2024年5月31日发(作者：)

西方国家概况课后美国key

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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%

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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 to exist only on this continent.

15. The Great Seal

It is the seal of the United States, which depicts a bald eagle

with a shield of 13 stripes representing the 13 original States on

its breast. Across the top of the shield is a blue

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field that unites all the stripes into one. The blue chief

represents the United States Congress. The eagle grasps an olive

branch representing peace, and 13 arrows representing war.

Above the eagle are thirteen stars inside a circular design,

representing a "New Constellation". In his beak the eagle grasps

a flowing ribbon bearing the first MOTTO of the United States: E