英语高二下人教版新课标选修8Unit1第7课时教案（文化背景知识）文化背景知识TheUnitedStatesBackground:Britain’sAmericancoloniesbrokewiththemothercountryin1776andwererecognizedasthenewnationoftheUnitedStatesofAmericafollowingtheTreatyofParisin1783.Duringthe19thand20thcenturies,37newstateswereaddedtotheoriginal13asthenationexpandedacrosstheNorthAmericancontinentandacquiredanumberofoverseaspossessions.Thetwomosttraumaticexperiencesinthenation’shistoryweretheCivilWar(1861-65)andtheGreatDepressionofthe1930s.BuoyedbyvictoriesinWorldWarsIandIIandtheendoftheColdWarin1991,theUSremainstheworld’smostpowerfulnationstate.Theeconomyismarkedbysteadygrowth,lowunemploymentandinflation,andrapidadvancesintechnology.Location:NorthAmerica,borderingboththeNorthAtlanticOceanandtheNorthPacificOcean,betweenCanadaandMexico.Geographiccoordinates:3800N,9700WArea:abouthalfthesizeofRussia;aboutthree-tenthsthesizeofAfrica;abouthalfthesizeofSouthAmerica(orslightlylargerthanBrazil);slightlylargerthanChina;almosttwoandahalftimesthesizeoftheEuropeanUnion.total:9,631,418sqkmland:9,161,923sqkmwater:469,495sqkmnote:includesonlythe50statesandDistrictofColumbiaClimate:mostlytemperate,buttropicalinHawaiiandFlorida,arcticinAlaska,semiaridinthegreatplainswestoftheMississippiRiver,andaridintheGreatBasinofthesouthwest;lowwintertemperaturesinthenorthwestareamelioratedoccasionallyinJanuaryandFebruarybywarmchinookwindsfromtheeasternslopesoftheRockyMountains.Population:295,734,134(July2005est.)Ethnicgroups:white81.7%,black12.9%,Asian4.2%,AmerindianandAlaskanative1%,nativeHawaiianandotherPacificislander0.2%(2003est.)note:aseparatelistingforHispanicisnotincludedbecausetheUSCensusBureauconsidersHispanictomeanapersonofLatinAmericandescent(includingpersonsofCuban,Mexican,orPuertoRicanorigin)livingintheUSwhomaybeofanyraceorethnicgroup(white,black,Asian,etc.).Languages:English82.1%,Spanish10.7%,otherIndo-European3.8%,AsianandPacificisland2.7%,other0.7%(2000census)Administrativedivisions:50statesand1district;Alabama,Alaska,Arizona,Arkansas,California,Colorado,Connecticut,Delaware,DistrictofColumbia,Florida,Georgia,Hawaii,Idaho,Illinois,Indiana,Iowa,Kansas,Kentucky,Louisiana,Maine,Maryland,Massachusetts,Michigan,Minnesota,Mississippi,Missouri,Montana,Nebraska,Nevada,NewHampshire,NewJersey,NewMexico,NewYork,NorthCarolina,NorthDakota,Ohio,Oklahoma,Oregon,Pennsylvania,RhodeIsland,SouthCarolina,SouthDakota,Tennessee,Texas,Utah,Vermont,Virginia,Washington,WestVirginia,Wisconsin,WyomingNationalholiday:IndependenceDay,4July(1776)Flagdescription:13equalhorizontalstripesofred(topandbottom)alternatingwithwhite;thereisabluerectangleintheupperhoist-sidecornerbearing50small,white,five-pointedstarsarrangedinnineoff-sethorizontalrowsofsixstars(topandbottom)alternatingwithrowsoffivestars;the50starsrepresentthe50states,the13stripesrepresentthe13originalcolonies;knownasOldGlory;thedesignandcolorshavebeenthebasisforanumberofotherflags,includingChile,Liberia,Malaysia,andPuertoRicoAgricultureproducts:wheat,corn,othergrains,fruits,vegetables,cotton;beef,pork,poultry,dairyproducts;forestproducts;fishEconomyoverview:TheUShasthelargestandmosttechnologicallypowerfuleconomyintheworld,withaperheadGDPof$40,100.Inthismarket-orientedeconomy,privateindividualsandbusinessfirmsmakemostofthedecisions,andthefederalandstategovernmentsbuyneededgoodsandservicespredominantlyintheprivatemarketplace.USbusinessfirmsenjoyconsiderablygreaterflexibilitythantheircounterpartsinWesternEuropeandJapanindecisionstoexpandcapitalplant,tolayoffsurplusworkers,andtodevelopnewproducts.Atthesametime,theyfacehigherbarrierstoentryintheirrivals’homemarketsthanthebarrierstoentryofforeignfirmsinUSmarkets.USfirmsareatorneartheforefrontintechnologicaladvances,especiallyincomputersandinmedical,aerospace,andmilitaryequipment;theiradvantagehasnarrowedsincetheendofWorldWarII.Theonrushoftechnologylargelyexplainsthegradualdevelopmentofa“two-tierlabormarket”inwhichthoseatthebottomlacktheeducationandtheprofessional/technicalskillsofthoseatthetopand,moreandmore,failtogetcomparablepayraises,healthinsurancecoverage,andotherbenefits.Since1975,practicallyallthegainsinhouseholdincomehavegonetothetop20%ofhouseholds.Theresponsetotheterroristattacksof11September2001showedtheremarkableresilienceoftheeconomy.ThewarinMarch/April2003betweenaUS-ledcoalitionandIraq,andthesubsequentoccupationofIraq,requiredmajorshiftsinnationalresourcestothemilitary.TheriseinGDPin2004wasundergirdedbysubstantialgainsinlaborproductivity.Theeconomysufferedfromasharpincreaseinenergypricesinthesecondhalfof2004.Long-termproblemsincludeinadequateinvestmentineconomicinfrastructure,rapidlyrisingmedicalandpensioncostsofanagingpopulation,sizabletradeandbudgetdeficits,andstagnationoffamilyincomeinthelowereconomicgroups.
