《大學英語》系列教材的再修訂，以《大學英語課程教學要求（試行）》為依據，歷經三年調研，汲取全國百所高校師生的建議和意見，旨在發揚我國大學英語教學的優良傳統，推廣成功經驗，為新時期人才培養再作貢獻。融合傳統與現代教學理念：強調打好扎實語言基本功，突出綜合應用能力的提高；
發揮綜合優勢，完善原有體系：大幅度、全方位修訂《精讀》、《泛讀》、《聽力》、預備級《泛讀》、預備級《聽力》，重編《快讀閱讀》、預備級《精讀》，刪繁就簡《語法與練習》；
調整起點，充實優化素材：1800詞起點（預備級1300詞）；選材全面完備，經典性與現代性、文學性與科普性完美匹配；
革新練習，五種技能并重：閱讀材料豐富多彩，聽力訓練形式多樣，詞匯練習注重復現，語法操練循序漸進，翻譯訓練實用全面，口語活動精彩紛呈，寫作訓練由淺入深，四、六級口、筆試中學生常犯的語言錯誤講解分析精辟實用；
輔以現代教育技術手段，充分滿足教學需要：同步推出與紙質教材配套的電子教案和學生學習光盤，幫助教師構建新型的課堂教學模式，為學生創造自主式、交互式的學習環境。
《大學英語》是遵照1986年國家教委審定的《大學英語教學大綱（文理科本科用）》編寫的一套系列教材，分精讀、泛讀、聽說、快速閱讀和語法與練習五種教程，由全國六所重點大學合作編寫。教材于1986年出版試用本，1992年出版正式本，并于同年9月榮獲全國高等學校第二屆優秀教材特等獎，以及國家教委高等學校第二屆優秀教材一等獎。
1998年，在廣泛征求意見的基礎上，《大學英語》系列教材根據《大學英語教學大綱（高等學校本科用）》進行了第一次修訂。修訂本更加注意文、理、工、農、醫等各科的通用性，力求給學生打好“寬、厚、牢”的語言基礎。
為了推進大學英語教學改革，適應社會各界對大學生英語能力的要求，教育部于2004年頒布了《大學英語課程教學要求（試行）》（以下簡稱《課程要求》）。遵照《課程要求》對大學英語提出的教學目標，即“培養學生的英語綜合應用能力”，編者于2004年決定對教材進行第二次修訂，以滿足新時期國家和社會對人才培養的需要。
本次修訂原則：
1.教材的定位不變。《大學英語》是綜合教育型（English for integrative pm’poses）而非特殊目的型（English for specific purposes）的教材，旨在幫助大學本科各專業學生進一步打下扎實的語言基礎。
2.選材原則不變。正因為《大學英語》是綜合教育型的，選材必須做到題材廣泛，體裁多樣，語言規范，有利于打好語言基礎。選材遵循三性原則，即趣味性、知識性、可思性，以激發學生學習英語的興趣。
3.在更新課文時注意經典性與時代性的融合，科普性與文學性的融合，使選文內容經得起時間考驗，文字經得起反復咀嚼。這兩個融合是教材可教性與可學性的保證，也是教材生命力之所在。
4.本次修訂按照《課程要求》所提出的培養“英語綜合應用能力”這一目標，著重考慮增強聽與說的訓練，提高聽與說尤其是說的要求。
UNIT ONE
1.My Uncle Theo
2.Never Late-The Flying Bluebird
3.Never Late-The Man in Blue
UNIT TWO
4.The Winter s Snow
5.The Four Seasons in England
6.The Missing Five-Pound Note
UNIT THREE
7.A Useful Stick
8.Travelling Light
9.Your Breakfast Is Served,Madam
UNIT FOUR
10.Cowboys
11.The Garden of Eden
12.A Surprise for Mr.Koffer
UNIT FIVE
13.Socrates
14.The Date Father Didn t Keep
15.Flying Objects
TEST YOURSELF（1）
UNIT SIX
16.The Record
17.The Seven Gifts
18.The Glove
UNIT SEVEN
19.A Good Night s Sleep
20.Working for the Future
21.A Difficult Interview
UNIT EIGHT
22.Two Letters form London
23.Pets
24.En Route
UNIT NINE
25.Queen Cleopatra
26.Chance
27.Cambridge-A Uniersity Town
UNIT TEN
28.Trees Make Cents
29.Here It Comes,There It Goes
30.Personal Banking
TEST YOURSELF（2）
APPENDICES:
Ⅰ Glossary
Ⅱ Key to Test Yourself（1）and （2）
Ⅲ Key to Comprehension of the Text
The train went on noisily through the night and sometimes
I was able to get a little sleep. I was sorry for all the peoplewho were standing up in the corridor. There was no sleep forthem. itwas hard enough for them to stand up, because thefloor was covered6 with all kinds of things. One or two of themsat on their boxes, but most of them had to stand up all theway.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty,and glad that the journey was reaching its end. We were nownot far from Mendova; and as soon as we reached Mendova, Ialways got out and had a wash and something to eat and drink.
At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped.We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I got downmy two suitcases7, held one in each hand, and tried to movetowards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of thetrain, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the farend. There was no other way out.
I could not even get into the corridor. There was a suitcaseon the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in myway. I felt a touch of8 fear. I had to get out, you see; I had tocatch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train didnot stop again until it reached Endoran,②two hundred milesaway.
"I must get out！" I cried. Everyone there understood me,but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on thefloor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. Butthen, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking meaway！
"Stop！" I cried. "I want to get out！" But no one outsidethe train could hear me, and the people inside did not caremuch.③The train moved a little faster. What could I do？ I wasnot even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, justabove the door, was a notice9 that told everyone how to stopthe train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did notwaste time. I pulled it.
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