英語國家概況考試題型及復(fù)習(xí)范圍

PAGEPAGE4《英語國家概況》學(xué)期考試題型及復(fù)習(xí)范圍考試題型：GeneralKnowledge(40題,20%)Match(10個，10%)Fillintheblanks(10題，10%)Explaintheterms（10個,30%）Answerthequestions(6個，30%)復(fù)習(xí)范圍：I.GeneralKnowledge(40題,20%)1.ThemajorityofthecurrentpopulationintheUKaredecedentsofallthefollowingtribesrespectivelyEXCEPTCA.theAnglos.B.theCelts.C.theJutes.D.theSaxons.2.ThePrimeMinisterinBritainisheadofDA.theShadowCabinet.B.theParliament.C.theOpposition.D.theCabinet.3.isthestatechurchinEngland.DA.TheRomanCatholicChurchB.TheBaptistC.TheProtestantD.TheChurchofEnglandThecapitalofScotlandisBA.Glasgow.B.Edinburgh.C.Manchester.D.London.5.WhichofthefollowingisNOTaBritishnewsagency?BA.Reuters.B.TheAssociatedPress.C.ThePressAssociationLtd.D.UnitedPress,Ltd.6.BigBenwasnamedafterBA.ChristopherWren.B.BenjaminHall.C.BenJohn.D.G.Stephenson.7.EducationinU.K.iscompulsoryforallbetweenagesofAA.5and16.B.8and17.C.6and15.D.7and19.8.TheAnglo-SaxonsbegantosettleinBritaininthecentury.CA.7thB.6thC.5thD.4th9.Between1337and1453,thetookplaceinBritain.CA.WarofRosesB.BlackDeathC.HundredYears’WarD.PeasantUprising10.WhichofthefollowingstatementsisINCORRECT?DA.TheBritishconstitutionincludestheMagnaCartaof1215.B.TheBritishconstitutionincludesParliamentaryacts.C.TheBritishconstitutionincludesdecisionsmadebycourtsoflaw.D.TheBritishconstitutionincludesonesinglewrittenconstitution.11.TheUnitedKingdomisalsoknownbyitsofficialnameDA.theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandEngland.B.theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritain.C.theUnitedKingdomofBritishIsles.D.theUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland.12.WhichofthefollowingisthehighestrankamongthetitlesofEnglishnobility?AA.Duke.B.Viscount.C.Earl.D.Baron.13.isrecognizedasthelongestriverinBritain.CA.TheThamesRiverC.TheSevernRiverD.TheRhine14.ThenorthernmostpartofGreatBritainisBA.NorthernIreland.B.Scotland.C.England.D.Wales.15.InBritain,hastheultimateauthorityoflegislation.BA.theQueenB.theHouseofCommonsC.theHouseofLordsD.thePrimeMinister16.ItisknownthatIrishlandscapeisfeaturedbyAA.bogs.B.mountains.C.grassland.D.rivers.17.WhichofthefollowingcitiesislocatedontheeasterncoastofAustralia?CA.Perth.B.Adelaide.C.Sydney. D.Melbourne.18.TheoriginalinhabitantsofAustraliawereCA.theRedIndians. B.theEskimos.C.theAborigines. D.theMaoris.19.WhowerethenativesofAustraliabeforethearrivaloftheBritishsettlers?AA.TheAborigines.B.TheMaori.C.TheIndians.D.TheEskimos.20.WhendidtheAustralianFederationofficiallycomeintobeing?DA.1770.B.1788.C.1900.D.1901.21.ItisgenerallyagreedthatwerethefirstEuropeanstoreachAustralia’sshores.DA.theFrenchB.theGermansC.theBritish D.theDutch22.ThecapitalofNewZealandisCA.Christchurch.B.Auckland.C.Wellington.D.Hamilton.TheHeadofStateofNewZealandisD（注明：新西蘭以前是英國的殖民地，政治體系源于英國，其國家元首是英國君主，答案應(yīng)45.ThefirstcityeverfoundedinCanadaisAA.Quebec.B.Vancouver.C.Toronto.D.Montreal.46.ThelargestcityinCanadaisCA.Vancouver.B.Montreal.C.Toronto.D.Ottawa.47.TheHeadofStateofCanadaisrepresentedbyDA.theMonarch.B.thePresident.C.thePrimeMinister.D.theGovernor-general.48.isthecapitalcityofCanada.BA.Vancouver B.OttawaC.Montreal D.York49.WhatarethemostimportantnaturalresourcesinCanada?CA.Forestresources.B.Mineralresources.C.Waterresources. D.Agriculturalresources.50.ThedeepestlakeinCanadaisCA.LakeSuperior.B.GreatBearLakeC.GreatSlaveLake. D.Lake英國（以下這些在單元后面練習(xí)的第二大題中，i.e.Choosetheanswerthatbestcompletesthestatementoranswersthequestion）P165、8P324、5、6、7、10P462、5、8P651、4、6、11、12P821、4、5、6、7、10P1163、4、6P1291、3、5、6、10P1451、2、7、8、9P1632、5、9、12共38題愛爾蘭P1832、4、7、10P2031、2、4、9P2232、4、6、8P2412、7、9共15題澳大利亞P2542、5、8P2712、3、5、9P2843、4P2965、7、8P3141、4、6、8P3348、10共18題新西蘭P142、3、6、7、8P291、5、6、8共9題美國P482、3、5、8、10P614、5、6、7、8、10P783、4、6、7、10P947P1152、9、15P1305、8、9、10P1471、2、4、6、7、10、11P1668P1841、3、8、9、10、11P2003、4P2185、8、10、11、12P2332、3、7、8、9、10P2524、5、6、8、9、10P2781、12、13、20（無答案，放棄?。┕?1題加拿大P2943、5、7P3091、3、4、5P3221、2、4、7P3351、3、6、7、8共16題以上共207題。(ThemeaningofG7,G8,G20canbeseenNoteNo.1,p78,BookOne)II.Match(10個，10%)U.K.:1.D·H·Lawrence:SonsandLoversp.952.GeorgeOrwell:1984p.953.WilliamGolding:LordoftheFliesp.964.DorisLessing:TheGrassisSinging;TheGoldenNotebook;AlfredandEmilyp.965.SalmanRushdie:Midnight’sChildren;TheSatanicVerses;TheEnchantressofFlorencep.966.KazuoIshiguro:TheRemainsoftheDay;WhenWeWereOrphans;Nocturnesp.97Ireland:TherearefourwinnersoftheNobelPrizeforliterature.JonathanSwift:Gulliver’sTravelsp.230OscarWilde:TheSoulofManUnderSocialism;ThePictureofDorianGrayp.230JamesJoyce:ThePortraitoftheArtistasaYoungManp.230SamuelBecket:WaitingforGodotp.230Australia:PatrickWhite:TheAunt’sStory;TheTreeofMan;Voss;TheSolidMandelap.263RuthPark:TheHarpintheSouth;PoorMan’sOrangeandMissus;TheMuddle-HeadedWombatsseriesp.263ChristosTsiolkas:DeadEurope;TheSlapp.264AlicePung:UnpolishedGemThomasKeneally:Schindler’sArk《辛德勒名單》p.263,265America:1.F·ScottFitzgerald:TheGreatGatsbyp.1042.O’Neill:DesireUndertheElms;MourningBecomesElectra;TheIcemanCometh;LongDay’sJourneyintoNightp.1053.RalphEllison:InvisibleManp.1064.JamesBaldwin:GoTellItontheMountain;TheFireNextTimep.1065.AlanGinsberg:Howlp.1066.J·D·Salinger:TheCatcherp.1077.N·ScottMomaday:HouseMadeofDawn;TheWaytoRainy8.ToniMorrison:TheBluestEye;SongofSolomon;Belovedp.1089.MaxineHongKingston:TheWomanWarrior;ChinaMenp.10810.AmyTan:TheJoyLuckClubp.108Canada:1.WilliamKirby:TheGoldenDogp.3402.LucyMaudMontgomery:AnneofGreenGables3.MargaretLaurence:TheDiviners;AJestofGod(上帝的玩笑)p.3424.AliceMunro:SomethingI’veBeenMeaningtoTellYou;Hateship,Friendship,Courtship,Loveship,Marriagep.3425.MichaelOndaatje:EnglishPatientp.3436.WaysonChoy：TheJadePeony;AChinatownChildhood;AllThatMattersp.3437.MargaretAtwood:OryxandCrake;TheYearoftheFloodp.344以上共32位作家。熟悉這些作家及他們的作品。III.Fillintheblanks(10題，10%)英國4題：p17(4),p34(9),p48(11),p67(7)愛爾蘭3題：p185(10),p204(5),p224(8)澳大利亞3題：p255(5),p284(3),p297(4)新西蘭2題：p15(5),p29(2)美國4題：p62(12),p79(4),p94(9),p131(3)加拿大4題：p295(1),p310(7),p323(10),p336(8)以上共20題。以上的句子按照頁數(shù)在單元后面練習(xí)的第三大題中。IV.Explaintheterms（10個,30%）U.K.1. TheAnglo-Saxonsp.3382. SinnFeinp.3393. TheGoodFridayAgreementp.3404. TheConstitutionp.3415. ThefunctionsofParliamentp.3416. MainsectorsoftheUKeconomyp.3457. Modernismp.3488. TheCommonwealthp.3529. Wimbledonp.355Ireland10. SaintPatrickp.35711. Checksandbalancesp.35912. TheIrishParliamentp.35913. Thelawofprimogeniturep.36114. TheoralcultureofIrelandp.363Australia15. TerraNulliusp.36516. DifferencebetweentheDreamingandProtestantismp.36717. WakefieldSchemep.36918. The“Washminster”formofpolityp.37019. APECp.37220.TheWhiteAustraliaPolicyp.374NewZealand21.Thekiwip.36522.Maoritangap.36523.TheNewZealandParliamentp.367TheOmbudsmanp.367AmericathefirstEnglishsettlementinNorthAmericap.368TheArticlesofConfederationp.370Agribusinessp.373ThreeFaithsintheUSp.374Theabuseofpowerbygovernment(impeach)p.383TheUSAasakaleidoscopep.385NBAp.392Canada32.TheCanadianidentityp.395Structuresofgovernmentp.397TheCanadianMosaicp.398ThreefactorsthatinfluenceCanadianeconomyp.400Canada-USrelationsp.405以上共36個。以上這些名詞解釋在兩冊書后面的參考答案中。V.Answerthequestions(6個，30%)Question1:ArethereanydifferencesbetweenEngland,ScotlandandWalesintermsofculturaltradition?(p.186)E1)Ofthefournations,theEnglishfeelmostBritish,andthereforehavetheweakestsenseofthemselvesasaseparate“English”culturewithinBritain.2)GardeningisoneofthemostpopularpastimesinEngland,whichisregardedastypicallyEnglishpursuits.Andthebackgardenprovidesaplacewherepeople’soutdoorlifeathomecangoonoutofthepublicgaze.Thismaycontrastwithpeoplefromothercountrieswhoseoutdoorlifemightbemoresocial—sittingonthefrontporchwatchingpassers-by.Scotland1)ThedivisionbetweenhighlandandlowlandScotlandremainsaculturaldividetoday,inmuchthesamewayasnorthandsouthEnglandseethemselvesasdifferentfromeachother.ThereareevenareasinthehighlandswhereinadditiontoEnglish)peoplespeaktheoldCelticlanguage,called“Gaelic”.2)Scottishhighlandclanculturewaseffectivelydestroyedin1745,andtodaymanyofScottishdescentcomebacktofindtheir“roots”,formingagoodtargetforthesellerstoselltartansouvenirs.3)Scotlandhasagreattraditionofinnovationinthearts,philosophy,andscience.TheinventorofthetelephonewasaScot,andthefirstmantotransmitatelevisionpicturewasanother.W1)Itremainsitsownlanguage,Welsh.ThisisaCeltictonguecompletelydifferentfromEnglish,spokenby19%ofthepopulation,amuchhigherproportionofthepopulationthanspeakGaelicinScotland.Again,allthoseWelsh-speakersarealsofluentinEnglish.2)AseriesofgreatstonecastlesstandtodayasoneofWales’greatesttouristattractions.Andtourismisnowanimportantindustry.3)GlyndwrandLlywelynaremorethansimplehistoricalfiguresfortheWelsh.TheyarealmostlegendaryheroesofWelshnationalism.Question2:WhyisNorthernIreland,accordingtotheauthor,sosignificantintheUnitedKingdom?Whatisthepoliticalproblem(1)Intheauthor’sopinion,NorthernIrelandissignificantintheUnitedKingdombecauseofitslong–existingpoliticaltroubles,whichrootedintheBritishcolonialexpansionanditspolicyofdivisionandrule.ThepoliticaltroublesofNorthernIrelandarealsocalledUlsterdisputes,whicharealwaysoneofthemostintractableproblemstothegovernmentsofUKsincetheFirstWorldWar.ThetroublesofNorthernIrelandaremainproblemsof(2)ThepoliticaltroublesofNorthernIrelandaretheattributionproblemsofNorthernIrisharedescendantsofCeltic;theyliveinIrelandfromgenerationtogeneration.However,inthemiddleof12thcentury,theBritishbegantoinvadeIreland,whichmadeIrelandthefirstBritishcolony.IrishhadalwaysbeenfightingagainstBritain.In1921,facedwithconflictingdemands,BritishgovernmentchoseacompromiseandorganizedapartitionofIreland.Thesouthern26countieswouldforma“freestate”,whilethe6north-easterncountieswouldremainapartoftheUK.Thepoliticaltroubles,thus,existedfromthenon.LookinguponthetroublesofNorthernIreland,60%ofIrish,whoaredescendantsofBritishimmigrantsandbelieveinProtestantChristian,claimtoremainintheUK,while40%ofIrish,whoareindigenousdescendantsoftheIrelandandbelieveinCatholic,insistonreturningofIreland.BecausetheUnitypartyandtheSinnFeinpartymaintaindifferentpropositionsontheownershipofNorthernIreland,disputesandviolentconflictsoftenoccurthere,whichmakesthesituationintheregionlong-terminstable.ThesearethepoliticalproblemsinNorthernIrelandQuestion3:WhataresomeofthecharacteristicsoftheBritishconstitutionalmonarchy?(p.481)Thequeenisinthepositioncommandingbutnotadministering.Queen’smostimportantjobistorepresentBritainathomeandabroad;hersecondmostimportantjobistosetstandardsofgoodcitizenshipandfamilylife.ThemonarchyisprimarilysymbolizedthetraditionalandunityoftheBritishstate.ParliamentbecomesthecountryauthoritycentreanditissupremeintheBritishstate.Ithasthepowertochangethetermsofconstitution.ParliamentconsistsoftheQueen,theHouseofLordsandtheHouseofCommons.TheofficialheadofthestateistheQueen.Herpowersarelargelytraditionalandsymbolic.ThegovernmentatnationalandlocallevelsiselectedbythepeopleandgovernsaccordingtoBritishconstitutionalprinciples.Question4:WhydotheIrishhavecontradictoryandevenparadoxicalattitudestotheEnglish?(p.2252)Thereasonsareasfollows:TheEnglishpoliticaldominationofIrelandhaslefttheRepublicwithasecureandworkableadministrative,educational,andjudicialsystem.ItalsoensuresthatmostIrishpeoplespeakEnglish.Besides,mostfamilyinIrelandhassomerelationswiththeEnglish.TheIrishareproudtheydonothaveamonarchy,buttheystillhaveinterestinEnglishroyalhouse.Theythinkofthemselvesascitizens,notassubjects.TheIrishseektodefinetheircultureinoppositiontothatofGreatBritain.ThedeclineoftheauthorityoftheRomanCatholicChurch.TheEnglishinfluencethemalot,thus,Irelandisstillgrowingupintermsofdefiningitsidentity.Question5:WhataresomeofthedistinctfeaturesofNewZealand’sgeography?FindoutsimilaritiesanddifferencesintermsofgeographybetweenNewZealandandAustralia?(p.161)Features:NewZealand,locatedinthesouthwestPacificOcean,isalarge,longgroupofislands,1600kmfromnorthtosouth.LikeAustralia,it’salsoisolatedfromotherlandmassesforhundredsofmillionsofyears.It’sneartothesoutheastofAustralia,about2000kmaway.Thelonggroupofislandsismadeoftwomainlandmasses,theNorthIslandandtheSouthIsland,separatedbyCookStrait.Thethirdlargeisland,StewartIsland,issouthoftheSouthIsland,andtherearemanysmallerislands,includinguninhabitedisolatedislandshundredsofkilometersoffshore.ThelandareaofNewZealandis270500squarekm,similarinsizetoJapanortheBritishIsles.Ahugediversityofphysicalgeographyhasproducedawidevariationinlandscape.TheNorthIslandhasbeenmostlyformedbyvolcanoes.Chainsofmountainsrunnortheasttosouthwest,paralleltothecoast.Amassivemountainchain,theSouthernAlps,runsalmostthefulllengthoftheSouthIsland.ThehighestMt.CookissituatedinthesouthernpartoftheSimilarities:1)BothofthetwoislandsarelocatedbetweentheEquatorandtheSouthPole.2)Bothofthemaremadeupofagroupislands.3)Thetwobothhavevariouslandscapes,likebigmountainswhichextendfromthenorthtothesouth.4)Theislandshavebeenisolatedfromotherlandmassesforaverylongtime,sobothofthemhaveveryuniqueanimalsandplants(floraandfauna).Differences:NewZealandismainlymadeupoftwoislands,theNorthIslandandtheSouthIsland,whileAustraliaisawholebigcontinent.Thelandscapesaredifferent,too.Thelatterhasawideareaofdesertinthewestbuttheformerdoesn’t.Theclimateisalsodifferent.InNewZealand,theclimateismaritime,andslow-to-changeseatemperaturesproducemoderatetemperatures.Manypartsofthecountryhaveextremesofwindandrain.However,inAustralia,differentpartshavevariousclimates.Thewestisquitedrywhiletheeastiswet.Evenintheeast,thereismuchmorerainfallinthenorththanthesouth.ThesearethemaindifferencesingeographybetweenNewZealandandAustralia.Question6:WhataresomeofthesimilaritiesbetweenNewZealandandBritaininthegovernmentsystem?WhataresomeofthepeculiarfeaturesofNewZealand’sgovernmentsystemcomparedwithAustraliaorBritain?(p.301)ThesimilaritiesofBritainandNewZealandinthegovernmentsystem:1.Bothofthetwocountrieshavenowrittenconstitution.2.TheirofficialheadofstateremainsaconstitutionalmonarchywithQueen.3.Theirparliaments,democraticallyelected,haveoneofthefunctionstopasslaws.4.Theprimeministeristheleaderofthepartyinpower.5.Theirprimeministerchooses20MPs(membersofparliament)toformtheCabinetknownasministers.TheCabinetsareresponsibletomakegovernmentpolicy.PeculiarfeaturesofNewZealand’sgovernmentsystemcomparedwithBritain:ComparedwithBritain,NewZealandisanindependentsovereignstate,governedbyademocraticallyelectedparliament.Ithasnowrittenconstitution,itsconstitutionismainlybasedonparliamentarystatues,judicialrulingsandadministrativepractices.TheConstitutionActof1986definestherelationshipbetweenthelegislation,executiverolesofgovernment.TheHeadofStateistheBritishmonarchyQueenElizabethIIinhercapacityasQueenofNewZealand,representedbyaGovernor-General.TheQueenappointstheGovernor-GeneralontheadviceofNewZealand'sPrimeMinister.TheGovernor-General’sagreementisrequiredforanActofParliamenttobecomelaw.Since1950,Parliamenthashadasinglechamber,theHouseofRepresentatives,whichfollowsBritishWestminstertraditions.Importantfunctionsincludepassinglaws，supervisingthegovernment’sadministrationandreceivingpetitionsfromcitizenswithgrievance.Therearecurrently122MembersofParliament,whoareallelected,sevenoftheseareMaoriMPs.MMPRundertheproportionalrepresentationoffersanopportunityforarangeofpartiestogainseats.Formorethanhalfacentury，thetwomainpartiesintheHouseofRepresentativeshavebeentheNationalPartyandtheLaborParty.Officials,workingingovernmentdepartmentsandministries，arecalled“publicservants.”InNewZealandtheappointmentofpublicservantsisindependentofthepoliticalprocess.Question7:WhataresomeofthemajorpowersofeachofthethreebranchesoftheUSgovernment?Howarethethreebranchessupposedtocheckandbalanceeachother?(p.633)Theconstitutiondeterminesthegovernmentanddividesthepowersofthegovernmentintothreebranches:theExecutive,theLegislative,andtheJudicial.Eachbranchhaspowersthattheothersdonothaveandeachbranchhasawayofcounteractingandlimitinganywrongfulactionbyanotherbranch.LegislativeBranch:HeadedbyCongress,whichincludestheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate.Themaintaskofthesetwobodiesistomakethelaws.Itspowersincludepassinglaws,originatingspendingbills(House),impeachingofficials(Senate),andapprovingtreaties(Senate).ExecutiveBranch:Headedbythepresident.Thepresidentcarriesoutfederallawsandrecommendsnewones,directsnationaldefenseandforeignpolicy,andperformsceremonialduties.Powersincludedirectinggovernment,commandingtheArmedForces,dealingwithinternationalpowers,actingaschieflawenforcementofficer,andvetoinglaws.JudicialBranch:HeadedbytheSupremeCourt.ItspowersincludeinterpretingtheConstitution,reviewinglaws,anddecidingcasesinvolvingstates'rights.TheConstitutionlimitsthepowerofeachgovernmentbranch,andpreventsanyonebranchfromgainingunduepower.Thisbalanceisalwayskeptamongthethreebranchesandthisiscalledthe“SystemofChecksandBalances”.If

Congressproposesalawthatthepresidentthinksisunwise,thepresidentcanvetoit.

Congresscanenactthelawdespitethepresident'sviewsonlyiftwo-thirdsofthemembersofbothhousesvoteinfavorofit.IfCongresspassesalawwhichisthenchallengedinthecourtsasunconstitutional,theSupremeCourthasthepowertodeclarethelawunconstitutionalandthereforenolongerineffect.Thepresidenthasthepowertomaketreatieswithothernationsandtomakeallappointmentstofederalpositions,includingthepositionofSupremeCourtjustice.

TheSenate,however,mustapprovealltreatiesandconfirmallappointmentsbeforetheybecomeofficial.

InthiswaytheCongresscanpreventthepresidentfrommakingunwiseappointments.Question8:WhyisCanadaregularlyratedashavingthebeststandardoflivingintheworld?(p.2961)Inannual“qualityoflife”surveysproducedbytheUnitedNationeachyear,Canadaregularlyisratedashavingthebeststandardoflivingintheworldbecauseofitshealthcare,education,cleanenvironment,socialwelfare,andsoon.Insize,Canadaisthesecondlargestcountryonearth.Intermsofeconomicpower,itisamemberoftheBigSeven,theworld’sleadingindustrialnations,rankingalongwiththeUnitedStates,France,theUnitedKingdom,Italy,GermanyandJapan.Canadaplaysanactiveroleininternationalaffairs,oftentakingpartinpeacekeepingandhumanitarianmissionsandspearheadingaidanddevelopmentprograms.Itssceneryofmountains,oceans,forestsandprairiesisspectacular.Ithasalivelyandrichculture,withmanyworldfamousactors,popstarsandwriters.Canadaisoneoftheworld'swealthiestnations,withahighper-capitaincome.Itisoneoftheworld'stoptentradingnations.CanadaisamixedmarketrankinglowerthantheU.S.ontheheritagefoundationsindexofeconomicfreedombuthigherthanmostwesternEuropeannations.Canadaisoneofthefewdevelopednationsthatarenetexportersofenergy.Canadaisoneoftheworld'smostimportantsuppliersofagriculturalproducts,withtheCanadianPrairiesbeingoneofthemostimportantsuppliersofwheat,\o"Canola"canola,andothergrains.Therefore,peopleliveintherehasahighstandardofliving.Question9:ThesimilaritiesanddifferencesinthegovernmentsystemsbetweentheUnitedKingdom,theUnitedStatesandCanada.(p.3111)①Canada’spoliticalsystemreflectsthetwomajorforeigninfluencesonthehistoricaldevelopmentofthecountry:ontheonehand,itslegacyasaformercolonyofBritain,andontheother,thepowerfulinfluenceexertedbyitsneighbortothesouth,theUnitedStates.AsaformerBritishcolony,Canada’ssystemofgovernmentwasbasedontheBritishsystemofparliamentarydemocracy.Thisisoftenreferredtoas“West-minister-style”democracy，namedaftertheBritishHouseofCommonslikeotherformercoloniesthatwerebroughtfromthe“OldCountry”andadaptedtothedifferentconditionsofthenewcountry.Atfirstglance,thesimilaritybetweenBritishandCanadianpoliticalconditionsaregreat,butwhenyoulookmoreclosely,youcanseeimportantdifferenceswhichhavearisenfromtheexperienceofgoverningahugebutsparselypopulatedcountry.ThebiggestdifferencebetweenCanadaandtheUKisthatCanadaisafederation—thatis,itistenprovincesandtwoterritories,eachwiththeirowngovernment,whichhavejoinedtoformonecountry.②AmericanideasinfluencedtheCanadiansystemtosomedegree.TheU.S.andCanadianfederalgovernmentsaresimilarinmanyways.Bothhaveasystem:checksandbalances,anupperandlowerhouseandasupremecourt.Butsomedifferencesalsoexisted:thepresidentisofficiallytheheadofstateintheU.S.InCanada,asinallCommonwealthcountries,theQueenofEnglandisofficiallytheheadofstate.Thatrelationship,though,islargelysymbolic.TheUnitedStatesandCanadaeachhavetwolegislativehouses.IntheUnitedStatesthesearetheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate;inCanadaitistheHouseofCommonsandtheSenate.CanadiansenjoymostofthesamerightsasAmericans,thoughtherearesomedifferences.TheSecondAmendmenttotheU.S.Constitutionguaranteestherighttobeararms.ThereisnosuchrightinCanada.Neithercountryallowsapersontobetriedtwiceforthesameoffense,thoughinCanada,theprosecution(whichisknownas"theCrown")hastherighttoappealanacquittalor"notguilty"verdict.Bothcountriesrecognizefreedomofspeechandthepress.TheU.S.governmentismadeupofmembersoftheRepublicanandDemocraticparties.AtthefederalleveltherearefourmajorpoliticalpartiesinCanada:theLiberalParty,theConservativeParty,NewDemocraticPartyandBlocQuebecois.Canadahastwoofficiallanguages,FrenchandEnglish,asopposedtotheU.S.whoonlyusesEnglish.③BoththeU.S.andBritishpoliticalsystemshaveaheadofstate,acourtsystemandanupperandlowerhouse.Bothhaveconstitutionsthatlayouttherulesforgovernmentandtherightsofthepeople.Bothsystemsaredemocraticinnatureinthatgovernmentsareputinplaceandremovedfrompowerbythewillofthepeopleandbothhavesystemsofchecksandbalancestolimitthepowerofanyonebranch.IntheU.S.politicalsystem,thepresidentistheofficialheadofstate.Thepresidentiselected.IntheU.K.,althoughtheprimeministerusuallyhasthespotlightonpoliticalmattersandistheofficialheadofgovernment,thequeenorkingistheofficialheadofstate.TheUnitedStateshasaSenateastheupperhouseofthelegislativebranchandtheU.K.hastheHouseofLords.TheU.S.HouseofRepresentativesandtheBritishHouseofCommonshaveagreatdealincommon.Eachhouseismadeupofrepresentativeselectedbythepeople.Inbothsystemscontrolofthelowerhousegoestothepartythathasth