Episode Details

This is the complete version of the B2-level story, The Harmonica Players. I include here for you a B2 vocabulary list of words and expressions to listen for in the story:

Practising English podcast 322...

B2 Words and expressions in the story

1. couldn't face

Story sentence to listen for: Somehow, he couldn’t face starting his day without a hot shower. 

Definition: To feel unable or unwilling to do something because you do not want to deal with it. 

2. All of a sudden

Story sentence to listen for: All of a sudden , the ceiling light, television, fridge and electric heater all came on at once. 

Definition: Very quickly and unexpectedly. 

3. get hold of

Story sentence to listen for: Work as a musician had been difficult to get hold of . 

Definition: To find or obtain something that you need or want. 

4. From time to time

Story sentence to listen for: From time to time , he gave harmonica lessons online… 

Definition: Sometimes, but not regularly. 

5. kept his eye out for

Story sentence to listen for: Martin always kept his eye out for a job that he could do. 

Definition: To watch carefully for something because you hope to find or see it. 

6. Every once in a while

Story sentence to listen for: Every once in a while , he’d found work doing what he really loved. 

Definition: Sometimes, but not often. 

7. a chance of a lifetime

Story sentence to listen for: It was a chance of a lifetime . 

Definition: A very special opportunity that is unlikely to happen again. 

8. dropped out of

Story sentence to listen for: He dropped out of college. 

Definition: To leave a school, college or course before you have finished it. 

9. make ends meet

Story sentence to listen for: He was struggling to make ends meet . 

Definition: To have just enough money to pay for the things you need. 

10. had a strong dislike of

Story sentence to listen for: Jeffrey had a strong dislike of mobile phones. 

Definition: To strongly dislike someone or something. 

11. behind bars

Story sentence to listen for: They should be behind bars . 

Definition: In prison. 

12. gazed out of

Story sentence to listen for: She gazed out of the window at the daffodils in the snow. 

Definition: Looked at something for a long time, often without moving your eyes. 

13. foreigners

Story sentence to listen for: 'I don’t know what this country is coming to. More foreigners than native English .' 

Definition: People who come from a different country. 

14. native English

Story sentence to listen for: 'I don’t know what this country is coming to. More foreigners than native English .' 

Definition: Describes people who have English as their first language. 

15. In contrast to

Story sentence to listen for: In contrast to the London area, Oxted was primarily a small town of white people. 

Definition: Used to show how one thing is different from another. 

16. primarily

Story sentence to listen for: In contrast to the London area, Oxted was primarily a small town of white people. 

Definition: Mainly or mostly. 

17. respectable

Story sentence to listen for: 'All respectable , traditional people. Proper English people, Jeffrey would say.' 

Definition: Considered to be good, honest and acceptable by most people. 

18. upbringing

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