本书遵循着“主题循环”的原则，坚持以培养学生的人文素质和文化交流意识为目标。为了更好地反映高校学生文化认知的层次，提高学习兴趣，本次修订将侧重人文思考价值；同时考虑与四级考试接轨，帮助学生在平时的学习中熟悉四级的考试题型。本次修订的特点是纳入了一线教师的教学经验，更换了一部分课文，与原有的课文在内容上有难易节奏的变化，在总体上稍微降低了语言水平的同时，使用教学内容更切合教学实际。通过修订，本套教材将更好地服务于高校培养既有人文基本素养又有国际视野的英语应用人才。

Unit 1 HAPPINESS AND CULTURE
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A Enough is Enough: Finding a Graceful Balance in Life
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B Confucianism
Unit 2 WILDLIFE
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A The Grizzly
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B Our Disappcaring Wildlile
Unit 3 SUPERSTITION
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A Why Superstitions
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B Astrology
Unit 4 FACING ANXIETY AND DANGER
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A One Vote for This Age of Anxiety
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B The Man in the Water
Unit 5 PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A Symptoms
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B Cure Yourself of Unhappiness
Unit 6 HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A Inspire Your Kids to Achieve
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B Does Your Child Rely on Wishful Thinking
Unit 7 COURAGE
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
TextA Shadows of Darkness
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B Courage Sometimes Whispers
Unit 8 WAY TO SUCCESS
Part I Language Skill
Part II Language in Context
Text A Why the Most Successful People in the World Fail the Most
Part III Toward Productive Language
Text B How to Achieve Success in Life
Vocabulary