《英美概況》課程教學(xué)大綱

1、PAGE PAGE 19英美概況課程教學(xué)大綱The Society and Culture of Major English Speaking Countries教學(xué)目的：英語國家概況是普通高等學(xué)校英語專業(yè)的一門專業(yè)必修課，屬于社會文化課程。該課程集語言與文化于一身，其目的在于使學(xué)生了解講英語國家的社會歷史，地理，經(jīng)濟，政治，宗教，教育及其價值觀念和習(xí)俗文化傳統(tǒng)，提高學(xué)生對文化差異的敏感度、寬容性、處理文化差異的靈活性和培養(yǎng)學(xué)生跨文化交際的能力的同時，幫助學(xué)生鞏固、提高英語詞匯和閱讀能力，拓寬學(xué)生的知識面。教學(xué)要求及重點：該課程要求學(xué)生在重點熟悉和掌握英美兩國的基本社會文化知識的同時，還要了解

2、一些有關(guān)其他英語國家的文化背景知識，大眾文化習(xí)俗、儀式及其他生活方式，以及價值觀、解決問題方式等影響跨文化交際的深層文化。同時要注重學(xué)生在語言知識和能力上的提高。教學(xué)方法：采取提問式、討論式、發(fā)現(xiàn)式、研究式、任務(wù)式、中西對比等靈活多樣的教學(xué)方式。基本形式分兩種：講座；學(xué)生制作課件及演示。作業(yè)方式：每位學(xué)生上臺用英語就近期國內(nèi)外大事做2-3分鐘簡短報告；每班分為若干小組，就英語國家社會文化中一些輕松話題做課件并演示（每組一次）；思考問答題類(每學(xué)期兩次，紙面作業(yè))測試：1、平時作業(yè)4次，占總成績50%,。3、期末測試：簡答題（關(guān)于英國、美國歷史、政治、經(jīng)濟、教育、媒體五個方面的簡答題）；占總成績

3、50%。2015-2016學(xué)年度第二學(xué)期 美國Week 1& 2Chapter one: Land General Introduction of the US: Basic facts.Full name: the United States of AmericaSize: 9,363,000 squ. kilosPopulation: close to 0.3 billion, the 3rd largest; 82% whiteLocation: Atlantic &Pacific; 2 neighboring countriesRivers & lakes: Mississippi(3

4、700 kilos); Great Lakes(Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario.Mountains: Appalachian Mt.; Rocky Mt.States: a total of 50, with 48 on the main continent; Alaska, the largest in size(1959 added); smallest Rhode Island; least populated Wyoming; the most populated LAClimate: situated between 25-49 No

5、rth latitude, similar to China; temperate zone & Subtropical zoneMajor cities: New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Houston; Capital: Washington D.C., land taken from Virginia & Maryland in 1800.Official language: none; documents required to be translated into many languages.National bird: American Eagle

6、Regions: New England (6 states); Mid-Atlantic 6; South 6; Gulf states 5; Mid-West 7; Plains 7; Mt. 5; Northwest 2; Southwest 4National Flag of the USAStars & strips: 50 stars representing 50 states. 7 red strips & 6 white strips representing 13 original states.Week 3 4 & 5 Chapter 3: A Brief History

7、 of the USAWhat is an American?: to be defined in three aspects.The first migration: the American Indians moved from north Asia to America 25,000years ago; created Aztec, Incas and Mayas culture.The 2nd migration: the white Europeans after 1492 when Columbus discovered America. Major forces which le

8、d to the awakening of Europe and the discovery of America: political, technological and religious forces.The 16th century: an age of explorationThe 17th century: an age of colonizationColonial period: from 1607 to 177613 colonies were formed during the colonial period.Four typical colonies :The sett

9、lement in Virginia: set up in 1607Puritan New England: set up in 1620 for religious purposes, characterized by 1) a strong sense of mission; 2) intolerance in moralism; 3) respect of education; 4) values such as individualism and hard work.Catholic Maryland and Quaker Pennsylvania: characterized by

10、religious tolerance.American Revolution: 1776-1783Causes of revolution:1. Historical Background: by the 1760s (after 150 years of settlement in north America ), the 13 English colonies had developed a similar American pattern in politics, economy and cultural life. 2. The causes of conflict between

11、the British government and its American colonies: Wars between Britain and France: English settlers had set up 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast; the French controlled todays Canada and Louisiana (the territories from Canada down to the Gulf). B &F fought several wars for the control of N America

12、; the longest one is the Seven Years war. Britain won the final victory and got all the land east of Mississippi River, at a huge financial cost, huge amount of money, therefore wished the colonies to pay a part of these expenses, by charging new taxes on sugar, tea and other imported goods. People

13、refused to pay because each colony had its own colonial government and they insisted they can only be taxed by their own govt. Then the British parliament passed a law saying that “the Parliament has the right to make laws for the whole colonies in all cases”. Conflicts began to appearIntensificatio

14、n of the conflict:Boston Tea Party: organized in 1773 to protest against the tea tax. Their action of throwing the tea boxes from British merchant ships into the sea angered the Parliament, which then sent troops to Boston. To obey or to fight?The 1st continental Congress: held in 1774 to discuss th

15、e problem and make decisions; began to organize armies and collect weapons to defend the colonies.The 1st shot: In April, in 1775, British soldiers in Boston marched to a small town called Lexington to capture a colonial arms depot(武器倉庫). Someone fired a shot, and the American revolution began.The 2

16、nd continental Congress: held in Philadelphia in May 1775, began to resume the functions of a national government and founded an Army and Navy under the command of George Washington.The Beginning of the New NationThe Declaration of Independence: drafted by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Congres

17、s on July 4, 1776, officially announced the independence of the 13 North American colonies. July 4, National Day. (Study its content)The birth of a nation: Britain signed the peace treaty in 1783, recognizing the independence of the USA.The 1st. administration: led by George Washington, two terms fr

18、om 1789 to 1797. Admired, loved by all the American people.The 2nd administration: John Adams, favoring a strong govt,served from 1797-1801The 3rd administration : Thomas Jefferson(1801-1809), favoring a small govt. His contribution: the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, which doubled the size of

19、 the country and the territory stretched from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mt. First he tried to buy New Orleans(vital to keep the Mississippi river open for trade) from Napoleon of France, but got all the Louisiana Territory(rich in gold, silver, natural gas, the wheat-growing farms of the Great Plain

20、s) with only $15 million. Capital cities: New York (1785-1790); Philadelphia (1790-1800); Washington D.C.from 1800-The Westward MovementReason for the Movement: the Louisiana territory was unpopulated at that time, so the government encouraged the Americans to move across the Appalachia Mt. To the W

21、est( actually the middle part of todays America) by offering cheap lands.The harsh conditions in the west: uncultivated land, wild plants and primitive forests; no schools, hospitals, market and shops; dangers from wild animals, hostile Indians and illnesses.American characters and values shaped dur

22、ing the westward Movement: hard working (to survive); individualism (no other people to rely on); being adventurous; plain speech and plain clothes.Cowboy: young man hired by a family looking after cattle, riding on horseback.Policy: when the population in an area reached 60,000, it could become a s

23、tate. One by one, states such as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, Missouri came into existence.The enlargement of the territory: after 50 years of westward movement, the American territory stretched to the Pacific Coast.San Francisco: the largest Chinese community, devel

24、oped from a small village where people from all over the world rushed for gold, to an urban center in the west (better known than LA).The Civil War (1861-1865)Cause: political and economic reasonsImpact: restored the Union and helped to quicken Americas transformation into a modern nation.The Gilded

25、 Age (after the civil War & before the 1920s)The Gilded Age: the years between the Civil War and the start of the 20th century, an era of rapid economic development, changing from an agricultural society to an industrial society. 85% in rural areas in mid 1850s, less than 50% in the 1920s; an era of

26、 material comfort for the middle and upper classes, hopeless and hardship for the laborers who failed to share its prosperity. The 1920s and the Depression20th century AmericaThe 1920s and the Great Depression in the 30sWW 2 Postwar periodAssignment for after-classQuestion for thinking:Find out from

27、 other sources more about Westward Movement.Week 6, 7, 8, 9,10 &11 Chapter Two: the People & Their culture (mainly presented by students)Population and its constitutionLanguageTraditions and customsImportant holidaysSocial welfareSportsFamous peopleAmerican Education重點講解 goal of American educationCo

28、mpulsory education for 13 years (from K-grade 12)Elementary education: from K through 8.Secondary education: grades 9-12; required subjects and elective subjectsHigher Education: 1. Applicants selecting standards: a. high school records; b. recommendations from high school teachers; c. interview; d.

29、 scores on the Scholastic aptitude Tests (SATs) 2. Categories of institutions: a. the university; b. the 4-year undergraduate institution; c. the technical training institution; d. the community college 3. The resource of funding: student tuition; endowments; government funding.4. Factors that deter

30、mine whether an institution is one of the best prestige: quality of teaching staff; quality of research facilities; amount of funding available for libraries and special programs; the competence and number of applicants for admission.5. Major Universities: Harvard, Yale, MITAssignment作業(yè)Question for

31、thinking:Compare Chinese education with American educationReligion in the USReligion: belief in the existence of a supernatural ruling power, believing that a spiritual nature continues to exist after the death of the body, and the spirit is given by the creator or controller (supernatural ruling po

32、wer) of the universe.Three major religions of the world: Christianity: a population of 1.2 billion. Islam: a population of 0.8 billionBuddhism: a population of 0.3 billionChristianity: Created by Jesus Christ in around 1st century AD. Holy book: Bible. God Jehovah created everything including human

33、beings. The first human beings are Adam and Eve, who were driven out of the Eden garden onto the earth to endure hardship. This is the original sin. Salvation from sin. Christianity experienced several separations. In the 5th century, it was broken into Roman Catholic Church and the East Orthodox. T

34、he second separation happened during the Renaissance, when Martin Luther started his religious reformation, as a result of which Protestant developed from the Roman Catholic Church. Religious liberty: guaranteed in the 1st amendment to the Constitution, which forbids the government to give any speci

35、al favors to any religion. The US doesnt have state-supported religion.( Religious prejudice was strong in a certain period)Protestants in the US: 60% of Americans are Protestants believers. The Baptists are the largest Protestant group, followed by the Methodists. There are altogether more than 100

36、 Protestant groups, some of which are very small, known only to their own members.Catholics: 26% of Americans are Catholics who are descendants of immigrants from Ireland, Italy and Poland. Jewish: the third largestReligious diversity: Islam, Buddhism, HindusAmerican characters of Religion: 1). Amer

37、icans live together under the same law 2.) The religious beliefs of Americans continue to be strong with social progress. 3). Every church is a completely independent organization.Assignment作業(yè)Question for thinking:What are the characteristics of American religion?Week 12 & 13Chapter Four:The Constit

38、ution and the Government System in the U.SThe original 13 states along the Atlantic seacoast: 4 in New England; 5 in the mid-Atlantic; 4 in the south.Articles of Confederation(聯(lián)邦條例): played the role of Constitution during the Independent war period, did one important thing: they formed a new nation.

39、 The making of the Constitution: In 1787, Congress called for a meeting of 55 delegates from all the states to revise it. It began from Feb. 1787, completed in Sept. by 54 delegates from the 12 states (Rhode Island refused), and officially adopted in March 1789. Its the oldest written constitution.P

40、reamble of the Constitution: (illustrate the purpose of the Constitution)“We the people of the U.S., in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves an

41、d our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America”. The Basic Foundations of the Constitution Basic Principles of the Constitution: Republicanism: A republican govt is one in which people elect representatives to govern. In the US, the people vote for member

42、s of the House of Representatives and of the senate. The people also elect the members of the electoral college, who, in turn choose the president.The principle of federalism: It is the division of power between a central government and state, with some rights reserved to each. In other words, its a

43、 federal system of government with two layers of rule.The principle of checks and balances in power(separation of powers): to prevent the government from misusing its powers, the government is divided into three branches, the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial, with each branc

44、h having part of the power but no all, each branch can check or block the wrongful actions by other branches. Bill of Rights: the first ten amendments added to the constitution in 1791, guaranteeing the freedoms or the basic rights of citizens. The 1st amendment includes freedom of religion, of spee

45、ch and of the press. Up to now, altogether 27 amendments to the Constitution. A system of checks and balancesThe Constitution provides for 3 equal and separate branches of governments, but each is to some extent dependent on the other two and there is a partial interviewing of their functions.The Ex

46、ecutive Branch: consists of the federal departments presided over by the President. His legislative powers: 1) suggests bills to Congress; 2) may veto bills passed by congress, but if two thirds in each house vote to override the veto, the bill doesnt become a law. His Executive powers: carrying out

47、 of the law. 1) issues executive orders, rules and regulations . 2) commander-in-chief of the armed forces.; 3) appoints ambassadors and ministers. His judicial powers: 1) appoints federal judges. 2) give reprieves and pardons in federal criminal cases.特赦權(quán)The Legislative Branch: 1)appropriates funds

48、 for executive(為行政部門撥款)；2) may create or abolish executive Departments; 3) may impeach(彈劾) and try (審判) members of the Executive Branch: 4) May override a Presidential veto(推翻總統(tǒng)否決); 5)The Senate must approve（批準(zhǔn)） presidential appointments and treaties; 6) appropriates funds for the Judiciary; 7)may c

49、reate or abolish lower federal courts; 8) may impeach and try members of the Judiciary; 9) decides how many justices may sit on the Supreme Court; 10) determines the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court決定最高法院的受理上訴權(quán)). The Judicial Branch: consists of a system of courts headed by the Supreme Co

50、urt and subordinate courts through out the country. 1) may declare congressional legislation unconstitutional; 2) may declare any presidential or Executive action unconstitutional違憲.The Structure of the GovernmentCongress: be composed of two houses- the Senate and the House of Representatives. most

51、important function is to pass lawsthe Senate: the senators, two from each state serving for 6 years.the House of Representatives: number of members from each state is determined by the population of the state. Serve for two years.The President and his 14 departments:Those created before 20th century

52、: State; treasure; Defense; Justice; Interior; Agriculture; those created in 20th century include: commerce; Labor; Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; Transportation; Energy; education; Veterans affairsTwo major political parties in the US, two-party systemThe Democratic Party

53、: evolved from Thomas Jeffersons party; symbol is donkey; considered as more liberal (believing the government should be active in providing social welfare programs for those who need them). Dominant from 1932- the 1980s. The Republican Party: formed in the 1850s; symbol is elephant; placing more em

54、phasis on private enterprise; considered as more conservative.Assignment作業(yè)Question for thinking:What are the three basic principles of American Constitution?Week 14 & 15Chapter Five: American EconomyAs the most powerful nation in the world, the US must have something to achieve it within only 200 ye

55、ars.The roots of Affluence: (no single factor is responsible for the successes of American business and industry)1. The size and ample natural resources2. Moderate populations, provides both workers and consumers.3. Mobility in the American population4. The entrepreneurial spirit (商業(yè)冒險精神)5. A variety of institutional factorsIndustrial RevolutionHistorical periods of the US: colonial period (1607-1776); the early peri