Puzzles for Upper-Intermediate - Level 1
The puzzles for upper-intermediate learners on this page are designed to help you pass B2 level. The grammar, vocabulary and language functions you need, as well as the real-world situations you need English for, are based on the CEFR – The Common European Framework of Reference – which teachers and students around the world use to assess language proficiency. Each level from A1 (beginner) through C2 (upper-advanced) has a set of words and grammar that the student has to be able to use in real-life situations. At B2 level you will be required to understand written texts and more complicated language functions, which are included here. If you can complete all these puzzles successfully, it means that you have learned everything you need to know to get to the next level.
Vocabulary Puzzles
Grammar Puzzles
Texts for Reading Exercises
Sympathy and empathy are important feelings that help us connect with others. Both involve caring about someone’s emotions, but they are not the same. Knowing the difference can help us build better relationships and understand people more deeply.
Sympathy means feeling sorry for someone’s problems or sadness. When we feel sympathy, we recognize that someone is suffering, but we stay outside of their feelings. For example, if your friend tells you they failed a test, you might say, “I’m sorry to hear that.” This shows kindness and concern, but it doesn’t mean you feel the same emotions as they do. Sympathy often keeps some emotional distance between people.
Empathy, however, is when we truly understand and share another person’s feelings. It means imagining yourself in their situation and feeling what they feel. For instance, if a friend is upset because they are nervous about speaking in front of a group, you might remember a time when you felt nervous too. You could say, “I understand how stressful that can be. I’ve felt the same way before.” Empathy helps us connect on a deeper level because it shows we really understand what the other person is going through.
The main difference is how closely we connect with another person’s emotions. Sympathy is about showing care from the outside, while empathy means stepping into someone else’s shoes and sharing their feelings. Empathy can be harder because it requires more effort and emotional involvement, but it often creates stronger relationships.
Both sympathy and empathy are helpful in different situations. Sympathy works well when someone needs quick comfort, like offering kind words to someone you don’t know very well. Empathy is more useful in close relationships, where understanding each other deeply is important, such as between family members or close friends.
To develop sympathy, we can listen carefully and express care without trying to solve the problem. To build empathy, we need to pay attention to how others feel and imagine ourselves in their situation. Both skills are important for creating trust and kindness in our relationships.
In conclusion, while sympathy and empathy both involve caring about others, empathy goes further by deeply understanding and sharing someone’s feelings. By practicing both, we can support the people around us in meaningful ways.