英美概况Unit1American

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1、Unit 1 Basic Facts about the United States1.The LandThe U.S is a varied land-of forests,deserts,mountains,high flat lands and fertile plains.Almost every kind of climate may be found but the country lies mostly in the temperate zone.The continental U.S.stretches 4,500 kms from the Atlantic Ocean on

2、the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west.It borders Canada on the north,and reaches Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico.The U.S.covers an area of 9 million km.Alaska is the largest in area of the 50 states,and Texas is second in size.Texas(696,200 square kms)alone is larger than France,and Alaska is twic

3、e as big as Texas.From the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west,the center of the country is drained by the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and their branches.These rivers form a 19,000-km system of waterways that areconnected to the Great Lakes in the north by canal.

4、The Mississippi is one of the worlds great rivers;it was known to American Indian as the father of waters.Water from the source of its main branch,the Missouri River,flows about 6,400 km from the northern Rocky Mountains,to the mouth of the Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico.The Upper Rio Grande near

5、 Creede,ColoradoView of the Rio Grande from Overlook Park,White Rock,New Mexico Lower course of the Mississippi through New Orleans Mouth of the Missouri River as it enters the Mississippi River 2.The PeopleMelting Pot vs.Salad BowlIn 1782,Crevecoeur envisioned the young American Republic as a cruci

6、ble that would forge its immigrant population into a vigorous new society with a grand future.What,then,is the American,the new man?He is either a European,or the descendant of American European.He is an American who,leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners,receives new ones from th

7、e new mode of life he has embraced.Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of man.In 1908,the Melting Pot became the title of a popular play by Israel Zangwill,an English Jewish writer,when the U.S.was experiencing a massive non-Anglo-Saxon immigration.The metaphor was adopted fro

8、m steelmaking to dramatize a process by which racial inferiors were to be burned away in the crucible of the New World and the highest qualities of intellect and physical strength fused into a new race of man.Racial supremacy,then,can be discerned from this metaphor.Thus we can conclude that racial

9、category is not biologically determined but socially constructed.Salad bowl came into recent debate on American cultural identity.It represents a potent affirmation of multiculturalism.In American cuisine,a salad include lettuces,tomatoes,cucumbers,carrots,green peppers,etc.Even though a salad is mi

10、xed together,the individual components are still easily recognizable.Contrary to the melting pot image,which emphasizes total assimilation into be a good American while at the same time retaining the values,customs,language,and culture of the country of the immigrants origin.Here the question arises

11、 as to where the realities of American society stand.Americans themselves have difficulty deciding which image is more accurate.Generally speaking,western European immigrants were more readily merged into the rest of American society while other newcomers,especially Asians,Africans,and Hispanics,hav

12、e found it difficult to melt into American society.But this does not prevent Asian Americans,for example,representing the fast-growing ethnic group,from becoming the focus of much mass media attention and the model minority“not only for blacks and Chicanos,but also for whites on welfare and even mid

13、dle-class whites experiencing economic difficulties.Every ten years the U.S.makes a census of its people and industries.When the first count was made in 1790 the new nation had fewer than 4 million people,almost all living along the East Coast.In the past 20years many people moved to the western and

14、 southern parts of the country.California now has the largest population and New York is second.The American people are always on the move-from one part of the country to another,from one city to another,from farm to city,from the city to the suburbs.One in five Americans moves to a new home every y

15、ear seeking new job opportunities,a better climate,or for other reasons.Many industries have scattered their factories,often far from the parent plant,and many of their workers have decided to try new locations.Today three out of four Americans live in towns,cities or suburbs;about 54 million live i

16、n rural areas.Tow-thirds of all families live in separate households,and 64.2%own their own homes.The number of households has increased from 43 million in 1950 to about 65 million.3.Territories and Other AreasPuerto Rico,an island of about 9,000 square kilometers in the Caribbean Sea,is linked to t

17、he U.S.as a commonwealth.Its people are citizens of the U.S.They elect their own governor and legislature.Puerto Ricos economic growth program in the past 20 years has brought the island prosperity and has drawn many visitors and students from developing countries.The Panama Canal Zone,a strip of la

18、nd in Panama extending 8 km on both sides of the Canal,was under American control from 1904 to 1978 under the terms of treaties between the two nations.On Sep.7,1978 leaders of both countries signed a new treaty which placed 65%of the territory under Panamanian control and the remaining land by the

19、year 2000.The continuing responsibility of the U.S.for defense and operation of the Canal should also be transferredto Panama by that date.Panama agreed to guarantee the neutrality of the Canal indefinitely,and the U.S.promised to continue payment to Panama for services and operating rights until 20

20、00.A number of Pacific islands are also under American control.The largest is Guam,which covers 549 square kilometers.Its Congress is elected by the people of Guam.The government is under the administration of the U.S.Department of Interior.4.Natural ResourcesWaterThe availability of water has been

21、an important factor in Americas growth.The nation is blessed with large supplies of fresh water except in the desert regions of the West.The early development of a prosperous agricultural system and the later development of an industrial base were made possible largely by vast water resources.Today

22、the rivers and streams of America furnish 63%of the water supply for cities,towns and farmlands,93%of the water used by industry,and almost all of the water used to create electric power.In the earliest days,the rivers were the most important means of transportation for people and commercial goods,a

23、nd they are still major carriers of freight.ForestsAbout a third of the land area of the U.S.is covered by forests,and more than 600 million acres are commercial forest land.Properly managed forests prevent flooding and soil erosion,and stabilize climatic conditions.Wood,resins and other forest prod

24、ucts are the basic raw materials of several of the nations largest industries.Despite the heavy use of forest products,the nation now grows more timber than it cuts.Federal and state governments and industries have joined in a major tree-planting program.About 225 million acres of U.S.forest land is

25、 reserved by law as“National Forest”for the use of all the people.These 155 protected forests provide Americans with large recreation areas and they also serve as essential watersheds and safe habitats for wildlife.In the West more than 3,600,000 cattle,horses,swine,sheep and goats graze on the open

26、 lands of the National Forests,which are rented as pastureland in order to control excessive plant growth.Unit FourAmerican System of GovernmentThe form of government is based on three principles,federalism,the separation of powers and respect for the Constitution and the rule of law.Each American i

27、s subject to two governments,that of his state and that of the Union,and each has its own distinct function.The states have the primary functions of providing law and order,education,public health and most of the things concerning day-to-day life.The Federal government is concerned with foreign affa

28、irs and with matters of general concern to all the states,including commerce between the states.At each level,in state and Union,there is aconstitution which defines and limits political power,and which provides safeguards against tyranny and means for popular participation.In each state,power is di

29、vided between three agencies,with law-making power given to a legislature,an executive,and finally the judges of the State Supreme Court.Each state is divided into two counties.Within the counties the towns have their own local governments,mainlyas“cities”.City government,with elected mayor,council

30、and judges,reproduces the state pattern on a smaller scale.The Federal government also has three elements-executive,legislative,and judicial,and the three elements are checked and balanced by one another.The president is the effective head of the executive branch of government as well as head of sta

31、te.In November every four year a president iselected to serve for exactly four years from a fixed day in the following January.The four-year rhythm has never been broken.Together with the president,a vice-president is elected,and if the president dies the vice-president becomes president for the une

32、xpired part of the four years.The Senate and the House of Representatives together form the Congress,which is the law-making body,and no federal taxes can be collected or money spent with the approval of both Houses.The President signs the laws.If he refuses,his“veto”can be overridden by a two-third

33、s majority in both Houses.All treaties,and all the presidents appointments to high offices,are subject to the Senates approval.Elections for both Houses are held in November each even-numbered year,when the whole House of Representatives is elected,to serve for only two years,while Senators are elec

34、ted in rotation for six years.If a Senator or Representative dies or resigns a special election is made to fill his place for the remainder of his term.2.CongressThe Constitution is generous in its grant of powers to Congress.In the very first article,the founding fathers outlined the structure,powe

35、rs,and responsibilities of Congress,giving it“all legislative powers herein-granted.Among these powers are the power to spend and tax in order to“provide for the common defense and general welfare of the U.S.”;the power to borrow money;to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states;t

36、o declare war,raise and support armies,provide and maintain a navy;to establish post offices and postroads;to set up the federal courts under the Supreme Court.As a final catch-all,the Constitution gave the Congress the right“to make all laws which shall benecessary and proper for carrying into exec

37、ution”its powers.The Constitution confers special additional responsibilities on the Senate.The Senate has the power to confirm presidential nominations.The Senate also has the responsibility of giving consent,by a two-thirds vote of the Senators present,before a president may ratify a treaty.The Ho

38、use also has some special responsibilities,but these have not proved to be as important as have those given to the Senate.Congress performs at least 6 important functions:Representation,Lawmaking,Consensus-building,Overseeing,Policy Clarification and Legitimizing.Representation is expressing the div

39、ersity and conflicting views of economic,social,racial,religious,and other interests making up the U.S.Lawmaking is enacting measures to help solve substantive problems.Consensus-building is the bargaining process by which these interests are reconciled.Policy clarification,or“policy incubation,”is

40、the identification and publicizing of issues.Legitimizing is the formal ratification of policies through proper channels.Who Are the Legislators?All members of Congress are successful politicians,mostly between the ages of 35 and 70,who have risen to national politics through local of processes in t

41、heir home communities and states.The entire membership of the House of Representatives is elected every second year.Elections for the six-year Senate are staggered,so that 13 of the Senates 100 members are chosen every two years.The3.The Executive Branch The PresidencyThe Constitution places the exe

42、cutive power in the President.It also provides for the office of Vice President who succeeds to the Presidency in case of the death,resignation or incapacitation of the President.The Constitution requires the President to be a natural born American citizen at least 35 years old.Candidates for the Pr

43、esidency arechosen by political parties several months before the presidential election,which is held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.Presidential PowersThe office of President of the U.S.is one of the most powerful in the world.The President,says the Constit

44、ution,must“take care that the laws be faithfully executed.To carry out this responsibility,he presides over the executive branch of the federal government-a vast organization numbering several million people-and in addition has important powers in legislative and judicial matters.Legislative Powers

45、Despite the Constitutional provision that“all legislative powers”shall be vested in the Congress,the President,as the chief formulator of public policy,has a major legislative role.He can veto any bill passed by Congress and,unless 2/3 in each house vote to override the veto,the bill does not become

46、 law.Much of the legislation dealt with by Congress is drafted at the initiative of the executive branch.In his annual and special messages to Congress,the President may propose legislation he believes is necessary.Judicial PowersAmong the Presidents constitution powers is that of appointing importa

47、nt public officials;his nomination of federal judges,including members of the Supreme Court,is subject to confirmation by the Senate.Another significant power is that of granting a full or conditional pardon to anyone convicted of breaking a federal law-except in a case of impeachment.Executive Powe

48、rsWithin the executive branch itself,the President has broad powers to manage national affairs and the workings of federal government.He can issue rules,regulations and instructions,called executive orders,which have the binding force of law upon federal agencies.He is Commander-in-Chief of the arme

49、d forces of the U.S.,mayalso call into federal service the state units of the National Guard.In times of war or national emergency,the Congress may grant the President even broader powers to manage the national economy and protect the security of the U.S.The President chooses the heads of all execut

50、ive departments and agencies,together with hundreds of other high ranking federal officials.The large majority of federal workers are selected through thecivil service system,in which appointment and promotion are based on ability and experience.Powers in Foreign AffairsUnder the Constitution,the Pr

51、esident is the federal official primarily responsible for the relations of the U.S.with foreign nations.He appoints ambassadors,ministers and consuls-subject to confirmation by the Senate-and receives foreign ambassadorsand other public officials.With the Secretary of State,he manages all official c

52、ontacts with foreign governments.On occasion,he may personally participate in summit conferences where chiefs of states meet for direct consultation.The Executive DepartmentThe day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws is in the hands of the various executive departments,created by C

53、ongress to deal with specific areas of national and international affairs.The heads of the departments,chosen by the President and approved by the Senate,form a council of advisers generally known as the Presidents Cabinet.In addition to 13 departments,there are a number of staff organizations group

54、ed into the executive office of the President.This includes the White House Staff,the Office of Management and Budget,the Council ofEconomic Advisers,and the Office of Emergency Preparedness.4.State GovernmentBefore independence,each colony was governed separately by the British Government.In the ea

55、rly years of the republic,prior to the adoption of the Constitution,each state was virtually an autonomous unit.Although the delegates to the Constitutional Convention sought a stronger,more viable federal union,they were also intent on safeguarding the rights of the states.In general,matters which

56、lie entirely withinstate boarders are the exclusive concern of state governments.These include internal communications;regulations relating to property,industry,business and public utilities;the state criminal code;and working conditions within the state.Within the context,the federal government req

57、uires state governments must be republican in form and that they adopt no laws which contradict or violate the federal Constitution or the laws and treaties of the U.S.There are many areas that overlap between state and federal jurisdictions.Particularly in recent years,the federal government has as

58、sumed ever broadening responsibility in the states,programs are usually adopted on the basis of cooperation between the two levels of government,rather than being imposed from above.Services Performed by State GovernmentsState governments undertake a wide variety ofactivities for the welfare of thei

59、r citizens.And,like the federal government,the states have the power to levy taxes and other fees to raise money to support these activities.A few are outlined below.Public Health:The states maintain hospitals and clinics for the treatment of the physically and mentally ill.Public health officials g

60、uard against the outbreak of diseases,and inspect food and drugs to determine their safety;they require regularhealth examinations for school children and inspect diary cattle for dangerous diseases.Education:State governments set curricular standards and qualify teachers for service in the public s

61、chool systems.All states maintain publicly supported institutions of higher learning and in many cases provide financial assistance to needy students.Protection of Life and Property:The federal Constitution specifically provides for the maintenance of state militias.In most states,the militia is kno

62、wn as the National Guard.The state governor is commander of the state unit of the National Guard.The Guard is an ever ready force prepared to protect life and property against violence and civil disturbances.Most states also maintain a State Police Force.Motor Vehicle Transportation:The millions of

63、vehicles in the U.S.travel over the worlds most extensive system of paved,all-weather roads.The high cost of roadconstruction and repair makes cooperation a necessity among the local,state and federal governments.The Federal Highway System extends into every state,and each state also maintains its o

64、wn network of state roads.Public Welfare:State governments provide employment and training services for workers,and compensation for those who are temporarily out of work.In cooperation with the federal government,the states offer assistance to needy families,especiallythose with school-age children

65、,operate institutions for the aged and ill,and special schools for mentally and physically handicapped children.Regulation of Private Business:Corporations are licensed by state governments under rules which generally provide periodic reporting by corporate officers on the condition of their businesses.State governments usually have special authority to supervise working conditions inmines,factories and other places of public employment.