本书有以下两个方面的特点:一是选材丰富多彩,具有时代性,信息量丰富;二是从英语新闻学的角度介绍了阅读英语报刊的一些基本知识,而不是简单谈论阅读理解的方法。本书共选了54篇新闻,按内容分成18个单元。每篇新闻的长度在700~900个词之间,全书共有生词2000左右。每篇新闻后面都附有两大类内容。**类帮助学生理解文章,如生词、重要的专有名词、内容要点和句子翻译,用中文写出。第二类属于“考”学生,也就是“练习”,包括阅读理解、词汇训练及一道讨论和写作题。不论采用哪种形式,练习都紧扣文章。*后,每单元还附有一幅生动的漫画或新闻照片,可让学生在轻松的气氛中获得信息,理解文章,并得到提高。此外,还有报刊英语常识介绍。

Unit 1 Hot Issues in Today's World
1. Israel to Intensify Strikes if Rocket Fire Continues
2. Afghan Soldiers Battle Taliban as NATO Leader Warns of Perils to Nation's Stability
3. N. Korea Shifts toward Engagement with World
Unit 2 Violence and Terrorism Worldwide
1. Terrorists Hijack 4 Airliners, Destroy World Trade Center, Hit Pentagon; Hundreds Dead
2. "I Saw Bodies Falling Out -- Oh, God, Jumping, Falling"
3. "The Worst Thing I've Ever Seen"
Unit 3 The Irag War
1. Back to Irag
2. Blinded by War: Injuries Send Troops into Darkness
3. Around the Globe, Elation-and Tension-over Capture
Unit 4 Politics -- the American Scene
1. Majority Favor Changing Immigration Laws, Poll Says
2. Minorities Often a Majority of the Population under 20
3. A Defiant Look at What Little Lies ahead
Unit 5 The American Presidential Election 2008
1. Barack Obama Becomes Heir to JFK as He Sweeps to Victory in South Carolina
2. As McCain's Road Gets Steeper, Obama Warns of Overconfidence
3. Once again, the Greatest Show on Earth
Unit 6 Political Issues in Britain and Europe
1. Sarkozy Wins Battle to Loosen 35-hour Workweek
2. Right of Households to Rubbish Bin Collection by Councils to be Abolished
3. German City Wonders How Green is too Green
Unit 7 Economic Issues
1. Slowing Economy Gives Way to Global Role Reversals
2. Threat of Recession Amid Double Decline in Services and Industry
3. Markets Shaken as Two Big Banks Falter
Unit 8 Business and Business Management
1. How US Airways Vaulted to First Place
2. At Freddie Mac, Chief Discarded Warning Signs
3. Companies Cut Holes in CEOs' Golden Parachutes
Unit 9 Natural Disasters
1. At a Resort, Harrowing Tales of Survival, Loss and Grief
2. Powerful Quake Ravages China, Killing Thousands
3. Texans Take Shelter, Feel First Effects of Ike
Unit 10 Energy ……

本书的主要特点应该说有两个方面:**,选材注重丰富多彩及拥有足够的信息量,同时具有时代性;第二,从英语新闻学的角度介绍了阅读英语报刊的一些基本知识,而不是简单谈论阅读理解的方法。本书共选了54篇新闻,按内容分成18个单元。每篇新闻的长度在700~900个词之间,对于比较长的新闻均做了节选,但保留原文的主要内容,使选文和标题保持一致。每篇新闻的生词在20~30个之间,个别可能会多一些。全书共有2000左右词汇。
从编排体例来讲,每篇新闻后面都附有两大类的内容。**类属于帮助学生理解文章的,如生词、重要的专有名词、内容要点和句子翻译,已用中文写出,因为我国学生的母语绝大部分是汉语。第二类的内容属于“考”学生的,也就是“练习”。另外,每个单元后面附上一幅生动的漫画或一张新闻照片,可让学生在轻松的气氛中获得信息,理解文章并得到提高。同时还有报刊英语常识介绍。