英语国家概况期末重点（必考）1 How many periods can the development of the English language be divided into and what are they ?The development of the English language can be divided into three periods:Old English, Middle English and Modern English.2 What are the two components of the British Parliament ?They are the House of Commons and the House of Lords.3 What were some of Queen Victoria’s major achievements?Queen Victoria made tremendous achievements in almost every aspect. She promoted further industrial revolution, the building of railways and the growing of trade and commerce. By the end of her reign, britain had developed to an empire including a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass.4 What are the three functions of the House of Commons ?The three functions are: to draft laws, to scrutinize, criticize and restrain the activities of the government, and to influence future government policy.5 What kind of subjects do British comprehensive schools provide ? British comprehensive schools provide a general education, offering both academic subjects like literatuure and science,and practical subjects like cooking and carpentry.6 How do students in the Open University receive their education ?The students follow university course through textbooks, TV and radio broadcasts, correspondence, video, and a network of study centeres.7 What is Critical Realism ?Critical Realism is a literary school which flourished in the 40s and early 50s of the 19th century. The critical realists described the chief traits of the society and criticized the capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint. The greatest English critical realist was Charles Dickens.8 Briefly introduce the Liberal Party ?The Liberal Party is Canada’s largest political party. It has been in office for most of the time in Canadian history since 1867. The party combines a liberal social policy with a moderate economic policy.9 What does “cultural mosaic” mean in Canada ?“Cultural mosaic”indicates that people of diverse origins and communities are free to preserve and enhance their own cultural heritage while participating as equal partners in Canadian society. 10 What is Standard English ?Standard English is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England. It is widely used in media and taught at schools.It is preferred by the educated, middle-class people. It has developed and has been promoted as a model for correct BritishEnglish.It is also the norm carried overseas. Today, Standard English is codified to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary are much the same everywhere in the world where English is taught and used.11 What were the results of the Industrial Revolution in Britain ? The Industrial Revolution changed Britain in many ways. First, industrial productivity increased dramatically. Britain became the most advanced industrial country and also the financial center in the world. Second, urbanization took place. Many new cities sprang up. Third, it caused grest changes in the class structure. The old social classes declined, and new ones emerged and developed.12 The Rise and Fall of the British Empire ?Colonization of Newfoundland, the first British colony overseas, in 1583 marked the beginning of the British Empire. By1837, Britian had long been an empire which included the colonies in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and many small states in the West Indies. By the end of the 19th century, the British Empire included a quarter of the global population and nearly a quarter of the world’s landmass.During-the-mid-19th century,the-British-government-consol idated the existing colonies by bringing them under the direct control of the government.Before World War I,Britain had the largest colonial empire in the world. However, Britain suffered great loss to its manpower in the two World Wars and exhausted its reserves ofgold, dollars and overseas investment. Most of Britain’s colonies gained independence since the 1940s, which inevitably led to the fall the Empire.13 Give a brief account of Romanticism ?Romanticism is the literary trend that appeared in England at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a revolt against the prescribed rules of Classicism. Writers of Romantic literature are more concerned with imagination and feeling than with reason and intellect. Discontent with the development of capitalism, they seek a literary refuge. William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge began the trend with their joint work Lyrical Ballads, whose preface is viewed as Rmnantic poetry’s "Declaration of Independence". It was the "second generation' Romantic poets such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and John Keats who brought the Romantic Movement to its height.14 What are the goals of the four main political parties in Ireland ? Fianna Fail pursues a policy of complete political separation from Britain and supports peaceful reunification of the whole island. The key principles of Fine Gael are equality of opportunity, proenterprise Policies,security,and integrity and hope.The aim of the Labor Party is to establish a society without poverty, which is based on democracy , Equality,participation and cooperation. The Progressive DemocraticParty supports free enterprise, marked separation between church and state,and a peaceful resolution to the problems in Northern Ireland.15 What are the similarities between the major cities of Canada ? Canada's major cities, from east to west, are Quebec,Montreal, Ottawa,Toronto and Vancouver, all located near the Canadian-U.S. Border.The climate in this area is comparatively moderate, and cities in this area all enjoy distinct seasons.Each city has a large population with people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.16 What is the immigration policy in Canada ?Before World War II, Canada used to have a racist immigration policy which actively discriminated against racial and religious minorities. After Worid War II, the Canadian government began to adopt a new policy to eliminate pttjudice. Since Then, Canada has opened its door to immigrants of all races and religions from any countries. At the end of the 20th century, a kind of anti-immigrant sentiment spread in Canada, and the federal government made changes in immigration policy and rules that decreased the number of immigrants allowed into Canada. Now, it is more difficult for people to immigrate into Canada.17 Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Canada ?Canadians are composed of many different races and ethnic groups;they speak different languages at home apart from English and French. while participating as equal partners in the Canadian society, they keep their own cultural heritage, constituting a "cultural mosaic". In 1971, Canada became the first country to implement a multiculturalism policy to admit pluralism as a fact of Canadian life. In 1988,the Canadian Multiculturalism act was passed,With globalization and increasing immigration,multilingualismand multiculturalism will remain a special feature of the Canadiansociety.。