这是一套为全国英语专业本科二年级学生编写的英语泛读教材。该书结合英语专业本科学生较高的目的语水平，在设计了常规的阅读理解、词汇等练习外，还设计了各种形式与主题相关的讨论题让学习者围绕文章拓展讨论，让他们将所阅读的文章与自己的观点融会在一起，从而更好地掌握所学内容，帮助习得目的语。

书中的每个阅读单元的主题就像一根绳索，将所有阅读文章有机地串联在一起。学习者通过阅读同一主题下各种体裁的文章，可从不同角度深化自己对每个相关主题的理解。“协作性学习”将学习者从传统的学习模式中解放出来，变被动为主动，提高学习兴趣。学习者通过协作性学习，达成知识共享，学会从多角度看待和理解问题，同时提出问题和解决问题的能力也得到了加强。可供各大专院校作为教材使用，也可供从事相关工作的人员作为参考用书使用。

UNIT ONE ANIMALS AND THEIR RIGHTS

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One: Animal Liberation

Reading Two: A Scientist: "I am the Enemy"

Reading Three: The Trials of Animals

Reading Four: Cruel Slaughter of Food Hits a Nerve

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT TWO CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One. The Death Penalty in the United States: Old Enough to Kill, Old Enough to Die?

Reading Two. Execution Has Benefits -- Doesn't It?

Reading Three: Killed Twice?

Reading Four. An Evening with Tony

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT THREE GUN OWNERSHIP AND CENSORSHIP

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One. Gun Control: One Side of a Loaded Issue

Reading Two. A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries a Gun

Reading Three: Arming Myself with a Gun Is Not the Answer

Reading Four: Killing Our Future

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT FOUR LIFE OR DEATH (EUTHANASIA)

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One. A Crime of Compassion

Reading Two: In Defense of Voluntary Euthanasia

Reading Three: I Wanted to Die; But Now Carers Make My Life Bearable

Reading Four: When Relief Is Not Enough

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT FIVE MOTIVATION OR UNHEALTHY EXPERIENCE (COMPETITION)

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One: Why Competition?

Reading Two: Competition: Motivating or Crushing?

Reading Three: Competition Is Healthy, But It Can Get Out of Hand

Reading Four: Giving Children a Healthy Dose of Competition

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT Six ME AND ANOTHER ME (HUMAN CLONING)

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One: Here, Kitty, Kitty

Reading Two: Human Cloning? Don't Just Say No

Reading Three: Of Headless Mice... and Men

Reading Four: What Lies Beneath?

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT SEVEN SAVIOR OR DESTROYER (NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY)

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One: Nuclear Energy: Down but Certainly Not Out! The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy

Reading Two: Let Us Choose Life; Let Us End the Nuclear Weapons Threat Now

Reading Three: Nuclear Power Plants

Reading Four: All Over in a Flash

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

UNIT EIGHT FOOD OR POISON (GM PRODUCTS)

 SECTION ONE: PRE-READING

 SECTION TWO: IN-READING

Reading One: What Is Gene Technology?

Reading Two: Science vs. Hysteria

Reading Three: Don't Waste the Genetic Potential

Reading Four: The Gene Business

 SECTION THREE: POST-READING

GLOSSARY