全书共分九个单元。
单元为绪论，总体介绍文化与交际、跨文化交际和跨文化交际学的基本知识。
第二、三单元介绍日常语言交际、着重介绍文化日常交际中经常出现的问题，如称呼、话题选择、礼拜礼仪、赞语与赞语应答等。练习注重训练学生的日常交际的模式化习得。
第四单元介绍语言交际，着重讲解词语的文化内涵与文化思维模式。通过大量的实例，把语言与文化的关系生动有趣地展现在学生面前，同时把文化深层结构引入学生的视野。
第五单元介绍非语言交际，主要概述非语言交际的三大内容：时间观念、空间的使用与身势语，用大量事例充分展现了非语言交际在跨文化交际中的重要作用及应用规则。
第六单元介绍跨性别文化交际，介绍中外男女性别意识的差异所导致的文化差异，如谈话风格、行为习惯、思维方式的不同以及如何跨越这些障碍而达到彼此的沟通与理解。
第七单元介绍谈判风格的文化差异，着重分析因文化差异而产生的不同谈判风格，介绍了中西方谈判氛围、谈判人员的组成、决定方式等方面的异同。
第八单元介绍跨文化交往中的幽默认知，介绍在跨文化交往中如何理解幽默、欣赏幽默和使用幽默。
第九单元以跨文化人格形成为内容，重点讨论中西方文化观的融合，介绍了中西方世界观在对宇宙、自然、知识、社会、时间及交际等认识方面上的差异性与互补性，提出随着中西方文化不断交流与融合，培养跨文化人格成为一种必然需要。
本教程还包括三个附录：社会文化知识测试、本教程教学大纲和部分练习的参考答案。

Unit 1 An Introduction
Warm-up Cases
Culture
Communication
Intercultural Communication
Exercises
Unit 2 Daily Verbal Communication (I)
Warm-up Cases
Form of Address
Greeting
Initiating Conversation and Conversation Topic
Visiting
Parting
Exercises
Unit 3 Daily Verbal Communication (11)
Warm-up Cases
Compliments and Compliment Responses
So Functions of Compliments
Differences Between Chinese and English Compliments
Common Response Formulas of English and Chinese Compliments
Cultural Assumption
Expressions of Gratitude and Apology in English and Chinese
Exercises
Unit 4 Verbal Communication
Warm-up Cases
Culturally Loaded Words
Cultural Reflections on Proverbs
Taboos
Differences in Cultural Thought Patterns
Exercises
Unit 5 Nonverbal Communication
Warm-up Cases
Nonverbal Communication, Its Underestimated Status
Nonverbal Communication, Its Study Areas
Cultural Differences in Nonverbal Communication
Time Language
Space Language
Body Language
Paralanguage
Exercises
Unit 6 Cross-gender Communication
Warm-up Cases
Sex and Gender
Feminine and Masculine Communication Cultures
Understanding Cross-gender Communication
Six Principles for Effective Cross-gender Communication
Exercises
Unit 7 Cultural Variations in Negotiation Styles
Warm-up Cases
Cultural Variations in Conducting Business
Cultural Variations in Selecting Negotiators
Cultural Variations in Decision-making
Conclusion
Exercises
Unit 8 Humor Interpretation in Intercultural Encounters
Warm-up Cases
Humor as a Pathway to Intercultural Communication Competence
Converting Enthymeme into Syllogism
Locating Analogous Cultural Contexts
The Metastep
Summary
Exercises
Unit 9 Intercultural Personhood: An Integration of Eastern and Western Perspectives
Warm-up Cases
Eastern and Western World Views
A Synthesis
Complementarity
Toward Intercultural Personhood
Exercises
Bibliography
Appendices
Appendix I: A So-cultural Test
Appendix I1: Teaching Syllabus for Intercultural Communication
Appendix II1: Key for Reference