英語國(guó)家社會(huì)與文化入門課后題答案

Book1Unit11.WhatwastheBritishEmpire?Whatdoyouknowaboutit?Inwhatwayisthe“Empire”stillfeltinBritainandintheinternationalfield?TheBritishEmpirecomprisedthedominions,colonies,protectorates,mandates,andotherterritoriesruledoradministeredbytheUnitedKingdom,thathadoriginatedwiththeoverseascoloniesandtradingpostsestablishedbyEnglandinthelate16thandearly17thcenturies.Intheinternationalfield,Britainhasgreatvoiceinpolitics,economyandcultureandsoon.2.WhyimpossibletosumupBritishpeoplewithafewsimplephrases:TheUKismadeupofdifferentelements.Itincludes4partswithintheonenation-state.Itisnowamultiracialsocietywithdifferentreligionbelieves.Itisdividedeconomicallyanditisasocietywithaclass-structure.Andwithineachofthefourcountriestherearedifferentregions.Sincethiscountrywassocomplicatedbothinhistoryorhumanity,itisimpossibletosumuptheirpeople.3.Ahistoryofinvasions:(1)Beforethe1stcenturyADBritainwasmadeupoftribalkindomsofCelticpeople.TheybroughtthecentralEuropenculturetoBritain.Thenin43AD,RomanEmpireinvadedBritainandcontrolleditforslavesocietybutalsodisseminatedtheirCatholicism.(2)However,inthe5thcentury,theRomanEmpirerapidlywanedinpowerandBritainwasconqueredbytheAnglesandtheSaxons.InordertodefendtheSaxons,agreatleader—KingArthurappeared.Hecreatedthe"roundtable"tosatisfyalltheknights'requirementofhavingequalprecedence.ThusitgraduallyformedthemonarchyinBritainasamoredemocraticsystem.WhetherArthur'sarealpersoninthehistoryornot,Anglo-SaxonsdidsucceedininvadingBritainandtheyweretheforefathersoftheEnglish.(3)Inthe8thcentury,theVikingsfromDenmarkcontrolledthenothernandeasternEngland.AAnglo-Saxonherio,kingAlfredtheGreatfoughtagainstthevikingswiththetrulyEnglish.Andthat'swhythere'sacertainculturaldifferencebetweennorthernersandsouthernersinEngland(4)Later,theNomansfromnorthernFrance,undertheleadingofWilliamofNormandy,killedthekingandWilliambecametheFristofEngland.TheyimportedarullingclassthatFrench-speakingNormanaristocracyrulledSaxonandEnglish-speakingpopulation.Inthiscondition,thereweren'talotofrebellionsamongtheEnglishpeople.ThatdirectlyformedanEnglishuniquecharacter:arichlyunconventionalinteriorlifehiddenbyanexternalconformity.Eventoday,wecanstillfindthispersonalityfromtheBritishpeoplethroughtheirlifestyles.Howdidtheyinfluenceculture:[接著上邊一起看](2)alotofstoriesofKingArthur,whichbroughtalotofsingers,poets,novelistsandfilmmakers.Placesassociatedwithhislegend.RoundtablewasweenasanindicatorofthewayinwhichtheEnglishhavewishedtoseetheirmonarchassomethingotherthanaremotedictator.(3)anglo-saxoninvadersweretheforefathersoftheEnglish.ByVikings'settlementstheEnlishheroesweretrulyEnglish.Thereremainstothisdayacertainculturaldividebetweennorthernersandsouthernersinengland.(4)NormanaristocracyrulingalargelySaxonandEnglish-speakingpopulation.thelegendofRobinHood.4.GeneralcharacteristicofScotland:Scotlandisthesecondlargestofthefournations,bothinpopulationandingeographicalarea.Itisalsothemostconfidentofitsownidentitybecausealoneamongstthenon-EnglishcomponentsoftheUKithaspreviouslyspentasubstantialperiodofhistoryasaunifiedstateindependentoftheUK.(1)rugged.(2)notconqueredbytheRomans(3)maintainitsseparatepoliticalidentityformorethanahundredyears.(4)eagerforindependence.HowScotlandbecamepartoftheunionofGreatBritain:in1707byagreementoftheEnglishandScottishparliaments,ScotlandjoinedtheUnion.In1745therewasabrutalmilitaryresponsefromtheBritisharmy.TherebelarmywasdestroyedatthebattleofCullodeninnorthernScotland.5.DescribeWalesandtheunificationwithBritain:(1)waleswasanimportantelementinBritain'sindustrialrevolution,asithadrichcoaldeposits.Itissuccessfulinattractinginvestmentfromabroad.WaleshasbeendominatedbyEnglandforlongerthantheothernationsoftheunion.Despitethisnearnessandlong-standingpoliticalintegrationWalesretainsapowerfulsenseofitsdifferencefromEngland.(2)WaleshasbeendominatedbyEnglandforlongerthantheothernationsoftheunion.Despitethisnearnessandlong-standingpoliticalintegrationWalesretainsapowerfulsenseofitsdifferencefromEngland.In1536,waleswasbroughtlegally,administratively,andpoliticallyintotheUKbyanactoftheBritishparliament.Thiscloselong-standingrelationshipmeansthatmodernwaleslackssomeoftheoutwardsignsofdifferencewhichScotlandpossesses---itslegalsystemanditseducationsystemareexactlythesameasinEngland.6.DifferencesbetweenEngland,ScotlandandWalesintermsofculturaltradition:[書上說的比較散，建議參考festival那章的答案，這里只有一些零散的不系統(tǒng)的比較](1)Englishcharacter:arichlyunconventionalinteriorlifehiddenbyanexternalconformity.Butyoungpeoplearenotallstereotypes.Butitiscertainlytruethatthelifelessfrontsofmanyenglishhousesconcealbeautifulbackgardens.(2)ThedreamofanindependentScotlandhasnotvanished.Theyarealwayseagerforfreedom.Scotlandhasagreattraditionofinnovationinthearts,philosophyandscience."SuperficiallyfullyintegratedintotheUK,butconcealedbeneaththisisastill-strongScottishidentity."SomepeoplespeakGaelic.(3)Walesisdifferent,andoneofthekeymarkersofthatdiffeneceistheWelshlanguage--theoldBritishCeltictonguewhichisstillindailyuse.ModernwaleslackssomeoftheoutwardsignsofdifferencewhichScotlandpossesses.(itslegalsystemandeducationsystemareexactlythesameasinEngland)Unit21.WhyisNorthernIrelandsosignificantintheUK:ThoughNorthernIrelandissmallitissignificantbecauseofthepoliticaltroublesthere.Itspoliticalproblem:TheproblemisinNorthernIrelandin1921insouthernIrelandindependencefromBritain,IrelandNorthandSouthfollowingtheseparationofissuesleftoverbyhistory,mixeditwithhistorical,political,ethnicandreligiousconflicts,extremelycomplex.Ireland’sindependence,toremainunderBritishrulewithintheframeworkofthe6inthenorthernislandofIrelandresidentsofthepro-BritishProtestantmajority(about51%),theCatholicnationalistminority(about38%),asaresultofthetwomajorforcesinNorthernIrelandOnthecontrarypositionofownershipandleadtoconfrontation,conflict.[因?yàn)榘l(fā)現(xiàn)實(shí)在太難sumup了，所以就搜了一下，以下是wikipedia版本]NorthernIrelandwasformanyyearsthesiteofaviolentandbitterethno-politicalconflict—theTroubles—whichwascausedbydivisionsbetweennationalists,whoarepredominantlyRomanCatholic,andunionists,whoarepredominantlyProtestant.UnionistswantNorthernIrelandtoremainasapartoftheUnitedKingdom,[6]whilenationalistswishforittobepoliticallyreunitedwiththerestofIreland,independentofBritishrule.[網(wǎng)絡(luò)其它版本]Until1921thefullnameoftheUKwas"TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIreland",notonly"NorthernIreland",becausethewholeislandofIrelandwaspoliticallyintegratedwithGreatBritain,andhadbeensince1801,whileBritain'sdominationoftheIrishdatedbackcenturiesevenbeforethatdate.ButIrishdesiresforanindependentIrishstatewereneverlost,andoneofthekeyissuesinlatenineteenthcenturyBritishpoliticswasacampaigninparliamentforwhatwascalled"home-rule"—IrishpoliticalcontrolofIrishaffairs.TheHomeRuleBillwasfinallypassedin1914,buttheprocesswasovertakenbytheFirstWorldWarandwassuspendedforthedurationofthewar.2.FactorsinIrishandEnglishhistorythataffectthesituationinNorthernIrelandtoday:Alongwiththepoliticalcampaignforhome-rulethereweregroupswhofollowedamoredirectmethodofpursuingIrishindependence,engaginginguerillaorterroristactivitiesagainstBritishinstitutionsandtheBritishmilitaryforces.DuringtheFirstWorldWarandimmediatelyafter,thisactivityincreased,sometimesbrutallysuppressedbyBritishforces.3.SumupsolutionstoNI'spoliticalproblemsofdifferentpartiesandgroupsintheUK:MargaretThatcher'sgovernmentdidnotgiveintothisdemandforpoliticalstatusand11prisonersstarvedtodeath.ThiseventrevitalisedthepoliticalcampaignofSinnFein,thelegalpoliticalpartywhichsupportstheIRA'srighttofight.ItsleadersspokeofatwincampaignforunionwithIreland,bothpoliticalandmilitary,whichtheycalledthepolicyof"TheBulletandtheBallotBox".4.WhatdoyouthinkshouldbetherightsolutiontothepoliticalprobleminNorthernIreland:IthinktheycanasktheUNforhelp./Keepthepresentstatus.Turntoothercountriesforhelp.[自由發(fā)揮啦]Unit31.CharacteristicsoftheBritishconstitutionalmonarchy:ThemonarchofthecountryhaslimitedrightsbecauseofBillofRight.Forexample,whiletheofficialheadofstateisthequeen,herpowersarelargelytraditionalandsymbolic.ThegovernmentatnationalandlocallevelsiselectedbythepeopleandgovernsaccordingtoBritishconstitutionalprinciples.HowtheEnglishmonarchyevolvedtopresentconstitutionalmonarchy:Originallythepowerofthemonarchwaslargelyderivedfromtheancientdoctrineofthe"divinerightofkings".ForathousandyearsBritainhashadahereditarykingorqueenastheheadofthestate.WhiletheKingintheoryhadGodonhisside,inpracticeeveninmedievaltimesitwasthoughtthatheshouldnotexerciseabsolutepower.KingJohnwasunwillingtoreceiveadvicefromprominentmen,whichledbattlesbetweenthekingandotherpowerfulgroups.Finallythekinggrantedthemacharter,namedMagnaCarta,oflivertyandpoliticalrights.Thecivilwar2.Thecivilwarwasrootedinadisputeoverthepowerofthekingvis-a-visParliament.JamesIandhissuccessorCharlesIbothinsistedontheirdivinerightaskings.TheyfeltParliamenthadnorealpoliticalrighttoexist,butonlyexistedbecausethekingallowedittodoso.Itwastheefforttoreasserttherightsofparliamentthatledtothecivilwar.EnglishRevolution:"EnglishRevolution"hasbeenusedtodescribetwodifferenteventsinEnglishhistory.ThefirstwastheGloriousRevolutionof1688,wherebyJamesIIwasreplacedbyWilliamIIIandMaryIIasmonarchandaconstitutionalmonarchyestablished,wasdescribedbyWhighistoriansastheEnglishRevolution.[1]Inthetwentieth-century,however,Marxisthistoriansusedtheterm"EnglishRevolution"todescribetheperiodoftheEnglishCivilWarsandCommonwealthperiod(1640-1660),inwhichParliamentchallengedKingCharlesI'sauthority,engagedincivilconflictagainsthisforces,andexecutedhimin1649.Thiswasfollowedbyaten-yearperiodofbourgeoisrepublicangovernment,the"Commonwealth",beforemonarchywasrestoredintheshapeofCharles'son,CharlesII,in1660.3.HistoryofEnglishparliament:Traditionally,whenmedievalkingswantedtoraisemoneyhewouldtrytopersuadetheGreatCouncil,agatheringofleading,wealthybaronswhichthekingssummonedseveraltimesayear.Laterkingsfoundthisgroupwassosmallthattheycouldnotmakeendsmeet.SotheywidenedtheGreatCounciltoincluderepresentativesofcounties,citiesandtownsandgetthemtocontribute.ItwasinthiswaythattheGreatCouncilcametoincludetheHouseofLords(whoweresummoned)andtheHouseofCommons(representativesofcommunities).WhatroledidtheparliamentplayintheCivilWar:SinceJamesIandCharlesIboththoughtthatParliamentdidn'tneedtoexist,theParliamentwasenraged.LeadingpoliticiansandchurchauthoritiesaskedWilliamofOrangetoreplacethemtwo.In1689ParliamentpassedthebillofRightswhichensuredthattheKingwouldneverbeabletoignoreParliament.4.CharacteristicsofBritishconstitution:Unlikemanynations,Britainhasnocoreconstitutionaldocuments.Contents:Statutelaws(lawspassedbyParliament);thecommonlaws(lawswhichhavebeenestablishedthroughcommonpracticeinthecourts);andconventions(rulesandpracticeswhichdonotexistlegallybutareneverthelessregardedasvitaltotheworkingsofgovernment).5.Whyparliamentissupreme:becauseitalonehasthepowertochangethetermsoftheConstitution.TherearenolegalrestraintsuponParliament.Parliament'sfunction:First,itpasseslaws.Second,itprovidesthemeansofcarryingontheworkofgovernmentbyvotingfortaxation.Third,itscrutinisesgovernmentpolicy,administrationandexpenditure.Fourth,itdebatesthemajorissuesoftheday.Queen/King'srole:TosymbolisethetraditionandunityoftheBritishstate.TorepresentBritainathomeandbroad.Tosetstandardsofgoodcitizenshipandfamilylife.Sheislegallyheadoftheexecutive,anintegralpartofthelegislature,headofthejudiciary,commanderinchiefofthearmedforcesand"supremegovernor"oftheChurchofEngland.PM'srole:ThePrimeMinisteristheleaderofthepoliticalpartywhichwinsthemostseatsinageneralelection.He/Shechoseusuallyaround20MPstobecomegovernmentministersintheCabinet.Togethertheycarryourthefunctionsofpolicy-making,thecoordinationofgovernmentdepartmentsandthesupremecontrolofgovernment.6.TheHouseofLords:ItwasbelowtheQueen,consistingoftheLordsSpiritual(whoaretheArchbishopsandmostprominentbishopsoftheChurchofEngland)andtheLordsTemporal(whichreferstothoselordswhoeitherhaveinheritedtheseatfromtheirforefathersoftheyhavebeenappointed).Thelordsmainlyrepresentthemselvesinsteadoftheinterestsofthepublic.ItistheupperhouseoftheParliamentoftheUnitedKingdom,theUnitedKingdom'snationallegislature.Itremainstherelationshipwithgovernment,debateslegislationandhassomepowertoamendorrejectbills(hassomelegislativefunctions).Unit41.AnyonewhoiseligibletovotecanstandasanMP.Itisnecessaryonlytomakeadepositof500pounds.Whysmallpartiesandindependentcandidatespowerless:Voterswillseeitasawastedvotebecauseeveniftheyweretowintheseattheywouldbepowerlessinparliamentagainstthebigparties'representatives.Votingthemwillpreventthevotersfromcontributingtothecompetitionbetweenthebigpartiesastowhichofthemwillformagovernment.2.ThreebigpartiesintheUK:theLabourparty,theConservativeparty,theLiberalDemocrats.Similarities:SinceConservativebegantohavea"fartherly"senseofobligationtothelessfortunateinsociety,theydidn'tdismantleprinciplestheLaboursetup.ThatindicatesthatthusthedifferencebetweentheLabourandConservativeisoneofdegree,notanabsolute.Dissimilarities:(1)Labourisasocialistparty.Theybelieveasocietyshouldberelativelyequalineconomictermsandthatpartoftheroleofgovernmentistoactasa"redistributive"agent.Theythinkgovernmentshouldprovidearangeofpublicservices,thereforehightaxes.(2)Conservativeisthepartythatspentmosttimeinpower.Theyareseenasthepartyoftheindividual,protectingindividual'srighttoacquirewealthandtospendithowtheychoose,thereforelowtaxes.(3)LiberalDemocratsisapartyofthe"middle",occupyingtheideologicalgroundbetweenthetwomainparties.Theyarecomparativelyflexibleandpragmaticintheirbalanceoftheindividualandthesocial.3.Recentpoliticaltrends[注意下一小問]:(1)ConservativeswontheelectionundertheirleaderMargaretThatcherinthe1970s.Duringthattimetheeconomydidbadly,withhighinflationandlowgrowth.(2)shedismissedbeing"fartherly",encouragesentrepreneurship.Oneofthemajorpolicieswastheprivatisazionofnationalisedindustry.(3)partofthemechanismofchangewasalessredistributivetaxationsystem.Taxratewerecuttoallowpeopletokeepmoreofwhattheyearned.Author'sopinion:The1980shaveseenBritishpoliticsmovetothe"right",awayfromthe"pulic"andtowardthe"private";awayfromthe"social",andtowardthe"individual",andallpartieshavehadtoadjusttothosechanges.4.Howpeoplearedividedintodifferentclasses:(1)employment:manual(orblue-collar)workersusuallycallthemselvesworking-class,andoffice(orwhite-collar)workerswouldusuallycallthemselvesmiddle-class.(2)culturaldifferences:likewhatnewspapertheyread.Working-classoftenreadTHESUN,anewspaperwithlittlehardnewsandmoreaboutsoapoperas,royalfamilyandsports.Middle-classoftenreadTHEGUARDIAN,alargernewspaperwithlongerstories,coveringnationalandinternationalevents.(3)education:privateschoolorpublicschool.(4)theUKhasalsoretainedahereditaryaristocracy.(5)thewaytheyspeak.ComparewiththeUSandChina:notsimilaratall.TheUKhasalsoretainedahereditaryaristocracy.Amongthestudentsattheprivateschoolsattendedbytheupper-middle-classabovewouldbeathinscatteringofaristocraticchildren,whowillinherittitleslikebaronets.ThisisduetoBritain'sdifferenthistoryandconvention.Unit51.Absolutedeclinemeansrecession,developinginaminusspeed.RelativedeclinemeansthatalthoughtheUKimproved,othercountriesdevelopedmorerapidlythantheUK,whichmadeitslidfrombeingthesecondlargesteconomytobeingthesixth.Reasons:(1)TheUKhadgoneintodebtafterWWII.(2)Britainspentahigherproportionofitsnationalwealthonthemilitarythanmostofitscompetitors.(JoiningNATOandUNSecurityCouncil)(3)Theeraofempirewasover.Formercolonialcountriesannouncedindependence,leavingBritainasamedium-sizeEuporeancountry.(4)Britain'sindustrysurvivedcomparativelyunaffected,butitscompetitorsdidnot.SothecompetitorsinvestedinmodernequipmentandnewproductswhileBritishindustrystillcontinuewitholderones.(5)Lowratesofinvestment.TheUKlacksacloserelationshipbetweenindustryandbanksduetoitshistory.Alowrateofdomesticindustrialinvestmentcoupledwithaveryhighrateofoverseasinvestment.2.WhatdidtheconservativepartyunderMrs.ThatcherpromisetodototheUKnationaleconomyin1979:Aradicalprogrammeofreform.Whatwasherradicalreformprogramme:Bureaucracywasreduced,(foreignexchangecontrolswerelifted,rulesgoverningbanksloosened,forexample).Throughoutthe1980sanextensiveprogrammeofprivatisationwascarriedout.Wasissuccessful:Itseemedinsomewaystobesuccessfulinthatinflationcameundercontrol,andbusinessmadeprofits.Thenegativeaspectwasarapidincreaseinunemployment.Thenationaleconomyasawholecontinuedtogrowatlowerratesthanitscompetitors.3.Mainareasinnationaleconomies:Primaryindustriessuchasagriculture,fishingandmining;secondaryindustrieswhichmanufacturecomplexgoodsfromthoseprimaryproducts;tertiary/serviceindustriessuchasbanking,insurance,tourismandtheretailing.Developmentofeach:(1)agriculturalsectorissmallbutefficient.EnergyproductionisanimportantpartoftheUKeconomy.(2)inthesecondarysector,manufacturingindustryremainsimportant,producing22%ofnationalwealth.(3)tertiaryorserviceindustriesproduce65%ofnationalwealth.4.Whyrelativelyshrinkingoftheimportantsecondaryindustryandaspectaculargrowthintertiaryorserviceindustries:Alotofthetertiaryorserviceindustriesisdomesticactivity,accountingforabout10%oftheworld'sexportsofsuchservices.70%oftheUK'sworkforceareemployedintheservicesector.ComparetertiaryindustriesinChinainthepast20yearsorso:Chinesetertiaryindustriesdidn'tgrowasfastastheUK,thoughtheportionwasincreasing.Howisthisgrowthrelatedtothereformandopeninguptotheoutsideworld:Chinawasfamousforthenameof"worldfactory",whichmeansChineseworkforcescanproduceproductsatlowpaid.Chinaisadevelopingcountry,experiencingthetransferofmanufacturingisreasonable.However,asChinaisdeveloping,wagesofworkforcesarealsoincreasing.ComparingtoIndia,wemayloseour"advantage"gradually.Unit61.WhyGeoffreyChaucer'sworkwritteninMiddleEnglishcanstillreadandstudiedtoday:Itisnotableforitsdiversity,bothintherangeofsocialtypesamongstthe31pilgrims,andtherangeinstyleofthestoriestheytell.2.DoyouthinkElizabethanDramaoccupiesasignificantpositioninBritishliterature:Yes.Elizabethandrama,andShakespeareinparticular,isconsideredtobeamongtheearliestworktodisplaya"modern"perceptionoftheworld:fullofmoraldoubtsandpoliticalinsecurities,wheretherightofthosewhowieldpowertodosoisputinquestion.ThemostimportantfigureinElizabethanDrama:WilliamShakespeareSomeofhiswell-knownplays:(tragedies)RomeoandJuliet,Hamlet,Othello,KingLear,Macbeth;(comedies)TheTamingoftheShrew,AMidsummerNight'sDream,TwelfthNight,theTempest;(historyplays)RichardIII,RichardII,HenryIV,HenryVjJuliusCaesar,AntonyandCleopatra.3.SomeofthefeaturesofRomanticLiterature:writersofromanticliteraturearemoreconcernedwithimaginationandfeelingthanwiththepowerofreason.4.Modernism:itreferstoaformofliteraturemainlywrittenbeforeWWII.Itischaracterizedbyahighdegreeofexperimentation.Itcanbeseenasareactionagainstthe19thcenturyformsofRealism.Modernistwritersexpressthedifficultytheyseeinunderstandingandcommunicatinghowtheworldworks.Oftentheyseemdisorganized,hardtounderstand.Itoftenportraystheactionfromtheviewpointofasingleconfusedindividual,ratherthanfromtheviewpointofanall-knowingimpersonalnarratoroutsidetheaction.Postmodernism:AfterWWII.Postmodernistcanbethoughtofasabandoningthesearchofburiedmeaningbelowconfusingsurfaces.Examplestoillustrate:(modernist)VirginiaWoolf"Mrs.Dalloway""totheLighthouse""Orlando";D.H.Lawrence"SonsandLovers"andE.M.Forster"aPassagetoIndia";(postmodernist)GeorgeOrwell"1984",JohnFowles"theFrenchLieutenant'swoman"BookIUnit7,BritishEducationSystem1.WhatarethepurposesoftheBritisheducationsystem?Pleasecommentonthesepurposes.WhatarethemainpurposesoftheChineseeducationsystem?Arethereanydifferencesorsimilaritiesintheeducationofthetwonations?SchoolsinBritaindonotjustteachthestudents3Rs,(reading,writingandarithmetic),buttoprovidechildrenwithliteracyandtheotherbasicskillstheywillneedtobecomeactivemembersofsociety.2.HowdoestheBritisheducationsystemreflectsocialclass?Firstly,inBritain,theschoolyouattendcanrefertoyoursocialstatus.Andtheschooltieisaclearmarketofsocialclass,3.WhatarethemajorchangesthathavetakenplacesinceWorldWarII?IsBritisheducationmovingtowardsmoreprogressormoreequality?Pickupsomeexamplesfromthetexttoillustrateyourpoints.1)Theoldeducationsystemhasdisruptedduetothewar.Sowiththehelpofthechurchandnewlypowerfultradeunionsbegantoreconstructaneweducationsystem.2)Thenewsystememphasizesequality.1944educationactmadeentrytosecondaryschoolsanduniversitiesmeritocratic.Childrenwouldbeableadmittedtoschoolsnotbecausetheywereofacertainsocialclassorbecausetheirparentspossessedacertainamountofmoney,butbecauseoftheabilitiestheydisplayed.Allchildrenweregivenrighttoafreesecondaryeducationandthemainconcernwastomakesuremorechildrenhadaccesstoagoodeducation.3)1989,anationalcurriculumwasintroducedbythegovernment.4.WhydoestheauthorsaythatuniversitiesinBritainhaveratherelitist?MoststudentsinBritishuniversitiesarefromthemiddleclasses,attendgoodschools,performwellintheirA-levelsandreceiveafully-fundedplaceinauniversity.Andwhentheygraduate,theycanbecomeveryinfluentialinbanking,themedia,thearts,educationoreventhegovernment.5.WhatistheOpenUniversityinBritain?Whatdoyouthinkofthissystem?Theopeninguniversityoffersanon-traditionalrouteforpeopletotakeuniversitylevelcoursesandreceiveauniversitydegree.Peoplecanregisterwithouthavinganyformaleducationalqualifications.Theyfollowuniversitycoursesthroughtextbooks,TVandradiobroadcasts,correspondence,videos,residentialschoolsandanetworkofstudycentre.Ithinkthesystemhasbeenquitesuccessful.Thankstothesystem,tensofthousandsofBritons,fromvariousstatusesattendtheOpenUniversityeachyear.AndthishasimprovetheequalityinBritain’shigheducation.Unit8BritishForeignRelations1.WhatandhowdidtheBritishEmpireend?HowdidtheBritainreacttothisreality?HowdidtheendofBritishimperialisminfluencethepsychologyoftheBritishandthemakingofBritain’sforeignpolicy?1)AftertheWorldWarIItheBritishcouldnolongeraffordtomaintainitsempire;whileBritainhadwonthewar,ithadpaidaterriblepriceintermsoflivesandintermsofeconomicdestruction.AndtheBritishrealizedthatcountriesshouldbegrantedtheindependenceandlefttoruntheirownaffairs.PeopleandterritoryshouldnotjustbetreatedasasourceofeconomicresourcesfortherulingcentersofcommerceinEurope.2)ManypeoplearestillalivewhocanrememberwhenBritainwasoneofthemostpowerfulandrichnationsonearth.ItissometimeshardtothinkaboutBritainasitreallyistoday.3)BecauseBritainlostitsempiresorecently,britishpolicymakersfrequentlyforgetthatBritainisnotasinfluentialasitusedtobeinworldaffairs.HistoriansarguethattheBritishforeignpolicymakersretainveryconservativeandtraditionalviewsofBritain’sroleasaworldpowerandpointtomanymajorforeignpolicydecisionsasexamples.2.WhatarethefoundationsofBritain’sforeignpolicy?Itisgreatlyinfluencedbyitsimperialhistoryandalsobyitsgeopoliticaltraits.Britain’simperialhistorymadethepolicymakerveryconservativeandtraditional.Anditsgeopoliticaltraitscreatedasenseofpsychologicalisolationinitsinhabitants.AndasBritainisanislandstate,itnaturallydevelopedasanationofseafarerswhoroamedtheglobelookingforterritoryandeconomicopportunities.3.HowisBritain’sforeignpolicymade?Doesthegovernment’sforeignpolicyrepresentthedesiresofBritishcitizen?1)TheprimeministerandcabinetdecideonthegeneraldirectionofBritain’sforeignpolicy.Themaingovernmentdepartmentinvolvedisofcoursetheforeignandcommonwealthofficebutman