b1-level

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:
miserable
lively
keen
lonely
exhausted
embarrassed
easygoing
reliable
charming
sensible
cheerful
talented

And I discuss these two B1 expressions:
a sense of humour
in tears

The 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.htm

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be 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.htm

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be 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:

disappointed
allow
attempted
advertising
keen to
suitable
refused
advised
abroad
encouraged
advice
explored
regions
searching
suitable
introduced
handsome
unable
fall in love
refused
relationship
unless
made contact
support
disappointment
complained
average
annoying
silly
none of
vegetarian
no longer
involved
persuaded
once more
successful
partners
although
completely
convinced
arranged
the following day
partner
vegetarian
keen on
magnificent
match
amazed
in fact
handed (to)
anxious

Listen 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.htm

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be 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.htm

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

This episode is for B1 students with lots of useful language to talk about describing a house. It's an extract from a short story by O. Henry set in New York at the beginning of the 20th century. 
I also give you some tips on how you can quickly increase your B1 word power by using vocabulary in the writing and speaking parts of the Preliminary Cambridge exam which is easily learnt.

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

After Twenty Years was, originally, a short story by the US writer O. Henry. I've completely re-written the story for B1-level English students with lots of useful language at the B1 level. I also talk about the different words we use to talk about crime...

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

This is a story I wrote specially for B1-level learners of English. It contains a lot of B1 language that is useful to learn. The story also contains useful language about English gardens. The story is called The Cucumber... Come over to www.practisingenglish.com podcast 134 to read the audio script and see the answers to the questions...

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/33Axu2N
https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

Be back soon with another podcast!
Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)