该教材有以下特点：
文化性：与一般所谓“情景对话”的教材不同，该教材在影视选材和文本安排上以文化为切入点，内容新颖，内涵丰富，使学习者能在提高听说能力的同时，更加深入地了解西方文化。
真实性：所用影视片断均选自英文原版影片，语言及语境具有高度真实性，适于学习者学习地道的英语。
实用性：每章节围绕一个主题的不同场景来组织教学，并由此延伸至相关的文化、语言知识，使学习者学会在不同的场景下运用恰当的语言进行交流，达到学以致用的目的。
技术性：同时开发包含所有视频素材的用于课堂授课和学习者自学的多媒体学习软件，充分应用现代教育技术来促进英语语言学习。
阶梯性：各章节的编写采用由浅入深的模式，循序渐进，可供不同层次的学习者使用。
课堂教学与学习者个性化学习的兼容性：在设计课堂教学内容和活动的同时，也兼顾了学习者课后练习的安排，并为学习者提供自主学习内容，兼容了各种语言学习模式，为教学者和学习者提供了更多的选择。

Unit 1 Festivals
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Garfield's Halloween Adventure
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: While You Were Sleeping
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: What's Cooking? (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 2 Mystery and Exploration
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: The Great Barrier Reef
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: Mysteries of Egypt
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: Secrets of the Titanic (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 3 Communication and Understanding
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Return to the Blue Lagoon
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: Ghost
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: Jerry Maguire (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 4 War and Peace
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Saving Private Ryan
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: First Knight
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: Independence Day (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 5 Heroes and Dreams
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Troy
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: Spider-Man 2
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: The Incredibles (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 6 Manners
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Beauty and the Beast
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: Pretty Woman
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: The Princess Diaries (Self access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 7 Humor
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Mickey Blue Eyes
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: There's Something about Mary
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: George of the Jungle (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 8 Mass Media
Warm-up Activity
Understanding Movie ClipⅠ: Sleepless in Seattle
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅱ: Paparazzi
Interactive Activities
Understanding Movie Clip Ⅲ: The Hire (Self-access Learning)
Additional Materials
Unit 9 Cermonies and Special Occasions
Unit 10 Famous Figures
Unit 11 Health
Unit 12 Entertainment and Relaxation
Unit 13 Sports and Games
Unit 14 Belief and Perseverance
Unit 15 Working