Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Extreme and Water Sports 5
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Facing my ultimate fear
by Ben Harper
I’ve always been completely terrified of heights. Even standing on a chair to change a lightbulb made me nervous. So, when my friends suggested doing a sponsored bungee jump to raise money for a local children’s hospital, my first thought was absolutely not. However, after thinking about it, I realised it was a great opportunity. The charity was doing wonderful work, and I wanted to help. Eventually, I agreed to join them, although I was already regretting my decision.
On the day of the event, my stomach was turning as we arrived at the bridge. When I looked down at the river far below, my hands started to sweat. Waiting in line was the hardest part. Every time someone jumped, the bridge shook slightly, which made me feel even worse. Finally, it was my turn. I stepped onto the small platform, and the instructor started attaching the equipment to my legs. He carefully explained the safety rules, but my heart was beating so loudly that I could barely hear a word he was saying. I just wanted to go back to the car.
Then, the instructor counted down: “Three, two, one, jump!” I closed my eyes and forced myself to step off the edge. For the first second, I thought I had made a terrible mistake. But as I fell towards the water, something completely unexpected happened. Instead of feeling terrified, I felt pure freedom. It was like I was flying. The wind rushed past my ears, and my fear completely disappeared. It was the most exciting thing I had ever experienced in my life.
After bouncing up and down a few times, I was gently lowered into a boat waiting on the river. My friends were cheering from the bridge above. As I stepped onto the solid ground, my legs were shaking, but I couldn’t stop smiling. Not only had I faced my ultimate fear, but together we had also raised a huge amount of money for the hospital. I learnt an important lesson that day: the fear of doing something is often much worse than actually doing it. I’m not sure I’ll jump again, but I’ll never forget that incredible feeling of freedom.
1 Why did Ben agree to do the bungee jump?
(A) He wanted to impress his friends.
(B) He thought it would cure his fear of heights.
(C) He wanted to support a good cause.
(D) He had always wanted to try an extreme sport.
2 How did Ben feel while he was waiting for his turn?
(A) He was annoyed by the noisy instructor.
(B) He found the movement of the bridge quite frightening.
(C) He was worried that the equipment was not safe.
(D) He was angry that his friends had made him do it.
3 What happened immediately after Ben stepped off the platform?
(A) He wished he had kept his eyes open.
(B) He was surprised by how enjoyable the fall was.
(C) He felt exactly the way he had expected to feel.
(D) He forgot to listen to the instructor’s countdown.
4 What does Ben say about the experience at the end of the text?
(A) He is excited to do another bungee jump soon.
(B) He wishes he had raised more money for the charity.
(C) He realises that worrying about things is often unnecessary.
(D) He felt embarrassed because his legs were shaking.
5 What would Ben write in his blog the day after the jump?
(A) I can’t believe I finally did a bungee jump! It was just as terrifying as I imagined, and I’m so glad I never have to do it again.
(B) Jumping off that bridge was the best way to help the hospital. I was terrified at first, but the jump itself was an amazing experience of freedom.
(C) I only did the bungee jump because my friends forced me to. The charity made a lot of money, but I wish I had stayed in the car.
(D) If you are afraid of heights, I definitely recommend bungee jumping. I wasn’t scared at all on the bridge, and the fall was fantastic!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, Ben says, “The charity was doing wonderful work, and I wanted to help.” This directly paraphrases wanting to support a good cause.
2 B – In paragraph 2, Ben explains that waiting was the hardest part because “Every time someone jumped, the bridge shook slightly, which made me feel even worse.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, Ben mentions that “something completely unexpected happened. Instead of feeling terrified, I felt pure freedom… It was the most exciting thing I had ever experienced”. This shows he was surprised by how much he enjoyed it.
4 C – In paragraph 4, Ben reflects on his experience, stating: “I learnt an important lesson that day: the fear of doing something is often much worse than actually doing it.” This matches the idea that worrying is often unnecessary.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global narrative arc of the text: Ben’s motivation (helping the hospital), his initial emotions (being terrified on the bridge), and the positive outcome of the jump itself (the amazing feeling of freedom).
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Floating on Air
For my sixteenth birthday, my parents gave me a voucher for indoor skydiving. I’ve always dreamt of flying, but jumping out of a real aeroplane at 10,000 feet seems completely terrifying. When my mum suggested trying a wind tunnel instead, I thought it was a brilliant idea. It sounded like a safe way to experience the thrill of free-fall, though I still felt quite nervous as we drove to the activity centre.
When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was the incredible noise. The giant glass tunnel looked like something from a science fiction film. We met our instructor, Sarah, who gave us a detailed safety talk. She explained that we needed to make a specific shape with our bodies to float properly. She also handed out our equipment, including a special suit, a heavy helmet, and tight goggles. I was worried I wouldn’t remember her instructions once I was actually inside.
Stepping into the wind tunnel was a huge shock. The air pushes up from the floor at high speed, and it immediately lifted my feet. At first, I found it really difficult to keep my balance. I kept bending my knees too much, which made me drop down. Sarah had to hold onto my suit to keep me steady. I quickly realised that maintaining the correct body position is incredibly tiring. Every muscle was working hard just to keep me in one place.
However, during my second turn in the tunnel, something clicked. I relaxed my shoulders, lifted my chin, and suddenly I was floating independently. It was the most amazing sensation. I wasn’t just floating; it actually felt like genuine flying. Sarah even showed me how to turn around by moving my hands slightly. Although each flight only lasted for a minute, it felt much longer because I was concentrating so hard on my movements.
The next day, my entire body ached as if I had spent hours lifting weights at the gym. Despite the physical exhaustion, I couldn’t stop smiling. Indoor skydiving gave me massive confidence, and I have already asked to book another session. I don’t think I’ll ever do a real skydive, but I definitely want to master the wind tunnel.
1 Why did the writer want to try indoor skydiving?
(A) He wanted to prepare for a jump from a real aeroplane.
(B) He thought it offered a secure way to feel like he was falling.
(C) He was looking for an unusual idea for his birthday present.
(D) He wanted to overcome his fear of flying in aeroplanes.
2 How did the writer feel during the preparation stage?
(A) annoyed about having to wear such a heavy helmet
(B) shocked by how long the instructor’s safety talk lasted
(C) anxious that he might forget what he had been taught
(D) confused by the shape of the giant glass wind tunnel
3 What did the writer find out when he first entered the wind tunnel?
(A) It was physically demanding to hold the right posture.
(B) The air was moving too fast for him to breathe properly.
(C) He had to hold onto the instructor’s suit to stay safe.
(D) His suit was too heavy to let him float to the top.
4 During his second turn in the wind tunnel, the writer
(A) learned how to make the flight last longer than a minute.
(B) managed to move his body without the instructor’s help.
(C) stopped concentrating so hard on his hand movements.
(D) discovered that floating was much easier than turning around.
5 What would the writer write in his blog the next day?
(A) I had a great time in the wind tunnel, and it has finally given me the courage to book a real skydive for next summer!
(B) Indoor skydiving was fun, but it’s much easier than people say. You just relax and let the wind do all the work for you.
(C) The wind tunnel was far too noisy and the equipment was uncomfortable. I’m glad I tried it, but once is definitely enough for me.
(D) I can’t believe how much my arms and legs hurt today! It was incredibly hard work, but experiencing true flight was absolutely worth it.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states that the writer thought the wind tunnel “sounded like a safe way to experience the thrill of free-fall,” which matches the idea of a secure way to feel like he was falling.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer expresses his feelings by stating, “I was worried I wouldn’t remember her instructions once I was actually inside.”
3 A – The writer explains in paragraph three that “maintaining the correct body position is incredibly tiring” and that “every muscle was working hard”, which paraphrases to it being physically demanding to hold the right posture.
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the writer mentions that during his second turn he was “floating independently” and that the instructor showed him how to turn by “moving my hands slightly”, meaning he moved without her physical help.
5 D – This option perfectly captures the global meaning of the text: the intense physical exhaustion (aching muscles) contrasted with the incredible joy and accomplishment of feeling like he was genuinely flying.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Discovering the Art of Parkour
I’ve always spent hours watching parkour videos online, completely amazed by the athletes jumping smoothly between walls and buildings. It looked so exciting, but at the same time, quite dangerous. So, when my parents surprised me with a month’s membership at a new indoor parkour gym for my fifteenth birthday, I couldn’t believe it. I was absolutely thrilled, but I must admit I was also slightly nervous. I was imagining myself trying to do huge leaps on my first day and probably getting hurt because I had no idea what I was doing.
When I arrived for my first session, the gym looked like a giant indoor playground. There were wooden walls, metal bars, and thick, soft mats everywhere. My instructor, a friendly guy named Mark, immediately changed my idea of what parkour actually is. He clearly explained that it isn’t about reckless jumping or trying to show off to your friends. Instead, he told us it is all about careful calculation, understanding your environment, and having total control over your body movements. We actually spent the entire first lesson just doing simple warm-up exercises and learning how to land safely to protect our knees.
By the second week, we finally moved on to mastering a basic move called a ‘vault’. This simply means getting over a small wall or obstacle using your hands. It looked incredibly easy when Mark demonstrated it, but my first few attempts were terrible. I kept stopping right before the wall because I was terrified of hitting my legs against the wood. Mark noticed my hesitation and told me to stop overthinking and just trust my arms. After practising the individual steps very slowly, I finally pushed myself over the block smoothly. The feeling was amazing; I felt like an action hero!
I have now been doing parkour for a month, and I completely love it. It has made me much stronger and more confident, not just physically but mentally too. I realise now that if I can overcome my fears and solve problems in the gym, I can handle difficult situations at school or in my everyday life. I’m definitely planning to continue my classes. Although I am not ready for the advanced group yet, maybe by next year, I’ll be skilled enough to join them and even try some supervised outdoor sessions.
1 How did the writer feel about his birthday present?
(A) Disappointed because he thought it was too dangerous.
(B) Excited but anxious about what might happen on his first day.
(C) Confident that he would be able to do huge leaps immediately.
(D) Annoyed that his parents chose an indoor activity instead of an outdoor one.
2 What did the writer learn from his instructor during the first lesson?
(A) Parkour is mainly about impressing other people.
(B) You need to jump recklessly to be good at parkour.
(C) Parkour requires thinking carefully and controlling your movements.
(D) The best way to learn parkour is to avoid using safety mats.
3 Why did the writer struggle with the ‘vault’ at first?
(A) He didn’t have enough strength in his arms.
(B) He was too scared of injuring his legs.
(C) The wooden wall was too high for a beginner.
(D) He wasn’t paying attention to the instructor’s demonstration.
4 How has parkour affected the writer’s everyday life?
(A) He feels more prepared to deal with challenges at school.
(B) He finds it difficult to concentrate on his studies.
(C) He has started solving problems for his classmates.
(D) He thinks he is now ready to do parkour outdoors by himself.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about his parkour experience?
(A) “I thought parkour was just about jumping off buildings, but it’s actually really safe and involves a lot of thinking. I finally managed to do a vault today!”
(B) “My parents got me parkour lessons, but I think I’m going to quit. It’s way too dangerous and the instructor wants us to do crazy jumps right away.”
(C) “I mastered my first vault today! Parkour is so easy, you just have to run and jump without thinking about it at all.”
(D) “I love parkour, but I wish we didn’t have to spend so much time indoors. I’m going to start jumping on buildings with the advanced group tomorrow.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The writer says he was “absolutely thrilled, but… slightly nervous” and imagined “trying to do huge leaps on my first day and probably getting hurt,” which paraphrases being excited but anxious about what might happen.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the instructor explains that parkour is “all about careful calculation, understanding your environment, and having total control over your body movements.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer states, “I kept stopping right before the wall because I was terrified of hitting my legs against the wood.”
4 A – In paragraph 4, the writer reflects, “if I can overcome my fears and solve problems in the gym, I can handle difficult situations at school,” showing he is better prepared for everyday challenges.
5 A – This option successfully captures the global attitude and progression of the writer: starting with a misconception about reckless jumping, learning the reality of safety and calculation, and expressing pride over mastering the vault.