B2 English reading
B2 texts give all the facts with their causes and consequences. They are for learners who read most texts without help.
In the app: the whole story at your level, listening, the quiz and the word cards.
Latest stories at B2
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A Prehistoric Boulder Stands Again in Dorset's Valley of Stones
The Bride Stone was uncovered while bushes and plants were being cleared to maintain the Valley of Stones National Nature Reserve in Dorset, England.
History -
From Fireballs to a Light-Day Milestone: November's Skywatching Highlights
NASA's November 2026 skywatching guide highlights three meteor showers, a close pairing of Mars and Jupiter, a supermoon and a milestone for Voyager 1.
Science -
After 37 Years, Rare Fairy Terns Return to a Restored Ruakākā Nesting Site
No breeding by the rare Tara iti, the New Zealand fairy tern, has been confirmed at Ruakākā since 1989.
Science -
From 13 Acres to Nearly 750: The Return of Morro Bay's Eelgrass
Between 2007 and 2017, degraded habitat and poor water quality reduced the eelgrass meadows of California's Morro Bay from 344 acres to 13 acres.
Science -
A Noisy First on the Albatross Livestream at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head
An adult female Toroa, or northern royal albatross, known as L returned to the colony at Pukekura/Taiaroa Head on 13 October 2026.
Science -
Sewn Fabric Mold Cuts Concrete and Steel in Beam Test
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Boston University have built a 3-meter (about 10-foot) concrete beam using a sewn fabric mold rather than a rigid one.
Technology -
UK Blocks Export of Bust of Edward the Black Prince
The United Kingdom Government has placed a temporary export ban on an 18th-century marble bust of Edward the Black Prince.
Art -
The Changing Face of Antarctica's Skull-Shaped Vega Island
Located in the Weddell Sea east of the Antarctic Peninsula, Vega Island faces Devil Island.
Science -
New Zealand's Smallest Penguins Face a Rise in Reported Dog Attacks
Data from New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC) shows that reported dog attacks on kororā rose from four in 2021 to 28 in 2025.
Science -
How Pacific Storms Speed Up the Spread of Invasive Species
In October 2026, an episode of the BioScience Talks podcast examined how large storms in the Pacific region can speed up the spread of invasive species.
Science -
A Long-Standing Division in Yellowstone's Volcanic Record Questioned
Since the 1960s, geologists have divided the Lava Creek Tuff into two separate units.
Science -
U.S. Wind Energy Sites Estimated to Have Killed 18.7 Million Bats Since 1981
Published in October 2026 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a study has examined bat losses at onshore wind energy sites in the United States.
Science -
Satellite Tags Follow Recovered Green Sea Turtles Around New Zealand
Since 2025, the Team Turtle study in New Zealand has tracked 11 recovered green sea turtles every day for 6 to 12 months.
Science -
NASA Seeks Commercial Ideas to Service the Hubble Space Telescope
On 29 October 2026, NASA published a Request for Information.
Science -
Why Southern Florida's Burmese Pythons Climb Trees
Scientists from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and partners studied when and how invasive Burmese pythons climb trees and shrubs in southern Florida.
Science -
Seven New Bridges Await Summer Visitors as the Mangapurua Track Reopens
Following its seasonal winter closure to cyclists, the Mangapurua Track in Whanganui National Park has reopened for summer visitors.
Science -
A Double Ring of Planetary Debris Around a Dead Star
Astronomers have discovered a rare double disc of planetary debris around a dead star called J1328−1450.
Science -
Social.Wiki Lets Users Build and Edit Their Own Social Media Apps
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Aarhus University have created Social.Wiki.
Technology -
A Digital Boarding Pass for a Voyage to Titan
NASA is allowing members of the public to submit their names to travel to Saturn's moon Titan on the Dragonfly rotorcraft.
Science -
Curiosity Rover Prepares to Drill at Mars's Nazca Block
After the Basque Lakes drill campaign, the Curiosity rover moved a few meters from the Chiu Chiu block during Sols 5043 to 5049.
Science -
Two Telescopes Trace a Cat-Shaped Pillar in the Carina Nebula
Roughly 7,500 light-years from Earth sits a star-forming region inside the Carina Nebula.
Science -
A Snake-Inspired Robot Built for the Small Intestine
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have built a soft robot.
Technology -
Twenty-Five Years of the Dragonfly Festival at Bitter Lake
Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Roswell, New Mexico, celebrates 25 years of its annual fall Dragonfly Festival.
Science -
Checking the Cays for Rats and Iguanas in Virgin Islands National Park
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Caribbean Coastal Program teamed up with the nonprofit group Island Conservation to check six small offshore islands in Virgin Islands National Park.
Science -
From Ancient Ash to America's Newest National Park: The Standing-Up Rocks of Chiricahua
In October 2026, Chiricahua in southeastern Arizona was redesignated as Chiricahua National Park, making it the newest national park in the United States.
Science -
Mapping the Fastest Warming States in the US
Compared with the 1850–1900 preindustrial period, Earth's average surface temperature has risen by about 1.63 degrees Celsius.
Technology -
Designed for 90 Days: The Fifteen-Year Mission of the Mars Rover Opportunity
The NASA rover Opportunity, nicknamed Oppy, operated on Mars from 2004 to 2019.
Science -
Tiny Magnets Track Muscle Movement to Guide Future Prosthetics
On 29 October 2026, a study in Nature Sensors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showed a new way to read muscle movement.
Technology -
Voyager 1 Nears One Light-Day from the Sun, 49 Years After Launch
On 18 November 2026, 49 years after launching, the Voyager 1 spacecraft is expected to reach a distance of one light-day from the Sun.
Science -
Design Software Brings Multi-Axis Sensing to 3D-Printed Objects
Researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Tianjin University (TJU) in China have created design software called X-Hinges.
Technology