🕰️ The Time Machine – Chapter VIII: Fire and Fear (Adapted for B2 Readers)

“Weena and I walked into the forest together,” the Time Traveller continued. “It was almost dark, and I carried a torch made from dry sticks. I also had the iron bar with me.”

“We planned to find a safe place to rest and then explore the tunnels when the Morlocks came out. But soon, we got lost in the thick trees. The forest was huge, and everything looked the same.”

“We found a small clearing and stopped there for the night. I made a fire, and Weena sat close beside me. She was frightened. I tried to stay awake, but I was tired. Eventually, I fell asleep.”

“I woke up to strange noises. The fire had almost gone out. I saw shadows moving—Morlocks. They had come for us.”

“I jumped up, threw more sticks into the fire, and swung my bar at the nearest figure. The Morlocks screamed and ran back into the dark. But I knew they would return.”

“So I did something desperate. I set fire to the forest around us.”

“The dry trees burned quickly. Flames rose high into the air. The forest became a sea of light and smoke. The Morlocks screamed and ran. I could hear them everywhere.”

“Weena and I ran through the burning forest. She was tired, and I had to carry her. The smoke made it hard to breathe. I was coughing and couldn’t see.”

“Then I tripped. I fell hard. When I looked around, Weena was gone.”

“I called her name, but there was no answer. The fire grew louder. I searched, but I couldn’t find her.”

“When morning came, I was alone. I had escaped the Morlocks—but I had lost Weena.”

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Clearing	An open space in a forest
Torch	A stick used to give light (often with fire)
Frightened	Afraid or scared
Desperate	Feeling there is no other option
Flames	The visible part of fire
Coughing	A sudden noise from the throat, often from smoke
Tripped	Fell by hitting your foot on something

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What was the Time Traveller carrying as he entered the forest?

2. Why did Weena and the Time Traveller stop in a clearing?

3. What happened while the Time Traveller was sleeping?

4. How did he try to protect them from the Morlocks?

5. What happened to the forest?

6. Why did the Time Traveller lose Weena?

7. What happened when morning came?

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✅ Answers

1. A torch and an iron bar.

2. They needed a place to rest for the night.

3. The Morlocks came near as the fire went out.

4. He restarted the fire and then set the forest on fire.

5. It caught fire quickly, creating light, smoke, and panic.

6. He tripped while carrying her, and she disappeared in the chaos.

7. He was alone—Weena was gone.

 

🎧 How to Improve Your Listening Skills (At Home)

Improving your listening skills is one of the best things you can do to become a more confident English speaker. Good listening helps you understand native speakers, join conversations, and enjoy TV shows, podcasts, and music in English.

The good news? You don’t need to go to a class or travel to an English-speaking country. You can improve your listening skills right at home. All you need is the internet, a phone or computer, and the motivation to practise a little each day.

Let’s explore some of the best ways to train your ears and understand English better — without leaving your house!

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🎥 1. Watch with Purpose

Watching movies and TV series is fun — but if you want to learn, you need to watch actively. That means:

• Choose shows with clear pronunciation and everyday language (e.g. Friends, Modern Family, The Crown).

• Use English subtitles first — then try watching without them.

• Repeat short parts and shadow the speech (copy how they speak).

• Keep a notebook of new phrases or slang.

💡 Tip: Don’t watch passively while doing something else. Focus on the language.

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🎧 2. Listen to Podcasts and Audiobooks

Podcasts and audiobooks are perfect for learning on the go — while walking, cooking, or relaxing. You can:

• Choose topics that interest you (sports, stories, education, etc.).

• Slow down the audio (most podcast apps have speed options).

• Listen more than once. The first time for general meaning, the second for details.

• Write a short summary of what you heard.

Try beginner-friendly podcasts like:

• 🎙️ The English We Speak (BBC)

• 🎧 Luke’s English Podcast

• 📘 ESLPod or Voice of America Learning English

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🗣️ 3. Practise Active Listening

Active listening means paying attention, thinking about the meaning, and checking your understanding. Here’s how to do it:

• Predict: Before listening, guess what it might be about from the title or speaker.

• Listen in chunks: Stop after each minute and check if you understood.

• Repeat: Listen again and fill in anything you missed.

• Answer questions: Create questions about what you listened to (Who? What? Why?).

🎯 Challenge yourself: Listen to TED Talks or news stories — even if they’re difficult at first.

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💻 4. Use Online Listening Exercises

There are many free websites and apps designed to help learners improve their listening skills. Some popular options include:

Platform	What it offers
Elllo.org	Free listening lessons with transcripts and quizzes
BBC Learning English	Short videos, news, and everyday conversations
LyricsTraining	Fill-in-the-blank exercises using music videos
TED-Ed	Educational videos with subtitles and questions

🧠 These sites help you practise understanding different accents and speaking speeds.

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🧏‍♀️ 5. Train with Real English

It’s important to listen to real English, not just textbook examples. Real English includes slang, fast speech, and casual expressions.

Where to find it:

• YouTube vloggers (lifestyle, travel, comedy)

• Real interviews or podcasts with native speakers

• Street interviews like "English With Lucy" or "Easy English"

🌍 Try different accents: British, American, Australian — even regional accents like Scottish or Southern US.

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📋 6. Create a Listening Routine

Improving takes time, so it’s important to make listening a habit. You can:

• Listen to English 10–20 minutes every day

• Choose different types of listening (news, songs, interviews, dialogues)

• Use a listening journal to record:

  • What you listened to

  • What you understood

  • New words or phrases

🗓️ Set goals like: “This week I will learn 10 new listening words.”

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🎤 7. Speak What You Hear

To improve both listening and speaking, practise speaking what you hear.

This method is called shadowing. Here's how to do it:

1. Play a short sentence (1–2 seconds).

2. Pause and repeat it immediately, copying the pronunciation and rhythm.

3. Check with subtitles or transcripts if needed.

This will help you:

• Improve pronunciation

• Get used to natural speech

• Hear sentence patterns more easily

📱 Apps like Elsa Speak or YouGlish are great for this.

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🧩 8. Check Your Progress

Ask yourself:

• Do I understand more than last month?

• Can I follow longer conversations?

• Am I faster at catching key information?

You can also:

• Re-listen to old recordings and compare

• Take online listening tests (e.g. on IELTS websites)

• Record yourself summarising an audio clip

🏆 Keep track of your wins! Progress builds confidence.

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📘 Glossary

• Active listening – Listening with full attention and thinking about meaning.

• Subtitles – Text on screen that shows what people are saying.

• Transcript – A written version of spoken content.

• Shadowing – Repeating speech immediately after hearing it.

• Chunk – A short part or section.

• Slang – Informal words or expressions used in casual speech.

• Vloggers – People who make video blogs (vlogs), often on YouTube.

• Routine – A regular way of doing something.

• Accents – The way people pronounce words depending on where they are from.

• Real English – Everyday, natural English used by native speakers.

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. What does "active listening" mean?

2. Why should you watch English TV with subtitles first?

3. Name two podcast series suitable for English learners.

4. What is one benefit of listening to real English like YouTube vloggers?

5. What is “shadowing” and how can it help you?

6. Why is it useful to listen to different English accents?

7. What should you include in a listening journal?

8. Which website offers listening quizzes and free lessons?

9. How can you check if your listening skills are improving?

10. How many minutes a day should you try to listen to English?

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✅ Answers

1. Listening carefully and thinking about what you hear to understand the message.

2. Because it helps you follow the language more easily, especially when you're just starting.

3. The English We Speak and Luke’s English Podcast.

4. You hear casual, fast, and natural language that real people use.

5. Shadowing means repeating speech immediately after hearing it. It helps with pronunciation and understanding rhythm.

6. Because English is spoken differently in many countries, and understanding accents improves communication.

7. What you listened to, what you understood, and new words or phrases.

8. Elllo.org provides listening lessons with transcripts and quizzes.

9. By listening again to past clips, using online tests, or checking how much you understand now.

10. Around 10–20 minutes every day is a good habit.

 

🕰️ The Time Machine – Chapter VII: Weena

The Time Traveller paused in his story and looked at us.

“I must tell you about someone I met,” he said. “Her name was Weena.”

“She was one of the Eloi. One day, I saw her struggling in a river. The others just watched her silently. They didn’t help. I jumped in and saved her. After that, she stayed close to me. She followed me everywhere.”

“Weena was kind and gentle. Like a child, she was always curious. She didn’t speak much, but she smiled at me often. I believe she was grateful and wanted to help me in return.”

“I began to feel protective of her. In a world that was so strange and lonely, Weena became a small light of friendship.”

“But I still needed my Time Machine. I believed it had been taken underground by the Morlocks. I planned to go back down and get it, but I knew I had to be prepared.”

“So I started collecting materials to make a torch. I knew the Morlocks feared light. Weena helped me find dry sticks, and I kept matches hidden in my pocket.”

“I also explored more of the land. I found the ruins of an old museum. Inside, there were broken tools and dusty books. Most were useless, but I took a heavy iron bar with me to use as a weapon.”

“I had a plan. I would wait until dark, find the Morlock tunnels, and try to get my Time Machine back. But I wouldn’t go alone—Weena insisted on coming with me.”

“I didn’t want to risk her safety, but I couldn’t leave her behind. She was too afraid to be alone in the dark.”

“And so, we walked into the forest together—toward danger.”

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Struggling	Having difficulty or fighting against something
Grateful	Feeling thankful or appreciative
Protective	Wanting to keep someone safe
Torch	A stick with fire used for light
Ruins	Broken remains of a building or place
Iron bar	A strong, heavy piece of metal
Weapon	Something used to protect or fight

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Who is Weena?

2. How did the Time Traveller meet her?

3. What was unusual about the Eloi’s reaction when Weena was in danger?

4. Why did the Time Traveller start collecting sticks?

5. What item did he take from the museum?

6. What was his plan to get the Time Machine back?

7. Why did Weena go with him into the forest?

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✅ Answers

1. She is one of the Eloi who becomes close to the Time Traveller.

2. He rescued her when she was drowning in a river.

3. They didn’t help or show emotion—they just watched.

4. To make a torch because he knew the Morlocks were afraid of light.

5. A heavy iron bar to use as a weapon.

6. He planned to go into the Morlocks’ tunnels at night to retrieve the machine.

7. She was too afraid to stay alone in the dark and wanted to stay with him.