本教材为“通用学术英语读写系列教材”的第二部，旨在训练、提高学生的学术英语议论文读写能力。教材重在引导学习者通过阅读议论性英语文章，了解该文体的特点和写作方法，学习学术语言的风格和基本要求。此外，通过研究和讨论文后的问题，对文章内容进行反思，培养批判性思维能力。全书分8个单元，涉及8个不同领域的话题，每单元包括议论文写作技巧讲解、议论文阅读、单元复习。每篇阅读文章后均设计有相应的阅读、写作任务，以强化议论文阅读技能，扩大学术英语词汇量，巩固单元目标写作技巧。

Unit 1 Business and Econnomics
Writing Skill Development
Basic Structure of an Argumentative Essay
Reading for Ideas
Text A Drain or Gain?
Text B Rent or Buy,a Matter of Lifestyle
Text C Comeback Kid--America’S Economy Is Once Again Reinventing Itself
Unit Summary
Unit 2 Engineering
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation(1)
Use of Reliable Sources(statistics，facts，quotation，
illustrative incidents，etc．)
Reading for Ideas
Text A Altering the Forces of Nature：Genetic Engineering on Animals
Text B Genetically Modified Foods：A Solution to World Hunger or Potential Health Threat?
Text C Genetic Engineering and Cloning
Unit Summary
Unit 3 Sinence
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation(2)
Cause and Effect
Reading for Ideas
Text A Can Animals and Plants Adapt to Global Warming?
Text C Stem Cell Research—Why Is It Regarded as a rnlreat?
Unit Summary
Unit 4 Information Technology
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation f31
Comparison and Contrast
Reading for Ideas
Text A iPads and Kindles Are Better for the Environmenl
Than Books
Text B Stop Blaming the Internet
Text C We Should Not Permit Internet CensorshilD
Unit Summary
Unit 5 Philosophy
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation r41
Deduction and Induction
Reading for Ideas
Text A Argument,Truth and the Social Side of Reasoning
Text B Who Needs the Humanities?
Text C Experiments in Philosophy
Unit Summary
Unit 6 Social Science
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation r51
Clear Flow ofReasoning and Avoidance ofFaltse Aments
Reading for Ideas
Text A The Many Career Opportunities for Recipients of
Degrees iin Mathematics
Text B Hidden Tigers：Why Do Chinese Children Do So
Well at School?
Text C WhyIWant aWife
Unit Summary
Unit 7 Life Science/Health
Writing Skill Development
The Whole Essay (1)
Reading for Ideas
Text A A Scientist: "I Am the Enemy"
Text B An Argument in Support of Euthanasia or Physician- Assisted Suicide
Text C The Case Against Physician-Assisted Suicide: For the Right to End-of-Life Care
Unit Summary
Unit 8 Environment
Writing Skill Development
The Whole Essay (2)
Main Issue + Refutation + Support
Main Issue + Support + Refutation
Reading for Ideas
Text A The Food Miles Mistake
Text B Global Warming: Man-Made or Natural?
Text C The Environmental Argument for Reducing
Immigration to the United States
Unit Summary
Appendix Glossary