Practising English

Here are some words that are not B1 and you'll need to understand the story.

Words which are outside the A1 to B1 levels

*Greenhouse - a building with glass sides and roof for growing plants in.

*Skin - the outside of some types of vegetable and fruit.

*String - a long piece of material used for tying things together.

*Ultraviolet (light) - a blue light with wavelengths shorter than violet light.

*Allotment - an area of land in a town which a person can rent or buy in order to grow vegetables on it.

*Gardener - somebody who works in a garden as a profession or for pleasure.

*Waiting list - a list of people waiting.

*Chimney - structure often made of stone that carries away the smoke of a fire through the roof.

*Fireplace - where a fire is made in a house to keep the house warm.

*Botanist - a scientist who studies flowers.

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

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.

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

Here is Part two of my popular story, Tsunami for learners of B1 English

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

I am still on holiday during August, so today I bring you a favourite of many listeners - the B1 story of Tsunami! (Part 1). Part 2 next week.

Enjoy it and enjoy your summer!

Mike Bilbrough

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

While I'm on my summer holiday, here is a repeat of a lovely B1 story - Part 2 of "Dad". I published Part 1 last Wednesday.

The verbs we are studying today are:
realize
drop
call out
weigh
admire
encourage
dive
appear
breathe
hug

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

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

I'm on holiday so I'm leaving you with a favourite story of mine "Dad" in 2 parts. This is a repeat of a podcast from September 2023. Next Wednesday, I'll publish part 2.

This is part 1 of a B1-level story for learners of English, especially Cambridge English. The story is called Dad. It's about a family fishing trip in Spain. Vocabulary about the sea, boats and fishing equipment...

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

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

Comprehension questions for this B2-level story.

(I'm on holiday at the momento so leave you with a repeat episode.) Enjoy!

1) What reasons did Alberto's mother give Alberto for leaving the Alpujarra?

2) What did Gustavo mean by the comment "we're just victims of nature"?

3) The story says, "When Alberto saw the pink clouds at dawn, he knew bad weather was on the way". What was the saying mentioned in the story which told Alberto there was going to be a storm?

4) Why was Alberto worried when he saw the effects of the storm on the mountain?

5) Why did the picnickers run away from the pool?

6) Was this a true story?

I also include the transcript.

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

This is about the trial in Australia that finished just last week and is popularly known as "The Mushroom Murders". Today, I'll ask the famous detective, Hércules Poirot (from Agatha Christie's novels) to explain to his exclusive audience of people involved in the crime and to us, the listeners of the podcast, what happened exactly, and who the murderer is.

This is a B2-level podcast with focus on the third conditional. e.g.

If I had studied more, I would have passed my Cambridge exams.

Listen for examples of the third conditional.

You can read the full transcript of Hércules Poirot's speech at my website: 

https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-249.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

This is a B2-level recording and story with vocabulary about animal sounds and movement:

Animal words:

warren - where rabbits live together in the ground

roar - sound like a lion makes

thunder - sound like large animals running past

scream - high pitched sound that sounds angry or scared

hop - to jump (in humans - on one leg)

poke your head out - look out briefly from somewhere

twitching - quick movements like a rabbits nose or ears

crouch - when somebody or an animal moves their body down, or down flat to the ground

beast - an animal

whine - high pitched sound like a car engine when going fast, a dog 'crying'.

slip back in - move quickly into a place

hum - sound similar to that the bees make

B2 words:

beyond - further away than

generation - referring to people or animals, the sons, then sons of sons etc.

mutter - talk quietly

unfamiliar - something you have not seen before

tremble - shake, often with fear

whistle - sound made with lips, often with a tune

uneasy - a little frightened

giggle - a laugh like a little girl's

glance - look quickly

to fade - sound getting quieter

To read the Transcript of the story, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-248.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...

Hello, dear students!

Future continuous for fixed events, which are expected to happen. (This is B1 grammar with interest for B2 students too!)

will + be + verb+ing

I'll be giving a talk at that time, but I could see you afterwards for a coffee.
This time next week I'll be flying into paradise
I'll be seeing you soon, then. Yes. Holidays finish next week.

Not about making decisions but sth decided anyway
Shall I take you into town?
Don't bother
No bother. I'll be going to the shops anyway.

Polite - not to influence people's decision about plans
Will you be staying the weekend?
Yes, if that's OK with you.
Of course, we'd be delighted to have you stay with us.
Compare;
Are you going to stay the weekend?
(Come on! Tell me! I want to know now!)

Note often with non-ing verbs like want.
Will you be wanting breakfast tomorrow?
Yes, please!

Say what people are doing now.
Don't call now. They'll be having lunch at this time.

Well, the managers will be deciding who leaves and who doesn't.
I'm just hoping I won't lose my job.

For transcript of story, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-247.htm

For more help on Future Continuous, also listen to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-25.htm

Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm

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 ...