本书系“英语新概念阅读”系列中的第六本，供广大学生和英语自学者提高英语阅读能力、同时学习和了解多方面学科知识使用。
本书中所有阅读文章都围绕四个基本概念展开：第一，因为共同的需求使群体的产生；第二，因为某些利益的分享使得群体得以延续；第三，因为更多利益的分享使得群体壮大；第四，因为当群体壮大到不能使利益均享的规模时，它便分解成各种小群体。书中的阅读文章均采用围绕反映这些概念的大量不同学科的材料编写，涉及历史、艺术、生物学、经济学、生态学、社会科学家、政治学、地球科学、工程学、人类学以及地理学等学科。这样编写的目的是保证学习者对不同学科的兴趣都能得到满足。同时书中还收录了若干民间文学故事或传说。每篇阅读文章中的较难词汇及其解释以及部分专有名词按文章顺序列在本书第6-12页。每篇阅读文章后都配有精心设计的阅读理解练习，供读者检查阅读效果用。

出版说明
To the Teacher
Steps for the Reader
Vocabulary Words and Definitions
Concept I: Common Needs Create Groups
In Search of Freedom
A Migration to America
Water in the America
Water in the Desert
"Doctors of the Deep"
One Roof,Many People
A New Place to Shop
Together for the Games
A Center of Learning
Earthequake!
Saving Prince William Sound
They Help Others
Photos That Tell Stories
Partners
A Dam with Many Uses
City Planners
Fire Fighters
Presserving the Past
A Mansion for All of US
the Wise Chief
Concept II:Groups Continue Because of Some Benefits
A Capital Bulit to Order
The Wilderness Capital
Monkeys That Look Like Dogs
Help in Time of Trouble
They Benefit the Community
The Many Owners
A Very Large Family
"Children of the Forest"
The Farmers of cades Cove
Their Living Came from the Sea
Ten Wooden Pins
The Heart of a Neighborhood
Mailbags First,Passengers Second
Houses from Factories
A Wpinster's Work
A Congress for the Colonies
Pictures by the Millions
Part-time Actors
The Giant with 100 Eyes
Concept III : The Group Gets Bigger As More Things Share the Benefits
……
Concept IV:When the Size of a Group Gets So Large That Benefits Do Not Reach Its Members,Smaller Groups Are Formed