Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Adventure Holidays 2
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Night on Ice
Last winter, my parents decided we should do something completely different for our family holiday. Instead of flying somewhere sunny, we travelled to northern Sweden to stay in the famous Ice Hotel. When they first told me about the plan, I wasn’t sure how to react. Although I love seeing new places, the idea of sleeping in a room made entirely of frozen water sounded like a nightmare. I hate the cold, and I fully expected to spend the whole night freezing and unable to rest.
When we arrived, I had to admit the hotel was absolutely beautiful. The walls, the chairs, and even the beds were carved from clear, sparkling ice. The guide explained that the temperature inside is always kept at minus five degrees Celsius, which is actually warmer than the weather outside! Despite wearing thick woollen jumpers, a heavy winter coat, and two pairs of socks, I couldn’t stop shivering. As we explored the icy corridors, I kept looking at our frozen beds and wondering how anyone could possibly survive a full night on one of them.
Finally, it was time to go to sleep. The hotel staff took us to a warm dressing room and handed us some special expedition sleeping bags. They told us we only needed to wear a single layer of thermal underwear inside them. I thought they were joking! I was absolutely convinced I would be awake all night shivering without my heavy coat. However, as soon as I climbed into the bag and lay down on the mattress, which was covered in thick reindeer skins, something amazing happened. Within minutes, my body heat was trapped inside the bag, and I felt incredibly warm and comfortable.
I woke up the next morning feeling completely refreshed. I hadn’t felt cold for a single second during the night! As I drank a hot cup of berry juice, I realised how brilliant the whole experience was. It is amazing to see how human intelligence has created equipment that allows us to sleep comfortably in such extreme conditions. I used to be terrified of freezing weather, but this trip proved to me that with the right gear, we can adapt to almost anything.
1 How did the writer feel when he first heard about the holiday plan?
(A) He was annoyed that his parents had chosen a sunny destination.
(B) He was worried that he would be too cold to get any sleep.
(C) He was excited because he had always wanted to stay in an Ice Hotel.
(D) He was upset because he didn’t want to travel abroad with his parents.
2 What was the writer thinking while exploring the hotel?
(A) He was doubtful that he would be able to sleep on an ice bed.
(B) He was surprised that the temperature was much colder inside than outside.
(C) He was frustrated because his heavy winter clothes were not comfortable.
(D) He was disappointed that the hotel didn’t look as beautiful as he expected.
3 When getting ready for bed, the writer
(A) decided to wear his heavy coat inside the sleeping bag anyway.
(B) complained about the uncomfortable reindeer skins on the mattress.
(C) found it hard to believe the instructions the staff gave him.
(D) continued to shiver for hours before finally falling asleep.
4 In the final paragraph, what does the writer realise?
(A) He wants to design his own winter clothing in the future.
(B) Human inventions can make living in extreme environments easy.
(C) He actually prefers freezing weather to warm holidays now.
(D) Drinking hot juice is the best way to survive cold temperatures.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about the trip?
(A) Sweden is a beautiful country, but I’ll never stay in an Ice Hotel again. Next time, my parents need to choose a warmer destination.
(B) The hotel was made entirely of ice, which was cool, but we had to wear our heavy winter coats inside our sleeping bags just to survive the night.
(C) I was absolutely dreading sleeping on a block of ice, but the special sleeping bag worked perfectly. It really shows how clever human design can be!
(D) I loved exploring the hotel with my family, even though the guide told us the temperature inside was much colder than the weather outside.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer “hate[s] the cold” and “fully expected to spend the whole night freezing and unable to rest.”
2 A – In paragraph two, the writer mentions looking at the frozen beds and “wondering how anyone could possibly survive a full night on one of them.”
3 C – Paragraph three explains that when the staff told them to wear only one layer of clothing, the writer “thought they were joking” and was “convinced I would be awake all night shivering.”
4 B – In the final paragraph, the writer notes, “It is amazing to see how human intelligence has created equipment that allows us to sleep comfortably in such extreme conditions.”
5 C – This diary entry perfectly captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: transitioning from expecting a miserable, freezing night to being amazed by the warmth provided by human ingenuity (the specialized sleeping bag).
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Campervan Adventure
Last month, my parents announced that we were going on a two-week road trip across the country. Instead of staying in hotels, my dad rented an RV, which is a large motorhome where you can sleep and cook. I was initially quite excited. I had seen plenty of videos online of people travelling in campervans, and it looked like a fantastic adventure. I imagined waking up to beautiful views every morning and having the freedom to go anywhere we wanted.
However, the reality of living in a motorhome was much harder than I had expected. Although the RV looked huge from the outside, the living space inside was actually incredibly tiny for a family of four. Within the first few days, problems started. Because there was nowhere to hide when you wanted some privacy, we began to annoy each other. My younger brother left his clothes everywhere, and my parents argued about how to organise the small kitchen. I usually just put my headphones on to escape the noise.
By the end of the first week, the atmosphere in the campervan was awful. We were all exhausted and completely tired of each other. Then, one evening, my dad drove into a quiet campsite in the middle of a forest. There was absolutely no internet connection, which meant we couldn’t just look at our phones. Since the RV felt too crowded, we decided to step outside, build a campfire, and cook our dinner under the trees.
As we sat around the warm fire eating our meal, something changed. Without any screens or tight walls around us, we actually started talking and telling jokes. My parents relaxed, and even my brother stopped being annoying. We stayed up late looking at the stars, completely forgetting the silly arguments from the past few days.
That night brought us back together. I realised that the problem wasn’t the motorhome itself, but how we were dealing with each other. The trip taught me that sometimes you need to get away from everything and sit in the middle of nowhere to reconnect with your family. If we go on another RV holiday next year, I will definitely be looking forward to it.
1 Why was the writer excited about the road trip at first?
(A) He liked the idea of staying in various hotels.
(B) He wanted to learn how to drive a large motorhome.
(C) He had watched videos that made it seem like a great experience.
(D) He preferred waking up early in the morning to travel.
2 What was the main cause of the family’s arguments?
(A) The kitchen didn’t have enough equipment to cook meals.
(B) The younger brother played his music far too loudly.
(C) The parents disagreed about where they should drive next.
(D) There wasn’t enough room for everyone to have their own space.
3 Why did the family decide to cook their dinner outside?
(A) The campsite rules did not allow cooking inside the vehicle.
(B) The space inside the motorhome felt too small for them.
(C) They wanted to use their mobile phones by the campfire.
(D) The parents wanted to save money on electricity.
4 How does the writer feel about the holiday now?
(A) He believes spending time in nature helped his family get along again.
(B) He understands that the size of the campervan caused all their issues.
(C) He wishes his family had chosen to stay in hotels instead of the RV.
(D) He is worried that a future road trip will lead to more arguments.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about the trip?
(A) We are travelling in a huge RV! It’s so comfortable that we haven’t argued once, but I really miss having the internet.
(B) The motorhome is way too small and my family is so annoying. I’ve stayed in my bed with my headphones on for the whole trip!
(C) Living in an RV caused some arguments at first, but having a campfire in the woods really helped us enjoy the trip together.
(D) I can’t wait to go home. We tried to make a campfire, but we just ended up arguing about the lack of space in the kitchen.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, the writer states he was excited because he had “seen plenty of videos online” which made the trip look “like a fantastic adventure”.
2 D – In paragraph 2, the text explains that the inside was “incredibly tiny” and “there was nowhere to hide when you wanted some privacy,” leading to them annoying each other.
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer explicitly states that “Since the RV felt too crowded, we decided to step outside, build a campfire, and cook our dinner”.
4 A – In paragraph 5, the writer reflects that “sometimes you need to get away from everything and sit in the middle of nowhere to reconnect with your family.”
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: starting with the stress and arguments caused by the tight space of the RV, but ending positively after the family bonded over the campfire.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Surviving the Amazon
When my parents first told me we were going on a trekking holiday in the Amazon rainforest, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Most of my friends were spending their summer holidays relaxing on beautiful beaches or playing video games. I had hoped for a similar break, but my parents wanted an active adventure. So, there I was, carrying a heavy backpack through thick green trees. Within the first few hours, I was already feeling completely miserable. The extreme heat made it hard to breathe, and the heavy rain never seemed to stop.
As we continued walking, things only seemed to get worse. The path was covered in deep mud, making every step a huge effort. I was sweating constantly, and despite using a lot of insect spray, I was covered in painful mosquito bites. I couldn’t understand why anyone would choose to spend their free time doing this. I kept complaining to my parents, wishing I was sitting in an air-conditioned room instead of fighting my way through the endless jungle.
However, everything changed on our third day. Our local guide, a friendly man named Luis, noticed that we were all feeling exhausted and our water bottles were nearly empty. Instead of taking us back to the camp, Luis stopped next to a thick, woody vine hanging from a tall tree. With a quick swing of his knife, he cut the plant in half. Suddenly, clear water started pouring out of it. He offered me the first drink. I was unsure at first, but the water was cool and tasted completely fresh.
I was absolutely amazed. Luis explained how the forest provides everything you need to survive, as long as you know where to look. Suddenly, the jungle didn’t seem like such a frightening and uncomfortable place anymore. I stopped focusing on the annoying insects and the humid weather. Instead, I spent the rest of the trek asking Luis questions about identifying plants, building safe shelters, and finding food in the wild.
Since returning home, my attitude towards nature has completely transformed. I have read several books about survival skills and have even signed up for an outdoor survival course next month. I still love a relaxing beach holiday, but I realise now that the world’s wildest places have the most fascinating lessons to teach us.
1 Why was the writer unhappy about the Amazon trip at first?
(A) He wanted to spend his summer doing less active things.
(B) He preferred to go on holiday with his friends instead of his parents.
(C) He was frightened of walking through the thick green trees.
(D) He knew that the heavy rain would make him miserable.
2 What does the writer say about his experience walking through the jungle?
(A) He was surprised by how deep the mud on the path was.
(B) He suffered from insect bites even though he tried to prevent them.
(C) He tried to hide how tired he was feeling from his parents.
(D) He found the walk easier when he imagined being in an air-conditioned room.
3 How did the writer react when Luis offered him water from the plant?
(A) He was extremely thirsty, so he drank it immediately without thinking.
(B) He refused to drink it because it came from a dirty vine.
(C) He was hesitant but found it to be much better than he expected.
(D) He was disappointed that they couldn’t just return to the camp for water.
4 What happened after the writer drank from the vine?
(A) He decided he wanted to become a jungle tour guide like Luis.
(B) He stopped noticing the annoying insects and extreme heat completely.
(C) He realised he already knew a lot about finding food in the wild.
(D) He became very interested in learning how to stay alive in nature.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about the trip?
(A) The jungle was full of annoying bugs and the heat was awful. Next year, I am definitely going to convince my parents to take me to the beach!
(B) I hated the rainforest at first, but seeing how our guide found water in a plant was amazing. It made me want to learn more about nature.
(C) I’ve just signed up for an outdoor survival course! I hope they teach us how to use the special knives that the Amazon guides carry.
(D) The trip was okay, but we ran out of water on the third day. Luckily, I had read a book about survival and knew exactly which vines to cut!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In paragraph 1, the writer states that his friends were “relaxing on beautiful beaches or playing video games” and he “had hoped for a similar break, but my parents wanted an active adventure.”
2 B – Paragraph 2 mentions that “despite using a lot of insect spray, I was covered in painful mosquito bites,” which means he got bitten even though he took preventative measures.
3 C – In paragraph 3, the writer explains that when Luis offered the water, “I was unsure at first, but the water was cool and tasted completely fresh,” indicating hesitation followed by a positive surprise.
4 D – Paragraph 4 details how the writer’s attitude changed, stating he “spent the rest of the trek asking Luis questions about identifying plants, building safe shelters, and finding food in the wild.”
5 B – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the writer’s emotional arc: beginning the trip hating the uncomfortable conditions, but ultimately being inspired by the guide’s survival skills to learn more about nature.