第一篇：英美國家概況名詞解釋等

1.The civil rights movement

It is one of the most important of all social movements in the 1960s in America.Rosa Parks’ spontaneous action in 1955 was believed to the true beginning of the civil rights movement.The black students’ sit-in at a department lunch counter in North Carolina touched off the nationwide civil rights movement.During the first half of the decade, civil rights organizations like the SNCC,CORE,and SCLC struggled for racial intergration by providing leaderships,network and the people.In the latter half of the decade, some black organizations changed their nonviolent tactics, and emphasized on more radical means to end discrimination and raised the self-image of the blacks.The civil rights movement produced such great leaders as Martin Luther King.Jr, and Malcolm X, who inspired a generation of both blacks and whites to devote their lives to fighting for racial equality in th US.2.A federal system【聯邦制】

It is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constiuent parts, with some rights reserved to each.3.King Arthur

It is said that he was the King of England in the 5th century and united the British and drove the Saxons back with his magica sword,Excalibur.His real existence is in doubt.He is the central figure of many legends.4.The Anglo-Saxons

They were two groups of Germanic peoples who settled down in England from the 5th century.They were regarded as the ancestors of the English and the founders of England.5.Riverdance[大河舞] It is a very popular form of dancing based on Ireland’s intricate[錯綜復雜的]folk dances which are rearranged and modernized and adapted onto current stage performance.Dancing is traditionally part of Irish culture.It is usually accompanied by the Irish pipe and fiddle.The music usually sounds fast and furious.Most of the action

is from the waist down, with the arms held rigidly at the sides.6.The House of Commons

It is the real center of British political life because it is the place where about 650 elected representatives(members of parliament)make and debate policy.These MPs are elected in the General Elections and should represent the interests of the people who vote for them.7.The Commonwealth【英聯邦】

In the author’s opinion, the Commowealth is a voluntary association of states which is made up mostly of former British colonies.There are 50 members of the Commonwealth: many of these are developing countries like India and Cyprus;others are developed nations like Australia,Canada and New Zealand.The Commonwealth was set up as a form for continued cooperation and as a sort of support network.8.Maoritanga

It is the Maori word for “Maori culture.” It refers to all the elements of the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous people in New Zealand, including their language, customs and traditions,9.The “Washminster” form polity

It is adopted by the Australian government.It is a mixture of the US Washington system of government and the British Westminster system.This means that the political structure of the government is base on a Federation of States with a three-tier system of government.However, the chief executive is a Prime Minister, instead of a President as in the US system.10.Yellowstone National Park

It is the oldest and one of the largest national parks in the US.It is named after the Yellowstone River that flows through the area.It is known for its geysers and hot springs among other natural wonders.counterculture[反主流文化]

In the wake of the Free Speech Movement and the New Left, there appeared a phenomenon that historians called the “counterculture”.The counterculture rejected capitalism and other Americans principles.They had morals different from those taught by their parents.Some group of youth tried to construct different ways of life,.Among the most famous were the hippies.They thought new experience through dropping out, and drug taking.But it was music,rock music particular, that became the chief vehicle for the counter cultural assault on the traditional American society.The counterculture exerted a great influence upon people’s attitudes toward social morals, marriage, career and success.Martin Luther King, Jr.A black Baptist minister, he was leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movements of the 1960s.To promote his philosophy of nonviolent protest against segregation and other kinds of social injustice, King organized a series of “marches”, including the march on Washington of August 1963, when King delivered his famous “ I Have a Dream” speech.As a civil rights leader, King worked not only to end racial discrimination and poverty, but also to raise the self image of the blacks.Due to his strong belief in non-violent peaceful protest, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 1964.He was assassinated in the city of Memphis in April 1968.13．Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon was the former President of the United States.He won the elction in 1968 and was re-elected in 1972.While he was in office, he contributed to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China and visited China in 1972.Shortly after he was re-elected ,he was involved in the

Watergate scandal,for which he was forced to resign from the presidency.1.Explain your understanding of how the United States is governed according to its constitution, including its polity and the check and balance mechanism of governing.if Congress proposes a law that the president think is unwise, the president can veto it.That means the proposal does not became law.Congress can enact the law despite the president’s views only if two-thirds of the members of both houses vote in favor of it.If Congress passes a low which is the challenged in the courts as unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has the power to declare the law unconstitutional and therefore no longer in effect.The president has the power to make treaties with other nations and to make all appointments to federal positions,including the position, of Supreme Court justice.The Senate,however,must approve all treaties and confirm all appointments before they become official.In this way the Congress can prevent the president from making unwise appointments.2.How do you understand the saying: ”British history has been a history of invasion.” ?

Before the 1st century AD Britain was made up of many tribal kingdoms of Celtic people:a powerful cultural originating in central Europe.Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by Roman Empire, and England and Wales became part of the Roman Empire for nearly400 years.As the Roman Empire came under threat from the east, the Roman armies and Roman protection were withdrawn from Britain, and Britain was again divided into small kindoms, and

again it came under threat from outside, this time from Germanic peoples:the Angles,and the Saxon.In the 5th century AD it is said that a great leader-King Arthur appeared, united the British, and with his magical sword, Excalibur,drove the Saxons back.whatever Arthur’s success,legend or not,it did not last,for the Anglo-Saxons did succeed in invading Britain,and either absorbed the Celticpeople,or pushed them to the western and northern edges of Britain.From the late 8th century on, raiders from Scandinavia, the ferocious Vikings, threatened Britain’s shores.Their settlements in England grew until large areas of northern and eastern England were under their control.1066, the Normans, from northern France, whowere descendants of Vikings.Under William of Normandy they cross the English Channel and in the Battle of Hastings, defeated an English army under King Harold.This marks the last time.that an army from outside the British Isles succeeded in invading

3.Your understanding of the characteristics of American religion and its social functions

First of all, American with different religions live together under the same law.The Bill of Rights in the US Constitution

insists that there should be no state religion.That means that the government has no right to interfere in people’s religious affairs.The freedom of religion and the separation of state and church guaranted in the Constitution is believed to be the basic principles against religious persecution.Secondly,the religious beliefs of Americans continue to be strong with social progress.Every Sunday morning, all over America people pour into the churches.Half of American Protestants are active church members, and there are few who habitually stay away.Not only the Catholic churches,but the Protestant ones too,are flourishing,and new ever-growing suburbs.Through all the social and economic changes religion has remained a constant factor.Thirdly,in the united states every church is a completeluy independent organization,and concerned with its own finance and its own building.if one goes to a Protestant church,he or she will hear morality preached,but not a word of doctrine.Churches and religious sects are expressions of group solidarity rather than of rigid adherence to doctrine.

第二篇：英美國家概況主觀題

1.Great Charter:

It refers to the document sealed by King John of England on June 15, 1215, which contains 63 clauses.The most important are as followed: the King could not exact payment from the vassals without their consent;no freeman should be arrested, imprisoned, or deprived of their property unless they are convinced by a jury;merchants would be allowed to move about freely.If the King attempted to free himself from the law, the vassals had the right to force him to obey the law by every means possible, even by means of a civil war.It is regarded as the foundation of the British constitutionalism.2.“A-level”:

A-level—is an academic qualification offered by educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the British Crown dependencies to students completing secondary or pre-university education.3.Pilgrim Fathers:

The first English immigrants who came to America by the ship Mayflower in 1620.They came to the America to run away from the religious persecution in England.They landed the America from Plymouth and settled down in this land.4.WASPs:

“WASP” stands for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant.It is considered the basis of the mainstream culture of the United States.The people who settled in the 13 North American colonies were mostly white European Protestant believers.The United States was founded and formed largely by Protestants.5.Wall Street:

Wall Street is the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long, 0.7 miles(1.1 km)long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan.Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, the American financial sector(even if financial firms are not physically located there), or signifying New York-based financial interests.6.Independence Day:

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.7.Hollywood:

Hollywood is the US film industry centre.It is located in Los Angeles, California.There are big movie companies, including the Warner Bros.Pictures, Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures, and Paramount Pictures.The annual Oscar Award held there attracts the attention of the world;it has become the synonym of American film.1.Democracy with a constitutional monarch:

Constitutional monarchy is a form of democratic government in which a nonpolitical monarch acts as head of state within the boundaries of a constitution, whether written or unwritten.While the monarch may hold formal reserve powers and while government officially takes place in the monarch’s name, they do not set public policy or choose political leaders.It can be defined as “a sovereign who reigns but does not rule.” This form of government differs from absolute monarchy, in which the monarch controls political decision-making and is not effectively bound by a constitutional order.2.British Newspaper Culture:The United Kingdom has one of the world’s oldest established newspaper industries.In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, as the British economy began to industrialise, as the development of the society, and as literacy levels rose through the introduction of mass education, more and more newspapers began to appear.They began to influence British society and people’s life.There are two kinds of newspaper in the UK: the “quality press” and “tabloid”.The types of newspaper can reflect the reader’s social class.The quality press, such as The Observer, The Guardian, and The Times normally carries in-depth articles of particular political and social importance and are generally read by well-educated, middle-class readers.The tabloid refers to smaller format newspaper with color photos and catchy headlines.They are usually about scandals and gossips about famous people, whether in politics, sports or entertainment.The articles are short and easy to read.The readers are normally working-class and lower class people.3.Industrial Revolution:

The First Industrial Revolution first originated in the UK.The Industrial Revolution took root in Britain for a variety of reasons.First, Britain had a huge market.Second, from the colonies in America and India, England acquired enormous wealth with which to develop its industries.Third, the enclosure movement deprived many small landowners of their property.The Industrial Revolution began in the textile industry and was marked by a series of important inventions.They were the Spinning Jenny, the water frame, the power loom and the steam engine.By the middle of the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution was accomplished in Britain.It changed Britain in many ways.Its industrial productivity increased dramatically.Britain became the most advanced industrial country and also the financial center in the world.The country also underwent a process of mass urbanization.The Industrial Revolution also created changed in the class structure.（謝福之P.20）

The Second Industrial Revolution（謝福之P.149）: The Second Industrial Revolution, also known as the Technological Revolution, was a phase of the larger Industrial Revolution corresponding to the latter half of the 19th century until World War I.It is considered to have begun around the time of the introduction of Bessemer steel in the 1860s and culminated in early factory electrification, mass production and the production line.The Third Industrial Revolution: The first two industrial revolutions made people richer and more urban.Now a third revolution is under way.Manufacturing is going digital.4.Presidential Election:

America is a presidential government country.The presidential election is held every four years.The system of presidential government is complicated.It includes primary election, the popular vote, the Electoral College.The primary election is the first period.It is time for the party candidates won the presidential candidate of their own party.After the primary election, the candidate will spend huge amounts of money on electoral journey, competition on advertisement, electoral speeches and public debates.In most states, they work on “winner win all”.It means if one wins the most votes of states.He will gain all the votes of these states.American elections for the president are not decided directly by the popular vote, instead under the Electoral College.Each of the fifty states influence on the results equals its population.If both candidates gain 269 votes, or neither of them gains 270 votes, the president will be determined by the parliament.5.American Civil War:

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 serious 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.6.Separation of Powers:

The American constitutional system includes a notion known as the Separation of Powers.In this system, 3 branches of government are created and power is shared between them.At the same time, the powers of one branch can be challenged by another branch.This is what the system of checks and balances is all about.There are three branches in the United States government as established by the Constitution.First, the Legislative branch makes the law.Second, the Executive branch executes the law.Last, the Judicial branch interprets the law.Each branch has an effect on the other.

第三篇：英美國家概況總結

英國概況 英格蘭面積最大 蘇格蘭，愛丁堡為首府

威爾士，加的夫，Cardiff為首府 北愛爾蘭，貝爾法斯特Belfast為首府

倫敦，UK首都，皇家法庭royal courts of justice 及圣保羅大教堂st paul’s cathedral在這里。威斯敏斯特westminster，倫敦市的一個行政區，也叫西敏寺，這里有議會houses of parliament，包含大鐘樓big ben，白廳whitehall即英國政府，白金漢宮buckingham palace即英國皇宮，還有st james’ hall 圣詹姆斯宮。The great charter in 1215,1215年大憲章，亦稱the great charter or Magna Charta,確保一些平民的政治權利與自由，保障教會不受國王的控制，改革了法律和司法，限制國王及王室官員的行為。

議會雛形，1265年，Simon de Montford 召集the Great Council在西敏寺開會，就是最早的議會，后來發展了House of Lords上議院，House of Commons下議院。

玫瑰戰爭和英國宗教改革：

Richard 三世和Henry Tudor都鐸（duduo）打了玫瑰戰爭，都鐸勝利，終成五代都鐸王朝。

亨利八世進行宗教改革，想切斷英國教會與羅馬教皇的關系，使英國教會獨立起來。宗教改革的真正進行是在亨利八世的兒子愛德華時期，新教是Protestant，即基督教，改革叫做“The Reformation”。伊麗莎白一世時期，伊麗莎白為女王統治英國，她是基督教徒，大力推行新教，從此英國都是信奉新教。

文藝復興運動 The English Renaissance 文藝復興是中世紀到現代的過渡時期，從1350-1650，有300年，從意大利發起，達芬奇等人為代表。在這段時期，羅馬教會經歷新教改革，人文主義興起，海外探索（大航海時代？）。英國內戰 The Civil Wars 是國王和議會間的戰爭，Norttingham King Charles和議會開戰，國王軍是Cavaliers(騎士)，議會軍是Roundheads(圓顱黨)，因為他們短發。查爾斯戰敗，克倫威爾Cromwell稱王。英國內戰又稱清教徒革命，因為國王的反對者多是清教徒Puritan。清教徒是基督教新教中的一派。這場戰爭顛覆了英國的封建制度，甚至動搖了歐洲的封建制度，被認為是世界現代史的開端。王朝復辟 The Restoration 克倫威爾死后，兒子Richard 繼位，但是統治失敗，議會選擇讓上代國王流放法國的兒子King Charles 二世回歸。

光榮革命 The Glorious Revolution 奧蘭治王室（William of Orange橘子？英國的名字真搞笑），用一場不流血的政變奪了王室的權，William and Mary 共同接受了Bill of Right(1689)權利法案，英國“光榮革命”后鞏固資產階級與封建貴族聯合專政、確立君主立憲政體的憲法性文件之一。君主立憲由此開始。輝格黨和托利黨（Whigs and Tories）

兩黨名稱來自光榮革命，輝格黨就是后來的Liberal party，托利黨是Conservative party 憲章運動Chartist Movement 由于對改革法案《Reform Act》和新貧困法《New Poor Law》的不滿，工人組織了倫敦工人聯盟London Working Men’s Association，起草了人民憲章《People’s Charter》，想讓議會通過但是失敗，憲章運動是第一次全國性的工人運動。

工會和工黨 Trade Unions and Labor Party 工人意識到聯合的重要性，于是工會出現，Grand National Consolidated Trade Union成立，是全國的大公會，后來Trade Union Congress 開始。殖民擴張Colonial Expansion 自1583年開始，英國在新大陸Newfoundland開始殖民統治，1900日不落帝國形成，“on which the sun never set” 君主政體

英國是君主立憲制 constitutional monarchy, 元首head of state is king or queen。Head of the commonwealth 是女王，現在是伊麗莎白二世。議會組成

House of lords 上議院 house of commons 下議院 下議院最有權力 政黨：工黨Labor Party 和Conservative Party保守黨，政黨的領導人是總理 Tony Blair是有史以來最年輕的工黨領導人，總理。

樞密院 the Privy Council，是國家執行力機構，chief source of executive power in the state,可追溯到King’s Council 司法特點：no single legal system, no complete code,法律的來源包括：statutes法令，大量的common law，equity law衡平法，european community law。二戰后英國經濟的發展

50s-60s穩定發展階段，70s經濟蕭條，80s經濟恢復：撒切爾夫人Mrs.Thatcher當選總理，推行中期財政計劃Medium-term Financial Strategy 國教established chruches：在英國church of england，在蘇格蘭church of scotland 非國教 unestablished churches：英國圣公會anglican chruches，自由教free churches，天主教roman catholic church *************************************************************************** 美國概況

國旗：13條狀紅白相間，代表original的13個州，50顆星，代表50個州 1492年，哥倫布發現新大陸，Christopher Columbus.獨立戰爭the war of independence 1774年，第一屆大陸國會continental congress在費城philadelphia召開，呼吁抵制英國貨

1775年，lexington（列克星敦）和concord（康科德）打仗獨立戰爭開始。同年，第二屆大陸會議在費城召開，喬治?華盛頓為領導人

1776年，湯瑪斯?杰佛遜起草獨立宣言

1783年，巴黎條約簽署treaty of paris，英國承認美國獨立。1812年戰爭，the war of 1812 美國和英國間的最后一場戰爭，對美國影響很深，人們意識到強大的政府的重要性，加強了統一感和愛國感

美國內戰the civil war 1861-1865，打了四年，北方勝利，北方為聯邦軍union army，南方為邦聯軍confederate army。林肯有名的葛底斯堡演說gettysburg address“that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” 1865年，第13修正案終結了奴隸制。經濟發展

鍍金時代gilded age，借自馬克吐溫的書名，指內戰到20世紀初，工業發展

亨利福特henry ford大規模生產汽車，萊特兄弟wright brothers設計第一架飛機升天，都在這個時候 1920s的大蕭條與新政the great depression and the new deal 1929年，大蕭條開始，持續4年

羅斯福新政，Franklin D Roosevelt, the new deal 美國與二戰

1941年，珍珠港被襲擊，美國正式參戰，核心國axis powers 北大西洋公約組織the founding of NATO 1949年，北大西洋條約簽署，North Atlantic Treaty,任何對締約國的攻擊視為對所有締約國的攻擊。條約的生效標志著美國在蘇聯周圍建立軍事聯盟的開端。蘇聯采取了類似的行動，建立了德國民主共和國set up the German Democratic Republic.至此，冷戰全面開始。1950s民權運動the civil rights movement 羅莎?帕克Rosa Parks,一位黑人女性，阿拉巴馬，她拒絕給白人讓座，被捕。馬丁路德金開始領導黑人抵制。1956年，最高法院宣布阿拉巴馬州的segregation laws unconstitutional。越南戰爭the vietnam war1950-1975(打了25年，有夠長的)為了實施對共產主義的牽制政策，the policy of containment of communism,美國與越南戰爭，結果這是美國有史以來最長的戰爭。1973年美國和北越南north vietnam簽署停火協議，cease-fire agreement。簡單來說，越南當時像朝鮮般南北分裂，南方是社會主義的，北方是當時的統治階級，南方想要解放全國，統一南北。美國橫插一腳，支持北方，搞了25年，最終還是南方的社會主義勝利，統一了全國。西貢Saigon是原來的首都，后來改名為胡志明市Ho Chi Minh City。因為越南戰爭，美國國力下降，社會分歧，形象下降。

水門事件（Watergate scandal，或譯水門丑聞）是美國歷史上最不光彩的政治丑聞之一，其對美國本國歷史以及整個國際新聞界都有著長遠的影響，在1972年的總統大選中，為了取得民主黨內部競選策略的情報，1972年6月17日，以美國共和黨尼克松Nixon競選班子的首席安全問題顧問詹姆斯?麥科德（James W.McCord, Jr.）為首的5人闖入位于華盛頓水門大廈的民主黨全國委員會辦公室，在安裝竊聽器并偷拍有關文件時，當場被捕。由于此事，尼克松于1974年8月8日宣布將于次日辭職，從而成為美國歷史上首位辭職的總統。中美關系

1972年，Nixon總統訪華，簽署上海公報Shanghai Communique。1979年，中美建交。美國憲法起草于1789年，世界上最早的成文憲法。共有7個articles。Articla I，the Legislative Article立法

只有國會有權立法，two-chamber system，包括senate參議院，house of representatives眾議院。參議院100人，每個州來兩人，眾議院基于每個州的人口比例設立席位。Article II，Executive Article執法 總統任期4年

Article III，Judicial Article 司法

Supreme Court是國家的最高法院，以下是聯邦法院federal court，最高法院和聯邦法院的法官是總統任命，法官是終身職位。唯有最高法院有權解釋憲法。三權分立checks and balances 立法，執法，司法三權分立，legislative，executive，judicial，國會可立法，總統可否決，國會可通過三分之二選票再次通過，總統不可否決，但最高法院可以判定它違反憲法而否決它。憲法修正案provisions for amendment 前十條憲法修正案稱為bill of rights權利和自由法案

*************************************************************************** 加拿大概況

首都：渥太華Ottawa, 最大省：魁北克Quebec 第一大城市：多倫多，2：蒙特利爾，3：溫哥華，4：渥太華 世界最大漁業出口國 國家元首：伊麗莎白二世

總督：履行女王職務governor general，實際政府領導人：總理prime minister 立法：議會立法parliament，議會由兩部分組成senate（總督任命）和house of commons（根據人口），和美國類似，法律要兩院通過，最后總督簽字。

政黨：自由黨liberal party和保守黨progressive conservative party 澳大利亞概況： 首都：堪培拉Canberra 第一大城：悉尼，2：墨爾本 世界最大羊毛出口國

國家元首：英女王，和加拿大一樣有總督和總理，聯邦制國家 政黨：工黨（最大黨）australian labour party和自由黨liberal party，和英國不同，澳大利亞有成文憲法

議會參照英國，上議院senate（the upper house）和下議院house of representatives（the lower house）新西蘭概況

首都：惠靈頓Wellington 第一大城：奧克蘭Auckland 世界最大羔羊肉，羊肉和奶制品出口國，稱為the world’s biggest farm 國家元首：英女王 政體：議會制君主立憲制

愛爾蘭概況（注意不是北愛爾蘭哦，不是英國的一部分呢）首都：都柏林dublin 國家元首：注意了是總統 專八人文知識

1.A Tale of Two Cities was written by Charles Dickens.2.Phonology: The study of speech sounds in language or a language with reference to their distribution and patterning and to tacit rules governing pronunciation.音位學;在語言或一門語言中，對有關其分類和模式以及為大家所默認的發音規則的研究音韻學,音系學

3.Syntax: The study of the rules whereby words or other elements of sentence structure are combined to form grammatical sentences.句法，研究詞或其它句子成分如何聯合起來形成合乎語法的句子規則的學科

4.Semantics: The study or science of meaning in language forms.語義學，以語言形式表示意思的研究或科學

5.acronym :首字母組合詞，首字母縮略詞，比如，NATO, UNESCO, BASIC,它們可以連拼，但VOA是 Initialism。

6.Metonymy: A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated, as in the use of Washington for the United States government or of the sword for military power.換喻或轉喻，一種,一個詞或詞組被另一個與之有緊密聯系的詞或詞組替換的修辭方法，如用華盛頓代替美==或用劍代替軍事力量，對面來了三個“紅領巾”也是，以紅領巾指代少先隊員。

7.Simile: A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, often in a phrase introduced by like or as, as in How like the winter hath my absence been or So are you to my thoughts as food to life(Shakespeare).明喻,一種修辭手法，把兩種基本不相像的東西進行比較，通常在由 like或 as引導的短語中，如 “我的離開好象是冬天來臨”或“你對我的思想就象食物對于生命一樣重要”（莎士比亞）

8.Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in a sea of troubles or All the world's a stage(Shakespeare)隱喻一種語言表達手法，通常用指某物的詞或詞組來指代他物，從而暗示它們之間的相似之處，如 “憂愁之?！被颉罢麄€世界一臺戲”(莎士比亞)the ship of desert沙漠之舟

9.Oxymoron: A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist.矛盾修飾法,一種把互相矛盾或不調和的詞合在一起的修辭手法，如在 震耳欲聾的沉默和悲傷的樂觀

cruel kindness

10.The affection name given to the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster is Big Ben.11.John Milton the poet wrote of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden in Paradise Lost.Paradise Regained was also written by him.12.Sonnet: A 14-line verse form usually having one of several conventional rhyme schemes.十四行詩體,一種由十四行組成的詩歌形式，通常有一種傳統的押韻形式,莎士比亞用過此詩體。

13.Slang: A kind of language occurring chiefly in casual and playful speech, made up typically of short-lived coinages and figures of speech that are deliberately used in place of standard terms for added raciness, humor, irreverence, or other effect.俚語主要出現在非正式的、游戲性的話語中的一種語言，基本由存在時間很短的派生詞和修辭構成，它們被故意地用來取代標準的詞語以達到生動、幽默、無禮或其它效果 14.Catch Phrase: A phrase in wide or popular use, especially one serving as a slogan for a group or movement.警句，妙句，吸引人的詞句廣泛使用的或流行的用語，尤指用作集團或運動的口號的用語。

15.Jargon: The specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group.行話,一個行業、職業或類似的團體中使用的專業的或技術的語言.terminology 16.Platitude: A trite or banal remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant.陳腔濫調,陳腐的或平庸的評論或陳述，尤指某人表述它時好象它是新穎的或有意義的

17.Hyperbole: A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton.夸張法,一種比喻，使用夸張來強調或產生某種效果，比如在我能睡一年或這書有一噸重

18.onomatopoeia: The formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to.象聲詞,詞的構成或用法，例如 buzz或 nurmur模仿事物或行動的聲音.19.hypotaxis:從屬關系

20.parataxis:并列結構，指 短語或分句間不用連詞，如：I came, I saw, I conquered.21.Transcendentalism: A literary and philosophical movement, associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, asserting the existence of an ideal spiritual reality that transcends the empirical and scientific and is knowable through intuition.超驗主義,一種文學和哲學運動，與拉爾夫?沃爾多?愛默生和瑪格麗特?富勒有關，宣稱存在一種理想的精神實體，超越于經驗和科學之處，通過直覺得以把握

22.Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the Scarlet Letter.美國

23.Morphology: The study of the structure and form of words in language or a language, including inflection, derivation, and the formation of compounds.詞法，詞態學，形態音位學,語言或某一語言中對于單詞的結構和形式的研究，包括詞尾變化、派生和合成詞的構成

24.affricate: A complex speech sound consisting of a stop consonant輔音 followed by a fricative摩擦;for example, the initial sounds of child and joy.塞擦音由閉塞音伴隨著摩擦音而形成的復雜的語音；例如 child和 joy的第一個音Also called: affricative.25.Vanity Fair名利場 was written William Makepeace Thackray

26.Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon.Edwin Aldrin, Michael Collins 尼爾．阿姆斯特朗、埃德溫．奧爾德林、邁克爾．柯林斯

27.The title of the national anthem國歌 of Canada is O Canada.此種類型題同學們可自己多找幾個國家。

28.Henry David Thoreau’s work, Walden, has always been regarded as a masterpiece of New England Transcendentalism.29.etymology: the history of a word.詞源學

30.The dominant accent in the United States is General American.除紐約市、南方、新英格蘭

31.John Lennon is a member of the band of Beatles披頭士或甲殼蟲樂隊in the 1960s.32.In Gulliver’s Travels格列佛游記, Jonathan Swift describes the island of the Houyhnhnms as the world’s most perfect society.有理智和人性的馬 Houyhnhnms are horses in fact.33.Ceoffrey Chaucer wrote Canterbury Tales in fourteenth century.34.morpheme: A meaningful linguistic unit consisting of a word, such as man, or a word element, such as-ed in walked, that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts.詞素,一種含有一個單詞的有意義的語言單位，如-ed在單詞 walked中，不能被劃分為更小的有意義單位

35.The name of the famous stadium露天體育場 in the north of London is Wembley.36.Wimbledon溫布爾登[英國英格蘭東南部城市](位于倫敦附近,是著名的國際網球比賽地)

37.Toad in the hole is a Traditional English recipe食譜, originating from Yorkshire, a county in the north of England.烤面拖牛肉，面拖烤香腸

38.Boycott: To act together in abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor or as a means of coercion（強制）.聯合抵制,聯合起來拒絕使用、購買或經銷以示抗議、不滿或作為強制的手段

39.Segregation: The policy and practice of imposing the social separation of races, as in schools, housing, and industry, especially so as to practice discrimination against people of color in a predominantly white society.種族隔離,強制實行種族的社會分離政策及實踐，如在學校、居住和工業中，尤指在白人居多的社會中實行有色人種歧視的政策

40.Apartheid: An official policy of racial segregation practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites.種族隔離制,南非共和國實行的一種官方的種族隔離政策，包括在政治、法律和經濟諸方面對非白色人種的歧視.41.Integration: The bringing of people of different racial or ethnic groups into unrestricted and equal association, as in society or an organization;desegregation.種族或宗教融合,在社會或組織中，使不同的種族或宗教派別的人處于無限制的平等的關系中；取消種族隔離

42.The majority of French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec.43.Sir Thomas More coined the word “Utopia”, it means nowhere land in Greek.44.The Hemingway Code heroes are best remembered for their indestructible spirit.45.Phoneme: any one of the set of smallest distinctive speech sounds in a language that distinguish one word from another音位，音素,語言中最小的語音單位，如英語里 mat中的 m和 bat中的 b

46.polysemy:一詞多義

47.patron saint：保護圣徒,守護神

48.Parentese:父母語

49.back formation:逆構詞 脫落一詞的詞綴以構成新詞 typewriter→ typewrite 50.allomorph: Any of the variant forms of a morpheme.For example, the phonetic s of cats, z of dogs, and z of horses and the en of oxen are allomorphs of the English plural morpheme.語素變體,語素的一種變體形式，如語音學的中之 s在 cats中，z在 dogs中，和 iz在 horses中，還有 en在 oxen中都是英語復數語素的語素變體.

第四篇：英語國家概況名詞解釋

Terms

1.A-level: General Certificate of Education Advanced Level referred to as A-level, It is a British general secondary education certificate examination’ advanced courses, is the British national curriculum system, and the students of the university entrance exam courses.2.bible: The Bible is the holy book of Christianity.It consists of two testaments.The Old Testament contains the Jewish writings before the coming of Christ.The much shorter New Testament contains four accounts(“gospel”)of the life of Christ, followed by the writings of the early Christians, of whom St Paul was the greatest.3.WASP:White Anglo-Saxon Protestant of the original meaning is to point to the United States in power elite group and its culture, customs and moral behavior standard, can now be referring to the European American Protestant people.This group has a huge economic and political power, American society and for the most part of the upper middle class.Despite the increasingly diverse American society, but their cultural, moral and value orientation is to a great extent, affects the development of the United States.4.Independence Day: commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.5.wall street:Wall Street is the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long, 0.7 miles(1.1 km)long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan.Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, the American financial sector(even if financial firms are not physically located there), or signifying New York-based financial interests.Wall Street is the home of the New York Stock Exchange, the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies.Several other major exchanges have or had headquarters in the Wall Street area, including NASDAQ, the New York Mercantile Exchange, the New York Board of Trade, and the former American Stock Exchange.Anchored by Wall Street, New York City has been called the world's principal financial center.6.Hollywood:is a district in the central region of Los Angeles, California, in the United States.It is notable for its place as the home of the entertainment industry, including several of its historic studios.Its name has come to represent the motion picture industry of the United States.Hollywood is also a highly ethnically diverse, densely populated, economically diverse neighborhood and retail business district.Hollywood was a small community in 1870 and was incorporated as a municipality in 1903.It merged with the City of Los Angeles in 1910, and soon thereafter a film industry began to emerge, eventually becoming dominant in the world.7.Pilgrim Fathers: is a name commonly applied to early settlers of the Plymouth Colony in

present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States.Their leadership came from the religious congregations of Brownist English Dissenters who had fled the volatile political environment in England for the relative calm and tolerance of 16th–17th century Holland in the Netherlands.Concerned with losing their cultural identity, the group later arranged with English investors to establish a new colony in North America.8.Great Charter:Magna Carta(Latin for Great Charter), also called Magna Carta Libertatum or The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, is an Angevin charter originally issued in Latin in June 1215.It was sealed under oath by King John at Runnymede, on the bank of the River Thames near Windsor, England at June 15, 1215.Magna Carta was the first document forced onto a King of England by a group of his subjects, the feudal barons, in an attempt to limit his powers by law and protect their rights.Question:

Melting pot: is a metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements “melting together” into a harmonious whole with a common culture.It is particularly used to describe the assimilation of immigrants to the United States.The melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s.The exact term “melting pot” came into general usage in the United States after it was used as a metaphor describing a fusion of nationalities, cultures and ethnicities in the 1908 play of the same name.Separation of powers: Separation of Powers(三權分立)is the basic of thewestern capitalist countries.The origin of the principle of separation of powers can be traced back to(追溯到)the period of Aristotle(亞里士多德時期).It is proposed to avoid the abuse of power(濫用權力).The US Government is divided into three branches so that no one branch has all the power.Each branch has its own purpose:

Legislative Branch(立法機構)— to make laws;

Executive Branch(行政機構)—to executive laws;

Judicial Branch(司法)—interpret the laws;

Civil war(U.S.): was a civil war fought from 1861 to 1865, after seven Southern slave states declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America(the “Confederacy” or the “South”, which grew to include eleven states).The states that remained in the Union were known as the “Union” or the “North”.The war had its origin in the fractious issue of slavery, especially the extension of slavery into the western territories.Foreign powers did not intervene.After four years of bloody combat that left over 600,000 soldiers dead and destroyed much of the South's infrastructure, the Confederacy collapsed, slavery was abolished, and the difficult Reconstruction process of restoring national unity and guaranteeing civil rights to the freed slaves began.Presidential Election: is an indirect vote in which citizens cast ballots for a slate of members of the U.S.Electoral College;these electors in turn directly elect the President and Vice President.Presidential elections occur quadrennially(the count beginning with the year 1792)on Election Day, the Tuesday between November 2 and 8, coinciding with the general elections of various

other federal, states and local races.The most recent was the 2012 election, held on November 6.The next election will be the 2016 election, which will be held on November 8, 2016.British Newspaper culture: Traditionally, UK newspapers could be split into more serious-minded newspapers, usually referred to as the broadsheets due to their large size, and sometimes known collectively as “the quality press ”, and less serious newspapers, generally known as tabloids , and collectively as “the popular press”, which have tended to focus more on celebrity coverage and human interest stories rather than political reporting or overseas news.Democracy with a constitutional monarchy : Initially after the American and French revolutions, the question was open whether a democracy, in order to restrain unchecked majority rule, should have an élite upper chamber, the members perhaps appointed meritorious experts or having lifetime tenures, or should have a constitutional monarch with limited but real powers.Some countries(as The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavian countries, Thailand, Japan and Bhutan)turned powerful monarchs into constitutional monarchs with limited or, often gradually, merely symbolic roles.Often the monarchy was abolished along with the aristocratic system(as in France, China, Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Greece and Egypt).Many nations had élite upper houses of legislatures which often had lifetime tenure, but eventually these lost power(as in Britain)or else became elective and remained powerful.Industrial Revolution: was the transition to new manufacturing processes in the period from about 1760 to sometime between 1820 and 1840.This transition included going from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, improved efficiency of water power, the increasing use of steam power, and the development of machine tools.It also included the change from wood and other bio-fuels to coal.

第五篇：英美概況名詞解釋和大題

III.Explain the following terms.4.The Bill of Rights 《權利法案》

In 1789, James Madison introduced in the House of Representatives a series of amendments which later were drafted into twelve proposed amendments and sent to the states for ratification.Ten of them were ratified in 1791 and the first ten amendments to the constitution were called the Bills of Rights because they were to insure individual liberties.5.The Emancipation Proclamation 《奴隸解放宣言》

After the Civil war began, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation to win more support at home and abroad.It granted freedom to all slaves in areas still controlled by the Confederacy.6.The Constitutional Convention 《制憲會議》

In 1787, a conference was held in Philadelphia to consider what should be done to make the Articles of Confederation adequate.All the delegates agreed to revise the Articles of Confederation and draw up a new plan of government.After struggle, the Constitution was ratified at last.This conference is called the Constitutional Convention.7.The Truman Doctrine 《杜魯門主義》

On March 12, 1949, President Truman put forward the Truman Doctrine in a speech to the joint session of Congress.The Truman Doctrine meant to say that the U.S.government would support any country which said it was fighting against Communism.8.The Marshall Plan 《馬歇爾計劃》

On June 5, 1947, the Secretary of State George Marshall announced the Marshall Plan, which meant that in order to protect Western Europe from possible Soviet expansion, the United States decided to offer Western European countries economic aid.9.Checks and balances:

The government is divided into three branches, the legislative, the executive and the judicial, each has part of the powers but not all the power.And each branch of government can check, or block, the actions of the other branches.The three branches are thus in balance.This called “checks and balances”.10.The New Deal 《新政》

In order to deal with the Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt put forward the New Deal program.It passed a lot of New Deal laws and set up many efficient social security systems.The New Deal helped to save American democracy and the development of American economy.The Declaration of Independence: The Declaration of Independence was mainly drafted by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Congress on July 4, 1776, when the people of 13 English colonies in North America were fighting for their freedom and independence from the British colonial rule.The document declared that all men were equal and that they were entitled to have some unalienable rights such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.It also explained the philosophy of government: the powers of governments came from the consent of the governed and the purpose of governments were to secure the rights mentioned above.The theory of politics and the guiding principles of the American Revolution mainly came from John Locke.The Articles of Confederation 《聯邦條例》: After the War of Independence was won, the new nation of the United States was organized under the agreement of the Articles of Confederation with a weak national government called the Congress.Each state had its own government, made its own laws and handled its internal affairs.The states did not cooperate with the Congress and with each other.The Congress had no power to force any state to contribute money to the national government and the Congress could not tax any citizen either.As a result, the Articles of Confederation failed.The Civil Rights Movement: It is one of the most important of all social movements in the 1960s in America.Rosa Parks’ spontaneous action in 1955 was believed to be the true beginning of the civil right, s movement.The black students’ sit-in at a department lunch counter in North Carolina touched off the nationwide civil right movement.During the first half of the decade, civil rights organizations like SNCC, CORE, and SCLC struggled for racial integration by providing leadership, tactics, network and the people.In the later half of the decade, some black organizations changed their nonviolent tactics, and emphasized on more radical means to end discrimination and raised the self-image of the blacks.The civil rights movement produced such great leaders as Martin Luther King.Jr.,and Malcolm X, who inspired a generation of both blacks and whites to devote their lives to fighting for racial equality in the US.Jazz: Jazz is a music genre that began at the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States.It came from a mix of African and European music traditions.Technically, it is a kind of music characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, and improvisation.Though originally a kind of dance music, jazz has now become a sophisticated art form.Jazz's development occurred at around the same time as modern ragtime, blues, gospel and country music, all of which can be seen as part of continuum with no clear demarcation between them.Some of the jazz musicians include Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong.The cold war: By the end of WWII, the United States, which had not suffered as much as other allied countries, became the strongest country in the world.As the processor of atomic tombs and much of the world's gold reserve and industrial production in its hand, the policy-maker of the US wanted a world order dominated by the US, a world market free and open to American goods and services.In pursuing this goal, the US encountered determined resistance from the Soviet Union, Gradually the two wartime allies fell apart and the Cold War began.The melting pot: “The melting pot” is a metaphor that is associated with life in America.It first surfaced in the late 18th century, but gained new currency in the 20th century when in 1905 a popular play by that name was first produced by a Jewish playwright named Israel Zangwill.The melting pot metaphor implied that, in the New World, all differences would be melted away to form a radically new mixture.But it was wrongly embraced by the WASPs which remained dominant until around the middle of the 20th century.After World War Ⅱ,the Anglophile WASPs gradually lost their privileged position.With all these changes, the melting pot metaphor was doomed to lose its credibility because its anglophilic values no longer held for the majority of the American people.1.Why did the early settlers come to America? Who were the Pilgrims? Who were the Puritans? What were the features in the colonial period which had influence on later American development?

—— The early settlers came to America either for the opportunity to realize their dreams and better their lives or for the freedom from religious and governmental persecution.The Pilgrims were persons who suffered religious persecution in England and went to Holland and later moved to America in 1620.The Puritans were the members of a Protestant group in England who wanted to purify the Church of England.Dissatisfied and threatened in England, they saw America as a refuge and migrated to America since 1630.There were a number of features in the colonial period which had influence on later American development.They were: representative form of government, rule of law, respect of individual rights, religious tolerance and a strong spirit of individual enterprise.2.What were the causes of the War of Independence?

——The economy In the thirteen colonies developed very fast and people wanted more power to detemine their own business.But the policy of the British government was to bring the development under control and to collect more taxes from the colonies.On April 19, 1775, on their way to Concord to seize the military supplies of the militia there, the British soldiers met armed militiamen.The shots were fired, the War of Independence began.3.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.4.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.6.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.7.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.8.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..Write about 150 on the following topic.1.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.2.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.3.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.1.What are some of the major powers of each of the three branches of the US government? How are the three branches supposed to

check and balance each other?

The legislative branch can make federal laws, levy federal taxes, declare war or put foreign treaties into effect.The centre of the executive branch is the president.The president can propose legislation to Congress, can issue regulations and directives regarding the work of the federal government’s many departments and agencies, can veto bills passed by Congress, appoint federal judges, the heads and senior officials of the executive branch agencies as well as ambassadors and other officials.He also is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.The judicial branch applies and explains the laws.Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases arising out of the Constitution, laws and treaties of the US;maritime case;issues involving foreign citizens or governments;and cases in which the federal government itself is a party.The Supreme Court determines whether congressional legislation or executive action violates the Constitution.2.What is the relationship between government and religion in America?

(1)In the first place, according to the First Amendment to the Constitution, the USA would have no state-supported religion.What’s more, the government has no right to meddle in religious affairs or require any religious beliefs of its citizens.And government does not pay ministers’ salaries or require any belief as a condition of holding public office.(2)On the other hand, in some ways, the government supports all religions.Religious groups do not pay taxes in the United States.The armed forces pay chaplains of all faiths.Presidents and other political leaders often call on god to bless the American nation and people.Those whose religion forbids them to fight can perform other services instead of becoming soldiers.(3)When disputes about the relationship between government and religion arise, American courts must settle them.(4)In the early years, some people believe that Protestant religion and republican forms of government were connected, because God supports their experiment in republican government.All in all, for some purposes government ignores religion and for other purposes it treats al religion alike, as long as it is practical.