Intermediate English reading

Graded English reading texts with vocabulary guides, and also lesson plans , interactive exercises and audio :
CEFR levels A2, B1 and B2, Cambridge First Certificate.
UK - USA - Canada - topical - cultural - technical - fictional

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NEW ► Keir Starmer - Britain's new Prime Minister - The Labour party is back in power in Britain, after 14 years in the opposition. Here is a B1 level text with interactive exercises and audio

Who is King Charles III ?
Read about him in this B1 text: Britain's new king With audio -

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Reading texts for intermediate English - CEF levels A2, B1 and B2

A collection of reading resources mostly about life and issues in Britain and the United States, in intermediate level English - with word guides, exercises and classroom activities

1. Topics about life in Britain

Britain in general

• NEW Keir Starmer - Britain's new Prime Minister -
• NEW Princess Kate - from ordinary girl to Queen - (short A2 - B1 level text with audio ).
• NEW Sport: The origins of football and rugby - (short A2 level text).
• NEW Charles III, his coronation and the future audio
• NEW London Fashion - London is the world capital of fashion
• Remembering Queen Elizabeth - simple English audio
• Britain's new king With audio - Queen Elizabeth II has died. God save the King.
• The Commonwealth. After the United Nations, it is the world's largest grouping of nations ..
• Britain - a nation of cat-lovers - audio A touching story about an old lady and her cats: interactive
• The tradition of Christmas cards. People have been sending Xmas cards in England since 1843.
• Christmas in England With audio - Christmas is the biggest. and longest. festival in the year.
• Christmas shopping For many people, it is the most important aspect of Christmas.
• Britain, that island With audio - Why did Britain vote for Brexit? Is Britain really so different ? Easy intermediate English
• The place where money has no value - (short A2 - B1 level text with audio ).

Society

• Living in the Highlands. What is it like to live in the Highlands of Scotland, specially for young people?
• The wind farm controversy - Conservationists oppose plans to modernise a wind farm.
• Moving to the Country - With audio More and more people want to live the rural life, but.
• Leaving home - Leaving home is part of the teenage dream, particularly in Britain. But the dream is often a long way from reality.
• Black and British; an extended document. A full Focus on minorities in Britain.
• No more Fish 'n' Chips? a look at Britain's original fast food
• Scouting moves ahead. The scout movement is over 100 years old, and still going strong.
• English ghost stories New audio Fact or fiction?

• The Mother of Parliaments! The English / British parliament is almost 1000 years old.
• Cambridge new and old - The historic university city is the heart of Britain's "Silicon Fen".

Dialogues

• NEWPolluting for pleasure ? - B1 - a dialogue in simple English
• Pollution - someone else's problem- a humorous dialogue on a serious subject.
• Dialogue: School uniforms With audio - British school pupils discuss the pros and the cons
• Dialogue: Work British school pupils talk about work
• Dialogue: Drugs British school pupils discuss drugs – now less cool than they used to be
• Dialogue: Talking about "culture" What is culture? And do teenagers get enough of it?
• Dialogue: Are you a brand slave? British teens discuss designer clothes
• Dialogue: Fast food, OK ? With audio - British teens discuss fast food.

Icons

• NEW Black taxis going green. London's iconic black taxis are changing.
  
• NEWMusic: Ed Sheeran - from Yorkshire to the world- (short A2 - B1 level text with audio ).
• My name is Bond. An imaginary interview with James Bond.
  
• New Life for Big Ben. With audio . London's iconic clock is being renovated.
  
• Charlie Chaplin and the Little Tramp. A classic story of "rags to riches".
  
• Sherlock Holmes is getting old - The famous detective first appeared in 1887. - over 130 years ago.
• Still No. 1 in 2024 ! Music : the Beatles - Fifty years on, they are still among the best-selling groups in the world.
• Robin Hood - Fact or fiction ? Did this popular hero really exist?
• The Loch Ness Monster - does it really exist?
• Who is James Bond ?
• The story of the BBC - Britain's main broadcaster is one of the most important in the world
• The men who guard the King With audio - who are the red-coated guards outside Buckingham Palace ?

London

• New Life for Big Ben. With audio . London's iconic clock has been renovated.
  
• London in the Sea ? - Britain's capital city is at serious risk from rising sea levels.
• The story of London - Britain's capital city, once the biggest city in the world, is over 2000 years old.
• Big red London buses With audio - the story of London's famous routemaster buses
• London : Madame Tussaud's - Where you can be sure to see the celebrities every day
• London: the Lord Mayor's show. One of the biggest free shows in the world.
• London: the Great River Race London's other marathon

Sport

• Britain: sport cuts crime. In Bristol, a new football league is making its mark
• Sport: The story of the Derby - With audio - The oldest and most famous horse race in the world.
• NEW Sport: The origins of football and rugby - (short A2 level text).
• Sport: The story of football and rugby - (B2 level text), and how football came from England to Brazil.
• More resources coming

2. Topics with a North-American theme

• NEW Martin Luther King - an American hero - (short A2 - B1 level text with audio ).
• NEW American Indians - New audio - Also known as Native Americans, they are the original inhabitants of the USA
• Alcohol, Prohibition and Al Capone B1 level, a simple but interesting text with interactive worksheet.
• Profession : Cowboy New audio There are still cowboys working today in the American west
• George Washington - With audio - the story of America's first president
• Hollywood & Superheroes New audio
• Focus on Canada An introduction to Canada in intermediate-level English
• USA: Still looking for Gold Out west, the gold rush is not yet over.
• USA: who was Buffalo Bill? With audio - Remembering one of America's great folk heroes .
• USA: Team sports, American style Why do the USA and Europe have different sports?
• Elvis - he's still the "King" and his home Graceland, in Memphis, is a major tourist attraction.
• The story of Silicon Valley What is Silicon valley, where is it, and why ?
• The story of Coca-Cola. New audio The name "Coca-Cola" is the best-known name in the whole world.
• The story of Blue Jeans. The world's most popular garment was first created in 1873
• Hollywood - its life and times A short story of Hollywood, in easy English.
• America's oil - a love affair Americans use a lot of energy; but the cost of oil is going up.
• USA: Winter sports USA Americans love winter sports, because their winters are so cold
• USA: Close encounters with a Twister - A tornado strikes.

• Go West, young man! The phrase that built America - With audio
• Plastic pollution; how can we stop it? - With audio

3. Other resources - short stories, technical English, songs, cartoons

• Looking for the yeti. A2 - B1 level. Does this legendary creature really exist ?
• Humour and jokes. in easy English A2

Short stories - teenage fiction ( ► see also short stories)

• NEW Short story: Dr. Trelew's Encounter - (B1) a Victorian mystery with worksheet and audio
• NEW Short story: Dance Macabre - (B1) a short story from the USA with worksheets and audio
• NEW Short story: Driftwood - (B2) a short story from England with worksheet and audio
• Short story: the Wimp. Teenage fiction, in two parts, with worksheets and audio
• Short Story - The Girl in the Denim Jacket , a story in two parts with worksheets and audio
• Short Story - The Trap , a story in two parts
• Mystery : The Titanic and the Temple of Doom Did this really happen ?
• Short story: the Box - a short story in two parts with worksheets and audio
• Short Story - One Foggy Night - teenage fiction - a short story in two parts with worksheets and audio
• Short Story - The path to High Crag , a story in two parts

Songs

• Song: I would if I could. An English learning song; theme, modal verbs (+ audio )
• Song: the Titanic. A popular folk song, with words (+ audio )

Technical subjects

• NEWLiving underground - past and future - (short A2 - B1 level text with audio ).
• NEW Storing electricity - the big challenge. The sun doesn't shine at night, and sometimes the wind stops blowing.
  
• NEW Climate change: can we stop it ? - Or are we heading for disaster? With audio
• Polluting for pleasure ? - a dialogue in simple English
• Pollution - someone else's problem - a humorous dialogue on a serious subject.
• The wind farm controversy - Conservationists oppose plans to modernise a wind farm.
• Short text: The car of the future? An easy text in semi-technical English. With audio
• Will there be life after oil? What will happen when the oil runs out ? With audio
• Short text: Holidays in space With audio An easy text in semi-technical English
• The story of Silicon Valley What is Silicon valley, where is it, and why ?
• Short text: Living without energy A short text in semi-technical English
• The legendary Mini Cooper - Semi-technical English
• The story of the bicycle - semi technical English

Cartoons

• Cartoon - MacBrain & MacBrawn 1 - Fiona McBelle -
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 2 : A Walk in the hills
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 3 : The Sales
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 4 : Wishful thinking
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 5 : The motorbike
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 6 : Another dinner date
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 7 : African safari ?
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 8 : A new job.
  MacBrain & MacBrawn - cartoon 9 : Hang-gliding champion.
  and more to come.

4. Go to > Intermediate Puzzles and word games