Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Landscapes & Phenomena 7
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Hiking the Stone Forest
Last year, my family and I travelled to Madagascar for a two-week adventure. The place I wanted to visit most was a national park called Tsingy de Bemaraha, often known as the ‘Stone Forest’. Before we arrived, I had imagined walking through tall, green trees with monkeys swinging above us. However, the reality was completely different. Instead of trees, the ‘forest’ is actually made of thousands of tall, razor-sharp grey rocks pointing up at the sky. I quickly realised this wasn’t going to be a normal, relaxing hike.
We set off early the next morning with our local guide. Because the limestone rocks are so sharp, we had to wear thick gloves and a safety harness. Navigating the path was incredibly difficult. There was no flat ground to walk on, so we had to climb over the rocks and squeeze through narrow, dark spaces. Every single step required intense focus. If you lost concentration for just a second, you could easily cut your leg or fall. It was mentally and physically exhausting, and my heart beat fast the entire time.
After two hours of careful climbing, we finally reached the most famous part of the trek: a narrow wooden suspension bridge hanging high above the rocks. When I first stepped onto it, the bridge moved in the wind, and looking down at the sharp stones far below made me feel completely dizzy. I was terrified, but when I looked up and saw the spectacular view of the endless stone towers spreading out in front of me, I forgot all my fears. It was like standing on another planet.
When we finally finished the trek and returned to the campsite, I sat down and took off my heavy boots. My whole body was aching, and my clothes were covered in dirt, but I couldn’t stop smiling. The hike through the Tsingy was definitely the most dangerous and frightening activity I had ever attempted. However, the feeling of crossing that incredible bridge made every difficult step worthwhile. The experience taught me that pushing yourself to overcome your fears usually leads to the most unforgettable rewards.
1 What did the writer think about the park before arriving?
(A) She thought it would be full of ordinary plants and wildlife.
(B) She was worried about climbing the sharp grey rocks.
(C) She believed it would be too relaxing and boring.
(D) She expected it to look exactly like the photos she had seen.
2 During the hike, the writer found that she…
(A) had to walk quickly to keep up with the guide.
(B) needed to pay close attention to where she put her feet.
(C) was angry about having to wear heavy safety equipment.
(D) got stuck in a narrow, dark space between the rocks.
3 How did the writer feel while crossing the suspension bridge?
(A) Disappointed because the wind made it hard to see the view.
(B) Anxious that the wooden bridge was going to break.
(C) Initially scared but then amazed by the incredible scenery.
(D) Dizzy because she was walking too fast across it.
4 What does the writer say about the whole experience in the final paragraph?
(A) She would not recommend it because it is too dangerous.
(B) She wishes she had worn better boots for the climb.
(C) She is proud that she completed such a challenging trek.
(D) She realised that physical fitness is the most important thing.
5 What would the writer say in an email to a friend?
(A) I finally visited the Stone Forest! It was a relaxing walk, but the sharp rocks ruined my clothes.
(B) You wouldn’t believe the hike I did today. It was exhausting and scary, but the views from the bridge were absolutely amazing!
(C) I didn’t enjoy the hike very much because I was too terrified to cross the suspension bridge.
(D) The Tsingy is just a normal forest really. We saw some monkeys, but the bridge was closed because of the wind.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In the first paragraph, the writer states she “had imagined walking through tall, green trees with monkeys swinging above us,” which describes ordinary plants and wildlife.
2 B – The second paragraph mentions that “Every single step required intense focus” and “If you lost concentration… you could easily cut your leg,” meaning she needed to pay close attention to her footing.
3 C – The third paragraph explains that looking down made her “terrified, but when I looked up and saw the spectacular view… I forgot all my fears.”
4 C – The final paragraph describes her whole body aching but she “couldn’t stop smiling” and concludes that pushing yourself to overcome fears leads to “unforgettable rewards,” showing her pride in completing the challenge.
5 B – This option effectively synthesizes the global meaning of the text: it acknowledges how difficult and frightening the hike was (exhausting, scary) but highlights the incredible reward of the views from the bridge, which made it all worthwhile.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Magical World of Ice
When my parents announced that our winter holiday would be a trip to Iceland, I wasn’t particularly excited. The itinerary included a guided tour to explore a natural cave hidden inside a massive glacier. To be honest, I thought it sounded like a terrible idea. I imagined we would just be staring at boring, plain white ice for hours in freezing temperatures. I would have much preferred to stay in our warm hotel in Reykjavik, drinking hot chocolate and watching films. However, my parents had already bought the expensive tickets, so I had no choice but to go.
The journey to reach the glacier certainly didn’t change my negative attitude. We had to travel for an hour in a huge, noisy jeep over incredibly rough and bumpy ground. After that, the guide gave us special boots with metal spikes on the bottom so we could walk safely on the ice. The freezing wind blew hard against my face as we hiked toward the entrance of the cave. My toes were completely numb, and I silently questioned why anyone would choose to spend their holiday doing something so uncomfortable.
But the moment we finally stepped inside the ice cave, everything changed. I was prepared to see dull, white walls, but instead, the cavern was filled with the most intense, glowing blue colour I had ever seen. The ice looked like beautiful, clear glass. Our guide explained that the ice was hundreds of years old, and the heavy weight of the glacier had pushed all the air out of it, creating this magical blue effect. I stood there absolutely mesmerized, completely forgetting about my cold toes.
We spent about forty-five minutes exploring the different tunnels inside the glacier. I tried to take a few pictures, but my phone camera couldn’t capture the true brightness of the blue walls. Walking back to the jeep later, I didn’t complain about the freezing wind or the difficult hike at all. I realised that nature can create spectacular things that you simply cannot imagine until you see them yourself. I’m actually hoping we can visit another glacier before we fly home!
1 How did the writer feel before the trip to the ice cave?
(A) She was excited to learn about ancient glaciers.
(B) She was worried that the tour tickets were too expensive.
(C) She expected the experience to be dull and uncomfortable.
(D) She was annoyed that they weren’t staying in a hotel.
2 What does the writer say about the journey to the cave?
(A) The jeep ride was too short for her to enjoy.
(B) The weather conditions made the walk unpleasant.
(C) The metal boots were too heavy to walk in properly.
(D) The guide was unhelpful during the difficult hike.
3 When the writer entered the cave, she was surprised because
(A) the walls were painted in very bright colours.
(B) the air inside was much warmer than outside.
(C) she learned that the ice was newly formed.
(D) the ice looked completely different from what she had imagined.
4 How did the writer’s attitude change by the end of the trip?
(A) She was disappointed that her photographs were not very clear.
(B) She felt keen to have another similar adventure in nature.
(C) She regretted spending so much time walking in the tunnels.
(D) She was relieved to get back to the warmth of the jeep.
5 What would the writer write in her diary that evening?
(A) Today was exhausting. We drove in a noisy jeep and walked in a freezing wind just to look at some plain white ice. I’m staying in the hotel tomorrow!
(B) I didn’t want to visit the glacier today, but going inside the ice cave was an incredible experience. The glowing colours were truly magical!
(C) The ice cave was beautiful, but unfortunately, I was too cold to really enjoy it. At least I got some perfect photos to show my friends.
(D) I was so excited to explore the ice cave, and it didn’t disappoint! The guide taught us so much about how glaciers are formed.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, the writer states she thought it would be a “terrible idea” and imagined staring at “boring, plain white ice… in freezing temperatures”, which matches expecting it to be dull and uncomfortable.
2 B – In paragraph 2, the writer mentions that “the freezing wind blew hard against my face” and her toes were “completely numb”, making the hike uncomfortable and unpleasant.
3 D – In paragraph 3, the writer says she “was prepared to see dull, white walls”, but instead saw an “intense, glowing blue colour”, showing the ice was totally different from her expectations.
4 B – In paragraph 4, the writer states she realised nature creates “spectacular things” and she is “hoping we can visit another glacier before we fly home”, showing she is keen for another adventure.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global narrative and emotional arc of the text: moving from reluctance and a negative attitude to complete amazement at the glowing blue ice inside the cave.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Natural Cathedral
Last summer, my family decided to spend our holidays exploring the west coast of Scotland. My dad booked a boat trip to a small, uninhabited island called Staffa to see a famous place known as Fingal’s Cave. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly excited at first. I had seen plenty of caves before, and I imagined it would just be another dark, wet hole in the rocks. Furthermore, the sea was quite rough that morning, and sitting on a small boat made me feel a bit nervous.
However, as our boat finally got closer to the island, my opinion completely changed. I stood at the front of the boat and stared at the cliffs in absolute amazement. Instead of normal, uneven rocks, the outside of the cave was made of thousands of tall, perfectly straight columns. They were shaped like hexagons, with six equal sides. They looked so perfect that I was absolutely certain humans had carved them out of the stone. Our guide explained that they were actually completely natural, created by cooling lava millions of years ago. I could hardly believe him.
The surprises didn’t stop there. Because the sea was calm enough by the time we arrived, we were able to step off the boat and walk right inside the mouth of the cave. That was when I noticed the sound. As the ocean waves crashed against the rock walls, the echoes created a deep, musical noise. It didn’t sound like the random splashing of water at all. Instead, the incredible acoustics made it sound exactly like a real choir singing in a huge cathedral. Everyone in our group stopped talking just to listen to it.
We spent about an hour exploring the island before returning to the boat. On the journey back, I completely forgot about feeling nervous on the water. I just sat quietly, thinking about what I had just seen and heard. Before this trip, I always thought that perfect shapes and beautiful architecture could only be designed by people. Fingal’s Cave taught me that nature is actually the greatest architect of all. If I ever get the chance to visit Scotland again, I will definitely go back and listen to the ocean’s music.
1 How did the writer feel about the trip before arriving at the cave?
(A) He believed the cave wouldn’t be anything special to look at.
(B) He was angry that his dad had booked the trip without asking him.
(C) He was looking forward to exploring a perfectly dark, wet place.
(D) He thought the boat journey to the island was much too long.
2 What surprised the writer when he first saw the outside of Fingal’s Cave?
(A) The rocks were painted in bright colours by human architects.
(B) The guide told a lie about how the cave was originally created.
(C) The rocks were shaped so perfectly that they looked man-made.
(D) The lava from the volcano was still warm after millions of years.
3 Inside the cave, the writer was amazed because
(A) the group of tourists suddenly started singing a song together.
(B) the water making a loud noise sounded like beautiful music.
(C) he found a hidden cathedral built deep inside the island rock.
(D) the ocean waves were dangerously rough and crashing loudly.
4 What did the writer learn from his visit to the island?
(A) That he definitely wants to study architecture in the future.
(B) That sailing on small boats is his brand new favourite hobby.
(C) That human architects should try to copy shapes from nature.
(D) That nature can create incredibly beautiful and perfect things.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about his trip?
(A) The boat trip was awful because of the rough sea, but at least the dark cave was exactly what I expected.
(B) We visited a cave today! The geometric rock columns and the musical echoes inside proved to me that nature is an amazing architect.
(C) I saw Fingal’s Cave today. Some ancient people carved the rocks into perfect hexagons, making it look like a cathedral.
(D) We couldn’t go inside the cave because the sea was too rough, but we heard a choir singing beautifully from the boat.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer wasn’t particularly excited because he had seen plenty of caves before and “imagined it would just be another dark, wet hole in the rocks.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer notes that the rocks were “tall, perfectly straight columns” shaped like hexagons, adding that “they looked so perfect that I was absolutely certain humans had carved them.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer describes how the waves crashing inside the cave “created a deep, musical noise” that sounded “exactly like a real choir singing in a huge cathedral.”
4 D – In paragraph 4, the writer reflects on the experience, stating, “Before this trip, I always thought that perfect shapes and beautiful architecture could only be designed by people. Fingal’s Cave taught me that nature is actually the greatest architect of all.”
5 B – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: being amazed by the perfect, natural shape of the rocks and the cathedral-like music of the waves, realizing nature is a great architect.