Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Entrepreneurship & Hustle
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Local Music Magazine
I’ve always been passionate about the local music scene in my city. Every weekend, my friends and I go to see teenage bands playing in small cafes and youth clubs. A few months ago, I realised that these talented young musicians didn’t get any attention from the regular newspapers. So, I decided to start my own printed magazine, or ‘zine’, to interview them and review their concerts. I confidently imagined teenagers all over the city reading my paper magazine on the bus or at school.
After weeks of writing articles and taking photographs, I finally finished designing the first issue on my laptop. However, when I visited the local printing shop, I was absolutely shocked. The cost of printing high-quality colour pages was incredibly high. I had to use all my birthday savings just to print fifty copies. Although they looked fantastic, it took me a month to sell them all, and I hardly made any profit. I quickly realised that printing a physical magazine every month was completely impossible for a student with no money.
I felt quite disappointed and almost gave up on the whole project. But then, a friend suggested that I should completely change the way I worked. Instead of producing physical magazines, I decided to turn my next issue into an online digital copy. This meant teenagers could easily read it on their smartphones or tablets. Furthermore, I bravely visited a local guitar shop and asked the owner if he wanted to advertise in my magazine. He happily agreed to pay a small fee to become my very first sponsor.
Releasing the second issue digitally was a massive success. Because there were no printing costs, I could charge a much lower price, and hundreds of local teenagers downloaded it within the first week. The advertising money from the guitar shop also helped me pay for a better website. This experience taught me a vital lesson about running a project. I learned that having a great idea isn’t enough; you also need a smart and sustainable business model to make it survive. I am already preparing the third issue!
1 Why did the writer decide to start the magazine?
(A) To earn enough money to go to music concerts.
(B) To give local teenage musicians more attention.
(C) To practice his photography and writing skills for school.
(D) To help his friends start their own music bands.
2 What problem did the writer face with his first issue?
(A) The local printing shop refused to print his articles.
(B) It took him too long to design the pages on his laptop.
(C) The physical copies were far too expensive to produce.
(D) He couldn’t sell any of the copies he had printed.
3 How did the writer solve his financial problem?
(A) He asked his friends to lend him some money.
(B) He increased the price of his printed magazines.
(C) He got a part-time job at a local guitar shop.
(D) He switched to an online format and found an advertiser.
4 What did the writer learn from his experience?
(A) That digital magazines are less popular than physical ones.
(B) That good ideas require a practical plan to be successful.
(C) That teenagers prefer playing video games to reading magazines.
(D) That finding sponsors is the most difficult part of business.
5 What would the writer write in his blog?
(A) Starting a magazine was an expensive mistake. I wish I had never tried to print my own articles, because nobody downloaded the digital version.
(B) I love interviewing bands, but I’ve decided to stop the magazine because trying to find sponsors is just too stressful for a teenager.
(C) My project almost failed because of high costs, but changing to a digital format and getting a sponsor saved my music magazine!
(D) If you want to start a magazine, always make sure you print physical copies. People love reading them on the bus much more than on their phones.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – Paragraph 1 states that the writer realised talented young musicians “didn’t get any attention from the regular newspapers,” so he decided to start a magazine “to interview them and review their concerts.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer explains that he was shocked because the “cost of printing high-quality colour pages was incredibly high,” making it impossible for a student to afford.
3 D – Paragraph 3 details how the writer decided to turn the next issue into “an online digital copy” and asked a local guitar shop owner to “advertise” and become a “sponsor.”
4 B – Paragraph 4 shows the writer’s realisation that “having a great idea isn’t enough; you also need a smart and sustainable business model,” which means you need a practical plan for success.
5 C – This option captures the global narrative arc: starting with the financial failure of the printed copies, making the successful switch to digital, finding a sponsor, and successfully saving the project.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Hardest Decision
I have always loved animals, so last summer, I decided to start a pet-sitting agency in my neighbourhood. I wanted to earn some extra money, and I thought it would be much more fun if I worked with my friends. I asked three of my classmates to join my new business. We printed colourful posters, put them up around the local area, and quickly found several customers who needed us to feed their cats or walk their dogs. At first, everything was going perfectly, and I felt extremely proud of my idea.
However, my confidence didn’t last very long. During our second week, I asked my closest friend, Leo, to look after a cat named Bella. Her owners were going away for the weekend, and Leo’s job was to visit Bella twice a day to give her food and water. I completely trusted him because he was usually very reliable. But on Saturday evening, I received an angry phone call from Bella’s owners. A neighbour had told them that Bella was crying loudly by the window, and nobody had been to the house all day.
I felt absolutely terrified. I ran to the house immediately, opened the door, and found Bella waiting by her empty bowl. I quickly fed her and made sure she was safe. Then, I had to call her owners to explain the situation. I apologised repeatedly, feeling incredibly embarrassed. They were very annoyed, and I had to return all the money they had paid us. I realised that my business’s reputation was suddenly in serious danger.
The next day, I had to have a very difficult conversation with Leo. He explained that he had simply forgotten about the cat because he was playing a new video game. Although he was my best friend, I knew what I had to do. I told him that he couldn’t work for my agency anymore. Telling a friend that they are fired was the hardest thing I have ever done, and it made our friendship quite awkward for a few weeks.
That stressful summer taught me a huge lesson about running a business. I learned that being the boss isn’t just about making money and having a good time with your friends. You have to take full responsibility for everything, and sometimes you have to make painful decisions to make sure the job is done properly.
1 Why did the writer start the pet-sitting agency?
(A) He wanted to teach his classmates how to care for animals.
(B) He hoped to make some extra cash during his holidays.
(C) He couldn’t find a summer job in a local pet shop.
(D) He was asked to look after animals by his neighbours.
2 What problem occurred during the second week of the business?
(A) Bella the cat escaped from her owners’ house.
(B) A neighbour refused to feed a hungry animal.
(C) The writer gave Leo the wrong instructions for the job.
(D) Leo forgot to visit a customer’s pet when he was supposed to.
3 How did the writer deal with the angry owners?
(A) He asked Leo to speak to them on the phone.
(B) He promised to buy Bella some expensive food.
(C) He returned the payment they had made for the service.
(D) He asked his neighbours to go and check on the house.
4 How did the writer feel about firing Leo?
(A) He felt it was the most difficult thing he had ever had to do.
(B) He was angry that Leo refused to apologise for his mistake.
(C) He was worried that his other friends would stop working for him.
(D) He was glad because he could keep more of the profits himself.
5 What would the writer write in his diary at the end of the summer?
(A) “My business was a great success, and I’m excited to hire more of my classmates next summer.”
(B) “I have decided to close my business because my friends are angry with me for being a strict boss.”
(C) “Being a manager isn’t just about having fun; it involves taking responsibility and making hard decisions.”
(D) “I shouldn’t have given my money back to the customers, because it wasn’t actually my mistake.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph, “last summer, I decided to start a pet-sitting agency… I wanted to earn some extra money”. This matches hoping to make some extra cash during his holidays.
2 D – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that Leo’s job was to visit Bella, but a neighbour reported that “nobody had been to the house all day.” Leo later admits he forgot. This is a factually correct paraphrase for Leo forgetting to visit a customer’s pet.
3 C – Paragraph three explains that to deal with the annoyed owners, the writer “had to return all the money they had paid us.” This maps perfectly to returning the payment they had made for the service.
4 A – The fourth paragraph states that the writer had to tell Leo he couldn’t work for him anymore, and that “Telling a friend that they are fired was the hardest thing I have ever done”. This means he felt it was the most difficult thing he had ever had to do.
5 C – This option successfully captures the global meaning and the specific lesson in the final paragraph: “I learned that being the boss isn’t just about making money… You have to take full responsibility for everything, and sometimes you have to make painful decisions”.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Digital Study Guide
My name is Mia, and I have always loved organising my schoolwork. Last year, I got a new tablet and started typing up all my class notes. I used different colours, added helpful diagrams, and made digital study guides for myself. When exam time arrived, a few of my friends saw my guides and asked if they could use them. Because I wanted to save up for a new phone, I decided to start selling copies of my notes to other classmates. I was amazed when dozens of students wanted to buy them.
For a few weeks, my small business was incredibly successful. However, the situation quickly became complicated. One afternoon, my history teacher saw a student reading my guide during a lesson. The teacher immediately confiscated it and took it to the headteacher. The next day, I was called into the school office. The headteacher told me that selling these documents was against the rules. Worse, she accused me of helping students cheat on their exams. I felt completely terrified and unfairly judged.
Despite feeling upset, I knew I had to defend myself. I calmly opened my laptop and showed the headteacher my original files. I explained my entire process, showing the dates when I created the documents and how I had rewritten the textbook information in my own words. I pointed out that my guides didn’t contain any secret test answers. They were simply a tool to help students revise more effectively. Fortunately, she listened carefully to my explanation and examined the files.
To my great relief, the headteacher finally agreed that the work was completely original and honest. In fact, she was highly impressed by the quality of my notes. Instead of punishing me, the school offered me an exciting opportunity. They asked me to stop selling the guides privately and instead work with the teachers to create official study materials for the school’s tutoring club.
I happily accepted the offer. Now, I get paid a small salary by the school, and my study guides help hundreds of younger students improve their grades. This experience taught me to stand up for myself when I know I am right. It has also made me realise that I would love to combine my business skills with a career in education in the future.
1 Why did Mia start selling her study guides?
(A) She needed extra money to buy a new tablet for school.
(B) She wanted to earn some cash to purchase a new phone.
(C) Her friends offered to pay her for drawing helpful diagrams.
(D) Her teachers asked her to share her notes with classmates.
2 How did Mia feel when she was in the headteacher’s office?
(A) Angry because her history teacher had taken her tablet away.
(B) Worried that her friends would get into trouble for cheating.
(C) Extremely scared and believed she was being treated wrongly.
(D) Embarrassed because her study guides were full of mistakes.
3 How did Mia prove that she wasn’t helping students cheat?
(A) She showed that she had written the notes using her own words.
(B) She admitted that she had copied the information from a textbook.
(C) She deleted the secret exam answers from her laptop.
(D) She promised to stop using her laptop during history lessons.
4 What happened as a result of the meeting with the headteacher?
(A) Mia was punished for selling documents at school.
(B) The headteacher told Mia to stop going to the tutoring club.
(C) The teachers asked Mia to rewrite their old history tests.
(D) Mia was given an official role creating materials for the school.
5 What would Mia write in her blog about this experience?
(A) Selling notes was a terrible mistake. I almost got kicked out of school, so I will never make study guides again.
(B) The teachers didn’t believe me at first, but proving my work was honest led to an amazing opportunity to help others.
(C) I am so glad I kept my secret exam answers hidden on my laptop. Now I can keep making money from my classmates.
(D) Working for the school’s tutoring club is okay, but I really wish I could go back to selling my notes privately for more money.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, Mia explains her motivation: “Because I wanted to save up for a new phone, I decided to start selling copies of my notes to other classmates.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, when accused of helping students cheat, Mia states, “I felt completely terrified and unfairly judged,” which matches being extremely scared and believing she was treated wrongly.
3 A – In paragraph 3, Mia defends herself by showing her original files and explaining “how I had rewritten the textbook information in my own words.”
4 D – In paragraph 4, the school offers her an exciting opportunity: they asked her to “work with the teachers to create official study materials for the school’s tutoring club,” meaning she was given an official role.
5 B – This option best captures the global meaning and Mia’s positive transformation. It reflects the initial conflict (being accused/not believed), her successful defence (proving the work was honest), and the positive outcome (helping hundreds of younger students through the official program).