Includes an index of Key Words and Phrases as well as a Skills Index.

"Concepts for Today, Fourth Edition, is a reading skills text intended for high-intermediate, college-bound students of English-as-a-second- or foreign-language. The passages in this book are original articles drawn from a range of publications, thus allowing students the opportunity to read authentic materials from a wide variety of sources. [...]

Concepts for Today, Fourth Edition, maintains the effective approach of the third edition with several significant improvements. This enhanced edition takes a more in-depth approach to vocabulary development and application by consistently introducing, practicing, and assessing vocabulary in context, while teaching valuable vocabulary-building skills that are recycled throughout the series." (Preface, viii-ix)

CONTENTS: Preface
Introduction
Acknowledgments

Scope and Sequence

Unit 1: Living in Society

Ch. 1: Learning through Video Games: Fact or Fiction?

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding charts

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix -al.
Identifying parts of speech: nouns and adjectives
Understanding antonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Describing an idea for a game
Identifying and explaining reasons
Evaluating the benefits of video games
Assessing the author's bias

Ch. 2: The Birth-Order Myth

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
- Using headings to create an outline

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Understanding word forms: nouns and adjectives
Recognizing the suffixes –ance and –ence
Choosing the correct dictionary definition

Critical Thinking Skills:
Analyzing survey results
Explaining opinions
Discussing theories
Explaining the author’s tone

Ch. 3: Highs and Lows in Self-Esteem

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Creating a flowchart

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Understanding word forms: nouns and adjectives
Recognizing the suffixes –tion and –ion
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing self-esteem in adolescence and old age
Making analogies to describe your own stages of self-esteem
Inferring the author’s opinion

Unit 2: Health and Wellness

Ch. 4: Sugar: A Not-So-Sweet Story

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding a timeline

Vocabulary Skills: Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Identifying parts of speech: nouns and verbs
Understanding phrasal verbs

Critical Thinking Skills:
Describing reasons
Explaining answers
Researching and preparing a presentation
Determining the author’s viewpoint

Ch. 5: Laughter is the Best Medicine for Your Heart – Or Is It?

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Organizing information in a chart

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix –ity
Understanding phrasal verbs

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing and comparing reasons
Taking and discussing a class survey
Inferring the author’s viewpoint on others’ opinions

Ch. 6: Traditional Medicine: A non-Western Approach to Healing

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Using a Venn diagram

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix –al
Choosing the correct dictionary definition

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing and comparing reasons
Giving examples to support answers
Explaining the author’s bias

Unit 3: Science and Technology

Ch. 7: Stopping the Spread of Superbugs

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding graphics

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffixes –tion and –ion
Using common expressions and idioms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing antibiotics
Giving examples and sharing ideas
Determining the author’s purpose

Ch. 8: It’s Time for a Conversation: Learning the Language of Dolphins

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Creating an outline

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix –ly
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing advantages and disadvantages
Giving reasons for why you agree or disagree
Assessing the author’s tone

Ch. 9: Space Science on Earth

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Using headlines to create an outline

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix –ful
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing and giving examples
Discussing the benefits of technology
Giving reasons for opinions
Establishing the author’s purpose

Unit 4: Government and History

Ch. 10: Antarctica: Whose Continent Is It Anyway?

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Using headlines to create an outline

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffixes –ion and –tion
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing possible outcomes of the melting of Antarctica’s ice caps
Listing reasons why Antarctica is important
Writing a set of guidelines for the protection of Antarctica
Assessing the author’s bias

Ch. 11: The Mystery of the Iceman

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Creating an information chart

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Identifying parts of speech: nouns and verbs
Understanding useful phrases

Critical Thinking Skills:
Giving opinions
Researching one of the ages of mankind and writing a description
Assessing the author’s tone and opinion

Ch. 12: The Federal System of Government

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Using headings to create an outline

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix –ment
Understanding collocations

Critical Thinking Skills:
Drawing inferences from text
Discussing the individuality of the 50 states
Determining the author’s purpose

Index of Key Words and Phrases

Skills Index

Credits

For ESL students at a high-intermediate level.