This lovely story from the the American writer O'Henry, I completely re-wrote for B2 level. 

Here is the vocabulary discussed:

Just around the corner. The means a place further on where we cannot see but is very close.

English proverb: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. This means that life is better any place but where you are now.

hesitation - worried about doing something because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do.

impersonal - without friendly human feelings or atmosphere.

uncaring - not sympathetic about the problems or suffering of others.

loneliness - unhappiness because you have no friends or people to talk to.

vibrant and bustling - full of people moving about in a busy way.

optimism - a feeling that good things will happen.

look at someone in the eye - look directly into someone's face.

passers-by - people walking past in the street.

Support the show

My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams).
To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform):
https://amzn.to/46AVFe9

Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i

For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv

Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg

At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, free grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
https://www.practisingenglish.com/

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)