Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Career Changes & Taking Leaps 6

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four people sharing their experiences of abandoning a family business they were expected to inherit to follow their own independent paths.

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

Which person/section

1   was forced to conceal their true educational pursuits from their relatives for a while?

2   initially attempted to participate in the enterprise before ultimately resigning?

3   experienced an unexpected level of understanding from their family upon announcing their departure?

4   admits that their current profession is less lucrative than the role they walked away from?

5   felt manipulated by relatives trying to persuade them to stay?

6   feels no resentment that an outsider has taken over the family firm?

7   points out that their new career also involves a highly demanding schedule?

8   claims their departure led to a severe, albeit temporary, breakdown in a family relationship?

9   says their lack of enthusiasm for the family trade was the primary driving force behind their exit?

10   felt a heavy burden of expectation placed upon them from a very young age?

Forging My Own Path: Leaving the Family Business Behind

A Liam

For as long as I can remember, it was taken for granted that I’d eventually run our family’s artisan bakery. My grandfather started it, and my parents practically lived there. However, baking simply didn’t spark any joy for me. When I finally confessed that I wanted to pursue freelance photography, the reaction was pretty hostile. My mother laid on a massive guilt trip, reminding me of all the sacrifices they had made to build the brand. She constantly pointed out the financial risks of the creative industry, trying to coerce me into staying. I felt terrible, but my complete lack of passion for the trade meant I would have run the place into the ground anyway. Now, I have my own studio. Although photography is a tough market, I’ve never regretted walking away. Sometimes I look back and wonder if I should have tried to modernise the bakery instead, but deep down, I know my heart wouldn’t have been in it.

B Sophia

Growing up, I was constantly reminded that I would one day take the reins of my father’s successful accounting firm. That narrative was drilled into me since primary school. I was offered a direct path to wealth and a comfortable lifestyle, which most people would jump at. Nevertheless, crunching numbers bored me to tears; my true fascination lay in ocean conservation. I spent agonizing months preparing to break the news, terrified it would destroy our relationship. To my utter astonishment, my dad didn’t react with anger. Instead, he hugged me and said he just wanted me to be fulfilled. Naturally, stepping away from a guaranteed six-figure salary to work for an environmental charity meant a massive pay cut. Consequently, I’ve had to scale back my standard of living significantly. I may not be driving a luxury car, but preserving marine ecosystems gives me a profound sense of purpose that balancing ledgers never could.

C Julian

After university, I actually gave the family restaurant a fair shot. I worked as the assistant manager for three grueling years, assuming I would eventually take over. However, my father and I clashed constantly over my ideas to upgrade our booking system and marketing strategy; he was completely resistant to moving with the times. Frustrated by the lack of innovation, I eventually threw in the towel to launch a software startup. My sudden resignation resulted in a bitter fallout with my dad, and we barely spoke for over a year. Thankfully, we’ve bounced back and are on speaking terms again. Building a tech company from scratch has been incredibly taxing, and ironically, I’m putting in just as many hours now as I did in the restaurant kitchen. The crucial difference is that I am the one calling the shots. I’m finally building something that reflects my own vision, rather than preserving someone else’s legacy.

D Maya

My parents built a highly profitable real estate agency and fully expected me to inherit the empire. During my early twenties, I pretended to study business management to keep the peace. Behind their backs, however, I had secretly enrolled in an education degree, as my true ambition was to become a special needs teacher. The deception ate away at me, but I knew my parents would have pulled my funding if they had found out the truth prematurely. When the reality finally came to light, they were devastated. Fast forward five years, and the agency is now being successfully managed by a hired CEO who isn’t related to us in the slightest. Honestly, I feel absolutely no bitterness about it; in fact, it’s a massive relief. Teaching can be incredibly draining, and there are days when the workload feels insurmountable, but seeing my students make progress makes every single challenge worthwhile. I’m finally living authentically.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four young adults describing the loneliness and self-doubt they experienced during the first year of transitioning to freelance writing.

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 their professional abilities were inadequate when approaching major publishers?

2   found it challenging that their social circle couldn’t relate to their new lifestyle?

3   struggled to separate their professional duties from their personal life?

4   was taken aback by how much they missed the background noise of a traditional workplace?

5   actively sought out virtual connections to combat their feelings of isolation?

6   started to question their own level of motivation due to a lack of an imposed schedule?

7   felt insecure because they no longer received instant evaluations of their work?

8   felt disconnected because their working hours differed significantly from those of their peers?

9   points out that being ignored by potential clients amplified their sense of being alone?

10   admits they sometimes didn’t leave their house for extended periods?

The Solitary Screen: Surviving the First Year of Freelance Writing

A Mark

When I handed in my notice to become a full-time freelance writer, I genuinely believed I was living the dream. However, the reality of working from my spare bedroom hit me hard. Initially, I kept to my usual nine-to-five routine, but I was completely taken aback by how deafening the silence was. I hadn’t realised how much I relied on the general buzz of the office, or casual chats by the coffee machine, to keep my spirits up. Without colleagues to bounce ideas off, a creeping sense of self-doubt set in. In my previous role, my manager would instantly tell me if a report was heading in the right direction. Suddenly, I had no one to validate my drafts before I sent them off. Every time I hit ‘send’, I’d spend hours agonizing over whether my articles were actually any good, wondering if I had made a massive mistake abandoning a secure salary.

B Chloe

Earning a living entirely through my laptop sounded incredibly liberating until I realised that my living room had morphed into my office. Suddenly, the boundary between my personal space and my professional life virtually vanished. I found myself typing away at the kitchen table late into the night, unable to switch off. This irregular routine took a heavy toll on my social life. My friends were all working standard corporate hours, meaning they were out having fun while I was desperately trying to meet looming deadlines. I felt entirely cut off from my usual circle. There were countless moments when I’d stare at a blank screen, battling severe writer’s block, and questioning if I possessed the talent to make a name for myself. While I didn’t necessarily miss having a boss tell me what to do, the sheer isolation of tackling complex assignments at two in the morning was overwhelmingly tough to cope with.

C Jamal

My biggest hurdle during the first twelve months wasn’t necessarily the writing itself, but the constant pitching. Whenever I tried to contact high-profile magazines or publishers, a massive wave of imposter syndrome would wash over me. I felt like a complete fraud pretending to be a ‘real’ journalist, convinced they would see right through me. What made this insecurity worse was the sheer volume of unanswered emails. Staring at an empty inbox all day is soul-destroying; the radio silence from editors severely magnified my feelings of being completely on my own in the world. Fortunately, things turned a corner when I stumbled upon a network of fellow freelancers on social media. Logging into those forums and chatting with people who were going through the exact same struggles was a lifeline. It didn’t solve my financial worries, but it definitely cured the loneliness and gave me the courage to keep putting my work out there.

D Sophie

Transitioning to freelance writing brought an unexpected level of freedom, but that lack of structure turned out to be a double-edged sword. Without a manager breathing down my neck, I seriously began to doubt my own self-discipline. I’d sleep in late, procrastinate, and then feel overwhelmingly guilty about my lack of productivity. It got to the point where I would sometimes remain cooped up inside my flat for four or five consecutive days, barely stepping outside to get fresh air. It was an incredibly solitary existence. To make matters worse, whenever I tried to explain my anxieties to my family or friends, they simply didn’t grasp the pressure I was under. They thought I was just relaxing at home all day and couldn’t comprehend the mental toll of constantly having to chase the next paycheck. That fundamental misunderstanding created a huge gap between us, leaving me feeling more isolated than ever before.

Exercises:   123456