English background.docx
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English background.docx
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Englishbackground
EducationinBritainandTheUS
InBritainallchildrenhavetogotoschoolbetweentheagesof5and16.IntheUSchildrenmustgotoschoolfromtheageof6tobetweentheagesof14and16,dependingonthestatetheylivein.
Subject
InEnglandandWalesthesubjectstaughtinschoolsarelaiddownbytheNationalCurriculum(课程),whichwasintroducedin1988andsetsout(制定)indetailthesubjectsthatchildrenshouldstudyandthelevelsofachievementtheyshouldreachbytheagesof7,11,14and16,whentheyaretested.TheNationalCurriculumdoesnotapplyinScotland,whereeachschooldecideswhatsubjectsitwillteach.
IntheUSthesubjectstaughtaredecidedbynationalandlocalgovernments.WhereasBritishschoolsusuallyhaveprayers(祈祷)andreligious(宗教的)instruction,Americanschoolsarenotallowedtoincludeprayersortoteachparticularreligiousbeliefs(信仰).
Examinations
At16studentsinEnglandandWalestakeGCSEexaminations.Theseexaminationsaretakenbystudentsofalllevelsofabilityinanyofarangeofsubjectsandmayinvolveafinalexamination,anassessment(评价)ofworkdoneduringthetwoyearcourse,orbothofthesethings.At18somestudentstakenA-levelexaminations,usuallyinnotmorethan3subjects.ItisnecessarytohaveA-levelsinordertogotoauniversityorpolytechnic(综合技术大学).
InScotlandstudentstaketheSCEexaminations.Ayearlater,theycantakeexaminationscalledHIGHS,afterwhichtheycaneithergostraighttoauniversityorspendafurtheryearatschoolandtaketheCertificate(证书)ofSixthYearStudies.InScotlandtheuniversitysystemisdifferenttothatinEnglandandWales.Coursesusuallylastfouryearsratherthanthreeandstudentsstudyalargernumberofsubjectsaspartoftheirdegree.
IntheUSschoolexaminationsarenotasimportantastheyareinBritain.StudentsinHighSchoolsdohaveexamsattheendoftheirlasttwoyears,butthesefinalexamsareconsideredalongwiththeworkthatthestudentshavedoneduringtheschoolyears.
SocialEventsandCeremonies(仪式)
InAmericanhighschoolsthereisaformalceremonyforGraduation(=completionofhighschool).Studentswearaspecialcapandgownandreceiveadiploma(文凭)fromtheheadoftheschool.Studentsoftenbuyaclassringtoear,andayearbook,containingpicturesoftheirfriendsandteachers.TherearealsospecialsocialeventsatAmericanschools.Sportseventsarepopular,andcheerleadersleadtheschoolinsupportingtheschoolteamandsingingtheschoolsong.Attheendoftheirjunioryear,atage17or18,studentsheldintheevening.ThegirlswearlongeveningdressesandtheboyswearTUXEDOS.
InBritain,therearenoformaldancesorsocialoccasions(场合)associated(和...有关)withschoollife.SomeschoolshaveSPEECHDAYattheendoftheschoolyearwhenprizesaregiventothebeststudentsandspeechesaremadebytheheadteacherandsometimesaninvitedguest.However,inmanyBritishschoolsstudentsandteachersorganize(组织)informaldancesfortheolderstudents.
GovernmentinBritainandtheUS
GovernmentinBritain
Nationalgovernment
ThecenterofgovernmentinBritainisPARLIAMENT(国会),whichmakesalltheimportantlawsforthecountryaboutcrimesandpunishment,taxation(征税),etc.ParliamentismadeupoftheHouseofCommons,theHouseofLordsandthemonarch(贵族).TheHousesofParliamentareinWestminsterinLondonandsometimes“Westminster”itselfisusedtomeanParliament.
TheHouseofcommons(ortheCommons)isthelowerbutmorepowerfulofthetwoHouses.Ithas650electedmembers,calledMembersofParliamentorMPs,eachrepresentingpeopleinaparticularareaorconstituency.TheHouseofLords(theLords)isthehigherbutlesspowerfulofthetwoHouses.Ithasover1,000members,noneofwhomiselected.Thesemembersinclude:
peoplewhohavetitleslikeLordorViscount(子爵)whichhavebeenpasseddowntothemonthedeathoftheirfather(hereditarypeers(世袭贵族));peoplewhoaregiventitlesasarewardfortheirlongserviceinpubliclife,butwhosechildrendonotINHERIT(继承)theirtitle(lifepeers);andsomeimportantleadersoftheChurchofEngland(Archbishops(大主教)andBishops(主教)).
ThegovernmentbringsBILL(=suggestedlaws)totheHouseofCommons,whicharediscussedbyMPs.ThebillsthengototheHouseofLordstobediscussed.TheHouseofLordscansuggestchangestoabill,butdoesnothavethepowertorejectit(=refusepermissionforittobepassed).WhenbillscomebacktotheCommons,MPsvoteonthemandiftheyarepassedtheyaresignedbythemonarchandbecomeActsofParliament
AtpresentEngland,Scotland,Wales,andNIrelandareallgovernedbyParliamentinWestminster.InNIrelandthepoliticalpartiesaredifferentbuttheirMPsstillgototheHouseofCommons.InScotlandthereisalotofdiscussionaboutwhetherScotlandshouldhavesomeseparateorpartlyseparateformofgovernment.ThesameistrueinWales
Localgovernment
LocalgovernmentisBritain,alsoknownasCouncils,canmakesmalllaws(bylaws)whichonlyapplyintheirarea,buttheseareusuallyaboutsmall,localmatters.Forinstance,theymaybeaboutfinesthatwillbemadeforpeoplewhoparkincertainstreets.
Councilsarepaidforbylocaltaxesandalsobyanamountofmoneygiventothemeachyearbythenationalgovernment.Theirmainjobistheorganizingandprovidingoflocalservices,e.g.hospitals,school,libraries,publictransport,street-cleaning,etc.Theyarealsoresponsibleforsettingtheamountoflocaltaxthatpeoplemustpayandforcollectingthistax.
Localcouncils(议会)areelectedbypeoplewithineachtown,city,orcountryarea.Thepeoplewhoareelected,knownascouncilors,usuallyrepresentoneofthenationalpoliticalparties,butareoftenelectedbecauseoftheirpoliciesonlocalissues(问题)ratherthanthenationalpoliciesoftheirparty.
GovernmentintheUS
AlllevelsofgovernmentintheUS(federal(联邦),state,andlocal)areelectedbythepeopleofthecountry.
Federalgovernment
TheconstitutionoftheUSspecificallylimitsthepowerofthefederal(=national)governmentmainlytodefence(国防),foreignaffairs,printingmoney,controllingtradeandrelationsbetweenthestates,andprotectinghumanrights.ThefederalgovernmentismakeupoftheCONGRESS(国会),thePresident,andtheSupremeCount(最高法院).
Congress
Congress,thecentrallaw-makingbodyintheUS,ismadeupoftheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate.TheHouseofRepresentativesisthelowerbutmoreimportantofthetwohousesofCongress.Ithas435members,calledRepresentativesorCongressmen/Congresswomenelectedbytheirstate.ThememberofRepresentative(代表)foreachstatedependsonthesizeofthepopulationofthestate,witheachstatehavingatleastoneRepresentative.TheSenateisthehigherbutlesspowerfulofthetwohousesofCongress.Ithas100members,calledSenators(参议院),electedbytheirstate.EachstatehastwoSenators.
CongressdecideswhetheraBILL(suggestedlaw)becomeslaw.IftheSenateandtheHouseofRepresentativebothagreetoabill,thePresidentisaskedtoagree.
ThePresidentcanveto(=saynoto)thebill(议案),butCongresscanstillmakeitalawif2/3ofthemembersofeachhouseagreetoit.
Stategovernment
Stategovernmenthasthegreatestinfluenceinpeople’sdailylives.EachstatehasitsownwrittenConstitution(宪法)(setoffixedlaw),andamongthestatetherearesometimesgreatdifferencesinlawonmatterssuchasproperty,crime,health,andeducation.ThehighestelectedofficialofeachstateistheGovernor.Eachstatealsohasoneortwoelectedlawmakingbodies(stateLegislature)whosemembersrepresentthevariouspartsofthestate.
Localgovernment
Localgovernmentconcernslawsmadeatthetown,cityorcountylevel.Theselawsareusuallylimitedtoasmallareaandconcernsuchthingastraffic,whereandwhenalcoholicdrinkscanbesold,orkeepinganimals.ThehighestelectedofficialofatownorcityCouncil.
Everylawateverylevelofgovernmentmustbeinagreementwith(一致)theUnitedStatesconstitution.AnycitizenwhothinksheorshehasnotbeengiventheirrightsunderthelawmayarguetheircasethroughallthecourtsuptotheSupremeCourt(thefinalCourtofAppealintheUS)ifnecessary,andanylawwhichisfoundnotinagreementwiththeconstitution(unconstitutional)cannotbekeptinforce.
NewspapersinBritainandtheUS
NewspapersinBritain
Nationalandlocalpapers
InBritainthereare11nationaldailynewspapersandmostpeoplereadoneofthemeveryday.Therearetwokindsofnewspaper.Oneislargeinsizeandhasmanydetailedarticlesaboutnationalandinternationalevents.Thesenewspapersarecalledtheseriouspapersorthequalitypapers.Theotherkind,calledthetabloidsissmallerinsize,havemorepictures,oftenincolour,andshorterarticles,oftenaboutlessimportanteventsorabouttheprivatelivesofwell-knownpeople.Althoughsomepeopledisapprove(反对)ofthetabloids(小报),morepeoplebuythemthanbuytheseriousnewspaper.TheSun,forexample,whichisatabloid,isthebiggest-sellingnewspaperinBritain.PeoplewhodisapproveofthetabloidsverystronglysometimescallthemtheGutterPress.
TherearedailyorweeklynewspapersinallpartsofBritainwhichcoverlocalnewsaswellassomenationalandinternationalstories.Localpapersgiveinformationaboutfilms,concerts,andotherthingsthatarehappeninginthelocalneighborhood,including,forexample,informationaboutlocalpeoplewhohavebeenmarriedordiedrecently.Nationalpapersgenerallygiveinformationaboutfilm,concerts
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