Dunya Yousef Hussan AL-BARGHOUTI sat on the white sand and looked out across the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea. Somehow, at last, she had found comfort here...This is a B1 to B2-level English podcast about my story dedicated to the children of Gaza.I will introduce a lot of new B2 words for you to listen for during the story. I also include a full AUDIOSCRIPT of the story at my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-179.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

A painting by Renoir inspired today's story. The painting is famous, and is called "The Luncheon of the Boat Party" (I have used the simpler word "Lunch").These are the adjectives to talk about people's personality that I mention at the beginning:miserablelivelykeenlonelyexhaustedembarrassedeasygoingreliablecharmingsensiblecheerfultalentedAnd I discuss these two B1 expressions:a sense of humourin tearsThe question I ask is that you identify Angèle in the story, in the painting. You can see the full painting by Renoir at my website. https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-178.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Part 2 of my short story for B1 learners of English - Never Go Back. I'll look at the vocabulary I used, related to suspense.Here are the words I explain for you to listen for:Benjamin looked up, shocked at this unexpected and rude behaviour. Why all this unfriendly behaviour, when this morning the hotel staff he had met had been so kind.Her face looked sour and unfriendly.‘Your card, sir,’ she said. But her look was cold.He felt anxious and confused.Benjamin left the room angrily and walked to the lift.…the whole world had gone mad.The idea was crazy…Benjamin became annoyed.A face with fear written across it. (I forgot to mention this one in the podcast. 'Fear' the noun of 'afraid'. Notice the collocation ‘fear written across her face’ = she felt very afraid.)The doorman gave a shout and fell two or three steps, his sunglasses sent flying.He fell badly and screamed in pain…There are two words I will explain so you can better understand the scene on the stairs. In most European hotels with several floors, there are stairs used usually only in emergencies, for example, fire. They are built in a spiral going from one floor to the other from the top to the bottom floors. In the middle of this spiral, there is a big drop or space going all the way down – this is called a stairwell.Stairs have a construction you can hold on to so you don’t fall off them, this is called a handrail.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/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

In this podcast I thank my listeners for all the times you have downloaded Practising English Podcasts in 2023. I'll talk a little about an English Christmas and read my B1 version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.You can read the entire transcript at my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-176.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Today is part 1 of my new story Never Go Back. It's in the thiller, suspense or even horror genre. I mention some useful B1 adjectives and other B2-level words and one swear word in English. Here we go...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/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Jenny is looking for a relationship. Will she ever find somebody suitable?  Today's B1 story comes with a test. The story contains around 60 B1 words, which are useful for B1-level English study, and some of them are not easy to learn as they are not very intuitive (false friends).I include below a list of thes B1 words in the order they appear in the story:disappointedallowattempted advertisingkeen tosuitablerefusedadvisedabroadencouragedadviceexploredregionssearchingsuitableintroducedhandsomeunablefall in loverefusedrelationshipunlessmade contactsupportdisappointmentcomplainedaverageannoying sillynone ofvegetarianno longerinvolvedpersuadedonce moresuccessfulpartnersalthoughcompletelyconvincedarrangedthe following daypartnervegetariankeen onmagnificentmatchamazedin facthanded (to)anxiousListen to these words in the story and look for the meaning of those you don't know.There is then a test on some of them. You can find the answers to the test at my website:https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-174.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

The second part of Tsunami (See Podcast 172 for Part 1). Story for B1 and B2 learners of English.The words and expressions I describe today are:frighteningstrike fear into human heartsthe heart beats fastermysterious giant horsescreaming with/in fear, happinessbe in shocka totally hopeless situationThe three questions for the story area:1, What else screamed besides the children?2, Which animals are named in the story?3, Which two Greek gods are named?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/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

B1-level story with questions and a grammar point. For the audioscript, please go to my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-172.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

I discuss some important language for part 1 of the reading paper of the Cambridge Preliminary B1-level exam and include those words in a story called The Picnic.The formal phrases for you to change to a more informal version are the following:1) ‘I’ll make the arrangements,’ Marvin had then said.2) I’m sure I have a few eggs available. 3) Actually, I’m not sure I have suitable ingredients for tiramisu. 4) Would you be available at six o’clock?5) I suppose you have an announcement to make. 6) I imagine you won’t be able to attend.I'll give my versions at the end of the podcast.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/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

Advice for story-writing at B1 and B2 levels for Cambridge exams, and my short story Bigfoot for you to enjoy. You can follow the story this week on the transcript I include here and on at my website.  https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-170.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

The second part of my adaptation to B1-level English of the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald "Three Hours between Flights". You can find the transcript of the story at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-169.htmAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

A B1-level version of a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I talk about aeroplane and airport language before starting this romantic story of two people, who haven't seen each other since they were at school, meet again when adults.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/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

This is the second part of the story "Dad" by M.A. Bilbrough. A story written for B1-level students of English. The verbs we are studying today are:realizedropcall outweighadmireencouragediveappearbreathehugAt https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.https://www.practisingenglish.com/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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/My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2Nhttps://amzn.to/33Axu2NBe back soon with another podcast!Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)