英美国家概况名词解释等

第一篇：英美国家概况名词解释等

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【联邦制】

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[错综复杂的]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【英联邦】

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：英美国家概况主观题

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.（谢福之P.20）

The Second Industrial Revolution（谢福之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：英美国家概况总结

英国概况 英格兰面积最大 苏格兰，爱丁堡为首府

威尔士，加的夫，Cardiff为首府 北爱尔兰，贝尔法斯特Belfast为首府

伦敦，UK首都，皇家法庭royal courts of justice 及圣保罗大教堂st paul’s cathedral在这里。威斯敏斯特westminster，伦敦市的一个行政区，也叫西敏寺，这里有议会houses of parliament，包含大钟楼big ben，白厅whitehall即英国政府，白金汉宫buckingham palace即英国皇宫，还有st james’ hall 圣詹姆斯宫。The great charter in 1215,1215年大宪章，亦称the great charter or Magna Charta,确保一些平民的政治权利与自由，保障教会不受国王的控制，改革了法律和司法，限制国王及王室官员的行为。

议会雏形，1265年，Simon de Montford 召集the Great Council在西敏寺开会，就是最早的议会，后来发展了House of Lords上议院，House of Commons下议院。

玫瑰战争和英国宗教改革：

Richard 三世和Henry Tudor都铎（duduo）打了玫瑰战争，都铎胜利，终成五代都铎王朝。

亨利八世进行宗教改革，想切断英国教会与罗马教皇的关系，使英国教会独立起来。宗教改革的真正进行是在亨利八世的儿子爱德华时期，新教是Protestant，即基督教，改革叫做“The Reformation”。伊丽莎白一世时期，伊丽莎白为女王统治英国，她是基督教徒，大力推行新教，从此英国都是信奉新教。

文艺复兴运动 The English Renaissance 文艺复兴是中世纪到现代的过渡时期，从1350-1650，有300年，从意大利发起，达芬奇等人为代表。在这段时期，罗马教会经历新教改革，人文主义兴起，海外探索（大航海时代？）。英国内战 The Civil Wars 是国王和议会间的战争，Norttingham King Charles和议会开战，国王军是Cavaliers(骑士)，议会军是Roundheads(圆颅党)，因为他们短发。查尔斯战败，克伦威尔Cromwell称王。英国内战又称清教徒革命，因为国王的反对者多是清教徒Puritan。清教徒是基督教新教中的一派。这场战争颠覆了英国的封建制度，甚至动摇了欧洲的封建制度，被认为是世界现代史的开端。王朝复辟 The Restoration 克伦威尔死后，儿子Richard 继位，但是统治失败，议会选择让上代国王流放法国的儿子King Charles 二世回归。

光荣革命 The Glorious Revolution 奥兰治王室（William of Orange橘子？英国的名字真搞笑），用一场不流血的政变夺了王室的权，William and Mary 共同接受了Bill of Right(1689)权利法案，英国“光荣革命”后巩固资产阶级与封建贵族联合专政、确立君主立宪政体的宪法性文件之一。君主立宪由此开始。辉格党和托利党（Whigs and Tories）

两党名称来自光荣革命，辉格党就是后来的Liberal party，托利党是Conservative party 宪章运动Chartist Movement 由于对改革法案《Reform Act》和新贫困法《New Poor Law》的不满，工人组织了伦敦工人联盟London Working Men’s Association，起草了人民宪章《People’s Charter》，想让议会通过但是失败，宪章运动是第一次全国性的工人运动。

工会和工党 Trade Unions and Labor Party 工人意识到联合的重要性，于是工会出现，Grand National Consolidated Trade Union成立，是全国的大公会，后来Trade Union Congress 开始。殖民扩张Colonial Expansion 自1583年开始，英国在新大陆Newfoundland开始殖民统治，1900日不落帝国形成，“on which the sun never set” 君主政体

英国是君主立宪制 constitutional monarchy, 元首head of state is king or queen。Head of the commonwealth 是女王，现在是伊丽莎白二世。议会组成

House of lords 上议院 house of commons 下议院 下议院最有权力 政党：工党Labor Party 和Conservative Party保守党，政党的领导人是总理 Tony Blair是有史以来最年轻的工党领导人，总理。

枢密院 the Privy Council，是国家执行力机构，chief source of executive power in the state,可追溯到King’s Council 司法特点：no single legal system, no complete code,法律的来源包括：statutes法令，大量的common law，equity law衡平法，european community law。二战后英国经济的发展

50s-60s稳定发展阶段，70s经济萧条，80s经济恢复：撒切尔夫人Mrs.Thatcher当选总理，推行中期财政计划Medium-term Financial Strategy 国教established chruches：在英国church of england，在苏格兰church of scotland 非国教 unestablished churches：英国圣公会anglican chruches，自由教free churches，天主教roman catholic church *************************************************************************** 美国概况

国旗：13条状红白相间，代表original的13个州，50颗星，代表50个州 1492年，哥伦布发现新大陆，Christopher Columbus.独立战争the war of independence 1774年，第一届大陆国会continental congress在费城philadelphia召开，呼吁抵制英国货

1775年，lexington（列克星敦）和concord（康科德）打仗独立战争开始。同年，第二届大陆会议在费城召开，乔治•华盛顿为领导人

1776年，汤玛斯•杰佛逊起草独立宣言

1783年，巴黎条约签署treaty of paris，英国承认美国独立。1812年战争，the war of 1812 美国和英国间的最后一场战争，对美国影响很深，人们意识到强大的政府的重要性，加强了统一感和爱国感

美国内战the civil war 1861-1865，打了四年，北方胜利，北方为联邦军union army，南方为邦联军confederate army。林肯有名的葛底斯堡演说gettysburg address“that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth” 1865年，第13修正案终结了奴隶制。经济发展

镀金时代gilded age，借自马克吐温的书名，指内战到20世纪初，工业发展

亨利福特henry ford大规模生产汽车，莱特兄弟wright brothers设计第一架飞机升天，都在这个时候 1920s的大萧条与新政the great depression and the new deal 1929年，大萧条开始，持续4年

罗斯福新政，Franklin D Roosevelt, the new deal 美国与二战

1941年，珍珠港被袭击，美国正式参战，核心国axis powers 北大西洋公约组织the founding of NATO 1949年，北大西洋条约签署，North Atlantic Treaty,任何对缔约国的攻击视为对所有缔约国的攻击。条约的生效标志着美国在苏联周围建立军事联盟的开端。苏联采取了类似的行动，建立了德国民主共和国set up the German Democratic Republic.至此，冷战全面开始。1950s民权运动the civil rights movement 罗莎•帕克Rosa Parks,一位黑人女性，阿拉巴马，她拒绝给白人让座，被捕。马丁路德金开始领导黑人抵制。1956年，最高法院宣布阿拉巴马州的segregation laws unconstitutional。越南战争the vietnam war1950-1975(打了25年，有够长的)为了实施对共产主义的牵制政策，the policy of containment of communism,美国与越南战争，结果这是美国有史以来最长的战争。1973年美国和北越南north vietnam签署停火协议，cease-fire agreement。简单来说，越南当时像朝鲜般南北分裂，南方是社会主义的，北方是当时的统治阶级，南方想要解放全国，统一南北。美国横插一脚，支持北方，搞了25年，最终还是南方的社会主义胜利，统一了全国。西贡Saigon是原来的首都，后来改名为胡志明市Ho Chi Minh City。因为越南战争，美国国力下降，社会分歧，形象下降。

水门事件（Watergate scandal，或译水门丑闻）是美国历史上最不光彩的政治丑闻之一，其对美国本国历史以及整个国际新闻界都有着长远的影响，在1972年的总统大选中，为了取得民主党内部竞选策略的情报，1972年6月17日，以美国共和党尼克松Nixon竞选班子的首席安全问题顾问詹姆斯•麦科德（James W.McCord, Jr.）为首的5人闯入位于华盛顿水门大厦的民主党全国委员会办公室，在安装窃听器并偷拍有关文件时，当场被捕。由于此事，尼克松于1974年8月8日宣布将于次日辞职，从而成为美国历史上首位辞职的总统。中美关系

1972年，Nixon总统访华，签署上海公报Shanghai Communique。1979年，中美建交。美国宪法起草于1789年，世界上最早的成文宪法。共有7个articles。Articla I，the Legislative Article立法

只有国会有权立法，two-chamber system，包括senate参议院，house of representatives众议院。参议院100人，每个州来两人，众议院基于每个州的人口比例设立席位。Article II，Executive Article执法 总统任期4年

Article III，Judicial Article 司法

Supreme Court是国家的最高法院，以下是联邦法院federal court，最高法院和联邦法院的法官是总统任命，法官是终身职位。唯有最高法院有权解释宪法。三权分立checks and balances 立法，执法，司法三权分立，legislative，executive，judicial，国会可立法，总统可否决，国会可通过三分之二选票再次通过，总统不可否决，但最高法院可以判定它违反宪法而否决它。宪法修正案provisions for amendment 前十条宪法修正案称为bill of rights权利和自由法案

*************************************************************************** 加拿大概况

首都：渥太华Ottawa, 最大省：魁北克Quebec 第一大城市：多伦多，2：蒙特利尔，3：温哥华，4：渥太华 世界最大渔业出口国 国家元首：伊丽莎白二世

总督：履行女王职务governor general，实际政府领导人：总理prime minister 立法：议会立法parliament，议会由两部分组成senate（总督任命）和house of commons（根据人口），和美国类似，法律要两院通过，最后总督签字。

政党：自由党liberal party和保守党progressive conservative party 澳大利亚概况： 首都：堪培拉Canberra 第一大城：悉尼，2：墨尔本 世界最大羊毛出口国

国家元首：英女王，和加拿大一样有总督和总理，联邦制国家 政党：工党（最大党）australian labour party和自由党liberal party，和英国不同，澳大利亚有成文宪法

议会参照英国，上议院senate（the upper house）和下议院house of representatives（the lower house）新西兰概况

首都：惠灵顿Wellington 第一大城：奥克兰Auckland 世界最大羔羊肉，羊肉和奶制品出口国，称为the world’s biggest farm 国家元首：英女王 政体：议会制君主立宪制

爱尔兰概况（注意不是北爱尔兰哦，不是英国的一部分呢）首都：都柏林dublin 国家元首：注意了是总统 专八人文知识

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.音位学;在语言或一门语言中，对有关其分类和模式以及为大家所默认的发音规则的研究音韵学,音系学

3.Syntax: The study of the rules whereby words or other elements of sentence structure are combined to form grammatical sentences.句法，研究词或其它句子成分如何联合起来形成合乎语法的句子规则的学科

4.Semantics: The study or science of meaning in language forms.语义学，以语言形式表示意思的研究或科学

5.acronym :首字母组合词，首字母缩略词，比如，NATO, UNESCO, BASIC,它们可以连拼，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.换喻或转喻，一种,一个词或词组被另一个与之有紧密联系的词或词组替换的修辞方法，如用华盛顿代替美==或用剑代替军事力量，对面来了三个“红领巾”也是，以红领巾指代少先队员。

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,一种修辞手法，把两种基本不相像的东西进行比较，通常在由 like或 as引导的短语中，如 “我的离开好象是冬天来临”或“你对我的思想就象食物对于生命一样重要”（莎士比亚）

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)隐喻一种语言表达手法，通常用指某物的词或词组来指代他物，从而暗示它们之间的相似之处，如 “忧愁之海”或“整个世界一台戏”(莎士比亚)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.矛盾修饰法,一种把互相矛盾或不调和的词合在一起的修辞手法，如在 震耳欲聋的沉默和悲伤的乐观

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.十四行诗体,一种由十四行组成的诗歌形式，通常有一种传统的押韵形式,莎士比亚用过此诗体。

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.俚语主要出现在非正式的、游戏性的话语中的一种语言，基本由存在时间很短的派生词和修辞构成，它们被故意地用来取代标准的词语以达到生动、幽默、无礼或其它效果 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，吸引人的词句广泛使用的或流行的用语，尤指用作集团或运动的口号的用语。

15.Jargon: The specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group.行话,一个行业、职业或类似的团体中使用的专业的或技术的语言.terminology 16.Platitude: A trite or banal remark or statement, especially one expressed as if it were original or significant.陈腔滥调,陈腐的或平庸的评论或陈述，尤指某人表述它时好象它是新颖的或有意义的

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.夸张法,一种比喻，使用夸张来强调或产生某种效果，比如在我能睡一年或这书有一吨重

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.象声词,词的构成或用法，例如 buzz或 nurmur模仿事物或行动的声音.19.hypotaxis:从属关系

20.parataxis:并列结构，指 短语或分句间不用连词，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.超验主义,一种文学和哲学运动，与拉尔夫•沃尔多•爱默生和玛格丽特•富勒有关，宣称存在一种理想的精神实体，超越于经验和科学之处，通过直觉得以把握

22.Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the Scarlet Letter.美国

23.Morphology: The study of the structure and form of words in language or a language, including inflection, derivation, and the formation of compounds.词法，词态学，形态音位学,语言或某一语言中对于单词的结构和形式的研究，包括词尾变化、派生和合成词的构成

24.affricate: A complex speech sound consisting of a stop consonant辅音 followed by a fricative摩擦;for example, the initial sounds of child and joy.塞擦音由闭塞音伴随着摩擦音而形成的复杂的语音；例如 child和 joy的第一个音Also called: affricative.25.Vanity Fair名利场 was written William Makepeace Thackray

26.Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon.Edwin Aldrin, Michael Collins 尼尔．阿姆斯特朗、埃德温．奥尔德林、迈克尔．柯林斯

27.The title of the national anthem国歌 of Canada is O Canada.此种类型题同学们可自己多找几个国家。

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.词源学

30.The dominant accent in the United States is General American.除纽约市、南方、新英格兰

31.John Lennon is a member of the band of Beatles披头士或甲壳虫乐队in the 1960s.32.In Gulliver’s Travels格列佛游记, Jonathan Swift describes the island of the Houyhnhnms as the world’s most perfect society.有理智和人性的马 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.词素,一种含有一个单词的有意义的语言单位，如-ed在单词 walked中，不能被划分为更小的有意义单位

35.The name of the famous stadium露天体育场 in the north of London is Wembley.36.Wimbledon温布尔登[英国英格兰东南部城市](位于伦敦附近,是著名的国际网球比赛地)

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

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（强制）.联合抵制,联合起来拒绝使用、购买或经销以示抗议、不满或作为强制的手段

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.种族隔离,强制实行种族的社会分离政策及实践，如在学校、居住和工业中，尤指在白人居多的社会中实行有色人种歧视的政策

40.Apartheid: An official policy of racial segregation practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites.种族隔离制,南非共和国实行的一种官方的种族隔离政策，包括在政治、法律和经济诸方面对非白色人种的歧视.41.Integration: The bringing of people of different racial or ethnic groups into unrestricted and equal association, as in society or an organization;desegregation.种族或宗教融合,在社会或组织中，使不同的种族或宗教派别的人处于无限制的平等的关系中；取消种族隔离

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,语言中最小的语音单位，如英语里 mat中的 m和 bat中的 b

46.polysemy:一词多义

47.patron saint：保护圣徒,守护神

48.Parentese:父母语

49.back formation:逆构词 脱落一词的词缀以构成新词 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.语素变体,语素的一种变体形式，如语音学的中之 s在 cats中，z在 dogs中，和 iz在 horses中，还有 en在 oxen中都是英语复数语素的语素变体.

第四篇：英语国家概况名词解释

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(三权分立)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(亚里士多德时期).It is proposed to avoid the abuse of power(滥用权力).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(立法机构)— to make laws;

Executive Branch(行政机构)—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：英美概况名词解释和大题

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

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 《奴隶解放宣言》

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 《制宪会议》

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 《杜鲁门主义》

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 《马歇尔计划》

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 《联邦条例》: 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.