Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Physical Education & Extracurriculars 3

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four students sharing their experiences and the life lessons they learned from losing a major inter-school sports championship.

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

Which person

1   regretted disappointing someone who had shown confidence in their abilities?

2   was initially reluctant to attend an event celebrating the end of the tournament?

3   came to understand that their previous achievements had made them complacent?

4   gained a new perspective as a result of a comment made by a competitor?

5   discovered that personal glory is less important than mutual support within a group?

6   was comforted by the immediate return to a regular schedule of practice?

7   was surprised by how sympathetic their school peers were following the defeat?

8   believes that experiencing defeat is essential for achieving future growth?

9   acknowledges that their exhaustion heightened the emotional pain of the loss?

10   admits they had been overly concerned with public recognition before the match?

The Value of Defeat: What We Learned by Losing

A Tom

We had been tipped to win the regional basketball finals for months, and I must confess I’d allowed all the local press coverage to get to my head. I was more preoccupied with how our victory would look on the school website than with the actual gameplay. When the final whistle blew and we were two points down, the reality hit me like a physical blow. What cut the deepest, though, was looking at our coach. He had sacrificed months of his own time and genuinely believed we had what it took to lift the trophy, so seeing his face drop was devastating. I felt as though I had completely broken his trust. Nevertheless, looking back on that painful afternoon, I’ve finally come to terms with the outcome. I now understand that hitting rock bottom is sometimes an essential prerequisite for future development. If we hadn’t slipped up so spectacularly, we wouldn’t have developed the resilience required to truly master our sport.

B Rachel

Our volleyball team had reached the final stage through sheer determination, but we fell apart during the decisive set. Up until that match, I had always focused entirely on my own statistics, mistakenly assuming that as long as I performed flawlessly, the team would fly through. The defeat completely shattered that illusion, forcing me to realise that individual brilliance means absolutely nothing if you aren’t actively backing up your teammates when things get tough. It was a bittersweet lesson in group dynamics. I had dreaded walking into the school corridors the following Monday, anticipating whispers or mockery from other students. To my utter astonishment, however, our classmates rallied around us, offering nothing but words of encouragement and praise for how far we’d come. This unexpected wave of solidarity from the student body made the bitter pill of defeat much easier to swallow, and it completely changed my outlook on what school sports are really about.

C Sam

By the time the referee ended the football match, I could barely stand. We had played through ninety minutes of intense rain, and my legs were completely dead. That extreme physical drain undoubtedly magnified the emotional devastation of our loss; every mistake we’d made seemed to weigh twice as heavily because we had nothing left in the tank to fight back with. Afterwards, there was a formal dinner arranged to mark the completion of the championship. Honestly, I was so consumed by embarrassment and frustration that I initially tried to sneak out to avoid attending. Bouncing back from that state of mind took a lot of effort, but my teammates persuaded me to go. Surprisingly, what really helped me heal was hitting the training pitch again at 7:00 AM the very next morning. Sticking to our intense, pre-arranged training regime provided a sense of comfort and stability that stopped me from brooding over the missed opportunities.

D Hannah

Losing the inter-school tennis shield was a massive wake-up call. Because we had cruised through the preliminary rounds without dropping a single set, we had unconsciously stopped pushing ourselves. We simply took it for granted that the trophy would be ours, and that complacency was our undoing when we faced an opponent who refused to back down. I was sitting on the bench, completely downcast, when the girl who had beaten me came over. Instead of gloating, she told me that our tough match was the hardest she’d ever played, and that she’d only won because she’d spent the last year studying my techniques. Her perspective completely shifted my mindset. It made me realise that while we had been resting on our laurels, others had been working tirelessly to overtake us. I came away from that defeat knowing that yesterday’s triumphs mean nothing if you don’t maintain your drive today.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four teenagers talking about the transformative experience of acting in the annual school theatrical production.

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

Which person/section

1   found that a failure of memory actually led to a better audience reaction?

2   admits they originally auditioned solely to accompany someone else?

3   initially underestimated how much the rehearsal schedule would interfere with their academic life?

4   felt unexpectedly sympathetic towards the character they were portraying?

5   realised that every cast member is crucial, regardless of their role’s size?

6   had to rethink their assumption that acting is a relatively effortless skill?

7   successfully eradicated a long-standing phobia through their participation?

8   managed to stay in character despite a physical mishap on stage?

9   appreciates having formed close relationships with students from different social groups?

10   claims that pretending to be someone else offered a welcome distraction from their own worries?

Stepping into the Spotlight: Our School Play Experience

A Leo

When my drama teacher suggested I audition for the school’s annual comedy, I nearly laughed out loud. I had always been plagued by crippling stage fright, and the mere thought of standing under the spotlight made my palms sweat. However, I eventually decided it was time to face my demons head-on. The transformation didn’t happen overnight, but gradually, stepping into the auditorium felt less daunting. By the opening night, my anxiety had completely vanished. The most memorable moment occurred during the second act when I completely blanked on my lines. Instead of panicking, I blurted out a spontaneous joke. To my absolute astonishment, the audience erupted into laughter, and the director later praised my quick thinking, saying it was the highlight of the scene! Although balancing the rehearsals with my homework was tricky, the boost to my self-confidence has been phenomenal. I’ve finally come to terms with being the centre of attention.

B Maya

I never harboured any secret ambitions to be an actress. In fact, I only turned up to the auditions because my best friend was terrified of going by herself and begged me to tag along for moral support. To my surprise, I ended up being cast in the ensemble. Initially, I felt a bit disheartened about not having a speaking part, assuming I’d just blend into the background. However, the director quickly made it clear that the crowd scenes were the backbone of the entire musical. I soon realised that the production would simply collapse without the energy of the chorus. What I valued most about the experience, though, was the incredible sense of camaraderie. I found myself chatting and laughing with teenagers from other year groups whom I wouldn’t normally have crossed paths with. We were all working towards a shared goal, and that effectively erased any typical high school cliques.

C Sam

Securing the lead role in a Shakespearean tragedy was a dream come true, but it was also a massive wake-up call. Before this, I honestly thought that acting mostly boiled down to memorising a few lines and putting on a loud voice. I took it for granted that the talent just flowed naturally. I couldn’t have been more mistaken! The sheer physical and mental endurance required to portray such complex emotions every single evening was utterly exhausting. Furthermore, the commitment took a severe toll on my free time. I hadn’t quite grasped how late the dress rehearsals would run, and I found myself frantically trying to catch up on my coursework during my lunch breaks. Despite the immense pressure, pushing myself to the limit taught me invaluable time-management skills. I also developed a profound respect for professional actors. The standing ovation we received on the final night made every stressful, sleep-deprived moment completely worthwhile.

D Chloe

Portraying the antagonist in our school thriller was a deeply therapeutic experience for me. I was going through a rather stressful period with my upcoming exams, and slipping into the mindset of a completely different person each evening provided a fantastic escape from my own reality. Interestingly, although my character was undeniably wicked, I spent so much time analysing her backstory that I actually began to understand her twisted motivations. It really broadened my emotional perspective. The live performances weren’t without their hiccups, however. During the climax of the play, the heel of my shoe snapped off entirely. Rather than stopping or breaking character to fix it, I incorporated a pronounced limp into my walk, glaring menacingly at the audience. Several people told me afterwards that it made the villain seem even more intimidating! It taught me that no matter what goes wrong under the stage lights, the show must always go on.

Exercises:   123456