本教材介绍了英国和美国的社会与文化，涵盖了历史、地理、政治、宗教、教育、休闲生活和文学方面的主要内容，从内容的选取到练习的编写均把握在针对具有中等英语水平者。

本教材既可以作为高职高专院校英语专业的必修课教材，同时，也适用于成人院校英语专业的学习者和英美文化爱好者。由于本教材尽量避免使用生僻词汇和复杂的句法结构，具备高中以上的基础语法知识、英语词汇量在3000以上的学习者均可使用。

Chapter 1 History

Part One History of Britain

The Beginning of Britain/2

Feudal Britain/6

The Beginning of the Modern World/8

Britain in the Two World Wars/11

Part Two History of the United States

Colonization of North America/18

The Birth of the United States of America/22

The American Civil War/25

The United States in the Two World Wars/27

Chapter 2 Geography

Part One The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The Land/34

Main Cities and Tourist Attractions/38

Part Two The United States of America

The Land/47

Main Cities and Tourist Attractions/50

Chapter 3 Politics

Part One Political System of the United Kingdom

The Government/61

British Parties/67

Part Two Political System of the United States

The Constitution/74

The Government/77

Political Parties/81

Chapter 4 Religion

Part One British Religion

Religion/90

Religion and British Society/96

Part Two American Religion/106

Religion/106

Beliefs and Values/111

Chapter 5 Education

Part One British Education

Primary Education/121

Secondary Education/122

Higher Education/125

Part Two American Education/132

Elementary Education/132

Secondary Education/134

Home Schooling/135

Higher Education/136

Chapter 6 Leisure Life

Part One British Leisure Life/144

Mass Media/144

Sports/147

Holidays/150

Part Two American Leisure Life

Mass Media/156

Sports/'158

Holidays/160

Chapter 7 Literature

Part One British Literature

Early Writings/169

The Golden Age of English Drama/171

The Rising and Development of English Novel/173

The Twentieth Century Literature/176

Part Two American Literature

The Colonial Period/182

American Romanticism/183

The Age of Realism/187

American Naturalism/187

Post-World War I Literature/188

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