This book has nine articles that explain how things work, how things form.... You will read about nature [and] learn about technology.... You will find out about food.... As you read this book, you will have the chance to practice six reading skills: making connections; asking questions; visualizing; finding the mail idea; taking notes; [and] summarizing. -To the student.

Nature: Cockroaches, tough bugs; Quicksand, how dangerous is it?; Caves, a world apart; Compare and contrast -- Technology: MP3 players, music for the road; Robots, like humans...almost; Instant messaging, communication at the speed of fingers; Compare and contrast -- Food: Cheese, how cheese is made; World food, menus around the globe; Meals, ready-to-eat, food for soldiers; Compare and contrast -- Glossary -- Pronunciation guide -- Writing checklist -- Progress graph instructions and sample -- Progress graph.