英语国家概况精讲

英语国家概况精讲Chapter1第一章LandandPeople英国的国土与人民I.DifferentNamesforBritainanditsParts英国的不同名称及其各组成部分1.Geographicalnames:theBritishIsles,GreatBritainandEngland.地理名称:不列颠群岛,大不列颠和英格兰.2.Officialname:theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland.官方正式名称:大不列颠及北爱尔兰联合王国.3.TheBritishIslesaremadeupoftwolargeislands-GreatBritain(thelargerone)andIreland,andhundredsofsmallones.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.ThreepoliticaldivisionsontheislandofGreatBritain:England,ScotlandandWales.大不列颠岛上有三个政治区:英格兰,苏格兰和威尔士.(1)EnglandisinthesouthernpartofGreatBritain.Itisthelargest,mostpopuloussection.英格兰位于大不列颠岛南部,是最大,人口最稠密的地区.(2)ScotlandisinthenorthofGreatBritain.Ithasthreenaturalzones(theHighlandsinthenorth;theCentrallowlands;thesouthUplands)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)WalesisinthewestofGreatBritain.Capital:Cardiff威尔士位于大不列颠的西部.首府:加的夫(4)NorthernIrelandisthefourthregionoftheUK.Capital:Belfast.北爱尔兰是英国第四个区域.首府:贝尔法斯特.5.TheCommonwealth(ofnations)isafreeassociationofindependentcountriesthatwereoncecoloniesofBritain.Itwasfoundedin1931,andhas50membercountriesuntil1991.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.GeographicalFeatures英国的地理特征1.GeographicalpositionofBritain:英国的地理位置:Britainisanislandcountrysurroundedbythesea.ItliesintheNorthAtlanticOceanoffthenorthcoastofEurope.ItisseparatedfromtherestofEuropebytheEnglishChannelinthesouthandtheNorthSeaintheeast.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.ThenorthandwestofBritainaremainlyhighlands;andtheeastandsoutheastaremostlylowlands.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.RiversandLakes河流与湖泊BenNevisisthehighestmountaininBritain(1,343m).本尼维斯山为英国最高峰,海拔1,343米.SevernRiveristhelongestriverinBritain(338km).塞文河是英国最长的河流.全长338公里.ThamesRiveristhesecondlongestandmostimportantriverinBritain.(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.LoughNeaghisthelargestlakeinBritainwhichislocatedinNorthernIreland.(396squarekilometres).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.RiverClydeisthemostimportantriverinScotland.克莱德河是苏格兰最重要的河流.SnowdoniaisthehighestmountaininWales.(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.Britain'sfavorableclimate英国有利的气候条件:Britainhasamaritimeclimate-wintersarenottoocoldandsummersarenottoohot.Ithasasteadyreliablerainfallthroughoutthewholeyear.Thetemperaturevarieswithinasmallrange.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.ThefactorsinfluencetheclimateinBritain:影响英国气候的因素:1)Thesurroundingwaterstendtobalancetheseasonaldifferencesbyheatingupthelandinwinterandcoolingitoffinsummer;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)Theprevailingsouth-westwindsortheWesterliesblowoverthecountryalltheyearroundbringingwarmandwetairinwinterandkeepingthetemperaturesmoderate;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)TheNorthAtlanticDriftpassesthewesterncoastoftheBritishIslesandwarmsthem.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:Britainhasasteadyreliablerainfallthroughoutthewholeyear.TheaverageannualrainfallinBritainisover1,000mm.Thereisawatersurplusinthenorthandwest,andawaterdeficitinthesouthandeast.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.英语国家概况精讲系列(二)V.ThePeople人口1.populationdistribution人口分布:Britainhasapopulationofabout57millionsanditisveryunevenlydistributed.90%ofthepopulationisurbanandonly10%isrural.ThepopulationofBritainismadeupmainlyoftheEnglish(81.5%),theScottish(9.6%),theWelsh(1.9%),theIrish(2.4%),theNorthernIrish(1.8%)andotherpeoples(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.ThedifferencebetweentheancestorsoftheEnglishandScots,WelshandIrish:英伦三岛民族的祖先:TheancestorsoftheEnglishareAnglo-Saxons,theScots,WelshandIrishareCelts.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.Thedifferenceincharacter个性差别:TheWelshareemotionalandcheerfulpeople.Theyaremusicloversandareproudoftheirpast.威尔士人感情丰富,情绪高涨,热爱音乐,为过去感到自豪.TheScotsaresaidtobeaserious,cautiousandthriftypeople,andtheyarealsohospitable,generousandfriendly.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.TheIrisharecharmandvivacity.爱尔兰人充满魅力,生性活泼.4.ThedifferenceinspeechbetweensouthernEnglandandnorthernEngland:英格兰南方人和北方人语言上的差别:SouthernersspeakthetypeofEnglishclosetoBBCEnglish;InnorthernEngland,regionalspeechisusuallybroaderthanthatofsouthernEngland.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.TheWelshkeeptheirlanguageandcultureinthisway:威尔士人以这样的方式使他们的语言及文化保持活力.ThroughouttheyeartheyhavefestivalsofsonganddanceandpoetrycalledEisteddfodau.ThegreateventoftheyearistheNationalEisteddfod.OntheseoccasionscompetitionsareheldinWelshpoetry,music,singingandart.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.6.ThemainprobleminNorthernIreland:北爱尔兰存在的主要问题:ThefightbetweentheProtestantswhoarethedominantgroup,andtheRomanCatholics,whoareseekingmoresocial,politicalandeconomicopportunities.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:AboutthreemillionhavecometoBritaintoliveandfindworksinceWorldWarII.自从二战以来约有三百万人来英国生活,工作.英语国家概况精讲系列(三)Chapter2第二章TheOriginsofaNation(5000BC-1066)英国的起源(公元前5000年—1066年)I.EarlySettlers(5000BC-55BC)早期的居民(公元前5000年—公元前55年)1.ThefirstknownsettlersofBritainweretheIberians.人