Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Wildlife Encounters 10
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Meeting a Monster?
During our family holiday in South Africa, my older brother suggested we try shark cage diving to see Great Whites. At the time, I agreed because I wanted to prove I was brave. However, as I stood on the edge of the boat a few days later, looking out at the dark ocean, I completely regretted my decision. I was absolutely terrified. I kept remembering all the scary movies I had watched about aggressive sharks, and I wished I had just stayed at the hotel.
The boat stopped, and the crew quickly lowered the metal cage into the sea. Putting on my thick wetsuit, I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest. When it was my turn, I climbed down the ladder into the freezing water. The space inside the cage was quite small, and looking through the metal bars made me feel even more nervous. We waited in silence for what seemed like hours, though it was probably only ten minutes. Then, the guide suddenly pointed and shouted that a shark was approaching.
I closed my eyes for a second, expecting a huge, angry monster to crash into our cage. But when I opened them, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The Great White shark was huge, but it wasn’t acting aggressively at all. Instead, it was gliding through the water so peacefully and beautifully. It swam past us slowly, simply curious about the boat, and then turned away. It was a completely magical moment that took my breath away.
When I finally climbed back onto the boat, I was shivering from the cold, but I couldn’t stop smiling. My fear had completely disappeared. Seeing such a magnificent creature up close made me realise how misunderstood sharks really are. They aren’t the mindless killers we see on television; they are just wild animals living in their natural environment. I am so glad I didn’t let my fear stop me. In fact, when I go to university, I hope to study marine biology so I can help protect them.
1 Why did the writer originally agree to go shark cage diving?
(A) She wanted to show that she was not afraid.
(B) She wanted to see if sharks were like the ones in movies.
(C) Her older brother forced her to do it.
(D) She thought it would be a relaxing holiday activity.
2 How did the writer feel while she was waiting in the water?
(A) annoyed because the ocean was far too cold
(B) anxious because of the limited space and the metal bars
(C) bored because the sharks took a very long time to arrive
(D) surprised because the guide was shouting at her
3 When the writer actually saw the Great White shark, she was amazed because
(A) it attacked the metal cage aggressively.
(B) it was much smaller than she had expected.
(C) it tried to swim inside the boat.
(D) it moved in a very calm and graceful way.
4 What does the writer say about sharks in the final paragraph?
(A) They are exactly like the creatures shown on television.
(B) People have the wrong idea about their behaviour.
(C) They are too dangerous to be studied closely.
(D) They should be moved to safer environments.
5 What would the writer write in her diary that evening?
(A) I’m proud that I was brave enough to go in the water, but I will never forget how aggressively the shark swam towards us.
(B) Shark cage diving was an interesting experience, but next time I hope to see an animal that is actually dangerous.
(C) I was terrified to go in the cage, but watching the shark swim so peacefully changed the way I think about them forever.
(D) The shark was beautiful, but I really wish my brother hadn’t forced me to do something I didn’t want to do today.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states in the first paragraph that she agreed “because I wanted to prove I was brave,” which matches wanting to show she was not afraid.
2 B – In the second paragraph, the writer notes that “The space inside the cage was quite small, and looking through the metal bars made me feel even more nervous.”
3 D – Paragraph three explains that instead of being an angry monster, the shark was “gliding through the water so peacefully and beautifully.”
4 B – In the final paragraph, she concludes that sharks are “misunderstood” and “aren’t the mindless killers we see on television,” meaning people have the wrong idea about them.
5 C – This option correctly captures the writer’s entire emotional journey: starting out terrified, experiencing the peaceful nature of the shark, and ultimately changing her negative mindset about the species.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Meeting the Mini Dinosaurs
Last month, my family and I travelled to the wonderful Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. I had seen pictures of the unique wildlife online, so I was really looking forward to our first walking tour along the rocky coast. I expected to see a few interesting birds or maybe a seal sleeping in the distance. However, I definitely wasn’t prepared for my first sight of the famous marine iguanas. As soon as we stepped off our small boat onto the beach, I realised that the ground was completely covered with them.
There were literally hundreds of these fascinating creatures lying together in the bright sunshine to keep their bodies warm. With their dark, rough skin, long tails, and sharp claws, they looked exactly like mini dinosaurs from a science fiction film. At first, I felt a little nervous about being so close. Some of them were quite large, and I worried they might become aggressive if we accidentally disturbed them. Fortunately, our tour guide quickly explained that they were completely harmless to humans and only dived into the ocean to eat seaweed. They didn’t even move or open their eyes when we walked right past them.
Continuing our walk soon became quite a difficult challenge. The marine iguanas were resting absolutely everywhere, completely blocking the narrow path that tourists were supposed to follow. My parents and I had to step very carefully over the black rocks to avoid stepping on their long tails. At one point, I had to stop and wait for several minutes because a huge group of them was sleeping right in front of my feet. Initially, I felt slightly annoyed that we couldn’t just walk at a normal speed like on a typical hike.
However, as I stood there waiting patiently, my attitude suddenly changed. I watched them relaxing peacefully in the sun and realised something important. These animals weren’t blocking my way; I was walking through their living room. This beautiful island was their natural home, and I was simply an uninvited guest. It was an incredible feeling to be allowed so close to wild creatures that felt perfectly safe around humans. Now, I understand that we must always respect nature’s space. If I ever have the chance to visit another wildlife reserve, I will definitely remember who the real owners of the land are.
1 Why was the writer surprised when they arrived at the beach?
(A) They were unable to see the birds and seals they wanted to.
(B) The number of animals on the ground was much higher than expected.
(C) The boat had to drop them off in a very dangerous location.
(D) They hadn’t seen any pictures of the island’s wildlife before the trip.
2 How did the writer feel about the iguanas at first?
(A) Anxious because of their appearance and size.
(B) Disappointed that they spent all their time sleeping.
(C) Amazed that they were eating seaweed on the rocks.
(D) Frightened when the animals opened their eyes and moved.
3 Why did walking along the path become a challenge?
(A) The rocks on the path were too sharp to step on safely.
(B) The writer’s parents wanted to stop and look at the iguanas.
(C) The tourists were walking too fast for the writer to keep up.
(D) There were too many iguanas resting in the way.
4 What did the writer realise while waiting on the path?
(A) Humans should stay away from wild islands completely.
(B) The iguanas were actually in danger from the tourists.
(C) It is humans who are visiting the animals’ territory.
(D) The iguanas were slowly learning to trust human visitors.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about the trip?
(A) I went on a walking tour today. It was terrible because the path was full of scary animals and we couldn’t hike properly.
(B) We saw hundreds of marine iguanas today! They blocked our path, but it made me realise that we are just guests in their home.
(C) The Galapagos Islands are beautiful, but you can’t get close to the wildlife because the guides tell you to stay away from the dinosaurs.
(D) I finally saw some marine iguanas. I was hoping to see thousands of them, but there were only a few sleeping on the rocks.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states they “expected to see a few” animals, but realized “the ground was completely covered with them” upon arriving at the beach.
2 A – In paragraph 2, the writer says they “felt a little nervous” (anxious) because the iguanas “looked exactly like mini dinosaurs” and some were “quite large”.
3 D – In paragraph 3, the text explains that continuing the walk was a challenge because the iguanas were “resting absolutely everywhere, completely blocking the narrow path”.
4 C – In paragraph 4, the writer reflects that the animals “weren’t blocking my way; I was walking through their living room” and that the island was “their natural home”, showing the realization that humans are the visitors.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global meaning and the writer’s emotional arc: acknowledging the large number of iguanas blocking the path, while highlighting the main reflective lesson about humans being guests in nature.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Journey Upstream
Last autumn, my dad asked me if I wanted to go to the river to watch salmon swimming upstream. I usually prefer spending my weekends indoors playing video games, so sitting by a freezing river didn’t sound very exciting. However, Dad promised it would be a memorable experience. He explained that autumn was the only time we could see this natural event, so I finally agreed to put on my warmest coat and go with him.
When we arrived at the waterfall, the forest was completely silent. We sat on some wet rocks, and Dad told me we needed to be extremely patient. After an hour of staring at the dark water, my toes were freezing, and I was starting to complain. I asked Dad why the fish had to make such a difficult journey. He explained that they travel thousands of kilometres from the ocean back to the exact river where they were born, just to lay their eggs.
Just as I was about to ask if we could go home, the water suddenly splashed. A large, silver fish leapt out of the river and threw itself at the waterfall. It pushed hard against the fast-moving water but didn’t quite make it over the edge, falling back down into the pool below. I was amazed. A few minutes later, another salmon tried, and then another. I watched closely as they used all their energy to jump. Even when they failed, they didn’t give up. They just rested for a moment and tried again.
Seeing their incredible struggle completely changed my mood. I forgot all about the cold wind and my frozen toes. I realised how hard life is for wild animals and how much determination they need just to survive. If a fish could try that hard to achieve its goal, I thought, I could probably try harder with some of the difficult projects I face at school.
We stayed by the river until the sun went down. I am so glad I didn’t stay at home that day. The experience taught me a valuable lesson about nature’s strength. Next year, I plan to volunteer with a local environmental group to help keep our rivers clean, so these amazing fish can continue their journey safely.
1 Why did the writer agree to go to the river?
(A) He wanted to take a short break from playing video games.
(B) His father convinced him it would be a special event to see.
(C) He needed to study the fish for a science project at school.
(D) He loved spending time outdoors in the cold autumn weather.
2 What did the writer learn from his dad while they were waiting?
(A) The salmon travel a short distance to lay their eggs.
(B) The best time to see the fish is early in the morning.
(C) The fish return to their birthplace from the sea.
(D) The waterfall was too dangerous for the fish to climb.
3 What surprised the writer when the salmon started jumping?
(A) They managed to jump over the waterfall on their first try.
(B) They continued trying even after failing to climb the waterfall.
(C) They worked together in groups to push through the fast water.
(D) They were much smaller than he had originally expected.
4 How did the experience affect the writer?
(A) He decided to stop eating fish to protect wildlife.
(B) He realised that he needed to spend more time outdoors.
(C) He felt inspired to be more determined in his own life.
(D) He wanted to start a club to teach people about survival.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) Dad was right! It was freezing, but watching the salmon fight their way up the river was incredible. I’ve learned a lot about never giving up today.
(B) I wish I had stayed home. We sat by the water for hours and only saw one fish jump. Video games would have been much more fun.
(C) The river was beautiful, and the fish jumped the waterfall so easily! It made me realise that surviving in nature isn’t as hard as people say.
(D) Tomorrow I’m going to join an environmental group to help clean up the oceans. The salmon need our help to find new places to live.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states he agreed to go because “Dad promised it would be a memorable experience” and “explained that autumn was the only time we could see this natural event.”
2 C – Paragraph 2 explains that the dad told him the fish “travel thousands of kilometres from the ocean back to the exact river where they were born.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer notes that when the fish fell back down into the pool, they didn’t stop: “Even when they failed, they didn’t give up. They just rested for a moment and tried again.”
4 C – Paragraph 4 details how the writer reflected on the fish’s struggle and thought, “I could probably try harder with some of the difficult projects I face at school.”
5 A – This option correctly captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: starting out cold and impatient, but ultimately being inspired by the incredible determination of the salmon.