Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Career Guidance & Future Planning 2
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
More Than Just Drawing
When my school announced our ‘Career Shadowing Day’, I immediately chose to spend the day with an architect. I have always been good at art, and I love designing things in my free time. In my mind, an architect’s job was simple and creative: you just sat at a large desk all day sketching cool, modern buildings. I arrived at the office of a local architect, Ms. Evans, feeling incredibly excited. I even brought some of my own drawings to show her.
However, as soon as I walked into her busy office, my expectations were completely shattered. There were no messy sketchbooks or colored pencils anywhere to be seen. Instead, I saw several large computer screens covered in complicated lines and lots of numbers. Ms. Evans was working on the design for a new public library in our town. I sat next to her, expecting her to design the beautiful windows or the attractive front door. Instead, she spent the next two hours calculating the exact weight that the roof could safely support.
After a quick lunch, things became even more complicated. Ms. Evans showed me a massive digital document filled with local safety regulations. She carefully explained that every single building has to follow strict rules about fire exits, hallway widths, and construction materials. I felt completely overwhelmed by how much technical information she had to understand and follow. I had never realized that a tiny mathematical mistake in an architect’s plan could actually make a building incredibly dangerous for the people inside.
By the time I left the office at five o’clock, my brain was completely exhausted. The experience was nothing like the relaxing day of drawing that I had originally imagined. However, my respect for the profession has grown massively. I now understand that true architecture is a difficult but fascinating mix of creative art and serious science. While the huge amount of mathematics still scares me a little bit, I haven’t changed my mind about my future career. I still want to become an architect, but I definitely need to pay much more attention in my math classes from now on!
1 Why did the writer choose to shadow an architect?
(A) He wanted to learn how to use professional drawing equipment.
(B) He believed the job would allow him to use his artistic skills.
(C) He hoped to get a job in Ms. Evans’ office in the future.
(D) He was asked to design a modern building for his school.
2 What surprised the writer when he watched Ms. Evans work?
(A) She was drawing the library’s windows by hand.
(B) She spent a long time choosing colored pencils.
(C) She was focusing on mathematics rather than how the building looked.
(D) She was using computer software that was out of date.
3 How did the writer feel when learning about safety regulations?
(A) Worried that the new library would be dangerous.
(B) Bored because the digital document was too long.
(C) Amazed by the amount of rules architects must know.
(D) Annoyed that architects have to use specific building materials.
4 What is the writer’s attitude towards architecture at the end of the day?
(A) He has decided to study art instead of architecture.
(B) He feels that the job is too stressful for him to do.
(C) He appreciates the job more but knows he must improve his math.
(D) He thinks it is mostly about science and requires no creativity.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) Shadowing an architect was a waste of time. I just watched someone draw windows all day and didn’t learn anything new.
(B) I’m so glad I changed my mind about my career. Architecture has too many rules, and I’d rather just be an artist.
(C) Today showed me that being an architect is much harder than just sketching buildings, but it made me want to do it even more.
(D) Ms. Evans really liked the drawings I brought to her office, and she even used some of my ideas for the new library!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states, “I have always been good at art, and I love designing things… In my mind, an architect’s job was simple and creative”.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer expects her to design windows or doors, but instead, “she spent the next two hours calculating the exact weight that the roof could safely support.”
3 C – In paragraph 3, the writer explains feeling “completely overwhelmed by how much technical information she had to understand and follow” after seeing the massive document of regulations.
4 C – In paragraph 4, the writer says, “my respect for the profession has grown massively” and adds that to become an architect, “I definitely need to pay much more attention in my math classes from now on!”
5 C – This option perfectly captures the global meaning of the text. It summarizes the writer’s initial misconception (that the job was just sketching), the realization that it is difficult, and the enduring desire to pursue the career anyway.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding the Perfect Balance
Since I was a young child, I have always had two very different passions. On one hand, I love the clear rules of mathematics. Solving a difficult equation gives me a great feeling of success. On the other hand, I am deeply passionate about painting. Spending hours mixing colours and creating landscapes on a blank canvas is my favourite way to relax. For a long time, having these two opposite interests didn’t matter. But when I turned fifteen, I suddenly had to make some serious choices about my future.
My parents are both engineers, so they naturally wanted me to focus on science. They often told me that subjects like maths and physics would guarantee a secure job and a comfortable life. They never stopped me from painting, but they always called it a ‘nice hobby’. Whenever I mentioned studying art at university, they looked worried. I didn’t want to disappoint them, but the thought of giving up my creative side made me feel incredibly sad and confused. I felt like I had to choose between my head and my heart.
Everything changed last month when my art teacher suggested I attend a weekend workshop on graphic design at a local college. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I decided to go. During the first session, the instructor showed us how to use professional computer software to create advertising posters. I was amazed to discover that graphic design requires a lot of logical thinking. You have to calculate exact measurements, understand geometry, and organise information clearly. However, you also need to use your imagination to choose the right colours and shapes.
For the first time, I saw a career path where my two favourite subjects actually worked together. I spent the whole weekend designing a digital magazine cover, perfectly combining mathematical structure with artistic beauty. When I got home, I showed my parents my final project and explained what I had learned. Seeing my excitement and the quality of my work, they finally understood. They realised that a creative industry could also offer a serious and rewarding career. Now, I am planning to study graphic design, and I feel completely confident about my future.
1 How did the writer feel about his interests when he turned fifteen?
(A) He realised he enjoyed maths much more than painting.
(B) He felt he needed to make an important decision about them.
(C) He decided to stop doing his favourite relaxing hobby.
(D) He was annoyed that the rules of maths were too difficult.
2 What was his parents’ attitude towards his painting?
(A) They actively tried to stop him from doing it.
(B) They believed it was a better choice than physics.
(C) They thought it wouldn’t lead to a good career.
(D) They refused to pay for his art supplies.
3 What did the writer discover at the graphic design workshop?
(A) The software was too complicated for him to understand.
(B) The subject requires both technical precision and creativity.
(C) Graphic designers rarely use mathematics in their daily work.
(D) The instructor preferred artistic skills over computer skills.
4 How did the writer’s parents react to his final project?
(A) They accepted his career choice because of his enthusiasm.
(B) They suggested he design a real magazine cover for them.
(C) They were disappointed by the quality of his digital work.
(D) They still wanted him to become a professional engineer.
5 What would the writer write in his diary?
(A) I finally told my parents that I hate maths and only want to paint. It caused a huge argument, but I don’t care.
(B) The graphic design workshop was okay, but I think I will just become an engineer to make my parents happy.
(C) I used to feel so torn between art and science, but now I’ve found a career that beautifully combines them both!
(D) My art teacher is upset because I decided to study science instead of going to art college. It was a tough choice.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text in the first paragraph states, “when I turned fifteen, I suddenly had to make some serious choices about my future,” which matches the idea of needing to make an important decision.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that his parents called painting a “nice hobby” and looked worried if he mentioned studying art at university, showing they didn’t think it was a serious or secure career.
3 B – The third paragraph describes how graphic design requires logical thinking, exact measurements, and geometry, but also the imagination to choose colours and shapes, blending precision and creativity.
4 A – The fourth paragraph states that after seeing his excitement and the quality of his work, his parents “finally understood” and realized the creative industry offered a “serious and rewarding career.”
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: moving from a painful dilemma between logic and creativity to finding a perfect solution in graphic design.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Writing my first CV
When our school organised a career week, the final task was to write a CV to apply for a summer job. I wanted to apply to work at a busy local cafe, but as I sat in front of my computer, I just stared at a completely blank screen. I felt completely hopeless. I was only fifteen, and I had never had a real job before. How could I write a document showing my professional skills when I didn’t have any?
I searched the internet for advice, but that only made things worse. All the example CVs I found belonged to adults with university degrees and years of impressive work experience. They used complicated business words that I barely understood. I started to think that applying for the summer job was a huge mistake. I seriously considered giving up and just spending my summer holidays playing video games at home instead.
The next day, I decided to ask my English teacher, Mr Harrison, for some advice. I explained my problem, admitting that I had absolutely nothing to write about because I had zero skills. Mr Harrison smiled and asked me to tell him about what I did outside of lessons. I told him I didn’t do much, except playing football and organising the school’s weekend matches.
“That is exactly what you need to include!” Mr Harrison said enthusiastically. He explained that being the captain of the school football team wasn’t just a fun hobby. It actually showed that I had leadership skills, that I was a good communicator, and that I knew how to work well in a team. He called these ‘soft skills’, which are exactly what employers look for in young workers.
Suddenly, my blank page didn’t look so frightening anymore. I went home and started writing about my experiences in sports, my role in a group science project, and the time I helped organise a school charity event. When I finally handed in my CV, I felt incredibly proud. I haven’t heard back from the cafe yet, but the experience taught me something valuable: we all have useful skills, even if we don’t realise it at first.
1 Why did the writer feel hopeless when trying to write his CV?
(A) He didn’t know which summer job he wanted to do.
(B) He lacked any formal employment experience.
(C) He couldn’t get his computer to work properly.
(D) He thought the career week tasks were too difficult.
2 Looking at example CVs on the internet made the writer
(A) understand complex business vocabulary.
(B) feel motivated to go to university in the future.
(C) want to abandon his plans to get a summer job.
(D) realise he was applying for the wrong position.
3 What did Mr Harrison help the writer understand?
(A) That sports are more important than school grades.
(B) That employers prefer students who play football.
(C) That he should apply for a job related to sports.
(D) That his hobbies demonstrated valuable professional qualities.
4 How does the writer feel about his CV now?
(A) confident that the cafe will definitely hire him
(B) satisfied with what he has achieved
(C) worried that he included too much about his hobbies
(D) surprised that the cafe hasn’t contacted him yet
5 What would the writer say about his experience?
(A) Writing a CV is impossible unless you have already had a formal job and a university degree.
(B) Teachers expect too much from us. We shouldn’t have to write CVs until we are adults.
(C) I learned that everyday activities like sports and school projects can give you the skills employers want.
(D) The best way to write a CV is to carefully copy the professional examples you can find on the internet.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer explains feeling hopeless because “I had never had a real job before” and didn’t have any professional skills to show.
2 C – Paragraph 2 states that after looking at the adult CVs online, the writer “started to think that applying for the summer job was a huge mistake” and “seriously considered giving up”.
3 D – In paragraph 4, Mr Harrison explains that being a team captain shows leadership, teamwork, and communication (soft skills), proving that the writer’s hobbies actually demonstrated valuable professional qualities.
4 B – Paragraph 5 mentions that when the writer finally handed in the CV, he “felt incredibly proud”, which shows he is satisfied with what he has achieved.
5 C – This statement captures the global meaning of the text. The writer’s journey goes from believing he has no skills to realizing that his experiences in sports and school projects provided valuable ‘soft skills’ for employers.