Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Collections & Niche Hobbies
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Sweet Smell of Success
I have always loved smelling nice, but I never enjoyed buying perfumes from big department stores. They are often incredibly expensive, and I noticed that my friends and I were all starting to smell exactly the same. Because I wanted a truly unique signature scent, I decided to try making my own perfume at home. I saved my pocket money and bought a beginner’s kit online, which included small bottles of various essential oils. I couldn’t wait to start my new creative hobby.
When the kit arrived, I immediately opened all the bottles. I picked out my absolute favourite smells, like sweet vanilla, strong rose, and sharp peppermint. Without reading the instructions, I simply poured large amounts of each oil into a glass bottle and mixed them together. I expected it to smell like a beautiful summer garden. Instead, the smell was absolutely terrible and so strong that it immediately gave me a painful headache. I actually had to open all my bedroom windows and wash my hands several times to get rid of the awful smell.
I felt very disappointed, but I refused to give up. I decided to spend the whole weekend reading the instruction book that came with the kit. I discovered that making a good fragrance isn’t just about mixing nice smells together. It is actually a careful science. I learned about the three different layers of a perfume: top, heart, and base notes. The top notes are what you smell first, the heart notes provide the main character, and the base notes last the longest. I realised that I had to balance these three layers perfectly to make something beautiful.
Armed with my new knowledge, I washed out my glass bottle and tried again. This time, I was extremely patient. I carefully counted out just a few drops of light lemon for the top, some soft lavender for the heart, and a tiny bit of warm wood for the base. The result was a delicate, attractive fragrance that was completely unique. When I wore it to school the next day, several friends asked me where I had bought it. The experience taught me that creating something beautiful requires patience, knowledge, and a gentle touch.
1 Why did the writer decide to make her own perfume?
(A) She couldn’t afford to buy perfumes from department stores anymore.
(B) She wanted to have a fragrance that no one else had.
(C) She was given a beginner’s kit as a birthday present.
(D) She wanted to start selling a new product to her friends.
2 What happened when the writer made her first perfume?
(A) She dropped the glass bottle and made a terrible mess in her bedroom.
(B) She accidentally poured all the essential oils away while washing her hands.
(C) She created a mixture that made her feel physically unwell.
(D) She followed the instructions but the smell was far too weak.
3 What did the writer learn from reading the instruction book?
(A) A successful perfume requires a specific combination of different parts.
(B) Heart notes are the most expensive oils to buy in the shops.
(C) Making a fragrance is much easier than people think it is.
(D) You should always use exactly the same amount of every oil.
4 How did the writer feel about her second attempt?
(A) Annoyed because nobody noticed her new perfume at school.
(B) Delighted because her friends wanted to buy some from her.
(C) Proud because she successfully made an original and pleasant scent.
(D) Worried that she had used far too much lemon and lavender.
5 What would the writer write in her diary about her experience?
(A) “I’ve learned that making perfume is just too difficult, so I’m going to go back to buying it from the shops.”
(B) “It is a shame my friends didn’t like my perfume, but I will keep trying different recipes until they do.”
(C) “I’m glad I didn’t waste time reading the instructions, because guessing the amounts is the most fun part.”
(D) “My first attempt was a disaster, but studying how fragrances work helped me create something really special.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph, “Because I wanted a truly unique signature scent, I decided to try making my own perfume at home.” This directly paraphrases to wanting a fragrance that no one else had.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that the smell of her first mixture was terrible and “so strong that it immediately gave me a painful headache.” This is a factually correct paraphrase for making her feel physically unwell.
3 A – Paragraph three explains that she learned about the three different layers (top, heart, base) and realised she “had to balance these three layers perfectly.” This maps perfectly to requiring a specific combination of different parts.
4 C – The fourth paragraph states that the result was a “delicate, attractive fragrance that was completely unique” and that friends asked where she bought it, teaching her a positive lesson. This matches feeling proud because she made an original and pleasant scent.
5 D – This option successfully captures the global meaning and the emotional arc of the text: starting with a terrible mistake that caused a headache, learning the science behind the notes, and successfully crafting a beautiful, subtle fragrance.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Magic of Vinyl Records
I have loved music for as long as I can remember. Like most teenagers, I used to listen to all my favourite songs on streaming apps on my smartphone. It was very easy and I had millions of tracks right in my pocket. However, my listening habits completely changed last year when my uncle gave me his old record player and a small box of vinyl records. Holding the large, thick cardboard covers in my hands felt so much better than just tapping a tiny digital picture on a screen. I set the player up on my desk and decided to start my own vinyl collection.
I quickly discovered that collecting and playing records can be quite inconvenient. You can’t just press a button to shuffle your playlist or skip a song you don’t like. You even have to stand up and turn the record over halfway through the album! Also, if you aren’t careful, the delicate surface scratches easily. Once a vinyl record is damaged, the music jumps and it never sounds the same again. It definitely requires a lot of patience and care to keep everything in perfect condition.
Despite these daily difficulties, I completely fell in love with the whole process. With digital streaming, music was usually just background noise while I was doing my schoolwork or chatting with friends online. Playing a record is a completely different experience. The physical act of taking the disc out of its sleeve and carefully placing the needle onto the spinning black circle turns listening into a mindful ritual. I actually sit down on my bed, read the printed lyrics, and give the music my full attention.
My collection is growing slowly because I have to save up my pocket money to buy new albums from the local record shop. At first, some of my friends thought it was a very strange hobby. They couldn’t understand why I would pay for something I could listen to for free. But when they come over to my house now, they love choosing a record and looking at the huge artwork. Collecting vinyl has taught me to truly appreciate music, and I wouldn’t trade my records for anything.
1 Why did the writer decide to start collecting vinyl records?
(A) He wanted to save space on his smartphone.
(B) He preferred the physical feeling of the large albums.
(C) His uncle told him that streaming apps were bad.
(D) He wanted to be able to listen to music for free.
2 What does the writer find annoying about vinyl records?
(A) They can be easily ruined if you don’t look after them.
(B) It is difficult to find replacement needles for the player.
(C) You cannot play a whole album from the beginning to the end.
(D) They are too heavy to carry to a friend’s house.
3 How has playing records changed the way the writer listens to music?
(A) He now listens to music while doing his schoolwork.
(B) He no longer talks to his friends about his favourite songs.
(C) He pays much closer attention to the songs he is playing.
(D) He prefers to leave the music on as background noise.
4 What do the writer’s friends think about his hobby now?
(A) They think he spends too much of his pocket money on it.
(B) They still believe it is a strange thing for a teenager to do.
(C) They prefer to buy their own records from the local shop.
(D) They really enjoy the experience of selecting albums to play.
5 What would the writer write in his blog about his hobby?
(A) Records are so inconvenient to use. I think I am going to sell my collection and go back to streaming apps soon.
(B) Although it takes more effort and money, collecting records has made me appreciate the experience of listening to music again.
(C) I wish my friends would stop telling me my hobby is weird. It makes me want to stop inviting them over to my house.
(D) My uncle gave me a great record player, but I haven’t bought any new music because it costs too much at the local shop.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states that “holding the large, thick cardboard covers in my hands felt so much better than just tapping a tiny digital picture,” which explains his preference for the physical feeling.
2 A – The writer explains that “if you aren’t careful, the delicate surface scratches easily,” and that “once a vinyl record is damaged, the music jumps and it never sounds the same again.”
3 C – The text mentions that instead of just having music as background noise, he now sits down and will “give the music my full attention.”
4 D – Although they thought it was strange at first, paragraph 4 says that when friends come over now, “they love choosing a record and looking at the huge artwork.”
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and emotional journey of the text: recognizing the inconvenience and cost of vinyl records, but concluding that the mindful, physical ritual makes the music much more meaningful.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Magic in My Hands
My name is Toby, and I recently discovered a fascinating new hobby called cardistry. If you don’t know what that is, it involves performing visual tricks and creative movements with a normal deck of playing cards. A few months ago, I was watching some videos online when I saw a teenager making cards fly from one hand to the other. It looked absolutely incredible. I wanted to be able to do something that cool to amaze my friends at school, so I immediately bought a good pack of cards and started practicing.
However, I quickly realised that cardistry is much harder than it looks on a computer screen. During my first week, I tried to learn a basic movement called a ‘cut’, where you mix the cards in a stylish way. Unfortunately, my hands were too clumsy. Again and again, I lost control, and all 52 cards went flying across the living room floor. Picking them up for the hundredth time felt incredibly humiliating, especially when my younger sister laughed at my terrible efforts. I felt so annoyed that I almost threw the cards in the bin.
Despite my frustration, I refused to give up. I decided to focus all my attention on mastering just one famous trick called the ‘spring’. This is when you bend the deck and shoot the cards in a long continuous line into your other hand. For several weeks, I practised every single evening. At first, my fingers ached because the movements required muscles I wasn’t used to using. But slowly, my hand dexterity improved. One rainy Saturday afternoon, I finally managed to do a perfect spring without dropping a single card. I was absolutely thrilled!
That evening, I showed my new skill to my parents and sister after dinner. I took a deep breath, bent the deck, and let the cards spring perfectly between my hands. My family was amazed and clapped loudly. Learning cardistry has taught me that you shouldn’t quit just because you make mistakes at the beginning. It takes a lot of time and patience to train your hands, but the feeling of performing a perfect trick is definitely worth all the hard work.
1 Why did Toby decide to start doing cardistry?
(A) He wanted to perform tricks to impress his classmates.
(B) He wanted to make his own online videos about cards.
(C) He needed a new hobby that was cheap to start.
(D) He was asked to learn it by another teenager.
2 What did Toby find most difficult about his first week?
(A) His younger sister kept taking his cards away.
(B) The cards he bought were too big for his hands.
(C) He felt embarrassed because he kept dropping the whole deck.
(D) He couldn’t understand the instructions for the ‘cut’ movement.
3 What does Toby say about learning the ‘spring’ trick?
(A) He managed to do it perfectly on his very first try.
(B) It caused him some physical pain in his fingers at first.
(C) It was much easier to learn than the basic ‘cut’ movement.
(D) He was forced to practice it outside on a rainy day.
4 How does Toby feel about his hobby now?
(A) He hopes to start performing in professional magic shows.
(B) He is annoyed that it takes so much time to learn new things.
(C) He thinks his tricks are still too difficult to show his family.
(D) He is pleased that he didn’t stop trying when things were hard.
5 What would Toby write in a text message to a friend about cardistry?
(A) It’s a great hobby, but you have to be ready for the frustration of picking up dropped cards while you are learning!
(B) I finally showed my family my card tricks, but they just laughed at me, so I think I will stop practicing.
(C) Cardistry is so easy to learn! I mastered the ‘spring’ in just a few days without dropping any cards on the floor.
(D) I bought a special deck of cards today, and I am going to make an online video to teach people how to do tricks.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In paragraph 1, Toby says, “I wanted to be able to do something that cool to amaze my friends at school,” which paraphrases as wanting to perform tricks to impress his classmates.
2 C – In paragraph 2, Toby explains that he lost control, dropped all 52 cards, and says, “Picking them up for the hundredth time felt incredibly humiliating,” matching the feeling of embarrassment from repeatedly dropping the deck.
3 B – In paragraph 3, Toby states that when practicing the ‘spring’, “At first, my fingers ached because the movements required muscles I wasn’t used to using,” meaning it caused physical pain in his fingers.
4 D – In paragraph 4, Toby concludes that “Learning cardistry has taught me that you shouldn’t quit just because you make mistakes at the beginning,” showing he is pleased he didn’t give up.
5 A – This option best captures the global meaning and Toby’s journey in the text. It acknowledges the main struggle (the frustration of dropping cards) but maintains his overall positive view of the hobby as a great activity that requires patience and hard work.