本书依据高等院校英语专业教学大纲进行编写，旨在为英语专业的学生提供一本方便有效的有关专业基础知识的检测读本。全书由英美文学、英语**概况和语言学三个主要部分组成，提纲挈领，**突出，英汉对照，每部分后配有一定量的检验性练习。
本书适用于高等院校英语专业本科生、研究生，英语教师和英语爱好者。

Section One English and American Literature
Chapter One English Literature
Ⅰ. Poetry
Ⅱ. Prose
Ⅲ. Drama
Ⅳ. A Brief History of English Novels
Exercises
Chapter Two American Literature
Ⅰ. Prose
Ⅱ. Poetry
Ⅲ. Fiction
Ⅳ. Drama
Exercises
Section Two Introduction to English SpeakingCountries
Chapter One The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Ⅰ. Geography
Ⅱ. History
Ⅲ. Politics
Ⅳ. Welfare
Ⅴ. Economy
ⅤⅠ. Education
Ⅶ. Culture
Chapter Two The United States of America
Ⅰ. Geography
Ⅱ. History
Ⅲ. Politics and Government
Ⅳ. Economy
Ⅴ. Education
Ⅵ. Race and Ethnic Groups
Ⅶ. Holidays and Festivals
Chapter Three Canada
Ⅰ. Land, people and History
Ⅱ. Political System
Ⅲ. Economy
Ⅳ. Education and International Relations
Chapter Four Australia
Ⅰ. Land, People and History
Ⅱ. Political System
Ⅲ. Economy
Ⅳ. Cultural and Social Life
Chapter Five New Zealand
Ⅰ. Land, People and History
Ⅱ. Political System, Education and Economy
Exercises
Section Three Linguistics
Chapter One Basic Concepts of Linguistics
Chapter Two Phonetics and Phonology
Chapter Three Morphology
Chapter Four Syntax
Chapter Five Semantics
Chapter Six Pragmatics
Chapter Seven Sociolinguistics
Exercises