本教材为普通高等教育“十一五”国家级规划教材。它是根据《大学英语课程教学要求》的精神和要求，结合当前大学英语教学改革的发展趋势编写而成的。

全书共分12个单元，每个单元紧扣一个主题，融知识性与趣味性于一体。内容涵盖人文、地理、文学、语文、文化、法律、经贸、名人演讲、高科技、社会焦点等领域。

Unit One The Survival of the FAttest

 Part I Comprehensive Reading Applying Fittest Survival to Human Society

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Two Are You What You Wear?

 Part I Comprehensive Reading Do Clothes Make the Man?

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Three How to Get Your Dream Job?

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   How to Get Your Dream Job?

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Four In Memory of Ernest Hemingway

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   The Sun Also Sets: A Visit to Hemingway's Grave and Memorial

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Five The Lottery ( I )

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   The Lottery (1)

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Six The Lottery ( II )

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   The Lottery (2)

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part VI Reading f0r Pleasure

Unit Seven Bargain ( I )

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   Bargain ( I )

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Eight Bargain ( II )

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   Bargain ( II )

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Nine The Mist of Mgrilyn Monroe's Death

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

Who Murdered Marilyn Monroe?

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Ten Globalization, Chance or Challenge

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   Like Ageing, Let It Happen Slowly

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Eleven Queen Elizabeth II

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

Queen Elizabeth II

 Part I Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

Unit Twelve The World's Toughest Job

 Part I Comprehensive Reading

   The World's Toughest Job

 Part II Figures of Speech

 Part III Reading for Test

 Part IV Reading for Pleasure

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