《英美文化与国家概况》教案
Part I The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Chapter 1 Geography and People 一、教学目标与要求
1. 掌握英国的名称，地理位置及组成部分。 2. 熟悉各组成部分的概况。
3. 了解英国的山脉、河流、湖泊、气候。
二、基本概念和知识点
I. Different Names for Britain and its Parts
1. Geographical names: the British Isles, Great Britain and England. 2. Official name: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
3. The British Isles are made up of two large islands-Great Britain (the larger one) and Ireland, and hundreds of small ones.
4. Three political divisions on the island of Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales.
(1) England is in the southern part of Great Britain. It is the largest, most populous section.
(2) Scotland is in the north of Great Britain. It has three natural zones (the Highlands in the north; the Central lowlands; the south Uplands) Capital: Edinburgh
(3) Wales is in the west of Great Britain. Capital: Cardiff
(4) Northern Ireland is the fourth region of the UK. Capital: Belfast. 5. The Commonwealth (of nations) is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britain. It was founded in 1931,
and has 50 member countries until 1991. II. Geographical Features 1. Geographical position of Britain:
Britain is an island country surrounded by the sea. It lies in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north coast of Europe. It is separated from the rest of Europe by the English Channel in the south and the North Sea in the east.
2. The north and west of Britain are mainly highlands; and the east and southeast are mostly lowlands. III. Rivers and Lakes
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in Britain (1,343m). Severn River is the longest river in Britain (338km).
Thames River is the second longest and most important river in Britain. (336km).
Lough Neagh is the largest lake in Britain which is located in Northern Ireland. (396 square kilometres).
River Clyde is the most important river in Scotland. Snowdonia is the highest mountain in Wales.（1,085m） IV. Climate
1. Britain's favorable climate
Britain has a maritime climate-winters are not too cold and summers are not too hot. It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The temperature varies within a small range. 2. The factors influence the climate in Britain:
(1) The surrounding waters tend to balance the seasonal differences by heating up the land in winter and cooling it off in summer;
(2) The prevailing south-west winds or the Westerlies blow over the
country all the year round bringing warm and wet air in winter and keeping the temperatures moderate;
(3) The North Atlantic Drift passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them. 3. Rainfall
Britain has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year. The average annual rainfall in Britain is over 1,000mm. There is a water surplus in the north and west, and a water deficit in the south and east.
三、教学方法与手段
课堂讲解、分组讨论。
Chapter 2 English History 一、教学目标与要求 1. 了解英国的起源。
2. 掌握英国从封建社会向现代社会转变的过程。 3. 熟悉大英帝国的兴衰史。
二、基本概念和知识点
Origins of a Nation (5000BC-1066)
I. Early Settlers （5000BC-55BC）
1. The first known settlers of Britain were the Iberians.
2. At about 2000 BC the Beaker Folk arrived from the areas now know as Holland and Rhineland.
3. The Celts began to arrive Britain about 700 BC. 4．The Celts came to Britain in three main waves.
The first wave was the Gaels-came about 600 BC. The second wave was the Brythons-came about 400 BC. The third wave was the Belgae-came about 150 BC. II. Roman Britain (55BC-410AD)
1. British recorded history begins with the Roman invasion. In 55BC and 54BC, Julius Caesar, a Roman general, invaded Britain twice. In AD 43, the Emperor Claudius invaded Britain successfully. For nearly 400 years, Britain was under the Roman occupation, though it was never a total occupation.
2. Roman’s influence on Britain.
The Roman built many towns, road, baths, temples and buildings. They make good use of Britain’s natural resources. They also brought the new religion, Christianity, to Britain.
3. Reasons for limited Roman influence on Britain.
First, the Romans always treated the Britons as a subject people of slave class. Second, never during the 4 centuries did the Romans and Britons intermarry. Third, the Romans had no impact on the language or culture of ordinary Britons. III. The Anglo-Saxons (446-871)
1. Basis of Modern English race: the Anglo-Saxons.
In the mid-5th century a new wave of invaders, Jutes, Saxons, and Angles came to Britain. They were three Teutonic tribes. The Jutes, who fished and farmed in Jutland, came to Britain first. A Jutish chief became the King of Kent in 449. Then the Saxons, users of the short-sword from northern Germany, established their kingdom in Essex, Sussex and Wessex from the end of the 5th century to the beginning of the 6th century. In the second half of the 6th century, the Angles, who also came
from northern Germany and were to give their name to the English people, settled in East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria. These seven principal kingdoms of Kent, Essex, Sussex, Wessex, East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria have been given the name of Heptarchy. 2. The early Anglo-Saxons converted to Christianity.
3. The Early Anglo-Saxons make the contributions to the English state.
The Anglo-Saxons laid the foundations of the English state. Firstly, they divided the country into shires, with shire courts and shire reeves, or sheriffs, responsible for administering law. Secondly, they devised the narrow-strip, three-field farming system which continued to the 18th century. Thirdly, they also established the manorial system. Finally, they created the Witan（council or meeting of the wisemen） to advise the king, the basis of the Privy Council which still exists today. IV．Viking and Danish invasions
1. The invaders were the Norwegians and the Danes. They attacked various parts of England from the end of the 8th century. They became a serious problem in the 9th century, especially between 835 and 878. They even managed to capture York, an important center of Christianity in 867. By the middle of 9th century, the Viking and the Danes were posing a threat to the Saxon kingdom of Wessex. 2. King Alfred (849-899) and his contributions
Alfred was a king of Wessex. He defeated the Danes and reached a friendly agreement with them in 879. The Danes gained control of the north and east, while he ruled the rest. He also converted some leading Danes into Christians. He founded a strong fleet and is known as “the father of the British navy”. He reorganized the Saxon army, making it more efficient. He translated a Latin book into English. He also