“英语国家概况”是教育部规定的一门英语专业必修课程，目的是帮助英语专业学生、非英语专业学生、自学考试学生和英语爱好者了解英语国家的基本情况。本教材主要介绍美国、英国、加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰和印度的社会生活、科学技术、经济概况、文化教育、地理概貌、历史背景、政治制度、外交关系、假日旅游等方面的基本知识，使学生了解一些主要的讲英语国家的生活方式、价值观念和思维方式，更好地掌握和使用英语语言，加深对语言、文化和文学的理解，增强对文化差异的敏感性，提高分析和评介能力，达到巩固英语水平、扩大知识面、训练英语技能、提高认知能力之目的。

本教材分为上、下两册，上册是美国和英国概况，下册是加拿大、澳大利亚、新西兰和印度概况。每册十八章，英语专业学生每周平均学两学时，可供两个学期使用；也可以用作非英语专业或业余学习，每周平均用二至三学时学习一章。由于每章的内容多少不尽相同，教师可根据情况酌情处理。

CHAPTER 1 AMERICAN AND BRITISH SOCIAL LIFE

 1.1 American Social Life

 1.2 British Social Life

CHAPTER 2 AMERICAN AND BRITISH EDUCATION

 2.1 A Brief Outline of American and British Educational Systems

 2.2 Primary and Secondary Education

 2.3 Higher Education

CHAPTER 3 AMERICAN AND BRITISH MEDIA

 3.1 The American Press and News Agencies

 3.2 The British Press and News Agencies

 3.3 American Broadcasting

 3.4 British Broadcasting

CHAPTER 4 AMERICAN AND BRITISH TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS

 4.1 Uncle Sam

 4.2 The American Spirit of "Do-It-Yourself"

 4.3 Thanksgiving

 4.4 The Self-Made Man

 4.5 John Bull

 4.6 Talking About the Weather

 4.7 Three Royal Traditions

 4.8 Three "Don'ts"

 4.9 Love of Privacy

 4.10 Halloween

CHAPTER 5 AMERICAN AND BRITISH SPORTS

 5.1 American Sports

 5.2 British Sports

CHAPTER 6 AMERICAN AND BRITISH ANTHEMS AND FLAGS

 6.1 The Star-Spangled Banner

 6.2 God Save the Queen (or King )

 6.3 The Stars and Stripes

 6.4 Union Jack

CHAPTER 7 AMERICAN AND BRITISH FOREIGN RELATIONS

 7.1 American Foreign Relations

 7.2 British Foreign Relations

CHAPTER 8 AMERICAN AND BRITISH RELIGION

 8.1 American Religion

 8.2 British Religion

CHAPTER 9 AMERICAN AND BRITISH ECONOMY

 9.1 Features of the American Economy

 9.2 Features of the British Economy

 9.3 American Industry

 9.4 British Industry

 9.5 American Agriculture

 9.6 British Agriculture

 9.7 American Trade and Finance

 9.8 British Trade and Finance

CHAPTER 10 AMERICAN AND BRITISH SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY

 10.1 American Science and Technology

 10.2 British Science and Technology

CHAPTER 11 AMERICAN AND BRITISH GEOGRAPHY

 11.1 American and British Locations

 11.2 The American Geography

 11.3 The American Rivers and Mountains

 11.4 The British Geography

 11.5 The British Rivers and Mountains

CHAPTER 12 AMERICAN AND BRITISH POPULATIONAND MAJOR CITIES

 12.1 American Population

 12.2 British Population

 12.3 American and British Major Cities

CHAPTER 13 EARLY AMERICAN AND BRITISH HISTORY

 13.1 Early American History

 13.2 Early British History

CHAPTER 14 AMERICAN AND BRITISH SIGNIFICANT EVENTS BEFORE THE END OF WORLD WAR Ⅱ

 14.1 The American Significant Events Before World War Ⅰ

 14.2 The British Significant Events Before World War Ⅰ

 14.3 The USA and the UK in World War Ⅰ

 14.4 The Great Depression and Roosevelt's "New Deal"

 14.5 The USA and the UK in World War Ⅱ

CHAPTER 15 CONTEMPORARY USA AND UK

 15.1 Contemporary American History

 15.2 Contemporary British History

CHAPTER 16 AMERICAN AND BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEMS

 16.1 American Federal System

 16.2 British Political System

 16.3 The American Congress

 16.4 The British Parliament

 16.5 The Federal Administration

 16.6 The Royal Government

 16.7 The American Supreme Court

 16.8 The British Judicial Body

CHAPTER 17 AMERICAN AND BRITISH POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS

 17.1 The Political Parties in the USA

 17.2 The Political Parties in the UK

 17.3 The Elections in the USA

 17.4 The Elections in the UK

CHAPTER 18 AMERICAN AND BRITISH HOLIDAYS AND TOURISM

 18.1 American Holidays

 18.2 British Holidays

 18.3 American Tourism

 18.4 British Tourism

APPENDIX Ⅰ THE FIFTY STATES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

APPENDIX Ⅱ THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

APPENDIX Ⅲ MAJOR EVENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY

APPENDIX Ⅳ THE COUNTIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

APPENDIX Ⅴ THE PRIME MINISTERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OFGREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

APPENDIX Ⅵ MAJOR EVENTS IN BRITISH HISTORY

APPENDIX Ⅶ REFERENCES