《大学英语泛读教程》的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。《大学英语泛读教程》不仅训练学生阅读文章的技巧，还重视培养学生从各类图表、曲线图、插图和图片中获取信息的能力，为学生今后阅读文献打基础。
教材编写贴近学生的现实生活，选材时效性强。《大学英语泛读教程》的主要内容有**旅行者、家庭生活、日常生活中的技术、健康的生活、世界闻名的科学家、地球的资源与危险等，多为当今的热门话题。此外，学生还可通过形式多样的练习，以口头和书面的方式讨论自身经历、本国风俗文化及与美国和其他**的差异等。
教材编写以学生为**，利于活跃课堂气氛。课堂活动多以两人或小组活动的方式来设计，有利于学生通过合作更多地使用英语，参与课堂教学。
重视词汇的复现和反复操练。实践表明，初学者尤其需要对生词进行反复练习。通过不断复现所学词汇，学生可更好地理解、记住这些词汇。《大学英语泛读教程》中，每篇文章中的大多数词汇不仅在该单元中进行了大量操练，而且在其他单元中反复运用，有助于学生掌握所学词汇。
重视学习与现实生活、新技术的联系，培养学习能力。《大学英语泛读教程》每个单元都配有一段CNN录像资料，

《大学英语泛读教程》系列教材是在美国HteirlIe，Thomson出版公司2004年出版的ReadingforTodaySeries的基础上改编而成的。本系列教材保留了原版教材新颖独特的设计模式和先进的编写理念，并结合了中国英语教学的实际，改编了部分练习，增编了中英文双语释义的词汇表。
《大学英语泛读教程》系列教材共分5级，适合从初级到**不同水平的学生使用：
《大学英语泛读教程·预备级》（丁hemesforToday）低起点
《大学英语泛读教程1》（InsightsforToday）高起点
《大学英语泛读教程2》（IssuesforToday）中级
《大学英语泛读教程3》（ConceptsforToday）中**
《大学英语泛读教程4》（TopicsforToday）**
本书是《大学英语泛读教程·预备级》（丁hemesforToday），适合入学水平低于非英语专业一级要求的学生使用。本教材共6个单元（unit），每个单元由2章（Chapter）组成。
本教材的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。本教材不仅训练学生阅读文章的技巧，还重视培养学生从各类图表、曲线图、插图和图片中获取信息的能力，为学生今后阅读文献打基础。
教材编写贴近学生的现实生活，真实、丰富，有趣。本教材的主要内容有家庭、语言与文化、锻炼与健康、发明家、历史、科学技术等，与学生的生活联系紧密。此外，学生还可通过形式多样的练习，以口头和书面的方式讨论自身经历、本国风俗文化及与美国和其他**的差异等。
阅读方式灵活。本教材的文章都以两种形式出现：段落式和全文式。文章以段落式出现时，每部分后都附有与本段落内容和词汇相关的练习；以全文式出现时，其后所附的练习主要涉及推理、结论、观点、主题等内容。

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 the different people of the United States.
Courtney's Texas-Bia 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：InternatiOnaI Scientists
Chapter 9 Alfred Nobel：A Man ofPeace
AIfred Nobel：A Man of Peace
Theworld remembersAlfredNobeffordifferent reosons．Hewonted
f()be remembered as O peacefuf man．
Choosing Nobel Prize Winners
Itisagreathonorto win a Nobel Prize Differentgroupsdecide 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 qreat scientist was a very modeFn woman．She WOS the first
female to receive the Nobef Prize．
Irene Curie
The dauqhter ofthe famous scientists continued her mother's WOrk
andalsowonoNobel Prize．

UNIT 6：The Earth's Resources and Dangers
Chapter ll Oil as an Important W10rid Resource
Oil as an Important World Resource
Oil is one ofthe world's most usefuI natura|resources．People use it
in many different ways．
The D0 lT Homestead
The Collins family ofUtah use onlysolarenergy 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 scietists cannot predict them．
We should understand them and learn how to protect ourselves
in on earthquake．
A Survivor's Story
An elderly woman who lived through the Kobe,Japan earthquake
describes thh frightening event．
Word List
……