英美概况重点术语1) Robin HoodRobin Hood was a Saxon nobleman. As he could no longer put up with oppressions from the Normans, he became an outlaw and hid himself with his band of "merry men" in the forest. From this secret place, he went out to rob from the rich to give the poor.2) Home RuleIreland had long been dominated by Britain, but Irish desire for an independent Irish state was never lost. "Home Rule" refers to a campaign for Irish control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.3) The Bill of Rights of 1689(Br)In 1688, King JamesⅡ’s daughter Mary and her husband William were invited by the politicians and church authorities to take the throne, on condition that they would respect the rights of Parliament. The Bill of Rights was passed in 1689 to ensure that the King would never be able to ignore Parliament.4) The functions of Parliament (in Britain)The functions of Parliament are: to pass laws, to vote for taxation, to scrutinize government policy, administration and expenditure and to debate the major issues of the day.5) The House of CommonsThe House of Commons is the real center of British political life because it is the place where about 650 elected representatives (Member 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.6) Grammar schoolsIt is a type of secondary schools in Britain. Grammar schools select children at the age 11, through an examination called "the 11-plus". Those children with the highest marks go to grammar schools. These schools lay emphasis on advanced academic subjects rather than the more general curriculum of the comprehensive schools and expect many of their pupils to go on to universities.7) The three traditions of Christmas in BritainThere are three Christmas traditions which are particularly British: one is the Christmas Pantomime, a comical musical play. The main male character is played by a young woman while the main female character, often an ugly woman called "the Dame," is played by a man. Another British tradition is Boxing Day, which falls on the day after Christmas. Traditionally, it was on Boxing Day that people gave Christmas gifts or money to their staff or servants. Now that most British people do not haveservants, this custom is no longer observed. However, a new Boxing Day custom has emerged, in the cities: shopping. Shops open up to sell off all their Christmas stock decorations, food, cards and gift items at low prices.8) British ConstitutionBritain has no written Constitution. The foundations of the British state are laid out in statute law, which are laws passed by Parliament; the common laws, which are laws established through common practice in the courts; and conventions.9) PuritanismPuritans were those who followed the doctrine of John Calvin and wanted to purify the Church of England. They believe that human beings were predestined by God before they were born. Some were God’s chosen people while others were damned to hell. No church nor good works could save people. The sigh of being God’s elect was the success in his work or the prosperity in his calling. They also argued that everyone must read the Bible in order to find God’s will and establish a direct contact with God. These beliefs had great impact on American culture.10) The Declaration of IndependenceThe 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 Britain 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 was to secure the rights mentioned above. The theory of politics and the guiding principles of the American Revolution mainly came from John Locke.11) A federal system (federalism)A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts, with some rights reserved to teach.12) The Bill of Rights in the USThe Bill of Rights consists 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.。