B2 First with Get Speaking English

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▶️ Upper-Intermediate English ▶️ B2 First Exam from Cambridge ▶️ Linguaskill (at a B2 level) ▶️ IELTS Band 5/6.5 🇨🇦 With a native speaker from Canada 🇨🇦

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cont… Good intentions and why we don't keep to them Matthew Syed reports on a new book which explains why our good intentions never seem to last. A I've always rather disliked 'self-help' books that use ideas from popular psychology to enable people to improve their lives and minds. Everything's too vague, with meaningless references to 'energy flows' and getting in touch with one's inner self. You read about personal ambitions that may have been fine for the author, who's just travelled around the world on a skateboard or a wheelie bin, but don't have much relevance to the rest of us. Occasionally, however, you come across a book with a difference. Think Small, written by Owain Service and Rory Gallagher, is based on real behavioural science and examines experiments in different parts of the world. These are applied to practical questions in daily life, such as how to lose weight, how to stick to goals that you've set yourself. B One trick recommended in the book is breaking a problem down into its component parts. So, if you always had a personal ambition to write a novel, don't just say, 'I'm going to write a book' Rather say, I'm going to write for 45 minutes every Weekday morning after breakfast.' Service says, When we break big problems into manageable chunks, it becomes easier to deliver. And when we link those chunks with specific aspects of our daily routine, it becomes habitualised and we're on the road to actually completing our projects.' C Another tip is to make a public commitment. When Gallagher wanted to lose weight, for example, he joined an expensive gym. He thought that the pain of paying so much would inspire him to go but it didn't happen. His waistline kept growing while his bank account kept shrinking. This is evidently a really common phenomenon. So one morning he went into work and wrote on the whiteboard in the middle of the office. I will go to the gym twice a week for three months. He also asked one of his colleagues to referee whether he was sticking to this public declaration. This social commitment, and the subconscious desire to be seen as a man of his word, led to a change in behaviour. D If you're thinking the tips you read in the book sound like common sense, you'd be right. Most of the insights of behavioural science, when you get down to what they're actually saying, are not unlike the things your grandmother used to tell you. The problem, however, is that we don't always apply common sense to our own lives. As Service says, 'When it comes to our own behaviour, we make too many vague personal goals, and don't have a clear way of monitoring them.' E Service and Gallagher argue that the personal ambitions likely to make you happiest involve getting healthy and active, learning something new, being more curious, or giving to others. The last factor is particularly powerful. "Giving your time in the form of volunteering is associated with big increases in life satisfaction' they write. These factors have led Harvard professor of psychology, Dan Gilbert, to suggest that helping other people is one of the most selfish things you can decide to do. F don't doubt that putting these things into action will help a lot of people, improving self-reliance, discipline and the forming of good habits. However, as I completed the book, I found myself thinking that the kind of people who read it may have many of these things already. After all, they ve formed the intention to buy a book, and then read it from cover to cover. It's the people who bought the book, but never got round to reading it that Service and Gallagher might wish to focus on next. Click to reveal the answers below: Part 7 43 C 44 F 45 E 46 B 47 A 48 C 49 F 50 D 51 A 52 C #RAUOE #RAUOEPart7

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B2 First (FCE) Listening Part 4 You will hear an interview with a man called Matt Brown, who has recently trained as a sailing instructor. For questions 24-30, choose the best answer (A, B or C). 24 Why did Matt decide to become a sailing instructor? A He had wanted to do it since he was a child. B It would allow him to pay for his studies. C A friend of his recommended he should. 25 What does Matt say about choosing somewhere to train as a sailing instructor? A It was difficult to find a place on a course. B He was warned against going on certain courses. C There were few courses he could afford. 26 What surprised Matt about the other people on his course? A the ages they were B the experience of sailing they had C their enthusiasm for learning to sail 27 How did Matt react when he saw some dolphins? A He took as many photographs as he could. B He worried that they might cause problems. C He tried to hide his excitement. 28 What does Matt say he missed after his course was over? A learning something new every day B being able to sail as often as he wanted C being awake early enough to see the sun rise 29 Matt thinks that he will enjoy A training other people to be instructors. B working with people with similar interests. C teaching teenagers something useful. 30 What is Matt going to do next? A do another course B apply for a job C go on holiday Click to reveal the answers below: Answers: 24 C 25 A 26 B 27 C 28 A 29 B 30 B I'll share a transcript in the group later. #listening #B2 #ListeningPt4

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Hey everyone! I'm just about to go live to a crossword! Coffee & Crossword Stream ☕️ Come hang out with me and help me do crosswords! Review lots of vocabulary and phrases and hopefully learn something new, too! Where to play: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getspeakingenglish Watch at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetSpeakingEnglish Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/getspeakingenglish And be sure to check out the playlist on YouTube of previous Coffee and Crossword Streams after.

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PET B1 Listening Part 1 There are seven questions in this part. For each question there are three pictures and a short recording. Choose the correct picture and put a tick (✅) in the box below it. 1 - How did the woman get to work today? Click to reveal the answer below: ANSWER: B I'll share a transcript in the group later. #listening #b1

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Reading and Use of English - Test 5 You are going to read an article about cacti. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. Not sure how to do this exercise? Check out this post here: https://t.me/b2_first/67 Cacti everywhere! Paula Cocozza investigates the growing popularity of the cactus. In many countries, cacti and images of cacti are becoming the next big must-have thing inside people's houses. Cacti inside houses are one thing, but some people seem intent on remaking all their everyday objects in the image of the cactus: cactus candles, lamps and glasses are particularly popular. The world of fashion has caught on too, and the plant has spread with a speed which is inherently uncactus-like, with everything from cactus bracelets to cactus socks. Recently the UK got its first 'cactus boutique' when Gynelle Leon, 31, opened Prick in London. Leon's shop, with its white walls and minimalist shelving, feels more like a gallery. It's an hour before opening time and four large cacti in the window - the ones that are most in demand- are waiting for the shutters to rise and grant them sunlight. They are very expensive but each weekend Leon sells at least one. Her theory, as far as Britain is concerned, is that lots of homeowners now in their 40s had a cactus as a child in the 1970s there was a smaller cactus 'boom' when the prickly plant was seen as a classic beginners' item. 'They suit people of [myl generation,' she says. 'They want to do less and get more. I could put in minimal effort and a plant will thrive.' Added to that, they photograph well. 'We're in the whole Pinterest era. You have to have nice plants as well as nice art.' It was her passion for photography that had taken Leon to Yves Saint Laurent's Jardin Majorelle in Morocco where, 'surrounded by these huge plants', she first encountered large cacti. She took some shots and, when she got back home, realised that there was a business opportunity was waiting to happen. Leon then set off on a world tour of cacti hotspots. One of the stops on Leon's tour was Hot Cactus, 'a shoebox' of a store, according to its co-owner, 'jam-packed with plants' in Los Angeles. There's definitely a cactus revival,' says Carlos Morera on the phone from California. 'But I can't say how superficial it is. I can't tell whether people are into the iconography of it and maybe just having these plants as a cool sculpture... [or] into all the background information about the plants.' Morera would like the latter to be true. He says that with cacti, 'what you're looking at in front of you is not just what you're looking at. Yes, these plants are cool, but all this other information really makes them.... Most people are used to seeing the cliched two-armed emoji cactus. What we were really into was everything but that. And more so, just exposing the incredible vast variety of form and shape and attribute that existed beyond the cliché.' Judging by the stories he tells, Morera clearly has a knack for tracking down people who are selling cacti collections without realising how valuable they are - and he needs to be, because growers cannot easily keep a cactus trend going. Fashion is all about speed. A cactus cannot be rushed. Those cute plants in 5.5cm pots that you see in garden centres and florists are already three years old. By their nature, cacti are anti-fashion. This has put a good deal of pressure on commercial growers, who are struggling to keep up with demand. This problem is then passed on to the likes of Leon and Morera. #RAUOE #RAUOEPart5 cont…

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Hi everyone! I'm just about to go live. Get Speaking about Entertainment! - B2 First and C1 Advanced - Being Bad at Hobbies, Vocab and Speaking Part 1 Live Lesson on Facebook Live and YouTube During this lesson, we will review some vocabulary for talking about hobbies. We'll also look at some questions similar to the ones you'll get in part 1 of the speaking paper of the B2 First and C1 Advanced exams. Download a copy of the lesson notes will be available after. Where To Participate: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetSpeakingEnglish YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getspeakingenglish

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B2 First (FCE) - Part 1 You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1-8, choose the best answer (A, B or C). 1 You hear a student talking to her tutor about studying history at university, What does the student say about studying history? A It will provide her with some valuable skills. B It is necessary for the career she has chosen. C It wasn't her first choice of subject. Click to reveal the answers below: Answer key: 1 A I'll share a transcript in the group later. #listening #B2 #ListeningPt1

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Reading and Use of English - Part 5 You are going to read an article by Cal Flynn, who went to the Arctic Circle to work for a company that runs husky sled trips. For questions 31-36, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. Not sure how to do this exercise? Check out this post here: https://t.me/b2_first/67 Working with huskies Just over a year ago, I left my job to work with huskies in the Arctic Circle in the far north of Finland. At 26, I was restless. I was dreaming of Arctic landscapes, cold and bleak expanses, perhaps in reaction to the noise and crowded living of London. So I found a small company run by Anna McCormack, and her husband, Pasi Ikonen, deep in Finnish Lapland. They agreed to take me on as a husky dog handler for a busy winter season. From December to February, there is plenty of business taking tourists out on sled rides pulled by huskies across the ice and snow (for anything from an hour to a five-day stretch). They started with six dogs, which rapidly expanded to more than 100. Recently, they took over a second property - the 'wilderness farm', which they wrote was a picturesque but basic outpost with untrustworthy electrics and no running water. I could join the team for three months, they told me, if I knew what I was letting myself in for. "The hours are long, the conditions tough and the work very physical.' I started packing straight away. November 6, London On my flight out I look out of the window. It is said that spring marches north at a rate of about 26 km per day, a tidal wave of opening flowers and leaves. I think what I am seeing, however, is the opposite movement, with winter marching south, and the rivers freezing over. November 7, Helsinki and Hetta We drive north by bus through endless dark forest - thin conifers, weighed down by snow - stopping occasionally to let reindeer lumber out of the way. I arrive at the farm after dark, and am barely through the door when I'm handed a pair of boots and turned out into the line 41 cold. 'Do you want to be thrown in at the deep end?' Anna asks. It's a rhetorical question. I follow the sound of barking, which grows to a wall of noise by the time I reach the dogsheds. Three figures are running back and forth up the lines of huskies, pulling them out and harnessing them to sleds. The dogs are almost hysterical with excitement, straining against the ropes in their desperation to be off. I can barely hear to introduce myself, but the others are too harried to stop and talk much anyway [line 51]. I hover on the sidelines and rub the forehead of one of the quieter dogs. Someone gestures at me impatiently - 'Get in!' - and I almost fall into the nearest sled. A command rings out, and with a jerk we are off into the dark, with only a head torch for light. November 15, Hetta It does not take long to be initiated into the ranks of the husky guides. 'Are you useful?' Anna asks. I'm stumped. I don't know. Am I? Further questioning reveals that no, I am not: I have never driven a snowmobile, haven't done woodwork since school and have never chopped anything with an axe. 'You do have a driving licence?' someone asks finally. I nod, relieved #RAUOE #RAUOEPart5 cont…

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cont… The basics of dog-sledding can be picked up very quickly: lean into the corners, put both feet on the brake to stop, and, whatever happens, don't let go of the handlebar. But everything else seems to be very complicated. Simple tasks such as feeding and watering the dogs become very difficult in sub-zero conditions. A bowl of water will freeze solid while you watch, so we must make a 'soup of meat in hot water for the dogs. By the end of my first week my head is going round and round after so many instructions and my muscles ache from dragging heavy sleds - and from being dragged around myself by overenthusiastic huskies. But I am triumphant. 'I can chop with an axe, hammer a nail, and use a circular saw,' I email friends excitedly. 'In the snow." 31 What were Cal's feelings when leaving London? A convinced she needed to be somewhere more relaxing B happy to further her knowledge of the tourism industry C looking forward to helping Anna and Pasi build their business D longing for a contrast to her current lifestyle 32 What was Cal's reaction to the description of the farm? A put off by its remoteness B enthusiastic about taking on its challenges C hopeful of extending her stay D attracted to the idea of being part of a group 33 Cal uses the phrase 'thrown in at the deep end' in line 41 to indicate that she was A pushed into thick layers of snow. B expected to swim in deep icy water. C given something demanding to do initially, D asked to do more work than others. 34 What does 'harried' mean in line 51? A pressured B exhausted C silenced D irritated 35 What impression is given of life with the husky guides? A There is a welcoming atmosphere. B There is an unnecessary level of aggression. C People focus on getting the job done. D People are expected to wait around without complaining. 36 How does Cal describe her situation after a week? A She finds certain tasks easier than she'd been told they would be. B She is resentful of the curiosity shown by others about her character. C She feels confused by all the things she has been told to do. D She is dissatisfied with her achievements. Click to reveal the answers: Part 5 31 D 32 B 33 C 34 A 35 C 36 C #RAUOE #RAUOEPart5

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Hey everyone! Just a super quick announcement about when I'm streaming this week! Live Lesson 🍺 Get Speaking about Entertainment! - B2 First and C1 Advanced - Being Bad at Hobbies, Vocab and Speaking Part 1 Live Lesson on Facebook Live and YouTube Tuesday, April 22 @ 14:00 UTC During this lesson, we will review some vocabulary for talking about hobbies. We'll also look at some questions similar to the ones you'll get in part 1 of the speaking paper of the B2 First and C1 Advanced exams. Notes will be available on YouTube after. Coffee & Crossword Streams AM Edition @ 13:00 UTC ☕️ - Wednesday, April 23 - Friday, April 25 (I might be a bit late) Participate on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@getspeakingenglish You can still watch here: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetSpeakingEnglish Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/getspeakingenglish Thanks everyone! 🌹

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B2 First (FCE) Listening Part 1 You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1-8, choose the best answer (A, B or C). 2 You hear two friends talking about a colleague. What do they agree about? A how ambitious he is B how well-paid he is C how stressed he is Click to reveal the answers below: Answer key: 2 A I'll share a transcript in the group later. #listening #B2 #ListeningPt1

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B1 Listening Task Questions 20-25 For each question, choose the correct answer. You will hear an interview with a young woman called Lin, who makes online videos about environmental issues. 20 How did Lin learn how to start putting videos online? A She did a short course. B She used information online. C She asked someone she knew. 21 Why did Lin choose to focus on the environment? A A teacher recommended this topic. B There were so few online videos about it. C She'd been interested in it for a long time. 22 How did Lin feel when her online videos first became successful? A surprised it happened so quickly B anxious about being seen by so many people C certain that she would get even more followers 23 Lin says that to become successful, people should put videos online A every day. B once a week. C once a month. 24 Lin's latest video is about A climate change. B public transport. C recycling. 25 Why does Lin think it's important for her to try new things? A to stop herself becoming bored B to learn more about the subject C to create discussion about the topic Click to reveal the answer below: 20 A 21 C 22 A 23 B 24 B 25 C I'll share the transcript later! #listening #B1

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What do you think entertainment will look like in the future? Practice your speaking by reading this post and then responding to it. Do you agree or disagree with what's written? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, too.

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Reading and Use of English - Part 2 For questions 9-16, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning (0) Write your answers IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet. Example: 0 TO Not sure how to do this exercise? Look here: https://t.me/b2_first/50 The origin of coins According (0) ____________ the Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 BC), the Lydian people were the first to use metallic coins. In fact, these earliest coins were made out (9) ____________ electrum, a naturally-occurring mixture of gold and silver. The coins were first produced in the seventh century BC with a design on (10) ____________ side only; the other was marked with simple punches. Each coin was assigned a value in units. Some coins were inscribed with names in Lydian script, but it is unclear (11) ____________ these are names of kings or just of rich men who produced the coins. (12) ____________ of the irregular size and shape of the coins, it must (13) ____________ been difficult to tell one (14) ____________ another, especially some of the smaller ones. Thus, many costs were expressed (15) ____________ terms of the total weight of the coins required and transactions were completed by weighing the coins used together, (16) ____________ than counting individual ones. Click to reveal the answers: Part 2 - 9 of 10 one 11 whether/if 12 Because 13 have 14 from 15 in 16 rather #RAUOE #RAUOEPart2

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Hi everyone! Here's the video from today's Live Lesson. In this live lesson, I looked at the article "The joy of mediocrity", and discussed some of the vocabulary that's useful for talking about entertainment and hobbies. https://youtube.com/live/V5DfeuMXbTI The joy of mediocrity - we need hobbies even if we’re bad at them to free us from perfection (The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/04/the-joy-of-mediocrity-we-need-hobbies-even-if-were-bad-at-them-to-free-us-from-perfection Lesson notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rcxUY5lY66B0Yfs4o_i0F5jucDV1r4Mx/view?usp=drive_link If you'd like to talk about this article or the topic of entertainment and hobbies with me, you can do so right now by booking a conversational class! Until April 27, you can book a class (or several) to discuss this article with me. Just get in touch with me here: Email getspeakingenglish@gmail.com or message @axl_of_getspeakingenglish on Telegram Mention BEING BAD AT HOBBIES when you contact me. Be sure to follow me on Telegram for more articles in this series. I look forward to checking out more articles with you so you can Get Speaking English more fluently, confidently, and accurately.

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Hi everyone! Just about ready to go live. I'll be looking at this article here: The joy of mediocrity - we need hobbies even if we’re bad at them to free us from perfection (The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/04/the-joy-of-mediocrity-we-need-hobbies-even-if-were-bad-at-them-to-free-us-from-perfection My aim is to let you hear the pronunciation of the words and learn some great vocabulary for talking about entertainment and hobbies. Where to watch: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetSpeakingEnglish YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@getspeakingenglish Video and notes will be available on YouTube afterwards. Over the next few weeks, you can book a class (or several) to discuss this article with me. Just get in touch with me here: Email getspeakingenglish@gmail.com or message @axl_of_getspeakingenglish on Telegram Thanks!

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🌸SPRING SALE🌸 Hi everyone! I'm having a sale on article-based conversation classes and general English lessons. During the month of APRIL get up to 20% off on one-on-one classes with me! Conversation Classes (One on One) Get conversational talking about common topics on Cambridge exams. Check out articles and then practice talking about them while receiving feedback and corrections on your English. Pack of 5 ~~$100~~ $80 | Pack of 10 ~~$200~~ $160 General English Lessons (One on One) Dig deeper into the grammar and vocabulary presented in the articles. I can also work on improving students' pronunciation and fixing fossilized errors. Homework and writing feedback possible. Pack of 5 ~~$125~~ $100 | Pack of 10 ~~$250~~ $200 - Email getspeakingenglish@gmail.com or message @axl_of_getspeakingenglish on Telegram. - Mention Spring Sale in your message - Payments through PayPal and Stripe accepted - All prices USD - 50-minute sessions on Zoom Thanks everyone! I hope to Get Speaking English with you soon! https://www.GetSpeakingEnglish.com