《西方文化读本（第三版）》在前两版的基础上进行了较大的修订和完善。一方面继续为学生展现西方文化全貌，以追溯文化史的方式展现了西方文化发展的主线，用生动的故事呈现西方文化发展历史中的重要节点，从而使学生英语语言技能的提升寓于对西方文化基础知识的掌握之中；另一方面在对原有内容进行增删、调整的同时，将课程思政元素有机融入教学和练习之中，增加了有关当今西方社会所面临的社会问题的补充阅读篇章和思考题，使学生在了解西方文化的同时，学会鉴别西方文化的根源和本质。
内容上，本教材从西方文化的源头，即古希腊、罗马文化开始，以西方现当代文化现象作为终结：古希腊人的想象和思考成为西方文化的摇篮；古罗马人的实用和政治促成“条条大路通罗马”；中世纪在漫长的“黑暗”之中酝酿了风起云涌的变化；文艺复兴点亮人性之光；启蒙时代将理性之火燃遍了整个西方；浪漫主义和现实主义在理性、情感、现实、想象的编织下纷繁丰富；现代主义反思传统，崇尚多元、张扬个性。

Unit 1 Ancient Greek Culture and Wisdom
Section A Greek Mythology
Section B City-States: Athens and Sparta
Section C Socrates
Unit 2 Rommm Empire and Latin Culture
Section A History of Roman Empire
Section B AU Roads Lead to Rome
Section C Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen and Her Love Affairs
Unit 3 The Middle Ages and the Risc of Modern Europe
Section A The Middle Ages
Section B The Rise of the States
Section C The Rise 0f Universities in the Middle Ages
Unit 4 Renaissance and Shakespeare
Section A Renaissance
Section B William Shakespeare
Section C Henry VIII and His Six Wives
Umlt 5 Enlightenment and the Origin of Modern Science
Section A The Age of Enlightenment
Section B On the Shoulders of Giants: Isaac Newton and Modem Science
Section C Francis Bacon: Fame and Disgrace
Unit 6 Romanticism and Realism
Section A Romanticism in Europe
Section B Romanticism in America
Section C Realism in Europe
Unit 7 Modernism and Contemporary Western Culture
Section A Modernism and Modernist Movement
Section B The Distinct Character of Contemporary American Culture
Section C How Contemporary American Society Tramples on Principles Of Integrity
Supplementary Reading
Passage 1 The Toxic Individualism of Pandemic Politics
Passage 2 False Values Conveyed by American Entertainment and Cultural Industries
Passage 3 What Is the Bamboo Ceiling and How Do We Break It
Passage 4 White-collar Crime
Glossary