本书是《现代大学英语》系列教材中与精读教材配合使用的整套四册阅读的第一册，入选的每篇文章都经过了精心筛选。无论是从类型、题材的多样性，还是文章的趣味性、可读性而言，这些材料都称得上是精品，其中有多篇文章的作者是世界知名的作家。由杨立民主编的《现代大学英语》的第二个特点是编者为每一篇文章的难点部分作了详细的注释，尤其是对一些阅读欣赏的微妙之处加以点睛阐释，相信读者读后会有不同一般的感受。本书可供英语专业一年级学生和相当水平的英语自学者作为精读课本的配套阅读教材使用。

1. The Selfish Giant

2. The Sheik's White Donkey

3. I Met a Bushman

4. Never Too Old to Live Your Dream

5. Your Legacy

6. The Unicorn in the Garden

7. The New Assistant

8. The Killers

9. The Painting of Ngley Hall

10. The Green Door

11. The Yellow Shirt

12. The Open Window

13. The Terribly, Tragically Sad Man

14. Too Many Ghosts

15. The Rocking-Horse Winner

16. The Professor

17. The Barber's Uncle

18. Tight Spot

19. The Secret Life of the Gomez Twins

20. The Red Dog

21. The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle

22. Popcorn

23. Secret of the Aztec Idol

24. The Scholarship Jacket

25. Mabel

26. The Umbrella Man

27. Let Me Read Your Tea-Leaves

28. Out of the Silence

29. The Wild Ride

30. The Shanahan Strad

31. My Dad, the Drummer

32. Learning How to Be Roommates

33. Revenge

34. Undeclared

35. The Wicker Chair

36. Springtime

37. The Love I'll Never Forget

38. A Trucker's Last Letter

39. White Horse Winner

40. If the Dream Is Big Enough, the Facts Don't Count

41. The Family Portrait

42. Charles

43. The Rich Man and the Poor Man—A Parable for Thanksgiving

44. My Dog

45. Sunday in the Park

46. Leiningen Versus the Ants

47. The Catbird Seat

48. Rip Van Winkle

49. Now There Is Peace

50. I Can Play "Schools"