Practising English
Listening practice for learners of B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate levels of British English. Learn British English by listening to stories. Original and exciting stories written for learners and students of British English. Practise and prepare for Cambridge: B1 PET Preliminary and FCE First Certificate exams. IELTS: level 4, level 5 and level 6. Includes English grammar explanations and practice exercises, examples of vocabulary use, phrasal verbs and collocations help, British English pronunciation practice, advice and help for passing B1 and B2 English examinations: Cambridge, IELTS and Trinity. Start practising and improving your British English listening, vocabulary and speaking levels today!
Practising English
265. A True Champion (B2 Story)
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A B2-level short story for you today...
A True Champion
Sofia had always dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player. She trained every morning, even when she was tired, because she knew success would depend on her hard work. Some people tried to discourage her from doing so much training, saying she was wasting her time, but Sofia refused to listen.
Her first big tournament didn’t go well. She suffered a terrible defeat, and her confidence began to decline. Deep down, she felt that maybe everyone had been right. For a moment, she even hesitated to enter the next competition.
However, her coach reminded her that real champions never give up. He said that despite the fact she had lost she had learned something important. Sofia realised he was right. She returned to the court, determined to demonstrate her true ability.
In the final match, her opponent tried to deceive her with tricky shots, but Sofia stayed calm and focussed. This time, she won.
When she lifted the trophy, she smiled – not because of the victory, but because she had proved to herself that determination and a belief in yourself are stronger than fear.
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Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg
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