Contents 1
Unit One 1
Background Knowledge 1
Text A Secrets of A Students 1
Text B Bittersweet Memories 9
Text C Leaving 15
Notes to Fast Reading 19
Supplementary Exercises 21
Unit Two 25
Background Knowledge 25
Text A Conversational Ballgames 25
Text B English as a Universal Language 34
Text C How to Improve Your Vocabulary 40
Notes to Fast Reading 45
Supplementary Exercises 47
Unit Three 51
Background Knowledge 51
Text A Stevie Wonder:Sunshine in the Shadow 53
Text B We Are What We Think We Are 62
Text C Her Newly-Discovered Self 68
Notes to Fast Reading 73
Supplementary Exercises 77
Unit Four 80
Background Knowledge 80
Text A The Washwoman 80
Text B A Good Name 89
Text C This Is Why Jordan Is Jordan 96
Notes to Fast Reading 100
Supplementary Exercises 104
Unit Five 107
Background Knowledge 107
Text A The Language of Compromise 108
Text B Easy Ways to Avoid an Argument 114
Text C "Good Morning,Neighbor!" 121
Notes to Fast Reading 128
Supplementary Exercises 130
Unit Six 133
Background Knowledge 133
Text A Nerds and Geeks 133
Text B Our Changing Lifestyle:Trends and Fads 140
Text C Popularity that Counts 145
Notes to Fast Reading 150
Supplementary Exercises 153
Unit Seven 157
Background Knowledge 157
Text A I Became Her Target 159
Text B Firm,Fair,and Friendly 165
Text C The Magic Pebbles 170
Notes to Fast Reading 176
Supplementary Exercises 180
Unit Eight 184
Background Knowledge 184
Text A Foreword 184
Text B Smart Machines:Our Tireless Helpers 192
Text C The Internet 196
Notes to Fast Reading 200
Supplementary Exercises 203
Unit Nine 207
Background Knowledge 207
Text A Hothouse Earth 208
Text B The Population Problem:Everybody's Baby 218
Text C Dangers to the Environment 224
Notes to Fast Reading 229
Supplementary Exercises 231
Unit Ten 235
Background Knowledge 235
Text A Cloning:Good Science or Baaaad Idea 235
Text B Internet Helps Solve a Medical Mystery 243
Text C Fuzzy Logic Smart Machines 249
Notes to Fast Reading 254
Supplementary Exercises 255
Key to Supplementary Exercises 260