Graded Audio
for Extensive Listening
Graded Audio:
Learn Through Listening
Listening is one of the most powerful ways to improve a second language. When you hear clear, level-appropriate English again and again, your brain begins to recognize patterns of sound, grammar, and meaning naturally. Our Graded Audio is designed to make listening both effective and enjoyable—no stress, no guessing, just real progress.
Why Graded Audio Works
Graded audio supports Extensive Listening: listening to material that is easy enough to understand without constant stopping or translating. This helps you:
- Build vocabulary naturally
- Improve listening speed and comprehension
- Develop a “feel” for grammar and sentence structure
- Gain confidence with real spoken English
- (or another second language)
When you understand most of what you hear, your brain learns faster—and listening becomes something you want to do.
Audio That Matches Your Reading
Each topic on our site includes six audio files, carefully designed to match different proficiency levels and learning goals.
All audio is natural and lifelike AI, and all audio is based on our graded texts—but in two different and complementary ways.
Graded Audio
(Text-Based)
These audio files are direct readings of our graded articles. The words you hear are exactly the same as the words in the text, making them perfect for combining reading and listening.
- Level 1 Audio — CEFR A2
- Level 2 Audio — CEFR B1
- Level 3 Audio — CEFR B2
These are ideal for:
- Reading while listening
- Checking pronunciation and rhythm
- Repeating and shadowing sentences
- Building confidence through clear, understandable input
These text-based graded audio files are created using Amazon Polly’s advanced text-to-speech technology, producing natural-sounding voices that are clear, consistent, and easy for learners to follow. We use a variety of voice types to help learners prepare for the wide range of English accents found around the world, with both male and female speakers.
Graded Audio
(Meaning-Based)
These audio files are also based on our graded articles, but they are not word-for-word readings. Instead, they use new wording and more natural speech while keeping the same ideas and information. This helps you move from controlled input to more realistic listening.
- Natural Overview 1 — A2/B1
-Single speaker
-About 2 minutes - Natural Overview 2 — B1/B2
-Single speaker
-About 2 minutes - Natural Discussion — B2/C1
-Two speakers in conversation
-Podcast-style
-Usually 5–8 minutes or longer
These are perfect for:
- Training your ear for natural phrasing
- Understanding meaning without reading
- Practicing real-world listening skills
- Preparing for authentic conversations and media
These meaning-based graded audio files are created using Google Notebook LM’s advanced AI technologies, producing natural-sounding voices that are clear, consistent, and easy for learners to follow. The speakers are male and female and usually speak with an American accent.
Our meaning-based graded audio is produced using Google Notebook LM Technologies, combined with a carefully designed workflow. We do not simply “turn on” AI and accept the results. Instead, we use a deliberate combination of curated text resources and custom prompts to guide the system toward the vocabulary level, grammar patterns, speaking style, and length appropriate for each CEFR band.
Each audio file is reviewed by humans, and we frequently reject and regenerate recordings that do not meet our exacting standards for clarity, naturalness, accuracy, and level control. Only audio that aligns precisely with our pedagogical goals is published on the site.
This process allows us to produce speech that is natural, meaningful, and level-appropriate—supporting learners as they transition from word-for-word input to more authentic listening while still remaining within a carefully graded framework.
Designed for Language Learners
Every audio file on Second Language Tech is carefully adapted for learners:
- Vocabulary is level-appropriate
- Grammar is controlled and clear
- Speaking speed is adjusted for comprehension
- Audio is reviewed and edited by humans using advanced technologies
This means you get natural English that is still learnable—not simplified in a boring way, and never overwhelming.
Reading and Listening Together
Our Graded Audio and Graded Articles are designed to work together.
Moving from audio that is exactly the same as what you read to audio that is based on what you read is a powerful learning strategy.
Recommended Practice
- Choose a topic that you like.
- Read the article at your level.
- Listen to the audio that matches the text.
(This is the first set of audio: the word-for-word reading of the article.) - Listen to the Overview or Discussion that matches your level.
(This is the second set of audio: audio based on the information in the article.) - Read the article again.
- Listen to the audio files again.
This combination strengthens comprehension, memory, and confidence—helping you build real listening ability step by step.
We are constantly updating our audio resources as technologies improve and more options become available, so please check our many topics from time to time for new audio materials.
A note about audio file length:
The stated file lengths are a little off.
Depending on the level and the specific recording, most audio files will automatically play at 75% to 85% speed to make the spoken words and phrases better for listening practice. Thus, you will need to divide the stated audio file length by about 0.8 to get the actual length of the recording.
For example:
- 1:36 Audio File = 96/0.8 = 2:00
- a 1m 26s file will actually take 2 minutes to play
- 6:24 Audio File = 384/0.8 = 8:00
- a 6m 24s file will actually take 8 minutes to play
- 8:00 Audio FIle = 480/0.8 = 10:00
- an 8m file will actually take 10 minutes to play
A note about audio quality:
The audio files are stored online (not downloaded to your device) and play to your device through the Internet, often through Wi-Fi or cellular data service, so the audio quality may vary a little depending on the strength of the device’s connection to the Internet. That being said, most people experience few problems with the audio quality, though some users may miss the first half second or final half second of an audio recording.