本教材为“通用学术英语读写系列教材”的第二部，旨在训练、提高学生的学术英语议论文读写能力。教材重在引导学习者通过阅读议论性英语文章，了解该文体的特点和写作方法，学习学术语言的风格和基本要求。此外，通过研究和讨论文后的问题，对文章内容进行反思，培养批判性思维能力。全书分8个单元，涉及8个不同领域的话题，每单元包括议论文写作技巧讲解、议论文阅读、单元复习。每篇阅读文章后均设计有相应的阅读、写作任务，以强化议论文阅读技能，扩大学术英语词汇量，巩固单元目标写作技巧。

Unit 1 Business and Economics
Writing Skill Development
Basic Structure of an Argumentative Essay
Reading for Ideas
Text A Drain or Gain?
Text B Rent or Buy， a Matter of Life style
Text C Comeback Kid-America's Economy Is Once Again Reinventing Itself
Unit Summary
Unit 2 Engineering
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation （1）
Use of Reliable Sources （statistics， facts， quotation， illustrative incidents， etc．）
Reading for Ideas
Text A Altering the Forces of Nature： Genetic Engineering on Animals
Text B Genetically Modified Foods： A Solution to World Hunger or Potential Health Threat?
Text C Genetic Engineering and Cloning
Unit Summary
Unit 3 Science
Writing Skill Development
Supporting Evidence and Effective Argumentation （2）
Cause and Effect
Reading for Ideas
Text A Can Animals and Plants Adapt to Global Warming?
Text B Intermittent Exercise-Factors That Effect Performance
Text C Stem Cell Research-Why Is It Regarded as a Threat?
Unit Summary
……
Unit 4 Information Technology
Unit 5 Philosophy
Unit 6 Social Science
Unit 7 Life Science/Health
Unit 8 Environment
Appendix
Glossary