陶涛、范纯海主编的《新起点大学英语听说教程（3）》分十个单元，每单元由五个部分组成，这五个部分围绕同一相关主题设计。每个单元列出本单元的学习要点，将任务贯穿于整个学习过程当中，以完成任务的过程为学习过程，旨在提高学生的目标意识，既见树又见林。列出了每个单元应掌握的学习策略，有的放矢；把语言学习与现实生活结合起来，注重用英语来交流思想；培养学生终生学习的能力，强化自主学习意识。选择生动有趣的学习主题，再将主题巧妙地分解成既实际有用又便于操作的若干任务，注重产出性技能的训练和积累，有效地培养学生实际应用语言的能力。口语部分是听力部分的自然延伸和操练发展，突出实用性、趣味性、多样性、启发性和探索性。文化指南指导学生全面深入地获取并掌握与各主题有关的语言文化知识，通过丰富的语料激发学生对西方文化的探索之心，提高学生的综合文化素养和跨文化交际的能力。听力自测是学生课堂学习的延伸和应用，可作为学生课后的补充听力练习，方便学生拓展听力练习并自测学习效果。英文歌曲和诗歌欣赏既可以提高学生的学习兴趣，又可以检验学生的英语综合运用能力。

Unit 1 Facing Failures

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Morns Talk. Facing Failure

Conversation 2 Why Most People Give Up and Fail

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 Failures Are Neutral

Passage 2 Failure Is Just the First Step Towards Success

 Part Three Speaking Out

Cheer Up Your Friends

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Trouble Is a Friend

Unit 2 Laughter

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 To Stay Healthy

Conversation 2 Why Do Shy People Avoid Social Situations?

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 To Laugh and Play

Passage 2 Laughing Clubs

 Part Three Speaking Out

Is Laughter the Best Medicine?

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Love Like Laughter

Unit 3 What's Your Favorite Song?

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Jazz and Classical Music

Conversation 2 What's Your Favorite Song?

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 Music

Passage 2 Jazz

 Part Three Speaking Out

What's Your Favorite Song/Music?

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Music and Me

Unit 4 Women Like Shopping

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 You're Obsessed with Cotton

Conversation 2 Wearing a Suit

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 Tips for Shopping

Passage 2 Colors Work

 Part Three Speaking Out

Shopping

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song The Show

Unit 5 Traffic Accidents

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Where to Park?

Conversation 2 An Accident

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 Driver Fatigue

Passage 2 Crossing the Road Safely

 Part Three Speaking Out

A Traffic Accident

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Traffic in the Sky

Unit 6 I've Been Laid Off!

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 How Is Your Work?

Conversation 2 Job Market

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 How to Keep Your Job in Good Standing

Passage 2 Finding a Job in a Struggling Economy

 Part Three Speaking Out

Go to Graduate School or Get a Job?

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song I'll Be There

Unit 7 I Am Ambitious

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Living in Space

Conversation 2 What Is Your Dream?

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 You Can Make a Difference

Passage 2 Be Ambitious

 Part Three Speaking Out

It's My Dream!

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Dream On

Unit 8 I Am Still Single

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Is That True?

Conversation 2 A Blind Date

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 Looking for Mr. Right

Passage 2 The Man Who Loved Women

 Part Three Speaking Out

One Date Only

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Love and Marriage

Unit 9 Overpopulation

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Population Problem

Conversation 2 Causes of Overpopulation

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 The Growth in Population

Passage 2 Population in America

 Part Three Speaking Out

Thoughts on World Population Day

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five  Enjoying Yourself

Song We Are the World

Unit 10 Crime

 Part One Getting into the Topic

 Part Two Listening Tasks

Task One Short Conversations

Task Two Long Conversations

Conversation 1 Be Tough on Crime

Conversation 2 Drive to the Party?

Task Three Short Passages

Passage 1 Drunk Driving

Passage 2 Accusation

 Part Three Speaking Out

What Should I Do?

 Part Four Testing Yourself

 Part Five Enjoying Yourself

Song Where Is the Love

Appendix Glossary