本书《高级英语阅读》系列教材之一，本分册为《自然科学篇》(Natural Science Studies)，包括数学、物理学、化学、医学、天文、航天、生命科学、环境学、地理、地质、工程学等领域的研究。本册由十三个单元组成，每个单元涉及一个研究领域，其中包括三篇课文，介绍该领域所研究的主要内容及人们所关心的问题。

Unit One Introduction to Science

Text A: What Is Science?

Text B: A Brief History of Science

Text C: The Branches of Science ,

Unit Two Technology

Text A: Disappearing Through the Skylight

Text B: The Computer-- Invention of the Century

Text C: Introduction to PC Hardware

Unit Three Engineering

Text A: Genetically Modified Foods

Text B: Introduction to Engineering

Text C: More Power to You

Unit Four Environment

Text A: Ships in the Desert

Text B: Introduction to Environmental Problems

Text C: Energy Exploration and Environment

Unit Five Medicine

Text A: Why the Resurgence?

Text B: Introduction to Medicine

Text C: Bird Flu: What Are the Risks?

Unit Six Life Science

Text A: The Cloning of Dolly

Text B: Introduction to Biology: The Science of Our Lives

Text C: Progesterone: The Drug of Pregnancy

Unit Seven Geography

Text A: Natural Causes of Climate Change

Text B: Introduction to Geography

Text C: The Three Gorges Dam Project

Unit Eight Geology

Text A: In Search of the Elusive Megaplumes

Text B: Introduction to Geology

Text C: Meet a Geologist

Unit Nine Astronomy

Text A: Galaxies

Text B: Introduction to Astronomy

Text C: The Solar System .

Unit Ten Space Science

Text A: The Space Shuttle

Text B: Satellites

Text C: China's First Spaceman Yang Liwei

Unit Eleven Mathematics

Text A: A History of Zero

Text B: A Brief Introduction to Mathematics

Text C: An Overview of the History of Mathematics

Unit Twelve Physics

Text A: Searching For Extraterrestrials

Text B: Physics and the Information Revolution

Text C: Hawking Loses Black Hole Bet

Unit Thirteen Chemistry

Text A: The Genome Is Mapped

Text B: Introduction to Chemistry

Text C: The Chemistry of Life

Glossary