这是一本内容新颖而全面的关于加拿大社会和文化背景的阅读材料。本书描述了加拿大社会及人民的主要特征，旨在帮助英语专业学生和英语自学者，在了解加拿大的社会与文化概貌的同时，通过课文的阅读与学习达到进一步提高英语水平的目的。本书适用于各类大专院校英语专业的一二年级及具有同等英语水平的自学者。
加拿大与中国的交流由来已久，其国内已有大量的中国移民，这使得两国的文化和传统互有影响，也吸引国内越来越多的学者对加拿大进行研究。但目前国内关于加拿大的出版物较少，高校英语专业对英语**社会与文化的学习也主要以英国和美国为主。本书的出版将在一定程度上弥补这一不足，使我国的英语学习者对加拿大有一个更为全面的了解。

Preface
Chapter1-Canada:Introduction
Introduction
Major Characteristics of Canada
Canada's Links to the International Community
Summary Obeservations
Resources
Vocabulary-Canada:Introduction
Chapter2-Defining Moments from the Past
Introduction
Discovering Canada in the 'New World'
British-French Rivalry and Conflict
Nation-building:Responsible Government,COnfederatio and Expansion West and North
The Great Depression and World WarⅡ
Coming of Age in a Post-War World
Summary Observations
Resources
Vocabulary-Defining Moments from the Past
Chapter3-Canada's Geographic Features
Introduction
Canada's Geographic Regions and Their Main Physical Features
Canada's Climatic Regions
Canada's Natural Vegetation
How the Geography and Climate have Affected Canadian Society?
Summary Observations
Resources
Vocabulary-Canada's Geographic Features
Chapter4-Canada's Evolving Mosaic of Culturally Diverse Peoples
Introduction
Who Are the Peoples of Canada?
Summary Observations
Resources
Vocabulary-Canada's Evolving Mosaic of Culturally Diverse Peoples
Chapter5-Canada's Economy
Chapter6-Canada's Political Institutions
Chapter7-Canada's Relations with the United States
Chapter8-The Cultural Arts in Canada
Chapter9-Canada's Educational System
Chapter10-Social and Business Customs inCanada
Chapter11-Canada's Sights,Sounds,Smells,Tastes and Textures
Bibliography
Index

这是一本全面的关于加拿大社会和文化背景的阅读材料，描述了加拿大社会及人民的的主要特征，旨在帮助人们在了解加拿大社会和文化概貌的同时，提高英语水平。