Includes sections for Grammar Reference, Irregular Verb List, Writing Bank, and Word Lists at the back of the book.

CEFR level: B1+

“Perspectives teaches learners to think critically and to develop the language skills they need to find their own voice in English. The carefully-guided language lessons, real-world stories, and TED Talks motivate learners to think creatively and communicate effectively.

In Perspectives, learners develop an open mind, a critical eye and a clear voice in English.
Every unit explores one idea from different perspectives, giving learners opportunities for practicing language as they look at the world in new ways.
Students learn the critical thinking skills and strategies they need to evaluate new information and develop their own opinions and ideas.
Students respond to the unit theme and express their own ideas confidently in English.
Exam-style task types and test-taking strategies prepare students for a range of international exams.” (Book Cover)

1. In Touch with Your Feelings
Vocabulary: Describing emotions

Pronunciation: -ed adjectives
Vocabulary Building: Suffixes
Listening: Descriptions of three National Geographic explorers’ work
Grammar: Subject / object questions
Reading: Why do people smile?
Critical thinking: Rhetorical questions
Grammar: Talking about the present
TED Talks: This app knows how you feel – from the look on your face / Rana El Kaliouby (R. El Kaliouby’s idea worth spreading is that by teaching computers how to understand emotions on the faces of users, we can make more personal connections with the devices we use.
Authentic Listening Skills: Content words
Speaking: Asking follow-up questions
Writing: A review
Writing skill: Emphasis

2. Enjoy the Ride
Vocabulary: Travel
Vocabulary Building: Compound nouns
Listening: A description of three unusual ways to get to school
Grammar: Adjectives ending in –ed and -ing Reading: Urbexers – Life on the Edge of the City
Critical Thinking: Selecting information
Grammar: Narrative Forms
Pronunciation: Used to
TED Talks: Happy maps / Daniele Quercia (D. Quercia’s idea worth spreading is that the fastest route may be efficient, but there are times when taking a different route can be more interesting and memorable.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Understanding accents
Speaking: Asking for and giving directions
Writing: A story
Writing Skill: just

3. Active Lives
Vocabulary: Sports
Vocabulary Building: Phrasal verbs
Listening: A podcast about Ashima Shiraishi
Grammar: Simple past and present perfect
Reading: Can sports protect Africa’s lions?
Critical Thinking: A balanced view
Grammar: Present perfect and present perfect continuous
Pronunciation: For
TED Talks: How I swam the North Pole / Lewis Pugh (L. Pugh’s idea worth spreading is that sometimes we have to do extraordinary things to make people pay attention to important issues.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Signposts
Speaking: Agreeing and disagreeing
Writing: An opinion essay
Writing Skill: Giving your opinion

4. Food
Vocabulary: Describing food
Vocabulary Building: Compound adjectives
Listening: A podcast about cooking in schools
Grammar: Future plans, intentions, and arrangements
Reading: Could the best street food in the world be Filipino?
Grammar: Making predictions
Pronunciation: Sentence stress with the future continuous and future perfect
TED Talks: Why I’m a weekday vegetarian / Graham Hill (G. Hill’s idea worth spreading is that cutting meat from our diet – even just part of the time – can have a powerful impact on the planet.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Pausing
Critical Thinking: Persuading
Speaking: Talking about hopes and goals
Writing: A social media update
Writing Skill: Interesting language

5. Work
Vocabulary: Describing work
Vocabulary Building: Ways of seeing
Listening: A podcast about the world of work
Grammar: Verb patterns: verb + ing or infinitive with to
Reading: A Real-life Crime-Fighting Superpower!
Critical Thinking: Exaggerating
Grammar: Present and past modals
TED Talks: Why the best hire might not have the perfect résumé / Regina Hartley (R. Hartley’s idea worth spreading is that our résumés tell employers about our experiences, determination, and ability to deal with life’s challenges.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Understanding contrasts
Speaking: Job interviews
Pronunciation: quite
Writing: A cover letter
Writing Skill: Hedging

6. Superhuman
Vocabulary: The human body
Vocabulary Building: Verbs describing ability
Listening: A radio show about the human body
Listening: A radio show about the human body
Listening: A radio show about the human body
Grammar: Zero and first conditional
Reading: A World of Cyborgs
Critical Thinking: Bold claims
Grammar: Second conditional
Pronunciation: I wish and If only
TED Talks: Deep sea diving… in a wheelchair / Sue Austin (S. Austin’s idea worth spreading is that a wheelchair doesn’t have to mean ‘disability’, it can be an exhilarating new way to see and experience the world.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Following the argument
Speaking: Describing photos
Writing: An informal email describing people
Writing Skill: Informal language

7. Shopping Around
Vocabulary: Money and shopping
Vocabulary Building: Adverbs
Listening: Three people talk about alternatives to normal shopping
Grammar: Passive voice
Reading: Nothing for a Year
Critical Thinking: Reading between the lines
Grammar: have / got something done
Pronunciation: Sentence stress
TED Talks: Grow your own clothes / Suzanne Lee (S. Lee’s idea worth spreading is that we can use bacteria to produce materials that we can turn into clothes, as sustainable and biodegradable alternatives to leather, cotton, and plastics.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Reformulating
Speaking: Shopping for clothes
Writing: An announcement
Writing Skill: Relevant information

8. Effective Communication
Vocabulary: Effective communication
Vocabulary Building: Negative prefixes
Listening: A conversation about how Chris Hadfield communicated with Earth from the International Space Station
Grammar: Reported speech: statements and questions
Reading: An Experiment in Intercultural Communication
Critical Thinking: Using direct speech
Grammar: Reported speech: verb patterns with reporting verbs
Pronunciation: Contrastive stress
TED Talks: 10 ways to have a better conversation / Celeste Headlee (C. Headlee’s idea worth spreading is that when we talk and listen with genuine interest in the other person, we will learn amazing things.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Understanding fast speech.
Critical Thinking: Investigating opinions
Speaking: Responding sympathetically
Pronunciation: Sympathetic intonation
Writing: A complaint email
Writing Skill: Using formal connectors

9. Unexpected Entertainment
Vocabulary: Creative arts
Vocabulary Building: Expressions with make
Listening: Four conversations about different types of entertainment
Grammar: Defining relative clauses
Reading: Making a Splash
Grammar: Defining and non-defining relative clauses
Pronunciation: Relative clauses
TED Talks: The world’s most boring television… and why it’s hilariously addictive / Thomas Hellum (T. Hellum’s idea worth spreading is that Slow TV provides real-time, surprisingly popular entertainment which viewers can relate to.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Collaborative listening
Critical Thinking: Supporting your argument
Speaking: Asking for and making recommendations
Writing: An email describing a place and its culture
Writing Skill: Paragraphing

10. Time
Vocabulary: Phrasal verbs about time
Vocabulary Building: Expressions with time
Listening: Eight older people offer advice
Grammar: Third conditional
Reading: John Harrison: the clockmaker who changed the world
Critical Thinking: Drawing conclusions
Grammar: Modals: past speculation, deduction, and regret
Pronunciation: Weak forms: have
TED Talks: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator / Tim Urban (T. Urban’s idea worth spreading is that procrastination can help us from chasing our dreams, and we’re all affected by it.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Guessing the meaning of new words
Speaking: Explaining causes and reasons
Writing: A pro and con essay
Writing Skill: Using discourse markers

Grammar Reference

Irregular Verbs

Writing Bank

Word Lists

For intermediate English as a second language learners (B1+ - CEFR)