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© 2024 M. A. Bilbrough
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Listening practice for learners of B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate levels of British English. Learn British English by listening to stories. Original and exciting stories written for learners and students of British English. Practise and prepare for Cambridge: B1 PET Preliminary and FCE First Certificate exams. IELTS: level 4, level 5 and level 6. Includes English grammar explanations and practice exercises, examples of vocabulary use, phrasal verbs and collocations help, British English pronunciation practice, advice and help for passing B1 and B2 English examinations: Cambridge, IELTS and Trinity. Start practising and improving your British English listening, vocabulary and speaking levels today!
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Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.The upper-intermediate phrsal verbs studied in today's episode are:look up to - admire somebody because of their qualitiesfall apart - to break into pieces, probably because it's olddate from - saying how old something is, from what year something isthink sth over - consider something carefullytake on - offer a contract of work to somebodymiss out - not to take advantage of an opportunity which would bring benefitscome across - find...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.This is another podcast on B1 intermediate phrasal verbs - those a little difficult to learn. The ones I will talk about are:put on - to switch on or activate some device (electrical?)sign up - to join or becme part of a club etc.show up - to arrive somewhere unexpectedly.deal with - to try to resolve a problemtake up - to begin a new sport, hobby or other activitycarry on - to continue, often when things seem difficult.Listen to th...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.The six B1 phrasal verbs studied are:give up - stop doing some activity e.g. smoking, or a game because you are losing.end up - to finish in a place probably you didn't expect to find yourself in.put off - to do some activity at a later time.set off - to start a journey.run out - to find you have no more of something e.g. petrol in your car, milk in the fridge.look forward - wait excitedly for an event to happen.For story transcript...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Intermediate (B1) and upper-intermediate (B2) English expressions and vocabulary. Words to explain:binoculars - a device used to see objects far awayUFO - unidentified flying object (alien spaceship)What the hell is going on? - What is happening?fin - wing-like structure of a creature that lives in the seaB2 phrases to listen for. What is the context of each phrase?1, failed to comprehend2, under the impression 3, get straight ...
2Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Words to explain:extraterrestrial - from another planetalien - life from another planetlife forms - beings which are livingelectro-magnetic field - this surrounds the Earth and protects us from harmful rays from spaceorbit - going around the sun etc.meteorite - an object that may crash into the Earthevolve / evolution - life that grows and changes over long periods of timecosmic - from the universecomet - a huge ball of us that flie...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.The second part of my story A Window on Time. Strong B1 and B2-level story.Words to explain: detention - in schools this was (is?) a punishment for children. We had to stay in a classroom during the lunch-break and do extra homeworkB2 phrases to listen for. What is the context of each phrase?1) to feel faint2) Naturally,3) tremble with excitement4) hit it off5) stick together6) stand by somebodyThe vowels (a, e, i, o, u) have b...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.B2 phrases to listen for. What is the context they are used in during the story.1) deep in thought2) Strangely enough,3) strictly forbidden4) an exception to the rule5) the situation had become unbearable6) the truth of the matter wasB1 words from the story: what are they?1) prvs adj. what happend before2) shckd n. very surprised in a bad way3) prvntng v. stopping4) apprchd v. got closer5) aplgs v. say sorryB2 words from the story: ...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Part 2 of my exciting story Victims of Nature for students studying B1 and B2 English.Words to explain: shepherd = somebody who looks after sheep in the countrysideraft = a small flat boatflock of sheep = a group of sheepwaterfall = where water falls vertically down from a high rockB2 phrases to listen for. What is the context of each phrase?1) All of a sudden2) scared him stiff3) To make matters worse4) it went without saying5...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.A Strong B1 and B2-level story based on a real event this summer in the Alpujarra mountain region of Southern Spain (Granada).Words to explain:shepherd = spmebody who looks after sheep in the countrysideraft = a small flat boatflock of sheep = a group of sheepwaterfall = where water falls vertically down from a high rockB2 phrases to listen for. What is the context of each phrase?1) The reality of the situation...2) take charge of.....
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.One way or another, Norman imagined that other people regarded him as an underachiever. He became obsessed by what his colleagues at the supermarket might call him when he was not listening. What about Norman Nobody or Norman Nothing in Particular. Norman was a man who was of the opinion that life had not treated him fairly...This is a strong B1 to B2-level story.B2 phrases to listen for. What is the context of each phrase?1) talk t...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.The Winds of Bolonia (B1 Story with new comprehension questions)I wanted to publish this story together with the Para-olympics in Paris. I was watching it on television. It shows how positive attitudes, strength, determination are not qualities limited to those athletes in the Olympics we saw earlier this summer, but that persons with disabilities are no different and share the same qualities.The heroine in my story today, The Winds...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Comprehension questions and answers for the complete story.1) Why did Benjamin decide to go back to the hotel?2) How did Jessica know Benjamin was staying in the Borromeo Hotel?3) Where did Benjamin move to when fe left school?4) What did Benjamin think the old woman was doing on the stairs?5) What did Benjamin plan to do with Jessica?6) Why did Benjamin's son, Logan, leave the car at the end of the story?You can see the answers to ...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Comprehension questions to read before listening to the complete B1-level story: Who was Sidney Peabody?1) What was unusual about the way Sidney Peabody looked?2) According to Simon Fotheringay, the journalist and reporter, why did Sidney Peabody perform the miracle in Benalmadena?3) What did people do in Madrid just before Sidney Peabody said the words: "I wish it would rain!"?4) After talking to his friend, Stephen Smithers, who d...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.This is the complete B1-level story of The Spaceman (first published in 2022)Comprehension questions for story1) Why was Max Headroom angry at the beginning of the story?2) What were the space-time doors?3) Who was the old man in Max's bedroom?4) Why did Max and his wife, Sheena, separate?5) Do you think Max and Sheena got back together again?I'll give you the answers at the end of the story.Think about this question below. You can ...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Today I'm giving you the full version of my B1-level story (with some B2 English) Tsunami!Here are 4 comprehension questions for part TWO of the story, which starts after the written transcript has finished.1) What did Yannick think Melville's name was?Mr Tsunami2) Which was the last accident that stopped Melville and the French family from escaping from the beach?But that jeep was going nowhere that day. It hit a rock hidden under ...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.These are the two stories I chose for the story task I gave you at podcast 197.Story 1Mrs Jones was 82. Her husband had died many years ago, so she lived alone with her cat. She had a large vegetable garden, and she kept fit by working there every day.But she was often unhappy, because she remembered she had lost her wedding ring many, many years ago. It was like a treasure for her.One day, she was in the garden pulling carrots out ...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.There are 4 questions for you to answer while you listen to the story:The questions are:1) What did uncle Tom make so he didn't have to get up early?2) When they were on the boat, where did Stephen Liddel put the box of beer?3) What did William's Dad do wrong that made him lose the fish?4) Why did Uncle Tom fall into the sea?At the end of the story, I'll tell you the answers.You can also answer the question:Is there a hero in your f...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Here are the rules for the story-writing activity.- The story must include at least one of the phrases 1 to 8 shown below.- The subject of the story can be anything you like.- The story should not be longer than 80 words.- The story can only be sent from the link on mobile phones "send me a text" at the top of this page in your podcast app.- Please include your name and the country you are from at the bottom of the text.- The last d...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Today I have joined the two halves of The Quiet Man together so you can enjoy this story in one complete story. I briefly discuss intonation and give you a task to listen to while enjoying the story.For more podcasts on intonation at Practising English, go to podcasts: 126, 109, 43, 103. See the podcast numbers at my website...https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-content.htmThe Quiet ManFirst part of story. If you can't se...
Write to Mike Bilbrough to ask a question or give an opinion.Extracts from my stories with examples of SO and REALLY Here are the 4 extracts from my stories I use in this podcast to give examples of the use of SO and REALLY as intensifiers. Extract 1:'The fishmonger,' corrected Vanessa again. 'The person who sells fish is called a fishmonger.' 'The fishmonger was REALLY big and fat,' added Jason. 'Then Gran pointed to the fish man and said to me, "Do you know what this gentlem...
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I will listen to all episodes
you are amazing 👏 🤩
Thank you. I really enjoy and like your podcast.
It was soooo practical.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Please keep going!🙏🏻❤❤
It was a great story. I enjoyed it a lot. I hope there is a second book in the future. I'm keen to hear the rest of it.