Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Local & Specialty Shops

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find local souvenir shops to visit.

There are descriptions of eight local souvenir shops.

Decide which souvenir shop would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Maria wants to buy some delicious chocolates produced in the area for her family. She also needs to find a few postcards to send to her friends, and wants a magazine or a novel to read on her train journey back home.

2   Tom needs a shop that opens early in the morning before his flight. He hopes to find a locally produced t-shirt as a gift, and he also wants to purchase an inexpensive bag to carry all his extra luggage.

3   Sarah wants to purchase some traditional jewellery to remember her trip. She has been walking a lot, so she needs a place that serves hot drinks, and the store must be located just a short walk from the city museum.

4   David is driving around the city, so he must find a shop that offers a car park. He is searching for beautiful paintings created by local artists, and he also wants to buy a fun toy for his young nephew.

5   Emma never carries cash, so the store must accept credit cards. She is looking for natural soaps and beauty items made from local plants. Additionally, she wants the shop assistants to wrap her purchases beautifully without charging extra money.

Local Souvenir Shops

A The Corner Station Shop

Perfect for travelers, this store is packed with best-selling novels and daily newspapers for your trip. You can also pick up beautiful photographs of the city to mail to your relatives. Don’t forget to taste our famous sweet treats, which are created right here in the town by expert bakers!

B Read & Rest

Located right next to the historic museum, this peaceful store is a great place to relax. We sell a wide variety of local history books and travel magazines for your journey. Visitors can also sit down and enjoy fresh coffee or tea, but we do not sell any food or sweet treats.

C Sunrise Souvenirs

We unlock our doors at 6:00 a.m. every day, making us the perfect first stop! Visitors will love our selection of cotton tops, which are designed and sewn by city residents. If you bought too much, we also sell a great range of low-cost backpacks and suitcases to hold everything perfectly.

D Creative Crafts

Drivers will appreciate the large free parking area directly outside our front door. Inside, our walls are covered with stunning pictures painted by incredibly talented regional artists. It is an amazing place to buy unique decorations for your house, though please note we do not carry any items for small children.

E The Heritage Store

Situated just across the street from the famous city history exhibition, we are very easy to find. Shoppers can admire our gorgeous rings and necklaces, made using classic historical designs. Afterwards, take a break in our cozy seating area, where we serve delicious hot tea and fresh coffee all day long.

F Nature’s Gift Boutique

We specialise in lovely skincare items, including hand-washing blocks produced from pure regional flowers. You can also find a fantastic selection of affordable travel backpacks here. Please remember that our traditional cash register is broken, so we currently only accept paper money and coins, and cannot process any plastic cards.

G The Family Gallery

With our own private garage around the back, bringing your vehicle here is completely stress-free. We proudly display fantastic watercolor pictures drawn by neighborhood creatives. While adults admire the beautiful artwork, they can also pick up lovely wooden puzzles and cuddly bears that are guaranteed to make any young child smile.

H Eco Beauty Hub

Leave your paper money at home, as our modern digital systems take all major debit and credit cards! Customers love our wonderful selection of body washes and skin creams, created from fresh countryside ingredients. Once you choose your presents, our friendly staff will cover them in beautiful paper at absolutely no cost.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an independent bookstore to visit.

There are descriptions of eight bookstores.

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

1   Emma wants to meet her favourite writers in person and get their signatures. She is looking for a shop with peaceful spaces where she can sit and read. She also wants to enjoy a hot drink while she reads.

2   David is looking for used novels because he wants to save money. He needs a shop that is open on Saturdays and Sundays. He also wants a special area with stories suitable for his young kids.

3   Sophia loves collecting rare, historical editions of classic novels. She is interested in buying pre-owned stories for her collection. She also wants to attend events where she can listen to novelists speak about their new releases.

4   Marcus works until the evening, so he needs a store that closes late. He is studying photography and wants to buy visual arts magazines. He also needs a silent spot to sit and look through the pages.

5   Lin is learning Spanish and wants to buy cheap, used reading materials to practice. She prefers a shop that sells literature from other countries. She also needs a calm, comfortable area to sit and study her new vocabulary.

Independent Bookstores

A The Story House

We regularly invite popular novelists to come and write their names in your copies of their latest releases. Visitors will love our silent, comfortable seating areas, which are perfect for relaxing with your new purchases. You can also buy delicious tea, coffee, and fresh cakes from our indoor snack bar.

B The Family Bookshelf

Open seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays, we are the perfect place for a family visit. We sell a huge range of pre-owned paperbacks at very low prices. Little ones will be entertained in our colourful room filled with picture books and toys, while parents browse.

C History Pages

We specialise in hard-to-find, antique literature that you won’t see anywhere else. All our items are previously owned and beautifully kept, making them perfect for dedicated collectors. Throughout the year, we also host special evenings where famous creators read from their work and chat with fans about their inspiration.

D Creative Minds

We welcome customers until 10 p.m. every night, so you never have to rush. Our shelves are filled with beautiful guides on painting, drawing, and taking pictures. Once you select something, you can relax in one of our peaceful, hidden armchairs, completely away from the noise of the street.

E Global Words

If you want to explore the world, visit us! We offer an amazing selection of inexpensive, previously read novels in French, German, and many other tongues. Customers are welcome to take their chosen items to our relaxing, silent zones at the back of the shop to concentrate on studying.

F The Busy Bookworm

We are proud of our huge collection of cheap, used fiction. We often arrange exciting events where top writers visit the shop to meet their readers in person. Please note that our shop is quite small and noisy, so we do not have any seats or peaceful spaces for relaxing inside.

G Visual Arts Boutique

Discover our incredible collection of visual literature, including stunning guides on how to paint and take perfect photographs. We provide comfortable, silent armchairs where you can examine the beautiful images. However, we close at 4 p.m. sharp every afternoon, so make sure you visit us early in the day.

H Little Explorers

We have a fantastic bright area dedicated to young children, full of fun games and colourful stories. We also stock a great range of literature in various European languages. Because we only sell completely new items direct from the publisher, you won’t find any used or discounted novels here.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an artisan bakery to visit.

There are descriptions of eight artisan bakeries.

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

1   Maria is organizing a party and wants a special birthday cake designed with her daughter’s name. She works until 7 p.m., so the shop must be open late. She also needs the cake brought directly to her apartment.

2   David loves eating warm bread straight from the oven before he goes to university at 8 a.m. He is looking for an affordable place where he can sit down, read his book, and enjoy his breakfast indoors.

3   Sarah doesn’t eat meat or dairy and wants to buy delicious plant-based sweet snacks. She is very interested in learning how to make desserts herself. She is driving her car, so the bakery must offer free parking.

4   Tom wants to buy some traditional hot meat pies for his family’s lunch. He also needs to get a beautifully wrapped box of biscuits as a present for his mother. He travels by train, so it must be near the station.

5   Emma cannot eat wheat, so she is looking for cakes made with alternative flour. She wants to enjoy a really good cup of coffee with her dessert and hopes to sit outside in the sunshine while she eats.

Artisan Bakeries

A The Sugar Art

Looking for a unique celebration dessert? Our talented chefs can bake and decorate a beautiful personalized treat exactly how you want it. We stay open until 9:00 p.m. every evening to serve busy professionals, and our friendly drivers will safely transport your order right to your front door without any extra charges!

B Sunrise Ovens

Start your morning right! Our bakers are up before dawn pulling hot loaves out of the oven by 6:30 a.m. Everything is extremely cheap, making it perfect for students. We have plenty of comfortable tables inside where you can relax, study, and eat your meal before the busy day begins.

C Green Leaf Bakery

We create incredible desserts without using any milk, butter, or eggs, so our snacks are completely plant-based! If you want to improve your own kitchen skills, join our weekend workshops where experts teach you to prepare these recipes. Customers can leave their vehicles in our large private lot outside for zero cost.

D The Golden Crust

Conveniently located just steps away from the main railway platforms, we are famous for our classic hot savory pastries filled with delicious beef and vegetables. We also sell fantastic sweet cookies, which our staff can pack into beautiful, colorful containers that make brilliant presents for your friends and loved ones.

E Sunny Slice

We specialize in desserts that contain absolutely no wheat, so everyone can enjoy our treats safely. Pair your sweet snack with a perfectly roasted espresso or cappuccino made by our expert baristas. Best of all, you can relax at our tables on the beautiful open-air patio under the sky.

F Morning Express

We bring hot, freshly baked loaves directly to your apartment before 7:00 a.m.! It is the perfect way to enjoy breakfast without leaving home. Please note that we are a delivery-only service, so there is no café to sit in, and we close completely by two o’clock in the afternoon.

G Nature’s Crumb

Enjoy our famous plant-based treats and wheat-free desserts! You will love sitting at our lovely terrace tables to enjoy the beautiful weather with your snack. Unfortunately, we do not have space for cars, so you must walk here, and our busy chefs do not have time to teach cooking lessons.

H Celebration Sweets

We make the most wonderful, decorated celebration desserts for parties! We also offer beautifully wrapped boxes of chocolates that make perfect presents. We are located far outside the town center, so you will need to drive here. Sadly, we do not have a transport team to bring orders to you.

Exercises:   12345