Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Major Life Changes & Daily Events
Reading 1
You are going to read an extract from a short story about a family coping with the loss of their dog.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Echoes of Silence
For the past fifteen years, Barnaby, a scruffy golden retriever mix, had been the beating heart of our household. From the moment I was a toddler, he had been a constant companion, faithfully shadowing my every move. However, over the last few months, age had cruelly caught up with him. His once boundless energy had evaporated, replaced by a slow, stiff walk and eyes that had grown cloudy. We had all known this day was coming, yet the anticipatory grief that hung heavily over our breakfast table that morning was suffocating. My parents spoke in hushed, gentle tones, but nobody could manage to eat. We were simply waiting for the dreaded appointment at the veterinary clinic.
The journey to the clinic was a blur of silent tears and tight embraces. When we finally returned to our car an hour later, the backseat was agonisingly empty. My mother, usually a pillar of strength, rested her head against the window, quietly weeping. My father gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched, driving with mechanical precision. I sat in the back, staring at the indentation Barnaby’s body had left on his favourite blanket. It felt as if a vital piece of our family’s identity had been abruptly torn away, leaving an indescribable void that none of us knew how to navigate.
But the true challenge began the moment my father turned the key in the front door. Normally, this action would trigger a frantic scramble of paws slipping on the hallway tiles, followed by a chorus of enthusiastic barks. This time, however, we were greeted by absolute, uncompromising silence. It was heavier than I could ever have imagined. The house, which had always felt so vibrant and lived-in, suddenly seemed cavernous and intimidatingly still. Without Barnaby’s reassuring presence, the familiar surroundings felt alien, as though we had stepped into a stranger’s home.
For the rest of the afternoon, the hollow sorrow was almost unbearable. Every room contained a painful reminder of our loss. If we hadn’t spent fifteen years completely accustomed to his daily routines, the absolute stillness wouldn’t now feel so deafening. I kept expecting him to wander into the kitchen begging for scraps while my mother cooked, or to nudge my hand with his wet nose while I was doing my homework. At one point, I even thought I heard his tail thumping against the sofa, only to realise it was merely a branch tapping against the window. It was in these small, quiet moments that the reality of his absence struck the hardest, leaving me feeling completely adrift.
As evening approached, the oppressive atmosphere was finally broken when my father emerged from the attic carrying a dusty, leather-bound photo album. He placed it gently on the coffee table and gestured for my mother and me to join him. Reluctantly, I sat down, afraid that seeing images of Barnaby would only deepen the pain. However, as we turned the thick pages, a subtle shift occurred in the room. There were pictures of Barnaby as a clumsy puppy tangled in a garden hose, and photos of him proudly carrying a stick twice his size during a family camping trip.
Instead of bringing more tears, the photographs sparked a wave of nostalgic conversations. We found ourselves laughing out loud at the memory of the time he had managed to steal an entire roast chicken from the counter. The crushing weight of the day’s sorrow slowly began to lift, replaced by a warm sense of gratitude for the fifteen years of unconditional love he had given us. While the house would undeniably remain quiet for a long time, sharing those precious memories taught me that Barnaby hadn’t truly left us; his joyful spirit was permanently woven into the fabric of our family.
1 What do we learn about the family in the first paragraph?
(A) They were overwhelmed by a shared sadness about what was about to happen.
(B) They spoke quietly because they were trying to finish their breakfast in peace.
(C) They were frustrated that the dog’s once boundless energy had evaporated.
(D) They refused to accept the reality that their pet was reaching the end of his life.
2 During the car journey home, the writer felt that
(A) her father was driving too mechanically to notice her mother’s tears.
(B) a fundamental part of the family’s identity had suddenly been lost.
(C) she would have to help her parents navigate the difficult route back.
(D) she was relieved that her mother was acting as a pillar of strength.
3 What does the word ‘It’ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) the action of turning the key in the door
(B) the frantic scramble of paws in the hall
(C) the total lack of noise upon entering
(D) the feeling of stepping into a stranger’s home
4 What does the writer imply about her sorrow in the fourth paragraph?
(A) It was worsened by her subconscious expectation of the dog’s normal habits.
(B) It was primarily triggered by a branch tapping loudly against the window.
(C) It made it completely impossible for her to concentrate on her homework.
(D) It forced her to deliberately avoid the rooms where the dog used to spend time.
5 When her father first brought out the photo album, the writer
(A) was eager to see the images of the dog carrying a stick on a camping trip.
(B) asked him to put it on the coffee table to break the oppressive atmosphere.
(C) was concerned about how dusty the old leather-bound book had become.
(D) was unwilling to look at it because she feared it would increase her grief.
6 What is the writer’s main realisation in the final paragraph?
(A) Looking at the photographs instantly made the house feel loud and vibrant again.
(B) Focusing on joyful memories allowed the family to begin healing from their loss.
(C) The dog’s mischievous behaviour was the only thing that could make her mother laugh.
(D) The family needed to find a new companion to replace the unconditional love they lost.
Answer Key
1 A: The text states that “the anticipatory grief that hung heavily over our breakfast table that morning was suffocating” and that “nobody could manage to eat,” showing a shared, overwhelming sadness. Distractor B is a False Match; they spoke quietly due to grief, not to eat in peace. Distractor D is the Opposite; the text explicitly says, “We had all known this day was coming.”
2 B: The writer observes the empty car and states, “It felt as if a vital piece of our family’s identity had been abruptly torn away.” Distractor A is an Over-Inference; the father was driving mechanically due to grief, but there’s no evidence he didn’t notice the tears. Distractor C is a False Match; they didn’t know how to “navigate” the void in their lives, not the literal driving route.
3 C: The pronoun “It” refers back to the “absolute, uncompromising silence” mentioned in the previous sentence, which the writer describes as being “heavier than I could ever have imagined.”
4 A: The writer explains that she “kept expecting him to wander into the kitchen” or “nudge my hand,” and that the reality of his absence struck hardest in these moments. Distractor B is a Partial Truth; the branch tapping was a momentary trick of the mind, but not the primary trigger of her overall sorrow.
5 D: The text says she “Reluctantly… sat down, afraid that seeing images of Barnaby would only deepen the pain,” which matches being unwilling out of fear of increased grief. Distractor A is a Chronological Trap; she enjoyed those specific photos after opening the book, but initially, she did not want to look at it at all.
6 B: The writer concludes that laughing at the photos caused the “crushing weight of the day’s sorrow” to lift and be replaced by “gratitude,” teaching her that his spirit remained with them. Distractor A is a False Match; the text specifically notes that “the house would undeniably remain quiet for a long time.”
Reading 2
You are going to read an article about a family’s experience during a severe power outage.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Unplugged Weekend
The weather forecast had predicted a heavy storm, but none of us anticipated the sheer ferocity of the wind that battered our house that Friday evening. I was right in the middle of a crucial online gaming tournament when my screen abruptly flickered and died. A deafening crack of thunder immediately followed, and the entire neighbourhood was plunged into darkness. At first, my parents and I simply sat in the living room, illuminated only by the brief flashes of lightning outside. I wasn’t particularly alarmed; power cuts were relatively common during autumn gales, and I naturally assumed the electricity would be restored within an hour or two. I simply viewed the situation as a temporary pause in my evening plans.
However, by Saturday morning, it had become painfully obvious that this was a major outage. My phone battery had dwindled to a terrifying five percent, meaning the outside world was effectively cut off. Without Wi-Fi, social media, or streaming platforms to rely on, a profound sense of technological withdrawal set in. I wandered aimlessly from room to room, opening apps out of habit that refused to load, and experiencing a level of extreme boredom I hadn’t felt since childhood. My younger sister, Maya, was similarly devastated, complaining bitterly that her friends must have been wondering if she had survived the storm. We were isolated, disconnected, and entirely unsure of how to pass the time.
The situation grew slightly more urgent when my mother inspected the kitchen. The refrigerator had been off for over twelve hours, and the temperature inside was steadily rising. “If we don’t cook this meat now, it will all have to be thrown away,” she declared. Consequently, we were forced to have a highly unconventional lunch. Since the electric oven was completely useless, my father dragged our dusty camping stove out of the garage. We ended up eating a bizarre combination of sausages, melting cheese, and defrosting vegetables. Despite the culinary chaos, it forced us to sit around the kitchen table together, discussing something other than our dead devices.
As daylight faded into early evening, the house became overwhelmingly gloomy. Without the constant hum of the television or the glow of computer screens, the silence felt almost oppressive. My father rummaged through the kitchen drawers and managed to locate a box of half-used candles, placing them strategically around the living room. The warm, flickering light immediately transformed the atmosphere, casting long, dancing shadows against the walls. The sense of dread that had been hanging over us gradually dissipated. Deprived of our usual digital distractions, we were suddenly encouraged to actually look at one another and converse.
It was Maya who eventually suggested venturing into the attic to retrieve a stack of dusty board games. We settled on a highly complicated property trading game that we hadn’t played in at least five years. Initially, I rolled the dice with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, but within twenty minutes, the competitive spirit took over. My father, who is usually incredibly serious, began making hilarious, exaggerated trades, while my mother gleefully charged us exorbitant rent for landing on her spaces. We laughed until our sides ached, completely forgetting the howling wind outside and our uncharged mobile phones.
The power was finally restored on Sunday afternoon, forty-eight hours after the storm had hit. The fridge hummed back to life, and our devices immediately began pinging with pending notifications. If the storm hadn’t caused such extensive damage, we would undoubtedly have spent the weekend staring at our separate screens. While I was relieved to reconnect with my friends and enjoy a hot shower, a small part of me felt a pang of regret. That enforced digital detox had resulted in the most genuinely entertaining family night we had shared in years. It served as a powerful reminder that sometimes, the best way to truly connect with the people around you is to completely disconnect from everything else.
1 What was the writer’s initial attitude towards the power cut?
(A) He was convinced it would ruin his online gaming tournament completely.
(B) He assumed it would be a brief interruption to his normal activities.
(C) He was highly alarmed by the ferocity of the autumn gales.
(D) He felt relieved to have a sudden break from his electronic devices.
2 How did the writer feel about his lack of internet access on Saturday morning?
(A) He was devastated that he couldn’t check on his friends’ safety.
(B) He was frustrated because his phone battery had completely died.
(C) He found it extremely difficult to cope with the sudden loss of technology.
(D) He realized that he had been relying far too heavily on social media.
3 What does ‘it‘ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) the dusty camping stove
(B) the rising temperature in the fridge
(C) the decision to throw the meat away
(D) the unusual meal they had prepared
4 What does the writer imply about the change in atmosphere in the fourth paragraph?
(A) The lack of electricity naturally led to a more meaningful family dynamic.
(B) The darkness of the house caused the family to feel a deep sense of dread.
(C) The strategic placement of candles successfully distracted them from the storm.
(D) The oppressive silence made it virtually impossible for the family to converse.
5 What happened when the family played the board game?
(A) The writer lacked enthusiasm throughout the entire duration of the game.
(B) The parents behaved in an unexpectedly playful and competitive manner.
(C) The mother became annoyed by the exorbitant rent she was charged.
(D) They ultimately stopped playing because the howling wind distracted them.
6 What is the writer’s main message in the final paragraph?
(A) Returning to modern technology is always a somewhat disappointing experience.
(B) People should ensure they are better prepared for severe power outages.
(C) Taking a break from screens can significantly improve personal relationships.
(D) Families should implement a strict ban on mobile phones every evening.
Answer Key
1 B: The text states that the writer assumed “the electricity would be restored within an hour or two” and viewed it as a “temporary pause in my evening plans.” Option A is a False Match; while he was in a tournament, he didn’t think it was ruined yet. Option C is the Opposite; he “wasn’t particularly alarmed.” Option D is Unstated/Opposite; he wanted to keep playing.
2 C: The writer describes a “profound sense of technological withdrawal” and experiencing “extreme boredom” while wandering aimlessly. Option A is Information Misplaced; it was his sister Maya who was worried about her friends. Option B is a False Match; his battery was at five percent, not completely dead. Option D is a Partial Truth; while true in the real world, the writer doesn’t consciously reflect on his overuse until the end of the text.
3 D: The pronoun “it” refers back to the “bizarre combination of sausages, melting cheese, and defrosting vegetables” (the meal) that they ended up eating. Option A, B, and C are all mentioned in the paragraph, but they are not what forced the family to sit around the table together.
4 A: The writer notes that “deprived of our usual digital distractions, we were suddenly encouraged to actually look at one another and converse,” implying that losing power forced them to bond. Option B is the Opposite; the dread “dissipated” (disappeared) when the candles were lit. Option C is a Partial Truth; the candles helped, but they were distracted from their phones/boredom, not the storm. Option D is the Opposite; the silence was broken when they were encouraged to converse.
5 B: The text describes the father, who is “usually incredibly serious,” making “hilarious, exaggerated trades,” and the mother “gleefully” charging rent, showing their playful competitiveness. Option A is a False Match; he lacked enthusiasm “initially,” but soon “the competitive spirit took over.” Option C is Information Misplaced; the mother was the one charging the rent. Option D is the Opposite; they were “completely forgetting the howling wind outside.”
6 C: The writer concludes that the “enforced digital detox” led to the best family night in years, serving as a reminder that “the best way to truly connect… is to completely disconnect.” Option A is an Opposite trap; he was “relieved to reconnect.” Option B is a Partial Truth; it is a good real-world lesson, but not the writer’s main point. Option D is an Over-inference; the writer values the detox, but never suggests a permanent daily ban on phones.
Reading 3
You are going to read a magazine article about a family’s disastrous DIY renovation project.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Great Living Room Disaster
When my parents announced our living room desperately needed a makeover, none of us anticipated the rollercoaster that would follow. The wallpaper was peeling, and the carpet had seen better days. However, upon receiving quotes from local decorators, my father’s jaw dropped. Convinced hiring professionals was an unnecessary luxury, he gathered the family and proposed a grand do-it-yourself project. We would strip the walls, lay a brand-new carpet, and paint the room ourselves. Seduced by the prospect of saving a small fortune and the illusion of a fun weekend activity, my brother and I enthusiastically agreed. It felt like the perfect opportunity for some family bonding.
The first day actually exceeded expectations. We woke up early, fueled by strong coffee and shared determination. Tearing down the old wallpaper proved to be immensely satisfying, and by Saturday afternoon, we were ready for the flooring. We had opted for a luxurious, pale cream carpet, which we managed to roll out and secure with surprising efficiency. As we stood back to admire our handiwork, listening to our favourite upbeat playlist, we felt like a highly coordinated team of experts. If we had known what Sunday had in store for us, we might not have celebrated our success quite so prematurely.
By Sunday evening, however, the initial enthusiasm had completely worn off. Our muscles ached, and patience was running dangerously thin. All that remained was painting the ‘feature wall’ a striking shade of crimson red. My father, balancing precariously on a wobbly wooden step ladder, was tackling the higher edges while my brother and I supervised from below. I remember thinking that the ladder looked rather unstable, but before I could voice my concern, disaster struck. My father must have shifted his weight awkwardly, because the ladder swayed, and a full bucket of vibrant red paint tumbled downwards in agonizing slow motion. It landed with a heavy splash, sending a tidal wave of crimson across our pristine, pale cream carpet.
For a fraction of a second, nobody breathed. We just stared in absolute horror at the spreading red puddle, which looked disturbingly like a scene from a thriller film. Then, the inevitable explosion occurred. “Why didn’t you hold the ladder steady?” my father bellowed, his face matching the colour of the paint. My brother immediately fired back, insisting that the bucket shouldn’t have been balanced on the top step in the first place. I chimed in, blaming my mother for choosing such an unforgiving carpet colour. The cooperative spirit that had characterised the previous day vanished entirely, replaced by fierce, finger-pointing accusations and overwhelming frustration.
We stood amidst the chaos, shouting over each other, until my mother suddenly stopped mid-sentence. She looked at my father, whose hair was now speckled with tiny red droplets, and then down at the ruined carpet. A strange, muffled sound escaped her lips. At first, I thought she was sobbing, but as her shoulders shook, I realised she was actually laughing. The sheer absurdity of the situation—our desperate attempt to save money resulting in a completely destroyed room—had finally broken her. Her amusement was incredibly contagious. Within moments, the fierce anger evaporated, and the four of us collapsed onto the only clean patch of floor, giggling helplessly at our own foolishness.
Looking back, the great living room disaster remains one of our most cherished family stories. We eventually had to hire a professional cleaner, and when that failed, we simply purchased a massive, strategically placed rug to cover the stubborn red stain. While we certainly didn’t save any money in the end, the experience taught us a valuable lesson about our own limits. We learned that DIY projects can test your patience and your temper, but they can also forge unforgettable memories, provided you have a good sense of humour.
1 Why did the family decide to renovate the living room themselves?
(A) To avoid the high costs of hiring professional decorators.
(B) To use the small fortune offered by local decorators.
(C) To provide the children with a fun weekend activity.
(D) To utilise the father’s previous experience as a professional.
2 How did the writer feel about the project on Saturday afternoon?
(A) Anxious about the challenges that Sunday would bring.
(B) Confident in the family’s ability to work together efficiently.
(C) Exhausted from waking up early and completing difficult tasks.
(D) Disappointed that laying the pale cream carpet took so long.
3 What does the phrase ‘running dangerously thin’ in the third paragraph mean?
(A) The physical strength in their muscles was quickly fading.
(B) There was not enough red paint left to finish the wall.
(C) The family was rapidly losing their ability to tolerate the situation.
(D) They were completing their tasks much faster than before.
4 What is implied about the family’s argument in the fourth paragraph?
(A) The mother was entirely to blame for choosing a light-coloured carpet.
(B) They had a history of fierce disagreements during family projects.
(C) The father was furious because nobody had warned him about the ladder.
(D) Their anger was an irrational reaction to the sudden shock of the accident.
5 What caused the mother to start laughing?
(A) The funny way the father yelled with red paint in his hair.
(B) The contrast between their original goal and the resulting mess.
(C) The realisation that she could easily clean the remaining floor space.
(D) An attempt to hide the fact that she was actually crying.
6 What is the writer’s main message in the final paragraph?
(A) A large rug is the best way to cover up renovation mistakes.
(B) Professional decorators should always be hired to prevent family arguments.
(C) DIY projects are never worth the financial savings they promise.
(D) Shared hardships can lead to valuable and amusing family memories.
Answer Key
1 A: The text explicitly states that the father’s “jaw dropped” upon receiving quotes and he was “convinced hiring professionals was an unnecessary luxury,” leading to the decision to save money. Distractor B is a false match using text words incorrectly. Distractor C is a partial truth; it was an “illusion” of a fun activity, but the primary trigger was the cost.
2 B: On Saturday afternoon, they “felt like a highly coordinated team of experts,” showing high confidence and efficiency. Distractor A is the opposite of the text, which says they celebrated prematurely because they didn’t know what Sunday would bring. Distractor C is a partial truth (they woke up early), but the feeling at that moment was not exhaustion.
3 C: The phrase refers to their “patience,” meaning they were losing their temper and tolerance for the work. Distractor A is a false match; while their muscles ached, the phrase specifically applies to their patience. Distractor B takes the word “thin” too literally regarding the paint.
4 D: The text describes the cooperative spirit vanishing and being replaced by “finger-pointing accusations” immediately after the shock of the spill, showing their anger was a panicked, irrational response where everyone blamed each other. Distractor A is just one of the irrational accusations made, not a fact. Distractor C is incorrect because the narrator never actually voiced their warning.
5 B: The text states that “the sheer absurdity of the situation—our desperate attempt to save money resulting in a completely destroyed room—had finally broken her.” Distractor A is a partial truth; she looked at his hair, but it was the overall absurdity that made her laugh. Distractor D is the opposite of the text; the narrator only thought she was crying at first.
6 D: The writer concludes that while the project tested their tempers, it forged “unforgettable memories” and became one of their “most cherished family stories.” Distractor A is too specific and misses the broader point. Distractor C focuses only on the financial aspect, ignoring the positive emotional takeaway of the text.