"Building on the success of the previous editions, Northstar, Third Edition continues to engage and motivate students with new and updated contemporary topics delivered through a seamless integration of print and online components.

What is special about the new edition?

Blended approach with MyEnglishLab.

Online activities offer support and expansion, fully blending the student book with MyEnglishLab for extra practice, ongoing assessment, and instant feedback.

New and updated themes and topics.

Presented in a variety of genres--including literature and lectures--and in authentic reading and listening selections, the content challenges and engages students intellectually.

Explicit skills instruction.

The inclusion of 2-3 explicit language skills in every unit allows students to build their language proficiency.

New and revised assessments tied to learning outcomes.

Online assessments allow teachers to track students' progress mastery of material and skills.

A new design with thought provoking images.

A compelling graphic look makes the content and activities come alive." (Book Cover)

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Unit 1 PRODIGIES – Exploring Genius
Listening 1: The Music in My Head
Listening 2: Where does Genius Come From?

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Summarize key information
Recognize emphasis through intonation and stress

SPEAKING Express opinions
State and report opinions and support them with relevant explanations and arguments
State others' opinions
TASK: Present scenarios and lead small-group discussions

INFERENCE: Infer important ideas through use of repeated words

PRONUNCIATION: Recognize and use reductions and contractions to make speech less formal

VOCABULARY Infer word meaning from context Recognize and use word forms (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

GRAMMAR: Recognize and use passive voice in the present, past, and future

VIDEO: Small Wonder (ABC News)

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoint 1 and 2, Unit 1 Achievement Test

Unit 2 OVERCOMING OBSTACLES – The Achilles Heel
Listening 1: Artist Opens Others' Eyes Listening 2: The Achilles Track Club Climbs Mount Kilimanjaro

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Distinguish between main ideas and supporting details and examples
Summarize key information Analyze similarities and differences

SPEAKING Express opinions Express similarities and differences Use specific examples to support main ideas and opinions
TASK: Prepare and present speech about an obstacle

INFERENCE: Infer meaning from figurative language

PRONUNCIATION: Identify thought groups in sentences

VOCABULARY Infer word meaning from context
Distinguish between literal and figurative meaning
Identify paraphrases

GRAMMAR: Recognize and use gerunds and infinitives after a range of verbs and prepositions

VIDEO: A Child's Voice (ABC News)

ASSESSMENT: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 2 Achievement Test

Unit 3 MEDICINE – Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Listening 1: How Can Teenagers Get Enough Sleep? Listening 2: Get Back in Bed!

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Recognize supporting details
Analyze problems and solutions

SPEAKING Express opinions
Use strategies to interrupt and to ask for clarification
Propose solutions to problems
Summarize a case study and dramatize a scenario about sleep deprivation

INFERENCE: Infer assumptions using contextual clues

PRONUNCIATION: Recognize and use contrastive stress for emphasis

VOCABULARY: Infer word meaning from context

GRAMMAR: Recognize and use present unreal conditionals

VIDEO: A Sleep Clinic, Video Activity

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 3 Achievement Test

Unit 4 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE – Animal Intelligence
Listening 1: Animal Intelligence Listening 2: What motivates Animals?

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Summarize key information
Distinguish between main ideas and supporting details or examples

SPEAKING Express opinions
Ask for and give examples
TASK: Present and defend an argument

INFERENCE: Infer a speaker’s attitude from intonation and stress

PRONUNCIATION: Identify rising or falling intonation in yes/no questions with or

VOCABULARY: Infer word meaning from context Identify relationships between words

GRAMMAR: Recognize reported speech and use a range of reporting verbs

VIDEO: Talk to the Animals (ABC News)

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 4 Achievement Test

Unit 5 LONGEVITY – The Golden Years
Listening 1: The Longevity Project Report
Listening 2: Tobey Dichter, Generations Online
Listening 1: The Story of Zappos
Listening 2: The Progress Principle

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Summarize key information
Evaluate a speaker's degree of certainty

SPEAKING Express opinions
Make suggestions TASK: Create and dramatize a family meeting

INFERENCE: Infer a speaker's point of view from intonation and stress

PRONUNCIATION: Recognize word blends with you

VOCABULARY: Infer word meaning from context

GRAMMAR: Recognize, form, and contrast simple, progressive, and perfect verbs

VIDEO: Living Longer (ABC News)

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 5 Achievement Test

Unit 6 PHILANTHROPY – Giving to Others
Listening 1: Why We Give Listening 2: The Mystery Donor

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Summarize key information
Identify the purpose of examples

SPEAKING Express opinions
Prioritize ideas
TASK: Create and present a Public Service Annoucement (PSA)

INFERENCE Infer word meaning from context
Recognize and use word forms (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

PRONUNCIATION: Recognize and use relative pronouns and adjective clauses

VOCABULARY Infer word meaning from context Recognize and use synonyms and antonyms

GRAMMAR: Recognize and use wish statements, expressing unreality

VIDEO: Local Teen Awarded for Making Difference (NBC News)

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 6 Achievement Test

Unit 7 EDUCATION – Do Your Homework!
Listening 1: Homework Issues
Listening 2: Tiger Mom

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Summarize key information
Recognize phrases that signal clarification

SPEAKING Express opinions
Propose suggestions
Ask for and offer clarification
TASK: Create and dramatize a public school board meeting

INFERENCE: Infer and recognize aspects of humor (irony, exaggeration, sarcasm)

PRONUNCIATION: Identify and distinguish between stressed and unstressed vowel sounds

VOCABULARY: Infer word meaning from context

GRAMMAR: Recognize and use the verbs make, have, let, help and get + object + base form/infinitive

VIDEO: Homework Holiday (ABC News)

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 7 Achievement Test

Unit 8 COMPUTERS – Pros and Cons of Gaming
Listening 1: The Darker Side of Video Games Listening 2: Truths and Myths in Gaming

LISTENING Make and confirm predictions
Identify main ideas and details
Summarize key information
Recognize and use strategies to introduce a counterargument
Analyze pros and cons

SPEAKING Express opinions Discuss pros and cons Express concessions and present counterarguments TASK: Participate in a debate

INFERENCE: Infer a speaker's attitude through emphasis, stress, and intonation

PRONUNCIATION: Identify and use stress with adverbial particles

VOCABULARY Infer word meaning from context Recognize and use word forms (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

GRAMMAR: Recognize and use tag questions

VIDEO: French Employers Unplug After Hours (ABC News)

ASSESSMENTS: Check What You Know, Checkpoints 1 and 2, Unit 8 Achievement Test