本教材以教育部颁发的《大学英语课程教学要求》为指导,以“实用、够用”为原则,在体例安排和内容选择上严格按照选修课的课时要求和学生水平的实际需要,力求精炼。全书共八个单元,包括记叙文、议论文、描写文和说明文等多种文体的写作技巧。每个单元分为学习目标、写作指导、写作练习、范文、作业五个部分。本教材适用于英语专业本、专科学生,非英语专业已达到大学四级的本科学生,以及相同程度的其他英语学习者和使用者。

Introduction
Unit 1 Narrative Writing
Unit 2 Descriptive Writing
Unit 3 Expository Writing
Unit 4 Argumentative Writing
Unit 5 Critical Essay Writing
Unit 6 Creative Writing
Unit 7 Practical Writing
Unit 8 Summary Writing
Appendix
Acknowledgements
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Flor del Mar is an oceanfront, eco-friendly development located just 15 minutes South ofSan Juan del Sur and only 30 minutes North of the Costa Rican border:
A tumbling rock coast, broken by shimmering blue bays, ringed by perfect beaches,and set against a background of pine-clad hills which verge on broom and heather. Nowonder they call Flor del Mar the jewel of the Costa Brava! Flor is the most enchantingholiday spot in the whole of Spain. Postcards make it look great, but it is even better in theflesh !
One of the three charming beaches sweeps for two miles along the full length of thetown, and the gleaming, white sand is as soft as wheat flour. The rocky inlets providewonderful bathing and there is fabulous swimming in the world' s wannest, bluest, truestsea. Bathe, sunbathe--or just lie around whilst you are served with drinks andrefreshments from bars on the beach. And always the sun is shining from a blue, blue sky.
For those of a more athletic nature there are pedalos (water cycles) for hire, tennis,sailing, and so on, whilst sea fishing trips can be arranged with the sturdy local fishermen.It is a wonderful coast for underwater fishing or just plain under-water gazing, and thebeautiful grottoes and caves nearby are just asking to be explored.
When the evening sun goes down it is the sign for all heaven to cut loose. Shower andchange, admire your sun-tanned body in the mirror, sink a leisurely aperitive, and thenstep out for the night' s fan. The fascinating cafes and bars have real Spanish dancing;wild, authentic flamenco and fandango accompanied by throbbing guitar-playing andsinging. These nights of beautiful people, music, wine and laughter, mixed with theheady, exotic perfume wafting from the carnation plantations, will fill your mind withenchanting memories to be treasured for years.
我国的大学英语教学起步于20世纪80年代,经过20多年的发展,大学英语在教学水平、课程设置、教学方法、教学环境、师资队伍等各个方面都有了长足的进步和发展。但随着我国加入WTO和国民经济的快速发展,大学英语教学暴露出与时代要求不相称的一面。为适应现代社会对人才培养的实际需求,推动和指导大学英语教学改革,教育部于2003年颁布了《大学英语课程教学要求(试行)》(以下简称《要求》),并于2007年结合对人才能力培养的新要求再次做了修订和调整,作为全国各高校组织非英语专业本科生英语教学的主要依据。
《要求》将大学阶段的英语教学分为一般要求、较高要求和更高要求三个层次,强调要贯彻分类指导、因材施教的原则,使英语教学朝着个性化的方向发展,要"将综合英语类、语言技能类、语言应用类、语言文化类和专业英语类等必修课程和选修课程有机结合,形成一个完整的大学英语课程体系,以确保不同层次的学生在英语应用能力方面得到充分的训练和提高"。这样,大力发展大学英语选修课就成了大学英语教学改革的重要课题。
大学英语选修课的开设不仅是《大学英语课程教学要求(试行)》精神的体现,也是《教育部财政部关于实施高等学校本科教学质量与教学改革工程的意见》(以下简称《意见》)的内在要求,《意见》将"学生的实践能力和创新精神显著增强"作为教学改革的重要目标之一,而大学英语教学要在这方面有所作为的话,必须注重培养学生的跨文化交际能力、文化素养和在全球化、信息化的背景下获取知识的能力,这显然是传统的大学英语教学和课程设置所不能胜任的。
近年来,全国许多高校纷纷进行了开设大学英语选修课的尝试,并取得了可喜的成绩。但是由于指导思想不明晰、教师知识结构单一和配套改革滞后等原因,在大学英语选修课的开设中出现了"因人设庙",开课随意性强,开课种类单一,各门课程难易不均,课程测试不规范,学生对各门课程的兴趣差异过大等问题。大学英语选修课的开设迫切需要某种程度的规范与引导,需要更为科学地设置选修课程,确实达到《要求》和《意见》中提出的目标。
针对以上问题,我们认为,一套由成熟理念指引的、体系科学的、建立在选修课开设的成功实践基础之上的系列教材能够起到这种规范和引导作用。