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After the two World Wars, much burden was laid on her and the Great Empire had gone downhill. Britain was no longer in the leading class in the world’s economy and underwent enormous economic difficulties. She lost the privilege in the industrial technology. Because its economy relied heavily on foreign markets and imports of raw materials, the losses of its colonies impose a great influence on Britain. She lost expansive lands and a large amount of British population, which weakened its power and was out-competed by other countries.

When the Conservative Party returned to power in 1979 and Margaret Thatcher became the first woman prime minister in Britain. For many the 1980s was a decade of increased prosperity.

Mrs. Thatcher firmly believed in self-reliance and what has come to be known as privatization. Her policies are popularly referred to as Thatcherism. It included the return to private ownership of state-owned industries, the use of monetarist policies （the supply ofmoney in Britain） to control inflation, the weakening of trade unions, the strengthening of the role of market forces in the economy, and an emphasis on law and order. Several cases of privatization took place in Britain in the 1980s, including British Telecom and British Gas.

In 1982 the Falkland Islands War broke out. The Falkland Islands, a group of islands totaling 4 700 square miles in the South Atlantic, have been a crown colony since 1892. Possession is disputed with Argentina. In 1982 the Argentineans seized these islands but Britain fought successfully to regain them. Although the British victory was immensely expensive, Mrs. Thatcher’s personal popularity was dramatically revived. In the general election of 1983 she won another victory for the Conservatives, the most decisive for forty years. In the late 1980s the economy was growing rapidly, unemployment was declining, and the Conservatives held a solid majority in the House of Commons.

Although twice re-elected, Mrs. Thatcher was finally removed by her own party in November, 1990. This was because of her opposition to European union and her impression of an extremely unpopular “poll tax” in place of property taxes to pay for local government services. She was succeeded by the comparatively little known John Major.

1. Stonehenge史前巨石阵，位于英国南部。

2. common law 习惯法或称公共法，属于不成文宪法（unwritten constitution）一类。它起源于中世纪（始于亨利二世时代）英国王室法庭的传统法令，当时只是区别于各地方法规，后来又区别于议会通过的法案。现在是指英国历来法庭在长期审理案件中通过的决定而形成的法令。如有关英王权力受到限制，英国人民应享有的基本法律权利等。

3. the Grand Council 大议会，威廉一世统治时期的议事机构，主要由大地主代表组成，一年只聚会三次。后在十三世纪逐渐演变成早期的英国议会。

4. the Black Death黑死病，造成大量欧洲人死亡的瘟疫。

5. the Tower of London伦敦塔，位于伦敦泰晤士河的北岸，由一组庞大的塔群组成。伦敦塔在英国历史上有着重要的地位，曾先后用作王宫、武器库、造币厂和监狱。在这里关押或处死过许多著名人物，其中包括国王和王后等，今天伦敦塔及其附近河面上的塔桥成了伦敦一大名胜，每天都有大批游客前往参观。

6. Calais加莱，法国北部诺曼底地区一港口城市。

7. Counter-Reformation反宗教改革，指16-17世纪初天主教会纠集封建势力对抗新教改革运动的各项活动。

8. humanism人文主义，欧洲文艺复兴时期代表新兴资产阶级文化的主要思潮，人文主义者反对中世纪以“神”为中心的神学，主张以“人”为本，强调“人”的价值、尊严和力量，提倡文化研究应以人与自然为主要对象，并重视对古代希腊、罗马文化的研究。他们鼓吹个性解放，反对禁欲主义。崇尚理性，重视人的聪明才智，反对蒙昧主义。在政治上则拥护中央集权，反对封建割据。人文主义运动首先于十四世纪下半叶在意大利兴起，十五、十六世纪发展到欧洲各国。主要代表有意大利的彼特拉克、薄迦丘、法国的蒙田、拉伯雷，英国的莎士比亚、培根，西班牙的塞万提斯、荷兰的伊拉谟斯等。

9. Leonardo da Vinci达芬奇（1452—1519），意大利文艺复兴时期著名画家，主要画作有《蒙娜·丽莎》、《最后的晚餐》等。

10. The Gunpowder Plot of 1605火药阴谋案，1605年11月5日，由于英国国内宗教斗争，粉碎了一场企图谋杀国王的阴谋。

11. Protestantism基督教新教，与天主教、东正教并称基督教三大派别，产生于十六世纪欧洲宗教改革运动中。主要教派包括路德派、加尔文派以及长老会、浸礼会、公理会等。它们认为天主教的某些教义和做法是不符合《圣经》内容的。主张教会制度多样化，重视《圣经》及信仰，不强调神父的作用。新教主要分布在西欧、北欧、北美、澳洲等地。

I. Define the following terms.

1. the Norman Conquest

2. the Hardian’s Wall

4. the Great Charter

5. the Hundred Years’ War

6. Industrial Revolution

II. Fill in the blanks according to the text.

1. The ancestors of the English were ______, while the Scots, Welsh and Irish the ______.

2. In the mid-5th century, three Teutonic tribes ______, _____, and _____ invaded Britain.Among them, the _____ gave their name to English people.

3. In the 8th century, the _____ began to attack the English coasts. Under the leadership of King ________ the West Saxons offered resistance.

4. The battle of _______ witnessed the death of Harold in October, 1066.

5. Under William, the ______ system in England was completely established.

6. The Great Charter was established at restricting the power of the ________.

7. ______ was the deadly bubonic plague, which reduced England’s population from four million to ______ million by the end of the 14th century.

8. James I and his son Charles I both believed firmly in ______.

9. During the Civil War, the Cavaliers supported ________, while the Roundheads supported_______.

10. After the Civil War, Oliver Cromwell declared England a ______, later, he became_________.