Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Cafés, Bakeries & Quick Bites

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a historic tea room to visit.

There are descriptions of eight historic tea rooms.

Decide which tea room would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Clara wants to experience a classic selection of sandwiches and cakes. She loves drinking from beautifully decorated ceramic cups. She needs a completely silent environment to read her book without any noisy conversations around her.

2   Ben is looking for a place with a history dating back to the 1800s. He wants to buy loose tea leaves to take home as a gift. He is a vegetarian and needs meat-free options.

3   The Miller family wants to visit a tearoom with a beautiful outdoor garden. They have young children who can be quite energetic, so it must be a family-friendly place. They want to try freshly baked fruit scones.

4   Sophia wants to celebrate her birthday in a room decorated with 1920s style furniture. She needs a tearoom that stays open until early evening. She wants to listen to live piano music while drinking her tea.

5   Liam wants a cheap tearoom near the train station so he doesn’t miss his journey. He wants to try a rare, unusual type of tea from Asia. He needs fast Wi-Fi to check his emails before leaving.

Historic Tea Rooms

A The Earl’s Retreat

Enjoy our famous tiered stands filled with delicate sandwiches and sweet pastries. Every hot drink is carefully poured into gorgeous, hand-painted fine bone ceramics. We maintain a strict policy of whispered voices only, ensuring a wonderfully peaceful and calm atmosphere where guests can truly relax without any disturbing chatter.

B Victoria’s Parlour

First opening its doors in 1865, this historical gem still keeps its original Victorian charm. We serve a fantastic plant-based menu featuring delicious egg and cucumber treats with no meat. Before leaving, browse our lovely shop and purchase packets of our exclusive blended teas to enjoy later at home.

C The Quiet Cup

This incredibly peaceful tearoom is famous for its absolutely quiet atmosphere and gentle live keyboard melodies playing in the corner. It is the perfect escape from the busy city streets. However, please note we serve all our hot beverages in large, modern glass mugs rather than traditional delicate ceramics.

D Rosewood Gardens

Sit outside among the beautiful flowers on our lovely green lawn! We warmly welcome all ages, so you don’t need to worry if your little ones are being loud and playful. Our absolute specialty is warm, freshly made sweet breads packed with dried berries, served with thick cream and jam.

E The Gatsby Lounge

Step back into the jazz age! Our magnificent tearoom features authentic antique armchairs and tables from a century ago. A talented musician plays beautiful tunes on the keyboard all afternoon. Unlike most places, we happily welcome guests until half-past seven, making it perfect for late afternoon or evening celebrations.

F The Station House

Located right next to the main railway platforms, this is an absolutely excellent spot to wait for your transport. We bake amazing warm sweet treats filled with raisins every single morning. Please be aware that to encourage real conversation, we do not provide any wireless internet access to our customers.

G The Silk Road Tea House

Just a short walk from the railway lines, we offer incredibly low prices on all our hot drinks. Connect to our excellent high-speed internet network to browse the web for free. You simply must try our exclusive imported green teas from the high mountains in Japan and China!

H The Queen’s Keep

Established in 1840, we proudly celebrate British history with incredible antique displays. Visitors can also buy wonderful boxes of our loose-leaf teas from the front counter. Please note that our traditional menu focuses heavily on classic beef and chicken sandwiches, and we unfortunately cannot cater to meat-free diets today.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a mobile coffee van or truck.

There are descriptions of eight mobile coffee trucks.

Decide which coffee truck would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   John wants to get a hot drink while walking through the local park. He is on a tight budget and needs something low-cost. He also wants to buy a dog treat for his pet.

2   Sarah and her friend love strolling by the lake in the mornings. They are looking for high-quality organic coffee and prefer a truck that provides some outdoor tables and chairs to sit down.

3   David enjoys hiking up the forest hill paths on weekends. He wants a sweet iced coffee to cool down and must be able to pay with his phone because he never carries cash.

4   Emily wants a morning drink during her daily walk along the beach. She wants a truck that also serves freshly baked croissants. As a student, she needs a cheap option with low prices.

5   Mark likes exploring the city center gardens on sunny afternoons. He prefers to try unusual flavor syrups in his drinks and needs a truck that offers free Wi-Fi to check his emails.

Mobile Coffee Trucks

A Parkside Brews

Find us parked right next to the main playground in the public gardens. We are famous for our incredibly low prices, making us the most affordable hot drink option in town. Grab a warm cup during your afternoon stroll, and don’t forget to pick up our homemade biscuits for your four-legged friends!

B The Lakeside Cup

We are located directly along the scenic path at the water’s edge, perfect for your morning walk. We specialize in premium drinks made from completely natural, chemical-free beans. Visitors can relax and enjoy the view because we provide comfortable wooden benches and seats outside our van for everyone to use.

C Summit Coffee

Parked right at the start of the popular mountain trails, we help active walkers stay energized. Cool down after a long climb with our popular cold, sugary espresso drinks. Our modern truck is completely cashless, so you can easily use contactless and mobile payments on your smartphone to buy everything.

D The Coastal Grind

Enjoy the fresh sea air while strolling on the sand and look for our bright yellow van. We offer incredibly wallet-friendly menus with very inexpensive drinks that are perfect for students. Pair your hot drink with one of our warm French pastries, cooked fresh in the truck every morning.

E The Urban Bean

Located in the busy downtown public parks, our mobile truck is a wonderful afternoon stop. We love experimenting, so you can customize your drink with rare sweet ingredients like lavender, mint, or chili spice. We also provide a complimentary internet connection so you can stay online while relaxing under the trees.

F Beachfront Express

Our mobile truck is parked right on the seashore, ideal for a walk by the waves. We offer fantastic student deals and very low prices on all our standard drinks. Please note that we focus entirely on hot drinks, so we do not sell any food, warm pastries, or croissants.

G The Green Van

Situated in the heart of the busy shopping district, we serve high-quality drinks made from certified natural, chemical-free beans. Grab a cup and rest your legs on the many outdoor chairs and tables we set up on the pavement. We are perfect for a quick, healthy city break.

H Trailside Espresso

Find us at the highest viewpoint on the forest mountain path. We accept all forms of smartphone digital wallets and card payments for your convenience. Our menu is strictly limited to piping hot traditional drinks to warm you up, so we never serve any cold drinks or iced options.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a book café to visit.

There are descriptions of eight book cafes.

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

1   Lucas loves discovering new stories and wants to purchase a novel while enjoying his drink. He needs a completely silent environment to concentrate on his studies for a few hours. He is also looking for extremely soft, comfortable seating.

2   Elena and her friends want to spend the afternoon chatting and eating delicious cakes. They prefer to sit outside in the fresh air. They don’t want to spend money on reading material, so they need a place with free novels to borrow while there.

3   Tomas finishes work late and needs a place that stays open into the night. He enjoys listening to musicians perform while he relaxes. He also wants to try unusual, high-quality coffee blends that he hasn’t tasted before.

4   Sarah is bringing her young daughter and wants to find stories suitable for children to look at. They want to eat a warm, cooked lunch together. She doesn’t drive, so the café must be very close to a bus or train station.

5   Marco is a university student with little money to spend. He loves writing and hopes to attend talks by famous local authors. He avoids meat and dairy, so he needs to find plant-based treats to eat with his hot drink.

Book Cafes

A The Reading Room

This peaceful spot has a strict no-talking rule, making it ideal for deep concentration. Relax in our huge, soft sofas while you enjoy a hot beverage. We also sell a fantastic selection of newly published paperbacks, so you can take your favorite story home with you! Prices are reasonable too.

B Novel Ideas

Grab a wonderful novel from our huge wooden library walls at no extra cost while you enjoy our famous chocolate desserts. Customers love sinking into our deep, relaxing chairs. However, we only have indoor tables, and it gets quite noisy and crowded here during our busy afternoon periods.

C Sunny Pages

You will absolutely love our fantastic range of sugary pastries and fruit tarts! Guests can take any paperback from our large library to enjoy at no cost during their visit. Best of all, you can relax in our beautiful garden courtyard and feel the warm breeze while you eat.

D Midnight Mug

We close at midnight, making us the perfect destination after a long day. Sip on our unique, premium espresso blends sourced from around the world. Every evening, local guitarists and singers provide brilliant acoustic performances to help you unwind and forget your daily stress. Come and experience the amazing atmosphere tonight!

E Family Chapters

We have an entire floor dedicated to little ones, with colorful picture books to keep them entertained. Our chefs prepare fantastic hot dishes, including fresh soups and pasta, perfect for a midday meal. Unfortunately, we are located far from town, so visitors will definitely need to drive here.

F The Little Library

Situated just a few steps away from the central subway stop, this café is incredibly easy to reach. We offer a wonderful menu of freshly cooked, warm dishes for midday diners. There is also a special corner filled with fairy tales and comics to keep your little ones completely happy.

G Writer’s Corner

We host weekly evening events where successful novelists discuss their latest work. Our menu features delicious sweet and savory plant-based options, completely free from dairy and meat. Everything we serve is highly affordable, ensuring that young people on a tight budget can still enjoy a fantastic afternoon out.

H Evening Brews

We keep our welcoming doors open until 11 PM for night owls. We serve excellent plant-based cookies and dairy-free drinks at very low prices. It is a very quiet venue, meaning we never host any noisy bands or guest speakers, making it a great place to chat quietly with friends.

Exercises:   12345