毛立群等编著的《新21世纪大学英语阅读教程》为《新21世纪大学英语》系列教材相配套的阅读教程第四册，结构与第三册基本相同，但篇幅和难度均有所提高，可供高等院校各专业本科生第四学期作为拓展阅读教材使用。

本阅读教程按主题编排，共有8个单元。每个单元包括四大部分：一、阅读导入(Pre-reading Activlties)；二、A课文(Text A)；三、B课文(Text B)；四、补充阅读(Additional Theme-related Activities)。

Unit 1 The American Dream

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: I Have a Dream

Part Ⅲ Text B: The American Dream in Death of a Salesm

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 2 Silent Struggle

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: Silent Struggle to Excel

Part Ⅲ Text B: Silent Struggle: A New Theory of Pregnanc

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 3 Arctic and Antarctic

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: The Antarctic Treaty of 1959

Part Ⅲ Text B: Living with an Arctic Legend

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 4 True Love

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: The Gift of the Magi

Part Ⅲ Text B: The Nightingale and the Rose

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 5 Different Perspectives

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: The Declaration of Independence

Part Ⅲ Text B: Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 6 Music in Space

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: Music of the Universe

Part Ⅲ Text B: The UFO Phenomenon Is Real

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 7 Coming from Within

Part Ⅰ Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: The Treasure House Within You

Part Ⅲ Text B: Great Art and the Inner World

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities

Unit 8 Living to Learn

Part I Pre-reading Activities

Part Ⅱ Text A: On Studies

Part Ⅲ Text B: Lifelong Learning: Changing Mindsets

Part Ⅳ Additional Theme-related Activities