Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Musical Journeys & Creative Hobbies 1

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four amateur musicians describing the initial frustration of producing terrible sounds when first learning to play the violin.

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 how an earlier success with a different skill made their current struggles harder to handle?

2   was shocked by the physical discomfort caused by simply holding the instrument?

3   changed their learning environment to spare the feelings of those living with them?

4   used a recording device to assess their performance and felt disheartened?

5   acknowledges that their theoretical knowledge far exceeded their practical execution?

6   was prevented from abandoning the instrument by a timely piece of encouragement?

7   discovered that switching to a different instructor yielded positive results?

8   initially blamed their equipment for the awful noises before realising the truth?

9   eventually accepted that becoming proficient would be a lengthy, gradual process?

10   describes a stark contrast between their imagined performance and the grim reality?

Scraping By: The Agony of the Beginner Violinist

A Liam

When I first bought my violin, I’d envisioned myself effortlessly gliding the bow across the strings, producing a sweet, melancholy melody. The grim reality, however, was an excruciating screech that sounded like a cat in distress. It was an absolute shock to the system. I hadn’t anticipated the sheer physical discomfort involved; contorting my wrist and twisting my neck to clamp the instrument in place left me aching for days. By week three, I was completely demoralised and on the verge of throwing in the towel. Fortunately, an older musician at my local community centre urged me to stick with it, explaining that every single violinist goes through this dreadful ‘scratchy’ phase. That timely intervention stopped me from quitting. I’m still no virtuoso, but I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that perfection takes time, and those agonising early sessions were just an unavoidable rite of passage.

B Maya

I’ve always been quite a determined person, but nothing could have prepared me for the agonizing racket I produced during my first month of violin lessons. I assumed I would pick it up relatively quickly, but my initial attempts were so horrendous that my dog would literally howl and run out of the room. It was incredibly embarrassing, to the point where I felt obliged to banish myself to the garden shed just to spare my family’s ears. Out there, surrounded by lawnmowers and rusty tools, I could scrape away without feeling self-conscious. At first, I felt incredibly impatient, expecting to see rapid improvements week by week. However, I eventually realised that taming this beautiful but stubborn instrument was going to require years of dedication, not just a few weeks of casual practice. Once I accepted that mastering the basics is a slow, methodical journey, the initial frustration began to fade into a quiet determination.

C Tom

Having played the piano to a reasonably high standard since childhood, I somewhat arrogantly took it for granted that the violin would be a breeze. This prior musical experience actually made my early struggles immensely frustrating. I could read the sheet music perfectly, and my brain knew exactly how the notes ought to sound, but my hands simply refused to cooperate. My theoretical understanding was lightyears ahead of my physical execution, which drove me up the wall. Whenever I dragged the bow across the strings, it produced a horrifying rasp. At first, I was convinced there must be something wrong with the rosin or the strings, heavily blaming my gear for the dreadful noise. It was a humbling moment when my tutor demonstrated that the instrument was flawless; the fault lay entirely with my clumsy technique. I had to swallow my pride and accept that I was back at square one, learning from scratch.

D Chloe

I am a perfectionist by nature, which is arguably the worst trait to have when you’re a novice violinist. During my first few weeks, I was so convinced I was making decent progress that I decided to use my smartphone to record my practice session. Listening back to that audio was a devastating blow; the squeaks and squawks were almost unbearable, and I was utterly crushed. My original tutor, though very knowledgeable, kept insisting on rigid, classical pieces that only highlighted my terrible tone. The breakthrough came when I opted to look for a new teacher who specialised in folk music. She completely shifted my focus away from flawless technique and encouraged me to just feel the rhythm. If she hadn’t taught me to loosen my terrifyingly tight grip on the bow, I would never have stopped producing those agonizing, grating sounds. Getting over that initial hurdle was tough, but the joy of finally playing a recognisable tune is indescribable.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four teenagers sharing their experiences of forming a garage rock band with friends and the arguments over what songs to play.

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

Which person/section

1   admits to having almost abandoned the group because of creative differences?

2   had to play a musical genre they fully expected to dislike?

3   describes a disagreement over whether to perform original tracks or famous hits?

4   explains that their rehearsal hours were limited by local residents?

5   introduced a democratic method to settle arguments about what to play?

6   was taken aback by how much money was required to equip the band?

7   felt excluded from the song selection process in the beginning?

8   assumed control over the scheduling and planning of rehearsals?

9   ended up genuinely enjoying a song suggested by another member?

10   acknowledges that their disputes ultimately had a positive effect on their sound?

Finding Our Rhythm: The Reality of Starting a Garage Band

A Liam

Setting up a band in my dad’s cramped garage was a dream come true, but it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing. I’m a die-hard heavy metal fan, whereas the rest of the group are obsessed with indie pop. Initially, we constantly locked horns over our repertoire. At one point, the tension reached such a peak that I was on the verge of handing in my notice and walking away entirely. If I hadn’t taken a deep breath and compromised, the band would undoubtedly have broken up before our first gig. I reluctantly agreed to learn a few upbeat, mainstream tracks, fully expecting to despise them. However, much to my amazement, a remarkably catchy song that our bassist insisted on playing turned out to be an absolute blast. We’ve since bounced back from those early clashes and found a unique middle ground. I’ve come to terms with the fact that musical flexibility is vital.

B Chloe

When we first got together, we naively took it for granted that we could just plug in our amplifiers and jam until midnight. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. Our intense drumming and distorted guitars were not well received by the people living next door. After a few polite but firm complaints, a strict curfew had to be imposed on our weekend sessions, meaning we can only play between four and six in the afternoon. Because this time is so precious, it inevitably leads to heated debates. Our lead vocalist strongly advocated for doing well-known chart-toppers to build a local following, but the rest of us were desperate to compose our own unique material. We argued endlessly about this creative direction. Eventually, we realised that starting arguments only wasted our limited rehearsal window, so we now dedicate the first hour to writing and the second to perfecting crowd-pleasers.

C Sam

I was absolutely staggered by the sheer expense involved in putting a band together. Buying guitars was just the tip of the iceberg; we also had to fork out for microphones, stands, and a decent PA system. We ended up sourcing most of our gear second-hand just to stay afloat. Once the equipment was sorted, the real drama began. Every time we met up, a massive row would break out over which songs to practice. It was incredibly draining. To prevent the group from falling apart, I established a formal ballot system. Each member gets to pitch one song per week, and we hold an anonymous vote to select the winner. It sounds overly bureaucratic for a bunch of teenagers, but it works wonders. Looking back, I can clearly see that those early, passionate disagreements were highly beneficial. Defending our musical choices forced us to critically analyse our sound, ultimately resulting in a much stronger, more polished performance.

D Maya

As the drummer, I don’t write lyrics or play melodies, so in the early days of our band, I often felt completely sidelined when it came to choosing our setlist. The guitarists and the singer would argue for hours over chord progressions and vocal harmonies, while I just sat there waiting to be told what beat to keep. I was highly motivated to contribute, but I felt my voice wasn’t being heard. However, I soon noticed that our biggest problem wasn’t just musical differences; it was a total lack of organisation. Nobody could agree on what time to meet, and rehearsals were often chaotic. I decided to step up and take control of the logistics. I created a shared digital calendar, set strict agendas for each session, and made sure everyone knew exactly what we were playing beforehand. By becoming the band’s unofficial manager, I gained the respect of the others, and my opinions on our music are now actively sought out.

Exercises:   123456