本书是中等职业教育文秘专业教材。全书共12单元，约400个生词，每单元包含四个部分：阅读课文、听说训练、写作技能训练和泛读。每一篇课文都列有长、难句子的详细解释、要点注释、重点词汇学习及常用文秘和商务对话。书后附有各单元练习答案和课文词汇总表。本书选材取自国内外最新资料，围绕文秘和商务工作用语、文秘和商务一般知识而展开；练习主要是按照英语基础的语法、词汇及句法等相关英语语言能力的基本要求编写的。在提高学生英语阅读能力及运用能力的同时，能够扩大并掌握一定数量的文秘和商务英语专业知识和词汇，为进一步学习深造或就业做好充分准备。

根据中等职业教育性质、任务及学生的实际英语水平，本教材的编写仍然突出基础英语教学，强调听、说、读、写、译等语言技能的全面发展，同时兼顾实用性和专业性，介绍了秘书工作的特点及形式，课文的可读性较强。

本书各单元听力部分配录音带及文字材料，方便学生反复练习提高听力能力，有利于学生课后自习，本书也适合其它专业年级学生选用作为选修课教材或作为自学用书。

Unit 1

Reading:The Nature of Secretarial Work (Ⅰ)

Listening & Speaking:Communicating with Your Customers

Writing: Leaving a Message

Extensive Reading: The Nature of Secretarial Work (Ⅱ)

Unit 2

Reading: Skills Required to Be a Secretary

Listening & Speaking:Making Business Appointments

Writing: Interoffice Memorandum

Extensive Reading:Whet Makes a Good Secretary?

Unit 3

Reading:Top 10 Qualities of a Good Secretary

Listening & Speaking: Business Inquiries 

Writing:Notice

Extensive Reading: Secretarial Signs of the Times

Unit 4

Reading:The Secretary's Role at Meetings

Listening & Speaking:Negotiating Prices

Writing: Agenda

Extensive Reading:How to Write an Agenda

Unit 5

Reading: Tips to Run Productive Meetings

Listening & Speaking:Counter - Offer

Writi ng: Minutes

Extensive Reading: Taking Minutes

Unit 6

Reading: How to Write an Effective Business Letter

Listening & Speaking:Writing a Letter

Writing: Business Letter

Extensive Readi ng: Ten Tips to Simplify Your Business Correspondence

Unit 7

Reading:Getting along with Colleagues (Ⅰ)

Listening & Speaking: Entertainment

Writing:Note

Extensive Reading: Getting along with Colleagues (Ⅱ)

Unit 8

Reading: Qualities of a Good Receptionist

Listening & Speaking: Business Dinner

Writing:A Letter of Invitation

Extensive Reading: Duties of the Receptionist

Unit 9

Reading:Tips When "Answering" the Telephone Call

Listening & Speaking: Making a Phone Call

Writing.Reply to Invitation

Extensive Reading: Basic Telephone Skills 

Unit 10

Reading:Filing Systems (Ⅰ)

Listening & Speaking: Marketing

Writing: Letters of Acknowledgement

Extensive Reading:Filing Systems (Ⅱ)

Unit 11

Reading: Settling Complaints

Listening & Speaking:Complaints and Adjustments

Writing:Complaints and Settlement

Extensive Reading: How to Deal With Complaints Properly

Unit 12

Reading:Travel Arrangements

Listening & Speaking: Travel

Writing:Itinerary

Extensive Reading: Etiquette of Gift Giving

Keys to Exercises

Word List