The Society and The Society and Culture of Major Culture of Major English-Speaking English-Speaking

CountriesCountriesChapter 1 General Chapter 1 General IntroductionIntroduction

Function of the courseFunction of the course

Background information for English Background information for English studystudy

Cultural knowledge of TEM Cultural knowledge of TEM examinationsexaminations

Basic understanding of the Basic understanding of the differences of Chinese and western differences of Chinese and western cultureculture

Preliminary understanding of the Preliminary understanding of the word “culture” (civilization)word “culture” (civilization)

CultureCulture DefinitionDefinition Sir Edward Tylor (19th century British Sir Edward Tylor (19th century British

anthropologist)anthropologist) “ “Culture is that complex whole which Culture is that complex whole which

includes knowledge, belief, art, morals,includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilitie law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a mes and habits acquired by man as a member of society.”mber of society.”

““the way people live”the way people live”

Broad ranges of cultureBroad ranges of culture

artsarts

technologytechnology

customscustoms

beliefsbeliefs

valuesvalues

patterns of communicationpatterns of communication

… …

Requirements of the Requirements of the coursecourse

What?What? When?When? Where?Where? Who?Who? How?How? Why?Why?

Example: some cultural symbolsExample: some cultural symbols

BritonUnion JackEaster FridayBank HolidayUncle SamGI

How to present the How to present the class?class?

TextbookTextbook Preview and reviewPreview and review Powerpoint presentation and video cliPowerpoint presentation and video cli

psps OutliningOutlining Questions and answersQuestions and answers Student participationStudent participation Quizzes and testsQuizzes and tests

How are you assessed?How are you assessed?

AttendanceAttendance HomeworkHomework Class participationClass participation Quiz and test scoreQuiz and test score Final examFinal exam

A Brief Introduction to UKA Brief Introduction to UK

How shall we refer to that country?How shall we refer to that country? What do you know about Britain or What do you know about Britain or

British people?British people? How much is Britain different from How much is Britain different from

China?China?

Influences from its imperial pastInfluences from its imperial past

the Commonwealththe Commonwealth

G-8G-8

Ethnic composition of British peopleEthnic composition of British people A complex country with a complex A complex country with a complex

namename

Four constituent parts (countries) of Four constituent parts (countries) of the UKthe UK

Racial differenceRacial difference Religious differenceReligious difference Gender differenceGender difference Class differenceClass difference Regional differenceRegional difference Economic differenceEconomic difference Importance of LondonImportance of London

Geography of the UKGeography of the UK

1. Location1. Location

2. Terrain2. Terrain

3. Division 3. Division

4. Important cities4. Important cities

LondonLondon

GlasgowGlasgow

LiverpoolLiverpool

5. Area5. Area

Total areaTotal area

Length from north to southLength from north to south

Width from west to eastWidth from west to east

6. Population6. Population

Total amountTotal amount

CompositionComposition

IdentityIdentity

An isolated country or an integrating An isolated country or an integrating nation?nation?

---- The relationship with the ---- The relationship with the continent of Europecontinent of Europe

1. 1. European Union’s European Union’s membershipmembership

Attitudes of British people toward Attitudes of British people toward new systems in the continent of new systems in the continent of EuropeEurope

Pound & EuroPound & Euro Blair’s policy (Labor Party)Blair’s policy (Labor Party) Disadvantages of adopting EuroDisadvantages of adopting Euro

Euro GBP (British Pound Sterling)

2. Sources of British 2. Sources of British attitudesattitudes

Particular geographical locationParticular geographical location

“ “John Bull”John Bull” Consciousness of isolation from the Consciousness of isolation from the

continentcontinent

III. History of invasionIII. History of invasion

- 1st AD Celtic- 1st AD Celtic 43AD – 5th Century Roman invasion43AD – 5th Century Roman invasion 5th Century – 8th Century 5th Century – 8th Century Jutes and Anglos from now DenmarkJutes and Anglos from now Denmark Saxons from GermanySaxons from Germany

Roman invasions (1st-5th centuries AD)

Roman Walls in York, England

King ArthurKing Arthur

8th Century Scandinavian Vikings8th Century Scandinavian Vikings

Differences between the north and Differences between the north and the south in Englandthe south in England

1066 Normans invasion1066 Normans invasion

William NormandyWilliam Normandy Changes in British societyChanges in British society

a. Aristocracya. Aristocracy

b. Religionb. Religion

c. Artc. Art

d. Languaged. Language

e. administratione. administration

f. Defensef. Defense

Tower of LondonTower of London

Scotland & WalesScotland & Wales

ScotlandScotland

I. Geographic featuresI. Geographic features

RuggednessRuggedness

Southern uplandsSouthern uplands

Northern West HighlandsNorthern West Highlands

Scottish HighlandsMore than half of the surface of Scotland is occupied by the Scottish Highlands, the most rugged region in Great Britain. They consist of parallel mountain chains with a general northeast-to-southwest trend, broken by deep ravines and valleys.

Location of important citiesLocation of important cities

GlasgowGlasgow

EdinburghEdinburgh

Advantages that ruggedness has Advantages that ruggedness has brought to Scotlandbrought to Scotland

not too long-time invasion by Roman not too long-time invasion by Roman invaders invaders

Hadrian’s WallHadrian’s Wall

independent spirit/identityindependent spirit/identity

II. Special features of II. Special features of ScotsScots

HighlandersHighlanders National dress: kiltNational dress: kilt Symbols of famous Scottish namesSymbols of famous Scottish names

Distribution of populationDistribution of population

HighlandersHighlanders

FishermenFishermen

LowlandersLowlanders

Characteristics of ScotsCharacteristics of Scots

inventiveinventive

serious mindedserious minded

hard workinghard working

cautious with moneycautious with money

brave brave

Nicknames in the warNicknames in the war

bagpipesbagpipes

“ “devils in skirts”devils in skirts”

“ “ladies from hell”ladies from hell”

III. HistoryIII. History

6th AD6th AD Division between highland & lowland:Division between highland & lowland: British CeltsBritish Celts Northern IrishNorthern Irish Picts (original Celts)Picts (original Celts)

9th AD9th AD

Scottish people unified to fight Scottish people unified to fight against Anglo-Saxon Englandagainst Anglo-Saxon England

MacbethMacbeth Heroes against England in 13Heroes against England in 13thth & &

1414thth c. c.

William WallaceWilliam Wallace

Robert the BruceRobert the Bruce

Mary, Queen of ScotsMary, Queen of Scots, who ascended to the throne scarcely a week after her birth, grew to be a Catholic monarch in a Protestant land. In 1565 she married the Scottish Catholic lord Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, father of the future James I of England. After his death, she married James Hepburn, 4th earl of Bothwell, but the resulting fury of the Scots nobles forced her to abdicate and escape to England. Kept as a virtual prisoner by Elizabeth I of England, she joined Catholic plots to topple her fellow queen, and in 1587 Elizabeth reluctantly agreed to her execution.

Union with EnglandUnion with England

1603 James I of England1603 James I of England

1707 participation into the Union1707 participation into the Union

1745 Rebels and Battle of 1745 Rebels and Battle of CullodenCulloden

The dream of independenceThe dream of independence

Scottish seats in British (English) Scottish seats in British (English) ParliamentParliament

Scottish National PartyScottish National Party

1960s1960s

19791979

1997 General Election1997 General Election

1999 Reopen of Scottish Parliament1999 Reopen of Scottish Parliament

Scottish Parliament

WalesWales

I. Geographical featuresI. Geographical features

Capital: CardiffCapital: Cardiff Coal center Coal center

CardiffCardiff

Big Pit Mining Museum, BlaenafonCoal mining was once the main industry of the Rhondda Valley and the surrounding area. The Big Pit ("Pwll Mawr") colliery ceased production in 1980 but its buildings and machinery were preserved and converted into a museum of mining. Visitors descend into the mine via the 90-m (300-ft) lift shaft to walk through underground roadways, air doors, stables (for pit ponies), and engine houses constructed by past generations of miners.

II. HistoryII. History

Celtic peopleCeltic people Roman invasionRoman invasion Celtic land againCeltic land again Norman authority Norman authority

Llywelyn ap GruffuddLlywelyn ap Gruffudd 1267 Prince of Wales1267 Prince of Wales

Edward IEdward I

Prince of WalesPrince of Wales

Caernarfon CastleCaernarfon Castle

15th century Owain Glyndwr15th century Owain Glyndwr

1536 the 1536 Act of Union1536 the 1536 Act of Union

Union with U.K.Union with U.K.

Struggles for home rule in 19Struggles for home rule in 19thth & 20 & 20thth c. c. ““Plaid Cymru”—The Party of WalesPlaid Cymru”—The Party of Wales Limited home rule under the Labor goLimited home rule under the Labor go

vernmentvernment July 1999, National Assembly of Wales July 1999, National Assembly of Wales

opened.opened.

III. PopulationIII. Population

Celtic people with immigrants from other Celtic people with immigrants from other partsparts

Strong Celtic cultureStrong Celtic culture

1. Northerners— livestock herding1. Northerners— livestock herding

2. Southerners—industry 2. Southerners—industry

Language: Welsh & EnglishLanguage: Welsh & English Individual identityIndividual identity

IV. Conventions & IV. Conventions & TraditionsTraditions

Love of music and poetryLove of music and poetry

“ “National Eisteddfod”National Eisteddfod” Choral singing as a national artChoral singing as a national art Rugby, footballRugby, football