英美国家概况名词解释.docVIP

Standard English Standard English is based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England. It’s widely used in media and taught at schools. It’s preferred by the educated, middle-class people. It has developed and has been promoted as a model for correct British English. It’s also the norm carried overseas. Today, Standard English is codified to the extent that the grammar and vocabulary are much the same everywhere in the world where English is taught and used. Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of independent sovereign states, all of which acknowledge the British monarch as the head. The commonwealth is not a political union of any sort, and its member states have full autonomy to manage their internal and external affairs. It is primarily an organization in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal interaction after gaining independence. The major activities of Commonwealth are designed to advocate democracy, human rights, and to promote economic cooperation and growth within its members. Critical realism Critical Realism is a literary school which flourished in the 40s and early 50s of the 19th century. The critical realists described the chief traits of the society and criticized the capitalist system from a democratic viewpoint. The greatest English critical realist was Charles Dickens. Three Majestic Circles It’s?the?foreign?policy?adopted?by?the?Britain?after?WW II.The first was the Commonwealth circle,which embraced much of Africa and Asia as well as the dominions of?Canada,?New?Zealand?and?Australia.?The?second?was?Britain’s “special?relationship” with?the?United?States,and the third was ?Britain’s close relationship with ?Western?Europe.? Melting pot/salad bowl The United States is not merely a nation but a nation of nations. The immigrants came in waves, including the Europeans, the Africans and the Asians. Therefore, America was described as a melti