Reading: The Rise of Podcasts
The rise of podcasts is a B1–B2 reading text on a contemporary-media phenomenon. The text covers podcasts’ origins (early audio-blogging), their rapid growth (driven by smartphones, commute culture, low production costs), genres (news, comedy, true crime, education, interviews, narrative storytelling), business models (advertising, subscriptions, paid tiers, sponsorships), and future trajectory (continued growth, increasing professionalisation, platform consolidation).
This worksheet builds B1–B2 reading comprehension through a media-industry trend text.
Worksheet preview
What’s inside:
- A B1–B2 reading text (~500 words) on the podcast medium
- Pre-reading vocabulary box with audio-media and business terms
- Comprehension items: trend-identification, genre-recognition, business-model analysis
- Vocabulary-in-context: media-industry vocabulary
- Writing follow-up: describe your favourite podcast or one you’d like to listen to
- Full Answer Key plus Teacher Notes
Common challenges: Industry-trend language at B1–B2: boom, surge, take off, gain traction, plateau, mature, consolidate. Media vocabulary: episode, season, host, guest, listener, downloads, streams, subscriber, monetisation. Distinguishing audience growth from market saturation requires careful reading.
For: Adult and teenage learners (14+) at CEFR B1 to B2, in intermediate and upper-intermediate classes, 1:1 lessons, or self-study. Maps onto Cambridge B2 First (FCE) Reading. Part of the Technology & Society Readings collection — the natural next step is Technology Addiction, which extends media reading into the negative-consequence dimension.
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