S. government changed its policy by stating that if any of the two countries gave up its blockade against American shipping, the U.S. world lift the prohibition. In 1811, the U.S., on the condition that France would drop its blockade against American shipping, lifted the ban. This angered the British. (2) The Americans resented the British practice of impressing or forcibly removing seamen from American ships on the grounds that they were British subjects. (3) The U.S. wanted to take advantage of the War in Europe, when Britain and France had no time to look after their interests in the New World, to expand into Canada or Spanish Florida. This harmed the interests of the British. —— The war had great impact on the development of the Unite States. Firstly, the war made people realize the importance of a strong national government. Secondly, the war strengthened the feeling of national unity and patriotism. Thirdly, for almost 10 years after the war, the Americans turned their attention to the devlopment of the western part of the continent. Fourthly, it made both Britain and the United States realize their disputes should be slove through negotiation. A shaky peace in 1814 turned into lasing peace between the two countries.
5. What role does the community college play? What functions does it perform? What is it important in American higher education? What is the guiding principle of such a college? —— The community college as an institution is one of the most important innovations in the history of American higher education more accessible and in meeting the needs of educated adults, employees of local business, professional requiring certification as well as community organizations. It performs five main functions. First, it prepares students for transferring to a BA program at a four-year
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institution. Second, it provides vocational training for people who are already working or expect to be working in the future. Third, it gives remedial instruction to higher school students who are underprepared for college academically and adults who did not learn basic skills in elementary or secondary school. Fourth, it offers recreational, cultural activities for adults who are not seeking regular vocational or academic skill. Fifth, it absorbs students in a four-year program who are not qualified into a lower-status vocational program. The guiding principle of community college is higher education for everyone and the philosophy that equality must mean equal opportunity for self-realization and for the recognition of individual differences.
General Knowledge of Britain and America Test One
第一部分（客观题，共40分）
I. Directions: Read the following unfinished statements or uestions carefully .For each unfinished statement or q uestion four suggested answers A, B, C and D are given. Choose the one you think best completes the statement or answers the question. Then, mark your answer by blackening the corresponding letter on the answer sheet. (25% )
1. Britain is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the _______ and the North Sea in the east. A. east B. south C. west D. north
2. The first known settlers of Britain were _______. A. the Jutes B. the Celts C. the Saxons D. the Iberians
3. The English Civil War is also called ______. A. the Puritan Revolution B. the second Magna Carta C. the Long Parliament D. the Anglican War
4. The Tories were the forerunners 0f _______ , which still bears the nickname today. A. the Labour Party B. the Liberal Party
C. the Social Democratic Party D. the Conservative Party
5. In Britain only _______ of the population are farmers but they manage 7O% of the land area.
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A. 2% B. 3% C. 4% D. 5%
6. Which of the following Statements is NOT true about the Prime Minister in Britain? A. He is appointed by the Queen.
B. He is Minister for the Civil Service. C. He sits in the House of Commons. D. He receives ￡88,292 a year.
7. London's Metropolitan Police Force is directly under the control of _______ . A. the Lord Chancellor B. the Home Secretary C. the Attorney General D. the Prime Minister
8. Which of the following statements is NOT true about the National Health Service? A. It Provides for every resident a full range of medical services. B. It is administered by the central government.
C. Its emergency ambulances are available for doctors' urgent calls. D. It has suffered from under funding in recent decades.
9. There are some _______ universities in the United Kingdom, including the Open University. A. 75 B. 80 C. 85 D. 9O
10. Ireland is divided into two political parts: _______ . A. Northern Ireland and southern Ireland
B. Southern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland C. the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland D. Northern Ireland and Britain
11. The Grand Canyon in north-western _______ is one of nature's most impeessive sights. A. Utah B. Arizona C. Nevada D. Idaho
12. The first immigrants in American history came from _______ . A. England and Germany B. England and Ireland
C. England and the Netherlands D. England and Spain
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《英美概况》试题（附答案）
