Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Targeted Fitness, Health and Dance 1
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding Some Peace
This year at school has been incredibly stressful. With my final exams approaching, I was spending hours staring at my textbooks, feeling more anxious every single day. My older sister, who is always very calm, suggested I come to a beginner’s yoga class with her. I wasn’t sure at first. I had always assumed yoga was only for incredibly flexible people who could easily touch their toes. However, I desperately needed a break from studying, so I agreed to give it a try.
When we arrived at the studio, the room was quiet and smelled of relaxing oils. We unrolled our mats, and the instructor started leading us through some basic movements. Almost immediately, I felt completely ridiculous. While the rest of the class seemed to balance effortlessly on one leg, I kept falling over. When we tried a pose called ‘downward dog’, my legs were shaking, and I couldn’t reach the floor with my hands. I felt certain that everyone was watching and secretly laughing at my terrible technique.
Fortunately, the instructor, a kind man named David, noticed my frustration. He walked over and gently corrected my posture. He explained that yoga is definitely not a competition and that nobody was judging me. He told me that if a pose hurts, I should simply bend my knees. “It isn’t about being perfect,” he whispered. “It’s about listening to your own body.” His words really helped me to stop comparing myself to the other people in the room and just focus on my own movements.
The real turning point came during the final fifteen minutes of the session. We lay flat on our backs, and David guided us through some deep breathing exercises. He told us to breathe in slowly and imagine all our worries floating away as we breathed out. To my absolute amazement, it actually worked. By the time I opened my eyes, the heavy weight of exam stress had completely disappeared from my mind.
Walking home, my body felt pleasantly tired, but my head was incredibly clear. I realised that yoga isn’t just about physical flexibility; it’s a powerful tool for mental calmness. I have already booked my spot for next week’s class, and I feel ready to face my exams.
1 Why did the writer go to the yoga class?
(A) She wanted to improve her physical flexibility.
(B) She needed a way to relax from school pressure.
(C) She was looking for a new sport to keep fit.
(D) She wanted to spend more time with her sister.
2 How did the writer feel at the beginning of the class?
(A) annoyed by the smell of the oils in the studio
(B) worried that she was disturbing the quiet atmosphere
(C) embarrassed because she was struggling with the poses
(D) surprised that the exercises were so effortless
3 What did David, the instructor, teach the writer?
(A) that she shouldn’t worry about being better than anyone else
(B) to try pushing through the pain to achieve a perfect pose
(C) that making mistakes is normal during a sports competition
(D) to pay much more attention to what her classmates were doing
4 What happened during the deep breathing exercises?
(A) The writer finally learned how to touch her toes perfectly.
(B) The writer found it quite difficult to keep her eyes closed.
(C) The writer fell asleep because she was physically exhausted.
(D) The writer successfully let go of her academic anxieties.
5 What would the writer write in her diary that evening?
(A) Yoga was a complete waste of time. I still can’t touch my toes, and the other people in the class were so unfriendly.
(B) I felt so silly today at the studio, but learning to breathe deeply helped me empty my mind. I’m definitely going back!
(C) I am so proud that I was the best in the class today! I easily managed to balance on one leg without falling over once.
(D) David’s class was too physically demanding for me. The breathing exercises were nice, but I think I should try a different sport.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer “desperately needed a break from studying” and was feeling anxious about her final exams, which maps to needing a way to relax from school pressure.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that she “felt completely ridiculous,” “kept falling over,” and felt certain everyone was “secretly laughing at my terrible technique,” meaning she was embarrassed about struggling.
3 A – The third paragraph describes David explaining that “yoga is definitely not a competition,” “nobody was judging me,” and his words helped her to “stop comparing myself to the other people,” which paraphrases to not worrying about being better than anyone else.
4 D – In the fourth paragraph, the writer notes that during the breathing exercises, “the heavy weight of exam stress had completely disappeared from my mind,” which means she let go of her academic anxieties.
5 B – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges her initial feelings of embarrassment (feeling silly), the turning point of the deep breathing exercises (emptying her mind of stress), and her positive plan to continue with the classes.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding My Strength
I have always been a naturally thin and quiet person. Although I enjoyed playing casual sports like badminton with my friends, I never felt particularly strong. Last month, after struggling to carry some heavy boxes while helping my parents move house, I decided it was time to make a change. I wanted to build my physical strength and improve my fitness. So, using the pocket money I had saved up, I proudly signed up for a membership at my local gym. I felt quite excited about my new goal, but also a bit anxious because I had never been inside a fitness centre before.
On my first afternoon there, the receptionist gave me a quick tour. When we reached the free weight room, my heart immediately sank. The room was full of enormous, complicated machines and heavy iron weights. It was crowded with tall, muscular adults who were lifting huge amounts of weight and breathing loudly. Looking at them, I felt incredibly small and completely out of place. I seriously considered turning around, going home, and just doing push-ups in my bedroom instead.
While I was standing nervously near the door, a personal trainer named Alex noticed I was struggling. Instead of ignoring me, he walked over with a warm smile and introduced himself. I admitted that I had no idea what I was doing and felt intimidated by everyone else. Alex kindly explained that every single person in the room had been a beginner once. He spent the next twenty minutes showing me how to use a few basic machines safely. He made sure I understood the proper form so I wouldn’t injure my muscles.
As I slowly completed my first set of exercises, I realised something important. The other adults in the room weren’t staring at me or judging my small weights at all. They were completely focused on their own workouts. Thanks to Alex’s friendly advice, my fear quickly disappeared. I now visit the gym three times a week after school. I am already feeling much stronger, and more importantly, I finally feel like I truly belong there.
1 Why did the writer decide to join the local gym?
(A) He wanted to get much better at playing badminton.
(B) His parents suggested he needed to exercise more.
(C) He wanted to increase his overall physical strength.
(D) He needed a good place to spend his saved pocket money.
2 What was the writer’s reaction when he first saw the weight room?
(A) He was surprised by how many adults were using it.
(B) He felt very uncomfortable and wanted to leave immediately.
(C) He was annoyed by the loud noises the machines made.
(D) He wanted to try lifting the heavy iron weights straight away.
3 What did the trainer, Alex, do to help the writer?
(A) He gave him a complete tour of the whole fitness centre.
(B) He introduced him to the muscular adults in the room.
(C) He wrote a twenty-minute exercise plan for him to follow.
(D) He taught him the correct and safe way to do basic exercises.
4 What did the writer discover about the other people in the gym?
(A) They were secretly judging how much weight he could lift.
(B) They were only paying attention to their own training.
(C) They also felt terrified when they first joined the gym.
(D) They wanted to help him improve his lifting technique.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about his gym experience?
(A) I’m glad I joined the gym, but I still avoid the weight room because the adults there are far too intimidating for me.
(B) It was a scary start, but thanks to a helpful trainer, I now realise the gym is a safe and welcoming place to get strong.
(C) I finally learned how to use the heavy iron weights today! I’m already much stronger than the other adults.
(D) I regret spending my pocket money on the membership. I think I will just do push-ups in my bedroom from now on.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In the first paragraph, the writer states that after struggling to carry heavy boxes, he “wanted to build my physical strength and improve my fitness,” which paraphrases to increasing his overall physical strength.
2 B – Paragraph two explains that looking at the adults, he “felt incredibly small and completely out of place” and “seriously considered turning around, going home,” which matches feeling uncomfortable and wanting to leave.
3 D – In the third paragraph, the text states that Alex “spent the next twenty minutes showing me how to use a few basic machines safely. He made sure I understood the proper form,” which means he taught him the correct and safe way to do exercises.
4 B – Paragraph four mentions that the other adults “weren’t staring at me or judging my small weights at all. They were completely focused on their own workouts,” matching the idea that they were only paying attention to their own training.
5 B – This option successfully synthesizes the emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges his initial fear (paragraphs 1 and 2), highlights the crucial turning point of the trainer’s help (paragraph 3), and captures his final positive realization about the gym being a welcoming place (paragraph 4).
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Fixing my posture with Pilates
by Maya Evans
My name is Maya, and last year I was preparing for my final school exams. I spent hours sitting at my desk every evening, staring at my computer and reading textbooks. After a few months, I started getting terrible backaches. My neck and shoulders felt tight, and I was always uncomfortable. My doctor told me that my bad posture was causing the problem and suggested I try a sport called Pilates to help my back. I was nervous, but I was willing to try anything to feel better.
I honestly thought Pilates would be incredibly easy. I imagined it was just some gentle stretching, similar to a basic warm-up before a gym lesson. However, my first class was a huge shock. The instructor, Sarah, asked us to do a series of very slow, controlled movements. We had to hold our bodies in specific positions for what felt like forever. Even though I wasn’t running or jumping, my muscles were shaking. By the end of the hour, my stomach and back ached completely, and I realised how physically weak I actually was.
Despite the pain, I refused to give up. I decided to attend classes twice a week. I quickly learned that Pilates is not about speed or lifting heavy weights. Instead, it requires total concentration and focuses on building your ‘core’ – the deep muscles in your stomach and back. It was exhausting, and there were definitely days when I wanted to stay at home and rest on the sofa. But Sarah was very encouraging and constantly reminded me to think about my breathing, keep my back straight, and push through the difficult moments.
After a month of hard work, the results were amazing. I suddenly realised that my back pain was completely gone. But the best change was something I hadn’t expected. When I looked in the mirror, I noticed that I was standing much taller. I was no longer bending forward like I used to when sitting at my desk. Pilates didn’t just fix my backache; it gave me the strength to improve my posture and made me feel much more confident. I am definitely going to keep attending classes!
1 Why did Maya start doing Pilates?
(A) She wanted to take a break from her school exams.
(B) She needed a way to cure the pain caused by studying.
(C) Her school sports teacher recommended it to her.
(D) She wanted to improve her general fitness and strength.
2 What surprised Maya about her first Pilates class?
(A) The instructor made them run and jump around the room.
(B) She found the gentle stretching exercises extremely boring.
(C) The slow movements were much more painful than she expected.
(D) She was the only beginner trying to hold the positions.
3 What did Maya learn about Pilates as she continued her classes?
(A) It is more important to lift heavy weights than to move slowly.
(B) It demands a lot of mental focus and specific muscle strength.
(C) It is impossible to do if you don’t have a personal instructor.
(D) It requires you to hold your breath for long periods of time.
4 How did Maya feel after a month of doing Pilates?
(A) She felt disappointed that her posture hadn’t changed much.
(B) She was relieved that she no longer had to go to the classes.
(C) She was proud that she had actually grown taller than her friends.
(D) She was delighted that her pain was gone and she stood straighter.
5 What would Maya write in a text message to her friend?
(A) I’m going to stop doing Pilates now that my backache is gone. It was just too exhausting and painful for me.
(B) I thought Pilates would be a relaxing stretch, but it’s hard work! It has totally cured my back pain and improved my posture.
(C) The doctor told me to try Pilates, but my muscles are shaking so much that I’m going to ask for a different treatment.
(D) Pilates is great because you don’t have to concentrate or work hard at all. I highly recommend it if you want an easy sport!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, Maya explains that spending hours studying gave her “terrible backaches” and her doctor suggested Pilates “to help my back.” This matches needing a way to cure the pain caused by studying.
2 C – In paragraph 2, Maya states she thought it would be “incredibly easy” and just “gentle stretching,” but her first class was a “huge shock” because the “slow, controlled movements” left her with muscles shaking and aching.
3 B – In paragraph 3, Maya notes that Pilates “requires total concentration and focuses on building your ‘core’ – the deep muscles in your stomach and back.” This directly paraphrases demanding mental focus and specific muscle strength.
4 D – In paragraph 4, Maya describes the amazing results: her “back pain was completely gone” and she noticed “that I was standing much taller.” This maps to being delighted that her pain was gone and she stood straighter.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global narrative arc of the text: Maya’s initial false assumption (thinking it would be an easy stretch), the reality of the difficult workouts (hard work/muscle shakes), and the ultimate successful results (cured back pain and better posture).