Reading competence, according to PIRLS 2006 (Progress in International Reading Literacy Studies), consists in the ability to understand and use the linguistic forms required by the society and/or valued by an individual.
Reading competence, according to PISA 2006 (Program for lndicators of Students Achievement), is the ability to understand, use, and analyze written texts to achieve the reader objectives, as wel I as to develop her/his knowledge and possibilities to participate in society.
In this book, the authors wil I recommend different strategies that students can develop in order to achieve a specific goal: to demonstrate that they have under-stood a specific fragment of a written English text in which they are interested.
The objective of this book is to provide the student with specific training when reading English texts. This represents a very important tool to understand both the general and specific information contained not only in academic texts such as books, magazines and journals, but a lso in those that are read at leisure.
Reading competence, according to PIRLS 2006 (Progress in International Reading Literacy Studies), consists in the ability to understand and use the linguistic forms required by the society and/or valued by an individual.
Reading competence, according to PISA 2006 (Program for Indicators of Students Achievement), is the ability to understand, use, and analyze written texts to achieve the reader objectives, as well as to develop her/his knowledge and possibilities to participate in society.
In this book, the authors will recommend different strategies that students can develop in order to achieve a specific goal: to demonstrate that they have understood a specific fragment of a written English text in which they are interested.
The objective of this book is to provide the student with specific training when reading English texts. This represents a very important tool to understand both the general and specific information contained not only in academic texts such as books, magazines and journals, but also in those that are read at leisure.

Introduction 8
Authors Suggestions for Teachers to Work with the Book 10
Pre-reading and Post-reading Activities 11
Reading Styles 12
Strategies and Reading Styles Developed in the Book 14
Characteristics of an Effective Reader 15
Elements of the Reading Competence 16
Reading Purposes 17
-O UNIT 1 Different Types of Texts 18
Letters & E-mails 18
Horoscopes 21
Recipes 22
Lunch Menus 24
Milkshakes 25
Weather 27
Cinemas and Theaters 29
Tv 31
-o Unir 2 Learn More about Animals 34
Cats 34
Turtle, Tortoise or Terrapin? 36
Dogs 38
Koalas 42
Sharks 46
Elephants 48
Guide Horses 50
-O UNIT 3 Leisure Activities 54
Board Games 54
Chess 56
Video Games: Mario Bros, Pac-man, and Dead or Alive 59
Photography and Camera Controls 62
-o UNIT 4 Holidays 68
Halloween 68
Thanksgiving (4th Thusday in November) 73
Valentine's Day 75
Mother's Day (2nd Sunday in May) 76
-O UNIT 5 Sports 80
Football Soccer 80
Baseball 84
Basketball 88
The Olympics 90
-o UNIT 6 Music Throughout Time 94
The Beatles 94
1960s 98
Queen Live Performances 103
1970s 105
Michael Jackson 108
1980s 111
1990s 113
21" Century 115
-o UNIT 7 Fashion 120
Neckties 120
Heir Care 124
Wigs 128
Fashion 133
-o UNIT 8 Beware of Diseases 138
Anorexia Nervosa 138
Bulimia Nervosa 142
At-risk Groups 146
HIV 147
-o UNIT 9 Young People Should Know That 154
Abortion 154
Sexual Orientation 159
Wedding Traditions and Customs 164
-o UNIT 10 Enjoying Literature 172
Poems 172
Short Stories: The Garter 175
Short Stories: New York to Detroit 178
Haikus 182
-o UNIT 11 Extra Readings 186
Pizza 186
The World Cup Trophy 192
Machu Picchu 194
History of Mobile Phones 197
Hippie Movement 201
Disco Music 206
Common Regular Verbs 211
Common Irregular Verbs 213
References 217