《实用英语》系列教材是一套供高职高专英语课程使用的教材。自1995年正式出版发行以来,它所坚持内容的实用性、教学的针对性和编写教材的科学性受到了使用者的热烈欢迎。广大师生把它看作我国专科层次英语教学自己的教材。与此同时,他们本着爱护和培育这块英语教学园地的精神,希望《实用英语》在发扬其优点的同时,能及时对其存在的不足进行适当的修订,使之更加完善,更加符合当前高职高专层次英语教学的需要。
修订后的《实用英语》(第三版)仍然分为《综合教程》、《泛读教程》、《综合训练与自测》和《教师参考书》。根据当前高职高专英语教学的实际情况,各册教程均由原来的10个单元修订为8个单元,对技能训练部分的项目作了少量调整,并调换了部分单元的课文。修订后的《实用英语》按照《高职高专教育英语课程教学基本要求(试行)》(2000年)中的词汇表重新对课文的分课词汇表进行了标记和增删。

UNIT 1 Treasured Memory
Text A: A Payment Greater Than Money
Text B: My Mother's Desk
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills -- Reading English Newspapers (1)
Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (1)
Guided Writing -- Giving Reasons
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 2 Back to Nature
Text A: Back to Nature
Text B: Nuclear Power: Advantages That Outweigh the Risks
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills -- Reading English Newspapers (2)
Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (2)
Guided Writing -- Making Comparisons
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 3 Coping with a Crisis
Text A: Coping with a Crisis
Text B: Why How Matters
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills d Reading English Newspapers (3)
Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (3)
Guided Writing -- Making a Classification
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 4 Social Responsibility
Text A: Social Responsibility of Scientists
Text B: Science and Truth
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills --Advertisement (1)
Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (4)
Guided Writing -- Presenting a Contrast
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 5 Lifetime Gift
Text A: The Gift of a Lifetime
Text B: A Homecoming of a Different Sort
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills --Advertisement (2)
Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (5)
Guided Writing -- Describing Causes and Effects
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 6 Technology and People
Text A: The Taxi Driver
Text B: Life Without the Internet?
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills Understanding Product Description
Translation Practice -- 长句的翻译 (1)
Guided Writing Giving Examples
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 7 Qualities of Leaders
Text A: The Hidden Qualities of Great Leaders
Text B: How to Be a Leader at Work
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills Understanding Directions
Translation Practice -- 长句的翻译 (2)
Guided Writing Presenting an Argument
Listening and Speaking
UNIT 8 Looking for Work
Text A: Getting the Right Job: A Matter of What Else You Know
Text B: "Righting" Your E-resume
Skills Development and Practice
Reading Skills -- Understanding Catalogue Cards
Translation Practice -- 长句的翻译 (3)
Guided Writing -- Expressing an Opinion
Listening and Speaking
Glossary
Phrases and Expressions