"Taking Sides, Second Edition, encourages students to form opinions and exchange ideas on important issues to prepare them for participation in academic settings. The text contains an introductory exercise and six units -- philosophy (distributive justice), law, ethics, psychology, business negotiation, and linguistics. Within these sections, students are given practice in how to state opinions, compromise, build consensus, speak persuasively, understand group dynamics, write business memos, make presentations, engage in debate, and negotiate. The second edition of Taking Sides includes changes to improve the usability of the material (based on student feedback).

New to this edition is material aimed at helping students prepare for the independent and integrated speaking tasks of the TOEFL iBT. Whether students are preparing for the iBT or not, these activities improve students' extemporaneous speaking skills and develop true fluency" (Book Cover).

Contents:

1. Introductory Exercises:
Roommate Search Synergy (Lost at Sea)

2. Philosophy (Distributive Justice): The Candy Bar Dilemma
The Race
Mrs. Kerr and Ms. Pink
Finders, Keepers

Joe, His Bread, and the Lifeboat
Sam and the Posse

3. Law: Crime and Punishment

Humor in the Court
Organ Transplantation

4. Ethics: Coercion/Paternalism
Paternalism in Action: American Laws
JFK Memorial Hospital versus Heston
The Desert Dilemma
Health Care: Rationing
Health Care: Providing Services to Visible and Invisible Victims
Knowledge, Information, and Ethics in Relation to Insurance and Health Care

5. Psychology: Survey
Marriage, Cross-Culturally
Martial Issues
Divorce
Rationality (Sunk Costs)

6. Business Negotiation: Freeloaders
The Great Bun Caper
The Cow Dung Gaffe
Laying Off at the Auto Plant (A Personnel Dilemma)

7. Linguistics: You Don`t Understand Me
Arranging the Marriage of Indira and Raphael (An Indirect Speech Exercise)
Conditionally Speaking