Now that the welfare system has been largely dismantled, the fate of America's poor depends on what happens to them in the low-wage labor market. In... this timely volume, Katherine S. Newman explores whether the poorest workers and families benefited from the tight labor markets and good economic times of the late 1990s. Following black and Latino workers in Harlem, who began their work lives flipping burgers, she finds more good news than we might have expected coming out of a high-poverty neighborhood. Many adult workers returned to school and obtained trade certificates, high school diplomas, and college degrees. Their persistence paid off in the form of better jobs, higher pay, and greater self-respect. Others found union jobs and, as a result, brought home bigger paychecks, health insurance, and a pension. More than 20 percent of those profiled in Chutes and Ladders are no longer poor. A very different story emerges among those who floundered even in a good economy. Weighed down by family obligations or troubled partners and hindered by poor training and prejudice, these "low riders" moved in and out of the labor market, on and off public assistance, and continued to depend upon the kindness of family and friends. Supplementing finely drawn ethnographic portraits, Newman examines the national picture to show that patterns around the country paralleled the findings from some of New York's most depressed neighborhoods. More than a story of the shifting fortunes of the labor market, Chutes and Ladders asks probing questions about the motivations of low-wage workers, the dreams they have for the future, and their understanding of the rules of the game.

Even more flexible, lively, and diverse with the full support of online technology, the seventh edition of CIAO! continues to emphasize practical,... communicative use of Italian by teaching the four language skills and providing an enhanced introduction to Italian life and culture. The new edition is distinguished by the integration of video and music, allowing a new perspective on the cultural aspects of Italian life and culture, as well as a refreshing venue for practicing new grammar and vocabulary. A fully interactive and engaging eBook allows students to take advantage of a more portable, downloadable course in introductory Italian. The thematically based chapters are enhanced by "Vedute d'Italia" sections, which focus on the vibrant life of modern-day Italy and the country's rich cultural heritage. CIAO! offers a proven approach known for its thorough grammar presentation and consistent grammar practice. Activities involve student collaboration and move the learners from form-focused to more communicative exercises in each chapter. Students find that CIAO! provides an all-in-one grammar and vocabulary program that allows them to communicate in Italian with confidence and gives them a unique cultural perspective on an ever-changing Italy.

In the wry but affectionate tradition of Bill Bryson, Ciao, America! is a delightful look at America through the eyes of a fiercely funny guest — one... of Italy’s favorite authors who spent a year in Washington, D.C.When Beppe Severgnini and his wife rented a creaky house in Georgetown they were determined to see if they could adapt to a full four seasons in a country obsessed with ice cubes, air-conditioning, recliner chairs, and, of all things, after-dinner cappuccinos. From their first encounters with cryptic rental listings to their back-to-Europe yard sale twelve months later, Beppe explores this foreign land with the self-described patience of a mildly inappropriate beachcomber, holding up a mirror to America’s signature manners and mores. Succumbing to his surroundings day by day, he and his wife find themselves developing a taste for Klondike bars and Samuel Adams beer, and even that most peculiar of American institutions -- the pancake house.The realtor who waves a perfect bye-bye, the overzealous mattress salesman who bounces from bed to bed, and the plumber named Marx who deals in illegally powerful showerheads are just a few of the better-than-fiction characters the Severgninis encounter while foraging for clues to the real America. A trip to the computer store proves just as revealing as D.C.’s Fourth of July celebration, as do boisterous waiters angling for tips and no-parking signs crammed with a dozen lines of fine print. By the end of his visit, Severgnini has come to grips with life in these United States -- and written a charming, laugh-out-loud tribute.From the Hardcover edition.

Even more flexible, lively, and diverse with the full support of online technology, the seventh edition of CIAO! continues to emphasize practical,... communicative use of Italian by teaching the four language skills and providing an enhanced introduction to Italian life and culture. The new edition is distinguished by the integration of video and music, allowing a new perspective on the cultural aspects of Italian life and culture, as well as a refreshing venue for practicing new grammar and vocabulary. A fully interactive and engaging eBook allows students to take advantage of a more portable, downloadable course in introductory Italian. The thematically based chapters are enhanced by "Vedute d'Italia" sections, which focus on the vibrant life of modern-day Italy and the country's rich cultural heritage. CIAO! offers a proven approach known for its thorough grammar presentation and consistent grammar practice. Activities involve student collaboration and move the learners from form-focused to more communicative exercises in each chapter. Students find that CIAO! provides an all-in-one grammar and vocabulary program that allows them to communicate in Italian with confidence and gives them a unique cultural perspective on an ever-changing Italy. About This Edition New Features New video footage, filmed on the streets of Italy, provides a closer and more personal approach to the Italian way of life. These films are a nice complement to the "Sulla Strada" video clips also included in this edition. New "Intermezzo" video and music sections invite students to take advantage of thematically appropriate video segments and songs. These captivating sections are found in the even-numbered chapters and include activities based on the grammar and vocabulary as well as information on the artists, songs, and cultural notions explored in the video segments. Relevant vocabulary items are reviewed, and the video segments can be found online at the text's Premium Website or in the iLrn™: Heinle Learning Center. Offering unparalleled flexibility, practice, and support, the iLrn™: Heinle Learning Center is a dynamic learning environment that contains everything students need to master the skills and concepts of the course. It includes an audio-enhanced eBook, assignable textbook activities, video and musical interludes, pre- and post-viewing activities, partnered voice-recorded activities, an online Student Activities Manual with audio, interactive enrichment activities, GoogleEarth coordinates, and a diagnostic study tool to better prepare students for exams. Interesting new visuals and an array of authentic texts enhance the presentation of modern-day Italy and the country's rich cultural heritage. This provides a stimulating basis from which to learn about Italy, draw conclusions, and make relevant comparisons to students' experiences and cultures. Carefully revised "Vedute d'Italia" cultural reading sections offer a fresh perspective on an ever-changing Italian life. Many of the readings and their corresponding activities have been revised to be more accessible to first-year students and to maintain student interest. Many new authentic readings provide varied, up-to-the-minute perspectives on stimulating topics that are as diverse as Italian fashion, films, food, and cuisine; education and students' experience of the job market; immigration and the challenges of a multiethnic society; and families and social change. New, step-by-step instructions for writing in the "Scriviamo" section give students hands-on guidance. Students focus on a different writing task in each chapter, such as writing an informal e-mail, describing the weather in a postcard, narrating the past, and writing a formal letter. Strategies help students understand the cultural implications of the writing style, the organization, and the structure--and help them implement key grammar and vocabulary points with accuracy. A more visual grammar section features grammar concepts introduced with an illustration to highlight the new linguistic concepts. Concise, often-illustrated explanations follow in English. A number of this edition's "Punti grammaticali" topics have been regrouped into a new, more logical flow and include more collaborative activities designed to draw student participation from the beginning rather than at the end of an activity set. Additional Features "Vedute d'Italia" introduces students to relevant cultural contexts of Italian life while encouraging cross-cultural comparisons. Culture is interwoven with language learning; students enjoy an interesting, informative framework within which to practice and exchange ideas in Italian. Richly illustrated, thematically organized chapters--with grammatical and lexical structures supporting each chapter's theme--offer a unified approach that makes language learning more effective. Chapter grammar, vocabulary, and thematic emphasis reinforce and build on one another. Clear and concise grammatical explanations make Italian accessible and engaging in the most diverse types of teaching situations and with varied types of learners. Ciao! effectively engages students in learning the four basic language skills through active and practical use of Italian. See this title's supplement: Student Activities Manual for Riga/Lage's "Ciao!", Seventh Edition

CIAO!, Sixth Edition continues to emphasize practical, communicative use of Italian, while teaching the four language skills and providing an enhanced... introduction to Italian life and culture. The new edition is distinguished by greater coherence in the grammatical presentation, a more pervasive emphasis upon cultural realities, lexical streamlining, thorough updating, and more consistent support for the instructor through marginal annotations. With thematically based chapters that focus on the vibrant life of modern Italy and the country's rich cultural heritage, CIAO! provides the proven approach-known for its outstanding, easy-to-follow grammar presentation-and superior resources that students need to communicate in Italian with confidence and understanding. The book features a strong focus on spoken proficiency and cultural awareness, all woven into a dynamic presentation that makes it easy and fun to learn Italian.