本教材为了适应时代的发展和英语教学的需要而编写，供高等院校英语专业学生使用，也适合成人教育学院、民办院校、广播电视大学、远程教育英语专业学生及自考生和广大英语自学者使用。
本教材以和交际话题的难易为依据，以功能意念为线索，融功能意念于交际之中，以日常生活中经常使用的话题为重点。在编写中努力体现听说结合、难度阶梯化的方式，选材注重实用性和趣味性相结合，贴近生活，体现时代特色。第四册各单元涉及复杂的抽象话题，例如艺术、心理学等；侧重于培养学生的交流技巧，如研讨谈判技巧等。本册配有大量练习，教师可根据学生的实际情况选择使用进行教学，也有内容、形式多样的练习可供学生课外完成。

1 Motivating Yourself
1.1 Handling Failure
1.2 Secret
1.3 Motivate Yourself
1.4 Tapescript
2 Studying Abroad
2.1 Why Study Abroad？
2.2 Re-entry
2.3 Prepare
2.4 Tapescript
3 Shining in Interviews
3.1 Lesson Learnt
3.2 Being Impressive in Interviews
3.3 Interview Questions
3.4 Tapescript
4 Managing Stress
4.1 Stress Diaries
4.2 Knowing Stress
4.3 Manage Stress
4.4 Tapescript
5 Knowing EQ and IQ
5.1 EQ v. s. IQ
5.2 EQ
5.3 EQ and IQ
5.4 Tapescript
6 Leading to Creativity
6.1 Forms of Creative Inspiration
6.2 Mind Mapping
6.3 Creative Activities
6.4 Tapescript
7 Enjoying Arts
7.1 Art at School
7.2 Canvas of Life
7.3 Talk about Art
7.4 Tapescript
Talking about Cinema and Theater
8.1 Movies and Oscar Award
8.2 Chinese Opera
8.3 Your Opinion Please
8.4 Tapescript
9 Understanding Economy
9.1 Concepts
9.2 Money and Trade
9.3 Fun
9.4 Tapescript
10 Going for Globalization
10.1 What Is Globalization？
10.2 Globalization for Whom？
10.3 Issue of Concern
10.4 Tapescript
11 Shaping Your Life:Education
11.1 Children Education
11.2 How We Were Taught
11.3 Honor Your Views
11.4 Tapescript
12 Suffering
12.1 Wars and Pains
12.2 A Dangerous Place
12.3 Wars or No Wars？
12.4 Tapescript
13 Sharing about NGOs and NPOs
13.1 Care
13.2 NPO and NGO
13.3 Join Us
13.4 Tapescript
14 Improving Health Care
14.1 Health Care
14.2 TCM
14.3 Talk and Share
14.4 Tapescript
15 Facing Disasters
15.1 Flood and Earthquake
15.2 Tsunami
15.3 Common Disasters
15.4 Tapescript
16 Exploring Outer Space
16.1 Outer Space
16.2 Tragedy of Space Shuttle Columbia
16.3 Mysteries
16.4 Tapescript