本教材综合听说读写四个方面。每单元前半部分涉及听说技能，而后半部分突出读写技能。这四种技能都围绕同一主题展开，相互补充，协同提高。

针对中国大学生听说能力相对薄弱这一现状，本教材特别强调提高学生的英语交际能力的培养，尤其是听说能力的培养。练习部分强调了少而精和综合性的原则，通过各种练习及写作技巧和翻译技巧来进一步提高学生的读写能力。

Unit One Education

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Problems with US Education

Part Two Arts Education

Part Three Graduate Education

 Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A In Praise of the F Word

Text B Essence of Education

Unit Two Love

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Romance

Part Two Eternal Love

Part Three The Power of Love

 Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A A Wedding Gift

Text B Wedded Dis

Unit Three Health

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Is Overweight a Problem？

Part Two New Four Food Groups

Part Three There Are Worse Things than Dying

  Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A Tracing the Cigarette's Path from Sexy to Deadly

Text B Marketing to Your Mind

Unit Four Technology

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Ceil Phone

Part Two Internet

Part Three Computer Giants

 Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A We've Got Mail—Always

Text B Is the Web Isolating You？

Test Yourself (1)

Unit Five Success and Happiness

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Success Is a Choice

Part Two Can We Find Happiness？

Part Three The Sweet Success of Branding

 Lesson B Readingand Writing

Text A Aristotle Got It Right

Text B Finding Your True Calling

Unit Sis Globalization

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Three Eras of Globalization

Part Two Globalization and China

Part Three Globalization and Inequality

 Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A Give Globalization a Hand

Text B All Cultures Are Not Equal

Unit Seven Plagiarism.

  Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One Defining Plagiarism

Part Two Plagiarism in College

Part Three Avoiding Plagiarism

 Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A The Cult of Celebrity Professors

Text B What's Wrong with Copying？

Unit Eight Patriotism

 Lesson A Listening and Speaking

Part One My Chinese Heart

Part Two Comments on Patriotism

Part Three Pride of the Nation

 Lesson B Reading and Writing

Text A Duty, Honor, Country

Text B On Patriotism

Test Yourself (2)