2011年6月英语四级(CET4)真题

Chapter 10

Canadian Society and Culture

Ⅰ. Canadian Society

1. Population

Canada is a large country with a small population of 26,300,000. It ranks second in land area but thirty first in population in the world. It is a sparsely populated country with only 2.7 people per square kilometer. But it is one of the countries with most nationalities. Canada is a country with as many as 100 nationalities. The origins of most Canadians are British (44.6%) and French (28.7%). The native people, the Eskimo, and Indians comprise only 1.5% of the country's total population.

Immigration has given Canada a great cultural diversity. Since Confederation in 1867, the proportion of Canadians of other ethnic background such as Germans, Italians, Ukrainians, Dutch, Polish and Chinese has increased from 7% to 25%, of which 2% are of Asian, African or Caribbean origins. None of Canada's ethnic groups has a majority in the total population.

The native people of Canada came from Asia in prehistoric times. The Inuit used to be nomads, who hunted seals on the ice in winter and reindeer on the tundra in summer. They slept in tents made of reindeer skins. They were a peaceful people who lived their lives cheerfully, and they laughed and joked a great deal. The word Inuit means “the people” in their own language, whereas Eskimo is an Indian word meaning “eaters of raw flesh”. Most of the Inuit live in the northern provinces and territories of Canada. In addition to the Inuit there are a couple of hundred thousand of Indians in the northern regions. They all speak different languages. It is said that as many as over fifty languages are spoken by the Indians.

2. Multiculturalism

English is the language most commonly spoken throughout the country, with the exception of the province of Quebec. Eighty-five per cent of French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec, consisting of 81.9% of that province's population.

Different languages, ethnic origins, history and environments result in regional differences among Canadians.

Most Canadians speak either English or French. Whatever their origins, most Canadians attend school, work and play in either the French or English language or, in some cases, in both. However, Canada has a variety of minority groups who keep distinctive cultural characteristics—the Ukrainian, Italian, Greek and Chinese-communities.

For a long time the Canadian Government pursued a policy of assimilation. But it did not work. Immigrants from different countries still kept their own cultures, religions, languages, and ways of life. At school even the French-speaking children and English-speaking children did not enjoy learning

each other's language. So in 1971, the Canadian Government adopted a policy of multiculturalism.

Today, Canada's Indians and Inuit are proud to be called the country's native people. While they comprise less than 2% of the total population, they account for 48% of the population of the north-west territories. The Indians of Canada have struggled for generations against assimilation into the non-native Canadian way of life. For example, the Inuit have started hunting again. The hunters still live in tents, but they keep a store of canned food in case they cannot get enough to eat from their hunting. The government has also built towns for them where they can get training in many kinds of jobs and where their children can go to school.

Encouraged by the federal Government, Canada's native peoples are seeking to adopt the practical elements of modern society that best suit their needs while maintaining many aspects of their traditional way of life.

3. Urbanization

About 50 years ago more than one-half of Canada's population lived in rural areas. Today three out of four Canadians live in towns and cities. Now, nine out of ten Canadians may live in urban areas.

Canada is one of the word's most metropolitan countries. Over 58% of Canadians live in 23 population centers with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The three largest cities, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver together have over 7.6 million people or almost 30% of Canada's population. The three cities occupy less than 1% of Canada's area, but account for 40% of the country's gross national product. The most rapidly expanding cities are Edmonton and Calgary.

4. Education

Virtually all Canadians devote at least ten years to formal education. Increasing social and technological complexity have made it necessary for many to remain in school well beyond compulsory age. Many people continue education to refresh old skills, to learn new ones or take general interest courses. This indicates that education is a life-long process.

Education is a provincial responsibility, although the Federal Government operates a limited number of institutions. As a result, ten separate provincial systems have been created; and even within a single province, variations may exist.

In all areas, Canadian education is divided into three successive levels: elementary, secondary (high school), and post-secondary (university). The oldest university is Laval University in Quebec City, originally founded in 1663. The largest is the University of Toronto with full-time enrolment of over 31,000 students.

5. Leisure

Industrialization and technological progress in Canada have resulted in shorter work weeks, longer paid vacations, earlier retirement and, hence, more time for leisure and recreation.

The normal work week in Canada is from 35 to 40 hours, spread over five working days. Counting weekends, paid holidays and annual vacations with pay, most employed Canadians have at least 124 days free from work each year.

A survey of Canadian leisure activities showed that swimming was the most popular form of recreation, followed by tennis, golf and baseball in the summer. Bicycling and jogging have become very popular with adults and families in many parts of Canada.

In the winter months, recreational skating and cross country skiing are widespread. Hockey is a traditionally popular Canadian sport in which many people take part.

Other common leisure activities include watching television, listening to radio, home handicrafts, bowling, attendance at movies, sports events, musical performances, exhibitions, fairs and the theatre.

6. Health care

National health policies and programs have developed in Canada as a result of joint efforts by federal and provincial governments. A universal program for hospital care was introduced in 1958, followed ten years later by universal insurance to meet the cost of physicians' services.

Ⅱ. Canadian Culture

The transition of Canadian culture from European to Canadian took place almost at the same time with the gradual settlement of the country. The bilingual, multicultural and North American elements of Canada's character have all influenced the formation of Canadian culture and the way Canadians express themselves through the arts.

Many of the literary documents of the 17th and 18th centuries were journals of explorers or of missionaries.

It was in the late 19th century, that Canada's first native composer, Calixa Lavallee, wrote the music for “O Canada”, now used as Canada's nationa l anthem. During the same period, Canadian art emerged into its own.

In 1948 a Canadian painter called Jean-Paul Riopelle was loudly acclaimed in London and Paris, the first time a Canadian stood out as a world leader in abstract art. By the early 60s abstract painting had become an unquestioned mode of expressional across Canada.

Canadians read more poetry than almost any other people. The poetry of E.J. Pratt, Earle Birney, Irving Layton, Al Purdy, Dorothy Livesay and Leonard Cohen is widely read in English Canada.

Canada has an active program of cultural relations with other countries. The program is designed to reflect abroad the activity and scope of Canadian arts and to enrich Canadian cultural life. Canada operates cultural centers in Paris, London, Brussels and New York and contributes to the Canadian Cultural Institute in Rome. Cultural relations extend to universities abroad where Canadian studies are encouraged, to promote a broader understanding of Canada, its history, literature, geography and political structure.

核心词汇

1. sparsely 稀少地

2. diversity 多样性

3. nomad 游牧民

4. uniform 一致的

5. racial 种族的

6. discrimination 歧视

7. explicitly 明确地

8. affirm 申明

9. demographic 人口统计的

10. proclaim 宣告

11. predominance 优势

12. descendant 子孙

13. cohesive 团结的

14. assimilation 同化

15. multiculturalism 多元文化政策

16. undergo 经历

17. renewed 更新的

18. pluralism 多元主义

19. enrolment 入学

20. bulge 膨胀

21. Christianize 基督教化

22. persecution 迫害

23. successive 接连的

24. recreation 娱乐

25. jogging 慢跑

26. alpine 爬山

27. hockey 冰上曲棍球，冰球

28. handicraft 手工

29. universality 广泛性

30. impediment 障碍

31. moderation 减轻

32. allowance 补贴

33. national anthem 国歌

34. landscape 景色

35. passionate 感情强烈的

36. acclaim 欢呼

37. folkloric 民间传说的

38. melody 歌曲

39. animated 动画的

40. innovative 新颖的

Multiple Choices

1. Canada ranks in land area but in population the world.

A. 1,31

B. 2,30

C. 2,31

D. 1,30 [ ]

2. The native people of Canada came from in prehistoric times.

A. Asia

B. Africa

C. Europe

D. America [ ]

3. Education is a responsibility.

A. provincial

B. federal

C. municipal

D. state [ ]

4. was the most popular form of recreation in the summer in Canada.

A. Bowling

B. Swimming

C. Tennis

D. Golf [ ]

5. Many of the literary documents of the 17th and 18th centuries were journals

of or of .

A. archaeologists, missionaries

B. archaeologists, explorers

C. explorers, novelists

D. explorers, missionaries [ ]

6. It was in the late century that Canada's first native composer, Calixa

Lavallee, wrote the music for “O Canada”, now used as .

A. 19, Canada's national anthem

B. 18, Canada's national anthem

C. 19, Canada's famous song

D. 18, Canada's famous song [ ]

7. The most popular form of recreation in Canada is .

A. tennis

B. baseball

C. American football

D. swimming [ ]

8. The oldest university in Canada is Laval University in originally

founded in 1663. The largest is the University of Toronto with fulltime enrolment of over students.

A. Vancouver, 30,000

B. Montreal, 31,000

C. Quebec City, 31,000

D. Ottawa, 30,000 [ ]