Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Writing, Media & Literature 5
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The people below all want to find a non-fiction and biography writing course.
There are descriptions of eight writing courses.
Decide which writing course would be the most suitable for the people below.
1 Lucas wants to write about his grandparents’ lives. He needs to learn how to search for old public records to find facts. He is busy studying, so he is only free on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
2 Maya wants to write true stories about famous historical scientists. She needs the course to be completely online because she lives far away. She wants to learn how to check if internet information is actually correct.
3 Sam wants to talk to older family members to record their memories. He needs a very cheap class because he is a student with little money. He wants a class that takes place late in the evening.
4 Chloe wants to write a book based strictly on real historical events without inventing anything. She wants to study in a physical library building. She has a week off and wants an intensive Monday to Friday course.
5 Ben wants to discover how to find old photographs and newspaper articles. He wants to interview his elderly neighbors about the town’s past. Finally, he hopes to publish his final work as a real printed book.
Non-Fiction and Biography Writing Courses
A Weekend Roots
Discover your family tree! We teach you the best questions to ask your grandparents to hear their amazing memories. You will also learn to navigate national archives to find official historical documents. We meet early every Saturday and Sunday, leaving your afternoons completely free for other activities. Join us!
B Digital Reality
Master the art of writing reality! Create amazing texts about well-known historical figures. You will learn excellent techniques for verifying digital sources to ensure your details are perfectly accurate. This program is fully digital, so you can join our live video calls comfortably from your own living room.
C Evening Voices
Do you want to save your family’s history? Learn exactly how to gently question your older aunts and uncles about their youth. We offer the absolute lowest prices in the city, perfect for tight budgets. Sessions start at 7:00 PM, making it perfectly ideal for busy daytime learners.
D True Pages Camp
Write about the past using only the absolute truth. We focus entirely on describing real situations without adding any made-up drama or magic. Join our demanding five-day, full-time camp running daily. Best of all, we study together inside the beautiful City Central Reading Room, surrounded by inspiring books.
E Local Secrets
Uncover your town’s past! Learn how to safely question the oldest people living on your street about their youth. We also show you where to discover antique images and old daily papers. At the end, everyone receives a hard paper copy of their finished project. It’s perfect for your bookshelf.
F Academic Past
Dive deep into history! We train you to confidently search through government files and old letters to find amazing facts. At the end of our six-month Thursday night program, you will proudly hold a physical published copy of your work. Please note, we do not cover personal family interviews.
G Premium Memories
Capture the voices of your parents and grandparents before it is too late! We teach you the best ways to record your older family members sharing their personal stories. Because this is a premium, high-cost digital course, you will need a large budget to join our exclusive internet classrooms.
H Reality Writers
Focus purely on reality! Our wonderful teachers will guide you in creating fantastic texts based entirely on true events, with absolutely zero invented details. We meet inside the beautiful Central Books Building every Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, we cannot offer daily classes during the regular Monday to Friday working week.
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 D 5 E
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The people below all want to find a zine (mini-magazine) making workshop.
There are descriptions of eight zine-making workshops.
Decide which zine workshop would be the most suitable for the people below.
1 Lucas wants to make a mini-magazine about underground rock bands. He hopes to learn traditional techniques using scissors and glue instead of digital software. He works in a café, so he can only attend sessions on weekday mornings.
2 Maya hopes to produce and sell her own self-published magazines. She wants to discover how to use professional computer software to design her pages. She has no money to spend, so the workshops must provide all equipment for free.
3 Tom wants to focus on writing poetry and short stories for his mini-magazines. He enjoys meeting other creators and wants an opportunity to swap his finished work with them. He is busy with school, so he needs a weekend class.
4 Anna and Sam want to create an environmentally friendly mini-magazine using recycled materials. They need an instructor to teach them how to physically fold and stitch the pages together. They are only free to attend classes during the evening.
5 David wants to design an artistic publication to show off his personal photographs. He is looking for a short, one-day intensive workshop to complete his project quickly. He doesn’t drive, so the venue must be close to a train station.
Zine Making Workshops
A Punk Pages
Discover the history of alternative rock publications in our Monday and Wednesday sessions, starting at 10 a.m. You will leave the laptops behind and arrange your pages by hand, tearing paper and adding images manually. It is the perfect morning activity for fans of unusual, independent music styles.
B Digital Publishers
Learn to turn your ideas into a real business! We teach you how to market and distribute your self-made booklets. You will master modern layout programs on our lab’s laptops to make your pages look perfect. There is absolutely no charge for these sessions or the technology provided.
C Writers’ Corner
Join our Saturday and Sunday workshops dedicated to filling your booklets with brilliant original text. Whether you write verses or fiction, our teachers will guide you. At the end of the term, we hold a special social event where students can trade their printed copies with each other.
D Green Makers
Help the planet by producing booklets completely from reused card and environmentally safe ink. In these after-dinner sessions, our expert tutors will demonstrate how to construct your booklets using traditional thread and needle techniques. Join us at 7 p.m. to craft something beautiful and kind to nature.
E Camera to Paper
Turn your best camera shots into a stunning visual booklet. This rapid eight-hour Saturday class covers everything from image layout to final printing in just a single visit. Our studio is located right next to the central railway platforms, making your journey here incredibly simple and convenient.
F Underground Art
Explore the fascinating world of independent street culture! We focus heavily on creating completely physical booklets by manually cutting shapes and sticking them down. Laptops are never used here. However, please note that our studio only opens on Thursday nights, so it is perfect for late workers.
G Pixel Print Studio
Bring your camera pictures to life! This exciting month-long course takes place on weekday afternoons. You will use our expensive computer applications to layout your digital magazines. We charge fifty pounds for the whole course, which includes all your printing costs and the use of our high-quality software.
H Story Binders
Focus entirely on filling your independent booklets with amazing creative writing and beautiful poetry. These popular evening classes teach you how to organize your words wonderfully on the page. We use brand new, high-quality glossy paper for our projects. Please note that students keep their work and don’t swap.
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 D 5 E
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The people below all want to find a literature analysis course for exams.
There are descriptions of eight literature courses.
Decide which literature course would be the most suitable for the people below.
1 Anna needs to study famous historical novels for her upcoming exams. She struggles with structuring her answers and needs a course that focuses heavily on writing academic essays. She prefers studying in the morning.
2 David is looking for a course that explores modern poetry and drama. He wants to practice writing short, timed answers rather than long essays. He works all week, so he must attend on Saturdays or Sundays.
3 Chloe wants to analyze classic historical literature. She needs to improve her academic writing style and vocabulary for essays. She has no money right now, so the course must be completely free of charge.
4 Sam is studying for his final literature exams and needs a course that offers detailed, academic feedback on his essay writing. He specifically wants to focus on famous plays from the 16th century. He requires an evening class.
5 Elena wants an academic course that covers a wide variety of classic historical books. She learns best by writing long essays and receiving strict marking. She relies on public transport, so the venue must be next to the train station.
Literature Analysis Courses
A Morning Classics
Start your day by diving into historical masterpieces! Our 9 AM sessions are perfectly designed for exam preparation. We spend half our time reading famous old novels and the other half strictly practicing how to construct, plan, and write long, formal academic essays to get the best grades.
B Weekend Words
Prepare for your exams during your days off! We meet every Saturday and Sunday to analyze exciting modern poems and recent theatre scripts. Instead of writing massive essays, we focus entirely on practicing quick, timed responses to get you ready for the fast pace of the real exam room.
C The Scholar’s Pen
Learn how to write perfect academic essays for your exams without spending a single penny! This complimentary course focuses entirely on analyzing classic historical novels and old texts. We will teach you the impressive, formal vocabulary you need to secure top marks in your literature papers.
D Evening Drama
Join our serious, academic after-work sessions starting at 7 PM! We focus exclusively on analyzing famous historical theatre scripts and plays written in the 1500s. You will practice writing formal exam essays every week, and our expert tutors will provide strict, detailed corrections to improve your academic style.
E Central Literature
Prepare for your exams at our convenient city-centre location, situated just a two-minute walk from the main railway platforms. We offer a serious, academic review of numerous classic historical novels. You will write long, formal essays every week and receive strict grading from our expert teachers to guarantee your success.
F Modern Masterpieces
Focus your exam preparation on recent books and modern stories! We teach you how to write excellent, formal academic essays about 20th-century literature. We meet every weekday morning at 10 AM. Please note that this is an intensive, paid course, and we do not offer any free places or discounts.
G The Playwright’s Study
Join our weekend seminars to analyze famous historical theatre scripts! We focus heavily on 16th-century plays. You will learn how to write excellent, long academic essays to impress the examiners. Unfortunately, we are located deep in the countryside, so there is absolutely no public transport available to reach our building.
H Quick Fire Literature
Improve your exam speed! We focus entirely on analyzing classic historical novels, but instead of long essays, we teach you how to write very short, quick answers. Our venue is incredibly easy to reach, located directly opposite the central train station. Classes run every Wednesday evening.
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 D 5 E