1、英美国家社会与文化教学计划,总学时为32学时。 本课程定位：本课程以培养学生的文化交际能力为主线。通过本课程的学习，使学生了解英国及美国的历史，地理，经济，政治，教育等方面的情况及其文化传统。 本课程的前导阶段为大学英语基础课中渗透的文化内容。包括有基础阅读、阅读、听力、口语、语音、听说等课程。,本课程分三大知识模块：第一模块：英美两国的地理和历史，对应学时16学时；第二模块：英美两国的政治和政府，对应学时8学时；第三模块：英美教育和经济，对应学时8学时。 本课程的目的是通过介绍英美文化中具有代表意义的一些方面，如民族特点、地理环境、历史发展、政治制度、教育和社会问题等，使学生逐步掌握英美国家
2、的文化背景知识，同时使学生学会利用英美文化知识进行英语语言学习、培养英语思维、并最终提高英语听、说、读、写的水平。 本课程的重点：引导学生对英美文化了解的基础之上，深入研究英国和美国在国际社会中所起到的作用，他们的政治经济体制对其他国家的影响以及他们和世界大国的关系。,参考书目,英语国家概况谢福之外语教学研究出版社 新编英美概况教程 北京大学出版社 英美概况 北京语言大学出版社 英美社会与文化 罗选民 华中科技大学出版社 英美文化 杨辉 东华大学出版社 新编英美国家社会与文化 苏州大学出版社,Chapter 1 Geography,Part One The United Kingdom of
3、Great Britain and Northern Ireland,Introduction to British and American Culture,Learning Focus,Names of the U.K. The Four Regions of the U.K. Climate Features The British Isles London Edinburgh Festival,Introduction to British and American Culture,Before You Read,Warm-upCan you see a big clock in th
4、e picture on the right? Do you know its very famous name? _ When you are referring to the meaning of “ying guo” in English, which of the following terms do you use most often? a. Great Britain b. England c. Britain d. U.K. e. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland f. The United Kin
5、gdom_ What famous cities or interesting tourist sites do you know about this country?_,Introduction to British and American Culture,The Land,NamesThe full and official name of the country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, usually abbreviated to the United Kingdom or U.K.,
6、Great Britain, or simply Britain, or sometimes informally England. Question: Why dont people of Scotland, Wales and North Ireland like to be called “English people”?,Introduction to British and American Culture,Geographical Features,Position British Isles The Four Regions of the U.K. Climate Feature
7、s,Introduction to British and American Culture,Introduction to British and American Culture,Position,Britain is situated in Western Europe and is separated from the European continent by the North Sea, the Strait of Dover and the English Channel. It was once called “an empire on which the sun never
8、sets” .,Introduction to British and American Culture,The British Isles,Explanation of the term: The British Isles is the name of some islands in Western Europe, separated from the European continent by the North Sea, the Strait of Dover and the English Channel. Among the islands, Great Britain and I
9、reland are the two main ones. The country of the U.K. mainly consists of these two islands. Two main islands: Great Britain and Ireland,Introduction to British and American Culture,The Four Regions of the U.K.,England 130,000 square kilometers Three regions and geographical features The River Thames
10、 London Scotland 78,000 square kilometers Geographical features Edinburgh Glasgow (Glasgow University),Introduction to British and American Culture,The Four Regions of the U.K.,Wales 20,000 square kilometers Geographical features Cardiff Northern Ireland 14,000 square kilometers Geographical feature
11、s Belfast,Introduction to British and American Culture,Climate Features,A temperate maritime climate Three features There is often a lot of fog or smog in winter. There are many more rainy days than sunny days. The weather is quite instable and changeable.,Introduction to British and American Cultur
12、e,Main Cities and Tourist Attractions,London Edinburgh The Lake District The Scottish Highlands,Introduction to British and American Culture,London,Brief introduction The capital of both England and the United Kingdom One of the worlds most important business, financial and cultural centres The most
13、 populous city in the European Union Public transport network Heathrow Airport Londons underground network,Introduction to British and American Culture,London,Tourist sites Four World Heritage Sites The citys landmarks The symbols of the city Must-sees for the visitors Buckingham Palace The Queens o
14、fficial and main royal London home Queen Victoria The Changing of the Guard,Introduction to British and American Culture,Edinburgh,Brief introduction The capital city of Scotland An administrative, financial and legal center The second largest Scottish city Location The Old Town and New Town,Introdu
15、ction to British and American Culture,Edinburgh,Edinburgh Festival Explanation of the term: Edinburgh is well known for the annual Edinburgh Festival, the worlds largest arts festival. Established in 1947, it takes place in the city during three weeks every August alongside several other arts and cu
16、ltural festivals, collectively known as the Edinburgh Festival.,Introduction to British and American Culture,The Lake District,Its links with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth and the Lake Poets “我孤独地游荡，像一朵白云，在山丘和谷地上飘荡，忽然间我看见一群金色的水仙花迎春 开放.”威廉.沃兹沃斯 I wandered lonely as
17、a cloud That floats on high oer vales and hills,1 When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the marg
18、in of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance2 Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced, but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee; A poet could not but3 be gay, In such a jocund company! I gazed - and gazed - but little thou,The Lake District National Park Windermere,In
19、troduction to British and American Culture,The Scottish Highlands,The rugged and mountainous regions Ben Nevis One of the most sparsely populated in Europe The Scotch Whisky,Introduction to British and American Culture,Summary,Names of the U.K. The Four Regions of the U.K. Climate Features The Briti
20、sh Isles London Edinburgh Festival,I. Different Names for Britain and its Parts 英国的不同名称及其各组成部分 1.Geographical names: 地理名称：不列颠群岛，大不列颠和英格兰。 2.Official name: 官方正式名称：大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国。 3.The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones
21、. 不列颠群岛由两个大岛大不列颠岛（较大的一个）和爱尔兰岛，及成千上万个小岛组成。 4.Three political divisions on the island of Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.,the British Isles, Great Britain and England.,the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.,(1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the l
22、argest, most populous section. 英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部，是最大，人口最稠密的地区。 (2) Scotland is in the north of Great Britain. It has three natural zones (the Highlands in the north; the Central lowlands; the south Uplands) Capital: Edinburgh 苏格兰位于大不列颠的北部。它有三大自然区：北部高地，中部低地及南部山陵。首府：爱丁堡。 (3) Wales is in the west of Great B
23、ritain. Capital: Cardiff 威尔士位于大不列颠的西部。首府：加的夫 (4) Northern Ireland is the fourth region of the UK. Capital: Belfast. 北爱尔兰是英国第四个区域。首府：贝尔法斯特。 5.The Commonwealth (of nations) is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931, and has 50 member coun
24、tries until 1991. 英联邦是曾为英国殖民地的、但现已独立国家所构成的自由联合体。它成立于1931年，至1990年止已有50个成员国。,II. Geographical Features 英国的地理特征 1.Geographical position of Britain: 英国的地理位置： Britain is an island country surrounded by the sea. It lies in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe. It is separated from the re
25、st of Europe by the English Channel in the south and the North Sea in the east. 英国是一个岛国。它位于大西洋北部，与欧洲大陆的北海岸隔海相望。南面的英吉利海峡和东面的北海将它与欧洲其它部分隔开。 2.The north and west of Britain are mainly highlands; and the east and southeast are mostly lowlands. 英国的西部和北部主要是高地，东部和东南部主要是低地。,III. Rivers and Lakes 河流与湖泊 Ben N
26、evis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m). 本尼维斯山为英国最高峰，海拔1,343米。 Severn River is the longest river in Britain (338km). 塞文河是英国最长的河流。全长338公里。 Thames River is the second longest and most important river in Britain. (336km). 泰晤士河是英国第二大河，也是英国最重要的河。全长336公里。 Lough Neagh is the largest lake in Britai
27、n which is located in Northern Ireland. (396 square kilometres). 讷湖（内伊湖）是英国最大的湖，位于北爱尔兰。面积为396平方公里。 River Clyde is the most important river in Scotland. 克莱德河是苏格兰最重要的河流。 Snowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales.（1,085m） 斯诺多尼亚是威尔士的最高点，海拔1,085米。,IV. Climate 气候 1. Britains favorable climate 英国有利的气候条件：
28、Britain has a maritime climate, winters are not too cold and summers are not too hot. It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The temperature varies within a small range. 英国属于海洋性气候：冬季不过于寒冷，夏季不过于炎热。全年有稳定可靠的降雨量，气温变化幅度小。,2.The factors influence the climate in Britain: 影响英国气候的因素： 1）
29、The surrounding waters tend to balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer; 环绕四周的海水。冬天，海水可使岛内气温升高，夏天则使气温降低，从而起到平衡季节温差的作用； 2)The prevailing south-west winds or the Westerlies blow over the country all the year round bringing warm and wet air in winte
30、r and keeping the temperatures moderate; 一年四季盛行的西南风和西风在冬季从大西洋带来温暖、潮湿的空气，使气温适宜； 3）The North Atlantic Drift passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them. 北大西洋暖流经不列颠群岛西海岸，使气候变暖。 3.Rainfall 降雨量： Britain has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The average annual rainfall
31、 in Britain is over 1,000mm. There is a water surplus in the north and west, and a water deficit in the south and east. 英国全年降雨量稳定，平均降雨量超过1000毫米。 英国北部、西部雨量过多，但是南部、东部有所缺乏。,The People 人口目前英国总人口数约为6200万 英国现有人口主要由英格兰人(占人口总数的80%以上)、威尔士人、苏格兰和爱尔兰人组成。人口密度为每平方公里229人，但全国人口分布不均。人口的80% 住在城市。 英国人口分为4个民族，即英格兰人、苏格兰
32、人、威尔士人和爱尔兰人。 在本世纪，有些人从欧洲大陆来到英国。其中犹太人在欧洲大陆移民中占绝大多数。近几年，有些西印度人、巴基斯坦人也到英国寻求新的生活。还有少数美国人、澳大利亚人、中国人、越南人到英国定居。 英国是一个毗邻欧洲大陆的大西洋海岛国家。 1.population distribution 人口分布： Britain has a population of about 57 millions and it is very unevenly distributed. 90% of the population is urban and only 10% is rural. The p
33、opulation of Britain is made up mainly of the English (81.5%), the Scottish (9.6%), the Welsh (1.9%), the Irish (2.4%), the Northern Irish (1.8%) and other peoples (2.8%). 英国人口约570万，分布极不均匀，90%是城市人口，只有10%是农村人口。英国人口组成为：英格兰人（81.5%），苏格兰人（9.6%），威尔士人（1.9%），爱尔兰人、北爱尔兰人和其他民族居民。 2.The difference between the a
34、ncestors of the English and Scots, Welsh and Irish: 英伦三岛民族的祖先： The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons, the Scots, Welsh and Irish are Celts. 英格兰人祖先属于盎格鲁萨克逊人，而苏格兰、威尔士和爱尔兰人属于凯尔特人。,3.The difference in character个性差别： The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people. They are music lovers and are proud
35、 of their past. 威尔士人感情丰富，情绪高涨，热爱音乐，为过去感到自豪。 The Scots are said to be a serious, cautious and thrifty people, and they are also hospitable, generous and friendly. 苏格兰人通常被认为严肃、谨慎而且节俭，但是他们同样也热情、大方且友好。 The Irish are charm and vivacity. 爱尔兰人充满魅力，生性活泼。,4.The difference in speech between southern England a
36、nd northern England: 英格兰南方人和北方人语言上的差别： Southerners speak the type of English close to BBC English; In northern England, regional speech is usually “broader“ than that of southern England. 南方人讲的英语接近BBC，北英格兰人的发音通常要比南英格兰人宽。,5.The Welsh keep their language and culture in this way: 威尔士人以这样的方式使他们的语言及文化保持活
37、力。 Throughout the year they have festivals of song and dance and poetry called Eisteddfodau. The great event of the year is the National Eisteddfod. On these occasions competitions are held in Welsh poetry, music, singing and art. 一年中他们有称之为“艺术年会”的唱歌、跳舞、诗歌节。一年中最重要的节日是全国诗歌音乐比赛会。在那里会举行威尔士诗歌、音乐、唱歌和艺术比赛。
38、 6.The main problem in Northern Ireland: 北爱尔兰存在的主要问题： The fight between the Protestants who are the dominant group, and the Roman Catholics, who are seeking more social, political and economic opportunities. 作为统治者的新教徒和要求更多社会、政治及经济权利的罗马天主教徒之间的斗争。 7.Immigrants: 移民： About three million have come to Bri
39、tain to live and find work since World War II. 自从二战以来约有三百万人来英国生活、工作。,One striking feature of the English language lies in its massive borrowing from other languages. Looking back on its history, we many find English, originally spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, has been mainly influenced at different time
40、s by Old Norse, Norman French, Latin and Greek and has been developed into many dialects. Thats why English is said to be so “messy”. However, it is this messiness that reflect freedom and others rights. Thanks to all these qualities, English has become the first global language.,The History of Engl
41、ish,Does English only belong to English people? Its a complex question. For on its way to todays domination, English has developed through years of integration and incorporation. It had picked up lots of essential language elements from other civilizations. Today, I am going to demonstrate how Engli
42、sh has expand its vocabulary and developed into an world-wide language.,2000 years ago, the Roman empire was the most powerful country the world had ever seen. The battle units of the Romans were called legions. The roman legions invaded into Great Britain in 55 BC and made it one province of the Ro
43、man Empire. What they bring into Britain are not only damages and injuries but also culture and customers. From then on, the local language of Great Britain has been immensely influenced by the Romans. So here is a question, which language do the Romans speak? Do they speak Italian? or Greek? No, th
44、ey speak Latin, a language which has so much impact on human beings though it has been out of use.,So if we look into English, we can find out that many words originate from Latin. For example, July, this word stands for the seventh month in a year. It in fact stems from the name of the great conque
45、rorJulius Caesar. His motto- Veni, Vidi, Vici, which in English means “I came, I saw, I conquered” is well know by everybody. This great leader was assassinated by his political enemies. To memorize this great name, his successor, Octavian named the seventh month July. When Octavian himself became t
46、he first emperor of Rome, Roman Senate renamed him Augustus, which means majesty in Latin, and named the eighth month after it. In fact, there are so many terms in our daily life such as months and planets are all named by Romans, now they are familiar to everybody as English words.,The second large
47、-scale intrusion into Great Britain was launched by William the Conqueror, who was born in French. At that time he was duke of Normandy. His conqueror of England introduced many French words into English. For example, Resume, buffet, ballet and so on. As you might have already known, the French is a
48、 nation that attaches great importance to courtesy. At that time, when a French upper-class family wants to throw a party, they will first send a card to each of the friends to be invited, indicating the dressing code or the table manners. This kind of card used to be called etiquette in French, the
49、 English people took this word into their own language and give it the meaning of courtesy or decency.,As society and technology develops, the English language is getting more and more influenced by the rest of the world. Not only the western nations but also the eastern ones. As Japan enjoyed an ec
50、onomics boom in 1980s, a lot of Japanese words came into English dictionary. For instance, in the field of economics, the word tycoon means big shots and also more people are getting familiar with such words as samurai or karate. So is the situation with Chinese and English. Chinese food is so favored in west countries that toufu or gon bao ji ding is now a popular word. The phrase “ long time no see” has even become a widely accepted way of greeting.,
