Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Documentaries & Educational Media 2

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an ancient civilisations program to watch.

There are descriptions of eight television programs.

Decide which program would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Anna wants a show about Egyptian kings and their huge stone tombs. She plans to watch with her five-year-old daughter, so it must be family-friendly. They only have a little time, so it must finish in under half an hour.

2   David is fascinated by the ruined cities in the South American jungle. He wants to watch scientists actually digging in the dirt to find objects. He travels often, so he needs to download the series to his tablet.

3   Maria and John love unsolved historical puzzles and strange events. They want to watch a documentary series that visits several different continents. They work long hours during the week, so they are looking for something broadcast on Saturday or Sunday night.

4   Samuel is studying the ancient Greeks and Romans. Instead of just looking at broken stones, he wants to see digital computer reconstructions of their buildings. He also hopes the show is presented by a well-known university expert.

5   Lily is curious about the daily lives and clothes of ordinary people in the past. She specifically wants to learn how to prepare historical meals. Because she has hearing difficulties, the program must include text on the screen to read.

Ancient Civilisations Programs

A Desert Kings

This brilliant twenty-minute documentary explores the giant structures built for the pharaohs along the River Nile. It uses bright, colourful cartoons to explain the past, making it completely safe and highly entertaining for young kids. It perfectly fits a quick viewing schedule before the little ones go to bed.

B Hidden Jungles

Follow a team of researchers deep into the rainforests of Peru and Mexico. You will see them clearing dirt to uncover amazing golden treasures left by ancient empires. The entire season is available on our website, so you can easily save it to your mobile device for your next journey.

C The Unknown Past

Are you fascinated by strange, unexplained secrets from thousands of years ago? This thrilling television series investigates bizarre historical discoveries, taking viewers from ancient Asian temples to European caves in every single episode. Catch all the exciting, mysterious action when it airs at 8:00 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.

D The Classical World

Join celebrity professor Robert Hughes as he explores the empires of the Mediterranean. Using the latest virtual reality software, the ruined temples of Athens and the Colosseum are beautifully rebuilt on your screen. It is an incredible way to see exactly how these classic European societies looked during their greatest days.

E Ancient Kitchens

Discover what normal citizens wore and experienced centuries ago! This fascinating show demonstrates how to recreate delicious ancient dishes using traditional ingredients in your own home. It is broadcast globally with translated words at the bottom of the picture, making it accessible for everyone, especially those who cannot hear well.

F Sands of Time

Discover the secrets of the Egyptian pharaohs with internationally recognised historian, Dr. Sarah Jenkins. She takes you inside the most famous ancient tombs. However, parents should know the discussions about ancient death rituals can be frightening. Viewers will also need a full hour to enjoy this detailed, feature-length special.

G Jungle Secrets

This thrilling show tries to answer unexplained questions about the lost cities of Brazil and Colombia. Rather than watching scientists working in the mud, you will enjoy dramatic acting recreating the past. It is only broadcast live on Friday afternoons, and unfortunately, it cannot be watched online or saved later.

H Citizens of History

Travel across Africa, Asia, and Europe to discover how ordinary workers lived and dressed thousands of years ago. You will see surviving tools and beautiful jewellery. It is an amazing look at ancient society, but there are no food guides included, and it is shown entirely without any on-screen text.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a daily nature and wildlife documentary series to watch.

There are descriptions of eight documentary series.

Decide which documentary series would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Thomas wants a documentary series focusing on foreign planets. He prefers listening to experts explain the scientific facts. He is very busy this week, so each part must be short and finish in under forty minutes.

2   Jessica loves cutting-edge digital animations and visual effects of the universe. She wants to stream the show online for free without a subscription. She also looks for a platform that offers links to interactive mobile applications.

3   Oliver is doing a project on the history of rocket travel. He prefers a serious, educational tone and wants to download the episodes as audio files so he can listen to them offline while travelling.

4   Sarah wants to watch a colorful program about the solar system’s planets. She loves seeing highly realistic computer-generated imagery. Due to her busy school schedule, she can only watch television on Saturday afternoons.

5   The Green family wants a lively space documentary to enjoy with their young children. They want fun presentations where cheerful professors explain space facts using plenty of jokes and humorous moments to keep them entertained.

Space and Universe Documentaries

A Deep Space Discoveries

Take a journey to distant, strange worlds in this excellent series. Each episode features top astronomers and university professors explaining complex space mysteries in simple terms. Because each fascinating part lasts only thirty-five minutes, it is a perfect watch for individuals with a very busy daily schedule.

B Cosmic Horizons

This brilliant website features stunning, modern digital animations of the universe that look incredibly realistic. You can stream every episode directly to your screen at zero cost. Furthermore, the platform includes convenient links to download interactive apps, allowing you to explore stars and constellations on your phone.

C The Rocket Age

This highly educational documentary explores the fascinating history of early space missions and satellite exploration. The writers maintain a strictly serious, academic tone throughout the series. Best of all, users can save every episode as an audio podcast to enjoy offline while travelling without using any internet data.

D Planetary Wonders

Discover our nearby solar system in this beautifully made series. It relies on spectacular, advanced computer-generated imagery to show the true-to-life surfaces of Mars and Jupiter. You can watch the live weekly broadcast on Channel 4 every Saturday afternoon, making it a wonderful weekend treat for students.

E Family Astronomy

This cheerful show is designed for parents and kids to enjoy together. Cheerful science researchers explain the wonders of the universe using fun experiments, amusing stories, and plenty of clever jokes. It is a lighthearted and humorous presentation guaranteed to keep young minds entertained while learning scientific facts.

F Wonders of Mars

This incredible online program explores the red planet using highly detailed computer-generated imagery. Top space experts explain the latest scientific discoveries about the atmosphere. It is free to watch online anytime, but please note that every detailed part lasts over two hours, requiring a long evening.

G Virtual Galaxy

Explore the history of rocket travel through magnificent digital graphics that bring old spaceships to life. The app features links to interactive games. The tone is relaxed and amusing, full of jokes for teenagers. It requires a paid monthly membership to access any of the video files.

H The Universe Explained

In this excellent documentary, famous biology and physics experts explain complex space facts using advanced data charts. It is perfect for families with younger children who want a serious, quiet learning environment. It is broadcast every Saturday morning and contains no jokes or physical comedy.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an environmental campaign to support.

There are descriptions of eight environmental campaigns.

Decide which campaign would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Lucas wants to support a project focused on the melting ice in the polar regions. He wants to actively volunteer and do physical work outside. He is busy studying, so he only has free time on Saturdays and Sundays.

2   Maria wants to watch an educational documentary explaining why global temperatures are rising. She plans to show it to her science class, so it must be suitable for young teenagers. She also wants something that tells viewers how to help.

3   Sam and Chloe are worried about plastic in the oceans. They want to give some of their saved money to a charity. They also want to receive a monthly email so they can read updates about how their cash helps.

4   David wants to help protect forests and stop trees from being cut down. He is looking for a large, peaceful public march to join. He doesn’t drive, so the event must take place right in the middle of his city.

5   Elena loves wildlife and wants to protect animals that are losing their homes to climate change. She is very busy, so she wants a quick digital campaign to sign on her phone that takes less than five minutes to finish.

Environmental Campaigns

A Operation White North

Join our amazing team to help protect freezing environments before they disappear completely forever. We need energetic people to help build special research shelters for scientists studying the snow. You will be using your hands, and shifts are exclusively available on Saturdays and Sundays, perfect for busy students.

B Save Our Species

Rising heat is destroying the natural habitats of many beautiful creatures. You can easily help without leaving your sofa! Simply visit our website and add your name to our digital letter demanding government action. It requires absolutely no time, taking under sixty seconds to completely fill out.

C Green Hands

We are looking for strong, active people to plant new trees and protect ancient woods. It involves a lot of heavy lifting and digging in the dirt. Because we work closely alongside the local government, our planting groups only meet from Monday to Friday during normal daytime working hours.

D Clean Waves

Millions of tons of rubbish are destroying the sea. We rely completely on the financial gifts of generous people like you. By providing a small amount of cash today, you will also join our mailing list. We send digital messages every four weeks showing exactly how your funds are used.

E The Last Bear

This stunning, feature-length film explores how extreme weather is harming beautiful polar bears. It is incredibly educational and visually brilliant. However, because it contains some very upsetting scenes of starving creatures, it is strictly given an adult certificate and is definitely not permitted to be shown to younger kids in schools.

F Stand For The Trees

It is time to save our woodlands! Come and walk calmly through the streets with thousands of others to demand better environmental laws. There will be no shouting or trouble. We are gathering right in the main square in the middle of town, so everyone can easily reach us.

G Our Changing Planet

This fantastic informative movie explains exactly why the Earth is getting hotter. It is made specifically for high school pupils, using simple language to explain complex science. Best of all, the final part gives viewers brilliant, practical steps they can take to reduce their own carbon footprint at home.

H Blue Protest

Next month, we are organising a massive walk to demand clean oceans. It is completely free to join and we do not accept financial gifts from anyone. We will meet on the quiet beach outside the town, far away from the busy streets, to show our love for the water.

Exercises:   123456