英语国家概况美国部分精讲系列Chapter 19
Chapter 19 Political institution（政治制度）
1．The American Constitution is the oldest written constitution in the world. It was draw up in 1787 and went into effect in 1789.美国宪法是世界上最早的成文宪法，它起草于1787年，生效于1789年。
2．In 1787,Congress called for a meeting of delegate from all the states to revise the Articles of Confederation.1787年，国会召开各州代表参加的大会，主要目的是修改有明显缺点的《联邦条款》。
3．The government is divided into three branched: the legislative ,the executive ,and the judicial. Each branch has part of the powers but not all the power.美国政府被分为3部分：立法机构，行政机构和司法机构。
4．In either case, amendments must have the approval of three-fourths of the states before they enter into force.有两种情可以提出修改宪法条款，但不管是哪种，修正案必须经过3/4的批准才能生效。
5．The President of the U.S is the head of the executive branch and the head of the state elected by the whole nation. The Constitution requires the President to be a natural-born American citizen at least 35 years of age. The president election was held every 4 years .宪法规定总统必须是美国本土出生的美国公民，至少年满35岁，总统选举每四年举行一次。
6． In American ,the “winner-take-all” system applies in all states expect Maine.在美国，嬴者全赢的制度适用于除缅因州外的各州。
7．The electors of all fifty states and the District of Columbia-a total of 538 persons-comprise what is known as the Electoral College. To be successful, a candidate for the Presidency must receive 270 votes.50个州加上哥伦比亚特区共有538位总统候选人，他们组成选举团，要成为美国总统，候选人则要获得270票。
8．The presidential term of 4 years begin on Jan 20 following the November election, The president publicly takes an oath of office, which is administered by the Chief Justice of the U.S. A president can be elected to office only twice.美国总统任期为4年，每位总统任期最多只能两届，总统宣誓就职仪式是由美国首席娃哈哈官主持的。
9． Article I of the Constitution grants all legislative power of the federal government to a Congress composed of two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of 2 members from each state, Membership in the House is based on population and its size is therefore not specified in the Constitution.国会由参议院和众议院组成，参议院由各州派出两名议员共同组成，众议院成员数则按各州人口及大小而定，因此众义员数宪法没有具体规定。
10． The Constitution requires that U.S. Senators must be at least 30 years of age, citizens of the U.S for at least 9 years, and residents of the states from which they are elected. The senatorial term is 6 years, and every 2 years one-third of the Senate stands for re-election.宪法规定美国参议员必须是年满30岁有美国公民资格9年以上的公民，并且是选其为议员的州的居民，参议员任期为6年，且每月年改选1/3的议员。
11． Menber of the House of Representative must be at least 25, citizens for 7 years, and residents of the states which send them to Congress. Today, the House is composed of 435 members. Since members of the House serve two-year terms, the life of a Congress is considered to be 2 years.宪法规定美国众议员必须是年满25岁有美国公民资格7年以上的公民，并且是选其为议员的州的居民，现在，众议院由来35名议员组成，由于众议员任期为2年，所以国会任期往往被认为是2年。
12． Each hours of the Congress has the power to introduce legislation on any subject, except revenue bills which must first come from the House of Representatives.除了税收法案必须首先由众议院提出，国会的两院各自有权就任何提议立法。
13． The Constitution provides that the Vice president shall be president of the Senate. He has no vote, except in a case of a tie. The House of Representatives choose its own presiding officer-the Speaker of the House.宪法规定由美国副总统担任参议院议长，议长不参加投票，除非出现两派票数相等的情况，众议院则选出他自己的主持官员，-众议院议长。
14． According to the Constitution, the judicial power of the U.S shall be vested in one Supreme Court. The judicial system has evolved into the present structure: the Supreme Court, 11 court of appeals, 91 district courts, and 3 courts of special jurisdiction. U.S.judges are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.根据宪法规定，美国的司法权属于最高法院，司法体系结构为：最高法院，11个上诉法院，91个地方法院，3个有特殊司法权的法院，美国的法官是由总统任命并由参议院批准的。
15． The Supreme Court is the highest court of the U.S and is the only organ which has the power to interpret the Constitution The Supreme Court at present consists of a Chief Justice and 8 Associate Justices.最高法院是美国最高等的法院，也是惟一有权解释的机构，目前法院由一名首席娃哈哈官和颜悦色名助理法官组成。
16． The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction in only two kinds of cases: those involving foreign dignitaries, and those to which a state in a party.高等法院最初只对两种案件拥有司法权：涉及国外达官贵人，一个州为一方当事人。
17． In general, American has a two-party system. There are two major political parties in America: the Democrats and the Republicans. There have been four periods in the history of political parties in American.一般说来，美国实行的是两党制，两大主要政党为：民主党和共和党，美国政党的历史可分为四个时期。
18． The first period of the party system in American refer to the appearance of the Federalists and the Anti-federalists. The third phase of the two-party system ran from the 1860s to the 1920s with the Republican Party dominating the political scene for most of the time.美国政党制的第一阶段出现了两个主要党派，联邦派各反联邦派，第三阶段从容不迫9世纪60年代到达9世纪20年代，绝大部分时间是共和党执政。（2002，21题）
19． In the 28 terms of the House of Representatives from 1933 to 1989,the Democrats enjoyed a majority of 26 terms, in the Senate, the Democrats had a majority for 23 terms.从1933年到1989年的确届众议院中，民主党在于6届中拥有多数席位，在参议院中民主党在于23届中拥有多数席位。
20． After the 1828 election of Andrew Jackson, the Democratic-Republican party split. The main faction, led by Andrew Jackson, called themselves the Democratic Party, while the faction opposed to Jackson formed the Whig party in 1834.1828年安德鲁。杰克逊当选总统后，民主共和党分裂，由安德鲁。杰克逊领导的主派自称为民主党，反对杰克逊的一派于1834年另立辉格党
待续。。。。。。
英语国家概况美国部分精讲系列Chapter 20
Chapter 20 Education 教育
1． It is a general view that every American has the right and obligation to become educated. American believe that ,through education, an individual acquires the knowledge, skill ,attitudes and abilities which will enable him to fit into society and improve his social status. Education helps to shape the society and develop the national strength。在美国，人们普遍认识是，每一个人都有受教育的权利和义务，通过受教育，人们可以更好的适应社会，提高自身的社会地位，教育有助于塑造社会，增强国家实力。（2000，46题，一句话回答）
2． Formal education in the U.S consists of elementary ,secondary and higher education, Elementary and secondary education,which forms public education, is free and compulsory.美国正规的教育由初等，中等和高等教育组成，初等，中等教育属公立教育，是免费和义务的。
3． In American ,there are more public elementary and secondary schools that private ones, while private colleges and universities outnumber public ones.在美国，公立中小学比私立多，而私立大学比公立大学多。
4． Under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S Constitution, education was included among the responsibilities which were “reserved to the states or the people:.根据美国宪法第十修正案，教育是：保留给各州或人民：的责任之一。
5． There is not a national system of education in the United States, It is the state that establishes policies for the education within its boundary, so many variations can be found in the education system of the 50 states.美国没有全国统一的教育体制，而是由各州为自己辖区内的学校
制订政策，所以50个州的教育体制相差很大。
6． Elementary and secondary education in the U.S covers 12 years for ages 6 through 18, All the states have laws that require children to go to school, generally until the age of 16, unless they are severely handicapped.美国初等和中等教育共12年，从6岁到
期8岁，所有州要求孩子们上学上到期16岁，除非他们严重残疾。
7． In American, the total support for public schools is about 186 billion a year, about 7% of the gross national product(GNP)在美国，给公立学校的财政资助一年约1850亿美元，约占国民生产总值的7%。
8． Each local school district of American has a governing board whose major responsibilities are 1>the hiring of professional and support staff, 2>determining the most suitable local curriculum, 3>and developing and approving a budget to carry out educational programs. Usually the board of education employs a superintendent of school, who is the chief executive officer at the local level.每个地方学区都有一个由选民选举产生的管理委员会，它主要有三个职责，1。聘用教师和学校员工，2。决定适合当地的课程，3。制定和批准执行教育计划的预算，通常，教育委员会要选一位督学，作为地方一级的重要教育行政官员。
9． The typical organizational pattern for elementary and secondary schools is that of graded schools. Usually, the elementary school covers grades 1-8 and the high school 9-12.美国中小学典型的组织模式是年级制，通常，小学包括1到8年级，中学包括9到12年级。
10． There is a certain degree of similarity in the American elementary school curriculum. It mainly consists of mastery of the “basics” such as reading, writing, and arithmetic of mathematics.美国各小学的课程有某种程度的相似之处， 要是对“基础课的掌握，这些基础包括阅读，写作，和算术或数学等。
11． Higher education of the U.S began with the founding of Harvard College in 1636.美国的高等教育始于1636年哈佛学院的建立。（2001，22选择）
12． The system of higher education in the U.S has three principal functions: teaching, research and public service.美国高等教育有三大职能：教学，研究，和公众服务。
13． In American, there are the best research universities such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia and MIT in the east, as well as Stanford and Berkeley on the west coast.美国最好的科研型大学有位于东部的哈佛，耶鲁，普林斯顿，哥伦比亚，和麻省理工大学，位于西海岸的斯坦福大学和伯克利大学。
14． The administration of most colleges and universities is quite separate from that of the school. But there are three State board that set policy for education at all levels in respective state, They are the State Boards of New York, Rhode Island ,and Michigan.大多数学院和大学的行政管理是与中小学分开的，但有3个州例外，它们是纽约，罗得岛，和密歇根州。
15． Except for some college sponsored by the Catholic Church, all college and universities in the U.S ,public or private, are governed by a board of trustees composed primarily of laymen.除了一些由天主教会赞助的大学外，美国所有的大学都是由一个主要的由外行人员组成的托管委员会管理。
16． The community college calls for education to serve the good of both the individual and society. It embodies Thomas Jefferson’s belief that an education should be practical as well as liberal.社区学院奉行教育既为个人又为社会服务的宗旨，它包含了托马斯。杰斐逊教育既是实用的又是自由这一信仰。
17． By the mid-1980s, a wave of education reform swept the country. These reform had two focuses:1>the raising of the standards of teaching and learning;2>the restructuring of the schools.到80年代中期席卷全国的教育改革的浪潮有两个重点1》提高教学标准2》学校的结构改革。
18． In 1983, a report entitled “A Nation At Risk” was issued which cited high rates of adult illiteracy, declining SAT scores, the decline of educational standards. The report put forward five proposals.1983《危险中的国家》发表，引用了成人文盲比例高，学生技能下降，教育水准下降等例子，该报告提出了五点建议。
19． On April 18,1991, President Bush issued his plan” American 2000:An Education strategy” which set six goals.
必背简答：
1． What are the three principle functions of the system of higher education in the U.S?
答案在上述12点
2. what is the guiding principle of community college?
It is higher education for everyone and the philosophy that equality must equal opportunity for self-realization and for the recognition of individual differences.
3.what is the difference between an academic high school and a technical high school?(2002,46已考)
4.who is the chief executive officer under the local board of education in America?
The superintendent of schools is the chief executive officer at the local level.
5.what are the three type of American high schools?
They are comprehensive , academic, vocational , and technical schools.
6.what are two focuses of the reforms in the 1980s when a wave of education reform swept the country?(the answer is 17—答案是上述第17条)
7．Why does the number of graduate school enrollment in American keep climbing?
Because an advanced degree is viewed as a key way to move ahead people’s careers.
8.According to the report entitled :A Nation At Risk” issued in 1983, what are the :new basics” for all students graduating from high school?
The “new basics” are four years of English , three year of mathematics, three years of science , three years of social studies, and a half-year of computer science.
英语国家概况美国部分精讲系列Chapter 21
Chapter 21 Literature, Architecture and Music 文化，建筑和音乐
1、Benjamin Franklin was the only writer in the colonial period whose works are read today “Lost time is never found again”“God helps those who help themselves “are very famous saying in his ＜Poor Richard’s Almanac＞.本杰明。富兰克大是殖民地时期唯一一位作品至今仍广为传诵的作家“光阴一去不复回”“自助者，天助之，都是他《穷理查的年鉴》中的名言
2、Benjamin Franklin’s uncompleted Autobiography is perhaps the first real American writing as well as the first real autobiography in English.本杰明。富兰克林没完成的自传可能是第一本真正的美国作品，也是第一本用英语写的自传
3、Washington Irving was the first American writer who gained international fame. His most famous book>The Sketch Book >contains two of the best-love stories from American literature: and .华盛顿.欧文是第一个获得国际知名度的美国作家，他最著名的一本书《见闻札记》，它包括了美国文学两个最受欢迎的故事《瑞普。凡。温克尔》和《睡谷的传奇》
4、In the early part of the 19th century, New York City was the center of American writing .Its writers were called >:Knickerbockers>” and the period from 1810 to 1840 is called the Knickerbockers Era of the American literature. 19世纪早期，纽约城是美国的写作中心，这里的作家被称为纽约市人，从1810-1840年的三十年被称为美国文学的“纽约市人时期。
5、In 1936 Emerson published his famous book Nature>, which is the clearest statement of Transcendentalist ideas. In 1837, Emerson gave a speech at Harvard University: The American Scholar，which was considered the intellectual Declaration of independence.1836年，爱默生出版了其著作《自然》该书对先验主义作了最清楚的阐述，1837年，爱默生在哈佛大学发表了题为《美国的学者》的演讲，该演讲被认为是知识分子的独立宣言。
6、In The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne consider the effect on an individual’s character of guilty conscience, of hypocrisy, and of hatred.霍桑在代表作《红字》中对人物性格的内疚，虚伪和憎恨的外部影响提出了自己的看法。
7、Mark Twain’s famous works are:>The Adventure of Tom Sawyer汤姆。索亚历险记 the Adventures of huckleberry Finn( his masterwork)哈克贝利。费恩历险记A Tramp Abroad浪迹天涯
8、In Walt Whitman’s masterpiece >Leaves of Grass>, he praised the ideas of equality and democracy and celebrated the dignity, the self-reliant spirit and the joy of the common man. >Song of Myself” is Whitman’s very famous works. Whitman was the first to explore fully the possibilities of free verse惠特曼是探索自由诗体可能性的第一个，他在他的代表作《草中集》中歌颂了平等，民主的思想，赞美了尊严，自立精神和普通百姓的快乐，《自我之歌》是惠特曼又一名作。
9、Emily Dickson wrote nearly 1800 poems and only seven of them were published during her lifetime. >Death> was one of the great themes of her work and she seldom lost sight of the grave.死亡是迪金森作品的一大主题
10、Sister Carrie is Theodore Dreiser’s first novel. Dreiser is also famous for his Trilogy of Desire(The Financier, The Titan, and The Stoic), and An American Tragedy，which is considered to be his best.《嘉丽妹妹》是德莱塞的第一部小说，德莱塞还因其〈欲望三部曲〉“金融家”“巨人”“斯多葛”以及〈美国国悲剧〉而闻名于世，它也被认为是他最好的一部作品。（2001。46问答）
12、 Thomas Sterns Eliot won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946. His masterpiece, “The Waste Land” reveals the spiritual crisis of Post War Europe, and is considered the manifesto of the “Lost Generation”.托马斯。艾略特于1946年获得诺贝尔文学奖，《荒原》是其代表用，展现了战后欧洲的精神危机，被认为是“迷惘的一代的宣言书。
13、 Ernest Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954, The sun Also Rises is his important novel. His other important works include Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Old Man and the Sea.海明威1954年获得诺贝尔文学奖，《太阳照样升起》是他的第一部重要作品，他的其他著名作品还有《永别了，武器》，《丧钟为谁而鸣》《老人与海》（一句话简答的可能）（2001。24选择）
14、 Hughes and Wright were the major figures of Black writers. Hughes was regarded as Black American’s poet laureate. In his masterpiece “The Weary Blues”, he explains the everyday life in Harlem. Native Son is Wright’s masterpiece. It is the first book by a Black author about the Black life. Black Boy was an autobiography relating the bitter experience of Wright’s youth.休斯和赖特是美国黑人作家的代表人物，休斯被认为是美国黑人“桂冠诗人”，其代表作为《疲惫的黑人伤感歌》〈土生子〉是赖特的代表作，它是第一部关于赖特青年时期苦难经历的自传。
15、 In the 1920s,Black Literature developed into an upsurge which has come to be known as the Harlem Renaissance.美国文学的：哈莱姆复兴“发生在20世纪20年代。
16、 The first uniquely American contribution to architecture was the Skyscraper, which was perfected in the late 19th century by the Chicago architect, Louis Sullivan. Sears Tower is the tallest building in the world, which was completed in 1974 in Chicago.摩天大楼是美国人对建筑的第一个贡献，它是由芝加哥建筑师路易斯。沙利文完成的，西尔斯大厦是世界是最高的建筑物。
17、 In American, Jazz, Rock and Role, Western and country music are the main type of popular music. Jazz is considered the U.S’ s unique contribution to music.爵士乐，摇滚乐和西部乡村音乐是美国流行音乐的几种形式，爵士乐被认为是美国人对音乐的特别贡献。
