英语国家社会与文化入门2名词解释

第一篇：英语国家社会与文化入门2名词解释

1.American Indians

American Indians , who were mistakenly called by Columbus, moved to the

Americas from Asia about 25 000 years ago.They developed their own aboriginal cultures and some of them such as the Aztecs, the Incas and the mayas were very advanced when Europeans arrived in the New World.But, as a result of European conquest, the Indian population was quickly reduced and their cultures were ruthlessly destroyed.2.the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was mainly drafted by Thomas Jefferson and was adopted by the Congresson 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 governments:the powers of governments came from the consent of the governed and the purpose of governmemts was to secure the rights mentioned above.The theory of politics and the guiding principles of the American Revolution mainly came from John Locke.3.Ggeorge Washington

George Washington was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic.He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the War of Independence against the British colonial rule and the first President of the United States.4.Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic He was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.5.Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic.He participated in writing the Declaration of Independence and making the U.S.Constitution.6.the Articles of Confederation

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 handle its internal affairs.The states did not cooperate with the Congress and with each other.The Congress had no power to force anystate to contribute money to the national government and the Congress could not tax any citizen either.As a ressult,the Articles of Confederation failed.7.the Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights consssists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791.The Bill of Rights was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble in public places, the right to own weapons and so on.8.Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney is an American inventor who invented the cotton gin, which made

removing the seeds from the bolls of cotton much easier.He also began manufacuring rifles with machinery, using interchanageable part.This contributed to the American system of mass

production.9.service industries

Service industries are industries that sell a service rather than make a product.Service industries range from banking to telecommunications to the provision of meals in restaurants.Aas more and more people are employed iin service industries in the US, it is sometimed said that the US has moved into a “post-industrial era “.10.stock

When starting or expanding business, corporations need to borrow money.They may issue stocks for people to buy.When people buy stock, they become part owner of the company.If the company makes a profit, they receive a share of it.Likewise, if the company loses money, the stockholders will not make a profit or the value of their shares will drop---they lose money.Therefore buying s tock is a risk.11.Mattin Luther Ling,Jr

Martin Luther King,Jr.,an Atlanta-born Baptist minister, was the leader of the

Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.To promote his philosophy of nonviolent protest against segregationand other kindds of social injustice, King organized a series of “marches”.King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.Due to his strong belief in nonviolent peaceful protest, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.He was assassinated in the city of Memphis in April 1968.12.Counter Culture

In the wake of the Free Speech Movement and the New Left appeared a

phenomenon that historians called the “counter culture.” The Counter Culture rejected capitalism andd other American principles.They had morals different from those taught by their parents.Some groups of youth tried to construct different ways of life.The counter culture exerted a great influence upon people’s attitudes toward social

mores,marriage,career,and success.13.Now:

With the publication of The Feminine Mystique in 1963,Betty Friedan became the chief spokesperson of the Women’s Liberation Movement.In her book,she compared the American family,or the American society as a whole,to a “comfortable concentration camp”,where women were discriminated against and oppressed.In 1996,she helped to found the national Organization for Women(NOW).A reform organization,NOW battle for “equal rights in parnership with men.14.white-collar crimes

White-collar crimes are those committed by higher income groups such as the

crimes of fraud,false advertising,corporate price fixing,bribery,embezzlement,industrial pollution,tax evasion and so on.Yet the statistics provided by the FBI tend to overrlook white-collar crimes.In fact,white-collarcrimes are often ignored by law enforcement agencies.Some sociologists aargue that the higher classes may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes.15.the abuse of power by government

People believe that public organizations in the United States sometimes work in concert to advance their own interests rather than those of the people.Government in America is widely distrusted for the lack of answerability.Americans were convinced that the Johnson and Nixon administrations were deliberately and systematically lying to the people in the war against Vietnam and in the Watergate scandal.The FBI and the CIA are responsible for thousands of illegal acts.All these acts show the abuse of power by government.16.Richard Nixon

Richard Buxib was the former President of the United states… Iin the early 1970s, he was involved in the Watergate scandal, for which he was forced to resign from the presidency.17.the Prairies

The prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba lie east of the Rockies.The prairies are flat and featureless and have a harsh continental climate.They are called the breadbasket of Canada becaussse the land is well-suited to farming, and wheat is one of the biggest agricultural crops in this area.The praairies are also rich in energy resources.18.central Canada

Central Canada, Ontario and Quebec, are the parts of the country that were first settled.They are the industrial heartland of the country and are also the most densely populated provincees.They have the largest cities like Toronto and Montreal.19.The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

The canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was introduced in 1982, expressed the idea thaat any ethnic, racial and religious groups which wanted to retain their cultural identity would be supported by the federal government.This promise was further strengthened and explained in the 1988 Multiculturalism Act.20.Structures of governmeent

Canada’s systerm of government is based on the British system of parliamentary democracy.Like Britain,Canada is a monarchy.The official head of state is the Queen, but she is represented by an official called a Governor General as she doesn’t live in Canada.Canada is a federation with ten provinces and two territories.The government of the country is referred to as “the federal government”,to distinguish it from the lower level government of each province.21.Immigration Act 1976

The Immigration Act 1976 encouraged Asian immigration, offering passports to those with capital and entrepreneurial skills.Would-be immigrants with more than $250 000(Cdn)to invest in businesses that will create jobs and wealth wer welcomed to settle in Canada.This created a new category of ”entrepreneurial immigrants”.22.The Canadian Mosaic

Canada is a nation of immigrants.When Canada is described as a mosaic, it

meaans that each if the immigrant groups do not have to throw off their oldd customs, languages and traditions, because there is no particular concept of an overarching

Canadian identity..This resembles a mosaic of different cultures which overlap but do not overwhelm each other.23.“the First Nnations”

The First Nations are the native tribes of aboriginal people who lived in Canada before the European explorers settled.They were officially referred to as “the First

Nations”because they are the original inhabitants of the country, and because there is not one single group or culture----there are many”nations”,or tribes, which have different languages,customs and beliefs.24.migrant workers

Many big farms hire temporary workers only for a specific chore---such as picking crops.Many of these seasonal workers travel from farm to farm,staying only until the cropss are picked…They are known as migrant workers.25.Samuel Slater

In 1793,Samuel Slater built the first factory in the United States---a cotton cloth factory in Pawtuckket,Rhode Island.He built the factory from memory, because it was a crime to carry factory plant out of England.The success of his factory started a process of

change that turned the northeastern region of the United States into an important manufacturing center and helped the nation become a major cotton producer.

第二篇：英语国家社会与文化入门

英语国家社会与文化入门

节日

 蒙特利尔爵士音乐节

世界上最有名的国际爵士音乐节之一。1978年加拿大一名狂热的音乐爱好者Alain Simard基于“把全美国最好的爵士音乐家齐聚蒙特利尔”的梦想，向政府提交了申请书，但直到1980年，第一届蒙特利尔爵士音乐节才在各方的资助下正式拉开了帷幕。开办20 多年来，蒙特利尔爵士音乐节已经逐步超脱了音乐演出的单纯意义，成为一个音乐交流的巨大舞台和加拿大最具影响力的国家盛事之一。进入21世纪以后，每年的蒙特利尔爵士音乐节都会邀请两千位著名乐手为乐迷们献上异彩纷呈的音乐大餐，更会吸引超过150万的参观者慕名而来。2011年，蒙特利尔爵士音乐节被评为加拿大魁北克最重要的十五件大事之一，更被《Jazztime Magazine》的读者选为“最好的爵士音乐节”。

每年的蒙特利尔爵士音乐节是一场音乐盛会，音乐爱好者们可以尽情享受艺术家们带来的听觉震撼。

 堪培拉气球节

每年4月历时2周的热气球节（Canberra Balloon Fiesta）吸引了世界各地的热气球爱好者。全世界的热气球掌舵手和队员们都来到堪培拉参加这一盛事。

热气球从旧国会大厦的前院出发后集中在以堪培拉标志性景点作为背景的指定区域。这些姿态优雅的大家伙慢慢膨胀为形状各异，大小不同冰代表各个国家的巨型气球漂浮在黎明的天空中，你的眼前将是一个五彩缤纷，热闹非凡，充满激情的美丽世界。

 感恩节

每年11月的第四个星期四是感恩节（Thanksgiving Day）.感恩节是美国人民独创的一个古老节日，也是美国合家欢聚的节日，因此美国人提起感恩节总是倍感亲切。感恩节的由来要一直追溯到美国历史的发端。美洲大陆上的移民在当地心

地善良的印第安人的热心帮助下，度过了极寒交迫的冬天，印第安人传授农作技术与经验，送去生活必需品，移民们欢庆丰收的日子，按照宗教传统习俗，移民规定了感谢上帝的日子，并决定为感谢印第安人的真诚帮助，邀请他们一同庆祝节日。1983年，美国总统林肯宣布每年十一月的第四个星期日为感恩节。

如今感恩节文化传播全球，中国人民也喜欢在感恩节前后对亲朋好友送去真诚衷心的感谢，因为中国文化中也有滴水之恩涌泉相报的传统。

文字

中国汉字历史悠久，博大精深，作为世界上最著名的象形文字，汉字随着华夏文明的繁衍发展而源远流长。汉字不同于世界上任何一种文字，汉字的发展历经了几千年的演变，表现形式多种多样，表达意义精彩纷呈。中国作为世界四大文明古国之一，是世界上唯一没有中断过的古老文明，因而汉字也是延续不断的发展演变，汉字文化也是中华文化中不可或缺的一部分。

汉字较世界上其他字母文字有着独特神秘的魅力，汉字是世界上唯一一种可以以艺术形式表现的文字，书法在汉字表达中有着无与伦比的艺术感，并且汉字书法种类繁多，样式精彩，派别众多。从秦始皇的小篆到汉赋的隶书，再到唐诗宋词的楷书，元曲中的行书，草书，狂草等等，更涌现出王羲之，柳公权，颜真卿等名流千古的书法家。历史上的每一个封建王朝都有着主流的汉字书法，也有着主流的汉字文学表达形式，春秋战国的散文，楚辞汉赋，唐诗宋词元曲，明清小说等，再到现代民主社会的百花齐放，百鸟争鸣，汉字文学艺术一直在传承与发展，从未间断。

中华民族历经无数艰难险阻，无数天灾磨难，依旧顽强不屈地伫立世界的东方，其中汉字功不可没。方方正正的汉字，中华儿女正直勇敢，正因为汉字给予了无穷的归属感和凝聚力，中华儿女在面对困难时可以团结一致万众一心克服磨难战胜困难，展现出中华民族强大的凝聚力。

汉字有着独特的魅力，汉语又是世界上最难学习的语言。汉字表达细腻，情感丰富，是世界上其他文字无法比拟的。用其他任何语言翻译汉语，都无法表现出汉语的无穷魅力，这也是中国人还没有获得过诺贝尔文学奖的重要原因。汉字，像中国那么美，无与伦比！

第三篇：英语国家社会与文化入门(II)

英语国家社会与文化入门（II）

名词解释题

1.American Indians

American Indians , who were mistakenly called by Columbus, moved to the Americas from Asia about 25 000 years ago.They developed their own aboriginal cultures and some of them such as the Aztecs, the Incas and the mayas were very advanced when Europeans arrived in the New World.But, as a result of European conquest, the Indian population was quickly reduced and their cultures were ruthlessly destroyed.2.the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was mainly drafted by Thomas Jefferson and was 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 governments:the powers of governments came from the consent of the governed and the purpose of governmemts was to secure the rights mentioned above.The theory of politics and the guiding principles of the American Revolution mainly came from John Locke.3.Ggeorge Washington

George Washington was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic.He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army in the War of Independence against the British colonial rule and the first President of the United States.4.Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic He was the chief author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.5.Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the American Republic.He participated in writing the Declaration of Independence and making the U.S.Constitution.6.the Articles of Confederation

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 handle its internal affairs.The states did not cooperate with the Congress and with each other.The Congress had no power to force anystate to contribute money to the national government and the Congress could not tax any citizen either.As a ressult,the Articles of Confederation failed.7.the Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights consssists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791.The Bill of Rights was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble in public places, the right to own weapons and so on.8.Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney is an American inventor who invented the cotton gin, which made removing the seeds from the bolls of cotton much easier.He also began manufacuring rifles with machinery, using interchanageable part.This contributed to the American system of mass

production.9.service industries

Service industries are industries that sell a service rather than make a product.Service industries range from

banking to telecommunications to the provision of meals in restaurants.Aas more and more people are employed iin service industries in the US, it is sometimed said that the US has moved into a “post-industrial era “.10.stock

When starting or expanding business, corporations need to borrow money.They may issue stocks for people to buy.When people buy stock, they become part owner of the company.If the company makes a profit, they receive a share of it.Likewise, if the company loses money, the stockholders will not make a profit or the value of their shares will drop---they lose money.Therefore buying s tock is a risk.11.Mattin Luther Ling,Jr

Martin Luther King,Jr.,an Atlanta-born Baptist minister, was the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movement of the 1960s.To promote his philosophy of nonviolent protest against segregationand other kindds of social injustice, King organized a series of “marches”.King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.Due to his strong belief in nonviolent peaceful protest, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.He was assassinated in the city of Memphis in April 1968.12.Counter Culture

In the wake of the Free Speech Movement and the New Left appeared a phenomenon that historians called the “counter culture.” The Counter Culture rejected capitalism andd other American principles.They had morals different from those taught by their parents.Some groups of youth tried to construct different ways of life.The counter culture exerted a great influence upon people’s attitudes toward social mores,marriage,career,and success.13.Now:

With the publication of The Feminine Mystique in 1963,Betty Friedan became the chief spokesperson of the Women’s Liberation Movement.In her book,she compared the American family,or the American society as a whole,to a “comfortable concentration camp”,where women were discriminated against and oppressed.In 1996,she helped to found the national Organization for Women(NOW).A reform organization,NOW battle for “equal rights in parnership with men.14.white-collar crimes

White-collar crimes are those committed by higher income groups such as the crimes of fraud,false advertising,corporate price fixing,bribery,embezzlement,industrial pollution,tax evasion and so on.Yet the statistics provided by the FBI tend to overrlook white-collar crimes.In fact,white-collarcrimes are often ignored by law enforcement agencies.Some sociologists aargue that the higher classes may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes.15.the abuse of power by government

People believe that public organizations in the United States sometimes work in concert to advance their own interests rather than those of the people.Government in America is widely distrusted for the lack of answerability.Americans were convinced that the Johnson and Nixon administrations were deliberately and systematically lying to the people in the war against Vietnam and in the Watergate scandal.The FBI and the CIA are responsible for thousands of illegal acts.All these acts show the abuse of power by government.16.Richard Nixon

Richard Buxib was the former President of the United states„ Iin the early 1970s, he was involved in the Watergate scandal, for which he was forced to resign from the presidency.17.the Prairies

The prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba lie east of the Rockies.The prairies are flat and featureless and have a harsh continental climate.They are called the breadbasket of Canada becaussse the land is well-suited to farming, and wheat is one of the biggest agricultural crops in this area.The praairies are also rich in energy resources.18.central Canada

Central Canada, Ontario and Quebec, are the parts of the country that were first settled.They are the industrial heartland of the country and are also the most densely populated provincees.They have the largest cities like Toronto and Montreal.19.The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

The canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which was introduced in 1982, expressed the idea thaat any ethnic, racial and religious groups which wanted to retain their cultural identity would be supported by the federal government.This promise was further strengthened and explained in the 1988 Multiculturalism Act.20.Structures of governmeent

Canada’s systerm of government is based on the British system of parliamentary democracy.Like Britain,Canada is a monarchy.The official head of state is the Queen, but she is represented by an official called a Governor General as she doesn’t live in Canada.Canada is a federation with ten provinces and two territories.The government of the country is referred to as “the federal government”,to distinguish it from the lower level government of each province.21.Immigration Act 1976

The Immigration Act 1976 encouraged Asian immigration, offering passports to those with capital and entrepreneurial skills.Would-be immigrants with more than $250 000(Cdn)to invest in businesses that will create jobs and wealth wer welcomed to settle in Canada.This created a new category of ”entrepreneurial immigrants”.22.The Canadian Mosaic

Canada is a nation of immigrants.When Canada is described as a mosaic, it meaans that each if the immigrant groups do not have to throw off their oldd customs, languages and traditions, because there is no particular concept of an overarching Canadian identity..This resembles a mosaic of different cultures which overlap but do not overwhelm each other.23.“the First Nnations”

The First Nations are the native tribes of aboriginal people who lived in Canada before the European explorers settled.They were officially referred to as “the First Nations”because they are the original inhabitants of the country, and because there is not one single group or culture----there are many”nations”,or tribes, which have different languages,customs and beliefs.24.migrant workers

Many big farms hire temporary workers only for a specific chore---such as picking crops.Many of these seasonal workers travel from farm to farm,staying only until the cropss are picked„They are known as migrant workers.25.Samuel Slater

In 1793,Samuel Slater built the first factory in the United States---a cotton cloth factory in Pawtuckket,Rhode Island.He built the factory from memory, because it was a crime to carry factory plant out of England.The success of his factory started a process of change that turned the northeastern region of the United States into an important manufacturing center and helped the nation become a major cotton producer.

第四篇：英语国家社会与文化入门名词解释下册3到11单元

Unit 3

1.The first english settlement: was founded in1607in virginia, and it was organized by the London Company with a charter from the English king James I.2.Puritanism: in the 16th and 17th cent., a movement for reform in the Church of England that had a profound influence on the social, political, ethical, and theological ideas of England and America.3.The declaration of independence: written by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, proclaimed the independence of 13 North American colonies.4.George Washington: is the first president of the United states, from 1759 to the outbreak of the American Revolution, he managed his lands around Mount Vernon.5..Benjamin Franklin: was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America.he is credited as being foundational to the roots of American values and character.Unit 4

The Articles of Confederation: After the War 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.A federal system: It is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to each.The making of the U.S Constitution: The Articles of Confederation failed.The Congress decided to hold a constitutional convention to revise the Articles of Confederation.The delegates from 12 states(Rhode Island refused to participated)gathered in Philadelphia in 1787 and end up in writing a new constitution and set a federal system with a strong central government.The Constitution provided that an election of the president would be called for, federal laws would be made only by a Congress made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate and a Supreme Court would be set up.This new Constitution was finally approved by the majority of the citizens in over 9 of the 13 states and was officially put into effect in 1787.The executive: The chief executive is the president, who is elected to a four year term.A president can be elected to only two terms according to an amendment passed in 1951.The president can propose legislation to Congress.He can veto any bill passed by Congress.The veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both houses.The president can appoint federal judges as vacancies occur.He is the commander in chief of the armed forces.The president has other broad authorities in running the government departments and handling foreign relations.The bill of rights: It consists of the first 10 amendments which were added to the Constitution in 1791.It was passed to guarantee freedom and individual rights such as freedom of speech, the right to assemble in public places, the right to own weapons and so on.Homeland security is short for the United States Department of Homeland Security(abbreviated as DHS).It is found on March 1,2003, and is a Cabinet department of the United States federal government with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the US from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters.With more than 200, 000 employees, DHS is the third largest Cabinet department, after the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.Other agencies with significant homeland security responsibilities include the Department of Health and Human

Services, and Energy.Unit 5

1.Eli Whitney: made cotton production more efficient by inventing the cotton gin, which rapidly removed the seeds from the bolls of cotton.2.Samuel Slater: built a cotton cloth factory, which started a process of chang that turned the northeastern region of the United States into an important manufacturing center.3.Industrial revolution In England, especially machinery run by water power and later by steam power was used to manufacture cloth, this changed the ways that people worked.4.Corporation:In the early years of the United States , banks were one of the few businesses organized in the form of corporations, the creation survived the death of its founder of founders.5.Service industries: industries that sell a service rather than make a product , and now dominate the economy.6.Agribusiness: has been coined to reflect the large-scale nature of agricultural enterprise in the modern US economy.7.Stock:very early, people in the United States saw that they could make money by lending it tothose who wanted to start or to extend a business.That led to a creation of an important part of the current economic scene.8.Migrant workers: on large farms ,many of the workers are hired only for a specific chore, many of these seasonal workers travel form farm to farm, staying only until the crops are picked.Unit 6

1.Religious liberty in the US: the great awakening of the 1740s, a “revival” movement which sought to breathe new feeling and strength into religion, cut across the lines of protestant religious group.2.The baptists in the US: are the largest protestant group.They believe in adult baptism by immersion, symbolizing a mature and responsible conversion experience.3.Catholic in the US :the largest single religious group , about one-quarter of all Americans are of the Roman Catholic faith, and the majority of them are descendants of immigrants from Ireland.4.Three faiths: by the 1950s, it had developed, Americans were considered to come in three basic varieties: Protestant, Catholic and Jewish,the order reflecting the strength in numbers of each group.5.Religious diversity:since the US has always been a fertile ground for the growth of new religious movements, many religious communities and secular utopias in new forms of social living were founded in 18th and 18th century American.unit 7Transcendentalists In his book Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson(1803-1882)claimed that by studying and responding to nature individuals could reach a higher spiritual state without formal religion..A circle of intellectuals who were discontented with the New England establishment gathered around Emerson.They accepted Emerson’s theories about spiritual transcendence.They are known as Transcendentalists.The Scarlet Letter 红字 was published in 1850.Set in the Puritan past, this masterpiece is the stark drama of a woman harshly cast out from her community for committing the sin of adultery.In this novel, Hawthorne explored certain moral themes such as guilt, pride and emotional

repression.3 Leaves of Grass was American poet Walt Witman’s masterpiece.Through

the poems, Witman praised the ideas of equality and democracy and

celebrated the dignity, self-reliant spirit and the joy of the common

man.Unit 8

1.Elementary school: it usually means grades kindergarten(K)through 8, but in some places, the elementary school includes only grades K to 6

2.Higher education: the system of higher education in the US is complex, it comprises four categories of institutions:1 the university 2 the four-year undergraduate institution 3 the technical training institution 4 the two-year or community college.3.ACT: in 1944, congress passed the servicemen' s readjustment ACT, it promised financial aid, including aid for higher education , to member of the armed forces after the end of World War 2.4.affirmative action programs: by the end of 1960s, some colleges introduced special plans and programs to equalize educational opportunities, some of these plans were called“..”.Their goal was to make up for past inequality by giving special reference to members of minorities seeking jobs or admission to college.Unit 9The Greensboro sit-in was an instrumental action, leading to increased national sentiment at a crucial period in US history.It was a series of nonviolent protests in 1960 which led to the Woolworth's department store chain reversing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States.The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980.it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance.3.The Montgomery Bus Boycott, a campaign lasted from December 1, 1955, when Rosa Parks, an African American woman, was arrested for refusing to surrender her seat to a white person, to December 20, 1956, when a federal ruling, Browder v.Gayle, took effect, and led to a United States Supreme Court decision that declared the Alabama and Montgomery laws requiring segregated buses to be unconstitutional..Martin Luther King, Jr.(January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement.[1] He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.[2] King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism.[3]Counterculture: Counterculture was a movement of revolt against the moral values, the aesthetic standards, the personal behavior and the social relations of conventional society.Unit 10

1.the black “underclass”:some blacks have been left behind, and urban ghettos now contain a permanently impoverished “underclass” of habitually unemployed or underemployed black people.2.Poverty as a social problem: it means greater susceptibility to disease , to alcoholism, to victimization by criminals, and to mental disorders.Poverty can mean low self-esteem, despair,and stunting of human potential.poverty raises some serious moral problems and inevitably creates fierce conflicts of interest and many political controversies.3.Socially stratified American society: it is divided into social classes that have varying degrees of access to the rewards the society offers.4.Drug abuse as a social problem: it is in the US has come to be regarder as one of the most challenging social problems facing the nation.the “drug problem” is perceived by most Americans as a major threat to our society, particularly to its younger members.5.White-collar crimes: they are affected by police reporting practices and have to be viewed against the fact that many crimes are unreported.since higher-income classes are far more involved in white-collar crime, the higher classes may actually have a higher rate of crime than the lower classes.6.The abuse of power by government: it has been apparent that the major organizations in American society sometimes work in concert to advance their own interests rather than those of the people.The lack of public answerability of these organizations has become a major social problem.,7.The power by corporations:they argue for legislation to serve their own ends, influence the appointment of officials, block reforms they consider undesirable.8.Richard Nixon: he was marked by a well-founded public belief that his administrations were deliberately and systematically lying to the people.He was pardoned by his successor and escaped accountability for his acts in office.

第五篇：英语国家社会与文化复习

术语翻译

维多利亚女王 Queen Victoria 伊丽莎白女王 Queen Elizabeth 迪斯尼乐园 Disneyland 天佑女王 God Save the Queen 君主立宪制 constitutional monarchy 星条旗 The Star-Spangled Banner 英国上议院 House of lords 英国下议院 House of commons 美国参议院 US House of Representatives 美国众议院 US Senate 嘉德勋章 The Most Noble Order of the Garter 印度之星勋章 The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India 执政党 Ruling party 反对党 Opposition Party 影子内阁 Shadow Cabinet 国务卿 Secretary of State 唐宁街 Downing Street 唐人街 Chinatown 圣帕特里克 St.Patrick's Day 圣乔治 St George’s Day 沙夫茨伯里大街 Shaftesbury avenue 圣安德鲁 St Andrews 自由女神 Statue of Liberty 英国首相 Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service 西敏寺 Westminster Abbey 圣米迦勒 Michaelis 天主教 Catholic Church 东正教 Orthodox Church 清教 Puritan 新教 Protestantism 杜莎夫人蜡像馆 Madame Tussaud's 圣公会 Anglican Church 华尔街 Wall Street 百老汇 Broadway 帝国大街 Britannia Street 帝国大厦 The Empire state building 伦敦电影节:London Film Festival ABC：American Broadcasting Company（美国广播公司）VOA：Voice of America（美国之音）

CNN：Cable News Network（美国有线电视新闻网）英国首相：David William Donald Cameron（戴维·卡梅伦）

副首相：Nick Clegg（尼克・克莱格）美国总统：贝拉克·奥巴马（Barack Obama）美国副总统：约瑟夫·拜登（Joseph Robinette）

澳大利亚 英国女王伊丽莎白二世（Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II）总理：托尼·阿博特（Tony Abbott）

加拿大：英国女王伊丽莎白二世（Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II）加拿大总理：史蒂芬·哈珀（Stephen Harper）英国外交大臣：威廉·黑格（William Hague）

美国外交部长及国务卿：约翰·福布斯·克里（John Forbes Kerry）澳大利亚外交部长:Julie Bishop(朱莉·毕晓普)

加拿大现任外交官：罗伯特·道格拉斯·尼克尔森（Robert Douglas Nicholson）

英美单词拼写差异：

1,英语单词中不发音的词尾-me,-ue在美语拼写中被删除.英语拼法 美语拼法

公斤 kilogramme——kilogram 方案 programme——program 目录 catalogue——catalog 序言 prologue——prolog 类似的 analogue——analog 2,英语中的以-our结尾的单词,在美语中删去了不发音的字母u.英语拼法 美语拼法

举止、行为 behaviour——behavior 特别喜爱的 favourite——favorite 荣誉 honour——onor 幽默 humour——humor

3,英语中以-re结尾,读音为/e/的单词,在美语中改为-er结尾,读音不变.英语拼法 美语拼法 中心 centre——center 公尺 metre——meter 升 litre——liter

纤维 fibre——fiber 剧场 theatre——theater

颜色 colour——color 风味 flavour——flavor 劳动 labour——labor

对话 dialogue——dialog 独白 monologue——monolog 4,英语中某些以-ence为结尾的单词,在美语中改为-ense结尾,读音仍为/ns/.英语拼法 美语拼法 防御 defence——defense 执照 licence——license

犯法行为 offence——offense 托词 pretence——pretense 5英语中一些以－ise为结尾的单词，在美语中改为－ize结尾，读音仍这/z/.英语拼法 美语拼法

组织 organise——organize，actualise——actualize 实现 realise——realize

创作 improvise ——improvize 现代化 modernise——modern ize 专攻 Specialise——specialize 受欢迎 Popularise——popularize 6一些以l结尾的单词变形时，美式不双写l;英式双写l 旅游 travelling——traveling 英国大学四种种类：

1、Ancient university

Red brick university

2、New university

3、Modern university

4、Open university 英国中学的四种种类：

私立学校（independent school）普通中学（comprehensive school）文法学校（grammar school）学院制中学（academy）三位一体教义：

the union of three persons(Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)in one Godhead, or the threefold personality of the one Divine Being.星座：

白羊座----Aries 金牛座-----Taurus 双子座-----Gemini

巨蟹座----Cancer 狮子座----Leo

处女座----Virgo

天秤座-----Libra

天蝎座----Scorpio 射手座----Sagittarius 山羊座----Capricorn 水瓶座-----Aquarius

吵架 quarrelling——quarreling 双鱼座------Pisces 生肖：

1.Rat 鼠 2.Ox 牛 3.Tiger 虎

4.Rabbit 兔

5.Dragon 龙 6.Serpent 蛇 7.Horse 马 8.Goat 羊 9.Monkey 猴 10.Rooster 鸡 11.Dog 狗 12.Swine 猪

希腊罗马诸神：

宙斯(Zeus)天神

赫拉(Hera)天后

雅典娜(Athena)智慧女神，女战神 阿波罗(Apollo)太阳神

潘(Pan)山林之神

维纳斯(Venus）萨坦 Saturn 丘比特(Cupid)美国两大新闻社：

美国联合通讯社 The Associated Press(AP)合众国际社

United Press-International(UPI)两大财团：

摩根财团(Morgan Financial Group)第一花旗银行财团First Nation city bank Financial Group 两大航空公司：

美国航空(American Airlines)美国联合航空公司（United Airlines）

1.贵族头衔

公爵：duke

候爵：Marquis

伯爵：earl

子爵：viscount 男爵：baron 2.祝酒词

Bottoms up 干杯！

Prosit 祝妳健康！祝妳成功！

Bon appetite 喫好！Sainte 干杯！

Down the hatch!干杯！3.英语期刊种类

Sorts of periodicals 各种各样的期刊

Commercial periodicals 商业期刊 Catchall periodicals

包罗万象的期刊Technical periodicals

科技期刊

Special periodicals

专业期刊

Entertaining periodicals

娱乐性期刊 4.莎士比亚作品

Hamlet 哈姆雷特

Romeo and Juliet罗密欧与朱丽叶

As You Like It 皆大欢喜

Much Ado about Nothing无事生非 The Taming of the Shrew驯悍记 5.狄更斯作品

《荒凉山庄》 Bleak House

《艰难时世》

Hard Times

《小杜丽》 Little Dorrit 《美国纪行》American Notes 《圣诞颂歌》A Christmas Carol 6.海明威作品

《老人与海》The Old Man and the Sea 《岛在湾流中》Islands in the Stream 《伊甸园》The Garden of Eden 《曙光示真》True At First Light 《在我们的时代里》In Our Time 7.英国酒吧的种类

Public bar or pub 大众酒吧

Saloon bar 雅座酒吧 private bar 私人酒吧

lounge bar 高級酒吧 Beer garden 啤酒花園 8.剧院的种类（3种）1.State--owned theatres : Opera House National Theatre 2.Commercial theatres : Theatre Piccadilly Theatre Theatre 3．Experimental theatres

4.2英国美国电影分级：

美国

G级：General Audiences: All ages admitted PG级(Parental Guidance Suggested: Some material may not be suitable for children.R级 Restricted: Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian 英国

U级 General Audiences: All ages admitted PG"级 Parental Guidance UC级 Especially suitable for children to watch 12级 Suitable for more than 12 years old or adult 15级 Suitable for more than 15 years old or adult 18级 Suitable for more than 18 years old or adult

4.3 七宗罪：

傲慢（Pride），嫉妒（Envy），暴怒（Wrath），懒惰（Sloth），贪婪（Greed），饕餮（Gluttony），以及贪欲（Lust）

Pride is the feeling that they have that they are better or more important than other people.Envy is the feeling you have when you wish you could have the same thing or quality that someone else has.Wrath is strong fierce anger especially based on the desire to punish sb for harm done to oneself.Sloth is laziness, especially with regard to work.Greed is the desire to have more of something, such as food or money, than is necessary or fair.Gluttony is the act or habit of eating too much and being greedy.Lust is a feeling of strong sexual desire for someone.4.4．美国主要政党

1.Republican Party（共和党）

Alexander Hamilton Secretary of the Treasury Federalists Federal Party The Whigs Grand Old Party 2.Democratic Party（民主党）

Thomas Jefferson Secretary of State Anti--Federalist

Democratic –Republican Party

4.5--英国的桂冠诗人：

本·琼森（Ben Jonson）1619—1637

威廉·达韦南特（Sir William D'Avenant）1638—？ 约翰·德莱顿（John Dryden）1668—1689 托马斯·沙德韦尔（Thomas Shadwell）1689—1692 内厄姆·泰特（Nahum Tate）1692—1715 尼古拉斯·罗（Nicholas Rowe）1715—1718 劳伦斯·尤斯登（Laurence Eusden）1718—1730 科利·西伯（Colley Cibber）1730—1757 威廉·怀特黑德（William Whitehead）1757—1785 托马斯·沃顿，(Thomas Warton)1785—1790 亨利·詹姆斯·派伊（Henry James Pye）1790—1813 罗伯特·骚塞，(Robert Southey)1813—1843 威廉·华兹华斯，(William Wordsworth)1843—1850 阿尔弗雷德·丁尼生，(Alfred Tennyson)1850—1892(丁尼生死后，4年没有选定桂冠诗人)阿尔弗雷德·奥斯丁（Alfred Austin）1896—1913 罗伯特·布里吉斯（Robert Bridges）1913—1930 约翰·梅斯菲尔德（John Masefield）1930—1967 塞西尔·戴·刘易斯（Cecil Day Lewis）1968—1972 约翰·贝杰曼（John Betjeman）1972—1984 泰德·休斯（Ted Hughes）1984—1998 安德鲁·姆辛（Andrew Motion）1999—2009 卡罗尔·安·达菲（Carol Ann Duffy）2009年5月被任命为桂冠诗人，任期为十年。达菲也是英国首位女性桂冠诗人。

5.1中西礼仪的理解

The etiquette becomes more and more important in modern daily life.Etiquette is the process and means to show respect to each other in interpersonal relationship by certain, common procedures.Etiquette also can be said to be a person‟s external appearance of inward cultivation and quality.People take it as a standard to balance a person‟s self-cultivation.There are a lot of differences in the habit of conducts and the ceremony, especially between China and the West.The jokes and the mistakes caused by misunderstanding are not unusual.this shows that the understanding of different etiquette between Chinese and the westerners is absolutely necessary.Along with the constant development of Chinese culture and the western culture, Chinese ritual and the western ritual are fusions.the westerners have accepted the reasonable factors in Chinese culture and other important feelings.Chinese people have gradually accepted the advanced civilization of the western culture and etiquette style.The difference between Chinese etiquette and the western etiquette.There are three main differences between Chinese etiquette and the Western etiquette.The first one is different origins of Chinese etiquette and the Western etiquette.In China, etiquette is equal to courtesy and ceremony.In the West, the word „etiquette‟ used to mean “keep your feet away from the grass”.The second one is the differences of cultural backgrounds.The third one is the differences of educations.5.2中西方餐饮文化的理解

The differences between the Chinese and Western dietary culture are derived from the difference in their ways of thinking and philosophy of life.Because of the differences between Chinese and western cultural traditions, the Chinese and western dietary cultures are different in concept, pattern, and nature.We study these differences and then find out the points that can be digested.First, the Chinese and western diet have the differences that cannot be ignored in concepts.Nobody will deny that the Western diet is a rational concept, regardless of the color of food, incense, flavor and shape, but nutrition must be assured.It cares about the intake of calories, vitamins, protein and so on during a day.The Chinese and Western dietary patterns can be very different, and these differences affect the national character.In China, a celebration, no matter what, there will be only one form, as sitting together, sharing one feast.Banquet uses round table, which has created a unity of form, which is courtesy, comity atmosphere.Differences in the nature of the Chinese and western diet are inosculated with the respective lifestyle and the pace of life.The impact brought about by economic globalization is stronger and deeper than the internationalization.Chinese and Western food culture‟s collision and exchange have largely promoted the progress and development of human society to some degree , making the dietary culture become an important part of world culture.By the analysis of the differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures, we can comprehend the respective cultural traditions of China and the west.And we can also improve and create the culture of China.5.3英美文化差异：（英国和美国是同一语言分离的两个国家）Difference between British and American Culture Two countries divided by a common language: the use of English & shared history makes people think the two are close, but there are a lot of very real cultural differences.Britain is a traditional European country with long historical tradition continuity, The British tends to be conservative, and behaves like a gentleman.However, The United States is a nation of immigrants, is a young country.So, the Americans dare to innovate and stress emphasis on personal value.British English is conservative and rigorous.The way of spelling in American English is more concise and practical than that in British English, they would ignore the letter in writing if the letter was not pronounced, which makes words short and easy to spell.At table, the British people pays special attention to table manners, such as, they shouldn‟t talk at table, shouldn‟t beat tableware as well.They have a strict requirement on how to use knives and forks.While Americans on the relatively few occasions will do so, they like fast and convenient food, they do not require delicate or luxury dinner but they pay more attention to popular food.We can see that the British are sensitive, restrained, conservative, they tend to be rational rigorous and gentlemanly.By comparison, Americans are warm and cheerful, bold and frank.They are with a spirit of adventure and innovation.5.4英美剧在中国受欢迎的原因

Compared to national productions，American TV series have a certain freshness to us.Obviously, the American TV series are much more attractive than TV series in China.First, the structure of them is better because every series can have a chance to improve by getting response from the audience.Second, they cost a large sum of money so that they can give us more beautiful and amazing scenes which will with them make us fall in love.Third, the ideas that American TV series are shown are creative and brave.They can express anything they want to people and that is what Chinese TV series can't be.And the stories they are made are colorful, extensive, and flexible.And last, the characters on American TV are always well-dressed and carefully made up.The level of them are also much higher than Chinese actors.In addition, the American TV series are popular in China also benefited from the rise of all kinds of new media platforms, the American TV series creative attitude quite strict, a lot of work on the background details of the story can withstand strict scrutiny;the American TV series to be very particular about the quality of the production.And style of national TV series is single, while the Anglo-American TV series style varied, and the special effects is also better.二

In the history, there is a closely relationship between Britain and America.However, because of the different history, geography and the change of time, the two countries have developed different characters.In general, British people tend to be calm and quiet, but American people tend to be enthusiastic and active.Firstly, British people are reserved;they seldom talk with a stranger.By contrast, American people are talkative and easy-going.They are willing to make a friend with a stranger.Secondly, British people are more conservative.They are proud of their father‟s or grandfather‟s achievements and they focus on their living class.Besides, British people pay little attention to other people and other countries because within their hearts, they look down on the others.American people are risk-takers, they like changes and challenges.They would like to travel around the world to seek opportunities.In their opinion, success relies on personal efforts.They are more independent than British people.5.5英语在中国流行的原因：

Overall, China's rapid economic development, led to China from young to old may have contact with foreigners, as the most widely used language in the English language is inevitable.Specifically, in the economic globalization today, the people of all ethnic groups between culture, economy constantly and penetration.While in this form under the influence, English learning becomes brook no delay.Only by understanding the other language can understand a culture of the other side, can learn from each other, and even is the use of such language advantage to work hard but his career.Especially now, English country especially the United States dominated the world economy dominant position, this also led to the popularity of English results.Many parents now pay attention to the urine of bilingual teaching.I think this kind of phenomenon is in after a long period of time will exist.The heat should continue