本书是《大学英语泛读教程1》，旨在提高学生的阅读能力、巩固所学词汇、激发学生对不同话题的兴趣，为今后阅读学术、技术文献奠定基础。适合非英语专业大学一年级的学生使用。

全书共6个单元，每个单元由2章组成，每章有2篇阅读文章。其特点主要体现在以下几个方面：重视培养学生阅读文献的能力和技巧；教材编写贴近学生的现实生活，选材时效性强；教材编写以学生为中心，利于活跃课堂气氛；重视词汇的复现和反复操练；重视学习与现实生活、新技术的联系，培养学习能力。

此外，本书还提供了略读和快读训练题目以及提高字典查阅技巧的练习。

Skills

Introduction

UNIT 1: Today's Travelers

Chapter 1 A Family Sees America Together

 A Family Sees America Together

An American family travels across the country in a van. They want

to see all 50 states and meet different people of the United

States.

 Courtney's Texas--Big History, Big Cities, Big Hearts

The daughter of the family writes in her journal every day. She

describes the places and the people. Today, she writes about Texas.

Chapter 2 Volunteer Vacations

 Volunteer Vacations

Many people like to take a vacation to relax. But some people use

their vacations to do something different: they do volunteer work

to help others.

 Who Volunteers？

Many different kinds of people are volunteers. Some are young

college graduates; others are senior citizens. But they all enjoy

the work！

UNIT 2: Family Life

Chapter 3 How Alike Are Identical Twins？

 How Alike Are Identical Twins？

Identical twins are not very common. Scientists study them to

understand their differences and similarities.

 Diary of a Triplet Father

This father has triplets/In his diary, he describes his busy life

with his three children.

Chapter 4 The Search for Happiness Through Adoption

 The Search for Happiness Through Adoption

People adopt children for different reasons. However, they all love

their adopted children and want a happy life together.

 Diary of an Adoptive Mother

A woman is adopting a child from another country. In her diary

she writes about her feelings, her hopes, and her dreams.

UNIT 3: Technology in Our Everyday Lives

Chapter 5 Laptops for the Classroom

 Laptops for the Classroom

Some American universities give their students laptop computers

to use for school work. Students can study anywhere！

 Banking at Home

Many people can do all their banking without going to the bank.

Instead, they can use their computers at home.

Chapter 6 A New Way to Go

 A New Way to Go

New scooters can take you anywhere. They are faster than walking,

and they save energy, too.

 Young Inventors

Young people use their imagination to make new, useful inventions.

They can also win money for college at the same time.

UNIT 4: Healthy Living

Chapter 7 The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

 The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke

Everyone knows that smoking is unhealthy. Now, we also know that

the smoke from other people's cigarettes is dangerous to people who

don't smoke.

 Smoking Facts and Figures

Why do people start to smoke？ How old are people when they smoke

for the first time？ Here are some key questions and their interesting

answers.

Chapter 8 A Healthy Diet for Everyone

 A Healthy Diet for Everyone

What food is good for you？ Some food can help you stay healthy, but

some food can make you sick. Do you know which kinds of food

to eat？

 Why Do I Eat When I'm Not Hungry？

Sometimes people eat for other reasons besides hunger. However,

there are steps you can take to avoid eating when you're not hungry.

UNIT 5: International Scientists

Chapter 9 Alfred Nobel: A Man of Peace

Alfred Nobel: A Man of Peace

The world remembers Alfred Nobel for different reasons. He wanted

to be remembered as a peaceful man.

Choosing Nobel Prize Winners

It is a great honor to win a Nobel Prize. Different groups decide who

the winners will be. Nobel Prize winners receive something else, too.

Chapter 10 Marie Curie: A Twentieth-century Woman

 Marie Curie: A Twentieth-century Woman

This great scientist was a very modern woman. She was the first

female to receive the Nobel Prize.

 Irene Curie

The daughter of the famous scientists continued her mother's work

and also won a Nobel Prize.

UNIT 6: The Earth's Resources and Dangers

Chapter 11 Oil as an Important World Resource

 Oil as an Important World Resource

Oil is one of the world's most useful natural resources. People use it

in many different ways.

 The DO IT Homestead

The Collins family of Utah use only solar energy to live. They run

their home and their farm using energy from the sun.

Chapter 12 How Earthquakes Happen

 How Earthquakes Happen

Earthquakes can be deadly, and scientists cannot predict them.

We should understand them and learn how to protect ourselves

in an earthquake.

 A Survivor's Story

An elderly woman who lived through the Kobe, Japan earthquake

describes this frightening event.

Word List