Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Musical Journeys & Creative Hobbies 2

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four individuals talking about the meditative and calming effect of playing the piano alone after a chaotic day at work.

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 relying on spontaneous creativity rather than following written notes?

2   appreciates the fact that their chosen music has a predictable and set structure?

3   highlights the physical sensation of interacting with the instrument?

4   relies on technology to ensure their practice remains entirely private?

5   uses playing to recover from the emotional toll of interacting with the public?

6   views their playing as a necessary break from staring at digital devices?

7   uses highly demanding pieces to stop their mind from wandering back to their job?

8   expresses regret over having previously given up their musical training?

9   accepts that they will probably never achieve a high level of technical mastery?

10   points out how they frequently lose all sense of time while at the keyboard?

Finding Harmony: Unwinding at the Keyboard

A Mark

As a customer service manager, my days are spent dealing with endless complaints and resolving complex conflicts. By the time I get home, I feel completely emotionally drained. I don’t want to talk to anyone; I just sit at my upright piano and let my fingers do the talking. Unlike my childhood piano lessons, which were heavily focused on reading complex sheet music, I now completely rely on improvisation. Making things up as I go along is incredibly liberating. I don’t worry about hitting the wrong notes or following a rigid structure; I just play whatever reflects my mood. It acts as a release valve for all that accumulated tension. The meditative effect is so profound that I frequently sit down intending to play for twenty minutes, only to look up and realise two hours have slipped by unnoticed. If I hadn’t rediscovered the piano, I honestly don’t know how I would cope with the stress of my profession.

B Sarah

The legal profession is highly unpredictable, and my schedule is often thrown into chaos by last-minute crises. Because my working day lacks any real certainty, I find immense comfort in the absolute mathematical precision of classical music. When I return to my apartment, I immediately open a book of Bach or Chopin. Unlike jazz, which leaves room for interpretation, these sonatas must be played exactly as written. That predictability is precisely what calms my nerves. Moreover, playing these compositions requires such an intense level of concentration that it leaves absolutely no room in my brain to fret over pending court cases or difficult clients. If my mind wanders for even a split second, the melody falls apart. Although my friends suggest I should try writing my own songs, I have no desire to do so. Just focusing on executing a demanding masterpiece flawlessly is the ultimate way for me to switch off and de-stress.

C David

I spend eight to ten hours a day staring at glowing screens, writing code, and attending virtual meetings. Consequently, my eyes and brain are usually exhausted by 6 p.m. Playing my grand piano is the perfect antidote because it’s a purely analogue experience. There are no digital interfaces, just the wonderful tactile sensation of pressing down on the heavy wooden keys and feeling the vibrations resonate through the floorboards. I only took up the instrument in my late twenties, so it goes without saying that my technique is fairly basic. I know I’m never going to be a virtuoso, but I’ve completely come to terms with that. I’m not practicing to perform for an audience or to pass exams; I play purely for my own mental well-being. Focusing on the physical movement of my hands helps to ground me in the real world after spending the entire day lost in a virtual one.

D Emma

Working twelve-hour shifts in a busy Accident and Emergency department is an assault on the senses. You are constantly surrounded by beeping monitors, rushing staff, and a general atmosphere of panic. When I eventually get back to my flat, I crave absolute silence. Unfortunately, I live in an old building with very thin walls, so a traditional acoustic piano is out of the question. Instead, I use a high-end digital keyboard. By plugging in my noise-cancelling headphones, I can immerse myself in the music without disturbing my neighbours. It creates a beautiful, isolated bubble where the chaos of the hospital simply melts away. I actually had lessons when I was at school, but I foolishly quit when I was fifteen because I thought it was boring. I constantly kick myself for making that decision now! Relearning the basics has been challenging, but having this private sanctuary has been an absolute lifesaver for my mental health.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four young adults reflecting on their regret of quitting music lessons as children and the difficulty of picking up the guitar again.

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 abandoning their practice in order to concentrate on their academic performance?

2   expresses frustration over the physical pain associated with rebuilding their technique?

3   regrets giving up their instrument solely because of a clash with a tutor’s teaching style?

4   feels overwhelmed by the sheer volume of unstructured digital learning materials?

5   highlights the frustrating disconnect between their theoretical knowledge and physical execution?

6   was motivated to resume playing by a desire to collaborate musically with peers?

7   admits to deliberately rejecting the specific style of music their family pushed them to learn?

8   is disappointed that spending a large amount of money did not guarantee faster progress?

9   mistakenly believed that regaining their previous skill level would be a straightforward process?

10   wants to acquire enough skill to provide casual entertainment at social gatherings?

Striking the Wrong Chord: The Regret of Giving Up the Guitar

A Mark

When I was ten, my parents insisted I learn the classical guitar. I absolutely loathed the rigid posture, the constant scales, and the traditional repertoire they forced upon me. Consequently, as soon as I was old enough to put my foot down, I quit. Looking back, I genuinely regret that rebellious phase. Recently, I’ve developed a strong desire to strum a few chords at beach barbecues or parties—nothing professional, just relaxed socializing with my peers. However, picking the instrument back up has been a rude awakening. I had completely forgotten how much building up calluses hurts; the tips of my fingers are constantly blistering and throbbing after just ten minutes of practice. While my friends offer words of encouragement, the sheer physical discomfort makes me want to throw the guitar out the window. I sometimes wonder if sticking with those tedious classical lessons would have spared me this current agony.

B Sarah

I gave up my lessons as a teenager purely because I wanted to spend my evenings hanging out with my friends rather than cooped up in a practice room. Recently, I decided to give it another shot and splashed out on a top-of-the-range acoustic model. I mistakenly assumed that investing in premium equipment would magically make the learning process smoother and significantly accelerate my progress. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case at all. Without a structured syllabus, I’ve been relying entirely on internet video tutorials. At first, it seemed convenient, but there is such an overwhelming avalanche of contradictory advice online that my brain constantly feels scrambled. I often find myself jumping aimlessly from one video to another without making any tangible improvement. My hands do ache occasionally, but my primary regret is missing out on the solid, step-by-step foundation a proper tutor provides. Self-teaching is an incredibly steep learning curve.

C David

Unlike some people who hated their tutors, I actually thoroughly enjoyed my classes when I was younger. However, when I turned fifteen, the intense pressure of my upcoming exams became too much, and I deliberately sacrificed my musical education to prioritise my schoolwork. A few months ago, I dusted off my old guitar, completely taking it for granted that my hands would simply remember the chords. I was overly optimistic, to say the least. The most infuriating aspect of this journey is that my musical ear is still perfectly intact; my brain knows exactly how a complex progression ought to sound, but my stiff fingers clumsily refuse to cooperate and execute the required shapes. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, realising that years of hard-earned muscle memory have simply vanished. I deeply regret throwing in the towel for the sake of a few academic grades, as starting from scratch feels infinitely harder now.

D Elena

My guitar journey originally came to a grinding halt when I was twelve, entirely because my instructor was remarkably uninspiring. He insisted on endlessly repeating dull scales and theory, which quickly drained all the joy out of playing. I foolishly allowed his monotonous approach to put me off the instrument entirely. Fast forward to today, and I’ve recently bought a second-hand electric guitar because a couple of mates are forming an indie band, and I desperately want to be a part of their musical line-up. Relearning the basics has been a frustrating uphill struggle, though. Coordinating my left hand to fret the notes while my right hand strums a completely different rhythm requires a level of multitasking that leaves me feeling mentally exhausted. If only I had possessed the maturity to simply switch teachers instead of abandoning music altogether, I’d be confidently performing on stage with my friends by now.

Exercises:   123456