英语国家概况》英国部分课后问题答案（1-2章）
Chapter 1 land and people 1.what are the differences between Britain and the British Isles， Great Britain，England，the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth？ The British Isles，Greant Britina and England are geographical names， no the official names of the country，while the official name is the United Kingdom，but the full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The British Commonwealth is a free association of independent countries that were once colonies of Britian.
2.Describe the geographical position of Britian？
Britain is an island country. 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.
3.Whereabouts in Great Britain are mostly highland and lowland？
The north and west of Britain are mainly highland， while the south and south-east are mostly lowlands. 4.Does Britain have a favourable climate？ why？ Yes，it has a favourable climate， because it has a maritime type of climate——winters are mild，not too cold and summers are cool， not too hot.It has a steady reliable rainfall throughout the whole year.It has a small range of temperature，too.
5.what are the factors which influence the climate in Britain？ Which part of Britain has the most rainfall and which part is the driest？ The factors which influence the climate in Britain are the following three：1）The surrounding waters balance the seasonal differences；2）the prevailing south-west winds bring warm and wet air in winter and keep the temperatures moderate；3）the North Atlantic Drift，a warm current，passes the western coast of the British Isles and warms them.
The northwestern part has the most rainfall，while the south-eastern corner is the driest. 6.Describe the distribution of Britain‘s population.
Britain has a population of 57 million. It is densely populated， with an average of 237people per square kilometre. It is also very unevenly distributed ， with 90%of the population in urban areas，10% in rural areas. Geographically， most British people live in England. Of the total of 57 million people， 47 million live in England， 14 million live in London and Southeastern England.
7.What are the three natural zones in Scotland？ The three natural zones in Scotland are ： the Highlands in the north， the central Lowlands ，and the southern Uplands. 8.What is the difference between the ancestors of the English and Scots， Welsh and Irish？ The ancestors of the English are Anglo-Saxons，while the Scots，Welsh and rish are Celts. 9.What are the differences in character and speech between southern England and northern England？ How do the Welsh keep their language and culture alive？
The Welsh are emotional and cheerful people.The Scots are hospitable ，generous and friendly.Irish are known for their charm and vivacity as well as for the beauty of their Irish girls.
Throughout the year they have festivals of song and dance and poetry called Eisteddfodau.On these occasions competitions are held in Welsh poetry，music，singing and art and in this way they keep the Welsh language and Welsh culture alive. 10.What is the main problem in Northern Ireland？
Hundreds of years ago Scots and English Protestants were sent to live in Northern Ireland.Since then there has been bitter fighting between the Protestants and the Roman Catholics.The former are the dominant group，while the latter are seeking more social，plitical
and economic apportunities.The british Government and the government of Ireland are now working together to bring peace to Northern Ireland. Chapter 2 The Origins of a Nation
1.What do you know about the Roman invasion of Britain？
In 55 BC and 54 BC， 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. British recorded history begins with the Roman invasion.
2.Why was the Roman influence on Britain so limited？
Britain was under the Roman occupation for nearly 400 years. The Romans built many towns，roads，baths，temples and buildings.They make good use of Britain‘s natural resources.They also brought the new religion，Christianity，to Britain.However，although Britain became part of the Roman Empire，Roman influence upon Britain was very limited.The Romans treated the Britains as a subject people of slave class.they never intermarried.The romans has no influence on the language or culture of ordinary Britains.
3.Who were the Anglo-Saxons and how did the Heptarchy come into being？
The Anglo-Saxons referred to the three Teutonic tribes who invaded Britain in the mid-5th century.They were Jutes，Saxons and Angles.
In the 7th century， the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain and the three tribes settled in different part of Britain which was divided into many small kingdoms of Kent，Sussex，Wessex，East Anglia，Mercia and Northumbria.So they have been given the name of Heptarchy. 4.How were the early Anglo-Saxons converted to Christainity？
The Anglo-Saxons brought their own Teutonic religion to Britain when they invaded Britain，and Christianity was only a fringe belief.So， in 579，Pope Gregory I sent St. Augustine to England to convert the heathen English to Christianity.Augustine was very successful in converting the king and the nobility， and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.But the conversion of the common people was largely due to the missionary activities of the monks in the north.Many samll monasteries sprang up throughout the ocuntry.
5.What contributions did the early Anglo-Sasons make to the English state？
Though the anglo-Saxons were brutal people， they laid the foundation of the English state.Firstly， the modern names of “England”and “English”derived from the
Angles.Secondly，they divided the country into shires， with shire courts and shire reaves， or sheriffs， responsible for administering law.Thirdly ，they divised the narrow-strip，three-field farming system which continued to the 18th century.Fourthly ， they also
eatablished the manorial system， whereby the lord of the manor collected taxes and organized the local army.Finally ， they crated the Witan to advise the king， the basis of the Privy Council which still exists today.
6.Who were the Vikings and how did they invade Britain.？
The Vikings were the Norwegians and the Danes from Denmark.They attacked various part of England from the end of the 8th century. They became a serious problem in the 9th century，especially between 835and 878. They even managed to capture York， an important center of Christianity in 867. They gained control of the north and east of England.
7.What do you know about king Alfred ？ What makes him worthy of the title of “Alfred the Great”？
Alfred was the king of Wessex. He defeated the Danes who attacked England and reached an agreement with them in 879. The Danes gained control of the north and east， while Alfred ruled the rest. He also converted some leading Danes into Christains.
Alfred is known as “the father of the British navy” as he founded a strong fleet to beat the Danes at sea， to protect the coasts and to encourage trade. He recogonized the Saxon army to make it more efficient. He even translated Bede‘s Ecclesiastial History of the English
people from Latin to English. He also establish schools and formulated a legal system. All this makes him worthy of his title“Alfred the Great”。
8.Why did the William the Conqueror invade England after Edward‘s death？
It was said the king Edward had promised the English throne to William， but the Witan chose Harold as king. So ， William led his army to invade England. In October 1066， during the important battle of Hastings， William defeated Harold and killed him. On Christmas Day， William was crowned king of England， thus beginning the Norman Conquest of England. 9.what were the consequences of the Norman conquest？
The Norman Conquest of 1066 is one of the best known events in English history， It brought about many consequences.
William confiscated almost the land and gave it to his Norman followers. He replaced the weak Saxons rule with a strong Norman government.So the feudal system was conpletely established in England. Relations with the continent were opened， and civilization and commerce were extended. Normand-French culture，language，manners，and architecture were introduced.The church was brought into closer connection with Roma，and the courts were separated from the civil courts. 10.Why do we say that the English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different orgins？ The population of Britain is made up of the English ，the Scotish，the Welsh，the Irish，the Northern Irish and other peoples. The formation is complicated because England was invaded by different races at various times from Europe. Besides the early settles，the Iberians，and the Celts，including Gaels and Britons， Roman occupied Britain for nearly 400 years after 55BC. Then the invasions of Anglo-Saxons helped to form English race and language and laid the foundation of the English state. After that， was the invasions of the Vikings and Danes.Finally， in 1066， William of Normandy invaded England and began the age of the Norman Conquest which resulted in great French influence.
Therefore，many different people of different origins are living in Britain.That‘s the reason why we say English nation is a mixture of nationalities of different origins. Chapter 3 The Shaping of the Nation
1.What was feudalism like in England under the rule of William the Conqueror？
Under the rule of William the Conqueror，the feudal system in England was completely established. According to this system， the king owned all the land personally.William gave his barons large estates in returnfor military services and a proportion of the land‘s produce.These estates were scattered all over the king. Then， the barons parceled out land to the lesser nobles，knights and freemen，also in return for goods and services.At the bottom of the feudal scale were the serfs. One peculiar feature of the feudal system of England was that all landowners must take the oath of allegiance not only to their immediate lord，but also to the king.
2.How did King Henry II consolidate the monarchy？
Henry II took some measure to consolidate the monarchy. He forced the Flemish mercenaries to have England； recalled grants of Royal lands made By Stephen；demolished scores of castles built in Stephen‘s time；strengthened and widened the powers of his sheriffs and relied for armed support upon a militia composed of English freemen.
3.How did king Henry II reform the courts and the law？ Henry II was the first king of the House of Plantagenet.he greatly strengthened the king‘s Court and extended its judicial work.In Henry II’s reign a common law，which over-rode local law and private law.In Henry‘s day the jury system was at last replacing old English ordeals by fire and water and old Norman trials by battle.
4.What was the quarrel between king Henry II and Thomas Becket？ The Great Council of Henry II drew up the Constitutions of Clarendon in 1164 to increase the jurisdiction of the civil
courts at the expense of the church courts.Becket reluctantly signed the Constitutions.but shortly afterwards rejected them.Henry II was so angry that he drove Becket into exile. 5.What was the contents and the significance of the Great charter？ Contents：no tax should be made without the approval of the Grand Council；no freeman should be arrested，imprisoned，or deprived of his property except by the law of the land；the Church should possess all its rights，together with freedom of elections；London and other towns should retain their ancient rights and privileges，and there should be the same weights and measures throughout the country. It was a statement of the feudal and legal relationship between the Crown and the barons，a guarantee of the freedom of the Church and a limitation of the power of the king.
6.Why and how did the English Parliament come into being？ Henry III‘s many measure was brought matters between he and barons to a head.and the barons force the king to swear and accept the Provisions of Oxford.
Simon de Montfort summoned in 1265 the Great Council to meet at Westminster， together with two knights from each country and two burgesses from each town，a metting which has been seen as that the earliest parliament.
7.What were the causes of the Hundred Years‘ War？ The causes were partly territorial and partly economic.
8.What harm did the Black Death do to the English society？ The Black Death swept through England in 1348-1349 without warning and any cure.It reduced England‘s population from four million to two million and the economic consequences were far reaching.
Much land was left untended and there was a terrible shortage of labour. The surviving peasants were in favourable position to demand higher wages and changed their serfdom into paid labourers. So the government issued statutes of Labourers to protect the interests of landowners. These repressive measures and a series of poll taxes caused much hatred and resulted in the Peasant Uprising in 1381.
9.what do you know about Wat Tyler‘s Uprising？ The uprising broke out in Kent and Essex in 1381 and was led by Wat Tyler and Jack Straw. Tyler led the mared villagers to occupy London. The king was forced to accept their demands. Most of the rebels dispersed and went home， while Tyler and other leader stayed on for more rights. Tyler was killed at a meeting with the king，who suppressed the Uprising brutally.
Although the Uprising failed，it had great importance in English history. It directed against the rich clergy， the lawyers and the landowners. It effectively blew the serfdom，and a new class of yeomen farmers emerged，paving the way for the development of capitalism. 10.Who were the Lollards？what role did they play in the Peasant Uprising of 1381？ The Lollards were poor priests and travelling preachers who were John Wyclif‘s followers in the 14th century. They went about preaching the equality of men before god. The most famous one was John Ball. Their ideas provided mental preparation for the Peasant Uprising of 1381. Chapter 4 Transition to the Modern Age
1.What do you know about the nature and consequences of the Wars of the Roses？
In 1453 England was at last defeated in the Hundred Years‘ War， at this time power in England was in the hands of a number of rich and ambitious nobles. Because the Hundred Years’ War ended，they had to seek a new outlet for their ambition by a attempt to dominate the government at home . There was also a mass of unemployed soldiers. In 1455，war broke out between the House of Lancaster，symbolized by the red rose，and that of York，symbolized by the white rose. Although the Wars of the Roses were waged intermittently for thirty years， ordinary people were little affected. Feudalism received its death blow. The great medieval nobility was much weakened and discredited. The king‘s power became supreme. From then on，five Tudor monarchs ruled England and Wales for over two hundred years.
2.Why and how did the Reformation happen in England？ And what was the effect？
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