British & American studies

Subject OverviewNumber of credits: 3Course objectives:

- To introduce learners about American and British people, lifestyles, behaviors, festivals and traditions……..

Core contents: The foundation and development of The United Kingdom and The U.S in general and various regions in particular.

(Their geography, climate, history and government, economic development, fame and position in international organizations…….)

Organization:

+ Lectures

+ Presentation

+ DiscussionAssessment:

- Regular attendance (30%)

- Group presentation (30%)

- Mid-term test (60’ in-class test) (40%)

Requirements:- attend at least80% of all classes- come to class on time- be active during lectures/presentations/discussions- pay attention while the teacher or other learners are talking

Bonus:- Those who regularly contribute ideas in class will get extra marks (high, of course^.^).

Chapter 1 Overviews

General Information

• Location: a federal republic on the continent of North America

• Area: 9,629,047 sq km (3,717,796 sq mi) (the third largest country in the world after Russia and Canada) with geographic diversity.

• Population for the year 2003 is 290,342,550 (third in the world behind China and India.)

• 50 states: 48 contiguous states 2 noncontiguous states of Alaska

and Hawaii.

General Information• Capital city: Washington D.C• Largest city: New York• Language: English, Spanish, etc.• Major industries: oil, electronics, computers,

automobile manufacturing, telecommunication, aerospace industries, agriculture, etc.

• Cultural diversity: American Indians, European Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans (esp. the Chinese -> in big cities such as New York and San Francisco), etc.