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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

23:21

209. A Window on Time - Part 2 (B1 B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/10/06

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 been taken

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20:45

Podcast 208 A Window on Time - Part 1 (B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/09/30

Send me a text.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: what are they?6) rclld v. remember7) prsmbly adv

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21:19

Podcast 207 Victims of Nature - part 2 (B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/09/23

Send me a text.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) Out of breath6) shout at the top of his voiceThe vowels

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21:05

Podcast 206 Victims of Nature - part 1 (B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/09/16

Send me a text.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...3) he held on for dear life...4) What’s the point

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28:05

Podcast 205 Every Dog has his Day (B2 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/09/09

Send me a text.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 things over with2) kept in good shape3) push himself4)

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29:45

Podcast 204 Winds of Bolonia (full story)

Practising English ·

2024/09/02

Send me a text.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 of Bolonia (B1 level) is about a young girl in a

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29:54

Podcast 203 Never Go Back (Complete B1 Story)

Practising English ·

2024/08/26

Send me a text.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 these questions at

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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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