英语国家概况2
1．第1题
Which of the following is NOT true about life peers?
A.They are not from the Aristocratic families.
B.They cannot sit in the House of Lords.
C.They earned their titles through their outstanding Achievement.
D.The titles cannot be inherited by their children.
您的答案：B
2．第2题
Which period of time in British history was described as “private affluence and public squalor”?
A.the 1940s
B.the 1970s
C.the 1980s
D.the 1990s
您的答案：C
3．第3题
The three-tier system of the government in the Australian federation stands for
A.the Australian Parliament and Government, the six state governments and their le
B.the Australian Parliament, the federal government and the Executive Council.
C.the Governor-General as the representative of the Queen, the Prime Minister head
D.the Australian government, the six states governments and the territories govern
您的答案：A
4．第4题
Since the early 1960s, ______has grown to be Australia’s largest trading partner.
A.Britain
B.the European Community
D.China
您的答案：C
5．第5题
Which of the following statements is NOT correct according to the author?
A.American mainstream culture is based on Protestantism.
B.Protestant Church is an established church by law in the U. S.
C.The Catholic Church is the largest single religious group in the U. S.
D.The largest church is of the Protestant faith in the U. S.您的答案：B
6．第6题
Three of the following are characteristics of London. Which of the four is the exception?
A.London is A political, economic And cultural centre of the country.
B.London has A larger population than All other cities in England.
C.London is not only the largest city in Britain, but Also the largest in the worl
D.London has played A significant role in the economic construction of the country
您的答案：C
7．第7题
In the 1920’s, a new, distinctive style of piano playing called ‘stride’ piano emerged in __.
A.Harlem in New York
B.San Francisco in California
C.Chicago in Illinois
D.Nashville, Tennessee
您的答案：A
Institutional factors that contributed to the success of American business and industry include __.
https://www.sodocs.net/doc/395293985.html,issez-faire
B.bountiful resources
C.vast dimensions
D.entrepreneurial spirit
您的答案：A
9．第9题
Which of the following statements was NOT correct? When the War of Independence was over,
A.each new state had its own government.
B.each new state made its own laws and handled all of its internal affairs.
C.the national government was called the Congress with little power.
D.the relationships between the states and the national government were clearly de
您的答案：D
10．第10题
Black Americans sang the anthem of the civil rights movements,“_________” affirming their commitment to fight racial prejudice.
A.“Let it all hang out.”
B.“Hell, no, we won’t go.”
C.“We Shall Overcome.”
D.“Speak your heart without interruption”
您的答案：C
11．第11题
The Commonwealth of Australia, a federation of the six former colonies as states, came into being on
A.Jan. 18, 1788
B.Jan. 26, 1788
C.Jan. 1, 1901
D.April 25, 1914
您的答案：C
12．第12题
Which invention marked the beginning of “The Age of Visual Information”?
A.newspaper.
B.telegraph.
https://www.sodocs.net/doc/395293985.html,undry machine.
D.television.
您的答案：D
13．第13题
Which of the following writers was NOT associated with Modernism?
A.D. H. Lawrence
B.E. M. Forster
C.Charles Dickens
D.Virginia Woolf
您的答案：C
14．第14题
Australia’s three most important field crops are
A.Cotton, barley, And sugar-cane
B.Grain legume, wheat And cotton
C.wheat, barley And sugar-cane
D.wheat, sugar-cane And cotton
您的答案：D
15．第15题
In Australia, TAFE is a form of
A.primary education.
B.secondary education.
C.post-secondary education.
D.private education.
您的答案：C
16．第16题
Which of the following was NOT the reason for the relative economic decline since 1945?
A.Britain did not invest in modern equipment And new products.
B.Britain spent A high proportion of its national wealth on the military.
C.Britain had been heavily in debt to finance the war.
D.Britain had carried out the nationalization of the businesses.
您的答案：D
17．第17题
The theory of American politics and the American Revolution originated mainly from ___
A.George Washington.
B.Thomas Jefferson.
C.John Adams.
D.John Locke.
您的答案：D
18．第18题
Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four nations, but is quite well-known in the world for
A.its most famous landmark, the “Giant’s Causeway”.
B.its rich cultural life.
C.its low living standards.
D.its endless political problems.
您的答案：D
19．第19题
The following were the main Reformation leaders except_____.
A.Martin Luther
B.Martin Luther King
C.John Calvin
D.The English King Henry VIII
您的答案：B
20．第20题
Cultural survival is shown in the following ways except:
A.the attempt to maintain a Canadian identity.
B.persistence of native Canadian people to maintain their distinctive cultures.
C.dealing with the harsh natural environment.
D.the survival of a French-Canadian identity in Quebec after the English had conqu
您的答案：C
21．第21题
Since the north is mainly unpopulated, the Canadian government, at one point, asked the ____to patrol the area.
A.the Americans
B.the local Inuit hunters with skidoos
C.the NATO allies
D.the ANZUS
您的答案：B
22．第22题
Along which parallel do most Canadians live, according to the author?
A.the 39th
B.the 49th
C.the 59th
D.the 69th
您的答案：B
23．第23题
Which of the following is NOT one of the prairie provinces?
A.Alberta
B.Saskatchewan
C.New Brunswick
D.Manitoba
您的答案：C
24．第24题
In 1917, the Canadian government introduced conscription, which resulted in bitter resentment in the French-speaking province. Which of the following is the correct name?
A.British Columbia
B.Nova Scotia
C.Ontario
D.Quebec
您的答案：D
25．第25题
Staff in a typical Irish office arrive in the morning ___.
A.early
https://www.sodocs.net/doc/395293985.html,te
C.strictly on time
D.sometimes on time, and sometimes not
您的答案：D
26．第26题
The Celts stressed on the importance of ___.
A.fine, or the family unit
B.men
C.women
D.individuals
您的答案：A
27．第27题
By 1985, how many per cent of immigrants were non-European?
A.30 per cent
B.80 per cent
C.60 per cent
D.50 per cent
您的答案：C
Which of the following is true about the Dreaming?
A.It is performed to communicate the aboriginal ancestors.
B.It has little significance for people today.
C.It is a superstition about the power of the land.
D.It contains knowledge about the land.
您的答案：D
29．第29题
What is the first official language of the Irish Republic?
A.English
B.Irish
C.Celtic
D.Gaelic
您的答案：B
30．第49题
The first Irish national state was set up in _____.
A.1919
B.1920
C.1922
D.1949
您的答案：C
31．第30题
Rabbits have nothing to do with Easter.
您的答案：错误
32．第31题
Drama flourished the Elizabethan age more than any other form of literature.
您的答案：正确
33．第32题
Sinn Fein is the legal political Party in Northern Ireland.
您的答案：正确
In Britain, the great majority of parents send their children to public schools.
您的答案：错误
35．第34题
Baseball can be watched in a more relaxed and lazy way.
您的答案：正确
36．第35题
According to the author, jazz music gains acceptance in all classes in American society because it initially appealed to the young and rebellious.
您的答案：错误
37．第36题
Telephone led to the end of the Pony Express System.
您的答案：错误
38．第37题
Blacks felt more and more confident after the 1960s that they would be fully integrated into the mainstream of American life.
您的答案：错误
39．第38题
By containment, the U. S would use whatever means to prevent the Soviet Union from breaking out of its sphere of influence.您的答案：正确
40．第39题
The rise of the unemployment rate in Australia in 1970s was caused by fierce competition between Australian manufacturers.您的答案：错误
41．第40题
According to the Pacific Island Laborers Act 1901, Pacific Islanders should be kept within the plantation.
您的答案：错误
42．第41题
It is a critique of Multiculturalism from the left that it has caused increasing division in Australian society with policies favoring the migrants.
您的答案：错误
43．第42题
It was believed before 1980s that the private business in Australia should play the central role in the promotion and maintenance of the social prosperity.
您的答案：错误
44．第43题
Neutralization of the bureaucracy in Australia describes the changes in ministerial bureaucratic relationships after 1980s.您的答案：错误
45．第44题
Racial segregation existed throughout the U. S. after the
Civil War.
您的答案：错误
46．第45题
The United States was rated third in the world in terms of land area and the size of population.
您的答案：错误
47．第46题
Lord Baltimore’s feudal plan failed because there were more Protestants than Catholics in Maryland.
您的答案：错误
48．第47题
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded in 1945.
您的答案：错误
49．第48题
The “Currency children” were less criminal than their peers in England.
您的答案：正确
50．第50题
The British media have an important function of making huge profit by publishing Advertisements.
您的答案：错误
作业总得分：98.0
英语国家概况
英语国家概况-Land and people 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: the British Isles, Great Britain and England. 地理名称：不列颠群岛，大不列颠和英格兰。 2. Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 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. 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：England, Scotland and Wales. 大不列颠岛上有三个政治区：英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士。 (1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the largest, 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 Britain. 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 countries until 1991. 英联邦是独立的前英国殖民地组成的自由联合体。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 rest 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 Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m).
【优质】英语国家概况试卷1及答案
I. Choose the correct answer from the options given: （20 points, 1 point each） 1. Which of the following is NOT considered a characteristic of London ? A. The cultural centre. B. The business centre. C. The financial centre. D. The sports centre. 2. Which of the following is NOT true about the characteristics of Britain ? A. Economic differences between north and south. B. Differences of social systems between Scotland and Wales. C. Class differences between a white-collar worker and a blue-collar worker. D. Cultural differences between immigrants and the British. 3. In 1969, the first British soldiers were seen on Northern Ireland Street They came first _______. A. to maintain traffic order in Northern Ireland B. to protect the Catholic people C. to protect the Protestant people D. to replace the Royal Ulster Constabulary since they were unable to keep social Order 4. In the early 1970s, the IRA _________. A. killed many Protestants and Catholics B. burned down the houses of Catholics’ C. murdered individuals at random D. carried out a series of bombing and shooting and attacked the security forces as their main target 5. Why did the British government decide to replace the Power-Sharing policy with “direct-rule” from London ? A. The Power-Sharing policy was not accepted by the majority of Protestants. B. The Northern Irish Parliament could not govern the province effectively. C. The Power-Sharing policy couldn’t be carried out. D. All the above.
英语国家概况课后题总结和答案
Chapter 1 land and people 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 British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britian. the geographical position of Britian Britain is an island country. It lies in the north Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of is separated from the rest of Europe by the English channel in the south and the North Sea in the east. 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. 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 has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole has a small range of temperature,too. are the factors which influence the climate in Britain Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest
英语国家概况_习题集(含答案)
《英语国家概况》课程习题集西南科技大学成人、网络教育学院版权所有 习题 【说明】：本课程《英语国家概况》（编号为12010）共有单选题,名词解释题,简答题,填空题2等多种试题类型，其中，本习题集中有[简答题]等试题类型未进入。 一、单选题 1. Celts were different groups of ancient people who came originally from________ A. France B. Denmark C. Ireland D. Germany 2. Who invaded and conquered Britain for the first time in 55 BC? A. Emperor Claudius B. Julius Caesar C. King Alfred D. King Ethelred 3. Who is the author of Murder in the Cathedral? A. Christopher Marlowe B. T. S. Eliot C. Ben Johnson D. Thomas Becket 4.When Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, and was succeeded by his son, ______, the regime began immediately to collapse. A. Henry B. Hamilton C. Richard D. Charles 5. The 18th century saw selective breeding of cattle, sheep and houses by _________. A. Jethro Tull B. Thomas Coke C. George III D. Robert Bakewell 6. Which of the following is not one of the members of the Lords Temporal? A. all hereditary peers and peeresses of the England, Scotland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom (but not peers of Ireland) B. lire peers created to assist the House in its judicial duties C. senior bishops of the Church of England D. all other life peers 7. Two years after the ending of the Hundred Years’ War with France, England was thrown into another series of civil wars, ________. A. the War of the Celts
英语国家概况
《英语国家概况》补充材料 A：名词解释补充 The Pilgrim Fathers（英国清教徒）: This is given to those members who made the first crossing on the famous Mayflower, which landed at Plymouth harbor in December 1620. Jacksonian democracy（杰克森式民主）:It is used in American politics to describe the period when the “common man” participated in the government, occurring after Jeffersonian democracy. The Progressive Movement（革新运动）:It was a reform movement that reached its height in the early 20th century. This arose as a response to the vast changes brought by industrialization. The Union Flag（英国国旗）:Also known as the Union Jack. It is the national flag of the UK. It symbolizes the 4 administrative nations, the England, Scotland, Wales and the Northern Ireland. The red cross stands for England, the diagonal Red Cross stands for Ireland and the diagonal white cross stands for Scotland. British Commonwealth（英联邦）:Also known as the Commonwealth of Nations. It includes the UK and the 40 or so former British colonies that are now sovereign states. It was formally established in 1931. European Union（欧盟）:It is an economic and political union established in 1993. The establishment of the European Union expanded the political scope of the European Economic, especially in the area of foreign and security policies, and provided for the creation of a central European bank and the adoption of a common currency. Domesday Book（末日审判书）: The written record of a census and survey of English landowners and their property made by order of William the Conqueror in 1085-1086. Stonehenge（巨石阵）:A group of standing stones on a plain in the southern England. The arrangement of the stones suggests that it was used as a religious center and also as an astronomical observatory. Julius Caesar（凯撒大帝）:He is a roman general, statesman and historian. He invaded British, conquered the army of his political enemy Pompey, and pursued other enemies to Egypt. He returned to Rome, and was given a order by the people to rule as dictator until he was murdered. Protestantism（新教）: One of the 3 major branches of Christianity, originating in the 16th century Reformation in Europe. Margaret Thatcher（撒切尔夫人）: She is the first British female Prime Minister who held the office of PM Longer than anyone else in the 20th century. She was elected in 1979, shored up a Conservative-led government, favored privatization plans. Her nickname is “The Iron Lady”; she was elected to three consecutive terms and resigned in1990 Keynesian（凯恩斯主义）: The economic theories of economist Keynes, who advocate government monetary and fiscal programs, designed to increase employment and stimulate business activity. Westminster Abbey（威斯敏斯特教堂）:A famous church located in London, where English monarchs are crowned and distinguished English subjects are buried. The Poets’ Corner conta ins the graves of great English writers. Grammar school: Originally meant to educate the young in Latin grammar and that of another European language. These schools in modern UK are intended to teach a highly academic class and teach students to deal with abstract concepts. The American Revolution（独立战争）: Also known as the War of Independence, it began in 1775 and ended in 1783. It ended 2 centuries of British rule for most of the North American colonies and created the United States of America.
英语国家概况试卷
内蒙古广播电视大学2010-2011学年度 第二学期《英语国家概况1》期末试题 ⅠThere are 20 questions in this part. Each question is followed by four choices marked A,B,C and D. Choose the correct answer to each of the questions and write your answer at the corresponding place on the ANSWER SHEET.(20 points) 1.The following were the founding fathers of the AmericanRepublic except _____. A Thomas Jefferson B George Washington C William Penn D Benjamin Franklin 2.Which of the following statement was NOT correct? When the War of Independence was over, _____. A each new state had its own government B each new state made its own laws and handled all of its internal affairs C the national government was called the Congress with little power D the relationships between the states and the national government were clearly defined 3.Service industry does not include ____. A banking B management consultation C airline D steelmaking 4.Three of the following authors were Nobel Prize winner except _____. A Ernest Hemingway B Eugene O’Neill C William Faulkner D F. Scott Fitzgerald 5. ____ invented the telephone. A Samuel R.B. Morse B Alexander Graham Bell C Thomas Alva Edison D Reginald Fessenden 6.The main mountain range in the west of US stretching from the Canadian border to New Mexico is ____. A The Appalachian Mountains B The Rocky Mountains C The Green Mountains D TheBlue Ridge Mountains 7.Both public and private universities in the U.S. depend on the following sources of income except____. A investment B student tuition C endowments D government funding 8.____ was NOT written by Hemingway? A Light in August B The Sun Also Rises C A farewell to Arms D For Whom the Bell Tolls 9.In the United States school system, which of the following divisions is true? A Elementary school, grammar school B Elementary school, junior high school C Elementary school, secondary school D junior high school, senior high school 10.Which of the following does NOT belong to the white-collar crime? A bribery B tax evasion C false advertising D robbery 11.Which of the following was written by Thoreau? A Nature B Walden C The Scarlet Letter D The Fall of the House Usher 密 封 线 内 不 要 写 参 考 内 容 《英语国家概况1》第1页 共6页 《英语国家概况1》第2页 共6页
英语国家概况课程标准
英语国家概况课程标准 课程代码： 适用专业：商务英语 一、课程概述 1．课程性质 语言是文化的载体，文化是语言的基础。英语语言学习和英国国家文化相互依存、密不可分。一个优秀的英语语言学习者，若不了解该语言背后所承载的民族文化，其交际能力也会受到限制。该课程能使学生了解和掌握英美两国政治，历史，经济，社会，文化和教育等基本知识，了解英美国家社会发展、现状和影响这两个国家社会发展的因素，拓展学生的知识面，培养学生文化意识，启发学生了解西方社会，了解交际规则，增强学生的英语语言学习能力，为后续专业课程的学习打下一定的基础，进而为培养高技能应用型复合人才打下基础。 2．课程设计思路 本课程在设计上围绕合作学习法—任务型教学法、比较教学法、线索梳理法、启发式等教学法。 合作学习法—任务型教学法 合作学习法又称协作学习，是以合作学习小组为基本形式，系统利用教学中动态因素之间的互动，促进学生的学习，以团体成绩作为评价标准，共同完成教学活动。任务型教学法是一种以任务或活动为核心单位计划组织语言教学的途径,一种强调“在做中学”的语言教学方法。合作学习法与任务型教学法结合是指教师设计学习任务，指导并帮助学生以小组为单位通过合作、协商完成学习任务的教学过程。主要采用组织演示、演讲、讨论等形式。 2）比较教学法 比较教学法是在教学过程中，利用教学内容的相互联系和区别，促进学生掌握和巩固教学内容、达到教学目标的一种逻辑思维方法。例如，在学习美国的政体时，我们可以和英国政体、甚至是我国的政体进行比较，异中求同，同中求异。从而对“Parliament”、“Congress”和我国的NPC （The National People’s Congress）形成更深刻的理解。运用这种教学法不仅有利于学生掌握基本知识与技能，而且有利于提高学生的创造性思维能力。3）线索梳理法 线索梳理法，尤其是历史年代轴线表示法是表达历史线索最清晰的一种方式，这种方式的特点是易于梳理，可操作性强，非常直接，便于记忆。比如说，英国历史很长，如果不进行梳理，很难记忆，如果整理成一条线索，效果却不能同日而语： Early settlers——Roman invasions——Anglo-Saxons——the Viking and Danish Invasions——the Norman Conquest——William’s Rule——the Great Charter——the Hundred Year’s War——the English Reformation——the English Renaissance——the Civil War——the Glorious Revolution——the Industrial Revolution——the two World Wars 同样，美国历史部分可整理成这样一条线索： The war of Independence——the War of 1812——territorial expansion and Westward Movement——the Civil War——the two World Wars——the Cold War——the Berlin Blockade——the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s——the Vietnam War 二、课程培养目标 1．知识目标 了解主要英语国家的地理，历史，经济和政治等方面的概况；了解主要英语国家的文化传统，风俗习惯和社会生活的其他有关情况。 2．技能目标 扩大知识面，有效弥补英语专业学生知识面窄的不足；提高英语阅读的能力和语言应用能力。 3．素质目标
《英语国家概况》模拟试卷(二)及答案
《英语国家概况》模拟试卷（二） (考试时间150分钟) (英语专业) I. Direction: Read the following unfinished statements of questions carefully. For each unfinished statement of question four suggested answers A; B, C and D are given. Choose the one you think best completes the statement or answers the question. Write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space on your answer sheet (25%) 1. There are ______ political divisions on the island of Great Britain. A. one B. two C. three D. four 2. Magna Carta had altogether 63 clauses of which the most important matters could be seen in three of the following except _______. A. no tax should be made without the approval of the Grand Council; B. no serf should be arrested, imprisoned or deprived of his property except by the law of the land C. London and other towns should retain their ancient rights and privileges D. There should be the same weights and measures through - out the country. 3. The first steam engine was devised by Thomas Newcomer at the end of the 17th century, and the Scottish inventor ________ modified and improved the design in 1765. A. Abraham Darby B. James Watt C. John Kay D. Richard Arkwright 4. In some areas factory farming methods are used, particularly for ________. A. growing crop B. producing milk C. catching fish D. rearing poultry 5. By tradition, the leader of the majority party is appointed ______ by the Sovereign in the United Kingdom. A. Prime Minister B. Member of Parliament C. Lord of Appeal D. Speaker of the House 6. Under the Anglo - Irish Treaty, Britain established _______ with dominion status in Ireland in 1921. A. the Anglican Church of Ireland B. the Irish Free State C. the Irish Republican Army
英语国家概况总结资料全
Unit1 A Brief Introduction to the United Kingdom 1.The flag of Britain : Union Jack （英国国旗中没有显示出Welsh旗） 2. The basic information of each country: Count ry Capital Area Memo Englan d London 最大 1.最不会把自己的 “英格兰文化区 别于其他文化” 2.一个高度城市化
3.The time joining the British parliament: However, in 1707 by agreement of the English and Scottish parliaments, Scotland joined the Union. 4.Difference between the British Isles ,UK, Great Britain , and England: British Isles: the island of Great Britain the island of Ireland
surrounding isles ●UK=Great Britain + Northern Ireland ●Great Britain =England +Scotland + Wales 5.The four major invasions in the history of Great Britain : At first, England was occupied by Celtic people. Then in 43AD Britain was invaded by the Roman Empire. Result: England and Wales became a part of the Roman Empire for nearly 400 years. the Angle-Saxon invaded. Result: The land they lived became" Angle-land", later changed into England, the language they spoken became English. PS：One of the best-known English legends derives from this time. In 5 century AD, King Author(亚瑟王) united the British, and with his magical sword, Excalibur（被称为“王者之剑”的圣剑）,
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英语国家概况 名词解释 1. The civil rights movement (1955–1968) refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring suffrage in Southern states. 2. A federal system A federal system is one in which power is shared between a central authority and its constituent parts with some rights reserved to each. 3. King Arthur It is said that he was the King of England in the 5th century and united the British and drove the Saxons back with his magical sword, Excalibur. His real existence is in doubt. He is the central figure of many legends. 4. The Anglo-Saxons They were two groups of Germanic peoples who settled down in England from the 5th century. They were regarded as the ancestors of the English and the founders of England. 5. Riverdance Riverdance is a very popular form of dancing based on I reland’s intricate folk dances which are rearranged and modernized and adapted onto current stage performance. Dancing is traditionally part of Irish culture. It is usually accompanied by the Irish pipe and fiddle. The music usually sounds fast and furious. Most of the action is from the waist down, with the arms held rigidly at the sides. 6. The House of Commons The House of Commons is the real centre of British political life because it is the place where about 650 elected representatives (Members of Parliament) make and debate policy. These MPs are elected in the General Elections and should represent the interests of people who vote for them. 7. The Commonwealth It is a voluntary association of states which is made up of Britain and mostly of former British colonies. There are 54 members of the Commonwealth including one currently suspended member: many of these are developing countries like India and Cyprus; others are developed nations like Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The Commonwealth was set up as a forum for continued cooperation and as a sort of support network. 8. Maoritanga Maoritanga means ―Maori culture‖. It refers to all the elements of the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous people in New Zealand, including their language, customs and traditions. 9. The “Washminster” form polity The ―Washminster‖form of polity is adopted by the Australian government. It is a mixture of the US Washington system of government and the British Westminster system. This means that the political