A Brief Introduction to English-speaking CountriesZhang Huahong School of Foreign StudiesAvailable at /hhzhang/index.htm

Preliminary Considerations1. The significance of the study 2. The suggested way of study 3. Means of course evaluation 4. Teaching and learning focus 5. Text books: Book 1, Book 2 of英语国家社会与文化入门

Weekly Assignments1.Do the exercises of two chapters. 2.Work in groups of four discussing the Questions For Thought after the text in speaking class, as assigned by the monitor, prepared for presentation. 3.Group members work out the according answers on the paper by turns and hand in for regular evaluation.

Significance of Course Paper1.Writing aims at cultivating scientific spirit of learning with discovery and analysis by means of extensive and selective reading. 2.A course paper is made up of a. summary of related readings to the topic under discussion; b. arguments or hypothesis c. confirmation of the hypothesis

Suggested format of Paper1.Abstract 2.Key words 3.Body a. Introduction with Literature review b. Points of interest under discussion c. Hypothesis/argument d. Illustration e. Comment f. Conclusion 4.Reference

Format of Reference主要参考文献条目排列顺序如下： [序号]作者.文献题名[文献类型标识]*.(出版地:) 出版者，出版年.起始页码.例：

Reference: [1]Levinson, S. Pragmatics [M]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1983. 15-20. [2]方永德.美国英语中的种族贬语[J].外国 语，1995(1):68-72.*参考文献类型标识： [N]报纸文章；[J]期刊文章； [M]专著； [D]学位论文；[C]论文集；

Early Settlement3,000 BC: 2,000 BC: 700 BC: 55 BC—500 AD: 500 AD: 800—900 AD: 1066 AD: Iberians from Spain Beakers from Holland Germanic Celts Romans Anglo-Saxons Vikings and Danes Norman French

William the Conqueror(1066-1154) William I, (succeeded by William II, Henry I) reorganized the feudal system, making all landholders swear greater loyalty to him rather than to their separate lords. He also ordered an exhaustive survey of the landed wealth in his realm. The written results, known as the Domesday Book, helped determine the revenues owed him by his subjects.

Plantagenet

(Norman)

(1154-1485) Nickname of Anjou dynasty, founded by Geoffrey IV, husband of Matilda, daughter of King Henry I of England. The kings, in the main line of descent, were Henry II, Richard I, John, Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, and Richard II; through the house of Lancaster, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI; and through the house of York, Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III.

Tudor

(Welsh)

The dynasty (1485-1603) founded by the Welsh nobleman Owen Tudor, who married Catherine of Valois, the widow of the English king Henry V. Their eldest son, Edmund Tudor, married Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of John of Gaunt, son of King Edward III. In 1485 Edmund and Margaret's son, Henry, killed Richard III of the house of York and bec

ame Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch succeeded by Henry VIII and his son and two daughters, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

Stuart

(Scottish)

(1603-1714) James I, who succeeded childless Queen Elizabeth, as the first Stuart king of England, was succeeded by Charles I, Charles II, James II, and Mary II. who first ruled with her husband, William III, until her death in 1694. William then ruled alone until 1702, succeeded by Queen Anne, the second daughter of James II.

Hanover

(German)

(1714-1901) Childless Queen Anne was succeeded by George I, then by George II, George III, George IV, childless William IV and Queen Victoria.(German) (1901-) Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Queen Elizabeth II

Twentieth Century

U. K.: Historical Dates1536,1707: the Kingdom of Great Britain 1801: the United Kingdom was created 1833: slavery abolished in the Empire 1911: power of House of Lords reduced 1921: the British kingdom was renamed 1945: Labor Party made a welfare state 1979: the first woman as prime minister 1997: the Labor Party returned to power 1999: Scotland, Wales:a level of self-rule

General features of Britain1. Why is Britain called a complicated country with a complicated name? 2. What are the effects of its imperial past? 3. When did it become a member of the European Union? 4. Why is it considered a multiracial society? 5. How remarkable are its class, regional and economic differences? 6. How significant is the role of London?

1. GREAT BRITAIN1.How does England play a dominant role of in culture and economy? 2.Can you tell the story of King Arthur? 3.What’s the legend of Robin Hood like? 4.In what way is parliament dominant over the throne? 5.What are the physical features of Scotland? 6.What caused the cultural division between highland and lowland?

7.How important is the battle of Bannockburn to the Scots? 8.Who is the national hero to bring about the 300-year independence of Scotland? 9.What happened to Scotland in 1707? 10.How is the strong Scottish identity shown? 11. Can you say something about Wales? 12. Why is it said Wales has a history of invasions? 13. In what century was its unification with the UK completed?

2. Northern Ireland1.Can you tell about the population and physical features of Northern Ireland? 2.What about its economy? 3.What is the Home Rule Bill? 4.What happened in Ireland in the Easter Rising of 1916? 5.What does the Sinn Fein Party aim at? 6.What caused the religious conflicts in Ireland historically?

7.What is the significance of partition of Ireland in 1921? 8.Who began the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland in the 1960s? 9.What caused the presence of British soldiers in Northern Ireland since 1969? 10.How was IRA’s violence in the 1970s? 11.What does Bloody Sunday symbolize? 12.What caused the collapse of the powersharing in Northern Ireland? 13.How did the British and Irish governments cooperate for a solution?

3. THE U. K. GOVERNMENT1.King Egbert 2.Divine ri

ght of kings 3.The civil war 4.Roundheads 5.Magna Carta 6.The Great Council 7.William of Orange 8.The Bill of Rights of 1689

9.The Cabinet 10.The prime minister 11.George I 12.The Constitution 13.Parliament’s power and functions 14.The roles of the monarch 15.The House of Lords 16.Life peers 17.The House of Commons

4. POLITICS1.Importance of general elections 2.The formation of the government 3.Vote of no confidence 4.The electoral campaigns 5.Procedure of general elections 6.The Conservative Party 7.The Labor Party 8.The Liberal Democrats