for learners

These are the dog expressions I mention today:
Dog Eat Dog
Raining cats and dogs
Teach an old dog new tricks

And these are the B1 and B2 expressions I explain, and that you will hear in the story:

B1
It 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 sight of those tins brought back fond memories
‘It was raining cats and dogs yesterday. Not to mention the cold. A dog can’t get warm at night.’
I wasn’t about to make a fool of myself.
I was under the impression something was going on.
‘Nice-looking collar,’ said Bozo. ‘Fair enough. You’re in.’

See the picture that inspired the story at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-183.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)

Today's story is B1 level with lots of B2 phrases added. This let's you improve little by little without getting lost because the text is too difficult to understand. I'm listing below the phrases I explain in the audio.

I also talk about ellipsis, which is where you omit words from a sentence in an "economy of words". We still understand the meaning - only the grammar is affected. Ellipsis is common in informal prose and speech. The examples are:
- Not a nice place, the street.
- No nice mat by the fire to sleep on either.
- Got to keep away from the police.

The expressions I talk about are:

B1 level.
take it easy
make a face
in case (of)
keep somebody waiting
be willing to do something
keep something a secret

B2 level.
taking everything into consideration
make your way
in actual fact / as a matter of fact
the look of somebody
be out of practice
be a disgrace
none of your business

Listen for these expressions and examples of ellipsis as you listen to the story.

You can see a better version of the painting which inspired my story at my website:
https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-182.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 is a special edition podcast. Today I’m publishing The Octopus’s Garden as one complete story. 

If you have listened to this story in the two parts I published two weeks ago (podcasts 179 and 180), you’ll remember that I have dedicated this story firstly, to the children of Gaza, who are suffering so terribly during this horrific war. 

Secondly, I’ve also dedicated this story to my brother Nick Bilbrough and the HandsUp Project team, who worked for so many years to give the Gazan children a voice in the world. Please see the introduction of podcast 179 for more details of the HandsUp Project.

For this special edition, which is a B1 and B2-level story, I include eight comprehension questions for you to read before you listen. You can find the answers below the questions.

I hope you enjoy this story in its complete form.

Questions

1) What was Dunya drinking while she was sitting in the courtyard?

2) In what season of the year did the action take place?

3) According to Yousef Hussan Omar, Dunya's father, what are the two reasons why the reception room should belong to him?

4) What happened immediately after Dunya's mother spoke?

5) In which part of Dunya's house did the drone land?

6) What do you think is the symbolic meaning of the box where the mouse was kept?

7) How many bombs fell on the street where Mohammad and his family lived?

8) What was waiting for Dunya when she walked into the sea?

Answers

1) Dunya sat on a rug in the corner almost hidden by the rubber plants, drinking a glass of honey lemonade...

2) The warm autumn sun shone through the opening above the courtyard...

3) ‘I’m just saying that the reception room, which is at the entrance on my side of the house (and always has been), should belong to me in the testament - officially. Furthermore, I am the older brother.

4) There was a scream above. Dunya lifted her gaze to the sky above the courtyard. A bright flash. Everything went white. Then, an enormous bang split the world. 

5) The doctors also said the drone had landed in the reception room of the house and exploded killing every member of her immediate family...

6) [The box represents Gaza.] She wondered how people could live in a place, from where no friendly countries could be seen. It was like being shut in a room where the only window was too high up to see out of. 

7) The block of flats in front has been hit, and so has the block at the end of the street. [two bombs]

8) The water came up to her waist, and it was then that she saw the octopus. He was sitting on the seabed looking up at her with his seven legs stretched out 

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)

Hello, dear listeners!

This is part 2 of my story, The Octopus's Garden, which I'm dedicating to the children of Gaza and my brother's HandsUp Project team that has been working with Palestinian children to help them have a voice in the world by producing plays in English online. You can find out more about the HandsUp  Project here... (https://www.handsupproject.org/)

Most of the language of this story is B1 with some B2 words added. You can find the audioscript at https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-180.htm The B2 words mentioned in the introduction are shown below.

It smashed(b2), silently, into pieces on the floor. 

A dreadful(b2) feeling of guilt(b2) rushed(b2) into her head.

Dunya bent down(b2) and picked up two of the larger pieces of broken glass.

They assumed(b2) Dunya could not hear their conversation, but now she could hear perfectly(b2) clearly. 

‘He’s not a rat,’ Ali assured(b2) her. ‘He’s a real mouse. 

She just collapsed(b2) from tiredness(b2) and hunger(b2).

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)