刘育文主编的《英语文化选读》的编写以满足学生需求、适应市场需要为出发点。针对目前日益高涨的考研热、出国热，本教材练习的编排尽量与国内研究生入学考试、国外的托福、雅思、GRE或GMAT等重大考试接轨，以激发学生强烈的阅读热情。阅读在各类考试中所占比重都较大，通过对学生进行系统的阅读测试训练，可以帮助他们全面提高阅读水平和阅读能力，从而获得进一步深造的机会。

刘育文主编的《英语文化选读》编写根据3条主线平行展开：首先，突出主题，围绕中西文化差异组成15个单元，每个单元包括与主题相关的习语以及说明性、记叙性文章各1篇，力争知识性与趣味性相结合；其次，从词到句，从段落到篇章，从主题、中心思想到阅读方法，系统介绍阅读技巧和方法，且阅读理沦与实战演练相结合；此外，配套练习内容与单元主题相融合，题型与英语专业四、八级、国内研究生英语入学考试、托福、雅思、GRE题型接轨。《英语文化选读》编者匠心独到且认真，内容丰富且新颖，习题多样且精湛，是一本难得的英语文化助读教材。

Unit 1 Cultural Differences

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A GuessingUnknown Words from the Context I

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A American Values and Assumptions

Section B Is this Chinese Candor or a Cultural Handicap?

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 2 Education and Examinations

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A GuessingUnknown Words from the Context II

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A TOEFL and IELTS

Section B The Two Kinds (Excerpt)

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 3 Earning and Spending Money

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A GuessingUnknown Words from the Context III

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Breaking the Cycle of Borrowing Money and Paying Interest

Section B Needing and Wanting are Different

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 4 Time and Punctuality

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A GuessingUnknown Words from Word Formation I

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Punctuality Tips and Strategies

Section B The Date Father Didn't Keep

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 5 Attitude toward Life and Death

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A GuessingUnknown Words from Word Formation II

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Legal Systems Handle Euthanasia Differently Around the Globe

Section B "Am I To Love Life Less?".

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 6 Love, Marriage and Family

 Part 1 Reading Skills

SectionA Understanding Sentences

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Liking, Loving and Lust

Section B Story of Regret

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 7 Food and Table Manners

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Distinguishing Topic from Main Idea

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

SectionA FoodTaboos

Section B Dos and Don'ts when Eating in Britain

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 8 Housing and Subprime Crisis

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Finding the Topic Sentence

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Obama Not Planning Another Big Housing Program

Section B Two Neediest Cases of Christina Natale and the Gatherses

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 9 Health and Medicine

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Patterns of Details !

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

SectionA Medicine's Bright Future

Section B It Takes Courage

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 10 Trade and Economy

 Part I Reading Skills

Section A Pattern of Details II

Section B Practice.

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A The Right Approach

Section B Colors and Their Associations

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 11 Festivals and Holidays

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Pattern of Details III

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Public Holidays in theUnited States

Section B A Moving Story

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 12 Music and Movies

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Outlining

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Hollywood and Los Angeles

Section B How about China's Hollywood?

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 13 Equality and Independence

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Skimming

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Virginia Declaration of Rights

Section B Words in My Heart Tell Me "I Am Strong".

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 14 Crimeand Punishment

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Scanning

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Grad Student's Arrest Makes International News

Section B Helicopter Moms vs. Free-Range Kids

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test

Unit 15 Beliefs and Religions

 Part 1 Reading Skills

Section A Detailed Reading

Section B Practice

 Part 2 Idioms, Proverbs and Sayings

 Part 3 Reading Passages

Section A Early History of Christianity

Section B Hindu-Muslim Family's Choice of Cremation Arouses Anger

 Part 4 Reading Comprehension Test