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

“Issues for Today, Fifth Edition, is a reading skills text intended for intermediate English-as-a-second or foreign-language (ESL/EFL) students. The topics in this text are fresh and timely, and the book has a strong global focus. [...]

Issues for Today, Fifth Edition, provides students with essential practice in the types of reading skills they will need in an academic environment. It requires students not only to read text but also to extract basic information from various kinds of charts, graphs, illustrations, and photos. Beginning-level students are rarely exposed to this type of reading material. In addition, they are given the opportunity to speak and write about their own cultures and compare their experiences with those of students from other countries. The text includes real-life activities that give students tasks to complete outside the classroom. These tasks provide students with opportunities to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening to English in the real world. Thus, all four skills are incorporated into each chapter. [...]

Intermediate-level students need considerable visual reinforcement of ideas and vocabulary. Therefore, this text includes many photos and graphics that illustrate the ideas and concepts form the reading passages. In addition, many of the follow-up activities enable students to manipulate the information from the reading passages and other content from the chapter." (Preface, viii-ix)

CONTENTS:
Preface
Introduction
Acknowledgments

Scope & Sequence:

UNIT 1: The Importance of Time

Ch. 1 – Our Internal Clock: It’s about Time

Reading Skills:
Using a chart to answer questions
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:
Identifying parts of speech: nouns and verbs
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Creating a survey
Comparing results
Identifying reasons
Evaluating sleep patterns

Ch. 2 – Is it OK to be late?

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:
Recognizing the suffix -ing
Understanding antonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Explaining opinions
Comparing cultural differences
Discussing adaptation to new places

Ch. 3 – Technology Competes with Family Time

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Recalling information
Scanning for information
Activating prior knowledge
Summarizing information

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding a Venn diagram

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Understanding words with multiple meanings
Choosing the correct dictionary definition

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing effects of technology
Analyzing changing technology
Creating and comparing lists
Comparing electronic and personal communication

UNIT 2: Issues in Today’s Society

Ch. 4 – Sign Language for Everyone

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
Choosing the correct dictionary definition

Critical Thinking Skills:
Describing non-verbal communication
Describing reasons
Evaluating information
Assessing advantages and disadvantages of an operation

Ch. 5 – Our kids are growing up too fast!

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Organizing information in a chart

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix -ment
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing and comparing reasons
Writing about personal experiences
Discussing social changes and pressures

Ch. 6 – Loneliness: How can we overcome it?

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Creating a flowchart

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix -ness
Recognizing sentence connectors

Critical Thinking Skills:
Surveying classmates about loneliness
Analyzing survey results
Writing about personal experiences
Talking about obstacles

UNIT 3: Justice and Crime

Ch. 7 – Solving Crimes with Modern Technology

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding line graphs

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix -ment
Recognizing the prefix re-

Critical Thinking Skills:
Explaining opinions
Creating a list
Analyzing information
Researching fingerprint matching

Ch. 8 – The Reliability of Eyewitnesses

Reading Skills:
Previewing a reading
Scanning for information
Recalling information

Reading Skill Focus:
Using headings to create an outline

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffixes -ence and -ance
Recognizing the prefix in-

Critical Thinking Skills:
Writing about a crime or an accident
Discussing the reliability of eyewitness testimony
Organizing importance of details
Analyzing information
Ranking information

Ch. 9 – Innocent until Proven Guilty: The Criminal Court System

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Creating a flowchart

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix -ity
Understanding synonyms

Critical Thinking Skills:
Interpreting symbolism
Evaluating a process
Applying current events
Considering advantages and disadvantages
Comparing legal systems

UNIT 4: Advances in Science

Ch. 10 – Saving Lives with New Organs

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding a bar graph

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffixes -tion and -ation
Recognizing sentence connectors

Critical Thinking Skills:
Discussing ethics of organ and cell transplants
Using graphs
Discussing reasons
Writing about scenarios

Ch. 11 – Objects from Space: Hits and Misses

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding graphics

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Adverbs: recognizing the suffix -ly
Recognizing the prefix un-

Critical Thinking Skills:
Presenting research findings
Creating a plan of action
Describing an experience
Evaluating types of natural disasters
Discussing reasons

Ch. 12 – Medicine Today: Improving Surgery with Robotics

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

Reading Skill Focus:
Understanding a line graph

Vocabulary Skills:
Understanding meaning from context

Word Forms:
Recognizing the suffix -ment
Choosing the correct dictionary definition

Critical Thinking Skills:
Writing about medical technology
Considering uses of robots
Preparing a report
Describing a procedure

Index of Key Words and Phrases

Skills Index

Credits

Notes

For ESL students at an intermediate (B1) level.