英语国家概况――美国篇

Locationmainland:inthecentralpartofNorthAmericaAlaska:bordernorthwesternCanada1959,49thstateHawaii:inthecentralPacificOcean1959,50thstateSurroundings(mainland)onthenorth–Canadaonthesouth-theGulfofMexicoontheeast-theAtlanticOceanonthewest-thePacificOceanAdministrativeRegion50statesmainland-48statesdetachedterritory-Alaskaoffshoreislands-HawaiiWashingtonD.C.afederaldistrictofColumbiaThreedistinctareas(1)theeasternpart(2)thewesternpart(3)theGreatPlains——fiveGreatLakes——MississippiRiver——TheGreatLakes(freshwater)LakeSuperiorLakeHuronLakeErieLakeOntarioLakeMichiganNiagaraFallsbetweenLakeErie&LakeOntarioonU.S.-Can.navigationlinkageofmanyindustrialareas——TheMississippiRiver(thefatherofwaters)longestinNorthAmericaoriginatefromtheLakeItasca(inMN)totheGulfofMexico3780kmlong3millionskmofdrainageareaSixregionsNewEngland,Mid-Atlantic,South,Midwest,Southwest,West(1)NewEngland(2)SouthRegion(3)WesternRegion(4)California(5)Alaska(6)Hawaii(1)NewEngland•6states:CT,ME,MA,NH,RI,VT•Europeans’firstsettlements•geographicalfeatures•historicsites•top-rankinguniversities&collegesHarvard,Yale,MITetc.TheIvyLeagueBrownU.RIColumbiaU.NYcityNYCornellU.NYDartmouthCollegeNHHarvardU.MAU.ofPennsylvaniaPAPrincetonU.NJYaleU.CT(2)TheSouthRegion13statesplentifulrainfall&amildclimatecropsgrownfrost-free6monthsindustrydevelopingpopulationgrowing(3)TheWesternRegion11statesbeautifulforests&streamsenvironmentprotection(4)CalifornianaturalfeaturesnotablecitiesGDP&agriculturalyieldpredominanthigh-techcenterseg:SiliconValley(5)AlaskastretchingsouthwardfromtheArcticOceantothePacificaworldofglaciers,waterfalls,lakestemperaturelownativepopulation:Eskimosmostly,&Indians,Aleutsnaturalresources:agriculturalindustrial(6)HawaiiachainofbeadsincentralPacific8majorislands2575kmlongsoutheasttonorthwesttemperaturemildchiefproductslargestsourceofincome:touristbusiness2.Climatemildsubtropicalzones:moststatestropical：southernFL,HI50cmrainfallline(throughmiddle,fromnorthtosouth)totheeast–comparativelymoreraintothewest–muchlessrainexceptionofthecoastalareasalongthePacific3.MajorCitiesWashington:capitalNewYork:thelargestcityLosAngeles:thesecondlargestcityChicago:thethirdlargestcitySanFrancisco:thecenterof……WashingtontheWashingtonDistrictofColumbianamedafterChristopherColumbus&GeorgeWashingtongoverneddirectlybyfederalgov.headquartersofwholefederalsystemaleadingculturalcentertheWashingtonMonument,theLincolnMemorial,theJeffersonMemorial,theKennedyCenter,theLibraryofCongresslight&serviceindustries(littleheavyind.)NewYorkthelargestcityoftheUS3islands(atthemouthofHudsonriver):ManhattanIslandLongIslandStatenIsland5boroughs:ManhattanBrooklynBronxStatenIslandQueenstheStatueofLiberty:Americansymbol(atthegateofNewYorkHarbor)TheheadquartersoftheUNManhattan:afinancial&entertainmentcenterthecoreofNYCityBroadwayTimesSquareWallStreetFifthAvenueCentralParkGreenwichVillageChinatowntheEmpireStateBuildingmanychurches,colleges,skyscrapers&theatresLosAngelesthesecondlargestcity4timeslargerinareathanSanFranciscoImportantelectroniccenteratomicresearchcenterindustry—tires,automobiles&aircraftsHollywood–theheartofworld’smotionpictureindustryDisneylandChicagotheWindyCitymainconnectionbetweentheeasterncoastcitiesandtheWestthethirdlargestcitythelargestindustrycityheavy&lightindustrieshighlydevelopedacenterofindustry,transportation,commerce&financeintheMidwestRegionaculturalcenter,theworld’sbestcollectionsofmodernarchitectureSanFranciscoAcenterofoil-refining,chemicals,commerce,finance&theshippingindustryThetranscontinentalrailroad–connectingitselfwiththeindustrial&agriculturalcentersoftheMidwest&theEastTheGoldenGateBridgeChinatown–thelargestChinesesettlementinUSII.People1.PopulationthethirdmostpopulousnationbehindChina&India300million(Oct.17,2006)200million(July1,1968)100million(July1,1915)303,593,258(March9,2008)400million(asearlyas2043)DISTRIBUTIONofthepopulation:Northeastern—themostdenselypopulatedregion1/2populationon1/4landGreatPlains—comparativelysmallpopulationSouth—almost57.5millionWest—denselypopulatedexceptLA&SFnow1/5butexpectedtogrowfaster2.NationofImmigrantsanationofimmigrants4cent.55millionimmigrated▪nocountryinhistoryhascongregated&amalgamatedsomanyethnics▪immigrantsadmittedbyUSmorethanallotherindustrializedcountriescombinedFromforeigncountryToforeigncountry国外移来移居国外•v.immigrateemigrate•n.immigrantemigrant•n.immigrationemigration•n.immigratoremigrator•a.immigratoryemigratoryn.migrantv.migratea.migratoryn.migrationanationofnationsWavesofimmigrationtoUS:▪firstpeoplefromAsiaasearlyas20,000yearsagoacrosstheBeringStraittoAlaska▪Indians/NativeAmericans15thcentury–10milliontheWestwardMovement:destructiontoday–2.4million(poor&jobless)1/3livingonreservation2/3incities▪whitepeople85%ofthepopulationdescendantsofEuropeanimmigrantsSYMBOL:PilgrimFathers–PuritansfromEnglandin1620,Mayflower▪blackpeople12%ofthepopulation1620-18208millionbroughtfromAfricaasslavesonSouthernfarmsnowliveinSouth,Northeast,Midwest▪firstsharpincrease1830s–1840s,north