这套书立意在于提高学生英文水平的同时，让学生更多地了解一些欧美社会文化背景。许国璋教授在编写该书时还考虑到目前学员的水平普遍有所提高，因此所选文章起点高，难度大。
为了方便广大学员及从事教学辅导的教师使用好这套教材，我们编写了这本学习与辅导用书。
本书编写的体例是：
一 背景与导学：我们对课文中的一些背景情况作了扼要的说明，为第二册书加上了导学，如德黑兰会议的始末；七大奇观是哪七个等，用几句简练的话把一篇文章的要点呈现给读者。
二 补充生词与短语：为了照顾不同层次的学员，我们在原书的基础上补充了一些生词和短语。
三 课文解释：我们对文中出现的习惯表达法，成语以及难点，**句型作了较为详细的分析，讲解，注释。多数难句还给出了中英文意译，有些**短语还附有例句。
四 练习与答案：我们为**册补充了围绕课文的练习，为第二册配写了练习。练习均围绕课文内容，结合高教自考要求，从不同的角度检查学员的学习情况。学完一篇课文，认真完成练习，将有助于学员掌握这一篇课文的**、内容。在为原书**册的练习提供了答案的同时，为新编练习也提供了答案。
五 模拟题：我们为每一册书提供了期中、期末试

Foreword (前言)
BOOK I
LESSON 1 THE GREAT OAK TREE
LESSON 2 SEARCH FOR ANCESTOR (PART I)
LESSON 3 SEARCH FOR ANCESTOR (PART II)
LESSON 4 INTERPRETING FOR THE PRESIDENT AT TEHERAN
LESSON 5 DINNERS AND NEGOTIATIONS
LESSON 6 BEAUTIFUL LOUSY POEM
LESSON 7 THE QUESTIONS EELS RAISE
LESSON 8 LIVING OFF THE LAND
LESSON 9 PRIDE IN FATHER'S VOICE
LESSON 10 EDITH TAYLOR
LESSON 11 SPELLING BEE
LESSON 12 A MODERN FAIRY TALE (PART I)
LESSON 13 A MODERN FAIRY TALE (PART II)
LESSON 14 DEAD SOLDIERS DON'T WIN WARS (PART I)
LESSON 15 DEAD SOLDIERS DON'T WIN WARS (PART II)
LESSON 16 LONG WALK TO FOREVER
BOOK II
LESSON 1 THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
LESSON 2 THE GREAT PYRAMID
LESSON 3 THE OLYMPIC GAMES
LESSON 4 MEMBERS OF A GREEK FAMILY
LESSON 5 THE PERSIAN WARS
LESSON 6 LEONARDO DA VINCI
LESSON 7 DA VINCI'S LETTER TO THE REGENT OF MILAN
LESSON 8 JESUS OF NAZARETH—THE STORY OF HIS LIFE
LESSON 9 THE CRUEL TRADE—THE DEMAND FOR LABOR
LESSON 10 THE BEGINNINGS OF BALLET
LESSON 11 THE STORY OF THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
LESSON 12 THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
LESSON 13 THE DEATH OF A POET
LESSON 14 THE ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR (PART I)
LESSON 15 THE ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR (PART II)
LESSON 16 THE ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR (PART III)
SELF-TEST PAPERS
PAPER I
PAPER II
PAPER III
PAPER IV
KEY TO EXERCISES OF BOOK I
KEY TO SUPPLEMENTARY EXERCISES OF BOOK I
KEY TO EXERCISES OF BOOK II
KEY TO SELF-TEST PAPERS