本教材分为10章，重点介绍了英国的文学巨匠、历史事件、交际礼仪、新闻媒体、地理特点、文娱活动、政治制度、国民特征、教育体系、女性运动等经典的社会文化现象，选材考究、导向清晰、层次递进，横向介绍英国社会的方方面面，纵向追溯其发展历程和因果渊源。为满足多群体、多维度、多层面的不同需要，本教材兼容并蓄，具有较高的可读性、可教性和可参考性，方便教师开展形式多样的教学活动，有助于学习者拓宽国际视野，树立跨文化交际意识，增强英语综合运用能力、自主学习能力和批判性思维能力。
本教材既可作为英语专业本科教材，又可用于高校英语文化类选修课，也可供英国文化爱好者阅读参考；本教材还有配套慕课资源，教师可开展线上线下相结合的混合式教学实践。

Chapter 1 Literature-LiteraryGiants and Their Masterpieces
Unit 1 Shakespeare, The Greatest Dramatist: Appreciation of His Comedies and Tragedies
Text Ⅰ Why Study Shakespeare？
Text Ⅱ On Shakespeare
Unit 2 Great Authors and Their Novels of the Victorian Period
Text Ⅰ Gender Roles in the 19th Century
Text Ⅱ Charles Dickens' Gift of Giving
Unit 3 Notable Poets of RomanticismmByron, Shelley and Keats
Text Ⅰ Famous Last Words
Text Ⅱ The Later Romantics: Shelley, Keats, and Byron
Chapter2 History-Figures and Events of Significance
Unit 1 King Arthur and William of Normandy: Early History of Britain and the French Influence
Text Ⅰ King Arthur
Text Ⅱ The Emergence of the British State
Unit 2 King John and King Charles h Is King's Right Divine？
Text Ⅰ King John
Text Ⅱ Charles l
Unit 3 Spanish Armada and the Two World Wars: The Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets
Text Ⅰ Rivalry Between Britain and France
Text Ⅱ The Battle of Britain
Chapter 3 Communication-Etiquette Here and There
Unit 1 English Weather-Speak: How to Talk About the Weather with the English
Text Ⅰ Is the British Weather Unique in the World？
Text Ⅱ Rules of English Weather-Speak
Unit 2 Greetings and Goodbyes: How to Greet and Say Goodbye
Text Ⅰ A Short Primer on British Social Etiquette
Text Ⅱ English Etiquette
Unit 3 English Pubs-How to Engage in Non-verbal and Verbal Communication
Text Ⅰ Seven Differences Between American and British Pubs
Text Ⅱ What Is Britain Without the Pub？
Chapter 4 British Media-Broadcasting, Newspapers and Television
Unit 1 The Broadcasting History of BBC
Text Ⅰ The Growth of Alternative Media
Text Ⅱ Swashbuckling Sounds: The History of Pirate Radio Stations
Unit 2 Britain's Big Three: Quality or Popular Papers
Text Ⅰ A History of the Broadsheet Newspaper
Text Ⅱ The Era of the Press Barons
Unit 3 Television: An Idiotic Thing？
Text Ⅰ The Age of Show Business
Text Ⅱ The Medium Is the Message
Chapter 5 A Country of Countries-Geography and Tourist Attractions
Unit 1 Geographical Divisions of United Kingdom
Text Ⅰ The Differences Among the UK, Britain, Great Britain and England
Text Ⅱ People and Language
Unit 2 Historical Heritage and Landscape
Text Ⅰ Stonehenge-Era Pig Roasts United Ancient Britain, Scientists Say
Text Ⅱ The White Cliffs of Dover-Things to See and Do
Unit 3 A Tour to Major Cities: Landmarks and Spectaculars
Text Ⅰ Six of London's Best Small Museums and Why You Should Visit Them Now
Text Ⅱ How to Experience Belfast's Cultural Scene like a Local
Chapter 6 Entertainment-Sports, Movies and TV Series
Unit 1 Sports: Widespread Participation
Text Ⅰ Sports in the UK
Text Ⅱ Association Football or Soccer
Unit 2 What's So Fascinating of British Films？
Text Ⅰ The Highest-Grossing British Films of All Time
Text Ⅱ British Film History
Unit 3 Charms of Popular TV Series-Sherlock, Downton Abbey and Doctor Who
Text Ⅰ Best Films and TV Shows Based on the British Royal Family
Text Ⅱ Do You Love British TV Series？ Showmax Got You Covered
Unit 4 One City, Three Olympic Games
Text Ⅰ London Olympic Games Then and Now: 1908
Text Ⅱ Legacies of Past Olympic Games
Chapter 7 Politics-Constitutional Monarchy
Unit 1 Constitution and Monarch: How to Justify Britain's Support for Monarchy
Text Ⅰ Elizabeth II
Text Ⅱ Harry's Departure Could Do Britain's Royal Family a Favor
Unit 2 General Election: Who Would Become the Winner of First-Past-the-Post
Text Ⅰ How Winston Churchill Lost the 1945 British General Election
Text Ⅱ Some Arguments Surrounding the Debate over FPTP vs. PR
Unit 3 Separation of Powers: Would Early Election Do Wonders for Theresa May
Text Ⅰ