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PODCAST

Practising English

M. A. Bilbrough

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

education language learning

All Episodes

40:30

Podcast 202 Who was Sidney Peabody (complete B1 story)

Practising English ·

2024/08/19

Send me a text.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 did Simon think Sidney Peabody was?5) Did

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27:54

Podcast 201 The Spaceman (complete B1 story)

Practising English ·

2024/08/12

Send me a text.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 send your written answer at the link at the

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36:05

Podcast 200 Tsunami (full version B1 level)

Practising English ·

2024/08/05

Send me a text.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 the sand, which made it jump to the side

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14:41

Podcast 199 Stories from our listeners (B1 level)

Practising English ·

2024/07/29

Send me a text.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 of the ground. Suddenly she saw the ring. A carrot

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31:12

Podcast 198 Dad (full version) B1 story

Practising English ·

2024/07/22

Send me a text.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 family? Who is it?You can send me your

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24:23

Podcast 197 Story telling from my listeners (B1, B2)

Practising English ·

2024/07/15

Send me a text.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 day for sending the story is 28th July

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31:49

Podcast 196 Intonation in a Story

Practising English ·

2024/07/08

Send us a Text Message.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 see the words in red on your app (the stressed

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21:04

Podcast 195 Uses of SO and REALLY (B1 level)

Practising English ·

2024/07/01

Send us a Text Message.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 gentleman's name

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23:52

Podcast 194 PET exam writing the article B1

Practising English ·

2024/06/23

Send us a Text Message.Writing the B1 article.(If you are interested in my podcast about writing the B1 story...https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-128.htm )These are some general, very important words I recommend you learn for writing in any part of the PET exam. You won't be able to use all of them, but try to use some at least:unless, available, suitable, encourage, increase, intend to, involve, keen to/on, supposed to, unable to. (Which words do I use?)These are the usual topics that

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20:49

Podcast 193 FCE writing the essay B2

Practising English ·

2024/06/16

Send us a Text Message.Expressions to memorize1) There is a decline in the numbers of lynxes. (usually negative)The decline in the number of tourists.2) It is extremely important that we finish this project on time.It is crucial that we finish this project on time. 3) Tigers are an endangered species.Tigers are a threatened species.Bees are becoming threatened by the use of pesticides.4) Forests are disappearing very quickly.Unemployment is increasing at an alarming rate. (usually negative)5)

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31:32

Podcast 192 The Breath of the Mosquito (Part 2) B1 story

Practising English ·

2024/06/03

Send us a Text Message.Introduction to part 2 of The Breath of the MosquitoEmil Zimmermann, professor of astrophysics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University sat back in his leather chair and studied the colourful feather, he was holding in his hand, through his thick glasses. ‘Incredible!’ he said. ‘You say it comes from an extinct* type of bird, don’t you?’Mathew was sitting the other side of Emil’s huge wooden desk, covered in piles of papers.‘That’s what we believe, yes, Emil. It came from

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26:19

Podcast 191 The Breath of the Mosquito (Part 1) B1 story

Practising English ·

2024/05/26

Send us a Text Message.This is a B1-level short story in two parts.Professor Mathew Pearson, a paleontologist and professor at Oxford University, made an incredible discovery when he found a skull. Tests are done and the results are extremely surprising...Technical vocabulary in the storyPrehistory / A prehistoric scenepaleontologyfossilsThe Jurassic period (finished 145 million years ago)The Eocene period (finished 33m years ago)skullThe prehistoric animal mentioned in the story is a sarkastodon.B1

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28:48

Podcast 190 The Harmonica Players (Part 3) B1, B2 story

Practising English ·

2024/05/12

Send us a Text Message.This is the third and final part of the story 'The Harmonica Players'. Here are the B2 phrases I discuss in the podcast.1) This was not the familiar peaceful atmosphere of Oxted.2) He found London rather threatening. 3) An awful lot of unfamiliar people who packed the streets.4) You were swept along by dense, hostile crowds of total strangers.5) A black man in a hat, moving quickly towards Jeffrey in the opposite direction, bumped straight into him. 6) Jeffrey,

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22:41

Podcast 189 The Harmonica Players (Part 2) B1, B2 story

Practising English ·

2024/05/06

Send us a Text Message.In Part 2 of my story, The Harmonica Players, I’ll be talking about racial prejudice. That means the irrational distrust and dislike of people from other countries. My motive for bringing up this topic and creating Jeffrey, a man who is very prejudiced against foreigners, has been from the unfortunate policy by the current Conservative party in the UK, who have proposed and are about to carry out flying immigrants, who have arrived illegally into the UK, to the African ...

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24:58

Podcast 188 The Harmonica Players (Part 1) B1, B2 story

Practising English ·

2024/04/29

The Harmonica Players. The story of two people who are very different from each other, yet there is something that unites them.Words and expressions discussed in the podcast:bedsit - accommodation, which is very basic, and is usually just one room.meter - a machine you put money into which controls the amount of electricity is consumed.- Somehow, he couldn’t face starting his day without a hot shower- All of a sudden, the ceiling light, television, fridge and electric heater all came

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21:26

Podcast 187 The River (B1, B2 story)

Practising English ·

2024/04/15

This is a B1 and B2 level podcast with a new story about the ages of Man. (See link to audioscript of story below.)B1 words discussed:sunriselandscapevalleys scenerywaterfallcave the cool shadesetting sun (sunset)B2 words discussedyouthbounced alonglife was a gift, which he would grab for himselfmake the most ofthe lines around his eyesa bald areamaturehis body was curved and bentslow, clumsy and tiredleaned awkwardlyhis old legs struggling to make the final stepsTo see full transcript, visit my

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23:54

Podcast 186 Cambridge Speaking Test (part 3)

Practising English ·

2024/04/07

I'm listing below the phrases I explain in the audio.This is a B1-level story. Below, are the phrases I explain from the story.Vocabulary expressions for the storyToday's story is B1 level. I'm listing below the phrases I explain in the audio.The point of this podcast is to explain that the language you use in your speaking exam must sound authentic.These are the B1 expressions I suggest you use in the speaking:some kind of - when you are describing something, or identifying

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27:25

Podcast 185 On The Edge (B1 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/03/25

In Telmah's life, very little happens. His garden is really the only thing he seems to care about. But one day, a neighbour loses her dog, and Telmah's life suddenly becomes much more complicated than he would like.These are the B1 expressions I explain from the story:be just about to do sthbelieve it or notfeel sorry fora sense of humourstraight awaybe fond of sb/sthkeen on sthshortly afterwardsjust in caseWhat do you think about Telmah. Is there a little of him in all of us?At

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26:41

Podcast 184 Drawing Conclusions (B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/03/18

This is a B2 story in the genre of mystery or thriller. It's called Drawing Conclusions, which is one of the expressions I explain before I start the story.B2 phrases:- drawing conclusions- Mrs Robinson had neither seen nor heard Lorna since- take great pride in sth- to go into more detail- he couldn’t look her in the eye- was very absorbed in everything- as far as she knew, - ideas had crossed Mrs Robinson’s mind - gossip- the trouble with- was on the point of - it’s common knowledge - sooner

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23:46

Podcast 183 Doghouse Reilly Part 2 (B1 B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/03/04

These are the dog expressions I mention today:Dog Eat DogRaining cats and dogsTeach an old dog new tricksAnd these are the B1 and B2 expressions I explain, and that you will hear in the story:B1It didn’t look like they were expecting me.They were definitely up to something.He walked in and I went after him. I glanced around.Rocky close on my heels. Somehow, I had to get rid of him.Winning that dog food would be a dream come true.B2‘Weather seems to be getting worse and worse, this winter.'The

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302 results

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