英美概况练习一二三答案

英美概况练习一

I.Choose one best answer form A, B, C, and D.

1.Which of the following separate Britain from the European continent?

A. the North Sea

B. the Strait of Dover

C. the English Channel.

D. the North Sea, the Strait of Dover and the English Channel.

2. Which of the following is not the neighboring country od UK?

A. Denmark

B. Belgium

C. Poland

D. Iceland.

3. List the four elements of UK from the smallest to the largest in area.

A. Northern Ireland , Wales, Scotland and England

B. England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

C. Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and England

D. Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Scotland

4. Which of the following is the ancesters of the modem Scottish and Irish?

A. the Gaels of the Celtic tribes

B. the Britons of the Celtic tribes

C. the Angle-Saxons

D. the Jutes

5. Which is the language branch that English belongs to?

A. Gaelic

B. Old British

C. Old Norse

D. West Germanic

6. Which Mountain is called the “backbon e” of England?

A. the Grampian Mountains

B. The Cambrian Mountain Range

C. the Pennines

D. The Cumbrian Mountain Range

7. Which of the following is the longest river in UK?

A. the Severn River

B. the Thames River

C. the Mersey River

D. the Clyde

II. Answer the following questions briefly.

1.What is the full official name of UK?

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

2.What are the capital cities of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in turn? London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

英美概况练习（二）

I.Choose one best answer form A, B, C, and D.

1. The earliest written records of Britain’s inhabitants came from _________.

A. the Celts

B. The Romans

C. The Normans

D. The Germans

2. The person who crushed various rebellions in Ireland and settled English and Scottish Protestants there by giving them land was __________.

A. Oliver Cromwell

B. King Charles I

C. William III

D. William the Conqueror

3. Christianity was introduced into Britain by _________.

A. the Celts

B. The Germans

C. the Viking Danes

D. The Romans

4. England became a Protestant country in _____________.

A. the 14th century

B. the 15th century

C. the 16th century

D. the 17th century

5. Which of the following is not the three Germanic tribes that came to be the basis of modern English race?

A. the Viking Danes

B. the Angles

C. the Saxons

D. the Jutes

6. Which of the following made people from Commonwealth countries no longer have free entry to the UK and couldn’t claim automatic full citizenship?

A.1535 Act of Union

B. the Commonwealth Immigrants Act

C. 1707 Act of Union

D. the Great Charter

7. In the year 1066, William the Conqueror invaded England from France, defeating the Saxon king Harold at _____________.

A. the Battle of Crecy

B. the Battle of Agincourt

C. the Battle of Hastings

D. the Battle of Waterloo

8. The defeat of the Spanish Armada by the English navy took place during __________.

A. the Middle Ages

B. the “grab for Africa”

C. the Elizabethan age

D. the Victorian age

9. The king who believed the “Divine Right” to govern, and who was condemned to death during the English Civil War was ____________.

A. Henry VIII

B. James I

C. Charles I

D. James II

10. During the whole of the sixteenth century, England’s great enemy was ____________.

A. Spain

B. France

C. America

D. Germany

11. One of the following did not take place during the eighteenth century in British history. It was ____________.

A. great victories over France

B. the Industrial Revolution

C. the loss of her American colonies

D. the founding of the modern police force

12. Which one of the following is not a characteristic of the Victorian age___________.

A. It was an age of national development and National optimism.

B. It was an age of stability in family life.

C. It was an age of imperialism.

D. It was an age of lack of belief in religion.

13. Which of the following did not take place after the Second World War in British history?

__________________.

A.The independence of the colonies of the old British empire.

B.The availability of TV sets and cars to almost every home.

C.The “suffragette” movement.

D.The founding of the “Welfare State”.

14. Shakespeare lived in the period of _________.

A. the Middle Ages

B. the Victorian age

C. the Elizabethan age

D. The Industrial Revolution

15. During the whole of the eighteenth century, England’s great enemy was __________.

A. Spain

B. France

C. America

D. Germany

II. Explain the following terms.

1. The Roman Occupation

(1)The Romans first invaded Britain in 55BC. (2)They eventually conquered the various Celtic kingdoms in England, Wales and the Scottish Lowlands. (3) The Roman occupation lasted for about 350 years and had a great influence on the English culture.

2. The Norman Conquest

(1) In AD 1066, William of Normandy landed his army in England. (2) He defeated the Saxon king Harold and the English soldiers, and became the king of England the same year. (3) French was made the official language and the feudal system was firmly established in England.

3. the Hundred Years’ War

(1) A war between England and France which lasted for a hundred years from 1337 to 1453.

(2) It was fought entirely in France, and the whole France nearly fell into English hands in the famous battles of Crecy and Agincourt. (3) Eventually, partly through the inspiration of the brave girl Joan of Arc, and partly through the effective use of guns, the French drove the English from their land and won the victory of the war.

4. The War of the Roses

(1) It is the name given to the struggle (1455—1485) for the throne of England between two branches of the English royal family: (2) the house of Lancaster, whose badge was a red rose, and York, whose badge was a white rose. (3) The wars weakened both the nobility and the monarch. 5. the Elizabethan age

(1) It refers to the period during the reign of Elizabeth I in British history. (2) It was an age of literary achievement, especially that of Shakespeare, and (3) it was an age of adventure on the sea.

6. the English Civil War

(1)It was one of the most important events in the whole of British history: (2) a bitter power struggle (1642—1648) between the monarchy and the Parliament. (3) The victory of the Parliament led to the execution of Charles I and the temporary overthrow of the monarchy, and (4) the country became for more than ten years a sort of republic founded by Oliver Cromwell.

7. the Glorious Revolution

(1) It refers to the event of 1688 in the English history, when the Catholic king James II was forced to flee with his baby son to France. (2) The throne was offered to his Protestant daughter and her husband Dutch king William. (3) The bill of Rights was passed by Parliament to restrict the power of the monarchy. (4) This was the beginning of the Constitutional Monarchy in Britain.

8. the Victorian age

(1) It refers to the period of Britain under the great Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. (2) It was an age of national development and national optimism. (3) The Victorians were very religious and conservative in family life. (4) It was also, in its later stages, an age of imperialism.

III. Answer the following questions briefly.

1.Who are the Britons?

The word “Britons” is used to refer to the British people in general.

2.Why do the Scots, Welsh or Irish object to being called “English”?

Because they are people of different origins and cultures. They all have their own characteristics, and want to remain their own identity.

3. What great influence did the Romans have on the English Culture?

(1) The Romans invaded England in 55 BC, and brought with them their laws, taxes, engineering skills, architecture and social system as well as their language, Latin, and their system of writing and numbering. (2) They introduced Christianity. (3) They also left behind the first written description of the land and its peoples as well as records of their administration.

4. What are the main consequences of the Norman Conquest?

(1) William of Normandy and his French-speaking followers set up a strong central government in England in AD 1066. (2) The conquerors intermarried with the ruling Saxon families. (3) They made French the official language. (4) They firmly established the feudal system. (5) Contacts between England and France were greatly increased. (5) All in all, the French influence grew so strong that many aspects of England’s social and cultural life became totally French.

5. How did the French drive the English from their country at the end of the One-hundred-year War?

The French drove the English from their country partly through the inspiration of the brave girl Joan of Arc, and partly through the effective use of guns, which had just been invented.

6. What were the characteristics of the sixteenth century as the beginning of the modern period in English history and European history?

(1) In the sixteenth century, the invention of printing made books much easier to produce and therefore much cheaper, so that ideas could spread quickly. (2) It was the age of the great voyages of discovery and the beginning of the imperialist expansion. (3) It was also the beginning of freedom of thought in the Christian religion.

7. How did the English Church break away from the central organization of Christianity?

The long quarrel between the Pope and Henry VIII on the matter of Henry VIII’s divorce ended in Henry VIII’s declaring that he and not the Pope was the head of the Church in England. As a result, the English Church broke away from the central organization of Christianity.

8. What were the characteristics of the Elizabethan age?

It was an age literature, especially the literature of Shakespeare, and an age of adventure on the sea.

9. What was the consequence of the English Civil War?

The English Civil War led to the execution of Charles I and the temporary overthrow of the monarchy, when the country became for more than ten years a sort of republic founded by Oliver Cromwell.

10. What’s meant by “meet one’s Waterloo”? What’s the origin of the phrase?

The phrase “meet one’s Waterloo” means “encounter final disaster”. It comes from the Battle of Waterloo, the famous victory won by Britain over Napoleon.

11. How did the Victorian stability collapse after the death of Queen Victoria?

The Victorian stability collapsed within a few years after the death of Queen Victoria. The working class rose up to fight for the rights and the women woke up to fight for their rights to vote. Meanwhile, the trouble in Ireland was going from bad to worse.

12. How long did the First World War last? How long did the Second World War last?

The First World War lasted 4 years from 1914 to 1918. The Second World War lasted 6 years from 1939 to 1945.

概况练习（三）

I. Explainations

1. Constitutional Monarchy

The Constitutional Monarchy is one in which the Monarch respects the Constitution. In law, the monarch is head of the executive, an integral part of the legislature:head of the judiciary; commander-in-chief of all the armed forces and head of the Church of England. In practice, the real power of the monarch has gradually been reduced and today the Queen acts solely on the advice of her ministers. In the Glorious revolution, William and Mary became the joint rulers of Britain, and the Constitutional Monarchy began. The Bill of Rights which was passed in 1689 restricted the power of the monarch.

2. the British Constitution

It is unwritten. Its components include 1）historic documents；2）statute laws；3）the common

laws （judicial precedents）；4）custom and conventions; and 5）authoritative opinion.It is more flexible than the written ones in other countries.

3. the Bill of Rights in 1689

It was the Bill passed by the Parliament in 1689 after the Glorious revolution. It laid down a number of things that future monarchs could not do. It marked a sharp decline in powers of the Monarch. It marked the beginning of the British Constitutional Monarchy.

4. General Election in Britain

General Election is held at least every five years. The country is divided into 635 constituencies, each of which elects one Member of Parliament. The one who has the most votes in a constituency becomes a Member of Parliament. The leader of the party with the largest number of members elected to the House of Commons becomes Prime Minister.

5. British Parliament

It includes three elements: the Crown, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. It is the supreme law-making authority in Britain. The real center of Parliamentary power is in the House of Commons. Its other functions include: to control and criticize the executive government; to control the raising and the spending of money.

6. the House of Lords

It is an important part of Parliament. Its members are peers, most of whom are hereditary. Its power have been severely reduced by the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949. It must pass all financial legislation sent to it from the House of Commons, and can delay other Bills for only one year. It has a special judicial function.

7. the House of Commons

It consists of 635 elected Members of Parliament. MPs have a number of privileges such as the freedom of speech in Parliament. It is by far the most powerful and important element in Parliament, therefore plays the key role in the activities of Parliament as a whole.

8. Invisible earnings

The wealth created by Britain’s service industries is called invisible earnings. Invisible earnings fall into three main groups: receipts and payments for services supplied abroad; interest, profits and dividends arising out of British investment overseas; and foreign currency brought into the country by visiting tourists. Britain’s invisible earnings are second only to that of the United States.

9. the Bank of England

It is the nation’s central bank. It is run by a governor and a group of dorectors appointed by the Crown. It prints and issues currency notes and controls the country’s gold reserves.

10. Britain’s Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution took place first in Britain in the eighteenth century. The Industrial Revolution owed a great deal to the invention of the steam engine. Factories came into being because they brought about more benefits to the owners. The revolution brought many econimic advantages to Britain and made Britain an exceedingly rich and powerful nation, but it also caused some social problems. The successes and achievements of industrialization were founded on the exploitation of working people.

II. Choose the best answer.

1.Queen elizabeth II is “Defender of the Faith”, because_________.

A.she is the spiritual leader of the Church of England

B.she is the head of the Church of England

C.she is the paersonification of the state

D.she is the symbol of English values

2.Which of the following is not true?

A.The Queen holds meetings of the Privy Council.

B.The Queen receives reports of cabinet meetings in her weekly sessions with the Prime

Minister.

C.The Queen must take sides when a dispute arises in the Cabinet.

D.The Queen is informed and consulted on every aspect of national life.

3.Which of the following is not true?

A.The Queen is a symbol of the parliamentary democracy.

B.The Queen is a symbol of British culture.

C.The Queen is a symbol of English tradition.

D.The Queen is a symbol of English way of life.

4.Which of the following is not a part of the Conventions of British constitution?

A.the powers of the Crown are exercised mainly by Ministers.

B.The Queen must act on the advice of Ministers.

C.MPs enjoy freedom of speech in debate.

D.Ministers are responsible to Parliament for their actions.

5.How often does the General Election take place?

A.At least every three years.

B.At least every four years.

C.At least every five years.

D.At least every six years.

6.Why are so many party members elected to Parliament in each Election in Britain?

A.. Because party members usually enjoy better reputation.

B. Because party members have more experience in forming a government.

C. Because party members have the backing of nationwide organization.

D. Because people trust party members to a greater degree.

7. The executive power in the hands of ______ in Britain.

A. Parliament

B. the House of Commons

C. the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister

D. the Queen

8. The real center of power in British Parliament is ______.

A. the Queen

B. the House of Commons

C. the House of Lords

D. the Cabinet

9. Which of the following is not one of the functions that British Parliament plays?

A. To serve as the final court of appeal in civil cases and criminal cases.

B. To make laws.

C. To control and criticize the executive government.

D. To control the raising and spendingof money.

10. The real power of the British government lies in ____________.

A. the House of Commons

B. the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister

C. the Prime Minister

D. the Queen

11. Which of the following is the Act that restricted the powers of the Lords in dealing with money?

A. The Parliament Act of 1901

B. The Parliament Act of 1911

C. The Bill of Rights in 1689

D. The Act of Settlement in 1701

12. The real power of the House of Lords lies in ______.

A. helping to pass money bills

B. delaying bills

C. discussing bills

D. being supreme court

13. Concerning the Speaker of the House of Commons, which of the following is not correct?

A. The Speaker presides over the meetings in the House of Commons and sees that procedure is followed.

B. The Speaker has the gighest power in the House of Commons, he usually takes sides and joins the debates.

C. The Speaker interprets the rules of procedure and settles any disputes as to whether things are being properly done.

D. The Speaker controls the debates, seeing that Members do not stray too far from the subject of debate.

14. Which of the following is the most important privilege enjoyed by MPs in Britain?

A. Freedom of speech in Parliament.

B. High social status.

C. High living standards.

D. Involvement in law-making.

15. Which of the following sentences is true in Britain?

A. The two big parties have been successful in expanding their powers over recent years.

B. The strength of the big parties remains unchanged.

C. Members of the two big parties no longer dominate Parliament.

D. The two big parties have declined over recent years.

16. During the Industrial Revolution, factories came into being because ___________.

A. it was more economical to manufacture goods

B. it could provide more housing for workers

C. power could be concentrated

D. more workers could work together under one large roof

17. Three of the following factors influenced the location of industry in Britain. Which is the exception?

A. The convenience of obtaining raw materials.

B. The convenience of having power.

C. The convenience of transportation

D. The convenience of developing a single important industry.

18. The pattern of British industry has changed radically since the Second World War. This change can be seen in three of the following except ___________.

A. steel, textiles and other manufacturing industries have declined

B. service industries have grown

C. some major industries have been nationalized

D. small businesses have flourished

19. Invisible earnings fall into three of the following groups except _________.

A. money made from diary farming

B. receipts and payments for services supplied abroad

C. interest, profits and dividends arising out of British investment overseas

D. foreign currency brought into the country by visiting tourists

20. Britain was in a unique position to benefit from free trade in the nineteenth century because ________.

A. it had the most powerful guns and warships

B. it had abundant raw materials

C. it had new and more efficient manufacturing methods

D. it could get cheap labour force quite easily

21. Which of the following is the oldest and most basic of all industries in Britain?

A. Textile.

B. Coal-mining

C. Steel and ship-building.

D. Oil exploitation

22. Three of the following are the main activities of the City of London. Which is the exception?

A. Government administration.

B. Buying ans selling commodities.

C. Providing services and finance for commercial investment.

D. Stock exchange.

23. Which of the following statement is false?

A. Agriculture is one of Britain’s most important industries.

B. British agriculture has one of the highest outputs per worker in the world.

C. People engaged in farming have increased slightly over recent years.

D. Farming in Britain is highly mechanized.