Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Modern Domesticity, Lifestyle & Household Challenges 3
Reading 1
You are going to read a magazine article about a young man dealing with a noisy neighbour.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The 2 AM Bassline
Moving into my first independent apartment was supposed to be a thrilling milestone. However, the reality of living in a building constructed in the 1970s quickly became apparent. The walls were paper-thin, meaning that every footstep and slammed door echoed through my living room. I could have tolerated the general daytime noise, but the real issue began precisely at two o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday. I was suddenly jolted awake by the heavy, rhythmic thumping of electronic dance music. As I lay there staring at the ceiling, my initial confusion rapidly transformed into a fierce, sleep-deprived rage. If the architect had used better materials, I wouldn’t have been subjected to such an ordeal. Instead, I found myself burying my head under a pillow, desperately wishing for silence.
For the first few nights, I tried my best to avoid a direct conflict. I was convinced that the disruption would be a one-off occurrence, perhaps a belated housewarming party. I even bought a pair of expensive silicone earplugs, which I hoped would block out the relentless bass. Unfortunately, they proved to be entirely useless. By the fourth consecutive night of interrupted sleep, my exhaustion had reached a critical level. I knew that I couldn’t simply complain to the landlord without addressing the issue personally first. It was widely known in the building that disputes should be settled between tenants, so the responsibility fell squarely on my shoulders to sort it out.
The prospect of confronting the source of the noise was incredibly daunting. I had seen the occupant of apartment 4B a few times in the hallway. He was a towering, heavily tattooed man who rarely smiled and always seemed to be scowling at his phone. He must have been a bodybuilder or a bouncer, judging by his imposing physique. As I threw off my duvet and marched into the corridor, my previous anger was suddenly replaced by a wave of intense anxiety. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs, and my hands trembled slightly as I approached his door. I rehearsed a furious speech in my head, determined to demand an immediate end to the disturbance.
I raised my fist and knocked firmly, holding my breath as the music was abruptly paused. When the door swung open, the towering figure loomed over me, looking bewildered. “Yeah?” he grunted, his deep voice doing nothing to ease my nerves. All my prepared, aggressive lines evaporated in an instant. Instead of shouting, I found myself adopting a remarkably polite tone. I explained that the walls were much thinner than they appeared and that the bass was keeping me awake. I deliberately kept my voice calm and friendly, pointing out that I had an important exam the following morning. I braced myself for an argument, expecting him to defensively tell me to mind my own business.
To my absolute astonishment, his stern expression instantly softened into a look of genuine guilt. “Oh, mate, I had absolutely no idea,” he apologised sincerely, rubbing the back of his neck. He explained that he worked night shifts and used the music to unwind after getting home, mistakenly assuming the building was well-soundproofed. We ended up chatting briefly about the poor construction of the apartments, and he promised to switch to headphones immediately. Walking back to my bed, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. The terrifying confrontation I had dreaded had been resolved with simple courtesy. It taught me a valuable lesson: jumping to conclusions about people based on their appearance is rarely a good idea, and politeness often achieves far more than anger.
1 Why did the writer become so angry during his first week in the apartment?
(A) Every footstep and slammed door echoed loudly through his living room.
(B) He realised that moving into an independent apartment wasn’t a thrilling milestone.
(C) The architect who built the 1970s building had used very cheap materials.
(D) He was repeatedly woken up in the early hours because the building lacked proper sound insulation.
2 How did the writer approach the noise problem initially?
(A) He hoped it would resolve itself without him having to speak to the neighbour.
(B) He decided to complain directly to the landlord about the constant disruption.
(C) He bought expensive silicone earplugs that successfully blocked the bass.
(D) He eagerly accepted the responsibility of settling the dispute himself.
3 What does the writer mean by the phrase ‘imposing physique’ in the third paragraph?
(A) The neighbour’s habit of constantly scowling at his phone.
(B) The neighbour’s large and physically intimidating appearance.
(C) The neighbour’s friendly and welcoming personality.
(D) The neighbour’s deep and aggressive tone of voice.
4 What happened when the writer finally spoke to his neighbour?
(A) He delivered the furious, aggressive speech he had rehearsed.
(B) The neighbour defensively told him to mind his own business.
(C) He abandoned his plan to be confrontational and spoke respectfully instead.
(D) The neighbour refused to turn down the music despite the writer’s exam.
5 Why was the neighbour playing loud music at that time?
(A) He was relaxing after finishing his late-night employment.
(B) He mistakenly thought the building was completely empty.
(C) He was hosting a belated housewarming party for his friends.
(D) He wanted to test if the building was well-soundproofed.
6 What is the main message the writer takes away from this experience?
(A) It is always better to let landlords deal with disputes in poorly built apartments.
(B) Approaching people with courtesy is more effective than acting on negative assumptions.
(C) You should never complain about noise because people might be working night shifts.
(D) Intimidating people will usually ignore polite requests to change their behaviour.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 D: The text states the writer “could have tolerated the general daytime noise,” but his “sleep-deprived rage” was caused by being “jolted awake by the heavy, rhythmic thumping of electronic dance music” at 2 a.m., which matches being woken up due to poor insulation. Option A is a false match; this daytime noise was tolerable. Option B is the opposite of the truth. Option C is a partial truth; the cheap materials are mentioned as a background factor, but the direct cause of his anger is the 2 a.m. noise.
2 A: The writer “tried my best to avoid a direct conflict” and was “convinced that the disruption would be a one-off occurrence,” which shows he hoped it would stop on its own. Option B contradicts the text, which says he “couldn’t simply complain to the landlord”. Option C is a false match; he bought the earplugs, but they “proved to be entirely useless.” Option D is incorrect because he did not accept the responsibility eagerly; he was forced to do it.
3 B: The phrase “imposing physique” refers to the neighbour being a “towering, heavily tattooed man” who looked like a “bodybuilder or a bouncer.” This matches a large and intimidating physical appearance. Options A and D refer to other intimidating traits (scowling, deep voice) but do not define “physique.” Option C is the opposite of what the writer thought at the time.
4 C: The text states that “All my prepared, aggressive lines evaporated” and instead he found himself “adopting a remarkably polite tone.” This matches abandoning his confrontational plan. Option A is the opposite of what happened. Option B is a false match; the writer expected the neighbour to defensively tell him to mind his own business, but it didn’t actually happen. Option D is incorrect.
5 A: The neighbour explained that “he worked night shifts and used the music to unwind after getting home.” Option B is a false match; he thought the building was “well-soundproofed,” not empty. Option C is information misplaced; this was the writer’s initial, incorrect assumption in paragraph 2. Option D is an unstated, incorrect assumption.
6 B: In the conclusion, the writer notes that the situation was “resolved with simple courtesy” and that “jumping to conclusions about people based on their appearance is rarely a good idea, and politeness often achieves far more than anger.” Option A contradicts the building rules mentioned in paragraph 2. Option C is an over-inference and too extreme (“never complain”). Option D contradicts the outcome of the story, as the intimidating neighbour was very receptive to the polite request.
Reading 2
You are going to read an extract from a short story about a teenager who helps save her family’s restaurant.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Turning the Tables
For most seventeen-year-olds, Friday evenings mark the glorious beginning of weekend freedom, usually involving cinema trips, parties, or simply lounging in the local park. For me, however, Friday meant trading my school uniform for a grease-stained apron at La Trattoria, my parents’ struggling Italian restaurant. While my friends were excitedly messaging our group chat about their weekend plans, I was meticulously wiping down sticky tables and folding endless piles of cloth napkins, listening to the continuous, mocking ping of my phone in my pocket. If I had been given a choice, I would have been anywhere else, but the reality was that my parents couldn’t afford to hire extra staff. Consequently, my weekend liberty was swallowed whole by resentful obligation, leaving me feeling increasingly isolated from my peer group.
The physical exhaustion that accompanied a long shift was bad enough, but the emotional toll of watching my family’s livelihood slowly sink was considerably worse. Despite the mouth-watering aromas of roasted garlic and fresh basil drifting from the kitchen, the dining room remained alarmingly empty. Between serving the handful of loyal older regulars, I would catch my parents whispering anxiously by the coffee machine, their faces pale with worry over unpaid electricity bills. I often overheard them saying that unless a miracle happened, they might have to close the doors for good before the year ended. My initial resentment began to give way to a heavy, sinking feeling in my stomach; I finally realised that my stolen weekends were a desperate, last-ditch attempt to keep our heads above water.
It was during one particularly dead Saturday afternoon that I had a sudden brainwave. Standing aimlessly by the cash register, I picked up one of our menus. It was a massive, heavy, laminated book spanning ten pages, crammed with dozens of outdated dishes that took far too long to prepare and required expensive, rarely used ingredients. No wonder we were constantly losing money. The sheer size of the menu didn’t impress our customers; rather, it completely overwhelmed them and led to immense food waste in the kitchen. I realised that if we trimmed the fat and focused solely on my father’s phenomenal signature pasta dishes, we could drastically reduce our overheads and serve much better food.
Pitching my radical idea to my parents was undoubtedly nerve-wracking. After the last customer had departed that evening, I sat them down and laid out my proposal. I had sketched a streamlined, modern menu on a notepad, highlighting how focusing on seasonal, local ingredients would cut costs and appeal to a younger demographic. Initially, my father was incredibly resistant, deeply attached to the extensive culinary list he had proudly created a decade ago. However, my mother pointed out the harsh reality of their dwindling bank balance. Recognising that doing things the old way was clearly a failing strategy, they eventually agreed to give my concept a one-month trial run, granting me full control over the redesign.
The following month was an absolute whirlwind of late nights and early mornings. I created a fresh, visually appealing menu, set up entirely new social media accounts for the restaurant, and convinced my dad to offer a simplified, high-quality ‘weekend special’. When we officially launched the updated menu, the transformation was nothing short of miraculous. Word of mouth quickly spread, and soon, our previously deserted dining room was buzzing with energetic crowds. As I carried plates of steaming pasta to delighted customers, my feet ached and my arms throbbed, but the resentment was entirely gone. Looking at my parents’ relieved, beaming faces, a wave of profound pride washed over me. I hadn’t just sacrificed my teenage freedom; I had actively saved our family’s legacy.
1 How did the writer feel about working at the restaurant on Fridays?
(A) Annoyed because her friends kept messaging her to ask for her help.
(B) Frustrated because she was forced to miss out on socialising with her peers.
(C) Relieved that her parents didn’t have to spend money hiring extra staff.
(D) Ashamed of having to wear a grease-stained apron in front of her friends.
2 What changed the writer’s attitude towards her weekend job in the second paragraph?
(A) She overheard her parents complaining about her lack of effort.
(B) She felt exhausted from having to serve the loyal regular customers alone.
(C) She became aware of the genuine threat of her family losing their business.
(D) She realised the physical exhaustion was worth it to smell the delicious food.
3 What does the word ‘it‘ refer to in the third paragraph?
(A) The immense food waste in the kitchen.
(B) The expensive ingredients.
(C) The heavy cash register.
(D) The excessive length of the restaurant’s food list.
4 Why did the writer’s parents agree to her menu proposal?
(A) They acknowledged that their current approach was no longer financially viable.
(B) The father wanted to update the dishes he had created a decade ago.
(C) They believed her plan would immediately attract a younger demographic.
(D) They liked the sketches of the streamlined menu she had drawn.
5 When the new menu was introduced, the writer
(A) felt frustrated because the dining room became incredibly busy.
(B) experienced a sense of accomplishment despite her physical tiredness.
(C) was relieved that she no longer had to work late nights or early mornings.
(D) decided to hire extra staff to deal with the energetic crowds.
6 What is the main theme of the story?
(A) The importance of modernising old-fashioned culinary traditions.
(B) How parents often exploit their children to save money in business.
(C) The difficulty of balancing school life with a demanding part-time job.
(D) Finding unexpected personal satisfaction in helping one’s family.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 B: The text states her “weekend liberty was swallowed whole by resentful obligation, leaving me feeling increasingly isolated from my peer group.” This perfectly paraphrases her frustration at missing out on socialising. Distractor A uses exact words (“messaging”) but is a false match; her friends were messaging about their own plans, not asking for her help. Distractor C is a partial truth; her parents couldn’t afford staff, but she felt resentful, not relieved. Distractor D is an unstated assumption.
2 C: The writer’s resentment gave way to a sinking feeling when she realised her “stolen weekends were a desperate, last-ditch attempt to keep our heads above water,” meaning she understood the severe financial danger. Distractor A is a false match; she overheard them whispering about bills, not complaining about her. Distractor B is a partial truth; she was exhausted, but this didn’t change her attitude; her realization about the business failing did. Distractor D is illogical and contradicts the text.
3 D: In the preceding sentence, the text states, “The sheer size of the menu didn’t impress our customers; rather, it completely overwhelmed them”. The pronoun substitutes for “The sheer size of the menu”. Distractors A, B, and C are all nouns mentioned in the same paragraph but do not fit the grammatical subject of what was overwhelming the customers.
4 A: The text says they agreed after “Recognising that doing things the old way was clearly a failing strategy” and noting their “dwindling bank balance.” This paraphrases acknowledging their approach was no longer financially viable. Distractor B is the opposite of the text; the father was “deeply attached” to the old menu and “incredibly resistant”. Distractor C is a partial truth; the writer pitched the younger demographic idea, but the parents agreed because of their bank balance, not necessarily because they believed the demographic pitch.
5 B: The writer notes that her “feet ached and my arms throbbed” (physical tiredness), but “a wave of profound pride washed over me” (sense of accomplishment). Distractor A is a false match; the dining room was busy, but her resentment was “entirely gone,” so she wasn’t frustrated. Distractor C contradicts the text, which mentions a “whirlwind of late nights and early mornings.” Distractor D is an unstated invention.
6 D: The narrative arc resolves with the writer moving from “resentful obligation” to a “wave of profound pride,” demonstrating the theme of finding satisfaction in stepping up to save her family’s legacy. Distractor A is a minor detail from the text masquerading as the main idea. Distractor B is the opposite of the heartwarming conclusion. Distractor C is a partial truth relevant only to the very beginning of the story, not the overarching theme.