Unit 1 The English Character 1
Text A The English Character（Ⅰ） 2
Text B The English Character（Ⅱ） 7
Text C The Understatement Rule 9
Unit 2 The Constitutional Monarchy 13
Text A The Constitutional Monarchy 14
Text B The Role of the Monarchy Today 17
Text C The Queen's Official Birthday 19
Text D Diana，the People's Princess 20
Unit 3 The British Parliament 25
Text A The British Government Today 26
Text B Political Parties in the U.K. 30
Text C Margaret Thatcher 32
Unit 4 Food and Drinks in the U.K. 35
Text A Food and Drinks in the U.K. 36
Text B British Meals 40
Text C Are You Foodies? 42
Text D Pub Etiquette 43
Unit 5 The British Ways＆Manners 47
Text A Politeness in Britain 48
Text B The Rules of Introduction 53
Text C What's Typically British 56
Text D Social Customs in Britain 57
Unit 6 Education System in the U.K. 61
Text A Going to School：British Style 62
Text B Boarding School 66
Text C On Liberal Education 68
Unit 7 The British Welfare System 72
Text A Welfare System in the U.K. 73
Text B The Welfare State 77
Text C The National Health Service 78
Text D Health and Illness 79
Unit 8 The British Media 82
Text A The British Press 83
Text B Contemporary British Television 87
Text C British Newspapers：A Ready Taxonomy of British Culture 89
Text D Drama and Documentary on British Television 92
Unit 9 The Law and Justice in Britain 97
Text A The British Legal System 98
Text B Origins of Common Law 102
Text C Jury System in the Dock 105
Text D The Police in Britain 106
Unit 10 Family Life in the U.K. 109
Text A Family Life in the U.K. 110
Text B Changing Values＆Norms of the U.K.Family 114
Text C One-Parent Family 115
Text D Marriage Customs 116
Unit 11 The British Sports＆Games 119
Text A The British Sports 120
Text B Cricket—A Very English Game 125
Text C The Highland Games 126
Text D Traditional Games in Scotland 127
Unit 12 Theatre＆Music in the U.K. 130
Text A Theatre＆Music in the U.K. 131
Text B Pantomimes 136
Text C Commercial Theatre and the Musical 137
Text D The Beatles 139
Unit 13 The British Holidays＆Festivals 142
Text A Holidays and Festivals in the U.K. 143
Text B Holiday Life in England 149
Text C Valentine Customs 150
Unit 14 The British Literature（Ⅰ） 152
Text A Overview of British Literature（Ⅰ） 153
Text B William Shakespeare 159
Text C To Be，or Not to Be 160
Text D Of Studies 161
Unit 15 The British Literature（Ⅱ） 164
Text A Overview of British Literature（Ⅱ） 165
Text B Pride and Prejudice 172
Text C Christmas Dinner 173
Text D Agatha Christie—Queen of Crime 175
Appendix 重点参考书目和网站 179