Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Sports Career Development, Competitions & Injuries 9
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A surprising game of petanque
by Leo Collins
When my parents told me I was going to spend the weekend at my grandparents’ house in the countryside, I wasn’t particularly excited. I usually play basketball or go skateboarding with my friends on Saturdays, so I expected a very quiet and rather dull couple of days. On Saturday afternoon, my granddad suggested playing a game of petanque in the garden. I had seen older people playing it in parks before, and honestly, it looked incredibly boring. I agreed to join them, but only to be polite.
My granddad explained the rules before we started. The aim of the game was simple: you just had to throw heavy metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball, which they called the ‘jack’. I watched as my grandparents gently threw their balls across the grass. I threw mine, too, but I didn’t care much about where it landed. It seemed like a game that required absolutely no athletic ability or energy, and I couldn’t understand why they enjoyed it so much.
However, the situation changed during the third round. My grandmother made a perfect throw, and her metal ball stopped right next to the wooden jack. My granddad turned to me and joked that I would never be able to beat that. Suddenly, I felt a spark of competition. I realised that instead of just trying to throw my ball near the jack, I could use a much more aggressive strategy. I aimed carefully and threw my heavy ball as hard as I could directly at my grandmother’s ball.
There was a loud crash as the two metal balls hit each other. My grandmother’s ball rolled far away, and mine stayed perfectly in the winning position. My granddad laughed loudly, and my grandmother looked shocked but impressed. From that moment on, I was completely hooked. The slow, boring game suddenly became a thrilling battle. I spent the next hour calculating angles, blocking my opponents, and trying to knock their balls out of the way.
In the end, my grandparents won the match because they had years of practice. But I didn’t mind losing at all. I discovered that petanque is actually a brilliant game of strategy and precision. I’ve already asked my granddad for a rematch next weekend, and this time, I plan to win!
1 Why did Leo play petanque with his grandparents?
(A) He wanted to practise his throwing skills.
(B) He didn’t want to seem rude to them.
(C) He had always wanted to try the sport.
(D) He was bored of playing basketball.
2 What was Leo’s initial opinion of the game?
(A) It was far too complicated to understand.
(B) It was too heavy for him to play properly.
(C) It didn’t involve any real physical skill.
(D) It was exactly like other sports he played.
3 What motivated Leo to try a different tactic?
(A) He felt challenged by a comment his granddad made.
(B) His grandmother showed him how to knock the ball away.
(C) He was annoyed that the rules were so simple.
(D) He wanted to finish the boring game as quickly as possible.
4 How did Leo feel after hitting his grandmother’s ball?
(A) Guilty for ruining his grandmother’s perfect throw.
(B) Surprised that the heavy metal balls made such a loud noise.
(C) Excited about the competitive nature of the game.
(D) Frustrated because calculating the angles was difficult.
5 What would Leo write in a text message to his friends that evening?
(A) I’m having a terrible weekend. My grandparents made me play a slow game all afternoon and I lost badly.
(B) I finally found a sport that I am naturally good at. I beat my grandparents at petanque today!
(C) I thought petanque was just a slow game for old people, but it’s actually highly competitive and lots of fun!
(D) Petanque is okay, but it requires far too much physical energy. I’d much rather play basketball with you guys.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, Leo states that he “agreed to join them, but only to be polite,” which means he did it because he didn’t want to seem rude.
2 C – In paragraph 2, Leo explains that “It seemed like a game that required absolutely no athletic ability or energy,” which paraphrases not involving any real physical skill.
3 A – In paragraph 3, Leo’s granddad “joked that I would never be able to beat that,” which gave Leo a “spark of competition.” This matches feeling challenged by a comment.
4 C – In paragraph 4, Leo notes that after the crash, he was “completely hooked” and the game “became a thrilling battle,” showing his excitement for the competitive aspect.
5 C – This option successfully captures the global narrative arc: Leo’s initial negative assumption about the game (boring/slow), the turning point of realizing its strategic elements, and his final enjoyment of the fierce competition despite losing.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Making a Splash
I have been water skiing on the lake near my house for two years, but until last month, I had never entered a competition. I usually just skied behind my dad’s boat for fun. However, when I heard about a local slalom tournament for teenagers, I thought it would be a brilliant opportunity to test my skills. Although I was nervous about performing in front of a crowd, I filled in the application form.
On the day of the tournament, I stood on the edge of the water and looked at the slalom course. It consisted of bright red buoys floating on the surface. To score points, a skier has to travel around the outside of each buoy while the boat drives straight down the middle. I knew the biggest challenge wouldn’t be the buoys themselves, but the large rough waves, called the wake, created by the boat.
When it was my turn, I got into the water and held the rope. Suddenly, the boat accelerated, and I was pulled up onto my skis. As I approached the first buoy, I had to cross the boat’s wake. Hitting those rough waves was like driving over a terrible road. It was physically exhausting because my legs had to absorb all the bumps while I tried to keep my balance and maintain my speed.
I managed to get around the first three buoys, leaning hard into the high-speed turns. The feeling of flying across the water was absolutely thrilling. But as I crossed the wake to reach the fourth buoy, I hit a huge wave. My skis bounced, and I completely lost my rhythm. I couldn’t reach the buoy in time and passed on the wrong side of it. My run was officially over.
Initially, I felt quite annoyed about my mistake. But when my friends cheered for me on the beach, my disappointment quickly vanished. I realised that I had just experienced the most exciting ride of my life. Even though I didn’t win a medal, I loved the intense rush of competitive skiing. I am already planning to train harder this summer so I can successfully cross the wake in the next tournament.
1 Why did the writer enter the tournament?
(A) He wanted to show his dad how fast he could ski.
(B) He saw it as a great chance to challenge his abilities.
(C) He was bored of skiing on the lake near his house.
(D) He enjoyed performing in front of large crowds.
2 What did the writer think would be the most difficult part of the course?
(A) staying exactly in the middle of the red buoys
(B) dealing with the water pushed up by the boat
(C) making sure he could clearly see the floating buoys
(D) scoring enough points to beat the other skiers
3 How did the writer feel while crossing the wake?
(A) He found it very demanding on his body.
(B) He was terrified of falling onto the terrible road.
(C) He felt annoyed that the boat was moving too quickly.
(D) He struggled to keep a tight hold on the rope.
4 Why did the writer’s run come to an end?
(A) He travelled past a buoy in the incorrect place.
(B) He leaned too hard and fell into the water.
(C) He completed the course by passing the fourth buoy.
(D) He chose to stop because he lost his rhythm.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) I’m so angry that I missed the fourth buoy. The boat was driving too fast, which made it completely impossible to win the competition.
(B) Although missing a buoy meant I lost the competition, the fast turns were amazing. I can’t wait to improve my technique for next time!
(C) Today was fun, but competitive water skiing is just too exhausting for me. I think I’ll only ski behind my dad’s boat from now on.
(D) I easily managed to cross the boat’s wake, but I couldn’t see the red buoys clearly. I need to get my eyes tested before the next event.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer “thought it would be a brilliant opportunity to test my skills,” which paraphrases to seeing it as a great chance to challenge his abilities.
2 B – In the second paragraph, the writer notes that “the biggest challenge wouldn’t be the buoys themselves, but the large rough waves, called the wake, created by the boat,” mapping to dealing with the water pushed up by the boat.
3 A – The third paragraph describes crossing the wake as being “physically exhausting because my legs had to absorb all the bumps,” which means he found it very demanding on his body.
4 A – In the fourth paragraph, the writer explains that he “passed on the wrong side of it” and then his “run was officially over,” which means he travelled past a buoy in the incorrect place.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges his mistake of missing the buoy, his enjoy
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
From casual hobby to serious sport
by Tom Harding
I’ve always enjoyed playing table football. For a couple of years, my friends and I would spend our Friday evenings at the local youth club, laughing and spinning the plastic players around on the table. I was usually the one who scored the most goals, and I felt pretty confident about my skills. So, when I saw an advertisement for a regional table football tournament in our town, I immediately signed up. I honestly thought it would just be a fun day out and an easy way to win a cheap plastic trophy.
However, when I arrived at the sports hall on the morning of the competition, I quickly realised how wrong I was. The atmosphere wasn’t relaxed at all. The room was filled with serious players who had brought their own special handles and wore professional grip gloves. Nobody was laughing or spinning the rods wildly like my friends did. Instead, they were practising complicated passes and studying the tables carefully. I suddenly felt very nervous and wondered if I had made a terrible mistake by entering.
Things got even more intense when my first match started. I quickly discovered that competitive table football is completely different from playing casually. The speed of the ball was unbelievable. I had to watch carefully and react in a fraction of a second to block my opponent’s shots. It required lightning-fast reflexes and complete concentration. After just two games, my wrists were aching and my eyes were incredibly tired. I had never imagined that standing at a small table could be so physically and mentally exhausting.
Despite the pain and exhaustion, I refused to give up. I managed to win my first few matches and surprisingly made it all the way to the semi-finals. My opponent there was much more experienced and beat me easily, but I didn’t feel disappointed at all. Instead, I felt incredibly proud of how far I had come. I didn’t win the tournament, but the experience completely changed my attitude towards the game. It is now a serious sport for me, and I am already training hard for next year’s competition!
1 Why did Tom decide to enter the table football tournament?
(A) He wanted to prove to his friends that he was the best player.
(B) He believed it would be a simple and entertaining event to win.
(C) He was bored of playing at the local youth club every Friday.
(D) He needed a new plastic trophy to add to his collection.
2 What surprised Tom when he arrived at the sports hall?
(A) The competition tables were completely different from the ones he knew.
(B) His friends had secretly entered the competition to support him.
(C) The other competitors were behaving in a very professional way.
(D) The tournament was being held in a much larger room than expected.
3 What did Tom discover about playing table football competitively?
(A) It demands extremely quick reactions and a lot of energy.
(B) It is impossible to win if you do not wear special grip gloves.
(C) You have to hit the ball much harder than in a casual game.
(D) The rules of the competitive game are completely different.
4 How did Tom feel after losing his semi-final match?
(A) Angry that he had to play against a much older competitor.
(B) Upset that all his hard training had been a waste of time.
(C) Relieved that he could finally rest his aching wrists and eyes.
(D) Pleased with his performance despite not winning the prize.
5 What would Tom write in his blog about the tournament?
(A) Table football is a fun game to play with friends, but entering a serious tournament ruined the hobby for me completely.
(B) I was amazed that I won the tournament without any practice, but I don’t think I will bother entering again next year.
(C) I went into the competition expecting an easy game, but I discovered a demanding sport that I now want to improve at.
(D) The other players were very unfriendly because I didn’t have professional equipment, which made the whole day miserable.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, Tom states that he “thought it would just be a fun day out and an easy way to win a cheap plastic trophy.” This directly matches believing it would be a simple and entertaining event to win.
2 C – In paragraph 2, Tom notices that the “room was filled with serious players who had brought their own special handles and wore professional grip gloves” and were “practising complicated passes”. This paraphrases the competitors behaving in a professional way.
3 A – In paragraph 3, Tom explains that he had to “react in a fraction of a second” and that it required “lightning-fast reflexes” while being “physically and mentally exhausting.” This maps to demanding quick reactions and a lot of energy.
4 D – In paragraph 4, Tom mentions that after being beaten easily, “I didn’t feel disappointed at all. Instead, I felt incredibly proud of how far I had come.” This shows he was pleased with his performance despite not winning.
5 C – This option successfully captures the global narrative arc: Tom’s initial casual approach (expecting an easy game), his realization of the physical and mental challenge of the sport, and his new motivation to train seriously for the future.