连先主编的《英语速读(1)》属于教育部立项的“普通高等教育‘九五’国家级重点教材”，同时还被列为《申国科学院研究生教学丛书”。
《英语速读(1)》由中国科学院研究生院外语教学部的资深教授根据多年的教学经验编写而成，是几代教师辛勤努力的结晶。书中所选60篇短文大多引自当代英文原版书刊，题材广泛，可读性强。每篇短文后配阅读理解题，书后附速度测定表、准确率测定表、检测记录表和一份活页习题答案。
《英语速读(1)》适合于非英语专业硕士研究生学位英语教学，也可作为高等院校各专业本科生提高英语技能的参考用书。

1 WALT DISNEY
2 DIFFUSION AND OSMOSIS
3 WEATHER FORECASTS
4 AS THE CENTURY TURNS
5 A TALL TALE
6 KEEP DREAMING
7 BRIBERY
8 TESTING THE NEW CARS
9 THE WILL
10 CALCIUM
11 PURE ECSTASY
12 HUNTING
13 PATTERNS OF SEA WATER
14 NEW DANGERS
15 WOMEN AND THEIR SHOES
16 EMAIL
17 DRY MOUTH
18 ESKIMOS
19 NAVIGATION
20 CHILDREN'S INTELLIGENCE
21 JAKARTA
22 SINUS SURGERY
23 ABSENT PROFESSORS
24 THE RAILROAD
25 DREAM TRANSLATION
26 BEE KEEPING
27 HEPATITIS B VACCINE
28 STRATFORD-ON-AVON
29 ART
30 THE TELEPHONE
31 WHALES
32 THE LENS
33 LIVING TOO LONG
34 FARMWORKERS
35 RICHES OF THE MIND
36 THE CORRECT BOWL
37 PUBLIC LANDS
38 RICH AS A KING
39 KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
40 CURITIBA
41 WASHINGTON, DC
42 CURRICULUM
43 THE BAT
44 SPEEDY ANIMALS
45 ANTIBIOTICS
46 CANCER AND DIET
47 TIME
48 THE LEFT-HANDED
49 RESENTMENT
50 A SUMMER DAY
51 JOHNAMOSCOMENIUS
52 TALKING TO A DEAD PERSON
53 BUYING A HOUSE
54 THE CROW AND ORIOLE
55 LAW AND (BIRTH) ORDER
56 LEARN HIS LANGUAGE
57 WAKE UP YOUR LIFE
58 LOUIS BRAILLE
59 VANMORRISON
60 VERSATILE MAN
APPENDICES