本教材充分吸取我国在外语数学中长期积累起来且行之有效的经验和方法，同时注意借鉴国外的教学理论和方法，根据独立学院在校学生的学习需要和现有条件，在文章选择和编写方面尽量体现知识性、趣味性和可读性的有机统一，为学生自觉、自主、创造性地学习提供有利的素材。内容包括文选、练习及答案、词语及相关文化背景的注释、译文和词汇表。
本教材作为现行阅读教程的辅助读物，培养学生学习英语的兴趣、信心和成就感，解决好学生从原有英语水平向进人大学英语正常学习的过渡问题。

UNIT ONE FAMILY LOVE
1 Dad Sure Could Play that Mandolin
2 The Seven Ravens
3 My Grandmother, the Bag Lady
UNIT TWO HISTORY AS A MIRROR
4 The Rise and Fall of Egypt
5 The Rise of China
6 Pains and Gains
UNIT THREE US POLITICS
7 Elections
8 US Government
9 The U N Charter
UNIT FOUR BUSINESS WORLD
10 Lenovo
11 Selling a Car (Part Ⅰ)
12 Selling a Car (Part Ⅱ)
UNIT FIVE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION
13 Baby Birds
14 Water Warnings: Urgent Tasks for China
15 Rainforests
UNIT SIX MAN AND NATURE
16 The Monster (Part Ⅰ)
17 The Monster (Part Ⅱ)
18 Population Viability Analysis
UNIT SEVEN TOUR AND TRAVEL
19 The Mary Celeste
20 Make Full Use of Your Free Time (Part Ⅰ)
21 Make Full Use of Your Free Time (Part Ⅱ)
UNIT EIGHT WAR AND REFLECTION
22 Japan War Apology is Essential to the Future
23 Holocaust Memorial Day Recalls Horrors
24 The Witnessing of the Gas Chamber and the Incineration
Keys to comprehension Exercises
课文参考译文
Glossary