Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Collections & Niche Hobbies
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The First Page
My name is Sam, and I’ve always been passionate about writing stories. Recently, I decided that my ordinary, cheap school notebooks weren’t special enough for my ideas. After watching a few online tutorials, I decided to learn the traditional craft of bookbinding. I bought some beautiful thick paper, strong thread, and a piece of soft brown leather. I imagined completing my very own handmade journal in just a single afternoon and filling it with amazing poetry.
However, the reality of bookbinding quickly proved to be completely different from what I had expected. The first step was folding the paper and punching tiny holes through the thick pages using a sharp metal tool. It was incredibly tedious, slow work that made my hands cramp. Then came the sewing. I had to push a thick needle through the tough paper to bind the loose pages together. After a few hours, my fingers were covered in small cuts and felt extremely sore. I stared at the messy pile of paper, feeling intensely frustrated and wondering why I hadn’t just bought a journal from the local shop.
Despite the physical pain and exhaustion, I stubbornly refused to quit. I took a short break, put some bandages on my fingers, and returned to my desk. I slowed down and carefully sewed the remaining pages together, making sure every stitch was as tight as possible. Finally, it was time to attach the soft brown leather cover. I carefully glued the spine and pressed the leather into place, leaving it under some heavy dictionaries overnight to dry completely.
The next morning, I eagerly lifted the dictionaries. The result was absolutely breathtaking. I held a perfectly bound, professional-looking leather journal in my hands. It smelled amazing and the pages opened smoothly. All the tedious hours and sore fingers were instantly forgotten. Touching the smooth leather cover, I realised that such a beautiful, handmade book deserved my very best work. Instead of feeling exhausted, I felt incredibly inspired to pick up my pen and start writing something truly meaningful on its first blank page.
1 Why did Sam start learning bookbinding?
(A) He wanted to write a book about traditional crafts.
(B) He needed a cheap notebook for his school homework.
(C) He wanted a unique and special place for his writing.
(D) He was asked to make a leather journal for a friend.
2 What did Sam find difficult about the bookbinding process?
(A) The leather was too soft to glue onto the spine properly.
(B) Punching holes and sewing the thick paper caused him physical pain.
(C) He couldn’t understand the online tutorials he was watching.
(D) He accidentally cut the thick paper into the wrong shapes.
3 How did Sam react to the frustration of making the book?
(A) He asked someone at a local shop to finish the sewing for him.
(B) He threw the messy pile of paper into the bin and gave up completely.
(C) He bought a new, sharper needle to make the work faster.
(D) He treated his injuries and continued working more carefully.
4 How did Sam feel when the journal was finally finished?
(A) Disappointed that the pages didn’t open smoothly.
(B) Relieved that he could finally sell it for a high price.
(C) Worried that he would ruin it by writing inside it.
(D) Proud and motivated to fill it with high-quality writing.
5 What would Sam write in a message to a friend?
(A) Making a book is easy and fast. I finished mine in a single afternoon and I’m already writing my first poem in it!
(B) I bought a beautiful leather journal from the shop today because the one I tried to make completely fell apart.
(C) My fingers hurt so much from sewing, but holding my finished handmade journal makes me want to write my best stories!
(D) Bookbinding is far too painful and tedious. Even though my book looks okay, I will never try crafting anything again.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, Sam states that “ordinary, cheap school notebooks weren’t special enough for my ideas,” so he decided to learn bookbinding to create his “very own handmade journal… and filling it with amazing poetry.” This means he wanted a unique and special place for his writing.
2 B – In paragraph 2, Sam explains that punching holes was “tedious, slow work that made my hands cramp” and sewing the tough paper left his fingers “covered in small cuts and felt extremely sore,” which maps to the process causing him physical pain.
3 D – In paragraph 3, instead of giving up, Sam “took a short break, put some bandages on my fingers [treated his injuries], and returned to my desk. I slowed down and carefully sewed the remaining pages together.”
4 D – In paragraph 4, Sam says holding the perfect journal made him feel that it “deserved my very best work” and that he felt “incredibly inspired to pick up my pen and start writing something truly meaningful,” showing he was proud and motivated.
5 C – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and Sam’s emotional journey. He acknowledges the pain of the tedious process (sore fingers/sewing) but concludes that the beautiful final product inspires him to fill it with meaningful writing.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Secret to Perfect Soap
I have always loved giving presents to my family, but last year I wanted to do something special. Instead of buying expensive items from the shopping centre, I decided to make my own gifts. I watched a fascinating video about making handmade decorative soaps. It looked incredibly fun and surprisingly easy. I thought my relatives would appreciate receiving personal gifts, so I eagerly ordered the necessary ingredients online.
When my supplies arrived, I set up a workspace in the kitchen. The recipe required mixing chemicals like lye with natural oils. Because I was so excited, I rushed through the instructions. I thought that as long as I stirred everything quickly, it would magically turn into soap. I heated my oils on the stove, poured in the lye, and waited for the mixture to become thick.
Unfortunately, my first attempt was a complete disaster. Because the oils were much too hot when I added the chemicals, the mixture reacted badly. It suddenly overheated, boiling up like a small volcano. Within seconds, a horrible, bubbling mess spilled all over the counter. I spent the next hour cleaning up the sticky liquid. I felt so frustrated that I almost threw the ingredients in the bin, thinking my new hobby was just a huge waste of money.
However, I refused to let one mistake stop me. I went back to the instructions and carefully read them again. I finally understood that making soap is like a science experiment; temperature is the most important factor. For my second attempt, I used a digital thermometer to check that the liquids were exactly the right temperature before mixing them. This time, the mixture blended beautifully. I added a few drops of lavender scent to make it smell wonderful.
The following day, I removed the hardened soap from its plastic moulds. The light purple bars looked absolutely perfect and smelled amazing. When I gave them to my family, they couldn’t believe I had made them myself! The experience taught me that creating something beautiful requires patience and accuracy. Now, I am already looking for new recipes, and I might even try selling my creations at a local market next summer.
1 Why did the writer want to make her own soap?
(A) She needed to complete a science experiment for her school.
(B) She wanted to save money on expensive gifts for her family.
(C) She planned to sell her creations at the local shopping centre.
(D) She watched a video that told her to try an unusual new hobby.
2 What mistake did the writer make during her first attempt?
(A) She didn’t pay close enough attention to the directions.
(B) She forgot to add the natural oils to the mixture.
(C) She took too long to stir the ingredients together.
(D) She used the wrong type of chemicals from the internet.
3 How did the writer feel after the mixture spilled?
(A) Amused because the hot oil looked exactly like a small volcano.
(B) Disappointed enough to consider giving up her project entirely.
(C) Upset that the sticky liquid completely ruined her plastic moulds.
(D) Relieved that she managed to clean the kitchen counter so quickly.
4 How did the writer fix her problem on the second attempt?
(A) She decided to stop using dangerous chemicals like lye.
(B) She asked a science teacher to help her mix the liquids.
(C) She changed the lavender scent to a much stronger smell.
(D) She started measuring the heat of her ingredients accurately.
5 What would the writer write in her diary today?
(A) Making soap was a disaster from start to finish. I’m glad I finally gave the gifts to my family, but I will never try it again.
(B) I can’t believe how easy it was to make my own soap! My family loved the purple bars, and I didn’t even need to read the instructions.
(C) My soap-making project started badly, but learning to be precise really paid off. Seeing my family’s reaction to their beautiful gifts was incredibly rewarding!
(D) I felt terrible when my first batch of soap boiled over. It’s a shame my family didn’t like the lavender scent I added to the second batch.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states she wanted to do something special “Instead of buying expensive items from the shopping centre, I decided to make my own gifts.”
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that she “rushed through the instructions” because she was so excited, meaning she didn’t read them carefully enough.
3 B – The third paragraph describes her reaction to the spill: “I felt so frustrated that I almost threw the ingredients in the bin,” indicating she thought about giving up.
4 D – The fourth paragraph reveals the solution was using “a digital thermometer to check that the liquids were exactly the right temperature,” showing she measured the heat accurately.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global narrative: it mentions the initial failure of the project, the realization that precision (temperature control) was necessary, and the positive outcome of giving the thoughtful gifts.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Guide to the Past
I have always been fascinated by history, but my chosen hobby is slightly unusual for a teenager. While my friends spend their weekends playing the latest video games or watching films, I collect old maps of my local area. To most people, staring at pieces of dirty, dusty paper seems like an incredibly dull way to spend free time. Even my parents used to wonder why I was wasting my pocket money on damaged documents that were over a century old. However, I soon discovered that these maps are actually full of secrets.
My true passion for cartography, which is the official word for map making and collecting, started last year. I bought a map from 1890 at a local market. At first, I just thought it would look nice in a frame on my bedroom wall. But one rainy afternoon, I spread it out on my desk and started comparing it to a modern digital map on my mobile phone. Suddenly, the old piece of paper came to life.
I was absolutely amazed by what I found. First, I noticed that the river flowing through our town used to be in a completely different position before a major flood in 1910 changed its direction. Then, I looked at the streets. The busy road where my secondary school now stands used to be just a tiny dirt path surrounded by huge farms. Many of the modern street names were completely different back then, usually named after the families who owned the land. It was like looking at a completely different world.
I started researching these changes and sharing my discoveries with my friends and teachers. To my surprise, they didn’t think it was boring at all. In fact, they were fascinated to learn what our neighbourhood looked like a hundred years ago. Now, people often ask me questions about the history of our town, and my history teacher even asked me to give a presentation to the whole class.
This hobby has completely changed how I see my hometown. I am no longer just a teenager with a weird interest; I have become a respected local geography expert. I’ve learned that old maps aren’t just dead pieces of paper. They are amazing visual stories that show exactly how our environment and society have developed over time.
1 How did people react to the writer’s hobby at first?
(A) They thought it was a very uninteresting activity.
(B) They were angry he spent his money on damaged items.
(C) They wanted to know the secrets hidden in the maps.
(D) They asked him to teach them how to collect documents.
2 What was the writer’s original intention for the 1890 map?
(A) To use it for a school history project.
(B) To compare it with the internet on his phone.
(C) To use it as a decoration in his room.
(D) To find out who used to live in his house.
3 What did the writer discover about his local area?
(A) His school was built by a famous farming family.
(B) The town’s water changed its path after a natural disaster.
(C) The modern street names are exactly the same as the old ones.
(D) The busy roads in his town have always been there.
4 How did the writer’s friends and teachers react to his research?
(A) They thought he should spend more time playing video games.
(B) They helped him buy more maps from the local market.
(C) They didn’t believe the information he was telling them.
(D) They were highly interested in the historical facts he shared.
5 What would the writer say about his hobby?
(A) “Looking at dusty paper is boring, so I prefer playing video games with my friends on weekends.”
(B) “My hobby has taught me that old maps are exciting tools that reveal the history of our living spaces.”
(C) “I have decided to stop collecting maps because it takes too much time to find the changes.”
(D) “It is annoying that my teachers make me give presentations about geography in front of my classmates.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states in the first paragraph, “To most people, staring at pieces of dirty, dusty paper seems like an incredibly dull way to spend free time.” This directly paraphrases to thinking it was a very uninteresting activity.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that when he bought the map, “At first, I just thought it would look nice in a frame on my bedroom wall.” This is a factually correct paraphrase for using it as a decoration in his room.
3 B – Paragraph three explains that he noticed “the river flowing through our town used to be in a completely different position before a major flood in 1910 changed its direction.” This maps perfectly to the town’s water changing its path after a natural disaster.
4 D – The fourth paragraph states that when he shared his discoveries, “they didn’t think it was boring at all. In fact, they were fascinated to learn what our neighbourhood looked like”. This matches being highly interested in the historical facts he shared.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global meaning and the specific lesson in the final paragraph: “I’ve learned that old maps aren’t just dead pieces of paper. They are amazing visual stories that show exactly how our environment and society have developed over time.”