近年来，科技发展与人才竞争的新形势推动着我国研究生教育迅猛发展，研究生招生以较大规模逐年递增，但研究生外语教学明显落伍于实际需要的矛盾也日渐突出。一方面，研究生英语教学需要突破传统的英语教学模式，即跳出学生自中学(甚至小学)一直到大学本科早已习惯了的英语学习内容和英语学习模式，换言之，研究生英语教学呼唤多样化和差异性，以适应不同水平和不同层次学生的不同要求；另一方面，广大教师又苦于没有一套好的、适应新形势下研究生英语教学要求的好教材。有鉴于此，中国人民大学出版社在深入调研的基础上，在参编兄弟院校的大力支持下，特编写出版这套《研究生英语选修课系列教程》，以满足广大师生的急需。该系列教程的第一辑包括《英美媒体文章阅读教程》、《最新英美媒体时文选读》、《公共英语演讲教程》和《跨文化交流教程》，使用对象是非英语专业研究生、博士生以及相当程度的英语学习者和英语爱好者。
《英美媒体文章阅读教程》具有以下特点：
一、教材特色
《英美媒体文章阅读教程》重点培养学生快速阅读并准确理解英美媒体文章的能力，力争使研究生阶段语言知识的扩展寓于语言综合使用能力的提高之中。与国内同类教材和读物相比，该教材具有以下特色：
1内容鲜活、题材广泛、具有很强的时效性。书中材料全部选自2004年以来的英美媒体文章，最新内容截至2005年美国总统就职典礼。
2以专题为主线编排课文，每一专题精选典型文章作为课文，配以系统的媒体文章阅读技巧，辅以最新英美媒体专题高频词汇，系统培养学生阅读英美媒体文章的能力。
3不仅涉及英美主要报纸、杂志等传统媒体，还涵盖网络、广播、影视媒介。
4选文思想内涵深刻，有利于阅读时深入思考并就相关问题运用所学语言知识表达自己的思想。
5练习编配侧重学以致用，注重英语综合运用能力的培养，克服语言学习中的被动性。
二、内容结构
《英美媒体文章阅读教程》供非英语专业硕士或博士研究生一学期使用，重点培养学生独立批判地阅读英美媒体文章的能力，并在阅读中进一步夯实语言基本功。全书共15个单元，每一单元由读前思考(Previewing the Article)、时文阅读(Reading)、阅读检测(Reviewing the Article)、阅读指南(Skill in Focus)和媒体高频词汇(Key Journalistic Words)几部分构成。读前思考旨在引导学生思考课文涉及的相关问题，并带着问题进入阅读；时文阅读包括两篇文章，涉及不同话题，教师可根据具体情况选择其一作为主课文，另一作为辅助课文。每篇课文后附有相关背景知识介绍(Notes)以及生词表(Words and expressions)，便于学生阅读；阅读检测包括获取信息(Getting the message)、扩充词汇(Expanding your vocabulary)、综合运用(Recognizing main ideas)、读后思考(Beyond the reading)几个板块。其中获取信息旨在检测学生对课文内容的理解情况，扩充词汇为了使学生阅读中准确把握和理解课文中出现的重点词汇，综合运用是对课文内容的浓缩和总结，既帮助学生加深对课文的理解，又培养学生在语篇层次上综合运用语言的能力。读后思考旨在组织学生就课文相关话题深入思考并展开讨论，以培养学生的口语表达能力；阅读指南系统全面地阐述了媒体英语的写作特点、常见类型及格式，以及媒体文章阅读技巧，旨在培养学生独立阅读媒体文章的能力；高频词汇分专题列出媒体英语关键词汇，既帮助学生扩充词汇量，又起到促进媒体文章阅读能力的作用。
本教程后附有各单元课后练习参考答案，供学生自我检测使用。
中国人民大学出版社鞠方安博士为本书内容、结构和体例的设计付出了辛勤的劳动，在此一并致谢。
Part One The Newspaper
Unit One International News
Reading One China Declares War on Electronic Porn
Reading Two North Korea Insults Bush, in Seeming Talks Ploy
Skill in Focus:The style of the news story
Key Journalistic Words in World Affairs
Unit Two National Report
Reading One Report on Sept.11 Fund Is Released
Reading Two Proposal to Abolish CIA Riles Intelligence Leaders
Skill in Focus: The headline
Key Journalistic Words in Politics
Unit Three Business World
Reading One Google Not the First to Go Dutch
Reading Two China Touches the Brakes With Higher Interest Rates
Skill in Focus: Summary leads
Key Journalistic Words in Business
Unit Four The Metro
Reading One Lets not Panic about Pensions
Reading Two Boys Blame a Pill for Murders
Skill in Focus:Special leads
Key Journalistic Words in Metro Life
Unit Five Science & Technology
Reading One All Thumbs, Without the Stigma
Reading Two A Preservation Jam for the Digital Age
Skill in Focus: The news body
Key Journalistic Words in Science & Technology
Unit Six Art & Living
Reading One Video Games get Hollywood Feel
Reading Two European Museums Open Door to Corporate Donors
Skill in Focus:Quotations and attribution
Key Journalistic Words in Art & Living
Unit Seven Sports & Fitness
Reading One Will Genealtered Athletes Kill Sports
Reading Two Olympics: Looking Ahead
Skill in Focus:Taking full advantage of the news style
Key Journalistic Words in Sports & Fitness
Unit Eight Features
Reading One Europe Ponder the Meaning of Life
Reading Two A Strong Whistle, then Everything Crashed
Skill in Focus: Reading features
Key Journalistic Words in Sociology
Unit Nine Editorials & Opinions
Reading One Chinas Great Leap into Polluted Water
Reading Two So, Its a Womans World
Skill in Focus: Reading opinion columns
Key Journalistic Words in Environment
Unit Ten Health & Environment
Reading One A Question from the Edge: Is Fat Contagious?
Reading Two Environmental Officials see a Chance to Shape Regulations
Skill in Focus:Reading advice columns
Key Journalistic Words in Medicine
Unit Eleven Classified Ads
Reading One Classified Ads: Friendships, Education, Obituaries
Reading Two Classified Ads: Careers & Products
Skill in Focus:Building up your vocabulary
Key Journalistic Words in Education
Part Two The Magazine
Reading One Wronged by Our Rights
Reading Two Womens Pay: Why the Gap Remains a Chasm
Skill in Focus:Reading news magazines
Key Journalistic Words in Tourism
Part Three News on the Web
Reading One Choose a College Major: For Love or for the Money
Reading Two I Love Them, I Love Him Not
Skill in Focus:Online media
Key Journalistic Words in Media
Part Four Broadcasting & Television
Reading One News in Bried
Reading Two There Is No Justice Without Freedom
Skill in Focus:Features of broadcast English
Key Journalistic Words in Religion
Part Five The Movie
Reading One SpideMan 2
Reading Two Troy
Skill in Focus: Tips for movie English listening comprehension
Key Journalistic Words in Film & TV
Key to Exercises
Contents
Part One The Newspaper
Unit One International News
Reading One China Declares War on Electronic Porn
Reading Two North Korea Insults Bush, in Seeming Talks Ploy
Skill in Focus:The style of the news story
Key Journalistic Words in World Affairs
Selected Readings from British & American Media
Unit Two National Report
Reading One Report on Sept11 Fund Is Released
Reading Two Proposal to Abolish CIA Riles Intelligence Leaders
Skill in Focus: The headline
Key Journalistic Words in Politics
Unit Three Business World
……
Unit Four The Metro
Unit Five Science & Technology
Unit Six Art & Living
Unit Seven Sports & Fitness
Unit Eight Features
Unit Nine Editorials & Opinions
Unit Ten Health & Environment
Part Two The Magazine
Part Three News on the Web
Part Four Broadcasting & Television
Part Five The Movie
Key to Exercises
