Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Physical Endurance & Sports 7
Reading 1
You are going to read a magazine article about a teenager’s first attempt at paddleboarding on a windy lake.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Swallowing My Pride on the Water
When my friends suggested renting stand-up paddleboards during our weekend getaway to Lake Windermere, I jumped at the opportunity. I had spent hours watching videos of people gliding effortlessly across glass-like water, looking incredibly peaceful and perfectly balanced. Convinced my skateboarding background would give me a natural advantage, I assured everyone I would master the technique quickly. As we stood on the shoreline, however, I noticed the weather wasn’t quite the serene picture I had envisioned. A brisk breeze was whipping across the vast expanse of water, creating choppy little waves. Nevertheless, I eagerly grabbed my rented board and paddle, dismissing the conditions as a minor inconvenience that wouldn’t affect my performance.
Wading into the shallows, I placed the board on the water and clumsily climbed onto it, initially keeping my weight low. So far, so good. I paddled away from the safety of the shore, feeling a surge of triumph. Once I was in deeper water, I decided it was time to prove my skills. I placed my feet shoulder-width apart, gripped the paddle tightly, and pushed myself upright. For a fraction of a second, I stood tall. Then, a sudden gust of wind caught my body like a sail. The board wobbled violently underneath me, my arms flailed in a desperate attempt to regain my balance, and I plunged backwards into the freezing depths.
The shock of the icy water took my breath away. Sputtering and shivering, I hauled myself back onto the board, acutely aware of how foolish I must have looked to the spectators lounging on the beach. Determined not to be beaten, I tried again. And again. Each time I managed to get to my feet, the relentless wind would inevitably knock me off balance, sending me splashing back into the lake. My initial enthusiasm was rapidly evaporating, replaced by a deep, bubbling annoyance. It was incredibly frustrating to be completely incapable of doing something that looked so remarkably simple on the internet. I was exhausted, freezing, and my pride had taken a severe beating.
As I sat dripping on the foam deck, glaring at the paddle in my hands, I seriously considered turning back and demanding a refund from the rental kiosk. I felt entirely defeated. It seemed unfair that my friends, who were significantly heavier and less agile than me, had managed to stay upright slightly longer, though they were also struggling. If I had paid more attention to the weather forecast, I wouldn’t be feeling so miserable now. I realised that trying to force the board to remain stable was pointless. This stubborn persistence was not only draining my energy but also completely ruining what was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon.
Taking a deep breath, I made a conscious decision to swallow my pride. Instead of attempting another disastrous stand-up routine, I shuffled into a kneeling position in the centre of the board. From this lower vantage point, the wind had far less impact on my stability. I dipped the blade of the paddle into the water and pulled back smoothly. To my surprise, the board cut through the choppy waves with ease. Although my ego was bruised, my new posture allowed me to actually take in the breathtaking scenery. I could finally appreciate the lush green hills surrounding the lake and the crisp, fresh air in my lungs.
By the time we eventually headed back to dry land, my knees were aching, but my foul mood had entirely lifted. I hadn’t managed to look like the cool, graceful athletes in the online videos, but I had learned a valuable lesson in humility. I realised that when you are dealing with the unpredictability of nature, it is far better to adapt to your surroundings than to fight a losing battle against them.
1 What do we learn about the writer’s expectations in the first paragraph?
(A) She assumed her previous sporting experience would help her succeed.
(B) She confidently assured her friends the wind wouldn’t affect her.
(C) She was anxious that the choppy waves would ruin her technique.
(D) She spent hours practising her balance before the weekend getaway.
2 How did the writer feel after falling into the water multiple times?
(A) angry because the spectators on the beach were laughing at her
(B) determined to demand a refund from the rental kiosk immediately
(C) intensely irritated by her inability to perform an apparently easy task
(D) surprised by how relentlessly the wind knocked her off balance
3 What does the phrase ‘This stubborn persistence’ refer to in paragraph 4?
(A) trying to stay upright slightly longer than her friends
(B) continually trying to force the board to be stable
(C) glaring angrily at the paddle in her hands
(D) complaining about the unfairness of the situation
4 What is implied about the writer’s decision to paddle on her knees?
(A) It allowed her to travel much faster than her friends.
(B) It was a technique she had learned from watching online videos.
(C) It prevented the choppy waves from splashing onto the board.
(D) It required her to accept a less impressive way of doing the activity.
5 What was a positive outcome of the writer changing her posture?
(A) She was finally able to stand up without losing her balance.
(B) She found it much easier to hold her paddle smoothly.
(C) She was able to properly appreciate the beauty of her environment.
(D) She realised her knees were no longer aching from the effort.
6 What is the writer’s main message in the final paragraph?
(A) It is important to watch instructional videos before trying a new water sport.
(B) Accepting your limitations in natural environments can lead to a better experience.
(C) You should always try to look graceful when attempting physical challenges.
(D) Paddleboarding is a sport that requires humility and physical strength.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A: The writer states she was “Convinced my skateboarding background would give me a natural advantage.” This perfectly matches her assuming previous sporting experience would help. Distractor B is a False Match; she dismissed the wind in her own mind, but assured her friends she would “master the technique,” not specifically that the wind wouldn’t affect her. Distractor C is the Opposite; she dismissed the waves as a “minor inconvenience.” Distractor D is a Partial Truth; she spent hours watching videos, not actively practising her balance.
2 C: The text says she felt a “deep, bubbling annoyance” because it was “incredibly frustrating to be completely incapable of doing something that looked so remarkably simple.” This matches being intensely irritated by an apparently easy task. Distractor A is an Over-inference; she was aware she “must have looked” foolish to spectators, but the text never says they laughed at her. Distractor B is Information Misplaced; this thought occurs in paragraph 4, not paragraph 3.
3 B: “This stubborn persistence” refers back to the preceding sentence: “I realised that trying to force the board to remain stable was pointless.” Distractor A is a Partial Truth; she mentions her friends staying upright, but her persistence was about fighting the board’s instability. Distractors C and D refer to other actions or feelings in the paragraph, not the persistence itself.
4 D: The text implies that kneeling was less impressive by stating she made a decision to “swallow my pride” and that her “ego was bruised” by adopting this “new posture”. Distractor A is Unstated. Distractor B is the Opposite; the online videos showed “graceful athletes” (standing up), not kneeling. Distractor C is a False Match; the board cut through waves, but there is no mention of splashes being prevented.
5 C: The writer notes that her new posture allowed her to “actually take in the breathtaking scenery” and “appreciate the lush green hills.” Distractor A is the Opposite; she stayed in a kneeling position. Distractor B is a False Match; she pulled the paddle back smoothly, but it doesn’t say it was easier to hold. Distractor D is the Opposite; paragraph 6 explicitly states her knees were aching.
6 B: The final paragraph sums up her lesson: “when you are dealing with the unpredictability of nature, it is far better to adapt to your surroundings than to fight a losing battle.” Distractor A is Too Specific and misses the broader message. Distractor C is the Opposite of the text’s message. Distractor D is a Partial Truth; it requires humility, but physical strength isn’t the core takeaway of her reflection on nature.
Reading 2
You are going to read a magazine article about a skier who accidentally ends up on an advanced slope.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Wrong Turn
The morning had started perfectly. I was cruising down the sunlit slopes of the Blue Mountain resort, feeling a profound sense of satisfaction. Having taken up skiing two years prior, I was finally reaching a point where my movements felt natural. The crisp air brushed against my face, and the rhythmic sound of my skis carving through the snow was incredibly soothing. I had spent the first few hours sticking strictly to the intermediate blue runs, which provided just enough challenge without overwhelming me. I would have confidently claimed that skiing was the most relaxing sport in the world. I was totally in my element, enjoying the breathtaking alpine scenery and the feeling of effortless glide.
However, my blissful state of mind was about to be abruptly shattered. Towards the early afternoon, feeling slightly overconfident, I decided to follow a group of skiers who seemed to know exactly where they were going. I had assumed they were heading towards a popular café in the valley. If I were a more observant person, I wouldn’t have ended up in such a terrifying predicament. We turned sharply past a line of pine trees, and suddenly, the friendly blue signs were replaced by ominous black ones, displaying the dreaded diamond symbol. I came to a screeching halt. It must have been the infamous ‘Widow Maker’, a slope which was widely known to be the steepest run in the entire resort.
Peering over the edge, a wave of absolute dread washed over me. The slope dropped away so sharply that I couldn’t even see the bottom; it simply vanished into a terrifying abyss of ice and rocks. My legs began to tremble uncontrollably, and my previous confidence evaporated into thin air. A cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck. Several expert skiers flew past me, effortlessly navigating the treacherous bumps. Watching them only made me feel worse. This was a level of technical difficulty I was completely unprepared for. The instructor had previously warned our class that panic was a skier’s worst enemy, but standing on that icy precipice, staying calm felt impossible.
Realising that nobody was going to rescue me, I knew I had to figure out a way down. Taking off my skis and walking was out of the question, as the snow was far too slippery for boots. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and forced my racing mind to focus. Instead of looking at the terrifying drop as a whole, I decided to break the immense challenge down into manageable pieces. I told myself to concentrate entirely on making just one turn at a time. Leaning my weight forward—something that felt incredibly unnatural on such an incline—I committed to the first turn. My skis scraped loudly against the ice, but I stayed upright. Then, I slowly prepared my posture for the next one, trying to ignore the steep drop below.
The descent felt like it lasted for hours, though it was probably only a matter of minutes. My thighs burned with the intense effort of controlling my speed, and I was breathing heavily by the time the terrain finally began to flatten out. Gliding into the safe, crowded area near the ski lifts, I collapsed onto a nearby bench, overwhelmingly relieved. Looking back up at the imposing mountain I had just conquered, I felt a reluctant sense of pride. I certainly didn’t want to repeat the experience anytime soon, but surviving the black diamond run taught me a valuable lesson. I realised that when faced with a scary situation, focusing on the immediate next step is the best way through.
1 What does the writer say about their skiing experience that morning?
(A) They were pushing themselves to try more advanced slopes.
(B) They were bored by the lack of challenge on the blue runs.
(C) They were finally feeling comfortable and relaxed on their skis.
(D) They were overwhelmed by the breathtaking alpine scenery.
2 How did the writer end up on the advanced slope?
(A) They foolishly trusted another group of skiers instead of checking the route.
(B) They were trying to reach a café situated at the bottom of the run.
(C) They deliberately ignored the warning signs on the trail.
(D) They wanted to see if the ‘Widow Maker’ deserved its reputation.
3 What does ‘This‘ refer to in the third paragraph?
(A) the skill demonstrated by the expert skiers
(B) the uncontrollable trembling of the writer’s legs
(C) the advice given by the skiing instructor
(D) the extreme physical challenge of navigating the slope
4 How did the writer manage to overcome their panic?
(A) By leaning backwards to reduce their speed on the ice.
(B) By breaking the descent into smaller, more achievable goals.
(C) By taking off their skis and sliding down the slippery snow.
(D) By shutting their eyes while completing the first turn.
5 Upon reaching the bottom of the slope, the writer felt
(A) angry about how long the descent had actually taken.
(B) eager to tackle another challenging mountain soon.
(C) physically exhausted but somewhat proud of their survival.
(D) frustrated that their thighs were burning so intensely.
6 What is the writer’s main message in the article?
(A) Dealing with frightening situations requires a step-by-step approach.
(B) Beginners should never attempt to ski without an instructor.
(C) Skiing is a dangerous sport that is best left to the experts.
(D) Following other people on the mountain is always a bad idea.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C: The text states the writer “was finally reaching a point where my movements felt natural” and that they would have claimed skiing was the “most relaxing sport.” This paraphrases as feeling comfortable and relaxed. Distractor A is opposite to the text; they stuck “strictly to the intermediate blue runs.” Distractor B is a partial truth trap; the runs provided “just enough challenge”, so they weren’t bored. Distractor D uses “overwhelmed”, but the text says the scenery was enjoyed, not overwhelming.
2 A: The writer admits they ended up there because they “decided to follow a group of skiers” and implies they weren’t observant enough to check the trail markers themselves. Distractor B is a false cause; they assumed the skiers were going to the café, but the cause of the mistake was blindly following them. Distractor C contradicts the text; they didn’t deliberately ignore the signs, they failed to pay attention to them. Distractor D is unstated.
3 D: The pronoun ‘This’ points back to the steepness, the “abyss of ice and rocks,” and the “treacherous bumps” that the expert skiers were navigating—essentially, the extreme technical difficulty of the slope itself. Distractor A is a trap; the writer is watching the skiers, but ‘This’ refers to the difficulty of the slope they are riding, not the skiers’ skills.
4 B: The writer overcame their panic by deciding to “break the immense challenge down into manageable pieces” and concentrating “entirely on making just one turn at a time.” Distractor A is the opposite of what they did (“Leaning my weight forward”). Distractor C is explicitly stated as being “out of the question.” Distractor D is a false match; they closed their eyes to take a breath before starting, not while completing the turn.
5 C: The text notes that the writer “collapsed… overwhelmingly relieved” and felt a “reluctant sense of pride” after their thighs burned with “intense effort” (exhaustion). Distractor A is incorrect; the descent felt like hours, but they weren’t angry about it. Distractor B is the opposite of the text (“certainly didn’t want to repeat the experience anytime soon”). Distractor D represents a detail from during the descent, not their primary feeling upon reaching the bottom.
6 A: The article concludes with the reflection: “I realised that when faced with a scary situation, focusing on the immediate next step is the best way through,” which directly matches option A. Distractors B and C are too extreme and are not supported by the writer’s overall positive view of skiing. Distractor D is a specific detail from the story but is not the overarching, global lesson the writer takes away.