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Tự luận Văn Minh Anh

Văn minh Anh (Trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ Tin học Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh)

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Country Study Britain

Chapter I: Country and People
1. Which two political states do the British Isles consist of?
Two political states consist of:
- The Republic of Ireland
- The U.K of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2. Explain the ambiguous use of the name: "Britain".
The ambiguous use of the name “Britain”:
- The U.K = Great Britain + Ireland: used in international meeting
- The Great Britain = England + Scotland + Wales: used for trademarks,
festival.
- Britain used in spoken language.
Britain is referred to another name that people called “England”. But it isn’t
strictly correct; it can make some people angry. Because England is only one
of the four nations of British Isles (England + Scotland + Wales + N.
Ireland).
In 1800 when Irish Parliament was joined with the Parliament of England,
Scotland and Wales in Westminster, so that the whole of the British Isles
became a single state: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
However, in 1992 most of Ireland became a separate state so England cannot
be called Britain.
3. Give some examples of English domination in British public life today.
Today the supply of money in Britain controlled by the Bank of England
(There is no such thing as a “Bank of Britain”)
The present Queen of the country is universally known as “Elizabeth the
second” even though Scotland and Northern Ireland have never had an
Elizabeth the first.
Newspaper and television, news talk about “Anglo-American relation” to
refer to relations between the government of Britain and The USA.

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Chapter III: Geography

1. Why does Britain’s climate have such a bad reputation?

Because its changeability. The British people always seem to be talking about
the weather that’s changeable.

2. Despite its lack of extremes, Britain’s landscape is not boring. Why not?

It makes up for in variety, the scenery changes noticeably over quite a short
distance

3. How did air pollution in crowded areas first decrease and later increase
again? (London)

Because laws were passed which forbade the heating of homes with open coal
fires in city areas and which stopped much of the pollution from factories.

However, the great increase in the use of the motor car in the last quarter of the
20th century has caused an increase again.

4. Why does London “dominate” Britain?

Because London is the Centre of Britain’s most important institutions. It’s home
for the headquarters of all government departments, Parliament, the major legal
institutions and monarch. It’s the country’s business and banking centre and the
Centre of its transport network…

Chapter IV: Identity

1. In what way do people in Scotland express their ethnic identity?

- In ways of speaking English, the Scottish way of speaking English is very

distinctive. A modern form of the dialect known as Scots spoken in everyday
life by most of the working classes in the lowlands.

- Organize several important aspects of public life

- There are many symbols of Scottish ness such as: kilts, bagpipes, flag…

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2. When do large family gatherings usually take place?

3. Why is sense of identity based on place of birth not very strong in Britain?

Due to it mobility, and very few live in the same place all their lives.

Chapter VI: Political life

1. Give some examples to illustrate that the individual and the state “leave
each other alone” as much as possible.

- People choose who to govern the country and leave them alone.

- People have no hand in the government

- British people’s duties: Pay the taxes and not breaking the law.

- People don’t have identity cards.

2. The original Greek word “democracy” means “governed by the people”. Does
this apply to British democracy? Explain.

Answer:

No, because there is no referendum (little participation by ordinary citizens). The

ordinary citizens choose who governed the country, and then let them get on with
it.

3. Britain is a ‘constitutional monarchy” as well as a “Parliamentary

democracy”. Explain.

Answer:

Britain is a “constitutional monarch” because it’s a country governed by a King or

Queen who accept the advice of parliament. “Parliament democracy” governed by
the Parliament, which is elected by the people.

Chapter VII: The Monarchy

1. Give three examples that demonstrate the seemingly `absolute` power of
the Queen:
Answer:

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+ She can summon a Parliament or dissolve it before a general election.

+ She can choose anybody she likes to run the government for her (PM) and
choose the members of cabinet.
+ Nothing that Parliament has decided can become law until she has agreed
to it. On the theory the Queen can refuse not to sign but in fact she has
obliged to sign.
2. Give two examples that demonstrate the fact that the Queen has no real
power.Answer:
In reality the Queen has almost no power. When she opens Parliament each
year the speech she makes has been written for her. She makes no secret of
this fact. She very obviously reads out the script that has been prepared for
her. If she strongly disagrees with one of the policies of the government, she
might ask the government ministers to change the wording in the speech a
little beforehand. She cannot actually stop the government going ahead with
any of its policies.
3. In what respect is the monarchy economically important?
Answer:
+ Symbol of continuity
+ Expression of national pride
+ Even in the hard time it has no chance for dictatorship
+ Help the country’s tourism industry

4. Britain is a ‘constitutional monarchy” as well as a “Parliamentary

democracy”. Explain.

Answer:

Britain is a “constitutional monarch” because it’s a country governed by a

King or Queen who accept the advice of parliament. “Parliamentary
democracy” governed by the Parliament, which is elected by the people.

Chapter VIII: The Government

1. What does the Government convention of ‘collective responsibility’
mean?
Answer:

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+ Every member of the government shares the responsibility to every policy

made by the government.
+ Not allowed to criticize the government’s policy in public.
2. In what way is the principle of ‘collective responsibility’ realized within
the cabinet?
Answer:

+ The ‘cabinet’ meets once a week.

+ Take decisions about new policies.
+ All members must be seen to agree
3. What’s the ‘cabinet office’?
Answer:

It is an organization which is to help run the complicated machinery of a

modern government.

4. What is the function on “cabinet committees”?

Answer:
It runs a busy communication network, keeping ministers in touch with each
other, drawing up the agenda for cabinet’s meetings. It also does the same
things for the many cabinet committees.
5. State briefly the three reasons why the PM is much more powerful than
the other ministers.
Answer:
+ He has the power to appoint people to all kinds of jobs and confer honours
on people.
+ PM’s dominance over other ministers is the power of the PM’s public
image.
+ All ministers except the PM are kept busy looking after their government
departments.

Chapter IX: Parliament

1. : What are the main activities of the British Parliament?

Answer:

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A, Members are elected every five years.

B, It makes new law.
C, It authorizes the government activities, gives authority for the
government, rises and spends money.
D, It controls and discusses government activities.

2. What two houses does the British Parliament consist of?

Answer: (giải thích thêm)

House of Commons and House of Lords

Parliament business

Chapter X: Elections
Chapter XIV: Education
1. What are the basic features of the European educational system.

Answer:

+ Full time education is compulsory up to the middle teenage years

- The academic year begin at the end of summer.

- Compulsory education is free of charge.

+ There are three organized of stages:

- First stage: Primary

- Second stage; Secondary

- Third: Tertiary

Stage is ‘further” education at university or college

2: What was the reason why the British government was one of the last to
organize education for everybody?

Answer:

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Britain was leading the world in industry and commerce, so, it was felt, and
education must somehow be taking care of itself.

3: What happened to the existing "public school" when the British

government finally began to take an interest in education?

Answer:

The government left alone the small group of schools, which had been used in
the 19th century to educate the sons of the upper and upper-middle classes
9publis schools)

4: Give 3 typical characteristics of these public schools.

Answer:

Used to be for upper and middle class and for boys only

The emphasis was on “character building” and the development of “team spirit”
rather than on academic achievement.

The aim was to prepare young men to take up positions in the higher ranks of
the army, in business, the legal profession, the civil service and politics

5. What is the function of the Local Education Authority (LEA)

Answer:

+ It does not itself set or supervise the making of the exams which order
teenagers do.

+ In general as many details as possible are left up to the individual institution

or the LEA.

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