一向以為，每一種語言都承載著一個民族的智慧與文化。它的不斷*新變化也反映著使用者思維方式的變異和他們所處社會的演進。倘若脫離了社會現實，單單把語言當作工具來學習，不但沒有什麼趣味，效果恐怕也要大打折扣。本書所收的短文中使用的都是鮮活生動、原汁原味的英語，其內容則是在我們這個日新月異的世界上*近發生的一些有意思的事情。這些記錄真實事件的短文涉及政治、經濟、科技、宗教、藝術、體育、娛樂等各個方面，正如折射國外社會風貌的一顆顆小水珠。讀者們可以借鋻其中鮮活的詞彙、生動的句法和頗富風趣的行文，由此改善閱讀和寫作的技巧；也可以從中管窺我們這個星球上各個角落人們十分多樣化的生活和思想。

Truth or Lie？/真假立判
Virtual Tycoons/虛擬大亨
Clone Christ/克隆基督
Marry a Millionaire’Show Axed After Flx/相逢卻是曾相識
Survivor Finale/生存到*後
Kiss—A-Thon Not Just a Kiss/熱賣熱吻
2b or Not 2b—Pflze 4 Txt Hssg Shakespea re’/手機詩人大獎賽
Below the Belt/貞潔時間
Perfume Wafts Away Commuter Odors/欲令地鐵變香閨
Hake Good Wife out of a Material Girl/鉛華洗盡做賢妻
Soccer Clubs Feud over Payphone/電話亭的顏色
Finding the Perfect Fit Online/網絡裁縫
NASA Aircraft to Help Seek Heavenly Coffee/**咖啡的天機
Business of Butterfly/蝴蝶生財
I Want Hy lonica TV/我愛莫尼卡
Ad—Free—For a Fee/破財買清靜
Australia’S Fi rst Legal Heroin Injection Room Opens/海洛因注射中心開張！
Treadmills Keep Fighting Cocks Lean and Mean/鬥雞健身器
The New‘Face’of E-Hail/電子郵件的新面孔
Union Hot Under Collar over New Uniform/**之爭
An Out-of-This-World Offer/從網上飛入太空
E-Clothes Here，So Is Fear/放膽一試電子衣
Going Skiing in Summer？/夏天滑雪？
There’S No Need for“Mother Christmas”/聖誕公公無需伴
Here Comes Rudolf the Red—Nosed Horse/昔駕鹿車今馭馬
Su rgery Works．Says Hiss World Contender/手術美人
Witches Upset by Broomstick Style/騎掃把的正確方法
Americans in Italy Seek Food，Not Ruins/美景何如美苣
The Rich Are Eyeing Space Tou rism/去太空燒錢
Time Is Honey,Just Figu re Out How Much/一寸光陰幾寸金？
Happy tO Play the Waiting Game for You/為你等待
A Holiday Package with a Difference/行乞度假
Left-Handers Day Celebrates Creative Minority/左撇子的慶典
“Up-Tiffing”Keeps Workers Poor but Happy/有銜飲水飽
Enron Scandal Gives Rise to New Verb/名詞動用新範例
Stars Edge Parents as Top Youth Idols/明星閃耀偶像榜
Fortune Tellers Feel No Pinch in Downturn/百業蕭疏一業興
Butte rflies Cause Flutter at Weddings/蝶舞翩躚的婚禮
Pronunciation Guide for Labels/**指南
Pub Crawlers Get Hi-Tech Support/酒徒的指南針
Crooks Given Guide tO Life Behind Bars/坐監手冊
Romantics Plan“Kiss and Hug”Protest/擁吻示威
“More Ads，Please”Say Bored Viewers/多播點廣告
Fear of Fat Keeps Women Hooked on Smoking／美麗的代價
Single Lychee Sells for $67，053 at Auction／天價荔枝
Lovers Swap Engagement Rings for Watches／訂婚手表？
Blowfish Dinner Is Gastronomic Roulette／河豚我所欲也
Magazine Offers a Prize to Die for／朝中獎，夕死可矣
Diamonds Are Forever,and You Could Be Too／和鑽石一樣永恆
Unemployed Turn to"IV Show to Win Jobs／上節目，贏工作
Harry Potter Town Is Britain’s Best／英國的*佳居所
ScotIand—Aliens’Favorite Holiday Destination／外星人的度假勝地
Lithuania Has Inmate Beauty Contest／女囚選美
Man Tries to Sell His Family on eBay／網上賣妻兒
This Just In：Skunks Stink／臭氣排行榜
Need a Conference Venue？Rent Liechtenstein／租一個**
Get Ahead in Advertising—Get a Forehead／租許多額頭
Only Good News Today／**都是好消息
Soul Mates in Vogue for U．S．Spouse—Seekers／情投意合纔是真
Rent a Coffin，Spare a Tree／出租棺材
Baringthe News／裸露新聞
Seven Deadly Sins Ice Leaves Church Cold／冰淇淋的七宗罪
Lying on Your CV Becomes an Art Form／簡歷欺詐的藝術
Cleaning a Toilet Is Better than Spare／比掃廁所*煩的事
There’re Diamonds in Them…／那裡面有鑽石……
Bad Hubbies TrytoWin BackWives in TV Show／為老婆拼搏
BuyintoYouth？／老夫聊發少年狂
Brazilian Women Vainest in World／世界上*虛榮的女人
James Bond Is Too Tall to Be a Modern Spy／鶴立雞群的007
Going Wild for the “Pig Brother”Web Site／“豬哥”令人狂
Danger：Wooden Floors，Scooters—and Trouser Zips／危機四伏的生活
Flowering Phone Is Environmental Wake—Up Call／開花的手機
Via Cell，Help’s on the Way for Bad Dates／救命鈴聲
You’re Drunk Who You Gonna Call？／喝多了吧……想找哪個？
“Solitary Salad”on Menu for Jailbirds／鐵窗風味
Anti—Radiation Trousers Fuel Mobile Phone Debate／手機有害嗎？
World’S Greatest Job,Up for Grabs／世界上*好的工作
Dutch Firm Offers tO Break Hearts／戀愛終結者
Morn-To-Be Advertises Baby as Billboard／生塊廣告牌
Beijing Bars TV Stars from Pushing Health Products／禁播明星廣告
Cab Company Calls in All Losers／晦氣車牌
Monks Run Out of the World’S Best Beer／世界上*好的啤酒
Germans Addicted to Texting／短信成癮
We’re All Text Maniacs／我們都是短信狂
Alarm Clock Set to Wake Doziest of Sleepers／給我起！
Singer Sells His Futu re on eBay／出售未來
Pageant Contestants Upset over Betting Plan／投注美女
Pop a Tea PjJl IfYou Can’t Have a Cuppa／品茶……丸子
Shepherds Wanted—Accountancy Skills Preferred／羊倌的新標準
Deathly Decor／實用美“棺”
Color-Coded Couple：a Tailor—Made Hatch／般配到底
The Battle over Fast Food‘Imperialism’／豈容速食成帝國
Gourmets Vow to Battle the Burger／不與漢堡共戴天
Church Rings in Weddings with Human Bells／婚禮上的”人鐘”
Your Own Face on a Postage Stamp／在郵票上露臉
Telltale Stains of Changing Tastes／污漬排行榜
To DoorNottO Do？TheAnswerIs aClickAway／人生答案網中來
Cupid’S Arrow Finds Its Mark-in Cyberspace／網上有真情
Love in the Aisles／愛在超市
Women Say Single Life Is Better／單身*好
Paris Invents New Love Messages／情書公告牌
Romance Blooms in Cozy Corners of Cinemas／影院的浪漫角落
Yeah，This Really Makes Me Want to Buy Chicken_／教壞孩子的廣告
Santa Claus Gets Code of Conduct／聖誕老人行為準則
A Gift ListThatWould Get Santa Fired／買不得的禮物
Ind．Couple Want to Wed in Cemetery／在墓地裡成親