Part One The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Chapter One Geography
Section 1 Position，Name and Areas
Section 2 Major Cities
Section 3 Climate and Environment
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Two People
Section 1 The People of Britain Today
Section 2 A Mixed Race Society
Section 3 Class Structure
Section 4 Religions
Section 5 Character and Manners
Section 6 So Norms and Etiquettes（礼仪）
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Three Family
Section 1 Changing Values and Norms of the British Family
Section 2 Family Patterns
Section 3 Family Size
Section 4 Adoptions（收养）
Section 5 Marriage
Section 6 Divorce
Section 7 Older People
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Four Political System
Section 1 The Constitutional Monarch（君主立宪制）
Section 2 Parliament
Section 3 Government
Section 4 Political Parties
Section 5 Election
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Five National Economy
Section 1 General Survey
Section 2 Economic History
Section 3 Industries
Section 4 Foreign Trade
Section 5 Welfare
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Six Education
Section 1 Educational System
Section 2 Different Types of Schools in England
Section 3 Higher Education
Section 4 Famous Universities
Section 5 Other Types of Education
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Seven Science and Culture
Section 1 Achievements in Science and Technology
Section 2 Research and Development in Industry
Section 3 Outstanding Culture
Section 4 Principal Arts Organizations
Section 5 Arts for Everybody
Sections 6 Museums
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Eight British Literature
Section 1 The Early Writings
Section 2 Elizabethan Drama
Section 3 The Nineteenth Century Novel
Section 4 The Twentieth Century Literature
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Nine History
Section 1 The Founding of the Nation
Section 2 Transition to the Modern Age
Section 3 The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Ten Britain and the World
Section 1 The Three-Circles
Section 2 Britain and America
Section 3 Britain and Europe under Brexit（英国脱欧）
Section 4 Britain and China
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Eleven Media and Sports
Section 1 Newspapers
Section 2 Television，Broadcast and Radio
Section 3 Popular Sports in Britain
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Twelve Festivals and Leisure
Section 1 Traditional Festivals
Section 2 Leisure Activities
Section 3 Public Houses（Pubs）in Britain
Questions for Discussion
Part Two United States of America
Chapter One Geography
Section 1 Location and Size
Section 2 Physiographic Regions
Section 3 Rivers and Lakes
Section 4 Climate and Weather
Section 5 Major Cities in the USA
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Two History
Section 1 Discovering a New World
Section 2 The Founding of the 13 Colonies
Section 3 The War of Independence
Section 4 The Civil War
Section 5 Establishing a New Government
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Three Political System
Section 1 General Principles
Section 2 The Three Branches
Section 3 Two Parties System
Section 4 Relations with China
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Four People
Section 1 A Nation of Immigrants
Section 2 American Way of Life
Section 3 Character and Values
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Five Religions
Section 1 Religion and the USA Government
Section 2 Protestants
Section 3 Catholics
Section 4 Jewish
Section 5 Other Religions in the USA
Section 6 American Character of Religion
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Six American Literature
Section 1 The Age of Romanticism
Section 2 The Age of Realism
Section 3 Modern American Literature
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Seven Education
Section 1 Features of American Education
Section 2 Secondary Education
Section 3 Higher Education
Section 4 Finan Problems
Section 5 Standardized Tests and Their Uses
Section 6 Vocational and Technical Education
Section 7 Education and Employment in the USA
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Eight National Economy
Section 1 General Survey
Section 2 How American Economy Works
Section 3 Manufacturing Industries
Section 4 Agriculture
Section 5 Money System
Section 6 Foreign Trade
Section 7 New Economy
Section 8 Subprime Crisis
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Nine Work and Welfare
Section 1 Overview of American Labor Market
Section 2 Major So Welfare Programs
Section 3 Welfare Reform
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Ten Mass Media and Entertainment
Section 1 The Press
Section 2 Television
Section 3 Radios
Section 4 Movies
Section 5 Music
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Eleven Leisure Activities
Section 1 Traveling in America
Section 2 Sports
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Twelve Holidays
Section 1 Martin Luther King Day（Third Monday in January）
Section 2 Valentine’s Day （February 14）
Section 3 Mother’s Day and Father’s Day
Section 4 Memorial Day（Last Monday in May）
Section 5 Independence Day（July 4）
Section 6 Halloween（October 31）
Section 7 Thanksgiving Day（Fourth Thursday in November）
Section 8 Merry Christmas（December 25）
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Thirteen Domestic Problems
Section 1 Ra Discrimination
Section 2 The Gap Between the Poor and the Rich
Section 3 Health and Health Care
Section 4 Drug Abuse
Section 5 Violent Crime and Juvenile Delinquency
Section 6 Traffic Accidents
Section 7 Teen Pregnancy and Abortion
Questions for Discussion
Part Three Canada，Australia and New Zealand
Canada
Chapter One An Overview
Section 1 Location and Size
Section 2 Regions
Section 3 People
Section 4 Languages
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Two History of Canada
Section 1 British and French Settlement
Section 2 Canada and the Two World Wars
Section 3 Canada since the 1960s and at the Turn of the Millennia（千年之交）
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Three Central Canada
Section 1 General Survey
Section 2 Ontario
Section 3 Quebec
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Four Political System
Section 1 Canadian Government
Section 2 Foreign Influences
Section 3 Major Political Parties
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Five Education and Literature
Section 1 Education
Section 2 Literature
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Six Economy
Section 1 General Survey
Section 2 Effects of the Two World Wars and the Great Depression
Section 3 Canadian Economy after World War Ⅱ
Section 4 Economy around the Beginning of the 21st Century
Section 5 Quebec Nationalism（魁北克民族主义独立运动）
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Seven International Relations
Section 1 From Junior Partner to Middle Power
Section 2 The Military Contributions and Commitments of Canada
Section 3 Canadian-American Relations
Section 4 Sino-Canadian Relations
Section 5 Overseas Development Programs of Canada
Questions for Discussion
Australia
Chapter One An Overview
Section 1 Size and Location
Section 2 Climate
Section 3 Population and Major Cities
Section 4 A Multicultural Society
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Two History of Australia
Section 1 Early Colonial Period
Section 2 The Rising of a Nation
Section 3 Australia in the Two World Wars and the Great Depression
Section 4 Australia after World WarⅡ
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Three Political System
Section 1 Australian Government
Section 2 Political Parties
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Four Economy and Education
Section 1 Economy
Section 2 Education
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Five Foreign Relations
Section 1 Relations with UK and US
Section 2 Relations with UN and Asia-Pacific Region
Section 3 Australia and China
Section 4 Australia and Other Major Countries
Questions for Discussion
New Zealand
Chapter One An Overview
Section 1 Land and Climate
Section 2 Nature
Section 3 People and Society
Section 4 Culture and Arts
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Two History of New Zealand
Section 1 Early Settlement
Section 2 British Colonization
Section 3 Post-war New Zealand
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Three Political System
Section 1 Government of New Zealand
Section 2 Major Political Parties
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Four Economy and Education
Section 1 Economy
Section 2 Education
Questions for Discussion
Chapter Five Foreign Relations
Section 1 New Zealand and the United Nations
Section 2 New Zealand in the Asia-Pacific Region
Section 3 New Zealand and China
Section 4 New Zealand and EU
Section 5 New Zealand and the United States
Questions for Discussion
References

本书介绍了英国、美国、加拿大、澳大利亚和新西兰5个主要英语国家的历史、地理、教育、经济以及靠前地位、国家形象、对外关系和主张等社会文化知识。
本书编写体例新颖、结构合理，内容通俗易懂、难度适中，将语言学习与多元文化知识的获得紧密结合起来，旨在开阔学生视野、增强学生对文化差异的兴趣和敏感度，提高学生语言素养、培养学生跨文化交际意识和能力，并为学生进入、适应多元文化环境或职场以及继续教育或出国学习交流打下一定的基础。
本书有配套的电子教案，可在化学工业出版社的官方网站上免费下载。
本书适合高等院校、高职高专英语专业学生使用，适合涉外工作人员使用。