Synopses & Reviews
Newly expanded for high-intermediate readers, A World of Fiction now features 32 unabridged stories ideal for literary analysis, language practice, and lively cross-cultural discussion.
Each chapter in this two-volume anthology is based on a complete short story. The approach to literary exploration calls upon students’ diverse language and critical thinking skills. A World of Fiction guides students through understanding the plot, exploring themes, analyzing style, making judgments and cross-cultural connections, and debating the issues that are explored. Students also examine grammar in context, expand their vocabulary skills, and practice writing.
A World of Fiction 1 includes 16 shorter stories, explanations and exercises designed for high-intermediate and low-advanced readers. Selections include noteworthy authors such as Raymond Carver, Dorothy Parker, Tim O'Brien, and William Saroyan. For more advanced readers, A World of Fiction 2 features an additional 16 selections by renowned writers including James Joyce, Louise Erdrich, Woody Allen, and Alan Paton.
Both books in the series help students sharpen their reading, vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills as they discover the pleasure and reward of reading fiction.
Features:
- Reading selections represent a variety of themes, literary styles, and cultural settings to stimulate student conversation and debate.
- Extended Vocabulary in Context sections cover idioms, phrasal verbs, and many other areas of vocabulary enrichment.
- Writing activities include both expository and creative assignments in which students are led to incorporate the language skills featured in the chapter.
- Expanded Critical Thinking sections encourage students to analyze stories and connect them to their own experience.
Synopsis
A World of Fiction calls upon students' diverse language and critical thinking skills as they discover the pleasure and rewards of reading fiction. This expanded series (Level 1: High Intermediate; Level 2: Advanced) is designed to help students sharpen their reading, vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills. Each level contains 16 unabridged stories.
Highlights
- The stories are ideal for literary analysis, language practice, and lively cross-cultural discussion.
- Each level features selections by noteworthy authors -- (Book 1) Raymond Carver, Dorothy
Parker, Tim O'Brien, and Kate Chopin. (Book 2) James Joyce, Louise Erdrich, Woody Allen,
and Alice Walker. - Reading selections guide students through understanding plots, exploring themes, analyzing styles,
making judgments and cross-cultural connections, and debating the issues that are explored. - Extended Vocabulary in Context sections cover idioms, phrasal verbs, and other areas of
vocabulary enrichment. - Writing activities include both expository and creative assignments in which students are led to
incorporate the language skills featured in the chapter. - Expanded Critical Thinking sections encourage students to analyze stories and connect them to their own experiences.
Table of Contents
HUSBANDS, WIVES, AND LOVERS
1 Can-Can Arturo Vivante
Analyzing Style Irony
Symbol
Grammar in Context Forms Ending in —ing
Vocabulary Building Fixed Expressions with and
Unfamiliar Words
2 The Cranes Peter Meinke
Analyzing Style Inference
Setting
Simile
Black Humor
Grammar in Context Wishes
Vocabulary Building Prepositions
Oxymoron
3 The Kugelmass Episode Woody Allen
Analyzing Style Dialogue
Flat Characters
Anachronism
Allusion
Grammar in Context The Passive Voice
Vocabulary Building Verbs That Introduce Dialogue
Idioms
4 An Intruder Nadine Gordimer
Analyzing Style Simile and Metaphor
Grammar in Context Adjective Clauses
Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Adjective Clauses
Vocabulary Building Adjectives
PARENT AND CHILD
5 Powder Tobias Wolff
Analyzing Style Repetition
Alliteration
Grammar in Context Participial Phrases
Dangling Modifiers
Sentence Fragments
Vocabulary Building Alliterative Expressions
Prepositions
6 Mother Grace Paley
Analyzing Style Flashback
Tone
Grammar in Context Past Tenses
Vocabulary Building Words in Context
7 Eveline James Joyce
Analyzing Style Imagery
Flashback
Grammar in Context Parallel Structure: Coordinating Conjunctions
Parallel Structure: Correlative Conjunctions
Vocabulary Building Descriptive Verbs
Idiomatic Expressions
8 My Oedipus Complex Frank O’Connor
Analyzing Style Humor
Grammar in Context Linking Verbs
Phrasal Verbs
Vocabulary Building Denotation and Connotation
LONELINESS AND ALIENATION
9 Disappearing Monica Wood
Analyzing Style Ellipsis
Imagery
Grammar in Context Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent
Indefinite Pronouns
Vocabulary Building Dealing with Unfamiliar Words
10 A Pair of Silk Stockings Kate Chopin
Analyzing Style Inference
Grammar in Context Reflexive Pronouns
Vocabulary Building Collocations with Noncount Nouns
Adjectives
11 Everyday Use Alice Walker
Analyzing Style Round Characters
First-Person Narration
Grammar in Context Prepositional Phrases
The Expression Used To
Vocabulary Building Phrasal Verbs
12 The Red Convertible Louise Erdrich
Analyzing Style Point of View
Voice
Foreshadowing
Grammar in Context Compound Sentences
Vocabulary Building Phrasal Verbs with Multiple Meanings
SOCIAL CHANGE AND INJUSTICE
13 EPICAC Kurt Vonnegut
Analyzing Style Personification
Colloquialisms
Grammar in Context Adverbs
Irregular Adverbs
Vocabulary Building Confusing Word Pairs
Idioms Containing Body Parts
14 Like A Winding Sheet Ann Petry
Analyzing Style Dialect
Imagery
Grammar in Context Adverbial Clauses
Punctuation of Adverbial Clauses
Vocabulary Building Synonyms
15 A Drink in The Passage Alan Paton
Analyzing Style Frame Story
Irony
Inference
Grammar in Context Conditionals
Vocabulary Building Prepositions
16 The Catbird Seat James Thurber
Analyzing Style Understatement
Grammar in Context Noun Clauses
Vocabulary Building Idioms Containing Colors
Legal Vocabulary