從指導思想的醞釀、資料的收集到練習的編寫歷時六年之久。中國學生常常感到掌握英語口語很困難。數量有限的口語問答以及對短文、對話的記憶背誦難以提高學生在日常生活中用英語進行口頭交際的能力。

前言
《英語初級口語》的指導思想與使用方法
Lesson 1 Text A HOW old Is She?
Text B Could I Speak to Jim．Please?
Lesson 2 Text A But the Chinese Did!
Text B At the Birthday Party
Lesson 3 Text A There Is Something Very Nice Inside Your Drum
Text B May I See a Hat．Please?
Lesson 4 Text A Whats the Matter with You?
Text B How Did You Lose Your Way?
Lesson 5 Text A Summer Plans
Text B My Dishwasher
Lesson 6 Text A How to Make Everybody Happy?
Text B What Would You Like to Do Tonight?
Lesson 7 Text A After a Heavy Snowstorm
Text B No Baseball Today
Lesson 8 Text A Please Set the Table
Text B Interesting Pictures
Lesson 9 Text A Stop Eating Fried Potatoes
Text B KeeD Him in Bed
Lesson 10 Text A A Beautiful Dress
Text B Which Bus Shall I Take?
Lesson 11 Text A A Visit to Conway Castle
Text B What Are You Going to Do?
Lesson 12 Text A What a Mess!
Text B A Tall and Slim Girl
Lesson 13 Text A Gire Me a Big Box of Chocolates
Text B You Are Too Young to Buy Alcohol
Lesson 14 Text A They Don't Talk
Text B A Dirty Car
Lesson 15 Text A A Welcome Surprise
Text B I'11 Start in Three Months Time
Lesson 16 Text A The Charcoal Pit
Text B There Is Hope for Us!
Lesson 17 Text A The Country Schoolhouse
Text B On a Camping Holiday
Lesson 18 Text A Christmas Cards
Text B New Year Resolutions
Lesson 19 Text A A Lesson to Learn
Text B What's Going on Here?
Lesson 20 Text A Honesty
Text B Can You Deliver It?
Lesson 21 Text A Bill Is Very Rude
Text B The Phone Rang Again!
Lesson 22 Text A If I Don't Do Anything Else
Text B I'll Find My Way
Lesson 23 Text A Would You Like a Shave or a Haircut?
Text B What Do the Romans Do?
Lesson 24 Text A At Christmas Time
Text B What Do You Do After Work?
Lesson 25 Text A A Ten-Dollar Bill
Text B A Baby-Sitter
Lesson 26 Text A What Are the Times of Meals?
Text B The Food Is Bad
Lesson 27 Text A The Shopping List
Text B Under a Terrible Strain
Lesson 28 Text A Where to Find a Listener?
Text B Don't Throw Paper on the Floor
Lesson 29 Text A Some Sausage Sandwiches
Text B Whieh of the Two Is Better?
Lesson 30 Text A The Bloody Thumb
Text B The Party
Lesson 3l Text A A Difficult Customer
Text B That Hurts a Lot
Lesson 32 Text A A Pocketful of Pigs
Text B Let's Play Chess
Lesson 33 Text A We Are Not Deaf!
Text B The Stolen Smells
Lesson 34 Text A Stage Fright
Text B I Shall Never Fly Again
Lesson 35 Text A A Proud Linguist
Text B What Am I Going to Do?
Lesson 36 Text A Three Wishes
Text B They Threatened Me with a Knife
Lesson 37 Text A Do You Know Wh0 I Am?
Text B Hands Up!
Lesson 38 Text A Can't She Type?
Text B A Quiz on General Knowledge
Lesson 39 Text A MY Father's Son
Text B The Wrong Sex or the Wrong Clothes?
Lesson 40 Text A Learn to Eat 1ike a Grown-up
Text B A Red Cross Nurse