This book offers a broad range of gently graded reading material that will prepare students (especially those in the transition stages after Intermediate or Standard Grade) for Higher English close reading. It aims to encourage enjoyment in reading: uniquely, it does not pose sets of 'exam-type' questions after each passage, a function already served by other publications such as the core text Higher English: Close Reading. Rather, it offers an introduction to the higher-order skills required at this stage by offering 20 extracts from quality journalism and literature along with short response or multiple choice-type questions dealing with overall understanding and key ideas. Suggested answers to the general questions are offered for student/teacher reflection and discussion on an enclosed CD-ROM. For students, the book: demonstrates by example such key matters as line of thought, use of evidence, structure, and tone - to the benefit not just of their Close Reading skills but of their own writing in internal assessment of Writing and of Personal Study as well as for the Critical Essay in the examination suggests topics or open up ideas which they might go on to explore in their own Writing work and informs about important issues of the day allows genuine reflection on the subject matter without being diverted into working through an exhaustive series of questions is a useful preparation for the comparison questions in Higher, which require an overview of passages not easily sustained while answering detailed questions will encourage an interest in reading such material at source For teachers, the book: avoids the necessity for selecting/copying/editing material themselves, and is guaranteed to be at an appropriate level is carefully edited to match closely the style and length of exam passages has some questions already set, and involves very little marking