这是名家英语阅读大讲堂套书的其中一本。该套书中所包含的内容似乎很难用常规的领域范围来加以界定，从自然环境到社会现象，从风俗传统到神话传说，从历史事件到名人轶事，可谓包罗万象。它可以告诉我们亚瑟王的传说为什么会如此风靡西方，南极洲的生活是什么样的一番景象，J．K．罗琳，这位哈利波特之母一些不为人知的故事，以及新兴的安全卫士——网络天使究竟是怎么回事。其知识性和趣味性远非常见的阅读材料可比，堪称一部精华浓缩版的世界文明史。

Unit 1 Who Is J.K. Rowling?

Unit 2 What Are Some Special Rules for Chinese New Year?

Unit 3 Where Is Buckingham Palace?

Unit 4 Why Are Cows Special in India?

Unit 5 How Do Mexicans Celebrate the Day of the Dead?

Unit 6 Who Are the Inuit?

Unit 7 What Is Beatlemania?

Unit 8 Where Is the Great Wall?

Unit 9 Why Do People Give Gifts for Weddings?

Unit 10 How Did Disneyland Start?

Self-Test 1

Unit 11 Who Is Andrew Carnegie?

Unit 12 What Is Life Like in Antarctica?

Unit 13 Where Do People Live Under the Ground?

Unit 14 Why Do People Decorate Their Bodies?

Unit 15 How Did the Red Cross Start?

Unit 16 Who Are the Blue Men of the Sahara?

Unit 17 What Is Canada's Favorite Sport?

Unit 18 Where Is the Outback?

Unit 19 Why Is the Elephant Important in Thailand?

Unit 20 How Did Rich Romans Live?

Self-Test 2

Chinese Version

Answer Key