本书是英语专业本科阶段精读课经典教材。课文全部选自原文，内容、题材力求多样化，语言规范，并有一定的难度。练习旨在提高学生的独立工作能力、阅读欣赏能力和写作能力。

Lesson 1 The Middle Eastern Bazaar

Lesson 2 Hiroshima--the"Liveliest" City in Japan.

Lesson 3 Ships in the Desert

Lesson 4 Everyday Use

Lesson 5 Speech on Hitler's Invasion of the U.S.S.R.

Lesson 6 Blackmail

Lesson 7 The Age of Miracle Chips

Lesson 8 An Interactive Life BarbaraKantrowitzancIJoshuaCRarno

Lesson 9 Mark Twain--Mirror of America

Lesson 10 The Trial That Rocked the World

Lesson 11 But What's a Dictionary For?

Lesson 12 The Loons

Lesson 13 Britannia Rues the Waves

Lesson 14 Argentia Bay

Lesson 15 No Signposts in the Sea

Lesson 16 1776

Appendix Ⅰ Paraphrase

Appendix Ⅱ Word-Formation

Appendix Ⅲ Figures of Speech