English level guide · CEFR B2
Reading The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) / A Plain Story Simply Told as an Upper intermediate (B2) learner
Yes — at B2 (Upper intermediate), The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) / A Plain Story Simply Told is a comfortable read you can enjoy at a natural pace, which makes it a good pick for building reading speed and stamina.
Updated June 2026
How The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) / A Plain Story Simply Told reads at B2
Because most of the language is already within reach at B2, you can read for the story rather than decoding it — a good way to lock in vocabulary you half-know and pick up reading speed. Watch especially for scientific nouns and their definitions built into the surrounding sentences.
At a glance
Key words at B2
Some of the B2-level words The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) / A Plain Story Simply Told by J. Arthur Thomson introduces. See the full word list →
- abandonment/əˈbændənmənt/B2
- the act of giving something up
- abdominal/əbˈdɑmənəl/B2
- the muscles of the abdomen
- aboriginal/ˌæbərˈɪʤənəl/B2
- a dark-skinned member of a race of people living in Australia when Europeans arrived
- abrupt/əˈbrəpt/B2
- marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
- absent/ˈæbsənt/B2
- go away or leave
- absorb/əbˈzɔrb/B2
- become imbued
- absorption/əbˈzɔrpʃən/B2
- (chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another
- abundance/əˈbəndəns/B2
- the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply
- abundant/əˈbəndənt/B2
- present in great quantity
- abundantly/əˈbəndəntli/B2
- in an abundant manner
What B2 readers can do
- Read articles and reports on contemporary issues.
- Understand contemporary literary prose.
- Follow most classics, looking up only richer or older vocabulary.