本书是《大学英语泛读教程4》，旨在提高学生的阅读能力、巩固所学词汇、激发学生对不同话题的兴趣，为今后阅读学术、技术文献奠定基础。适合非英语专业大学二年级下半学期的学生使用。

全书共3个单元，每个单元由3章组成，每章有2篇阅读文章。其特点主要体现在以下几个方面：重视培养学生阅读文献的能力和技巧；选材贴近学生的现实生活，时效性强；练习活动设计以学生为中心，利于活跃课堂气氛；重视词汇的复现和反复操练；重视运用多种媒体资料，培养学习能力。

此外，本书还提供了阅读策略训练题目以及提高字典查阅技巧的练习。

Skills

Introduction

UNIT 1: Society: School and Family

Chapter 1

Hop, Skip... and Software？

  Today, many young students use computers. Educators disagree on whether computer

  use makes these students better learners.

Program to Bring Laptop Computers to Rural Schools

  7000 public school teachers and students in ruralArkansas will soon receive laptop

  computers. The computers will replace textbooks and library books.

Chapter 2

My Husband, the Outsider

  Marian's Korean relatives wanted her to marry, but not necessarily to the man she

  chose.

Unwelcome in Chinatown

  Amy looks Chinese, but does not speak Chinese. She feels like a stranger in Chinatown.

Chapter 3

Beyond Rivalry

  As they age and become more mature, many sisters and brothers become closer as

  they put aside feelings of competition and anger.

Middle Children and Their Position in the Family

  Birth order can influence the development of a child's personality and the way that

  child interacts with his or her siblings as well.

UNIT 2: Influences on Our Lives: Nature Versus Nurture

Chapter 4

Who Lives Longer？

  Most of us know that, on average, women live longer than men. What other factors

  influence how long people live？

Coping with Crisis

  How to cope with crisis？ Hold your head high, look it squarely in the eye and say, "I

  will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me."

Chapter 5

The Mindset of Health

  The way we think about health and illness influences how our bodies respond.

  Can we“think” ourselves into illness？

How to Behave in a Hospital

  Should we be active about our treatment and ask questions？ Or should we be quiet

  and passive, accepting whatever comes？ The answer may surprise you.

Chapter 6

Small Wonders

  Are child prodigies born or made？ A reporter searches for answers to this fascinating

  question about “superkids.”

Reading at 8 Months？ That Was Just the Start

  Very bright children soon outperform their peers. But what happens when a

  13-year-old is ready for college？

UNIT 3: The Environment

Chapter 7

Playing with Fire

  by Laura Lopen et al, in Time

  The burning of the Amazon rain forest by farmers and cattle ranchers involves

  consequences for the environment all over the world.

Taking Two Steps Back

  The burning of the Amazon rain forest decreased temporarily, but an improvement

  in the economy, coupled with a dry period, has led to an increase in the practice.

Chapter 8

Wilder Places for Wild Things

  Today's zoos are creating the sights and sounds of natural habitats. The animals are

  responding with natural behavior they never exhibited before in zoos.

Predators on the Prowl

  Many animals, such as the mountain lion, are protected by law. When they attack

  and kill people, however, the laws are sometimes challenged.

Chapter 9

A Nuclear Graveyard

  Nuclear power plants provide much needed power. They also generate nuclear waste.

  Where can this waste be safely stored？

A Nuclear Graveyard (excerpt)

  The U.S. government has chosen Yucca Mountain in Nevada as a"home" for nuclear

  waste, but not all Nevadans agree with the government's choice.

Word List