Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Mental Health, Sleep & Mindfulness
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Letting Go of the Grudge
For my sixteenth birthday, my grandparents gave me a beautiful acoustic guitar. It was my most prized possession, and I spent hours in my bedroom practising chords every single evening. I had a strict rule that nobody else was allowed to touch it. However, one afternoon last month, my younger brother, Leo, went into my room to borrow a book. While reaching for the shelf, he accidentally knocked the guitar over. When I heard the loud crash, I rushed in to find the neck of the guitar completely broken. Although Leo burst into tears and apologised repeatedly, I was absolutely furious and refused to speak to him.
For the next two weeks, I held a bitter grudge against him. Whenever Leo tried to sit next to me at the dinner table or invite me to play a video game, I simply ignored him and walked away. I thought that staying angry would punish him for being so careless. But as the days passed, I realised that my resentment was actually harming me. I found it difficult to concentrate on my schoolwork, and my negative mood was making me feel constantly exhausted. The anger felt like a heavy physical weight pressing down on my chest.
Everything changed one Saturday morning. I woke up early and saw Leo sitting at the kitchen table with a tube of special wood glue and some clamps. He had been secretly saving all his pocket money to buy a professional repair kit and was desperately trying to fix the guitar himself. Seeing how miserable and guilty he looked made me pause. I suddenly asked myself why I was letting a broken wooden object destroy my relationship with my own brother. My pride had been stopping me from seeing how much he was suffering.
I walked into the kitchen, gently took the glue from his hands, and told him that I forgave him. Leo looked incredibly relieved, and immediately hugged me. As soon as I said the words, the terrible, toxic weight I had been carrying completely vanished. I felt lighter and happier than I had in weeks. We spent the rest of the morning carefully repairing the guitar together. It still has a visible scar where it broke, but it plays perfectly. More importantly, I learned that while possessions can be fixed or replaced, a family relationship is much too valuable to break over a silly grudge.
1 Why was the writer so angry with his brother in the first paragraph?
(A) Leo had borrowed the new guitar without asking permission.
(B) Leo had deliberately dropped the guitar on the bedroom floor.
(C) Leo had severely damaged an object that was very special to him.
(D) Leo refused to say sorry after the terrible accident happened.
2 How did the writer’s anger affect him?
(A) It made him want to spend more time alone in his bedroom.
(B) It caused him to experience negative mental and physical feelings.
(C) It stopped him from enjoying his favourite video games.
(D) It made him refuse to eat dinner with the rest of his family.
3 What made the writer change his mind about the situation?
(A) He noticed that his brother was trying hard to repair the damage.
(B) His parents offered to buy him a brand-new professional guitar.
(C) He discovered that the guitar wasn’t actually broken that badly.
(D) His brother finally gave him the pocket money he had been saving.
4 What did the writer realise at the end of the story?
(A) The guitar sounded much better after they repaired it together.
(B) He should have tried to fix the guitar immediately after it broke.
(C) Holding on to angry feelings is much worse than a broken possession.
(D) He should not let his younger brother into his bedroom anymore.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I still feel quite annoyed every time I see the scar on my guitar, but I guess I have to pretend to forgive Leo to keep the peace.
(B) Staying angry at Leo made me feel absolutely terrible, and forgiving him was exactly what I needed to do to feel happy again.
(C) Leo finally bought me a new guitar with his pocket money, so I decided it was time to stop ignoring him and be friends again.
(D) I feel exhausted after spending weeks trying to fix my guitar, but at least Leo helped me do it in the end.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The text explains that the guitar was his “most prized possession” and he was “absolutely furious” when he found it completely broken. Options A, B, and D are factually incorrect based on the text.
2 B – In the second paragraph, the writer states that his resentment was harming him, making it “difficult to concentrate,” feeling “constantly exhausted,” and describing the anger as a “heavy physical weight.”
3 A – The third paragraph describes the writer seeing Leo with glue and clamps, trying to fix the guitar. Seeing how miserable he was trying to fix it is what made the writer “pause” and reconsider.
4 C – In the final paragraph, the writer concludes that “while possessions can be fixed or replaced, a family relationship is much too valuable to break over a silly grudge.”
5 B – This option captures the global narrative arc: the writer’s initial toxic anger which negatively affected him, followed by the emotional relief and happiness that came from choosing to forgive his brother.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Power of a Pause
For the first few months of the autumn term, I was desperately trying to be the perfect student. I joined the school debate team, played basketball twice a week, and spent every evening preparing for my upcoming exams. Unsurprisingly, this heavy schedule quickly became too much to handle. One Tuesday afternoon, while I was sitting in my maths class, I suddenly felt completely overwhelmed. My eyes filled with tears for absolutely no reason, and my brain felt like a machine that had run out of power. I was absolutely exhausted, both physically and mentally.
When I arrived home that afternoon, I left my heavy backpack in the hallway and sat on the kitchen floor. My mum immediately saw how miserable I looked. I was terrified she would tell me to stop complaining and just finish my homework. Instead, she gently suggested that I take the next day off school. She called it a ‘mental health day’ and promised she wouldn’t ask any questions or force me to study. I felt an incredible sense of relief because I knew I was on the edge of a complete breakdown.
The following morning, I didn’t set my alarm clock. I slept until nearly midday, which was exactly what my tired body needed. When I finally woke up, I made a conscious decision to keep my smartphone switched off. I didn’t want to see messages from friends or posts about school activities. I spent the entire afternoon lying on the sofa in my pyjamas, watching old comedy films and eating my favourite snacks. By doing absolutely nothing, the dark fog in my mind slowly began to clear, and my stress disappeared.
By Thursday morning, I felt like a completely different person. Walking back through the school gates, I noticed that the problems which had seemed impossible on Tuesday now felt totally manageable. Taking just one day away from my busy routine had completely reset my brain. I used to believe that taking time off just to rest was a sign of laziness. However, this experience has taught me that stepping back and allowing yourself to recover is actually a necessary part of staying healthy and successful.
1 Why did the writer start crying in maths class?
(A) He didn’t understand the complex equations his teacher was explaining.
(B) He felt completely exhausted from his busy daily routine.
(C) He was upset because he had recently failed an important exam.
(D) He had argued with his teammates during basketball practice.
2 How did the writer’s mother react when he got home?
(A) She forced him to sit on the kitchen floor and calm down.
(B) She told him he was complaining too much about his schoolwork.
(C) She asked him lots of questions about his homework.
(D) She allowed him to take a break from school without any pressure.
3 What did the writer do on his day off?
(A) He avoided technology and allowed his mind to relax.
(B) He used his smartphone to tell his friends about his mental health day.
(C) He finally caught up on the school activities he had missed.
(D) He woke up early to watch his favourite comedy films.
4 How does the writer feel about resting now?
(A) He thinks it is only necessary if you are physically ill.
(B) He believes that it makes returning to school much harder.
(C) He understands that taking time to recover is essential.
(D) He feels lazy whenever he takes a day off from his studies.
5 What would the writer write in his diary on Wednesday evening?
(A) I still feel terrible. Missing a whole day of school means I have so much homework to catch up on tomorrow!
(B) Doing absolutely nothing today was exactly what I needed. I feel refreshed and ready to face school again tomorrow.
(C) My mum was so angry with me for staying on the sofa all day. Next time, I’ll just pretend to be physically sick.
(D) I’m going to take tomorrow off as well. Taking mental health days is a great way to avoid difficult maths exams.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer was trying to do too much (debate, basketball, exams) and that this “heavy schedule” left him “absolutely exhausted, both physically and mentally,” which caused him to feel overwhelmed and cry.
2 D – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that his mother “gently suggested that I take the next day off school” and “promised she wouldn’t ask any questions or force me to study,” showing she gave him a pressure-free break.
3 A – The third paragraph describes how the writer made a “conscious decision to keep my smartphone switched off” and spent the afternoon lying on the sofa watching films and eating, allowing his mind to clear.
4 C – In the final paragraph, the writer states that while he used to think resting was lazy, he now knows that “allowing yourself to recover is actually a necessary part of staying healthy and successful.”
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: realizing that taking a guilt-free day off to do absolutely nothing was a highly effective way to reset his brain and prepare him to return to his normal routine.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Power of Laugh Therapy
A few weeks ago, I was feeling incredibly stressed and miserable. Every time I looked at my phone, the global news seemed to be full of terrible events. On top of that, I was studying for my final exams at school and had several difficult projects to finish. I felt like a dark cloud was hanging over my head all day, and I just couldn’t find anything to be cheerful about. My parents were worried because I was usually a very happy person.
One Friday evening, I decided I couldn’t spend another weekend worrying about things I couldn’t control. I sat down on the sofa, turned on the television, and searched for something completely different to watch. Instead of the usual serious documentaries or sad dramas, I chose an hour-long show by a famous stand-up comedian. I didn’t expect much, but I hoped it might distract me from my negative thoughts for a little while.
Within the first five minutes, I was smiling. The comedian was telling ridiculous stories about his childhood and everyday life. By the middle of the show, I was laughing so hard that I could barely breathe. I laughed until my stomach actually hurt and tears were running down my face. I hadn’t laughed like that in months. My younger sister even came into the living room to see what was making so much noise!
When the show finally finished, I realised that a strange change had happened. My mind felt completely clear, and the heavy feeling in my chest had disappeared. I had recently read in a science magazine that the physical act of laughing releases chemicals in the brain called endorphins. These chemicals naturally reduce stress and make you feel happier. I definitely experienced this effect firsthand.
Now, whenever I start to feel overwhelmed by the news or my schoolwork, I know exactly what to do. I turn off the serious programmes and find something silly to watch. Taking a break to laugh doesn’t solve the world’s problems, but it washes away the gloom and gives me the positive energy I need to deal with my own life.
1 Why was the writer feeling miserable at the beginning of the text?
(A) Because her parents were complaining about her grades.
(B) Because she was stressed by the news and her schoolwork.
(C) Because she had to write a difficult project about global events.
(D) Because she couldn’t find anything entertaining on her phone.
2 Why did the writer choose to watch the stand-up comedy show?
(A) She wanted to learn how to become a famous comedian.
(B) She thought it would solve all of her personal problems.
(C) She hoped it would take her mind off her worries.
(D) She usually enjoyed watching sad dramas on Friday evenings.
3 What happened while the writer was watching the show?
(A) Her sister asked her to turn the television’s volume down.
(B) She found the comedian’s stories about childhood quite boring.
(C) She laughed so much that she experienced physical pain.
(D) She started crying because the stories were surprisingly sad.
4 What did the writer realise after the show finished?
(A) That the science magazine she read was wrong about endorphins.
(B) That laughing had produced a positive chemical reaction in her body.
(C) That she needed to read more science magazines to relax.
(D) That her chest pain was caused by breathing too quickly.
5 What would the writer say about her experience?
(A) “Comedy is a great distraction, but I think serious documentaries are much better for reducing stress.”
(B) “I recommend laughing to feel better, although it takes a long time to see any real changes in your mood.”
(C) “Laughing at silly things doesn’t fix everything, but it is a fantastic way to improve how you feel.”
(D) “I try to avoid the news completely now because watching television is the only way I can pass my exams.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the global news was “full of terrible events” and she was “studying for my final exams at school and had several difficult projects to finish,” which caused her to feel stressed and miserable.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer mentions she chose the comedy show because she “hoped it might distract me from my negative thoughts for a little while,” which paraphrases taking her mind off her worries.
3 C – Paragraph three explains that she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe and “laughed until my stomach actually hurt,” matching the idea of experiencing physical pain from laughing.
4 B – Paragraph four describes how her heavy feeling disappeared and she recalled reading that laughing releases endorphins that “naturally reduce stress and make you feel happier,” and confirms she “definitely experienced this effect firsthand.”
5 C – This option captures the global meaning and the writer’s attitude in the final paragraph. She admits that taking a break to laugh “doesn’t solve the world’s problems” (doesn’t fix everything), but it “washes away the gloom and gives me the positive energy I need” (a fantastic way to improve how you feel).