《大学基础英语教程》共分三册，每册包含12个单元。采用每一单元设一主题的形式，每单元由两篇文章Text A和Text B组成。内容涉及当代生活的各个方面，学生可以将语言学习贯穿在了解和探讨现实生活各种问题的过程中，既能较扎实地掌握基本语言技能，提高语言应用能力，又可增进对中西文化的了解。

本书与主干教程相互呼应，相互补充，且又互不重复，目的在于使学生更进一步巩固和掌握主干教程中所学到的各种语言知识。本套练习形式多样，涵盖阅读理解、词汇、翻译、语法等综合训练，每单元的最后还配备两篇快速阅读课文，既便于教师在课堂上教学，又便于学生课后自学。

Unit 1 Health

  Read ＆ Explore

 Passage 1 Teenagers' Suicide

 Passage 2 How Much Exercise do You Need?

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

 Youth

 Laugh

Unit 2 Psychology

  Read ＆ Explore

 Passage 1 ODD and Its Treatment

 Passage 2 MIT's Open Course Ware Project

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

 You Are How You Wait. Queue Psychology

 "Computer-literate" or "People-literate"?

Unit 3 Pace of Life

  Read ＆ Explore

 Passage 1 Right Minded

 Passage 2 Is Work Taking over Your Life?

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

Pace of Life

TV Talk Shows-Trash or Treasure

Unit 4 Value

 Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 The Value of Time

Passage 2 Success

 Language Practice

 Fast Reading

Success in the United States

 Hurricane Strike

Unit 5 Art

 Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 Black Earth

Passage 2 Lion Dance

 Language Practice

 Fast Reading

Rebel for All Seasons

American Recreation

Unit 6 Terrorism

  Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 Take Care, America

Passage 2 What Counts for a Modern State?

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

The Worst Scare of My Life

Paying the Price

Unit 7 Addiction

  Read ＆ Explore

 Passage 1 Alcohol Drinking

 Passage 2 Animal Products-based Diet

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

 Young Computer "Hackers"

 Tips on Fish Raising

Unit 8 Music

  Read ＆ Explore

 Passage 1 Music Style

 Passage 2 Beauty Contests in America

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

 Mozart Makes the Brain Hum

Tinpan Alley

Unit 9 Medicine

  Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 Modern Surgery

Passage 2 Credit Cards

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

A New Doctors' Dilemma

 How Love Heals(治愈)

Unit 10 Famous People

  Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 Richard Nixon

Passage 2 The People in the News Studio

  Language Practice

  Fast Reading

Marco Polo

 How Children Develop Their Speaking Ability

Unit 11 New Generation

  Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 "Gentle People" 

Passage 2 Children: Is Living with Parents Advisable?

  Language Practice

 Fast Reading

Job Market for Teenagers

Phatic Communication

Unit 12 Advertising

 Read ＆ Explore

Passage 1 On-liners Move Off-line

Passage 2 Student-teacher Relationships in America 

 Language Practice

 Fast Reading

Should Doctors Be Allowed to Advertise?

Protection For Consumers in USA