随着中国改革开放的深入和经济全球化的大趋势日益发展，跨文化交际也日显重要，这就要求英语专业的学生，不但要学好作为交际工具使用的英语语言，还要深入了解英美文化。

这本书所讲述的基本内容采用了树状结构组合，有横有纵，横向展开以拓宽视野，讨论英美社会的方方面面，纵向探索以追溯其运动轨迹和因果关系。纵横结合，互相补充，犹如影像中使用的摇镜头和变焦距技巧。在尽量控制篇幅的前提下，尽量兼容并蓄，加大内容含量，以提高全书的可教性、可读性和参考性，以满足多层次、多方位的不同需要。

本书的章节划分，既考虑到一学期的授课时数，也考虑了学生的自学阅读。为此，各节都配了副标题。用作教材时，可把副标题视作讲课大纲参考，也可以依此组织学生进行课堂讨论，不需要过多受限于原文字句。各节后配的练习题，是本节的复习重点，其中包括书中大部分的专有名词和术语，这是为了使学生掌握标准的汉语对应译文。

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Chapter One Panoramic View

Section One The Country and the People

Section Two The British Government

Section Three Politics and Law

Section Four National Economy and Cities

Section Five Cultural and Social Life

Chapter Two English History

Section One Origin of the English Nation and Beginning of Parliament

Section Two Decline of Feudalism and the Tudor Monarchy

Section Three The English Civil War and Industrial Revolution

Section Four The Rise and Fall of the British Empire

  The United States of America

Chapter One Panoramic View

Section One The United States and Its Natural Conditions

Section Two American People

Section Three Government and Politics (Ⅰ)

Section Four Government and Politics (Ⅱ)

Section Five National Economy

Section Six American Culture

Section Seven American Education and Holidays

Chapter Two American History

Section One The Thirteen EnglishAmerican Colonies and Independence War

Section Two America Following Independence and Westward Movement

Section Three From the Civil War to the Early 20th Century

Section Four From the First World War to Present Time