The CNN video news clip activities at the back of the student text are thematically related to each chapter. Activities are designed to recycle themes and vocabulary from each chapter, and to encourage further class discussion and written responses to these real life news iterms. Hot Topics is guaranteed to engage readers, stimulate thinking, and provoke conversation while developing vocabulary and reading skills. The controversial topics explored in the text all have more than one side to them, thus encouraging debate and classroom interaction.
• Three readings per chapter explore the same hot topic from different points of view. The readings in each chapter vary by genre and increase in difficulty to support reading development.
• A focus on reading skills and reading comprehension through pre-reading questions, skimming and scanning activities, the use of context clues, vocabulary analysis, and the development of critical thinking skills helps students increase their reading fluency.
• Open-ended questions at the end of every chapter encourage students to voice their opinions and defend their viewpoints either through discussion or in writing.