本書以提高英語學習者的閱讀技能為核心，以拓展其知識層面為宗旨，以熱點時文評論報道為導向，精心設計了12個單元的內容，每個單元均涉及同一個主題，共有“一睹為快”、“品味賞閱”、“時文實用”和“拓展閱讀”4個部分。為了讓學習者能夠及時地檢查自己的學習效果，在“一睹為快”后面專門設置有“讀后綜述”、“閱讀檢測”、“新詞回眸”和“團隊聯盟”4個訓練模塊，同時，提供各單元訓練習題的參考答案，在網上免費供學習者使用�！ ”緯x材廣泛、精細、實用；文章內容新穎、典型；語言質量上乘、真實準確、地道優美，符合現代英語語言趨勢；所選材料集知識性、科普性、趣味性于一體，知識含量豐富，所有文章都是近1年來有關社會發展熱點問題的報道，貼近大眾、貼近現實、貼近生活，能夠滿足學生學習原汁原味英語的需求，是一本實用性較強的閱讀教材�！ ”緯梢宰鳛楦叩仍盒７怯⒄Z專業本科、研究生學生的必修課教材；國家四、六級考試和研究生入學考試參考用書；高校英語專業學生和國際新聞、國際貿易、文秘、科技英語、電子商務英語等涉及英語的各類專業學生的選修課教材；適合準備參加托福、雅思考試的出國留學、進修學習人員和舉辦此類培訓班的教材。
1. 綜合了國內英文閱讀教材的優點，兼顧了不同層次學生的需求；2. 在內容組織上采用模塊化、任務驅動設計。3. 配有相應的單元配套習題和深層實訓材料，提供電子教案和相關習題的答案。
目 錄
Unit 1 Current International News 國際快訊 1
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 2
Passage A US Faces the Gun and Tax Cliffs 2
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 13
Passage B Lost in Thailand: How a Lowbrow, Low-Budget Film Became China’sBiggest Hit 14
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 27
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 28
Unit 2 Economic Progress 經濟態勢 32
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 33
Passage A Why So Many Americans Don’t Have Bank Accounts 33
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 41
Passage B Is It Better to Rent or to Buy? 42 目 錄
Unit 1 Current International News 國際快訊 1
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 2
Passage A US Faces the Gun and Tax Cliffs 2
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 13
Passage B Lost in Thailand: How a Lowbrow, Low-Budget Film Became China’sBiggest Hit 14
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 27
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 28
Unit 2 Economic Progress 經濟態勢 32
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 33
Passage A Why So Many Americans Don’t Have Bank Accounts 33
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 41
Passage B Is It Better to Rent or to Buy? 42
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 47
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 48
Unit 3 Technological Advance 科技望 51
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 52
Passage A Speeding up Work for People with Disabilities 52
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 61
Passage B How to Use Technology to Make You Smarter 61
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 66
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 68
Unit 4 Society of Humanity 人文長廊 71
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 72
Passage A Does “Blue Monday” Really Exist? 72
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 82
Passage B Dolphin-assisted Therapy Helps Children with Mental Disabilities 82
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 90
Section D Read after class 拓展閱讀 91
Unit 5 Education 教育專欄 95
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 96
Passage A Confucius Institutes Go beyond Borders 96
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 108
Passage B Is It Still Worth Going to University? 108
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 114
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 116
Unit 6 Environmental Protection 環境保護 119
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 120
Passage A India’s Air Pollution 120
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 131
Passage B UK Design to “Harpoon” Old Satellites 131
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 138
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 140
Unit 7 Green Life 綠色生活 142
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 143
Passage A It’s OK to Be a Crybaby: Why Crying is Good for Your Health 143
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 153
Passage B Does Chocolate Make You Clever? 154
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 164
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 165
Unit 8 Discovery 探索發現 170
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 171
Passage A Predicting Obesity at Birth 171
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 181
Passage B Your Digital Legacy：States Grapple with Protecting Our Data after We Die 181
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 187
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 188
Unit 9 Figures 人物掃描 191
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 192
Passage A Mo Yan——a Storyteller and the Nobel Prize Winner 192
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 204
Passage B Farewell to David Beckham, Footballer 204
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 214
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 215
Unit 10 Emotions 情愫漫語 218
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 219
Passage A How Manti Te’o Could Have Fallen in Love with Someone He Never Met 220
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 232
Passage B William and Kate: Scenes from a Fairy Tale 233
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 243
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 244
Unit 11 Sports & Recreation 文體娛樂 248
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 249
Passage A Being There 249
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 259
Passage B Sports Icons Who Lead a Change 259
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 265
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 266
Unit 12 Fashion 時尚潮流 269
Section A Read Fast 一睹為快 270
Passage A Does Listening to Mozart Really Boost Your Brainpower? 270
Section B Read Freely 品味賞閱 282
Passage B Gangnam Style: Korean Rapper PSY’s Social Commentary 282
Section C Practical Reading Skills 時文實用 291
Section D Read after Class 拓展閱讀 293
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