《实用英语》系列教材是一套供高职高专英语课程使用的教材。自1995年正式出版发行以来，它所坚持内容的实用性、教学的针对性和编写教材的科学性受到了使用者的热烈欢迎。广大师生把它看作我国专科层次英语教学自己的教材。与此同时，他们本着爱护和培育这块英语教学园地的精神，希望《实用英语》在发扬其优点的同时，能及时对其存在的不足进行适当的修订，使之更加完善，更加符合当前高职高专层次英语教学的需要。

修订后的《实用英语》(第三版)仍然分为《综合教程》、《泛读教程》、《综合训练与自测》和《教师参考书》。根据当前高职高专英语教学的实际情况，各册教程均由原来的10个单元修订为8个单元，对技能训练部分的项目作了少量调整，并调换了部分单元的课文。修订后的《实用英语》按照《高职高专教育英语课程教学基本要求(试行)》(2000年)中的词汇表重新对课文的分课词汇表进行了标记和增删。

《实用英语》系列教材是教育部规划的高职高专公共英语教材。本套教材1995年正式出版发行，先后进行了两次修订。本书第二版曾获2002年全国高等学校优秀教材一等奖。为了更加有利于学生英语应用能力的培养，结合《实用英语》的教学使用反馈情况，编写组紧扣当前高职高专人才培养的总体目标和高职高专英语教学改革的发展方向，对《实用英语》进行了第三次修订。

与第三版相比，《实用英语综合教程3》(第四版)对课文练习和技能训练部分的项目作了部分调整，并调换了部分单元的课文。第四版列为普通高等教育“十一五”国家级规划教材。

本书附有MP3录音光盘和多媒体学习课件。

UNIT 1 Treasured Memory

 Text A: A Payment Greater Than Money

 Text B: My Mother's Desk

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills -- Reading English Newspapers (1)

Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (1)

Guided Writing -- Giving Reasons

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 2 Back to Nature

 Text A: Back to Nature

 Text B: Nuclear Power: Advantages That Outweigh the Risks

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills -- Reading English Newspapers (2)

Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (2)

Guided Writing -- Making Comparisons

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 3 Coping with a Crisis

 Text A: Coping with a Crisis

 Text B: Why How Matters

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills d Reading English Newspapers (3)

Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (3)

Guided Writing -- Making a Classification

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 4 Social Responsibility

 Text A: Social Responsibility of Scientists

 Text B: Science and Truth

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills --Advertisement (1)

Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (4)

Guided Writing -- Presenting a Contrast

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 5 Lifetime Gift

 Text A: The Gift of a Lifetime

 Text B: A Homecoming of a Different Sort

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills --Advertisement (2)

Translation Practice -- 定语从句的翻译 (5)

Guided Writing -- Describing Causes and Effects

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 6 Technology and People

 Text A: The Taxi Driver

 Text B: Life Without the Internet?

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills Understanding Product Description

Translation Practice -- 长句的翻译 (1)

Guided Writing Giving Examples

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 7 Qualities of Leaders

 Text A: The Hidden Qualities of Great Leaders

 Text B: How to Be a Leader at Work

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills Understanding Directions

Translation Practice -- 长句的翻译 (2)

Guided Writing Presenting an Argument

Listening and Speaking

UNIT 8 Looking for Work

 Text A: Getting the Right Job: A Matter of What Else You Know

 Text B: "Righting" Your E-resume

 Skills Development and Practice

Reading Skills -- Understanding Catalogue Cards

Translation Practice -- 长句的翻译 (3)

Guided Writing -- Expressing an Opinion

Listening and Speaking

Glossary

Phrases and Expressions