本书内容主要包括英美两国的地理、历史、政体制度、教育、新闻媒体、风俗习惯、宗教信仰等。目的是通过学习，开阔学生的视野，扩大学生的知识面，增强学生的跨文化交际能力。
本书主要有以下特点：（1）知识介绍连贯系统，重点突出，详略得当；（2）语言叙述简练准确，通俗易懂，图文并茂；（3）各章注释以提供背景知识为主，且大多是普通词典不易查到的内容；（4）练习中的选择题和填空题为各章知识重点的浓缩，可用来检测学习者对知识的掌握情况；（5）练习中的讨论题，注重培养学生分析和解决问题的能力，以及英语表达能力；（6）章节编排科学合理、方便实用。
本书使用对象主要是英语专业大学生、英语专业考研生、翻译硕士考研生、英语自学考试者、欲出国留学者和涉外工作人员。

Part One The United States of America
Chapter 1 Geographical Features and Natural Resources
1.Location and Geographical Divisions
2.Climate
3.Natural Resources
Chapter 2 American Population
1.Composition of the US Population
2.Population Distribution
3.Internal Migration
Chapter 3 Discovery and Colonization of the New World
1.American Indians and Great Discoveries
2.Colonization of the New World
3.Governmental and Social Structures of the 13 Colonies
Chapter 4 American Revolution
1.Britain's Policy to American Colonies
2.The Road to the Revolution
3.The Outbreak of War and the Second Continental Congress
4.Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War
Chapter 5 The Confederation and the Constitution
1.Articles of Confederation
2.Constitutional Convention
3.Opinions on the Ratification Issue
4.The New Government and the Louisiana Purchase
5.The War of 1812
Chapter 6 American Expansion and the Civil War
1.Monroe Doctrine
2.Westward Movement
3.Economic Antagonism Between North and South
4.The Way to the Civil War
5.Civil War
Chapter 7 Reconstruction and the Birth of US Imperialism
1.Reconstruction in the South
2.Becoming a Great Industrial Power
3.Becoming an Imperial Power
Chapter 8 World War Ⅰ and the Depression
1.World War Ⅰ
2.America's Entrance into the War
3.Peace Conference of 1919
4.Era of Prosperity and the Coming of Great Depression
5.Franklin Roosevelt and His New Deal
Part Two The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Appendices
References