本书与学堂在线平台上的慕课“生活英语读写”课程配套，从学习、大学、文化差异、城市、教育、行为论、人际交流和人生的意义等八个主题展开，每个主题由主题课文（两篇）、重点词句讲解、嘉宾访谈、作文批改和写作技巧讲解、英语学习方法介绍、文学赏析等模块构成。本书可让学习者在师生互动中遨游文学的海洋。

Unit 1 Learning
Starting Up: A Learning Master
Reading: Text A: Successful English Learner
Text B: Our Crazy Language
Cultural Focus: MOOC & Self-Learning
Writing Doctor: Online Learning
Literature Tutor: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Unit Summary

Unit 2 University
Starting Up: The University Life
Reading: Text A: Cambridge—the University Town
Text B: Oxford
Cultural Focus: Study Abroad
Writing Doctor: University Life
Literature Tutor: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Unit Summary

Unit 3 Cultural Differences
Starting Up: Cultural Diversity
Reading: Text A: Space
Text B: Getting Along Verbally and Nonverbally
Cultural Focus: English and Its Culture
Writing Doctor: Studying Abroad
Literature Tutor: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Unit Summary

Unit 4 Cities
Starting Up: Cities
Reading: Text A: New York City
Text B: London
Cultural Focus: Life Abroad
Writing Doctor: Make Our Cities Greener
Literature Tutor: Oliver Twist
Unit Summary

Unit 5 Education
Starting Up: Education in China
Reading: Text A: You’re In. Now Pay Up
Text B: Companionship of Books
Cultural Focus: Comparative Literature
Writing Doctor: College Education and Success
Literature Tutor: Black Beauty
Unit Summary

Unit 6 Manners
Starting Up: Manners Make the Man
Reading: Text A: How to Raise Polite Kids in a Rude World
Text B: American Table Manners
Cultural Focus: Manners in Different Countries
Writing Doctor: How to Behave Well in University?
Literature Tutor: Jane Eyre
Unit Summary

Unit 7 Personal Communication
Starting Up: My Circle of Friends
Reading: Text A: Thanksgiving
Text B: Why I Want a Wife
Cultural Focus: Interpersonal Communication
Writing Doctor: The Impact of Internet on Interpersonal Communication
Literature Tutor: Little Women
Unit Summary

Unit 8 Purpose of Living
Starting Up: To Be or Not to Be
Reading: Text A: Dreams
Text B: How to Live Beautifully?
Cultural Focus: Future Career
Writing Doctor: How to Make Best Use of Life
Literature Tutor: Gulliver’s Travels
Unit Summary

Glossary
Common Phrases

杨芳 清华大学外国语言文学系副教授 2012年美国贝勒大学访问学者 清华大学生活英语系列MOOC负责人 杨芳老师的生活英语系列MOOC ?《生活英语听说》MOOC ?《生活英语读写》MOOC ?《生活英语进阶》MOOC ?《通用学术英语（先修课）》MOOC 更多清华同学阅读和写作的案例，请关注“THU生活英语MOOC”微信订阅号。 张文霞 清华大学外国语言文学系教授、博士生导师。清华大学人文学院党委副书记、外文系党总支书记、教育部高等学校大学外语教学指导委员会副主任委员、北京市大学英语研究会理事长、Assessing Writing Journal 和“中国应用语言学”等期刊编委，以及多所高校的客座教授。 自1987年工作至今，一直承担量大面广的公外本、硕、博的英语课程和英语专业硕、博研究生的课程教学。其主要研究方向为应用语言学和语言测试学，在国内外学术期刊上发表论文40余篇，出版专著2部，主编教材4部。其中包括专著《中国学生英语应试作文篇章特点及中外阅卷人员的评判研究》、教材《新时代交互英语－读写译》与《写作实践》以及论文“World Englishes: issues in and from writing assessment”等。