This book helps readers build and retain better vocabularies and become more effective strategic readers. Based on over thirty years of the author's teaching experience, this comprehensive vocabulary book for the twenty-first century generates a basic college-level vocabulary quickly, effectively, and pleasurably. It incorporates a number of proven vocabulary-building approaches that are grounded in sound learning theory. In each self-contained lesson, words are presented on graduated levels of difficulty, followed by challenging exercises and writing activities, then reinforced by immediate access to solutions. This enables the reader to progress at their own pace and evaluate their progress. Although this text has a distinctly pedagogical structure, a variety of practices, crossword puzzles, writing exercises, analogy activities, and numerous cartoons throughout challenge the reader to learn using a variety of strategies while continuously emphasizing the reading-writing connection. For anyone who is developing a basic vocabulary.