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1、英语国家文化概况（上）,Unit 3 People,Focus,Section A:Believes and valuesSection B:CharacteristicsSection C:Celebrities,Before Reading,DiscussWhat do the British and the Americans believe in?What the characteristics of the British people and the Americans?Do you know some celebrities in UK or US?,Before Reading
2、,GuessTry to answer the questions.Then look for the answers in the reading1.Why do the British people believe in God?2.What are the values of the Americans?3.Who is George W.Bush?4.What are the British Canadians like？,Section A:Believes and Values,3.1 The UKText A:Beliefs Text B:Values 3.2 The USTex
3、t A:Beliefs Text B:Values 3.3 Canada,Australia and New Zealand Text A:Beliefs Text B:Values,3.1 The UK,Text A:Beliefs Text B:Values,Text A:Beliefs,In the 2001 Census it counted over 170 distinct religions,the religious make-up of the UK is quite diverse,complex,multicultural and surprising.About hal
4、f of the British believe in God.,Text A:Beliefs,1.Organized Religion in UK66%of the population in the UK have no connection to any religion or church.2.Religion is unimportant to most British people.In 2003,17%of the British public told that religion was one of the most significant things in their l
5、ives.A persons own experience,parents,education and friends are in the first place.,Text B:Values,British values are unique to Britain,but they are a sub-set,defined uniquely by their capacities,history and choices.Christian value-system,which incorporates Hellenism,has created and sustained the civ
6、ilization of the Free World.,Cultural Notes:values 即价值观。一个人或组织的价值观是指他或他们所认为重要的道德原则和信仰。从广义上来讲，价值观是指在与自然抗争和努力适应不断改变的环境过程中，某人对整个世界、社会和他人所持有的看法和审美观。,Text B:Values,This is the civilization of modernity,democracy,capitalism and science.Its purposes are recognizable in terms of contrast with its modern ene
7、mies-fascism,militant Islam,and the hedonism of post-Christian decadence.Its most basic element is freedom-but freedom construed as the capacity of individual men and women to make reasonable decisions as autonomous moral agents about their own best interests.,Text B:Values,Within the British value-
8、system,the two elements focused on here protection of the family and commitment to hard work are crucial factors of freedom itself.If the British people cant successfully defend the family and the work against their enemies,it will be impossible to sustain the freedom.,3.2 The US,Text A:Beliefs Text
9、 B:Values,Text A:Beliefs,God created nature and human beings.God created a law of right and wrong.Doing what is right is necessary for happiness.God gave men the same birthrights.America is a chosen country.These are what the Americans believe in.Some would argue that these beliefs have faded seriou
10、sly in recent years.Nevertheless,compared with Europeans,Americans are obviously a religious people.,Text A:Beliefs,These two beliefsGod created a law of right and wrong and Doing what is right is necessary for happinessare mutual truths.,Text B:Values,American culture has been enriched by the value
11、s and belief systems of every part of the world.Thus it is impossible to be comprehensive.Nevertheless,a few values below are at the core of the American value system.,Text B:Values,Individual FreedomThe one value that nearly every American would agree upon is individual freedom.Whether you call it
12、individual freedom,individualism,or independence,it is the core of American values.It pervades in every aspect of US.individual freedom：美国的自由主义是指来源于英国的、与美国个人主义相结合而形成的以个人自由权利为核心的一种意识形态。自由主义是美国政治共识和“美国信条”或美国主义的核心。,Text B:Values,The concept of an individuals having control over his own destiny influenc
13、ed the type of government that was established here,and individual rights are guaranteed in the United States Constitution.,Text B:Values,Choice in EducationEducation is often put as the key to opportunity,including financial security.Americans take a pragmatic approach to learning,so what one learn
14、s outside the classroom through internships,extracurricular activities and so on is often considered as important as what is learned in the classroom.Therefore,lifelong learning is valued as results in many adult and continuing education programs.,Text B:Values,PrivacyPrivacy is also important to Am
15、ericans.The notion of individual privacy may make it difficult to make friends.Because Americans respect ones privacy,they may simply say a friendly“hello”.Ironically,it is usually the foreigner who must be more assured if a friendship is to develop.,Examples,Core American values are quite attractiv
16、e.Let us briefly consider four of them:First is the conviction that all persons possess transcendent human dignity,and that consequently each person must always be treated as an end,never as a means.,Examples,Second is the conviction that universal truths exist and are accessible to all people.Third
17、 is the belief that most disagreements about values call for civility,openness to other views,and reasonable argument in pursuit of truth because the individual and collective access to truth is imperfect.,Examples,And fourth is freedom of conscience and freedom of religionthe twin freedoms believe
18、to be the foundation and precondition of all individual freedoms.,3.3 Canada,Australia and New Zealand,Text A:Beliefs Text B:Values,Text A:Beliefs,Two thirds of the surveys respondents identified themselves as Christian.Within Christianity,Roman Catholicism claims the largest number of adherents,fol
19、lowed by various denominations of Protestantism.Other respondents identified with Judaism,Islam,Buddhism and Hinduism.Religiously affiliated or not,most Canadians dont attend regular worship services.,Text B:Values,Canada is a distinctive country.The values and way of life influence every person who
20、 comes to live there.At the same time,newcomers influence Canada and the collective identity.They may have differences,but they share many important qualities that strengthen the society.,Text B:Values,Optimism Canada is a dynamic and democratic country.Canadians work to improve their lives and soci
21、ety.Some people face greater hardship than others,but most Canadians have faith and hope for the future.,Text B:Values,Equal opportunity Canadians believe in equality.Each person is equal before the law and is treated equally by the law.Women and men have the same opportunity for success.Canadians l
22、et people live as they wish,as long as they do not limit how others live.,Text B:Values,Compromise and CooperationMost Canadians understand the value of compromise.In a country as large and diverse as Canada,people must be able to ignore small conflicts in order to live happily and peacefully.加拿大人具有
23、妥协和宽容的精神和传统，人们愿意在互相尊重和互相妥协的基础上达成某种协议。加拿大是在英帝国内部，通过和平手段，采用协商、妥协等方式赢得独立，逐渐获得国家主权的。,Text B:Values,Acceptance,Tolerance and Respect Most people in Canada want fairness and justice for themselves and their families.And most are fair and just to others,no matter who they are or where they come from.,Cause
24、s,As recently as 1996,a remarkable 27%of all Canadians past age sixty-five were foreign born.Toward the end of the twentieth century,the largest number of immigrants came from Asia and Latin America.This new immigration pattern suggests that in the future there will be even greater ethnic variation
25、in the older population than there is today.One result of the immigration history is that it creates an important difference between the languages and cultures of many seniors and those of the persons who are delivering services to seniors.,Examples,“English Canadian”is a rather complex term because
26、 it has multiple definitions.Today it has generally evolved into a generic description of all Canadians living outside of Quebec who speak and work in English.This creates a simple Canada as a country composed of an“English Canadian”majority and“French Canadian”minority.,Examples,For most of Canadia
27、n history Anglo-Canadians have held most positions of wealth,power,and influence in the country.After Anglo-Canadians,the largest ethnic group in Canada consists of Canadians who are French in origin.Some consider French-Canadians to be a distinct race of their own.,Section B:Characteristics,3.4 UK3
28、.5 The US3.6 Canada,Australia and New Zealand,3.4 The UK,Text A:OriginsText B:Types Text C:RacesText D:Residents,Text A:Origins,Three quarters of English people can trace an unbroken line of genetic descent through their parental genes from settlers arriving long before the introduction of farming.,
29、Text B:Types,1.AdaptabilityThis characteristic stems from a seemingly contradictory combination of tradition and modernity.People who work within the system are sometimes perceived as more typically British than those who subvert it,but there is also a strong school of thought that Britain is fundam
30、entally a subversive,revolutionary,challenging society which is why we have such a strong record of invention and creativity.,Text B:Types,2.ModestyAtricky characteristic since the more modest people are,the less likely it is that the public will have heard of them.But people who are a little reserv
31、ed,who are not known to boast,who are perhaps even understated-these people are more typically British than those who are more vocal about their achievements.,Text B:Types,3.Sense of humorNot in a slapstick way,but a clever sense of humor is a typically British characteristic.People who have a stron
32、g sense of humor often combined with reserve,appear self-deprecatory.They are more typically British than people who are humorless,or people who are too attention-seeking.英国式幽默。英式幽默用字比较深入，夹杂着当地文化换句话说，就算是你听懂他们的用字，也很难搞懂真正的意思。,Text B:Types,4.Strength and determinationAlmost the bulldog spirit.People wh
33、o are perceived to have achieved things despite the odds are regarded as more typically British than people who are perceived to have had an easier time of it.,Text C:Races,Britain is multicultural.Britain is a place that has good race relations between different types of people such as those from d
34、ifferent ethnic minorities.There is also widespread respect for diversity in Britain.,Text C:Races,There is also a rough consensus among all ethnic groups on the rights and responsibilities of those who migrate to the UK.More than two thirds of the UK population,and half of ethnic minority people,th
35、ink ethnic minorities need to demonstrate a real commitment before they can be considered British.Three quarters of both white and ethnic minority communities believe immigrants who do not speak English should be made to learn it.,Text D:Residents,The British Nationality Act of 1981 abolished the 19
36、48 definition of British citizenship and replaced it with three categories:British citizenship,citizenship of British dependent territories,and British overseas citizenship.Of these,only British citizenship provides the right to live in the UK.Today,British citizenship can be acquired by birth,desce
37、nt or naturalization.,3.5 The US,Text A:OriginsText B:Types Text C:RacesText D:Residents,Text A:Origins,The first European settlers in America encountered indigenous peoples whom Columbus erroneously called“Indians.”,Text A:Origins,Added to the mix of natives，there were Africans brought over by Euro
38、peans as slaves and indentured servants.Long before the United States became an independent nation,it contained from Florida to Maine a multi-racial society.Curiously,the first ten amendments to the Constitution made no mention of race.Nevertheless,it was the Bill of Rights,together with the Declara
39、tion of Independence that Dr.Martin Luther King and others successfully employed during the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 60s.,Text B:Types,First,when Americans want something,they will do whatever it takes to get it.Coming next is the ability to smile.It is believed that the rate that a f
40、oreigner smiles at you is directly proportionate to how American you are.,Text B:Types,Third,they have the ability to adapt more easily and arent pinned down by a lot of Old World traditions.More importantly,it makes them hip and cool among nations.They are just like the cool senior in high school.Y
41、ou know,the one that gets the cheerleaders and drives a sweet car.Every country can be included in this metaphor.,Text B:Types,Fourth,being young brings tremendous optimism.Americans are definitely a“cup is half full”type of country.This is obvious from the sheer number of motivational quotes,poster
42、s and calendars in this country.If you ever want to find out what day of the week it is,you have no choice but to feel hopeful and enthusiastic.The volume of these products also highlights Americas marketing abilities.,Text B:Types,Fifth,America also has the endearing characteristic of being extreme
43、ly confident.Some also call this cockiness,but theyre just being mean.Seriously though,sometimes it is better to be cocky than let people walk all over you.Americas cocky attitude and confidence to accomplish what it wants is the reason they are so successful in business and other aspects of interna
44、tional relations.,Text B:Types,Last America has had a long history of standing up for itself and taking on all challengers.If someone wants a piece,theyre more than happy to oblige.,Text C:Races,Americans are a nation of nations,a nation of immigrants,and a nation of minorities.The Hispanic or Latin
45、o population now equals the African-American.The Asian-American population is rapidly increasing.Almost 30%of all recent immigrants in the United States come from Mexico,and huge numbers have also been arriving in the last 5 years from Central America.,Text D:Residents,Americas population reflects r
46、emarkable ethnic diversity.More than 20%of the population of two major cities,Los Angeles and New York,were born in another country.In some other major cities more than one of every ten residents is foreign born.Non-white people outnumber whites in several large cities.,Text D:Residents,Americas pop
47、ulation includes Catholics,Protestants of many denominations,Jews of several persuasions,Muslims,Buddhists,animists,and people who believe in no supreme being or higher power.,3.6 Canada,Australia and New Zealand,Text A:OriginsText B:Types Text C:RacesText D:Residents,Text A:Origins,Before Columbus
48、discovered America in 1492,prehistoric tribes from Asia had come across the Bering Strait;and around AD 1000,the Vikings,the first European visitors,had tried to settle in northern Newfoundland.By the time subsequent Europeans arrived,Canadas Indian tribes had already developed a multitude of langua
49、ges,customs,religious beliefs,trading patterns,arts and crafts,laws and governments.,Text A:Origins,Although a number of European countries were interested in establishing settlements in the Americas,it was French explorer Jacques Cartier who made the first claim on the area as the French started to
50、 thrive on the fur trade,the British entered the scene,founding the Hudsons Bay Company in 1670 to add a bit of friendly competition.For a while,the two European cultures coexisted peacefully.Then,in 1745,British troops captured a French fort in Nova Scotiathe struggle for control of the new land wa
