College English: Extensive Reading, Book 1

Author: Zhang Yanqiu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-12-01
Features: This book is the seventh volume of the "College English" Extensive Reading Course, designed for first-year college English students. It consists of thirty lessons, which can be divided into ten units, with three passages per unit. All passages are selected from original English and American works, with minor edits. The selection criteria for extensive reading passages aim for novelty, diverse topics, varied styles, and a balance of knowledge and interest, while appropriately controlling difficulty to ensure smooth reading. In the revision process, the authors have taken measures to enhance reader convenience:
1. Added "Words to Know" in each revision, listing commonly used vocabulary to clear reading obstacles. A few passages also include "Words to Look Up in the Dictionary," listing two or three words to help students develop the ability to choose correct meanings.
2. Added "Introductions" before each passage, written in italics to distinguish from the main text. The purpose of the "Introductions" is to spark reading interest and guide students to read with questions in mind.
3. Converted annotations to footnotes to save time and facilitate easy reference. Annotations primarily focus on providing concise English explanations for language difficulties or complex sentences to aid smooth reading. A few annotations that are hard to explain in English are retained in Chinese.
4. Added "Useful Phrases and Expressions" after each passage to help students master and memorize them.
5. Improved the format and content of exercises after each passage. Exercise types include true/false questions, multiple-choice, phrase or sentence translation, and thought-provoking questions. The exercises are designed to complement intensive reading and gradually develop students' abilities to analyze, summarize, synthesize, and infer during reading.
6. Maintained a comprehensive vocabulary list at the end of each volume for students to reference and memorize.