本教材以培养学生的实用涉外交际能力为主旨，围绕实用涉外交际话题编写，学完一个话题学生即能学会围绕该话题进行简短实用的英语口头和书面交际。

修订后的教材依然为每册配套共3本，即综合教程、教师参考书和供自学用的《英语综合练习》。

本书为教材的第1册，在零起点教材500～800词的基础上再学习550个生词，并学习基础语法。教程共12个单元，每3个单元处理一个交际话题。

《英语》系列教材是教育部规划并推荐，供各类高职高专院校非英语专业专科学生使用，1998年正式出版发行。编写组结合这几年使用《英语》的教学情况对其进行了修订，修订后的《英语》更贴近教育部2000年颁布的《高职高专教育英语课程教学基本要求(试行)》，更进一步地将对学生语言基本功的训练与实际的涉外活动结合起来。

与第一版相比，《英语1》替换掉了原书中内容比较陈旧的单元，并将原有的20个单元调整为12个单元；每单元增加了一篇阅读文章；每单元加编了应用文(Applied Writing)部分。

总之，修订后的《英语1》内容更加简明，技能训练更加全面，练习更有针对性，更加符合当前形势下的涉外实际需要。

UNIT 1 Greeting People You Meet for the First Time

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.How Do You Do？

     B.At the Canteen

Passage  A.Welcome

     B.Professor Waters Introduces Herself

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 2 Introducing People to Each Other

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Lizzy, This Is My Friend

     B.Li Ying, This Is Mr.Brown

Passage  A.No Time for Formality

     B.How to Greet a Foreign Friend

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 3 Getting and Giving Information About People

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Could I Join the School Library?

     B.A Family Photo

Passage  A.Passport

     B.Cultural Differences in Greeting People

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 4 Making a Telephone Call

  Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.One Moment, Please

     B.This Is Mr.Smith Here

Passage  A.How to Make an Efficient Phone Call

     B.How to Improve Your Working Efficiency

  Applied Writing

  Pick Up Your Grammar

  Merry Learning

  Words & Phrases

UNIT 5 Can I SeeYour Manager?

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Can I See Your Manager?

     B.Let Me Check ...

Passage  A.A Receptionist's Job

     B.It's Never Too Late to Learn

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 6 Communications Facilities

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Would You Please Take a Message?

     B.I'll Send It to You by E-mail

Passage  A.A Secretary's Job

     B.Mr.Wilson's Secretary

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

 Test One (Unit 1—Unit 6)

UNIT 7 At the Information Desk of a Travel Agency

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.I Prefer Warm Places

     B.Where to Spend Our Holiday

Passage  A.How Can You Get Travel Information?

     B.A Working Mother Has No Time for Holiday

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 8 Flight Departures and Arrivals

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Your Plane Will Take Off Soon

     B.Flight 620 Now Is Boarding

Passage  A.Air Travel 96

     B.Mr.Wang's Trip Home by Train

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 9 Itinerary and Schedule

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.When Does the Train Leave?

     B.Are There Any Non-stops?

Passage  A.Holidays Abroad

     B.A Bus Driver Must Have a Strong Sense of Time

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 10 Giving Shopping Advice

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Could You Give Me Some Advice?

     B.Where Are the Clothes Counters, Please?

Passage  A.Shopping Places

     B.An Elderly Customer

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 11 Can I HelpYou?

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.May I Help You?

     B.How Does It Fit?

Passage  A.I Don't Need a Bag

     B.How to Save Money in Shopping

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words & Phrases

UNIT 12 A Souvenir to Remind Me of China

 Integrated Skills Development

Dialogue A.Shall I Pack It for You?

     B.Cash or Credit Card?

Passage  A.How Do You Buy Things You Want?

     B.Colored Hands

 Applied Writing

 Pick Up Your Grammar

 Merry Learning

 Words &Phrases

 Test Two (Unit 7—Unit 12)

Vocabulary

Phrases