UNIT 3
1.what is an American? Comment on the answer to the question by crevecoeur?
(1)American is either a European, or the descendant of a European , hence that strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country.
He is an American, who leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds
The American is a new man ,who acts upon new principles. He must therefore entertain new ideas and form his is an American.
(2)According to Crevecoeur, The American in those days had the mixed blood of Europeans or their descendants without taking into consideration other nationalities such as American Indians ans blacks. But today , the picture of an American is more complex.
4 In what way did Puritanism influence American culture?
The Puritans believed that governments should enforce God's morality. They strictly punished drunks,
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adulterers, violators of the Sabbath and other religious believers different from themselves. Roger Williams, one of the Puritans who protested that the state should not interfere with religion, was driven out of Massachusetts. In 1635, he set up Rhode Island colony, which guaranteed religious freedom and the separation of church and state. The Puritans also have left rich cultural heritage to future Americans. The American values such as individualism, hard work, respect of education owe very much to the Puritan beliefs.5.what were some causes of the American Revolution
Long-term social, economic, and political changes in the colonies before 1750 provided the basis for an independent nation with representatives political institutions.
More immediately, the French and Indian War (1754-1763) changed the relationship between the colonies and their mother country.
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Finally, a decade of conflicts between the British government and the colonist, beginning with the Stamp Act crisis in 1765, led to the outbreak of war in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence in
Unit4
3. What are some of the major powers of each of the three branches of the US government? How are the three branches supposed to check and balance each other?
The legislative branch can make federal laws, levy federal taxes, declare war or put foreign treatie s into effect.
三乙氧基硅烷The centre of the executive branch is the president. The president can propose
legislation to Congress, can issue regulations and directives regarding the work of the federal gove rnment’s many departments and agencies, can veto bills passed by Congress, appoint federal judge s, the heads and senior officials of the executive branch agencies as well as ambassadors and other officials. He also is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The judicial branch applies and explains the laws. Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases arisi ng out of the Constitution, laws and treaties of the US; maritime case; issues involving foreign citi zens or governments; and cases in which the federal government itself is a party. The Supreme Co urt determines whether congressional legislation or executive action violates the Constitution.
The Supreme Court can declare a law passed by the Congress or an action by the President to be unconstitutional.
The President can veto a law passed by Congress.
Congress can pass a law overriding the President's veto. The President appoints Supreme Cour t justices.
Congress can refuse to confirm appointments and ratify treaties made by the President
4. What is the Bill of Rights? Do you think that it was necessary to write the Bill of Rights ex plicitly into the U.S. Constitution?
The Bill of Rights: the first 10 amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were added within two years of the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. These amendments remain intact today, as they were written
two centuries ago. The first guarantees freedom of worship, speech and press, the right of peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government to correct wrongs. The Bill of Rights and subse quent constitutional amendments guarantee the American people the fullest possible opportunity t o enjoy fundamental human rights.
legislation to Congress, can issue regulations and directives regarding the work of the federal gove r
nment’s many departments and agencies, can veto bills passed by Congress, appoint federal judge s, the heads and senior officials of the executive branch agencies as well as ambassadors and other officials. He also is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The judicial branch applies and explains the laws. Federal courts have jurisdiction over cases arisi ng out of the Constitution, laws and treaties of the US; maritime case; issues involving foreign citi zens or governments; and cases in which the federal government itself is a party. The Supreme Co urt determines whether congressional legislation or executive action violates the Constitution.
The Supreme Court can declare a law passed by the Congress or an action by the President to be
unconstitutional.
The President can veto a law passed by Congress.
Congress can pass a law overriding the President's veto. The President appoints Supreme Cour t justices.
Congress can refuse to confirm appointments and ratify treaties made by the President
5. What are the two political parties in the united states？ Do you think they are fundamenta lly different?
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
They are different in some specific policies, but they’re not fundamentally different.
(1) It is general considered that the Democratic Party is more liberal and more center-
left; The Republican Party is more conservative and center-right.
For example: in economic policies, the Democrats believe that the government should be active in alleviating poverty and social injustice, and it also supports progressive taxation and social service; the Republican Party places more emphasis on private enterprise and individual initiative, and it s upports tax cuts. In social policies, the Democratic Party is divided on the subject of same-
sex marriage and focus on methods crime prevention; The Republican Party, however, opposes th e legislation of same sex marriage and favor capital punishment. （可适当删减）（2）Despite those differences, they are not fundamentally different. Firstly, both of them advocate the basic American values like individualism and capitalism and are on behalf of the bourgeoisies. Se condly, both of the
m advocate the political party system. Neither of them wants to change this poli tical system. Thirdly, the aims of both parties are the same . They all want to win the president ele ction and to form a majority in the congress. In this regard, the two parties are tools for election. Fi nally, as new conservatism and new liberalism emerge in recent decades, the parties tend to be mo re and more alike in their ideology. They keep absorbing new ideals from each other which they th ink are beneficial to the whole country. So, fundamentally speaking, they are the same.
UNIT 6
1 In what way do you think that religious freedom was a historical necessity in the United States?
A few Americans were so influenced by the new science and new ideas of the Enlightenment in Europe that they became deists, believing that reason teaches that God exists but leaves man free to settle his own affairs. Many traditional Protestants and deists could agree, however,"all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights," and that "the laws of Nature and Nature's God" entitled them to form a new nation. Among the rights that the new nation guaranteed, as a political necessity in a religiously diverse society, was freedom of religion. The First Amendment insured that American government would not meddle
in religious affairs or require any religious beliefs of its citizens.
2 What is the relationship between government and religion in America?
In some ways, the government supports all religions. Religious groups do not pay taxes in the United States. But government does not pay ministers' salaries or require any belief—not even a belief in God—as a condition of holding public office. Oaths are administered, but those who, like Quakers, object to them, can make a solemn affirmation, or declaration, instead
4. What are some of the features in religion that are particularly American? What are some of the major differences between American religion and religion in Europe?
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电路图First of all, Americans with different religions live together under the same law.Secondly, the religious beliefs of Americans continue to be strong with social progress.In Europe, scientific and economic advance and rising material prosperity have accompanied by a decline in religious observance bu in the US, this has not happened.
Thirdly, in the United States every church is a completely independent organization, and concerned with its own finance and its own building.There has been little concentration on doctrine or religious
argument such as in European history,
UNIT 8
1. What is the goal of education in the United States? Discuss the similarities and differences in Great Britain, the United States and China concerning the goals of education.
The goal is—and has been since the early decades of the republic—to achieve universal literacy and to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote both their own individual welfare as well as that of the general public. Though this goal has not yet been fully achieved, it remains an ideal toward which the American educational system is directed. The progress which has been made is notable both for its scope and for the educational methods which have been developed in the process of achieving it.
2. How did American education begin to develop?
In 1634, they opened a “lateen grammar” school, a school for those who wanted to prepare for college.
In 1636, Harvard College was founded for the training of religious ministers.
In 1634 and 1638, the Puritans passed laws declaring that all property could be taxed for the common good, which included the support of school.
In 1642 and 1647, the Bay Colony passed laws requiring all parents to provide reading
educating for their children.
At the end of the 18th century, elementary education throughout the United States was in local hands.
3. What are the major characteristics of education in America?
(1)Different education laws for different states.
(2)Several levels of schooling：Elementary Schooling，Secondary Schooling and High Schooling.
(3)curricula for students: there is no national curriculum in the United States.
(3)Compulsory education for all students.
(4)Equal education opportunities for minority groups.
(5)Strong demand for higher education.
(6)The complex system of higher education.
Some states play a strong role in the selection of learning material for their students.
Schools were asked not only to teach this new information, but to help students ask their own questions about it. The “inquiry” method of learning , focusing on solving problems rather than memorizing facts, became popular.
Unit 10
赵欣丝绸舞台事故1.The author says that the United States was founded on the principle of human equality, but in practice the nation has fallen far short of that ideal. Illustrate this point with what you have learned from this book.
For example, the racial discrimination, sex discrimination, class structure, etc.
1. The black "underclass"
The majority of the blacks today have failed to share in the general gains of progress made recently. The urban ghettos now contain a permanently impoverished "underclass" of habitually unemployed or underemployed black people. May of them are young and unskilled. They live in cities where the unemployment rate for teen-age black workers runs as high as % or about 8 times the rate for the American work force as a whole. This "underclass" could continue to persist, ever in the absence of racial discrimination, in much the same way as other pockets of poverty persist-that is, for reasons of social- class inequality. Living in an environment of poverty. Decay, crime, drug addiction, joblessness, and hopelessness, this ghetto underclass offers an explosive potential for the future.
2. Poverty as a social problem
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性伴侣The United States is one of the most wealthy countries in the world. Yet over 24 million people or about 10% of the population are living at or below the official poverty line, in incomes that the federal government considers insufficient to meet basic requirement of
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