Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Physical Education & Extracurriculars 8

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four teenagers reviewing the impact of joining an environmental club and initiating recycling programs on campus.

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 being taken aback by the level of manual work required?

2   highlights the necessity of developing communication skills to influence adults?

3   realised that criticizing peers was an unproductive way to gain their support?

4   experienced a temporary dip in their school performance due to their commitment?

5   felt discouraged at first by the indifferent attitude of the student body?

6   focused their efforts on creating visual content to spread their message?

7   unexpectedly formed relationships with a diverse range of peers?

8   expresses astonishment at the volume of administrative tasks involved?

9   derives satisfaction from having successfully transformed the campus mindset?

10   has taken steps to guarantee the long-term survival of the initiative?

Turning the Campus Green: Our Recycling Revolution

A Liam

When I first joined the campus Eco-Warriors, I naively anticipated a massive wave of enthusiasm from my peers. However, handing out flyers during lunch breaks, I felt deeply discouraged by the sheer indifference of the student body. Overcoming that deep-rooted apathy was undoubtedly our biggest hurdle. Furthermore, I hadn’t quite factored in the exhausting reality of the project. Hauling heavy, overflowing recycling bins across the school courtyard every Friday afternoon was genuinely back-breaking work, and I was genuinely taken aback by the manual labour involved! Nevertheless, we stuck to our guns, and gradually, habits began to shift. Today, seeing teenagers deliberately separate their cardboard from general waste without being prompted is immensely fulfilling. Looking back, the fact that we successfully overhauled the entire culture of our school makes every single blister worthwhile. Sustainability is now just part of our everyday routine.

B Maya

For me, the environmental club wasn’t just about saving the planet; it was an unexpected crash course in bureaucracy. I volunteered to head the recycling task force, assuming we could simply place some cardboard boxes in the corridors and call it a day. I was utterly staggered by the sheer mountain of paperwork required to get official approval. I had to draft formal proposals, outline health and safety risks, and attend lengthy board meetings with the school governors. At first, it was incredibly daunting, but it taught me how to articulate my ideas effectively. Learning how to negotiate with strict management figures and convince them to invest school funds into our project was a steep learning curve. However, acquiring those diplomatic skills has boosted my confidence immensely. Now, whenever we want to implement a new green policy, I know exactly how to navigate the system to get the green light.

C Noah

When we first launched the recycling drive, my immediate instinct was to strictly monitor the bins and scold anyone who threw a plastic bottle into the wrong container. Unsurprisingly, acting like the eco-police backfired spectacularly. I soon came to terms with the fact that shaming people only made them resent our cause, which was utterly counterproductive. We completely changed our strategy and decided to focus on education rather than punishment. I took charge of our multimedia campaign, pouring my energy into designing eye-catching posters and engaging infographics for the school’s digital screens. We highlighted the positive impact of recycling rather than dwelling on the doom and gloom of climate change. The transformation was almost instantaneous. Once students actually understood what happened to their waste, they were more than happy to participate. It just goes to show that a little bit of positive reinforcement goes a long way.

D Chloe

Stepping up as the president of the conservation society took a surprisingly heavy toll on my schedule. During the initial rollout of our recycling scheme, I was spending every lunch break and free period sorting out logistics. Consequently, my mock exam results suffered a noticeable dip, which was a massive wake-up call. I quickly had to learn how to manage my time and delegate responsibilities more efficiently. Despite the early stress, the club has been a phenomenal experience, mostly because it forced me to mingle. I ended up forming tight-knit bonds with classmates from completely different social circles who I probably would never have spoken to otherwise. As I’m graduating this summer, my main priority lately has been training the younger members. I’ve put together a comprehensive handover manual so that the incoming committee can keep the momentum going. It’s crucial to me that this initiative outlasts my time here.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four students discussing the pressure and excitement of competing in a regional mathematics Olympiad.

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

Which person/section

1   initially participated only to satisfy an authority figure’s request?

2   admits that hastiness led to an avoidable error?

3   experienced a feeling of intense physical fatigue once the competition concluded?

4   found that interacting with their rivals was surprisingly pleasant?

5   used alternative games to train their brain for the event?

6   mentions feeling intimidated by the sheer number of attendees?

7   highlights the necessity of maintaining composure under demanding conditions?

8   experienced a sudden burst of energy upon cracking a difficult equation?

9   acknowledges that the event completely altered their perception of the subject?

10   states that a feeling of self-doubt almost made them withdraw beforehand?

Crunching the Numbers: Our Math Olympiad Experiences

A Felix

Entering the regional mathematics Olympiad was a monumental leap out of my comfort zone. I’ve always been a solitary studier, so walking into a massive exhibition hall swarming with hundreds of brilliant minds was incredibly daunting. Honestly, the sheer scale of the event nearly made me turn around and head straight for the exit; I was plagued by the idea that I simply didn’t belong there. However, once the timer started, instinct took over. The highlight for me was tackling the final, notoriously complex geometry problem. I stared at the paper for what felt like hours, entirely stuck. But when the solution suddenly clicked into place, the surge of adrenaline was absolutely exhilarating. It was an intense thrill I’d never associated with sitting at a desk before. Overcoming that initial urge to quit and actually holding my own against such fierce competition did wonders for my self-esteem.

B Aisha

I’m naturally quite competitive, so I spent months gearing up for the Olympiad, treating it like a high-stakes athletic tournament. My biggest flaw, however, has always been my impatience. During the first round, I was so desperate to finish ahead of the clock that I misread a relatively straightforward algebra question, dropping valuable points. It was a frustrating, completely preventable mistake that served as a harsh wake-up call to slow down. What truly surprised me about the weekend, though, was the overall atmosphere. I had fully expected my fellow contestants to be secretive and hostile, keeping their strategies strictly to themselves. Instead, during the breaks, we bonded over our shared struggles with calculus and swapped contact details. Discovering this genuine sense of community among supposedly ruthless opponents was a breath of fresh air.

C Toby

If it had been entirely up to me, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the Olympiad. It was my head of year who practically twisted my arm into registering, insisting I had unfulfilled potential. To prepare, I deliberately avoided burying my head in heavy textbooks. Instead, I spent my evenings playing competitive chess and solving cryptic crosswords to sharpen my logical thinking. Surprisingly, this unconventional tactic paid off, allowing me to approach the Olympiad’s logic puzzles from a fresh angle. The most significant outcome of the experience, however, was how it shifted my mindset. Before the competition, I’d always viewed maths as a rigid, somewhat tedious school requirement—just a series of exams to pass. Seeing it presented as a dynamic, creative challenge completely blew my mind. I am now seriously considering pursuing a degree in applied mathematics.

D Clara

The Olympiad was undeniably one of the most demanding experiences of my life. You’re forced to sit in absolute silence for three hours, wrestling with formulas that seem impossible to decipher. I quickly realised that keeping panic at bay is just as crucial as knowing your theorems. The moment you let anxiety take the reins, your mind goes blank, so I focused heavily on deep breathing to keep my emotions regulated. Although I had hoped to secure a spot in the national finals, I narrowly missed the cut-off score. Despite not walking away with a gold medal, I secured a summer placement at a tech firm after impressing one of the guest judges. When the closing ceremony finally wrapped up, the adrenaline crash was profound. I literally collapsed onto the sofa the minute I got home, completely drained of all energy. Still, looking back, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Exercises:   123456