这是根据实际教学的需要而编写的一本高等院校英语选修课的教科书，它的编写旨在为学生提供一些欧美文化方面的信息和知识。它是学生们了解欧美文化的一本很好的教学用书，不但能帮助学习者学习和掌握欧美文化方面的基础知识，而且也能提高他们的语言能力和英语表达水平及综合水平。 　　
　　本书由25个单元构成，每单元4个Reading Passages，共计100篇短文。在每个Reading Passage的后面都设有词汇表、注释和句子翻译或阅读理解练习。这些文章的内容包括西方的精神追求、价值观念、议事方式、知识背景、科技和艺术等方面的情况和成就以及一些综合知识等等。书本的选材以欧美文化为主干，侧重美国文化，都是一些适合教学的质量高的文章，对培养学生的语言修养和文学素质、塑造完美人格、增强跨文化交际意识和文化鉴赏能力都有促进作用。
　　该书具有知识性、系统性、科学性、时代性、趣味性、新颖性和可读性等，方便教与学、思考和掌握。

Unit One
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Nobel Prizes
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Basketry: A Stone Age Craft
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Fortune in Hardwoods
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ What to Do with Solid Waste
Unit Two
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Introduction to Italy
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Italy's Finest Resource--Its People
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Conservation the Future is Now
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Pain and Pleasure
Unit Three
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Marco Polo
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ St. Peter's Basilica
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Early Navigator's Best Friends
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Cool, Clear Water
Unit Four
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Gondola of Venice--Floating Symbol of a City
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ The Leaning Tower of Pisa
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Scientists or Dreamers
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Marine Mineral Resources
Unit Five
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Hans Christian Andersen
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Bernard Shaw
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Our Water Supply
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Following the Rules
Unit Six
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ St. Patrick's Day
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Mozart
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Cones and Domes
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Greece
Unit Seven
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Overview of Vienna
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ A Safe, High Quality and Easy Way of Living
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Seeing is Believing
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Rain Drops Keep Falling
Unit Eight
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Beginning of the Dane--Norse Invasions
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Danish Culture
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ A Shaft of Vermont Granite
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Island on the Move
Unit Nine

Unit Eleven
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Life of Pablo Picasso
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Pop Corn and Potato Chips
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ For the Cause of Liberty
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Using Energy Efficiently
Unit Twelve
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Father of Science Fiction--Jules Verne
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ The Gigantic Optional Illusion
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Clues to The Past
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Those Daring Young Men
Unit Thirteen
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Overcoming Cultural Shock
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ History of Black Harlem
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Problems of Older Americans
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Louis Pasteur
Unit Fourteen
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ American Classroom Customs
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Canada in the Second World War
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Man behind the Braille System
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Income Tax
Unit Fifteen
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ In Search of Good English Food
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Origins of Easter Traditions
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Curds and Whey
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Henry Ford and the American Automobile
Unit Sixteen
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ New York
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Rome
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Table Manners
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ The Queen of Hearts by Wilkie Collins
Unit Seventeen
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Paris
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Panama Canal
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ From The Education of Henry Adams by Henry Adams
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ From The Christmas Tree and the Wedding by Fyodor Dos
Unit Eighteen
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ The History of Mother's Day
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ British Bank Holiday
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ From The Awakening by Kate Chopin
Unit Twenty-One
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ An Experience of Watching a Bullfight in Spain
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ English Language and Culture
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Money
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ The Cost of Civilization
Unit Twenty-Two
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Samaranch, the Olympic Patriarch
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Mt .Rushmore
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Chocolate: Everyone's Favorite Sweet
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ A Unique Reporting System
Unit Twenty-Three
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Getting Married in USA
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Ladies First
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ The Land of Opportunity
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Baked, Boiled, or Fried
Unit Twenty-Four
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Free Concerts in Museums, Parks and Public Places
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Living a Long Life
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ London--A Good Place to Start Your Tour
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Peace for All Mankind
Unit Twenty-Five
　Part 1 Reading Passage Ⅰ Abortion and the Death Penalty
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Birthday Parties and Potluck Parties
　Part 2 Reading Passage Ⅰ Today's Drug Culture
　　Reading Passage Ⅱ Read the Label
Answers