本书应当前教学需要，在参阅大量国内外文献资料的基础上，以马列主义立场、观点为指导进行取舍、整理和编排而成，并经过多年课堂试用和反复修改。全书共20课，每一课都附有知识性练习、讨论与思考题，每一课开头部分有内容提要，便于学生自学、理解和记忆。书后附有英美历史大事记、英王朝历代国王名表及任期、美国50州、美国历任总统名表及任期等，以便查阅。

本教材可用作英语专业专、本科生教材，自学考试教材和英语爱好者的业余读物。经多年课堂试用，证明使用效果良好。

Part 0ne An Introduction to Great Britain

 Lesson 1 Geography：The Land

 Lesson 2 Geography：The People

 Lesson 3 British Economy

 Lesson 4 Political System：Parliament and Government

 Lesson 5 Political System：Party Politics and Judiciary 

 Lesson 6 History：Early Man and the Feudal Society

 Lesson 7 History：Decline of Feudalism and the Bourgeois Revolution

 Lesson 8 History：The Industrial Revolution and the Chartist Movement

 Lesson 9 History：The British Empire and Britain in Two World

 Wars and Post—War Periods 

 Lesson 10 Education in Britain 

 Key to Exercises

Part Two An IntrOductiOn to the United States

 Lesson 11 Geography：The Land

 Lesson 12 Geography：The People

 Lesson 13 American Economy

 Lesson 14 Political System：Government

 Lesson 15 Political System：State Government and Party Politics

 Lesson 16 History：The Early Colonization

 Lesson 17 History：American Revolution

 Lesson 18 History：American Civil War

 Lesson 19 History：US Imperialism

 Lesson 20 American Education

 Key to Exercises

APPENDIX I

 I．Outstanding Events in English History

 Ⅱ．The List of Kings of England

 Ⅲ．Counties of Great Britain．

 Ⅳ．Territories of Great Britain

 V．British Commonwealth of Nations

APPENDIXⅡ

 I．Fifty States of the United States

 II．The Ten Great Interest Groups in the United States

 Ⅲ．Outstanding Events in American History

 IV．The List of Presidents of the United States

Bibliography