本教材首先是紧扣最新变化，无论是阅读篇幅还是题型都严格按最新大学英语四级考试要求编写。其次是选材多样，内容新颖，信息量大，所选短文全部是近两年英美正式发表的，以介绍英美社会、人文、习俗等背景知识为主，每单元以一个话题为中心。本书的编写宗旨不以应试为目的，而在于给学生提供高质量的英语阅读文章，使学生在愉快的阅读中欣赏美文，开阔视野，并在不知不觉中掌握阅读技能，尤其是快速阅读技能。最后，本教材适合于课堂和自学两种教学模式。每单元由四篇文章组成，前两篇为课内阅读，由教师按规定的时间安排随堂练习，有计划、有步骤地培养学生的阅读技能；后两篇文章为课后阅读，可作为课后作业和学生自主学习的材料，进一步强化和巩固课内所学的知识。

Unit One Study Methods

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Successful Engfish Learning

Passage Ⅱ Read Good Books

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ English Idioms

Passage Ⅱ Reading for A's

 阅读技巧：辨识意见和态度

Unit Two Friend and Friendship

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ The Stages of Friendship

Passage Ⅱ How to Nurture a Friendship

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Arnold-My Best Friend

Passage Ⅱ Friendship：A Story

 阅读技巧：头脑成像

Unit Th ree Work and Life

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Tips and Advice for Workahofics

Passage Ⅱ Are We Having Fun

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ The Importance of just Being There

Passage Ⅱ The Joy of SOHO：Making a Life while Making a Living

 阅读技巧：区别事实与观点

Unit Four War and Peace

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ World War Ⅱ

Passage Ⅱ My Lai Massacre and the Peace Protest Movement

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Why We Never Need to Worry about World Peace

Passage Ⅱ Welcome Home，Soldier

 阅读技巧：根据单词构成猜词悟意

Unit Five Education

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Adult Education

Passage Ⅱ Some Schools Are Leaving Recess behind

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ High School Dropouts

Passage Ⅱ Computers in Education

 阅读技巧：寻找主题句

Unit Six Car Culture

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ The Origin of the Automobile

Passage Ⅱ Well，America：Is the Car Culture Working

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Car Culture Captivates China

Passage Ⅱ Trying to Save Kids in Hot Cars

 阅读技巧：如何读出言外之意

Unit Seven Social Problems

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Should Parents Become Big Brothers

Passage Ⅱ Degrees，but No Jobs

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Bullying at School：Tackling the Problem

Passage Ⅱ African American Marriage in the 20th Century

 阅读技巧：辨认重要事实或细节

Unit Eight Business Matters

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ A Pension Plan

Passage Ⅱ The Japanese Authorities Attempt to Clean up the Pachinko Business

 After-Class Readin

Passage Ⅰ The PC'S 25th Birthday

Passage Ⅱ Pumping up the Spare Tyre

 阅读技巧：如何理解篇章结构

Unit Nine Computer

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ The Wonderful Structure of a Microcomputer

Passage Ⅱ Father of the Computer

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Dealing with Computer Viruses

Passage Ⅱ Computerized Supermarket

 阅读技巧：如何在阅读中扩大视幅

Unit Ten Environmental Problems

 In-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ Atmospheric PoHution

Passage Ⅱ Ecological Effects of Road-Building

 After-Class Reading

Passage Ⅰ EI Nino in 1997-1998

Passage Ⅱ China's War with the Desert

 阅读技巧：理解修辞语言

Keys to Fast Reading(Book Two)