Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Digital Detox, Gadgets & Innovation 7
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Screen Solution
My name is Mia, and I recently started my first year at university. I was very excited about my course, but I quickly realised that I had to read hundreds of pages of PDF textbooks every week. To save money, I decided not to buy physical books. Instead, I read everything on my laptop. However, after a few weeks, I started getting severe headaches. My eyes felt tired and dry all the time, and I couldn’t concentrate on my studies for more than an hour.
I decided to look for a solution online and read about how laptop screens work. I discovered that normal computer screens, which use LCD technology, shine a bright light directly into your eyes. This glare was definitely the cause of my headaches. A classmate suggested that I should buy an E-ink reader. At first, I wasn’t sure. They were quite expensive, and I didn’t want to carry another device around in my bag, but my headaches were so bad that I finally ordered one.
When the E-ink reader arrived, I immediately noticed the difference. The screen didn’t look like a computer at all; it looked exactly like real paper. There was no bright light shining at me. The next day, I took it to the park. With my laptop, it was always impossible to read outside because the sun created too much reflection on the screen. However, the E-ink display was perfectly clear in the bright sunlight. I read a whole chapter of my history textbook without any pain in my eyes.
Now, I can honestly say that buying the E-ink reader is the best decision I’ve made this year. My headaches have completely disappeared, and I can study for much longer periods. Of course, I still need my laptop for writing essays and researching on the internet, but I transfer all my reading materials to my new device. This experience has definitely proved to me that the type of screen you use really matters for your eye health. If I didn’t have this device, reading for my course would be impossible.
1 Why did Mia start getting severe headaches?
(A) She was reading too many physical books.
(B) She was using her laptop to read her textbooks.
(C) She needed to buy new glasses for university.
(D) She was stressed about saving money.
2 How did Mia feel about getting an E-ink reader at first?
(A) She was doubtful because of the price and carrying an extra device.
(B) She thought her classmate was giving her bad advice.
(C) She was excited to try out the new technology.
(D) She believed it wouldn’t fix her headaches.
3 What did Mia find out when she used her new reader outside?
(A) The battery died faster in the sunlight.
(B) It was much easier to read than her laptop.
(C) She preferred reading physical history books in the park.
(D) The sun made the screen too bright to look at.
4 What does Mia say about her study habits now?
(A) She has stopped using her laptop completely.
(B) She writes her university essays on her new device.
(C) She uses her two devices for different types of schoolwork.
(D) She spends less time studying than she used to.
5 What would Mia write in an online review for the E-ink reader?
(A) It’s a great device for writing essays, but I still get headaches when I use it outside in the sun.
(B) I recommend this to any student! It feels just like reading paper and has completely cured my eye strain.
(C) I bought this because I didn’t want to use a laptop anymore, but it’s just too heavy to carry in my bag.
(D) If you want to save money on textbooks, buy this. However, the bright light might hurt your eyes.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, Mia explains she “read everything on my laptop” and “after a few weeks, I started getting severe headaches.”
2 A – In the second paragraph, Mia says she “wasn’t sure” because they were “quite expensive, and I didn’t want to carry another device around in my bag.”
3 B – In the third paragraph, Mia contrasts her laptop (which was impossible to read outside) with the E-ink display, which “was perfectly clear in the bright sunlight.”
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, Mia states she still needs her laptop for writing and researching, but transfers her reading materials to the new device, showing she splits her tasks.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and Mia’s positive attitude. She successfully solved her headache problem by switching to a paper-like screen, allowing her to study comfortably.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My weekend on Airplane Mode
I’ve always been someone who replies to text messages the very second my phone buzzes. A few months ago, however, I realised this habit was making me incredibly stressed. Between school project group chats, social media updates, and friends expecting instant replies, my brain never felt like it had a chance to rest. I felt exhausted before the weekend even began. After reading an interesting magazine article about taking digital breaks, I decided to make a strict rule for myself: from Friday evening until Sunday morning, my mobile phone would stay on ‘Airplane Mode’.
When I first switched off my connection that Friday night, the silence was actually quite frightening. I kept reaching into my pocket every ten minutes out of pure habit, convinced I was missing something highly important. My mind was full of anxious questions about what my friends were doing without me. However, after about an hour or two, a strange feeling of calm finally washed over me. Instead of scrolling endlessly through photos online, I picked up a science fiction novel I had been meaning to read for months and actually fell asleep before midnight.
The real test came on Saturday. Without my mobile phone waking me up with noisy notifications, I slept much better than I had in weeks. During the day, I went for a long bike ride in the park and spent a few hours drawing in my sketchbook. Of course, the experiment wasn’t absolutely perfect. When I finally reconnected on Sunday, I discovered I had missed a last-minute invitation to get pizza with my classmates. Initially, I felt a bit disappointed about missing the fun, but then I remembered how peacefully my Saturday had passed.
Turning off Airplane Mode on Sunday morning brought a massive flood of messages, but to my surprise, absolutely none of them were actual emergencies. The world had continued turning just fine without my constant involvement. The mental silence and freedom from being available twenty-four hours a day completely rejuvenated my energy. Although my friends thought I was crazy at first, they now understand and know not to expect a quick reply from me on Saturdays. Disconnecting for a day and a half has definitely become my favourite weekend habit.
1 Why did the writer decide to put his phone on Airplane Mode?
(A) He wanted to see if his friends would miss him.
(B) He felt tired from being constantly available online.
(C) He needed to focus on his school project group chats.
(D) He was asked to do an experiment for a magazine article.
2 How did the writer feel immediately after starting the experiment on Friday?
(A) He was excited to finally read his science fiction novel.
(B) He was annoyed because his phone kept making a noise in his pocket.
(C) He felt relaxed because he didn’t have to look at photos online.
(D) He was worried that he was missing out on social events.
3 What happened on Saturday?
(A) He was upset because his friends didn’t invite him out for pizza.
(B) He woke up early because of a noisy notification.
(C) He enjoyed a quiet day despite missing a social gathering.
(D) He had to use his phone to organise a bike ride in the park.
4 What did the writer learn on Sunday morning?
(A) That his friends were very angry with his new habit.
(B) That he hadn’t missed anything that couldn’t wait.
(C) That he needed to reply to his messages immediately.
(D) That keeping the phone off for longer would be better.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about his weekend habit?
(A) “It’s so annoying when I miss out on pizza with my classmates, so I don’t think I’ll keep my phone off next weekend.”
(B) “I love reading and drawing, but I wish my friends wouldn’t send me so many messages while I’m trying to relax.”
(C) “Taking a break from my screen gives my mind the rest it needs. I don’t mind missing a few messages if it means feeling this refreshed.”
(D) “I finally proved to my friends that I can survive without technology, but I’m glad the experiment is over and I can be online again.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that his brain “never felt like it had a chance to rest” and he was “exhausted” because friends expected instant replies and his phone was always buzzing.
2 D – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that he felt the silence was “frightening” and he had “anxious questions about what my friends were doing without me,” showing his worry about missing out.
3 C – Paragraph 3 explains that he had a peaceful day drawing and cycling, and although he later realised he missed a pizza invitation, he was okay with it because he “remembered how peacefully [his] Saturday had passed.”
4 B – The writer notes in the fourth paragraph that despite a massive flood of messages, “absolutely none of them were actual emergencies” and the world continued turning “just fine without my constant involvement.”
5 C – This statement accurately reflects the global meaning of the text: the writer values the “mental silence” and feeling “rejuvenated” over being constantly available, making it his new favourite habit despite missing minor events.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Learning to Read the Sky
My name is Liam, and I have always hated getting caught in the rain. To avoid this, I used to check the weather app on my smartphone every morning. However, I quickly realised that the app was frequently wrong. It would promise a warm, sunny afternoon, but I would end up walking home in a terrible thunderstorm. I became incredibly frustrated because I couldn’t trust the technology in my pocket.
One weekend, I was complaining about this to my grandfather. He just smiled, pointed up, and told me that the best weather app was actually right above my head. He explained that before smartphones were invented, people used to rely on nature to understand what the weather was going to do. He offered to teach me a few basic skills, starting with how to feel the direction of the wind.
The most interesting part of his lessons, though, was learning how to read the clouds. He taught me that not all clouds are the same. For example, thin, high clouds usually mean the weather will change in the next day or two. On the other hand, tall, dark clouds mean a heavy storm is coming very soon. It was a lot of information to remember, but I practised by observing the sky from my bedroom window every evening.
A few weeks later, I was at the park with my friends. My phone app said it was going to be perfectly clear all day. However, I noticed that the wind had suddenly become cooler, and there were large, dark clouds building up in the distance. “If we don’t leave now, we will get completely wet,” I warned my friends. They didn’t believe me at first, but exactly an hour later, a massive rainstorm hit the town.
We stayed completely dry because we had reached my house just in time. Since that day, my friends always ask me for my weather predictions instead of checking their phones. I still keep the weather app on my mobile, but I rarely open it anymore. If I didn’t know how to read the sky, I would definitely feel less connected to the natural world. It is a wonderful skill I will use forever.
1 Why did Liam become frustrated with his smartphone?
(A) It gave him incorrect information about the weather.
(B) It was difficult to install the right weather app.
(C) He often dropped it when he was walking in the rain.
(D) He forgot to check it before leaving the house.
2 When Liam complained, what did his grandfather suggest?
(A) That Liam should buy a more modern mobile phone.
(B) That looking at the sky is better than looking at a screen.
(C) That they should stay indoors when it was raining heavily.
(D) That Liam needed to spend more time watching birds.
3 What did Liam learn about cloud formations?
(A) Thin clouds show that a storm is about to start immediately.
(B) Large, dark clouds mean the weather will remain fine.
(C) You can predict changes by looking at the shape and height of clouds.
(D) It is impossible to remember all the different types of clouds.
4 How did Liam know a storm was coming while he was at the park?
(A) He received a warning message on his phone.
(B) He noticed the temperature drop and saw dark clouds.
(C) His friends told him it was going to rain soon.
(D) He heard the sound of heavy rain in the distance.
5 What would Liam write in his diary about his grandfather’s lessons?
(A) The app on my phone is still the best way to check the weather, but grandad’s stories about the wind are quite interesting.
(B) I’m so glad I learned how to read the sky. It feels amazing to understand nature instead of just relying on my phone.
(C) I wish I hadn’t warned my friends about the storm, because they laughed at me when it didn’t rain.
(D) Learning about the clouds was much too difficult, so I think I will just buy an umbrella to keep in my bag.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states that Liam realised “the app was frequently wrong” and he ended up in thunderstorms after it promised sunny weather, which matches getting incorrect information.
2 B – Paragraph 2 mentions that his grandfather pointed up and said “the best weather app was actually right above my head,” showing he believed observing nature (the sky) is superior to looking at a phone screen.
3 C – In Paragraph 3, Liam explains that “not all clouds are the same” and gives examples of how “thin, high clouds” and “tall, dark clouds” mean different things, proving you can predict weather by their shape and height.
4 B – Paragraph 4 details that Liam noticed “the wind had suddenly become cooler” (temperature drop) and saw “large, dark clouds building up in the distance.”
5 B – This option captures the overall global meaning of the text. Liam successfully used his new knowledge to predict a storm, now rarely uses his app, and explicitly states that reading the sky makes him “feel connected to the natural world.”