《新概念大学英语泛读教程》一套四册。每册有15个单元，每个单元由三部分组成：阅读课文和练习、快速阅读和练习、课外阅读和练习。此外，为方便阅读，该教程还在阅读课文和课外阅读后面增加了部分必需的注释。每册书后都配有练习参考答案，以便利教师和学生的教与学。

本书为其中的第四册。

Unit One

Part One Text

Stephen Hawking

Part Two Fast Reading

Robert Owen

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Helen Keller

Unit Two

Part One Text

Bush Touts Free Society to Chinese

Part Two Fast Reading

Intellectual Property Rights Protection

Part Three Supplementary Reading

China and the New Asian Century

Unit Three

Part One Text

The Contenders 2008: Hillary Clinton

Part Two Fast Reading

Legislator Who Endorsed Killing of Police Resigns under Fire

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Europe Anticipating American Election

Unit Four

Part One Text

Why Are You Laughing?

Part Two Fast Reading

Mental Health

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Examining the Limits of Life

Unit Five

Part One Text

Cultural Adjustment

Part Two Fast Reading

Cultural Conflict

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Communication across Culture

Unit Six

Part One Text

Key Technologies of the Lunar Orbiting Exploration Project

Part Two Fast Reading

Chinese Lunar Exploration Program

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Dark Energy in Space

Unit Seven

Part One Text

Cellphones—Growing Techs

Part Two Fast Reading

iPhone

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Applications of Nanotechnology

Unit Eight

Part One Text

Multilateral Trade Liberalization—from GATT to WTO

Part Two Fast Reading

Consumers Strained by Price Surge Last Year

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Free Trade

Unit Nine

Part One Text

2007 Subprime Mortgage Financial Crisis

Part Two Fast Reading

Controversy over “Troop Surge” and Associated Terminology

Part Three Supplementary Reading

2008 Presidential Election Characteristics

Unit Ten

Part One Text

Thomas Watson, Jr., Founder of IBM

Part Two Fast Reading

Pierre Omidyar Biography

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Bill Gates—A Man Neither as Good nor Bad

Unit Eleven

Part One Text

Modern Music: Its Styles, Its Techniques

Part Two Fast Reading(1)(2)

Part Three Supplementary Reading

Leonard Bernstein: A Formidable Musician

Unit Twelve

Part One Text

After Twenty Years

Part Two Fast Reading

Madame Tussauds

Part Three Supplementary Reading

The New Café

Unit Thirteen

Part One Text

Contract Formation and Classification

Part Two Fast Reading

The Uniqueness of American Modern Music

Part Three Supplementary Reading

(1) Amendment to Software Reseller Agreement

(2) The Dong Zhi Festival

Unit Fourteen

Part One Text

Ode to the West Wind

Part Two Fast Reading

A Psalm of Life

Part Three Supplementary Reading

She Walks in Beauty

Unit Fifteen

Part One Text

How Do You Know Its Good?

Part Two Fast Reading

(1) A Professional Artist

(2) Culture Shock

Part Three Supplementary Reading

The FarReaching Influence of Confucius

Key to Exercises