本教材有以下特点: 1. 本教材是北京外国语大学英语系的一项重要科研成果,汇集了英语教学专家们的丰富教学经验,体现了前沿的教学思想。 2. 教材吸纳了国外最新的语言材料,题材丰富,内容新颖,包括了现代生活的各个方面,具有鲜明的时代特徵。 3. 教材在总体目标、语言项目、辞彙範围和练习方式上,都体现了新大纲的要求,符合国家标準。 4. 教材在教学法上博採众长,不拘一格;在教学原则上注意发挥学生的主动性与积极性;在编写手法上注意纵向连贯和横向配合,循序渐进。 5.与教材配套的有录音带、多媒体软体等辅助学习材料,体现了立体教学的特点,方便读者学习。 6.教材注意语言与文化的结合,注重提高学生的人文修养,体现了英语专业教材的特色。

Acknowledgement

Abbreviations

Texts

Lesson One

Text A Another School Year—What For?

Text B The Thought Card

Lesson Two

Text A Maheegun My Brother

Text B The Land of the Lock

Lesson Four

Text A The Nightingale and the Rose

Text B Nightingale

Lesson Five

Text A Say Yes

Text B Arrangement in Black and White

Lesson Six

Text A The Man in the Water

Text B The Broken Lantern

Lesson Seven

Text A The Greatest Invention

Text B The Flying Machine

Lesson Eight

Text A Psychologically Speaking

Text B Psychologically Speaking (continued)

Lesson Nine

Text A Quick Fix Society

Text B Remarks by Bill Clinton at Grand Canyon National Park

Lesson Ten

Text A The Richer, the Poorer

Text B The Story of Jane Pilgrim

Lesson Eleven

Text A You Have to Get Me Out of Here

Text B Help for the Helper

Lesson Twelve

Text A Confessions of a Miseducated Man

Text B Understanding Society and Culture Through Eating

Lesson Thirteen

Text A Blueprint for Success

Text B My Wood

Lesson Fourteen

Text A Space Shuttle Challenger

Text B Blimps

Lesson Fifteen

Text A The Riddle of Time

Text B Mr. Imagination

Vocabulary List

Idiomatic Expressions and Collocations

Verb Patterns