本书以培养高校信息技术相关专业学生面向岗位的实际英语交流能力和应用能力为出发点，以提高学生可持续发展的职业核心竞争力为目标，充分借鉴了当今国内外专门用途英语（English for Specific Purpose，ESP）教学的研究成果和信息技术相关专业英语教学的特点，是一本为高校信息技术相关专业学生量身打造的英语教材。本书分为14个单元，内容包括计算机硬件、软件、操作系统、编程语言、数据库、网络、即时通信、计算机安全、多媒体、电子商务等与计算机相关的内容，还涵盖了Android、iOS、云计算、物联网、大数据、人工智能、虚拟现实技术等信息技术领域的新概念和新技术。此外，本书围绕每个单元的话题增加了情景对话、职业技能、职场点滴（如职业规划、职场规则、简历撰写、面试技巧）等模块，并在各单元末尾设计了具有代表性和实践性的课堂活动模块，有助于全方位训练和提高学生面向行业和企业的岗位能力，以及在真实工作环境中的英语能力。
本书前三版发行后，受到了广大读者的认可和欢迎。本次改版则根据实际课堂反馈和前沿技术发展情况对第3版的部分内容进行了更新和修订，搭建了与本书配套的基于Online to Offline（O2O）模式的“实用IT英语”教学资源微信公众号平台，与本书对应的“实用IT英语”课程的精品课程网站，以及BB网络课程平台，形成了三位一体的实用IT英语立体教材资源库，使本书以全新的内容和崭新的形式，继续为学生带来良好的学习体验，以满足更广泛、更多元的读者使用需求。

Unit 1 Computer Families
Section 1 Dialogue: The Impact of Computers on People's Lives
Section 2 Reading
Text A: The Evolution of the Computer Age
Text B: Different Types of Computers
Text C: The Future of Computers
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Start Your Career in Information Technology
Section 4 Class Activities: Guess Who the IT Figure Is
Unit 2 Computer Hardware
Section 1 Dialogue: First Day at Work (Hardware Orientation)
Section 2 Reading
Text A: Get to Know a Personal Computer
Text B: All-in-one Computer
Text C: Milestones of Huawei
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Configure Your Own PC
Section 4 Class Activities: Hardware Crossword Puzzle Game
Unit 3 Operating Systems
Section 1 Dialogue: Buying an Android Tablet PC
Section 2 Reading
Text A: How Operating Systems Work
Text B: Windows 10 Home vs. Pro
Text C: Linux OS
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Install an Operating System
Section 4 Class Activities: What Do You Know about Harmony OS
Unit 4 Application Software
Section 1 Dialogue: Help Me Choose: Microsoft 365 or Office 2019
Section 2 Reading
Text A: Basic Facts of Microsoft Office
Text B: How Time Management Software Works
Text C: Computer-Aided Design
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Divide in Excel Using a Formula
Section 4 Class Activities: A Debate on Video Games' Effect on Youngsters
Unit 5 Computer Programming
Section 1 Dialogue: How to Choose the Right Programming Language to Study
Section 2 Reading
Text A: The Basics of C Programming
Text B: Object-oriented Programming
Text C: Python Programming Language
Section 3 Occupational Tips: Tips on Good Programming Style
Section 4 Class Activities: Discussion on 10 Traits of a Good Programmer
Unit 6 Database
Section 1 Dialogue: A Customer Database
Section 2 Reading
Text A: What Relational Databases Are
Text B: Introduction to SQL
Text C: How Data Mining and Data Warehousing are Related
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Write a Project Proposal
Section 4 Class Activities: Using Baidu Maps to Search for a Location
Unit 7 Computer Networks
Section 1 Dialogue: How Computers Communicate with Each Other
Section 2 Reading
Text A: Computer Networking
Text B: Introduction to Network Types
Text C: Network Cabling
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Configure Your IP Address
Section 4 Class Activities: Sign up for a Hotmail Mailbox
Unit 8 The World Wide Web and the Internet
Section 1 Dialogue: How the Internet Works
Section 2 Reading
Text A: The Development of the Internet
Text B: Global Appeal of Tiktok
Text C: Toward a Global “Internet of Things”
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Use Your Browser
Section 4 Class Activities: Compete in Computer Games
Unit 9 Communication Online
Section 1 Dialogue: Amazing QQ
Section 2 Reading
Text A: Using Instant Messaging for Business
Text B: WeChat and Its Application
Text C: How to Ensure the Safety When Chatting Online
Section 3 Occupational Tips: Shortcut Keys in QQ
Section 4 Class Activities: Using ICQ to Chat with New Friends
Unit 10 Privacy and Security
Section 1 Dialogue: My Poor Computer
Section 2 Reading
Text A: Computer Viruses
Text B: Antivirus Software, a Good Defender
Text C: Computer Crime
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Protect Your PC from Invasion
Section 4 Class Activities: Discussion on Which Antivirus Software to Choose
Unit 11 Multimedia
Section 1 Dialogue: The Ultimate Movie Experience with IMAX
Section 2 Reading
Text A: Multimedia and Its Applications
Text B: Graphics File Formats
Text C: Adobe Photoshop CC
Section 3 Occupational Tips: How to Make a Wonderful Presentation That Makes the Sale
Section 4 Class Activities: Using Photoshop to Make Pictures Look Great
Unit 1