英语国家概况考试大纲.docx

1、英语国家概况考试大纲英语国家概况考试大纲课程性质和学习目的英语国家概况是高等教育自学考试英语专业基础科段（专科）的一门必考课程。设置本课程是为了使英语专业专科学生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。本课程是一门实用性很强的文化知识课。学生通过阅读主要英语国家（英国和美国）的北京材料，一方面可以扩大知识面，另一方面也可以提高英语阅读能力。有关说明和实施要求高等教育自学考试的教育形式是个人自学、社会助学和国家考试相结合。根据这种教育形多，结合本课程的特点，现对有关的几个问题说明如下：一、自学考试大纲的目的和作用英语国家

2、概况自学考试大纲是根据英语专业考试计划的要求，结合自学考试的特点而确定的。其目的是对个人自学、社会助学和国家考试命题进行指导和规定。英语国家概况自学考试大纲明确了课程学习的内容以及深广度，规定了自学考试的范围和标准。因此，它是编写自学考试教材和辅导书的依据，是社会助学组织进行自学辅导的依据，是自学者学习教材、掌握课程知识范围和程度的依据，也是进行自学考试命题的依据。二、自学考试大纲与教材的关系英语国家概况自学考试大纲是进行学习和考核的依据，英语国家概况教材用于学习并掌握课程知识的基本内容与范围，教材的内容是大纲所规定的课程知识和内容的扩展与发挥。三、学习内容本课程教材为英语国家概况（全国高等教

3、育自学考试指导委员会组编，余志远主编，外语教学与研究出版社，2005）。四、考核目标为了使本课程的自学考试达到科学化、规范化的要求，本大纲规定了全书的考核目标。明确考核目标，可使应考者进一步了解考试内容和要求，知识怎么学和怎么考，从而更有目的、有计划地学习教材；可使社会助学单位知道如何组织教学，并根据应考者的实际状况进行辅导，使之达到既定的要求；可使命题单位正确把握试题的广度、深度和难易程度。五、命题原则1本课程考试的命题，应根据大纲所规定的考核目标，确定考试范围和考核标准，不要扩大或缩小考试范围，也不要提高或降低考核标准。每套试卷要最大程度地覆盖考核目标的内容，并适当突出课程的重点，难易程度

4、要适中。2试题要合理安排题目的能力层次结构。每份试卷中各种能力层次的题目所占的分数比例一般为；识记占10%，领会占40%，综合应用占10%。3试题要合理安排题目的难度结构。题目难易程度分为易、较易、较难和难四个等级。每份试卷中各种难易程度的题目所占的分数比例一般为：易占20%，较易占30%，较难占30%，难占20%。试题的难易程度和能力层次是两个不同的概念，所指的内容不一样。在每个能力层次的题目中，都会有难易程度不同的问题。命题时要注兼顾这两种不同的结构问题。4本课程考试形式为闭卷，笔试。考试时间150分钟。全部题目须用英文作答。5本课程试卷采用的题型为单项选择题、名词解释题和简答题。六、学习

5、方法根据本课程的目的要求，应考者在学习中应该着重掌握以下几个环节：1认真阅读教材。阅读教材是基本的教学环节。只有把教材仔细消化了，其他学习环节才能搞好。如果不把教材真正弄懂弄通，就忙于阅读其他学习资料、做复习题，必然事倍功半。阅读教材前，应先了解考试大纲中的考核目标，理解每一章节的要点，然后再系统地读书。读书时，首先要掌握每一章的梗概，弄清每一章热处理 点内容；其次在全面理解每章内容的基础上，要把本章与以前各章的内容联系起来加以思考。2做好读书笔记。写读书笔记是巩固所学知识的一个重要方法，这对于自学尤为重要。阅读教材是理解课程内容的基础，但看了书并不一定就能弄懂弄通，更不一定就能学得扎实。要切

6、实掌握课程内容，必须将读书与思考结合起来，手脑并用，通过做笔记，用自己掌握的英语表达出来，变成自己的东西。做笔记的方法可以多种多样，如写内容提要、名词解释、问题解答和学习心得等。3参阅有关资料。英语国家概况一书包含大量的概念、事件、时代背景和重要人物等内容。应考者如觉得书上解释得不够评细，还可适当查阅一些考书，如百科全书等。4认真完成作业。英语国家概况每章都没有10道复习题，应考者应在认真读书的基础上做好练习，以便复习和巩固所学知识。在完成作业的过程中要注意三个问题；看清题意，按复习题中提出的要求进行；仔细做题，要认真细致地对待作业，努力做到作词恰当、语法正确；尽量用自己掌握的英语来回答问题。

7、书上的复习题是为应考者掌握各章的重点提供线索的，不是考试题。考试题中会有各种变化。5注意联系与对比。主要英语国家的文化同属西方文化，美国、澳大利亚、加拿大和新西兰原属英国殖民地，爱尔兰曾受到英国统治，这些国家的民族组成、文化传统和风俗习惯等都和英国有着不可分割的联系，因此它们与英国在许多方面有相同的地方。但是，由于地理、政治和经济等因素，这些国家与英国又有许多具体的区别，如英美两国政府制度虽然同属资本主义制度，但是英国是君主立宪制，而美国是联邦制。因此，对比学习有助于掌握这些国家的基本情况，进一步加深对这些国家的了解。七、社会助学社会助学是高等教育自学考试的必要条件，要切实抓好。社会助学单位和

8、辅导教师应注意如下几项要求：1把握社会助学的正确导向。社会助学单位和辅导教师应根据自学考试大纲规定的考试内容和考核目标，认真研究指定教材，明确本课程的特点、学习范围和学习要求，对自学者进行切合需要的辅导，并从学习方法上给予指导。特别要注意引导他们全面系统地掌握课程内容，不搞猜题、押题，防止把“助不学”变成“助考”。2要正确处理文化知识和实际运用英语能力的关系。要引导自学者一方面了解和掌握这些国家的地理、历史、经济和政治等方面的基础知识，另一方面则通过听讲、阅读、讨论和做作业等方式，扩大词汇量，复习和巩固综合英语课中所学到的知识和技能，进一步提高实际运用英语的能力。3要正确处理一般和重点的关系。

9、考试的内容是覆盖全部考核目标的，因此，社会助学单位和辅导教师都应指导自学者全面系统地学习教材，掌握全部考试内容和考核要点。要引导自学者把全国理解和重点深入探讨结合起来，切忌孤立地抓重点。英语国家概况考核目标一、英国概况1Land and People Different names for Britain and its parts 2Origins of the NationArrival and settlement of the CeltsBasis of modern English race: the Anglo-SaxonsThe Viking and Danish invasio

10、nsKing Alfred and his contributionsThe Norman Conquest and its consequences3Shaping of the Nation Englands feudalism under the rule of William the ConquerorContents and the significance of the Great CharterOrigins of the English ParliamentThe Hundred Years War with France and its consequences Conseq

11、uences of the Black Death4Transition to the Modern AgeHenry VIII and the English ReformationElizabeth I and ParliamentElizabeths religious reform and her foreign policyDistinctive features of the English RenaissanceThe Civil Wars and their consequencesThe Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell The Resto

12、ration and the Glorious Revolution5Rise and Fall of the British EmpireWhigs and ToriesAgricultural changes in the late 18th centuryThe English Industrial Revolution and its impact on the develop-ment of BritainThe Chartist Movement and its consequencesThe building of the British EmpireBritain and th

13、e First World WarBritain and the Second World WarPostwar BritainThatcherism 6Government and AdministrationThe British ConstitutionThe British Parliament and its functionsThe British government7Social AffairsReligion in British society Festivals and public holidays in Britain 8Cultural AffairsThe edu

14、cation system in BritainThe collage system and the tutorial system Quality papers and popular papersThe BBC and its programsSports in BritainMajor forms of art in Britain二、美国概况1Population, Race and Ethnic GroupsCharacteristics of the American populationBlack people and the Civil Rights Movement2Amer

15、ican History （16001900）The discovery of the New World Causes of the colonization of the New World The original 13 coloniesThe American War of Independence and its consequencesEstablishment of a federal form of government Consequences of territorial expansion and the Westward Movement The American Ci

16、vil War and its impact on the development of the USRapid growth of capitalism after the Civil War3American History （1900-1945）Economic growth in the early 20th centuryProgressivism and some of the reform effortsRole of the USin WW ICharacteristics of the 1920sEffects of the Great Depression on Ameri

17、can society Franklin Roosevelt and the New DealAmerica in WW II4America in Postwar Era（1945-1980s）Origins of the Cold WarThe Truman Doctrine and the Marshall PlanEffects of McCarthyism on American societyThe postwar boom in the USThe USand the Vietnam WarUS-China relations （1949-1972）Counterculture

18、in the USThe New Right and their Program5The USEconomyFactors that contribute to the fast growth of the economyCharacteristics of the USeconomyThe importance of foreign tradeProblems facing the USeconomy6Political InstitutionsA workable form of government under the ConstitutionSeparation of powers w

19、ith checks and balances under the ConstitutionSafeguards for individual liberty under the ConstitutionPowers of the American PresidentPowers of the House of RepresentativesPowers of the SenateThe judicial systemThe two-party system and the characteristics of the two major parties7EducationCharactert

20、ics of American educationElementary and secondary education in the USDifferent types of colleges and universitiesThe admission system in USuniversitiesThe role of the community collegeContinuing educationEducation reform in the 1980s and early 1990s 8LiteratureMajor American writers and their worksH

21、arlem Renaissance and black writing in American literature9Holidays and Festivals New Years Day celebration in the USPractices of Valentines Day Easter in the USIndependence Day HalloweenThanksgiving DayChristmas三、拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰和爱尔兰概况1CanadaCanadas geography and historyCanadas geographical featuresGeog

22、raphical regions and their characteristicsThe European discovery of CanadaThe rivalry between the British and the FrenchSelf-government and the founding of the ConfederationCanada in WW I and WW II2AustraliaAustralias geographical featuresAustralias geographical structuresFactors that affect Austral

23、ias climate Composition of Australias populationAustralias built environmentPolitical divisions in Australia3New Zealand New Zealands geographyCharacteristics of New Zealands climateNative plants and animalsHistorical background of New ZealandThe Treaty of Waitangi 1840Characteristics of Maori cultu

24、re（Maoritanga）4IrelandIrelands geographical featuresClimate in IrelandEthnic composition of IrelandLanguages in IrelandIrish CatholicismConflict between the English and the Irish The issue of Northern Ireland英语国家概况样卷1Read the following unfinished statements or questions carefully, For each unfinishe

25、d statement or question, four suggested answers marked A, B, C and D are givenChoose the one that you think best completes the statement or answers the questionWrite the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space on the answer sheet（50 points, 1 point each）1The British Isles are

26、 made up of _Atwo large islands and hundreds of small onesBtwo large inlands and Northern Ireland Cthree large islands and hundreds of small onesDthree large islands and Northern Ireland2There are three political divisions on the island of Great BritainThey are _ABritain, Scotland and WalesBEngland,

27、 Scotland and WalesCBritain, Scotland and IrelandDEngland, Scotland and Ireland3The Commonwealth of Nations is an association of independent countries _Athat have a large number of British immigrantsBthat fought on the side of Britain in the two world wars Cthat speak English as their native languag

28、eDthat were once colonies of Britain4In British history, both Saxons and Angels came from _Anorthern Europe Bnorthern Germany Csouthern EuropeDsouthern Germany 5It was _ who laid the foundations of the English stateAthe VikingsBthe DanesCthe CeltsDthe Anglo-Saxons6_ is perhaps the best-known event i

29、n English historyAThe Norman Conquest of 1066BThe Great Charter of 1215CThe Hundred Years War with FranceDThe English Renaissance7In the reign of the Norman kings _ flowered on the English soilAthe German cultureBthe British cultureCthe Danish cultureDthe Norman culture8_ has long been popularly regarded as the foundation of English libertiesADomesday BookBMagna CartaCThe Reform Act of 1832DThe Greater Charter of 18329During the Hunderd Years War which ended in 1453, the expulsion of the English from France is regarded as a blessing for