杨朝春主编的《英语说明文读写教程》适用对象是英语能力达到《大学英语课程教学要求》规定的“较高要求”的学生，或水平相当的英语学习者，旨在培养学术英语说明文的读写技能，掌握相关的写作方法，为未来学术发展打下语言基础。同时，为了提高学术英语综合能力，书中结合课文介绍了一般性读写技巧，如识别和应用中心句(thesis statem。nt)、怎样改善句子和段落衔接、提高语言流畅性、如何写文章概要，等等，并通过练习帮助学习者积累高频学术词汇。

杨朝春主编的《英语说明文读写教程》为“通用学术英语读写系列教材”第一部，是阐述、议论、文献综述和综合学术写作四个阶段之开端，重在引导学习者通过阅读阐述性英语文章，了解该文体特点，学习学术性语言的风格和基本要求。此外，通过研究和讨论文后问题，对文章内容进行反思，培养批判性思维。

《英语说明文读写教程》共8个单元，每单元根据写作特点精心选编3篇课文，分别体现了定义、分类、举例、因果、对比和描写等写作方法，同时结合课文编排了针对各写作方法的读写练习。通过本教材的使用学习，学生可以为进一步深入学习学术英语打下良好的基础。

Unit1 Science and Technology

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A Climate Change and the Mystery of the Shrinking Sheep

 Text B The Problems of Technology

 Text C Public Attitudes Towards Science

 Writing

Ⅰ. Thesis

Ⅱ. The Structure of an Expository Essay

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit2 Health

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 TextA Obesity

 Text B Organic Food

 Text C Addiction

 Writing

Ⅰ. Definition Essay

Ⅱ. Academic Writing

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit3 Psychology

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A Types of Mental Illnesses

 Text B Causes of Mental Illness

 Text C Psychology Behind Why People Lie

 Writing

Ⅰ. Classification Essay

Ⅱ. Plagiarism

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit4 Tips in Life

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A How to Write a Personal Letter

 Text B Ways to Improve Communication Skills

 Text C How to Make a Good Impression During Job Interviews

 Writing

Ⅰ. Process Analysis Essay

Ⅱ. Coherence in Writing

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit5 Desires in Human Nature

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A Some Motives in Human Nature

 Text B The Road to Happiness

 Text C Life in the Fast Lane

 Writing

Ⅰ. Exemplification

Ⅱ. Summary

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit6 Life Values

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A Ⅰ Wish Ⅰ Had Married Rich

 Text B How Ⅰ Learned to Relax at a Spa -- With My Mom

 Text C Thank You

 Writing

Ⅰ. Cause and Effect

Ⅱ. Coherence: Transitions Between Ⅰdeas

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit7 Nature

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A The Napo River

 Text B Killer Whales

 Text C Spring in the Sea

 Writing

Ⅰ. Description

Ⅱ. Specific Words

Ⅲ. Writing Tasks

Unit8 Social Values

 Learning Objectives

 Reading

 Text A A Planet for All Apes

 Text B The Practical and the Theoretical

 Text C Do Not Confuse Technology with College Teaching

 Writing

Ⅰ. Comparison and Contrast

Ⅱ. Writing Tasks

Appendix1 Glossary

Appendix2 References