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

CEFR level: B2

“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)

CONTENTS

Unit 1. TRAVEL, TRUST, AND TOURISM
Vocabulary: Experiences abroad — Vocabulary Building: Phrasal verbs

Listening: A podcast about study-abroad programs
Grammar: Present and past forms
Reading: Hitchhiking
Critical Thinking: Evaluating ideas
Grammar: Used to and would — Pronunciation: To in natural speech
TED Talks: How Airbnb designs for trust / Joe Gebbia (J. Gebbia’s idea worth spreading is that we can design product, services, and experiences that feel more local, authentic, and that strengthen human connections.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Reporting
Speaking: Advice / Making recommendations
Writing: A review — Writing skill: Adding comments

Unit 2. THE BUSINESS OF TECHNOLOGY
Vocabulary: Setting up a new business — Vocabulary Building: Adjective and noun collocations 1
Listening: A lecture about young entrepreneurs
Grammar: Present perfect and the simple past
Reading: Online Crime
Critical Thinking: Interpreting Data
Grammar: Verb patterns (-ing or infinitive with to)
TED Talks: This is what happens when you reply to spam email / James Veitch (J. Veitch’s idea worth spreading is that spam email can lead us to some surprising, bizarre, and often hilarious exchanges with others.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Intonation and pitch
Speaking: Persuading
Writing: A persuasive article — Writing skill: Getting people’s attention — Pronunciation: Intonation for persuasion

Unit 3. FASTER, HIGHER, STRONGER
Vocabulary: Describing athletes — Vocabulary Building: Synonyms in texts
Listening: Four people talking about athletes they admire
Grammar: Determiners
Reading: Olympic Gold
Critical Thinking: Supporting arguments
Grammar: Comparatives and superlatives — Pronunciation: Linking words together in fast speech
TED Talks: Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger? / David Epstein (D. Epstein’s idea worth spreading is that the amazing achievements of many modern-day athletes are thanks to a complex set of factors, not just natural ability.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Slowing down and stressing words
Speaking: Reporting findings
Writing: A survey — Writing skill: Describing statistics

Unit 4. CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION
Vocabulary: Cultural events — Vocabulary Building: Adjective and noun collocations 2
Listening: A podcast about art projects
Grammar: Future forms 1
Reading: A System That’s Leading the Way
Critical Thinking: Understanding and evaluating ideas
Grammar: Future forms 2 — Pronunciation: Contrastive stress
TED Talks: Building a Park in the Sky / Robert Hammond (R. Hammond’s idea worth spreading is that we can work together to turn abandoned and neglected parts of our cities into vibrant community spaces.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Recognizing words you know
Speaking: Making suggestions
Writing: A for and against essay — Writing skill: Introducing arguments

Unit 5. IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Vocabulary: Science in action — Vocabulary Building: Adjective endings
Listening: A radio program about life hacks
Grammar: Passives 1 — Pronunciation: Stress in passives
Reading: Back to the Future?
Critical Thinking: Asking critical questions
Grammar: Passives 2
TED Talks: Science is for everyone, kids included / Beau Lotto and Amy O’Toole (B. Lotto and A. O’Toole’s idea worth spreading is that all of us can be scientists if we approach the world with the curiosity, interest, innocence, and zeal of children.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Fillers
Speaking: Staging and hypothesizing
Writing: A scientific method — Writing skill: Describing a process

Unit 6. ADAPT TO SURVIVE
Vocabulary: Endangered species — Vocabulary Building: Compound nouns
Listening: An interview with a conservationist about extinction
Grammar: Modals and meaning
Reading: Help Save the Endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
Critical Thinking: Assessing information
Grammar: Modals and infinitive forms — Pronunciation: Weak form of have
TED Talks: You have no idea where camels really came from / Latif Nasser (L. Nasser’s idea worth spreading is that in science, and in life, we are making surprising discoveries that force us to reexamine our assumptions.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Understanding fast speech
Speaking: Telling anecdotes
Writing: A problem-solution essay — Writing skill: Topic sentences

Unit 7. OUTSIDE THE BOX
Vocabulary: Breaking the mold — Vocabulary Building: Noun forms
Listening: A podcast about the importance of creativity
Grammar: Fist, second, third, and mixed conditionals
Reading: Testing Creative Thinking
Critical Thinking: Fact and opinion
Grammar: Wish, if only, would rather — Pronunciation: Elision of final consonants t and d
TED Talks: Go ahead, make up new words! / Erin McKean (E. McKean’s idea worth spreading is that making up new words will help us use language to express what we mean and will create new ways for us to understand one another.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Speeding up and slowing down speech
Speaking: Offering solutions
Writing: A report — Writing skill: Cohesion

Unit 8. COMMON GROUND
Vocabulary: Identity and communication — Vocabulary Building: Compound adjectives
Listening: An interview with a girl about intercultural communication
Grammar: Reported speech — Pronunciation: Stress for clarification
Reading: A Place to Be
Critical Thinking: Understanding other perspectives
Grammar: Patterns after reporting verbs
TED Talks: Why I keep speaking up, even when people mock my accent / Safwat Saleem (S. Saleem’s idea worth spreading is that we all benefit when we use our work and our voices to question and enlarge our understanding of what is “normal”.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Just
Speaking: Challenging ideas and assumptions
Writing: A complaint — Writing skill: Using appropriate tone

Unit 9. LEND A HELPING HAND
Vocabulary: Dealing with disaster — Vocabulary Building: the + adjective
Listening: A radio program about crisis mapping
Grammar: Relative clauses
Reading: Shouting Out for the Young
Critical Thinking: Detecting Bias
Grammar: Participle clauses — Pronunciation: -ing forms

TED Talks: (Re)Touching Lives through Photos / Becci Manson (B. Manson’s idea worth spreading is that photographs hold our memories and our histories, connecting us to each other and to the past.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Intonation and completing a point
Speaking: Countering opposition
Writing: A letter of application — Writing skill: Structuring an application

Unit 10. LIFE-CHANGING
Vocabulary: Illness and injury — Vocabulary Building: Dependent prepositions
Listening: A radio program about inspiring movies
Grammar: Expressing past ability
Reading: Stress on auxiliaries
Critical Thinking: Thinking through the consequences
Grammar: Emphatic structures — Pronunciation: Adding emphasis
TED Talks: A Broken Body Isn’t a Broken Person / Janine Shepherd (J. Shepherd’s idea worth spreading is that we have inner strength and spirit that is much more powerful than the physical capabilities of even the greatest athletes.)
Authentic Listening Skills: Collaborative listening
Speaking: Developing conversations
Writing: A success story — Writing skill: Using descriptive verbs

Grammar Reference

Irregular Verb List

Writing Bank

Word Lists

For high-intermediate English as a second language learners (B2 - CEFR)