西方国家概况课后美国key.docxVIP

西方国家概况课后美国key 1 Understanding the United States Key to Chapter 1 General Survey I. Gap-filling 1. The United States covers the central part of North America. 2. Washington, D.C. is the capital and economic center of the United States. 3. The lowest point of the US is Death Valley. 4. Rose is the national flower of the US. 5. Wyoming is the least populous state of the US. 6. The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states. 7. In 1776, the United States declared its independence from Great Britain. 8. The official language of the US is English, and the second most spoken language is Spanish. Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii. 9. Religiously, most Americans are Christian; among them 52% are Protestant and 24% 2 Roman Catholic. 10. The White House is the residence of the President of the United States, and the Capitol Hill is home to American Congress. Ⅱ.Terms Explanation 11. Uncle Sam It is the nickname of the US, usually a cartoon figure dressed in striped pants, a long tailcoat, a tall hat covered with stars and stripes, and a beard. This image came from a meat provider named Samuel Wilson during the war of 1812. The American Congress officially recognized Uncle Sam as a national symbol in 1961. 12. Stars and Stripes It is the national flag of the US. It has 13 stripes—7 red stripes and 6 white stripes. A blue square in the upper corner contains 50 white stars. The stripes represent the 13 original American colonies. The 50 stars stand 3 for the 50 U.S. states. 13. Independence Day It is the national day of the US (on July 4). On July 4, 1776, The Declaration of Independence announced that the thirteen North American colonies would be the thirteen United States of America, free and independent of Great Britain. 14. National Bird of the US The bald eagle is the national bird of the US. It was chosen in 1782 as the emblem of the US, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks, and also because it was then believed t