Includes an answer key for language review exercises.

"One of the greatest challenges facing ESL students is the advanced speaking class in which the most confident students dominate the discussion and the more reticent students quickly withdraw. Discussion Starters helps balance the oral participation of all the students in the class, promoting an environment in which everyone has not only the opportunity but a real need to speak out.

Each unit contains exercises that provide speaking interaction about a central topic or idea. In most of these activities, students must work together in pairs or small groups to reach a conclusion about a topic. The activities and tasks in Discussion Starters are real situations from all over the world. Contemporary political and social topics enable students to engage in lively dialogue about issues they face in their daily lives, such as smoking regulation, the environment, and multiculturalism.

There is ample background material in the text to prepare students in advance for a discussion. Thus, students can spend their class time speaking about and discussing topics rather than reading about them. A unique and important feature of this text is the inclusion of homework exercises that call on students to sort out their ideas and opinions before coming to class. This allows students to be prepared for the speaking activities in class and is of special importance to less confident speakers." (Book Cover)

CONTENTS Unit 1 You Can Be the Judge: The New Job
Unit 2 Smoking or Nonsmoking?
Unit 3 Have You Read a Good Book or Seen a Good Movie Lately?
Unit 4 Combat Roles in the Military
Unit 5 Finish the Story: The French Bullet Train
Unit 6 Parents and Children: New Family Problems
Unit 7 Proverbs and Values
Unit 8 Gender Roles in 1850? 1950? 2050?
Unit 9 Put the Story Together: The Rough Flight
Unit 10 Save Our Planet: Is There Hope?
Unit 11 Group Speaking Puzzle: Movies, People, Food, and Places
Unit 12 When Cultures Clash: Multiculturalism and Clothing
Unit 13 Cinderella: An Old Tale in New Times
Unit 14 Getting Older: The "Golden Years"?
Unit 15 Put the Story Together: The Doctor
Unit 16 Should Drugs Be Legalized?
Unit 17 Put the Story Together: The Truck Driver
Unit 18 Is It Funny? Culture and Humor
Unit 19 AIDS: A Global Crisis
Unit 20 Finish the Story: The Math Test
Unit 21 Gun Control
Unit 22 Don't Forget the Tip (To Insure Promptness)
Unit 23 Drinking and Driving
Unit 24 The Neighbors' Christmas Decorations
Unit 25 You Can Be the Judge: Who Is the Winner?
Unit 26 Animals and Humans
Unit 27 How Old Is Your Mother? (Should There Be an Age Limit?)
Unit 28 Out of the Closet: Gay and Lesbian Issues
Unit 29 Group Speaking Puzzle: Food, Endangered Species, and Colors
Unit 30 The Bus Driver's Dilemma
Unit 31 You Can Be the Judge: May I Die?
Unit 32 Check Your Emergency IQ

Communication Activities

Decisions in Court Cases

Answer Key for Language Review Exercises

For advanced ESL students.