本书精选现当代英美著名作家的散文、演讲和故事共16篇，按叙事、描写、说明和议论体裁编排。全书分为16单元，每单元由1篇名篇和1篇阅读材料组成，前者多为欣赏性的佳作，内容涉及父爱、健康生活方式、大学生活、读书、西方文化、老年生活等。后者为快速阅读材料，用于巩固和提高读者的阅读速度和阅读能力。本书每篇文章后设计了一些巩固练习。本书选文有如下特点：第一，选文内容丰富，风格各异，题材多样性。第二，注重可读性。语言生动活泼，多姿多彩，每篇文章在谋篇布局方面有其独到之处。第三，突出人文精神。选文大都具有深沉广博的人文内涵，使读者在学习语言的同时，能体会人生百味，拓展思维方式，充实文化知识，从而提高交际能力。

Part I Narration
Unit
Passage 1 THE PERFECT PICTURE
Passage 2 Tall Tales from the Backwoods
Unit
Passage 1 TO MAKE PAPA PROUD
Passage 2 When You Have an Accident
Unit
Passage 1 DANGLING MAN
Passage 2 Detectives" Lives--Fact and Fantasy
Unit
Passage 1 BREAKFAST
Passage 2 Eyeless Sight
Part II Exposition
Unit
Passage 1 APPETITE
Passage 2 Gold
Unit
Passage 1 WHAT IS HAPPINESS
Passage 2 Uri Geller's Extraordinary Powers
Unit
Passage 1 THE BLOOD LUST
Passage 2 Population Growth and Industry
Unit
Passage 1 THE FULL CIRCLE: IN PRAISE OF THE BICYCLE
Passage 2 How Lions Hunt
Part III Description
Unit
Passage 1 THE SPIDER AND THE WASP
Passage 2 The Secrets of Sleep
Unit
Passage 1 THE DEATH OF THE MOTH
Passage 2 How to Shine at a Job Interview
Unit
Passage I COLORFUL, COLORED AND COLORLESS
WORDS
Passage 2 Better Left Unsaid
Unit
Passage 1 IF I WERE A FRESHMAN AGAIN
Passage 2 How Personality Affects Your Health
Part IV Argumentation
Unit
Passage 1 HOW TO MARK A BOOK
Passage 2 My Journey Home
Unit
Passage 1 HOW TO GROW OLD
Passage 2 My Uncle's Marriage
Unit
Passage 1 ON THE MEANING OF WORK
Passage 2 Graduates
Unit
Passage 1 I HAVE A DREAM
Passage 2 The Hollywood Indian