Roald Dahl is the master of the unexpected. Things are not always what they seem and nobody should be trusted. In this collection of his short stories we learn some strange lessons about the dangerous world we live in. But you will have to wait until the final pages of each story to discover the last, terrible twist!

“All novels … are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves between good and evil.” John Steinbeck, one of America’s greatest writers, considered East of Eden to be his most important work. Set in California, the novel is a story of love and jealousy, forgiveness and revenge—and what it means to be human.

Discovering Fiction, Second Edition, Student's Book 2 presents stories with universal appeal to engage students and make them think. Among the authors included are Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kate Chopin, Langston Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, and Shirley Jackson.

This reader tells the story of Aron Ralston, who cut off his own arm to save his life after it was pinned under a boulder. This heroic and inspiring story invites students to consider what they would do in a similar situation. Use the unique code inside the book to access the online reader, complete with videos and interactive exercises. Word count: 2978. Lexile Reading Level: 830L.

Robots have a long history in Japan, and a big impact on its economy. Explore Japan's cultural fascination with robots and the connections between robots and religion. Use the unique code inside the book to access the online reader, complete with videos and interactive exercises. Word count: 2691. Lexile Reading Level: 1120L.

Poison has often played a part in fictional and real-life mysteries. This reader goes into the history of poison, from the everyday dangers in our food to the elaborate murders of the past. Use the unique code inside the book to access the online reader, complete with videos and interactive exercises. Word count: 1070. Lexile Reading Level: 2844L.

Is eating organic foods healthy or just trendy? Does the future of the world depend on it? Read the arguments for and against organic living. Use the unique code inside the book to access the online reader, complete with videos and interactive exercises. Word count: 2821. Lexile Reading Level: 1140L.

From science fiction to actual space exploration, we have always been fascinated by our universe. Landing on the moon and exploring Mars aren't science fiction anymore. What will humans do in space next? Use the unique code inside the book to access the online reader, complete with videos and interactive exercises. Word count: 2880. Lexile Reading Level: 1180L.

Avalanches are frightening natural disasters that can seem to come out of nowhere. There are things that you can do to increase your chances of survival, though. This reader explores one of the worst avalanches in history and discusses the causes of such disasters. Use the unique code inside the book to access the online reader, complete with videos and interactive exercises. Word count: 2579. Lexile Reading Level: 1120L

Award-winning original fiction for learners of English. At seven levels, from Starter to Advanced, this impressive selection of carefully graded readers offers exciting reading for every student's capabilities. A musician disappears, leaving only a strange e-mail message. Her husband, in a desperate search to find her, revisits their shared past and has to face up to some unpleasant realities, before trying to rebuild his life. His journey of discovery takes us across the world to Poland and Rio and deep into the human heart.

Crime becomes personal for New York private investigator Nathan Marley as he tries to prove the innocence of murder suspect José - a member of his assistant Stella's family. As unidentified bodies are washed up on a beach, the search for proof takes him into the heart of the New York Russian American community. Marley must work quickly to save José and find the real criminals.

Seven journeys which change lives for ever. A New York fashion buyer returns to her English home. A successful author meets an old friend. A reporter travels to an execution. A lorry driver gives an escaped prisoner a lift. A taxi driver picks up 'Bruce Lee'. A man's love for a tram driver leads him to follow her. And four strangers meet at a motel for the first and last time.

Award-winning original fiction for learners of English. At seven levels, from Starter to Advanced, this impressive selection of carefully graded readers offers exciting reading for every student's capabilities. Chee Seng, a 16-year-old Malaysian boy, has to grow up fast as he lives through the best and the worst of times. He suffers heartbreak as his parents' marriage falls apart and experiences the joys and heartache of first love.

In the early 1990s Katy, a young reporter, arrives in Sarajevo, a city under siege, and receives conflicting advice from two colleagues. 'Of all the wars I've been in,' a news cameraman tells her, 'this is the one where it's not possible to 'be objective'. You can't be objective about what's going on here.' 'This is not my war or your war,' an Italian journalist explains. 'We just report what we see, but we stay outside it. We can't get too involved. We mustn't get too near.' But Katy does get too near…

Nelson Mbizi returns to his home in southern Africa after studying in Britain. When he tries to help a family of orphans he meets Viki, a South African TV presenter. The story of Nelson and Viki's relationship is told against a background of HIV/AIDS and government corruption on the one hand, and great good humour and wonderful music on the other.

Award-winning original fiction for learners of English. At seven levels, from Starter to Advanced, this impressive selection of carefully graded readers offers exciting reading for every student's capabilities. After being jilted by her lover, Carla is devastated and intends to seek revenge. She joins a self-help group for people in similar situations and there she meets three women who have been betrayed or abandoned by their husbands. Carla decides to rehearse her revenge on these men and starts by buying a ticket to Cuba.

An English company executive in India is dismissed after he tries to uncover corruption within his company. He returns to England where his life falls apart and his marriage breaks up. He then sets out on a one-man search for the truth behind his dismissal. He turns to the rich mystery and beauty of India and is finally forced to choose between love and revenge.

A collection of stories that offer eight slices of life in England today. The themes covered include British eating habits, the media, inner-city problems, immigration, football hooliganism, student life, leisure activities and the countryside. Well-observed, lively and amusing, these stories provide a fascinating picture of the country at the start of a new century.

Award-winning original fiction for learners of English. At seven levels, from Starter to Advanced, this impressive selection of carefully graded readers offers exciting reading for every student's capabilities. Chief Inspector Jane Honeywell is a city detective who wonders why she has moved to a sleepy country town - nothing happens in Pilton. But then the rural peace and quiet is suddenly disturbed by a horrible murder. When Jane starts the dangerous pursuit of the killer, she discovers a more terrible plan in operation.

In Cambridge, Fanella bravely faces the challenge of adopting a child alone after her partner leaves her. Fanella and five-year-old Ellie get off to a rocky start, but Fanella patiently steers their relationship on to more solid ground. Meanwhile, her relationship with Rod, Ellie's teacher and a married man, is a little more complicated.