A Survey of the United Kingdom and the United States of America

Aims

This course is held to help the students to know the cultural background of two main English-speaking countries, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, to understand native English speakers’ general idea, attitude and lifestyle; to communicate with native English speakers in an appropriate way; be ready for the TEM-8. In a word, this course is aimed to open the students’ horizon, expand and deepen their knowledge of English, and arose their bigger interest in English.

Learning Outcomes

1.Philosophy of western civilization

2.Geography of the United Kingdom

3.History of the United Kingdom

4.British economy

5.British culture

6.British Education

7.Geography of the United States

8.History of the United States

9.British and American government

10.American society

11.American culture

12.Education in the United States

Teaching and Learning

Lecture and presentations by the lecturer will be integrated with students centered in-class activities including tasks and exercises, independent, group and pair work.

Assessment

Basic Reading List

1.Gunnar Skirbekk and Nils Gilje, A History of Western Thought: From Ancient Greece to the Twentieth Century, London and New York: Routledge, 2001.

2.Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy. New York: Simon and Schuster,1945.

3.王佐良等主编，《欧洲文化入门》外语教学与研究出版社2003；

4.来安方主编，《英美概况》，河南人民出版社，2004；

5.朱永涛、王立礼主编.《英语国家社会与文化入门》（上、下册）高等教育出版社，2005；

6.余志远主编，English-Speaking Countries: A Survey.北京：外语教学与研究出版社；

7.常俊跃等主编，《美国文化与社会》，北京大学出版社，2009；

8.常俊跃等主编，《英国文化与社会》，北京大学出版社，2010；

9.刘宝权，侯艳萍主编，《英语专业八级人文知识》，大连理工大学出版社，2012。