特色：
说明这是一本用英文介绍英美两国各方面情况的书，原为河南大学外语系概况课教材。在1984年10月召开的审稿会上，来自复旦大学、南京大学、武汉大学、华中师范学院、西南师范学院、洛阳解放军外语学院等20所大专院校的代表对原稿进行了审议。会后经作者不断认真修改，现予以再版，以供需要。
片断：Itwasthis,inpart,thatmadesomepeoplesaythatEnglishsocietywasfilledwithsuffo-catinghypocrisy.AfoerigndiplomatsaidthathelivedinLondonfor15consecutiveyearsbuthefailedtolearnhowtobehavelikeanEnglishman.Thisisanexampleofculturaldifference,notjustthewayofdoingthings.Buttheyounggenerationwhode-mandsmoreopennessislessboundbythetraditionalvalues.Theytendtoshowtheirfeelingsmorefreely.Englishpeoplearecarefulwiththeirmanners.Well-bredpersonsmustbeappropriatelydressedfordinnerandinterviews.Theyaresupposedtokeepquietandtakegoodcareofthetableware.Politetable-talkisnecessary,butloudvoicesandwildlaughsareconsideredasill-breeding.AccordingtotheEnglishrule,peopleshouldputtheirforksandspoonsinplacebeforeleavingthetable.Theydon'tshakehandsoften,buttheysay"Thankyouverymuch"insteadof"Manythanks".ProblemsConfrontingTraditionalValuesTherulingpositionoftraditionalvaluesmetwithchallengeaftertheSecondWorldWar.InfluencedbyAmericanrock'n'roll,theEnglishBeatlesbegantogivetheirperformanceinpublicplacesintheearly1960s.LessreservedthantheirparentS,theBeatlesfoundaventfortheirfeelingsinnoisymusicandpopsongs.Boyscopiedgirlsbywearinglonghairandbright-colouredclothes.Someoftheboys,knownaspunks,wentsofarastowearbrassiere.Girls,inreturn,copiedboysbywear-ingplainclothesandclose-fittingjeans.Mini-dressesbecamethefashionbecauseyoungpeoplewantedtobescantilyclad.Theyaskedfora"permissivesociety"inwhicheveryonewasallowedtoseekhishappinesssolongasherefrainedfromactipnsharm-fultothepublic.Theirrebellionagainsttraditionalvaluescausedageneraldeclineofparentalauthorityandresultedintheso-called"generationgap".Thenewvaluesadvocatedbyyoungpeoplealsofoundtheirreflectioninfamilylife.Theaverageincomeforpersonalexpen-ditureincreased,buttheaverageageforfirstmarriagewitnessedaslowincrease.Thoughitislawfulforanyoneovertheageof16togetmarried,yetfewmenbelowtheageof25andfewwomenbelow23wanttomarry.Aftercohabitationbecameram-pant,thegovernmentlegalizedartificialabortiontoeasethepressureofillegitimatebirths.Anotherthornyproblemwascausedbydomesticviolenceandthehighdivorcerate.Traditionally,Englishmenwerebreoghtuptobecempetitrve,powerfulandaggressive.Butmanhood,ifabusedeasilyledtodomesticvoilence.AstudybyLondonpolicein1992foundthatalmosttwomeninthreebe-lievedtheywouldbeviolenttotheirwifeorpartnerincertainsit-uations.ItwasreportedthatinLondon100000womenayearreceivedtreatmentforviolentinjuriessufferedinthehome.Lon-donwomenhavelaunchedZeroTolerance--acampaigntopro-tectwomenagainstdomesticviolencebyshoutingtheslogan"e-noughisenough".Domesticviolenceisoneofthecontributingfactorsforthehighdivorcerate.Accordingtoofficialestimates,morethanoneinthreemarriagesendedindivorceinBritainin