Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Impact of Tech & Social Media
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The “Perfect Image” Illusion
I used to spend hours scrolling through social media every evening. I followed dozens of famous influencers, and every single one of them seemed to have flawless skin, perfect hair, and an amazing lifestyle. Although I knew people only posted their best moments, I couldn’t stop comparing myself to them. Looking in the mirror, I often felt disappointed with my completely ordinary appearance. I wondered why I couldn’t look like the girls on my screen.
One weekend, I decided to do an experiment. I thought that if I could recreate just one of those perfect photos, I might feel more confident. I chose a picture of my favourite influencer looking effortlessly beautiful in her bedroom. I figured it wouldn’t be too difficult. I just needed to put on a nice outfit, smile nicely, and take a quick selfie on my phone.
However, I soon discovered that taking a “simple” photo was actually exhausting hard work. First, I spent over an hour doing my makeup. Then, I realised that the lighting in my room was terrible. I had to carry three different lamps from around the house and place them around my bed to get that bright, glowing effect. After taking nearly a hundred pictures, my arms ached and I felt frustrated. Not a single photo looked as flawless as the influencer’s post.
Determined not to give up, I searched online for advice and found a popular photo-editing app that many celebrities use. I downloaded it and started exploring the tools. In just a few minutes, I was able to smooth out my skin, change the shape of my nose, and make my eyes look bigger. I had successfully created the “perfect” image. But as I stared at the screen, I felt strange. The girl looking back at me was beautiful, but she definitely wasn’t me.
That moment changed everything. I suddenly understood that the flawless people I saw online probably didn’t look like their pictures either. It was all just a clever illusion made with bright lights, heavy makeup, and clever software. I laughed, deleted the fake picture, and removed the app from my phone. I finally realised that there was nothing wrong with my natural face, and I haven’t worried about comparing myself to internet models since that day.
1 How did the writer feel when looking at social media?
(A) She wished she had the same expensive lifestyle as the influencers.
(B) She felt unhappy with her own looks after seeing flawless images.
(C) She was surprised that people only shared their best moments.
(D) She wanted to become a famous internet model herself.
2 Why did the writer try to copy the influencer’s photo?
(A) She wanted to prove to her friends that it was easy to do.
(B) She needed a new profile picture for her social media account.
(C) She hoped that doing so would improve how she felt about herself.
(D) She wanted to enter a photography competition online.
3 What did the writer find out when taking the photos?
(A) She didn’t have the right kind of camera for the job.
(B) The lighting in her room was better than she expected.
(C) It took a lot more time and effort than she had imagined.
(D) She was actually very good at doing her own makeup.
4 How did the writer react after editing her photo?
(A) She was proud of her new photo-editing skills.
(B) She felt uncomfortable because the image didn’t look like her.
(C) She was disappointed that the app was difficult to use.
(D) She thought the edited photo made her look much worse.
5 What would the writer write in her diary today?
(A) I need to practice my makeup and lighting skills if I want to get more followers on social media.
(B) I’m so glad I found that editing app; it really helps me feel better about my appearance when I post online.
(C) The people online aren’t as perfect as they seem. I’m happy being myself and don’t need to change how I look.
(D) Taking photos is a fun hobby, but I wish I had enough money to buy professional equipment.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states she “couldn’t stop comparing” herself and “often felt disappointed with my completely ordinary appearance” after looking at the influencers.
2 C – The text explicitly says, “I thought that if I could recreate just one of those perfect photos, I might feel more confident.”
3 C – The writer says taking the photo was “exhausting hard work,” taking over an hour for makeup, moving lamps around, and taking nearly a hundred pictures.
4 B – Although she successfully created a “perfect” image, she “felt strange” because the girl in the picture “definitely wasn’t me.”
5 C – This option correctly captures the global meaning and her final realization in the last paragraph: that online perfection is an illusion and she is now comfortable with her natural face.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Quiet Kind of Courage
A few months ago, my class created a huge group chat on a messaging app. At first, it was a fantastic way to share homework tips and laugh at funny videos after school. However, the mood soon changed when a few popular students started making cruel jokes about a quiet boy in our class named Leo. They laughed at his clothes and posted embarrassing photos of him. Every time my phone buzzed with a new message, I felt a heavy knot in my stomach. I knew what they were doing was completely wrong, but nobody said anything to stop it.
I desperately wanted to tell them to leave Leo alone, but I was terrified of the consequences. If I defended him in the public chat, I knew the bullies would probably turn their attention to me next. I imagined waking up to hundreds of nasty comments about my own appearance or hobbies. Because I was too afraid to speak out, I just watched the chat in silence. But reading the cruel messages without doing anything made me feel incredibly guilty. I couldn’t concentrate on my schoolwork because my mind was constantly focused on how miserable Leo must be feeling.
One evening, the jokes about Leo became particularly mean. I realised I couldn’t just ignore the situation any longer, but I still didn’t have the confidence to challenge the bullies openly in front of everyone. Instead, I decided to take a different approach. I found Leo’s number and sent him a private message. I simply told him that I thought the group chat was awful, that he didn’t deserve any of it, and that I was there if he needed a friend. It wasn’t a public defense, but it was the bravest thing I could manage.
I felt nervous waiting for his reply, but when it finally arrived, it brought tears to my eyes. Leo thanked me and admitted that my message was the only thing keeping him positive during a terrible week. He had felt completely alone until that moment. That single, private text changed my perspective entirely. I learned that you don’t always have to shout loudly in front of a crowd to make a difference. Even a quiet, hidden act of kindness can have a massive impact on someone who is struggling.
1 Why did the writer feel a knot in his stomach?
(A) He was worried about failing his homework assignments.
(B) He felt upset by the unfair way a classmate was being treated.
(C) He received cruel messages about his own clothes and photos.
(D) He was angry that nobody invited him to the new group chat.
2 Why did the writer decide to stay silent in the group chat?
(A) He believed that defending Leo would make him the next victim.
(B) He was too busy with his schoolwork to write a reply.
(C) He thought the nasty comments about Leo were actually funny.
(D) He wanted to hide his own strange hobbies from his classmates.
3 What did the writer do to help Leo?
(A) He openly argued with the bullies in front of everyone.
(B) He deleted the mean jokes from the messaging app.
(C) He reached out directly to Leo to offer his support.
(D) He told a teacher that the group chat was awful.
4 What did the writer learn from this experience?
(A) That you must always confront bullies publicly to stop them.
(B) That private actions can be incredibly powerful for victims.
(C) That waiting for a reply to a message is very stressful.
(D) That apologizing for bullying can make someone cry.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) The bullies finally turned on me today. I wish I had never said anything in the group chat because now I feel completely alone.
(B) I feel so guilty for laughing at the photos of Leo. Tomorrow I am going to apologize to him in front of the whole class.
(C) I didn’t have the courage to stop the group chat, but sending that private text made a huge difference to Leo. I’m glad I did it.
(D) The group chat is a fantastic way to share homework! I just ignore the mean jokes because they don’t really hurt anyone anyway.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer felt a “heavy knot in my stomach” because “a few popular students started making cruel jokes about a quiet boy,” meaning he was upset by the unfair treatment.
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that he was “terrified of the consequences” and knew that if he defended Leo, the bullies “would probably turn their attention to me next.”
3 C – The third paragraph describes how the writer “found Leo’s number and sent him a private message” to tell him he didn’t deserve it and to offer friendship, which is reaching out directly.
4 B – In the final paragraph, the writer concludes that “you don’t always have to shout loudly in front of a crowd” and that a “quiet, hidden act of kindness can have a massive impact,” showing the power of private actions.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional journey of the text: acknowledging his fear of confronting the bullies publicly, but feeling proud and relieved that his private act of courage helped the victim.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Truth About Fake News
My aunt Sarah loves using social media to keep in touch with our family. She often posts pictures of her garden and shares funny videos. However, last month, she shared an article about a new ‘miracle’ cure for a serious illness. As soon as I read it, I knew the information was completely false. I was worried because the advice in the article was actually quite dangerous. I felt a strong responsibility to stop people from believing such terrible advice, so I decided to take action immediately.
Without thinking, I quickly typed a long, angry reply in the comments section under her post. I told her that she was spreading fake news and that she should check her facts before posting nonsense. Unfortunately, my comment only caused unnecessary family drama. My aunt felt deeply embarrassed and attacked in front of all her online friends. She replied defensively, and soon other relatives joined the argument. I had only wanted to help, but I had made the situation much worse.
After calming down, I realised that publicly embarrassing someone is never a good way to change their mind. People simply stop listening when they feel insulted. I spent the weekend reading about how to handle misinformation online. I discovered that the most effective method is to approach the person privately and show that you understand their good intentions.
A few days later, I decided to try this new approach. I sent Aunt Sarah a polite, private message. I started by saying that I knew she only wanted to keep everyone healthy. Then, I gently shared a link to a reliable medical website that proved the ‘miracle cure’ was actually a trick. Because I was kind and respectful, she didn’t get angry. She thanked me for the correct information and immediately deleted her original post.
Dealing with fake news is an unfortunate part of modern life, but I have learned a valuable lesson. When someone shares false information, arguing with them in public will only create resentment. The best way to combat misinformation is to offer the truth privately, using patience and empathy instead of anger.
1 Why did the writer decide to reply to his aunt’s post?
(A) He wanted to stop his aunt from posting funny videos.
(B) He was concerned that the article’s advice could harm people.
(C) He wanted to share a medical article he had written himself.
(D) He was annoyed because his aunt tagged him in a photo.
2 What was the result of the writer’s first comment?
(A) His aunt thanked him for checking the facts.
(B) Other relatives agreed with his opinion.
(C) His aunt quickly deleted the fake news post.
(D) It caused his aunt to feel publicly humiliated.
3 What did the writer realise after the family argument?
(A) That arguing in public makes people stop listening.
(B) That his aunt’s original article was actually correct.
(C) That he needed to spend less time on social media.
(D) That family members rarely forgive insults.
4 How did Aunt Sarah react to the private message?
(A) She argued with him about the medical website.
(B) She was grateful and removed the false information.
(C) She asked him to explain the article to her online friends.
(D) She felt insulted by his polite tone.
5 What would the writer write in his blog today?
(A) I can’t believe my aunt shared that fake article. I’m never going to speak to her on social media again.
(B) Arguing online is fun, but it’s much better to post a link to a reliable medical website in the comments.
(C) Fake news is dangerous, but I’ve learned that correcting people privately and kindly is the best way to handle it.
(D) My aunt finally learned how to fact-check her posts. Now she always asks me before she shares anything online.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer was “worried because the advice in the article was actually quite dangerous” and felt a “strong responsibility to stop people from believing such terrible advice.”
2 D – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that his comment caused family drama because his aunt “felt deeply embarrassed and attacked in front of all her online friends,” which means she felt humiliated.
3 A – The third paragraph describes how the writer realised that “publicly embarrassing someone is never a good way to change their mind” because people “simply stop listening when they feel insulted.”
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the writer notes that because he was kind, she didn’t get angry, but instead “thanked me for the correct information and immediately deleted her original post.”
5 C – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: moving from an angry public confrontation about fake news to discovering the effectiveness of empathy, private communication, and patience.