●Introduction to the United Kingdom1、全称The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland2、组成England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland3、The Union Flag：The Union Jack，is a combination (union) of the flags of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick.4、Bordered by four seas：to the south by the English Channelto the east by the North Seato the west by the Irish Sea andthe Atlantic Ocean5、The Prime Meridian本初子午线、Greenwich6、England---London、Scotland---Edinburgh、Wales---Cardiff、Northern Ireland---Belfast●Education1、The purpose of education：to provide children with literacy and the other basic skills they will need to become active members of societyto socialize children2、divided into six terms: 9-10、10-12、1-2、2-3、4-5、6-73、The main school holidays are:＊Christmas- 2 weeks＊Easter - 2 weeks＊Summer - 6 weeksThere are also one-week holidays:＊end of October＊mid February＊end of May4、state schools:private schools:public schools=independent schools5、age 16: GCSE exams (General Certificate of Secondary Education)中学毕业证书①quit school and find a job②prepare to sit exams for university entrance :A-levels (General Certificate of Education-Advanced)高级水平测试结业证书③concentrate on vocational training:GNVQs (General National V ocational Qualifications)国家专业资格证书6、O-level(Ordinary-level)7、Oxford and Cambridge--Oxbridge (the oldest)8、In Scotland:St. Andrew (1411) Glasgow (1450) Aberdeen (1494) Edinburgh (1538)9、Bachelor(学士)10、departments:chief (professor),Professors, Readers/Senior Lecturers, Lecturers●British Media1、TV、radio、Newspaper2、Quality paper、Tabloids3、The Observer 《观察家报》the world's oldest national newspaper4、The Times 《泰晤士报》the UK's oldest daily newspaper5、The Guardian《卫报》 a national daily newspaper which is radical 激进的in politics and interested in society and social problems. quite soft on crime and quite feminist and shows greatconcern for green politics. one of the quality press6、The Daily Telegraph 《每日电讯报》quality press tough sentences for criminals, be unsympathetic to single mothers, favour free enterprise over social programmes7、The News of the World 《世界新闻报》tabloid the UK's biggest-selling Sunday newspaper8、The Financial Times 《金融时报》also printed in other countries of the world.9、BBC—The British Broadcasting Corporation（funded by licence fees)ITC—The Independent Television Commission(独立电视委员会）(funded by advertising) The Radio Authority10、Britain’s Got Talent（英国达人）●U.K. Politics1、The Monarchy (君主政体)2、The UK---parliamentary democracy &constitutional monarchy(议会民主制和君主立宪制)3、Magna Carta （大宪章）4、The British Parliament：One of the jobs Parliament does is to check that the Government is running the country properly.5、The Great Council(大议会)6、summoned “by name”(the House of Lords上议院)representatives of communities (the House of Commons下议院)7、The Bill of Rights of 1689 (权利法案)8、The makeup of the Parliament①the Queen (symbolic)①Lords Spiritual②the House of Lords ①hereditary peers②Lords Temporal ②life peers③Law Lords③the House of Commons (下议院）The Commons is the most important place for discussing policies and making laws.9、The main functions of Parliament are:to pass lawsto provide, by voting for taxation, the means of carrying on the work of governmentto scrutinise government policy and administration, including proposals for expenditureto debate the major issues of the day10、The Cabinet(内阁)11、Labor Party (the newest, the end of 19th century)---a socialist party:The Conservative Party (spent most time in power)The Liberal Democrats (the 3rd biggest) a party of the “middle”●British People1、Quiet, reserved people、A show of modesty谦虚、A sense of humour、Privacy and space、sportsmanship2、Aristocracy贵族、The upper class、The middle class、The working class、The under class●British Economy1、sixth-largest in the world2、third-largest in Europe measured by nominal GDPandsecond-largest measured by PPP3、GDP(gross domestic product) and purchasing power parity (PPP)4、CN、EU、G7、G8、G20、IMF、WB、WTO、UN5、first country in the world to industrialise.6、Three main areas: primary industry 、secondary industry、tertiary第三的/service industry7、Britain’s Economic System:A unique mixed economy( a mix of market economy and command economy characteristics混合市场经济和计划经济的特点)Markets and governmentState enterprises●America Introduction1、Name: the United States of America, the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, the StatesPopulation: over 311 million people in mid-2011Capital: Washington D.C. (District of Columbia 哥伦比亚特区)Area: 9.83 million square kilometersThe most famous river: The Mississippi River (密西西比)The largest lakes: The Great Lakes(大湖区)The mountains: The Rocky Mountains(落基山脉)50 states:48 contiguous (毗连的) states, 2 non- contiguous ones (Alaska & Hawaii)2、The Stars and Stripes(星条旗) National floral emblem (国花)：rose3、The Bald Eagle - An American Emblem National Motto: In God We Trust●Education in the United States1、Goal of Education:To teach children how to learn and to help them reach their maximum potential.2、About 90% American students attend public schools.10% attend private schools3、American Values: Democracy(No admission exams)、Equality(Equality of opportunity)4、The success of US college application depends on:Their high school recordsRecommendations from their high school teachersThe impression they make during interviews at the universityTheir scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs) (学习能力测试)●Government and Politics In the United States1、The Articles of Confederation(联邦条款)2、The three branches：Congress---the legislative branch which makes law 立法The President---represents the executive branch and enforces the laws 行政The Supreme Court/ the judicial(司法的) branch---explains the law 司法3、Congress made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.4、The two-Party System：The Democratic Party and the Republican Party.5、The Constitution limits the powers of each branch, “System of Checks and Balances”.●Traditional American Values and Beliefs1、Traditional American Values ：Individual freedom——Self-relianceEquality of opportunity——CompetitionMaterial wealth——Hard work2、The phrase “going from rags to riches”became a slogan for the “American Dream.”3、American dream：Land of OpportunityRags to Riches—Anyone can become rich, famous, powerful.Jobs and education available to all who want them.Meritocracy (rewards)=skill + effort.Through hard work, courage and determination one can achieve prosperity. Americans can live better than their parents did.4、The big / ambitious dreams：Democracy(民主), liberty(自由), equality(平等), Pursuit of Happiness(追求幸福)5、Freedoms of speechthe pressreligionguaranteeing a fair criminal trial●American Economy1、GNP (Gross National Product).2、The reasons for the success of American agriculture(1) Vastness of the nation and the generosity of nature(2) Advanced agricultural science and technology, highly developed machinery, effective fertilizersand chemicals(3) Well-organized and large-scale agribusiness(4) The readiness of many farmers to adopt new technology like computers(5) The government’s emphasis on the development of agriculture3、the first factory in the U.S.: 1793, Samuel Slater, Rhode Island, a cotton cloth factory●Social Problems1、Racial Problems、Poverty、Drug Abuse、Crime、The Abuse of Power by Government and Corporation2、The United States was founded on the principle of human equality3、Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to stop discrimination in all public places.●American Family1、a family is those people who live with others to whom they are related by blood, marriage, or adoption.2、usually between 18 and 21 years children are encouraged, but not forced, to “leave the nest”●Holiday1、Legal HolidaysNew Year's Day 1.1Martin Luther King’s Day 1.15Presidents’Day 2月的第三个星期一Memorial Day 5.30Independence Day 7.4Labor Day 9月的第一个星期一Columbus Day 10.12Thanksgiving Day The fourth Thursday in NovemberVeterans DayChristmas DayValentine’s Day Feb.14thEaster the first Sunday that occurs after the first full moon.Mother’s Day: On the second Sunday of MayFather’s Day: On the third Sunday in JuneHalloween: Oct. 31st.。