Chapter 1 land and people

1.what are the differences between Britain and the British Isles, Great Britain,England,the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth?

The British Isles,Greant Britina and England are geographical names, no the official names of the country,while the official name is the United Kingdom,but the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britian.

2.Describe the geographical position of Britian?

Britain is an island country. It lies in the north Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of

Europe.It is separated from the rest of Europe by the English channel in the south and the North Sea in the east.

3.Whereabouts in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland?

The north and west of Britain are mainly highland, while the south and south-east are mostly lowlands.

4.Does Britain have a favourable climate? why?

Yes,it has a favourable climate, because it has a maritime type of climate---winters are mild,not too cold and summers are cool, not too hot.It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year.It has a small range of temperature,too.

5.what are the factors which influence the climate in Britain? Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest?

The factors which influence the climate in Britain are the following three:1)The

surrounding waters balance the seasonal differences;2)the prevailing south-west winds bring warm and wet air in winter and keep the temperatures moderate;3)the North Atlantic Drift,a warm current,passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them.

The northwestern part has the most rainfall,while the south-eastern corner is the driest.

6.Describe the distribution of Britain’s population.

Britain has a population of 57 million. It is densely populated, with an average of

7.What do you know about king Alfred ? What makes him worthy of the title of “Alfred the Great”?

Alfred was the king of Wessex. He defeated the Danes who attacked England and

reached an agreement with them in 879. The Danes gained control of the north and east, while Alfred ruled the rest. He also converted some leading Danes into Christains.

Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy” as he founded a strong fleet to beat the Danes at sea, to protect the coasts and to encourage trade. He recogonized the Saxon army to make it more efficient. He even translated Bede’s Ecclesiastial History of the English people from Latin to English. He also establish schools and formulated a legal system. All this makes him worthy of his title”Alfred the Great”.

8.Why did the William the Conqueror invade England after Edward’s death?

It was said the king Edward had promised the English throne to William, but the Witan chose Harold as king. So , William led his army to invade England. In October 1066, during the important battle of Hastings, William defeated Harold and killed him. On Christmas Day, William was crowned king of England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England.

9.what were the consequences of the Norman conquest?

The Norman Conquest of 1066 is one of the best known events in English history, It brought about many consequences.

William confiscated almost the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxons rule with a strong Norman government.So the feudal system was conpletely established in England. Relations with the continent were opened, and civilization and commerce were extended. Normand-French culture,language,manners,and architecture were introduced.The church was brought into closer connection with Roma,and the courts were separated from the civil courts.

10.Why do we say that the English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different orgins? The population of Britain is made up of the English ,the Scotish,the Welsh,the Irish,the Northern Irish and other peoples. The formation is complicated because England was invaded by different races at various times from Europe.

Besides the early settles,the Iberians,and the Celts,including Gaels and Britons, Roman