Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Library Books & Fiction 2

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a romantic fiction book to read.

There are descriptions of eight romantic books.

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

1   Anna loves reading about relationships set in the nineteenth century. Because she is very busy at work, she needs a short book under two hundred pages. She only reads stories that finish with a very happy, positive ending.

2   Ben wants a romantic story that takes place in space or a magical fantasy world. He travels a lot, so he prefers listening to audiobooks in his car. He wants a deeply emotional tale that makes him cry.

3   Clara is looking for a gentle, relaxing romance about teenagers falling in love at high school. She doesn’t want any stressful drama. She has no money to spend, so the novel must cost absolutely nothing to read.

4   David enjoys reading about older people finding love later in life. He reads quickly, so he wants a long series containing several connected novels. He specifically needs a digital e-book he can download directly to his tablet.

5   Elena wants a funny comedy romance set during a summer holiday abroad. She loves visual art, so the novel must contain beautiful pictures inside the pages. She prefers to buy a traditional printed paper book.

Romantic Fiction Books

A The Duke’s Secret

Travel back to the eighteen-fifties with this delightful historical tale. Readers will completely fall in love with the characters’ journey. It is extremely brief, finishing in just a hundred and thirty pages. Furthermore, the beautiful final chapter guarantees that every reader will close the cover with a massive smile.

B Stars of Love

This heartbreaking adventure takes place among distant galaxies and alien planets. It is an incredibly moving tragedy that will definitely make you reach for your tissues. It is exclusively produced as a spoken recording, allowing you to easily enjoy the fantastic voice actors through your headphones while travelling to work.

C First Kisses

Experience the gentle, peaceful reality of sixteen-year-old pupils finding their perfect partners. There are absolutely no arguments or upsetting moments, just calm and charming daily school events. Best of all, the author has shared this sweet tale online completely without charge, so you won’t spend a single penny to enjoy it.

D Autumn Hearts

This wonderful seven-part collection proves that romance isn’t just for the young. It beautifully explores the relationship between two retired pensioners meeting in a quiet village. The entire massive set is provided strictly as computer files, perfectly formatted to read on your personal electronic screen without needing physical shelves.

E The Italian Escape

Pack your bags for an incredibly amusing trip to Rome! You will be crying with laughter at the hilarious situations the couple faces abroad. This thick paper edition is truly special because it includes dozens of gorgeous, full-colour paintings scattered throughout the chapters to bring the wonderful European scenery alive.

F A Victorian Promise

Step into the eighteen-hundreds to follow a wealthy gentleman searching for a perfect wife. It has a wonderfully positive, cheerful conclusion that always leaves readers feeling uplifted. However, because this massive story contains over nine hundred pages, you will definitely need to dedicate several long months to finishing this heavy printed volume.

G Ocean Whispers

Set during a beautiful summer vacation in Spain, this romantic tale focuses on two travellers meeting on the beach. It is an incredibly sad, emotional journey that ends in a tragic accident, guaranteed to break your heart. Unfortunately, there are no physical copies, as it is only available as a digital voice recording.

H College Shadows

Follow a huge group of young students through their final year of education. This massive ten-volume collection is packed with intense arguments, dark secrets, and incredibly stressful daily problems. You can download the entire digital set directly to your phone completely free of charge, making it a highly dramatic but cheap read.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a science fiction novel to read.

There are descriptions of eight science fiction books.

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

1   Lucas wants a story about artificial intelligence and intelligent machines. He does not have much free time, so he needs a short book. It is also very important to him that the story has a positive, happy ending.

2   Maya is looking for a novel about travelling to other planets. She wants a thought-provoking concept that makes her think deeply about human society. She prefers to get an audiobook version so she can listen to it.

3   Sam and Leo want to read a story set hundreds of years in the future. They are looking for a funny comedy that will make them laugh, and they want a book that is the first in a series.

4   Ava wants a story featuring teenage characters. She does not have any money to spend, so the novel must be completely free. She is looking for an exciting mystery or detective plot that takes place in space.

5   David enjoys stories where Earth’s nature has changed completely. He is looking for a classic science fiction novel that was written a long time ago. He prefers to buy a physical hardback copy for his bookshelf.

Science Fiction Novels

A Machine Hearts

This delightful sixty-page tale follows a mechanical servant learning to understand human feelings in a modern city. It is a very brief, uplifting read that definitely leaves you feeling cheerful by the final chapter. You won’t need a lot of free time to finish this wonderful, heartwarming adventure about artificial life.

B Beyond the Stars

Join a brave crew travelling to distant galaxies while exploring deep questions about human equality, peace, and politics. This fascinating journey will definitely leave you questioning our own modern civilization. It is available to download as a spoken-word recording on your phone, so you can easily listen while travelling to work.

C The Year 3000

Prepare to laugh out loud! This hilarious adventure takes place a millennium from now, following a remarkably clumsy time traveller. If you want a laugh, this is great. The jokes are absolutely brilliant, but the author has officially confirmed this is a single, complete story with no further books planned in the future.

D Tomorrow’s Troubles

Set in the 24th century, this incredibly amusing novel introduces us to a lazy spaceship pilot trying to save the galaxy. It is a fantastic laugh, and you will chuckle at every single page. Better yet, this is the opening chapter of a brand new collection, with part two arriving in shops next year!

E The Lunar Puzzle

Two young high school students discover a strange, unexplained crime on a distant moon base. They must follow the hidden clues to solve it! You can read this thrilling youth detective story on our website without spending a single penny. It is absolutely perfect for young adults who love puzzles.

F Steel Secrets

An incredibly intelligent machine must figure out who destroyed its creator’s factory in this gripping sci-fi novel. It is a very short, fast-paced puzzle tonight, but readers should prepare themselves for a highly tragic and upsetting conclusion. If you want a cheerful tale, you should definitely look elsewhere.

G The Green Planet

Originally published in 1950, this famous historical masterpiece imagines a world entirely covered by strange, mutated forest plants. It is truly brilliant. We have recently released a beautiful edition with a solid, thick cover, which will look absolutely spectacular on any serious reader’s bookshelf for many decades to come.

H Ocean World

Written over a century ago, this amazing classic story predicts a flooded Earth where humans must survive underwater. It is a great read. This famous piece of traditional literature is now only sold as a digital file for your tablet or e-reader, because physical paper copies are sadly no longer printed.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a historical fiction book to read.

There are descriptions of eight books.

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

1   Anna wants to read a historical fiction book set in Ancient Rome. She is looking for an exciting story about a brave woman who fights in battles. She needs a very long novel to read on a long holiday.

2   David is fascinated by the 1960s and the journeys to the moon. He wants to read about the brilliant scientists and engineers who made these trips possible. He prefers listening to stories, so he needs an audio recording.

3   Maria and John are studying Ancient Egypt and its famous kings. They want a story told from the viewpoint of a young child. They also need a book that includes a special section with true educational facts at the end.

4   Samuel enjoys learning about the Second World War. He is looking for a thrilling story about secret agents completing dangerous missions. He dislikes reading lots of text, so he wants a book told through detailed drawings and pictures.

5   Lily loves reading about historical ships and sailors from the nineteenth century. She wants an emotional tale about characters who fall in love. Because she is extremely busy, she is looking for a very brief story to finish quickly.

Historical Fiction Books

A Empire of the Sword

Travel back to the days of gladiators and emperors. This epic adventure follows a courageous girl who joins the army to defend her country. With more than six hundred pages, this massive volume is the perfect choice to keep you fully entertained during an extended vacation away from home.

B Reaching the Stars

Set during the exciting rocket launches of the mid-twentieth century, this fascinating tale focuses on the clever researchers working hard behind the scenes. You can easily download this spoken-word edition to your phone, allowing you to hear every detail of their amazing mathematical achievements without reading a single page.

C The Golden Sands

Experience life alongside the Nile thousands of years ago through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy working for the pharaoh. While the main character is invented, the author includes an excellent information chapter at the back of the publication, explaining exactly how these incredible ancient stone structures were actually built in reality.

D Midnight Shadows

This exciting visual adventure happens during the global conflict of the 1940s. Instead of long paragraphs, the action is shown entirely through beautiful, hand-painted artwork. It follows an undercover hero who secretly gathers information behind enemy lines. It is an incredibly fast-paced and beautifully illustrated historical thriller for everyone.

E Ocean Hearts

Set in the 1800s, this emotional journey happens aboard a wooden sailing vessel crossing the Atlantic. The beautiful plot focuses on two passengers who develop a deep romantic connection. Containing fewer than a hundred pages, it is an incredibly fast read that perfectly fits into your busy afternoon schedule.

F The Emperor’s Guard

Discover the ancient Roman world in this brilliant new release! The thrilling story focuses on a brave male soldier fighting for his leader in huge battles. The entire adventure is presented through incredible, colourful cartoons and drawings rather than written text, making it a very quick and visually stunning historical experience.

G The Moon’s Promise

This beautifully written printed novel takes place during the exciting space missions of the 1960s. Instead of focusing on the science or the clever engineers, it tells a passionate love story between a pilot and a teacher. You will need plenty of free time to read this massive, heavy paperback!

H The Broken Code

Learn about the global battles of the 1940s through the memories of an eighty-year-old man. He looks back at his dangerous youth as an undercover spy stealing secrets. It includes fantastic educational notes at the end, but readers should know there are absolutely no illustrations inside this traditional printed novel.

Exercises:   123456