Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Visual Arts, Crafts & Making Things
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Art of the Stone
I’ve always enjoyed art, especially sketching portraits with pencils, but recently I felt like I needed a new challenge. I wanted to create something three-dimensional. While looking online for ideas, I noticed an advertisement for a classical stone sculpting class at our local art centre. It sounded quite unusual for someone my age, as most of my friends were into digital art. However, the idea of working with real stone fascinated me, so I decided to spend my weekend savings and sign up for the beginner’s course.
When I arrived for my first lesson, the teacher handed me a heavy, square block of white marble. I quickly realised that sculpting stone was completely different from working with soft clay. I was given a heavy metal hammer and a sharp tool called a chisel. For the first few hours, I had to hit the hard stone just to knock off the rough corners. The physical effort was exhausting, and my arms ached terribly. Worse still, a thick cloud of white dust quickly covered my hair, my clothes, and the entire studio.
By the end of the second week, I was feeling rather frustrated. I had only managed to make a basic shape, and it looked nothing like the human face I was trying to create. I almost decided to quit. Fortunately, my teacher noticed my disappointment. He explained that stone carving is about patience and that I shouldn’t try to force the marble. He told me to imagine the face was already hidden inside the block, waiting for me to carefully uncover it.
Following his advice, I stopped hitting the stone so hard and began making smaller, gentler cuts. Over the next month, the rough rock slowly changed into a smooth, recognisable face. When I finally spent an afternoon polishing the surface, the marble felt like cool glass. Looking at my finished piece, I felt an incredible sense of achievement. I actually felt like a famous Renaissance artist from hundreds of years ago! Although it was the dirtiest and most difficult hobby I have ever tried, I am already sketching designs for my next marble sculpture.
1 Why did the writer join the sculpting class?
(A) He wanted to improve his digital art skills.
(B) He was looking for a three-dimensional artistic challenge.
(C) His friends invited him to spend the weekend at the art centre.
(D) He needed to use up the soft clay he had bought online.
2 What did the writer find difficult about his first lesson?
(A) He didn’t know how to clean the dusty studio.
(B) The tools he was given were too dangerous for beginners.
(C) The physical work of shaping the hard material made him tired.
(D) The block of marble was too heavy for him to carry inside.
3 What made the writer change his mind about quitting?
(A) His teacher helped him understand the correct way to approach the work.
(B) He successfully created a perfect human face by the second week.
(C) His teacher offered to finish the basic shape of the face for him.
(D) He realised he couldn’t get a refund for the expensive class.
4 How did the writer feel at the end of the course?
(A) Disappointed that the marble face looked like cool glass.
(B) Proud because he had created something through hard work and patience.
(C) Annoyed that the hobby was so dirty and difficult to do.
(D) Relieved that he wouldn’t have to work with stone anymore.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I can’t believe how messy my clothes got today! I enjoyed the class at first, but stone carving is simply too exhausting for me to continue.
(B) Shaping soft clay is definitely better than hitting hard marble. Next time, I will join my friends in their digital art lessons instead.
(C) Making a human face out of stone was incredibly tough and dusty. However, slowly revealing the smooth sculpture made the hard work completely worthwhile!
(D) My teacher was wrong to say the face was already inside the stone. I had to hit it extremely hard for months to make it look like a Renaissance sculpture.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states he “needed a new challenge” and “wanted to create something three-dimensional,” which matches option B.
2 C – The second paragraph describes how he had to “hit the hard stone” and that “The physical effort was exhausting, and my arms ached terribly,” meaning the work made him tired.
3 A – The third paragraph explains that the writer almost quit, but his teacher gave him advice about having patience and how to imagine the face inside the stone, changing his perspective.
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the writer mentions feeling “an incredible sense of achievement” and feeling “like a famous Renaissance artist” after polishing the smooth face.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global narrative: it acknowledges the physical difficulty and the dust from the earlier paragraphs, but highlights the ultimate feeling of reward and pride in completing the sculpture.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My First Silver Ring
I’ve always loved wearing rings and necklaces, but I never imagined I could actually create them myself. Most of my friends buy their accessories from fashion stores, but I wanted something special. Last month, I decided to spend my saved-up pocket money on a silversmithing course at a local arts centre. I wanted to try something completely different from my usual hobbies, like painting. The teacher, a professional jeweller named Mark, told us we were going to make a silver ring from scratch. I was thrilled at the idea of wearing a piece of jewellery that nobody else had.
During the first lesson, Mark introduced us to the tools. The most frightening one was the blowtorch, which produces a very hot flame to heat and shape the metal. At first, holding it made my hands shake slightly. I’ve always been a careful person, but handling fire felt quite dangerous. Mark explained that silver is a beautiful metal to work with, but you have to be incredibly precise. If you hold the flame on the silver for just a few seconds too long, it can completely destroy your work. He warned us that every beginner makes mistakes.
Unfortunately, I soon discovered exactly what he meant. In my second class, I was trying to join the two ends of my silver band together. I was so focused on making the join look perfect that I didn’t pay enough attention to the temperature. Suddenly, the bright silver band became too soft and melted right in front of my eyes. It lost its round shape entirely and turned into a ruined, useless lump of metal. I felt so frustrated that I almost walked out of the classroom, thinking I wasn’t talented enough for this craft.
However, Mark kindly gave me a fresh piece of silver and advised me to watch the colour of the metal carefully. I took a deep breath and tried again. This time, I managed to control the heat perfectly. The metal glowed a beautiful pale red colour, and the two ends connected smoothly. In my final class, I even managed to set a beautiful blue stone into the ring. Learning this highly specialised skill taught me that patience is essential, and I wear my handmade ring with enormous pride every single day.
1 Why did the writer take the silversmithing course?
(A) She wanted to make jewellery for her friends.
(B) She was bored with her usual painting classes.
(C) She wanted to own a unique accessory.
(D) She wanted to become a professional jeweller.
2 How did the writer feel about using the blowtorch?
(A) Annoyed because it was difficult to turn on.
(B) Nervous about working with such a hot flame.
(C) Surprised that it could destroy the metal so quickly.
(D) Confident because she is generally a careful person.
3 What caused the writer’s first silver ring to melt?
(A) She didn’t notice how hot the metal was getting.
(B) She was trying to change the shape of the band.
(C) She dropped the lump of metal on the floor.
(D) She was distracted by someone walking out of the room.
4 On her second attempt, the writer
(A) asked Mark to connect the two ends of the ring for her.
(B) chose to use a different, paler type of silver.
(C) successfully used a stone to control the temperature.
(D) managed the equipment well enough to fix the ring together.
5 What would the writer write in a blog post about her new hobby?
(A) Silversmithing is incredibly dangerous. I ruined my first ring and I think I will just buy my jewellery from the shops from now on.
(B) Although I had a difficult and frustrating start, learning to carefully control the tools allowed me to create something I am very proud of.
(C) I recommend silversmithing to everyone because it is a very fast and simple craft. You can make a ring with a stone in just one hour!
(D) My teacher Mark is amazing. He made a beautiful silver ring for me when I couldn’t figure out how to use the blowtorch properly.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer was “thrilled at the idea of wearing a piece of jewellery that nobody else had,” which means she wanted to own a unique accessory.
2 B – The second paragraph describes the blowtorch as “frightening,” states that holding it made her “hands shake slightly,” and that handling fire “felt quite dangerous,” reflecting her nervousness.
3 A – The third paragraph explains that the writer “didn’t pay enough attention to the temperature” while trying to join the ring, which caused the metal to melt.
4 D – The fourth paragraph details how she “managed to control the heat perfectly” so that the “two ends connected smoothly,” meaning she used the equipment well enough to fix the ring together.
5 B – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the passage: acknowledging the initial frustrating failure of melting the silver, but concluding that mastering the tools resulted in a handmade ring she wears with enormous pride.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My unexpected new hobby
For the past few months, I have been studying non-stop for my school exams. I was feeling incredibly stressed and found it impossible to relax, even on the weekends. Seeing how exhausted I was, my grandmother handed me a small bag one afternoon. Inside was a cross-stitch kit. She explained that it was a type of embroidery where you sew tiny cross shapes to create a picture. Honestly, I thought it sounded like a very outdated hobby meant only for grandmothers. However, I didn’t want to upset her, so I politely agreed to give it a try.
The kit included some white fabric covered in tiny holes, colourful threads, and a pattern of a small fox. Getting started was actually quite frustrating. I struggled to push the thread through the tiny eye of the needle, and my first few stitches were completely messy. I also had to keep looking at the paper pattern to check which colour to use next. For the first twenty minutes, I wondered why anyone would choose to do something so boring in their free time.
But then, something surprising happened. As I got used to the movements, I found a rhythm. One, two, three stitches in red, then change to orange. The constant counting of the tiny squares and the repetitive motion of pulling the needle through the fabric took all my attention. Without realising it, my mind completely cleared. For the first time in weeks, I wasn’t worrying about my maths test or my history essay. The activity had become highly meditative, and my breathing slowed down. All my exam anxiety simply disappeared.
By the end of the weekend, I had finished the little fox picture. I felt an amazing sense of achievement when I looked at my colourful creation. I immediately called my grandmother to apologise for doubting her and to ask if she had any more patterns. I’ve realised that cross-stitch isn’t just an old-fashioned activity; it is a fantastic way to look after your mental health. I am already planning to start a much larger landscape design, which will definitely help me stay calm until my exams are finally over.
1 How did the writer feel when she first received the cross-stitch kit?
(A) She was excited to learn a skill that her grandmother enjoyed.
(B) She thought it was an old-fashioned activity that wouldn’t suit her.
(C) She was annoyed because she needed the time to study for her exams.
(D) She felt worried because she had no idea how to sew a picture.
2 What did the writer find difficult when she began the activity?
(A) Making the tiny holes in the white fabric.
(B) Finding the right colours of thread in the bag.
(C) Getting the needle ready and following the instructions.
(D) Repairing the messy stitches she had accidentally made.
3 Why did the writer’s attitude towards the hobby change?
(A) She realised the tiny squares were easier to count than she thought.
(B) The repeated actions helped her forget about her schoolwork.
(C) She discovered she was naturally very talented at sewing foxes.
(D) She liked the fact that she could study and sew at the same time.
4 How does the writer feel about cross-stitch now?
(A) She believes it is the best way to spend time with her grandmother.
(B) She is looking forward to making something bigger to keep her relaxed.
(C) She wishes she had finished the small fox picture much faster.
(D) She feels proud that she has invented a modern style of embroidery.
5 What would the writer write in her diary?
(A) My grandmother gave me a sewing kit today. I think I will give it back to her because I really need to focus on passing my exams.
(B) I spent hours sewing a fox this weekend, but I just couldn’t get the pattern right. It made me feel even more stressed out!
(C) Who knew counting little squares could be so relaxing? I thought embroidery was just for older people, but it’s actually cured my exam stress!
(D) I finally finished the fox picture for my grandmother’s birthday. I hope she likes it, as I don’t plan on ever doing this hobby again.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer says, “Honestly, I thought it sounded like a very outdated hobby meant only for grandmothers.”
2 C – In the second paragraph, she explains that she “struggled to push the thread through the tiny eye of the needle” and “had to keep looking at the paper pattern to check which colour to use”.
3 B – In the third paragraph, the writer notes that the “repetitive motion” took all her attention and her “mind completely cleared,” meaning she “wasn’t worrying about my maths test”.
4 B – In the final paragraph, she states, “I am already planning to start a much larger landscape design, which will definitely help me stay calm”.
5 C – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and emotional shift of the text: moving from her initial prejudice (that it was for old people) to the surprising meditative benefit of counting squares and relieving her exam anxiety.