Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Music, Singing & Audio Production
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding Our Sound
Ever since we started secondary school, my two best friends and I had dreamed of starting a rock band. Last month, we finally decided to make it happen. My parents kindly agreed to let us use our empty garage for our practice sessions. We spent a whole weekend clearing out old boxes and setting up our instruments: a drum kit, an electric guitar, and a bass. When we finally plugged everything in, we were incredibly excited and convinced we were going to be famous within a year.
However, our excitement disappeared as soon as we played our first song. The acoustics in the garage were absolutely terrible. Because the walls were bare concrete, the sound bounced everywhere and created a huge, confusing noise. My friend Leo hit the drums as hard as he could, and I turned my guitar amplifier up to maximum volume so I could hear myself. It was so painfully loud that our ears were ringing, and we couldn’t even hear our singer, Sam, at all. It just sounded like a terrible mess instead of music.
We realised that if we wanted to sound good, we needed to make some serious changes. First, we went into the house and borrowed a pile of old pillows and blankets. We placed them carefully inside the drums to muffle the sound and make them quieter. Then, we made a strict rule about the amplifiers: nobody was allowed to turn their volume above halfway. It felt strange to play more quietly, but we knew we had to try something different if we wanted to improve.
When we started playing our favourite song again, the difference was truly amazing. Because the drums weren’t crashing so loudly and the guitars were turned down, the sound was clear. For the first time, we could actually hear the melody and follow Sam’s voice. We weren’t just making a horrible noise anymore; we were playing together as a team. As we finished the final chorus, we looked at each other and smiled. In that moment, we finally sounded like a real band.
We still practise in that garage every Friday evening. We have even written a few of our own original songs. Although we know we aren’t ready to play a live concert just yet, we are having a fantastic time learning and playing together.
1 How did the writer feel when they first set up the garage?
(A) He believed they would quickly become a successful band.
(B) He was worried his parents would complain about the noise.
(C) He was disappointed they had to spend the weekend cleaning.
(D) He thought the garage was too small for all their instruments.
2 What was the main problem during their first practice session?
(A) Leo broke the drums by hitting them too hard.
(B) They couldn’t hear the singer over the loud noise.
(C) The guitar amplifier stopped working correctly.
(D) They didn’t know how to play the song properly.
3 What did the band do to improve their sound?
(A) They bought new equipment to make the instruments quieter.
(B) They asked someone to teach them how to play quietly.
(C) They used household items to reduce the noise of the drums.
(D) They moved the amplifiers to a different part of the garage.
4 When the band played the song a second time, the writer
(A) realised they needed to practise more before playing together.
(B) was surprised by how much better they sounded as a group.
(C) felt disappointed that the guitars were too quiet.
(D) decided they were ready to play their first live concert.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about the band?
(A) Starting a band is easy, but you need an expensive studio if you want to sound like a professional group.
(B) I’m so annoyed with my friends. They play too loudly and refuse to turn their instruments down when I ask them to.
(C) We had a difficult start, but fixing our sound issues has helped us actually play together. I’m so proud of us!
(D) We sounded amazing from the very first day, and I can’t wait to invite people to watch us perform live next week.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states that when they plugged everything in, they were “convinced we were going to be famous within a year.”
2 B – The text explains that the noise was so loud “we couldn’t even hear our singer, Sam, at all.”
3 C – The text mentions that they “went into the house and borrowed a pile of old pillows and blankets” and placed them inside the drums to muffle the sound.
4 B – The writer says the difference was “truly amazing” and notes that they “looked at each other and smiled” because they “finally sounded like a real band,” indicating pleasant surprise at their group improvement.
5 C – This captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: they started with terrible, loud acoustics, solved the problem by lowering the volume and muffling the drums, and are now very happy with how they play together as a real band.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Ukulele Journey
During the school holidays, I noticed a huge trend online. Everyone seemed to be playing the ukulele. In the videos, people were singing happily while strumming this tiny instrument, and they made it look incredibly easy. I had never learned to play a musical instrument before, but I thought this would be the perfect starting point. I went to a local music shop and bought a bright blue, inexpensive ukulele. I honestly believed I would be playing my favourite songs by the end of the afternoon.
However, my excitement disappeared as soon as I got home. I took the ukulele out of its box, held it like I had seen in the videos, and strummed the strings. Instead of a sweet, cheerful sound, it produced a horrible noise. I tried again, but it sounded completely wrong. For a brief moment, I felt very disappointed and wondered if the shop had sold me a broken instrument. Then, my older sister pointed out that the strings were just completely out of tune.
I quickly realised that even though the ukulele looked like a simple toy, it was a real instrument that required proper care. I found a free app on my smartphone to help me tune the strings correctly. Once the instrument finally sounded right, I started watching online tutorials for beginners. I focused on learning just four basic chords. At first, it was quite uncomfortable, and my fingers felt sore from pressing down on the narrow strings. But I refused to give up and practised every evening.
After a couple of weeks, something amazing happened. I discovered that with those four simple chords, I could actually play hundreds of popular pop songs. It felt like a secret door to the world of music had suddenly opened for me. Now, I regularly bring my ukulele to the park to play with my friends. We sing along together, and it brings us all so much joy. I’m not a professional musician yet, but I have learned that with a little patience, you can create something beautiful from a very simple start.
1 Why did the writer buy a ukulele?
(A) He wanted to learn a complicated new instrument.
(B) He saw videos that made it seem very simple to play.
(C) He needed a musical instrument for a school project.
(D) His friends suggested it would be a cheap hobby.
2 What happened when the writer first tried to play the ukulele?
(A) He discovered that the music shop had sold him a broken one.
(B) He realised it sounded bad because he was holding it wrongly.
(C) He felt upset because it made an unpleasant noise.
(D) He was surprised by how sweet and cheerful it sounded.
3 How did the writer deal with the challenge of learning the instrument?
(A) He asked his sister to teach him how to play four basic chords.
(B) He stopped playing for a while because his fingers were in pain.
(C) He paid for online tutorials to help him understand the ukulele.
(D) He used technology to fix the sound and practised regularly.
4 What does the writer say about his experience now?
(A) He feels proud that he can play complicated classical music.
(B) He is amazed by how many songs he can play with little knowledge.
(C) He intends to become a professional musician in the near future.
(D) He prefers playing the ukulele alone in his bedroom.
5 What would the writer say in his blog about his ukulele?
(A) “Buying a cheap ukulele was a huge mistake. Next time, I will save up for a proper guitar so I can play my favourite pop songs.”
(B) “I thought playing the ukulele would be effortless, but I had to work through some initial problems to finally enjoy making music.”
(C) “The ukulele is just a toy, and although it’s easy to play right out of the box, you can’t really play modern pop songs on it.”
(D) “I’ve only learned four chords, which isn’t enough to play anything good, but I hope my friends will teach me more in the park.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer saw people playing the ukulele in videos and “they made it look incredibly easy,” which motivated him to buy one.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that his excitement disappeared and he felt “very disappointed” because the instrument produced a “horrible noise” instead of a sweet sound.
3 D – The third paragraph mentions that he used a “free app on my smartphone to help me tune” (used technology) and “practised every evening” despite his fingers being sore.
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the writer is amazed that “with those four simple chords, I could actually play hundreds of popular pop songs.”
5 B – This option captures the global narrative: the writer started with the belief that it would be easy, faced the challenge of a badly tuned instrument and sore fingers, but ultimately succeeded and found joy in playing.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Science of Sound
Ever since I started listening to electronic movie soundtracks, I’ve wanted to create my own music. Last month, after saving up for a whole year, I finally bought my first real analog synthesizer. When I took it out of the box, it looked amazing. It was heavy, made of metal, and covered in dozens of black knobs and switches. I couldn’t wait to plug it in and start making professional-sounding tracks immediately.
However, my excitement didn’t last long. Without looking at any instructions, I turned it on and started twisting the knobs as fast as I could. Instead of beautiful music, the machine produced terrible, harsh, squealing noises. It was so loud and painful that my dog actually ran out of the bedroom! I felt incredibly disappointed. I started to worry that either the expensive machine was broken, or I simply didn’t have any musical talent at all.
I realized I couldn’t just guess what to do, so I decided to sit down and read the manual. To my surprise, it wasn’t just about how to turn the machine on. It explained the actual science of sound. I learned how different shapes of sound, called waveforms, create completely different tones. For example, a square wave sounds buzzy, while a triangle wave is much softer. It felt like a fascinating mix of physics and art.
Armed with this new knowledge, I turned the synthesizer back on and tried again slowly. First, I selected a soft wave shape. Then, I used a filter knob to remove all the harsh, high noises that had hurt my ears before. Finally, I added a special effect to make the notes echo, as if I were playing inside a huge, empty church. Slowly, a warm, cinematic soundscape filled my bedroom.
I sat back and listened to the beautiful atmosphere I had just created. It was exactly what I had imagined when I bought the synthesizer. I now understand that sound design isn’t just about randomly pressing buttons and hoping for the best. You need patience and a basic understanding of how sound actually works. I am so glad I didn’t give up when it seemed too difficult.
1 How did the writer feel when he first unpacked his synthesizer?
(A) He was impatient to learn how to use the switches.
(B) He was worried that it was too heavy to carry.
(C) He was eager to begin producing high-quality music.
(D) He was surprised by how much the machine cost.
2 Why did the writer’s dog run out of the bedroom?
(A) The synthesizer was playing a very fast rhythm.
(B) The writer was shouting because he was disappointed.
(C) The machine was making extremely unpleasant sounds.
(D) The writer dropped the heavy metal machine on the floor.
3 What did the writer discover when he read the manual?
(A) It was missing some important instructions.
(B) It contained interesting scientific facts about sound.
(C) It showed him how to fix his broken machine.
(D) It was too complicated to understand without a teacher.
4 What did the writer do to create his cinematic soundscape?
(A) He played his music inside a large, empty church.
(B) He combined several different wave shapes together.
(C) He used a filter to make the high notes much louder.
(D) He chose a gentle tone and used an echo effect.
5 What would the writer write in a forum for beginner musicians?
(A) Don’t waste your money on expensive analog synthesizers; they are mostly broken when you buy them.
(B) Making electronic music takes time and knowledge, but creating your own sounds is totally worth the effort.
(C) If you want to make great soundtracks, the best way to learn is by twisting knobs randomly until it sounds good.
(D) Reading manuals is boring, so you should just focus on your artistic feelings when making music.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The text states that the writer “couldn’t wait to plug it in and start making professional-sounding tracks immediately,” which matches being eager to produce high-quality music.
2 C – The writer says the machine “produced terrible, harsh, squealing noises” that were “loud and painful,” which paraphrases making extremely unpleasant sounds.
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer explains that the manual “explained the actual science of sound” and taught him about physics and waveforms, meaning it contained interesting scientific facts.
4 D – The writer explains that he “selected a soft wave shape” (gentle tone) and “added a special effect to make the notes echo,” which matches option D. He wasn’t actually in a church, just simulating the sound.
5 B – This captures the global meaning and the writer’s final reflection. In the last paragraph, he states that sound design requires “patience and a basic understanding” (knowledge/time) but he is “so glad I didn’t give up” because he created a “beautiful atmosphere” (worth the effort).