全书共分十五单元，内容涉及生活中的教育、环境这些日常话题，以及经济、政治等宏观话题。每单元围绕一定话题，各含三篇文章。每单元开头是对三篇文章的概述，引导读者对单元内容有一个大致的了解。每单元第一、二篇文章是精读文章，除了理解主旨，还要分析难句，每篇配以丰富的练习。练习所测能力也各有不同，既测试学习者对文章内涵的理解，也需要学习者在阅读之余能通过练习学会运用文章中的好词、好句。总之，练习的目的是要求对文章和词汇都有深度的理解。第三篇文章是该话题之下的选读文章，难度高于第一、第二篇，适合学习者作泛读。既适合基础口译考生做考试预备工作，也适合初三升学、高中及大学一、二年级的学生提高英语阅读能力，增加词汇。

本书以话题划分为15个单元，内容涉及教育、环境这些日常话题，以及经济、政治等宏观话题。每单元围绕一定话题，各含三篇文章。第一、二篇文章是精读文章，要求理解主旨，分析难句，每篇配以丰富的练习。第三篇文章是该话题之下的泛读文章，难度高于前两篇，供学习者选用。

本书可供准备基础口译考试的考生夯实基础，力求使考生在使用本书后在英语应用水平上有较大的飞跃，能更好地应对口译和口语的实践与测试。同时，本书也可作相应水平学习者的教材。

前言

Unit 1 Education

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Experiences and Opinions o{ College Life

 Passage 2 Parents VS Children

 Passage 3 American Educational System

Unit 2 Work and Life

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Offiee Polities

 Passage 2 Does Privacy Matter?

 Passage 3 Volunteering

Unit 3 Traffic and Accidents

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Narrow Escape

 Passage 2 Diana Dies in Paris Car Wreck

 Passage 3 Too Much Tra{{ic

Unit 4 Humanity and Environments

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Yangtze River Dolphin's 17th Birthday

 Passage 2 Green Packaging

 Passage 3 The Ocean in Trouble

Unit 5 Social Problems

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Volunteers Contribute to Poverty Relief

 Passage 2 Gender Imbalance Grows

 Passage 3 Supporting the Elderly

Unit 6 Progress of Science and Technology

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Talking with Your Computer

 Passage 2 Search for 2nd Earth

 Passage 3 Take a Peek at the Future

Unit 7 Sanitation and Health

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Is Your Diet Destroying the Environment?

 Passage 2 TV-Viewing-Is It Damaging Your Child?

 Passage 3 Some Myths about Physical Fitness

Unit 8 Sports

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Who Invented That Sport?

 Passage 2 Football Violence

 Passage 3 The Greatest-Muhammad Ali

Unit 9 City and Countryside

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 A Belgian Couple Tour China by Bicycle

 Passage 2 City Life and Country Life

 Passage 3 Food Tour of the United States

Unit 10 Culture and History

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 New Year's Day

 Passage 2 Culture Shock

 Passage 3 Christmas under Fire

Unit 11 Travel and Sightseeing

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 How to Travel the World for Free

 Passage 2 How to Beat Jet Lag

 Passage 3 Green Travel

Unit 12 Entertainment and Mass Media

 导读 Introduction

 Passage t No Drama Please, We're British

 Passage 2 The Influence of TV

 Passage 3 It's Netbook Age

Unit 13 Business and Negotiations

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Business Presentation Tips

 Passage 2 Planning and How to Negotiate

 Passage 3 China Business Negotiation: 11 Useful Tips

Unit 14 Trade and Investment

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 Changing World Markets

 Passage 2 How to Succeed in Business

 Passage 3 The Stock Market

Unit 15 Economy and Development

 导读 Introduction

 Passage 1 The Business of America

 Passage 2 What Does a Million Dollars Buy

 Passage 3 Do We Really Need an MBA?

参考文献