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I. Decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F):
1. Ireland is part of Great Britain.
2. “Ulster”, referring to Northern Ireland, was once an ancient Irish Kingdom.
3. The capital of Belfast is a large city with half a million people.
4. Northern Ireland is significant because of its manufacturing industry.
5. The majority of Irish people were descendants of the original Celtic people who inhabited British Isles before the Romans arrived 2000 years ago.
6. Most British people are Protestants while most Irish people are Catholics.
7. The British government does not have direct rule from London over Northern Ireland.
8. Sinn Fein is a legal political party in Northern Ireland.
9. The Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985 guaranteed the loyalist Protestant community their right to decide their future in Northern Ireland.
10. The Good Friday Agreement was approved on 10 April 1998.
11. Northern Ireland today is governed by separate jurisdictions: that of Republic of Ireland and that of Great Britain.
II. Choose the answer that best completes the statement or answers the question:
1. In the 17th century, the English government encouraged people from Scotland and Northern England to emigrate to the north of Ireland, because . __
__
A. they wanted to increase its control over Ireland
B. they had too many people and didn't have enough space for them to live in Britain
C. they intended to expand their investment
D. they believed that Ireland was the best place for them
2. In 1969, the first British soldiers were seen on Northern Ireland street. They came first __
__
A. to maintain traffic order in Northern Ireland
B. to protect Catholics
C. to protect Protestants
D. to replace the Royal Ulster Constabulary since they were unable to keep social order
3. Northern Ireland is the smallest of the four nations, but is quite well-known in the world for __
__.
A. its most famous landmark, the “Giant's Causeway”
B. its rich cultural life
C. its low living standards
D. its endless political problems
4. Faced with conflicting demands the British government chose a compromise and organized a partition of Ireland in 1921, because . __
__
A. the British government wouldn't be able to control Ireland any longer by force
B. the British government intended to satisfy both sides — Catholics and Protestants
C. Catholics in Ireland demanded a partition of Ireland
D. Protestants welcomed the idea of partition
5. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Sinn Fein is a legal political party in Northern Ireland.
B. Those who want to unite Northern Ireland with Britain are called Unionists.
C. The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a very important political party in Britain.
D. Those who show their loyalty to the British Crown are called Loyalists.
6. In the early 1970s, the IRA __
__.
A. killed many Protestants and Catholics
B. burned down the houses of Catholics
C. murdered individuals at random
D. carried out a series of bombing and shooting and attacked the security forces as their main target
7. 1972 was the worst year of the political troubles in Northern Ireland, because __
__.
A.13 Catholics were shot dead by the police
B. 468 people were killed in Northern Ireland
C. the government carried out a policy known as “internment”
D. bloody killing of 468 people fortified Catholic opposition to the British presence in Northern Ireland
8. Why did the British government decide to replace the power-sharing policy with “direct-rule” from London?
A. The power-sharing policy was not accepted by the majority of Protestants.
B. The Northern Irish Parliament could not govern the power effectively.
C. The Power-Sharing policy couldn't be carried out.
D. All the above.
9. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. In 1981, some convicted IRA prisoners went on a hunger-strike.
B. They demanded for the status of being “political prisoners” by starving themselves.
C. Margaret Thatcher's government gave in to their political demand.
D. The death of prisoners revitalized the political movement of Sinn Fein.
10. How many counties are there in Northern Ireland?
A. 26
B. 6
C. 32
D. 20
11. Which of the following agreement is accepted by both Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland?
A. The Anglo-Irish Agreement.
B. The Belfast Agreement.
C. The Good Friday Agreement.
D. The Multi-Party Agreement.
12. According to the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland today should be governed by the following jurisdictions except __
__.
A. the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland
B. the jurisdiction of loyalist ministers
C. the jurisdiction of Great Britain
D. the jurisdiction of Northern Ireland
III. Fill in the blanks:
1. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in ______, but the process was overtaken by ______ and was suspended for the duration of the war.
【答案】 1914, First World War
2. To pursue Irish independence, the most spectacular event in the Irish history was ______ of 1916, in which the rebels occupied Dublin's ______ and forced the British to take it back by military means.
【答案】 the Easter Rising, Post Office
3. As Protestants were the majority of the province, they controlled the local ______, and used that power to support their ______ dominance in the area.
【答案】 parliament, economic and social
4. The ______ IRA believed that they had made enough progress so that they could concentrate on a political process, and run candidates for ______.
【答案】 Official, election
5. The ______ IRA separated from the officials, because they felt that ______ was the only way to get the British out.
【答案】 Provisional, armed force
6. Threatened by the IRA in the early 1970s, the Protestants formed their own illegal groups and took revenge on ______
【答案】 paramilitary, Catholics
7. In 1971 the Northern Irish government took the action to imprison terrorist suspects from both sides without _____, a policy known as _____
【答案】 trials, internment
8. In the 1980s convicted IRA prisoners started a campaign for the status of being _____ by starving themselves. The British government didn't_____to this demand for political status and 11 prisoners starved to death.
【答案】 political prisoners, give in
9. 1972 was the worst year of the troubles and 468 people were killed that which included 13 Catholics who had been taking part in a peaceful _____ They were shot dead by British soldiers. This day has now been mythologised as ______
【答案】 civil rights march, Bloody Sunday
10. Sinn Fein, the legal ______ party, supports the IRA's right to fight. Its leaders spoke ______ of a twin campaign for union with Ireland, both political and military, which is known as the policy of ______
【答案】 political, The Bullet and the Ballot Box
11. In August 1994, the IRA declared a ceasefire with the efforts made by John Hume, the leader of ______, and Gerry Adams, the leader of . ______
【答案】 SDLP,Sinn Fein
12. It's hard to make talks successful between the British and Irish governments without the participation of ______ and ______.
【答案】 Sinn Fein, IRA
13. The Good Friday Agreement, known also as ______, emerged on 10 April 1998.
【答案】 the Belfast Agreement
14. The Good Friday Agreement assures ______ that Northern Ireland “remains part of the United Kingdom and shall not cease to be so without ______of Northern Ireland”.
【答案】 the loyalist community, the consent of the majority of the people
IV. Tell what you know about the following in your own words:
1. The Easter Rising
Key: In order to gain independence, different Irish groups had been fighting against the British institutions and the British military forces. One such activity was the Easter Rising which took place in 1916. The rebels occupied Dublin's Post Office and forced the British to take it back by military force. The leaders of the rebellion were executed by the British authorities.
2. The Provisional IRA
Key: In 1919, a group calling itself the IRA (Irish Republic Army) expanded fighting for Irish freedom and independence. The Provisional IRA is the radical faction of the IRA. They prefer the use of force and believe that armed force is the only way to get the British out and to have a unified Ireland.
3.Sinn Fein
Key: Sinn Feinis a legal political party in Northern Ireland which supports the IRA to fight for the union of Ireland. The leaders of Sinn Fein prefer union with Ireland by a twin campaign, both military and political which they call the policy of “the Bullet and the Ballot Box”. It believes that without the participation of Sinn Fein the political problem of Northern Ireland cannot be thoroughly solved.
4. Home Rule
Key: Ireland had long been dominated by Britain, but Irish desire for an independent Irish state was never lost. “Home Rule” refers to a campaign for Irish control of Irish affairs. The Home Rule Bill was finally passed in 1914, but the process was overtaken by the First World War and was suspended for the duration of the war.
5. The Good Friday Agreement
Key: As a result of multi-party negotiations, the Good Friday Agreement was approved on 10 April 1998. This agreement assures the loyalist community that Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom and it won't change its political status unless the majority of the people of Northern Ireland agree. Under the terms of the agreement, Northern Ireland should be governed by three separate jurisdictions: that of the Republic of Ireland, that of Great Britain and that of its own elected executive government of ten ministers.