“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。
- 前辅文
- 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 ll
- 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 OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
- APPENDIX VI MAJOR EVENTS IN BRITISH HISTORY
- APPENDIX VII REFERENCES
- 后记
