Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – EdTech & Digital Learning 6

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four students describing a stressful experience of taking an online proctored exam and dealing with technical glitches.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   felt that the software’s security measures were an unacceptable invasion of privacy?

2  regrets not carrying out a trial run of their setup prior to the assessment?

3   was pleasantly surprised by the highly supportive attitude of an exam official?

4   had to resort to an alternative internet source to finish their test?

5   was terrified that a hardware malfunction would lead to accusations of dishonesty?

6   was granted additional time to compensate for a technical interruption?

7   found it extremely difficult to refocus on the academic content after a disruption?

8   mentions experiencing a frustrating delay while trying to reach technical assistance?

9   lost a portion of their written work due to a sudden system failure?

10   was highly concerned about breaking a strict rule regarding prohibited items?

Technical Glitches and Ticking Clocks: Surviving Online Exams

A Liam

I’ve always been a bit of a technophobe, but I took it for granted that my laptop would handle the proctoring software without a hitch. About twenty minutes into my economics exam, the webcam light unexpectedly flickered and died. Panic immediately set in; the university guidelines explicitly state that a deactivated camera can be grounds for disqualification. I was terrified the automated system would flag me for cheating. With my heart pounding, I frantically restarted my router, praying it was just a temporary network drop. Thankfully, the video feed sprang back to life a few minutes later, but my nerves were completely shredded. Looking back, I could kick myself for not doing a proper system check the day before, as the university had strongly advised. I managed to scrape a pass, but the anxiety of potentially failing over a hardware malfunction is an ordeal I never want to go through again.

B Maya

I usually perform quite well under pressure, but my online history exam was an absolute nightmare. Halfway through a complex essay question, my Wi-Fi completely dropped out and the screen froze. When I finally managed to log back into the portal, I was horrified to discover that the last two paragraphs I had typed hadn’t been saved. I was on the verge of tears, convinced that my chances of getting a decent grade were ruined. I immediately used the chat function to contact the human proctor overseeing my session, expecting a strict, unsympathetic response. To my sheer amazement, he was incredibly reassuring. He calmed me down, logged the technical fault on my file, and even adjusted the timer to give me an extra ten minutes to rewrite the missing section. Although the glitch was incredibly stressful, the official’s compassionate approach genuinely saved my grade.

C Sam

My biology exam was heavily reliant on a specific proctoring application that locked down our browsers. Everything was going smoothly until the software suddenly crashed, throwing me entirely out of the test environment. I immediately tried to ring the university’s IT helpdesk, but I was placed on hold for what felt like an eternity. Realising that my home broadband was the likely culprit, I knew I had to act fast. I made the risky decision to grab my smartphone and set up a mobile hotspot to restore my connection. The problem was, mobile phones were strictly forbidden in the exam setting, and I was incredibly anxious that the AI monitoring system would detect the device and automatically void my test. I spent the remainder of the exam sweating bullets, anticipating a warning message that never came. While I successfully submitted my paper, the disruption left me completely drained.

D Chloe

Living in a busy shared house means finding a quiet space is a constant battle. I had warned my flatmates to keep the noise down during my law exam, but someone inevitably dropped a heavy pan in the kitchen next door. The sudden crash triggered the proctoring software’s audio sensors, which instantly paused my exam. A pop-up message demanded that I pick up my laptop and do a slow, 360-degree sweep of my bedroom to prove I wasn’t communicating with anyone. I found the whole process incredibly intrusive; having a stranger via a webcam inspect my personal space felt like a massive invasion of privacy. By the time I was permitted to resume the test, my train of thought was completely derailed. I spent the next fifteen minutes staring blankly at the screen, struggling to get my head back into the complex legal scenarios I was supposed to be analysing.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four young people talking about taking a ‘digital detox’ to improve their concentration and study habits.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions experiencing a physical reaction when first separated from their devices?

2   used a software tool as an initial step before fully disconnecting?

3   admits to feeling left out of social circles during their time offline?

4   was astonished by the abundance of free time they gained?

5   took up a physical activity to fill the void left by their devices?

6   relied on another person to help them maintain their commitment?

7   experienced academic complications when working with others due to their lack of connectivity?

8   ultimately settled on a compromise rather than a permanent, total ban?

9   states that the quality of their rest improved considerably?

10   points out that their peers found their decision baffling?

Disconnecting to Reconnect: Our Digital Detox Experiences

A Liam

When my final exams were looming, I came to the harsh realisation that my smartphone was my biggest distraction. Going offline completely cold turkey was a genuine shock to the system; during the first few days, my hands would actually shake, and I constantly reached into my empty pocket out of pure habit. To combat this intense withdrawal, I threw myself into outdoor pursuits, specifically long-distance running. Pounding the pavements became my new obsession and effectively filled the hours I used to waste watching mindless videos. One unexpected bonus of abandoning late-night scrolling was the profound effect it had on my sleep cycle. Previously, I’d toss and turn for hours, but without the artificial blue light, I began waking up feeling completely revitalised. While some of my friends joked about my sudden disappearance, my concentration skyrocketed, allowing me to tackle complex assignments efficiently.

B Maya

I didn’t plunge straight into a total digital blackout right away. At first, I downloaded a specialised website blocker to restrict my access to social media during my study hours. However, I’d inevitably find clever loopholes to bypass the software’s restrictions, so I eventually decided to lock my tablet and smartphone in a drawer for an entire month. From an academic standpoint, my productivity went through the roof. Nevertheless, my offline status did trigger some unforeseen complications, particularly when it came to collaborative university projects. My classmates were heavily reliant on instant messaging applications to coordinate our presentations. Consequently, because I could only be reached via email from a public library computer, I frequently missed urgent updates, which caused a noticeable amount of friction within the team. Despite that, I don’t regret it; the ability to engage in deep, uninterrupted study was entirely worth the inconvenience.

C Sam

Deciding to ditch my digital life was met with absolute bewilderment by my peers. They simply couldn’t fathom why anyone would voluntarily cut themselves off from the modern world. If I’m completely honest, the ‘fear of missing out’ hit me much harder than I had anticipated. Because all our social plans were organised in group chats, I frequently found myself entirely out of the loop regarding weekend gatherings. It was incredibly isolating to return to college on Monday and have no idea what inside jokes everyone was laughing about. Despite the undeniable boost to my revision schedule and my improved grades, absolute isolation wasn’t sustainable in the long run. Consequently, I’ve now established a strict middle ground. I leave my phone in another room while reading, but I allow myself an hour of connectivity in the evenings. It’s a pragmatic solution that protects my focus.

D Chloe

The very concept of a digital detox had always intimidated me, so I convinced my older sister to undertake the challenge alongside me. Knowing we were in it together made it far easier to stay on track; whenever one of us felt the overwhelming urge to log on, the other was there to talk them out of it. What absolutely blew my mind during our offline month was the sheer volume of leisure hours I suddenly had at my disposal. I had always complained about lacking the time to revise for my biology exams, but I quickly realised that my supposed lack of time was actually just hours squandered on endless scrolling. Without my smartphone absorbing my attention, I effortlessly completed my daily revision goals and still had hours left over. It was a harsh but necessary wake-up call about how stealthily technology had hijacked my routine.

Exercises:   123456