Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Travel Writing & Approaches 9

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four travel bloggers reflecting on the exhaustion of having to constantly perform a “perfect vacation” for their social media followers while ignoring the bad parts.

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 feeling remorseful about deceiving their audience?

2   expresses a desire to experience their next destination without digital devices?

3   mentions manipulating images to make a location look deserted?

4   describes the physical strain involved in capturing a specific image?

5   notes that the necessity of taking photos prevents them from truly enjoying the environment?

6   mentions concealing a physical illness from their online audience?

7   explains how they pretend to be enjoying someone’s company despite off-camera tensions?

8   acknowledges that financial obligations make it difficult to change their current lifestyle?

9   was forced to pretend the climate was better than it actually was?

10   mentions waking up extremely early to achieve a desired aesthetic?

The Price of Paradise: Behind the Blogger’s Lens

A Liam

I’ve built a career on showcasing tropical paradises, but lately, the pressure to maintain this illusion has become unbearable. Last month in Bali, it poured with rain for six consecutive days. However, my feed showed nothing but endless sunshine. I had to wait for a tiny break in the clouds, run out, and pose as if I were having the time of my life while shivering in my swimwear. Furthermore, the physical exhaustion of constantly hauling heavy camera equipment up steep mountains just to get the ultimate panoramic shot has really taken a toll on my body. I’ve seriously considered throwing in the towel and finding a regular nine-to-five job. If I hadn’t signed such strict contracts with luxury hotel brands, I would have walked away from this lifestyle months ago. You simply have to deliver the fantasy you promised. I often look at my own posts and barely recognise the carefree wanderer in the photos.

B Chloe

If you scroll through my profile, you’ll be greeted by countless snaps of my boyfriend and me laughing over romantic candlelit dinners in Rome or Paris. What you don’t see are the bitter arguments that usually precede those shots. Travelling full-time is incredibly stressful, and we frequently fall out over missed trains or lost reservations. Yet, the moment the camera focuses, we paste on bright smiles and act as though we’re on a permanent honeymoon. It’s emotionally draining. More importantly, I’ve started to realise that I’m no longer genuinely absorbing my surroundings. Whether I’m standing in front of the Colosseum or hiking the Andes, my brain is solely calculating lighting, angles, and engagement metrics rather than taking in the beauty of the moment. I am viewing the entire world through a lens. Sometimes, I just want to sit in a quaint café and simply exist, rather than frantically trying to monetise the experience for my followers.

C Raj

The glaring gap between what I post and what actually happens on the road is starting to heavily weigh on my conscience. Recently, I completed a two-week trek through Southeast Asia. My photos displayed vibrant street food markets and exotic culinary adventures. In reality, I came down with a severe bout of food poisoning on day three and spent the majority of the trip confined to a dingy hostel room, feeling absolutely dreadful. Did I mention that to my audience? Not a chance. Instead, I uploaded pre-scheduled, carefully curated content, pretending I was still out exploring. Honestly, I feel a sharp pang of guilt every time a subscriber leaves a comment saying they envy my flawless life. It feels highly deceptive. We travel bloggers have established an unspoken rule that vulnerability doesn’t sell. We sweep the lost luggage, the illnesses, and the exhaustion under the rug because our audience logs on to escape their own reality.

D Emma

People constantly ask how I manage to find such deserted, tranquil spots in heavily touristed cities like Venice or Kyoto. The truth is, it’s a mixture of extreme sleep deprivation and heavy digital manipulation. To get that serene shot of a famous bridge, I literally have to drag myself out of bed at four in the morning to beat the crowds. Even then, there are usually other influencers doing exactly the same thing. If anyone wanders into my frame, I simply use software to erase them from the background later. It creates a completely false narrative of solitary exploration. I’m incredibly burnt out from maintaining this flawless aesthetic; it has turned what used to be my passion into a rigid, demanding chore. For my next holiday, I’ve made a firm decision: I’m leaving my camera and laptop at home. I desperately need to rediscover the joy of travelling purely for myself, entirely disconnected from the digital world.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four individuals describing how learning just 20 basic words of the local language dramatically transformed how they were treated by locals.

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 given something free of charge as a reward for their linguistic efforts?

2   suggests that residents were previously avoiding them out of embarrassment?

3   witnessed a tense financial negotiation turn into a warm social encounter?

4   was assisted with a frustrating transport issue after using a basic greeting?

5   confesses to having previously depended exclusively on digital translation tools?

6   noticed that a few local phrases quickly deterred overly aggressive salespeople?

7   appreciated being treated as a welcome visitor rather than a mere source of income?

8   points out that getting the sounds right was harder than memorising the actual phrases?

9   was initially sceptical that such a tiny amount of language would have any impact?

10   ended up participating in a local social gathering as a result of their efforts?

The Magic of Twenty Words: Unlocking Local Hospitality

A Mark

Before my trip to Paris, I’d heard endless stories about the notoriously blunt waiters and unhelpful café owners. I had always felt like just another walking wallet to them, a faceless consumer to be processed and rushed out the door. Determined to change this dynamic, I spent a week memorising exactly twenty basic French phrases—simple greetings, polite requests, and expressions of gratitude. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous. On my first morning, instead of pointing and grunting at a pastry display, I confidently greeted the baker with a cheerful ‘Bonjour, madame’ and ordered in broken French. Her stern expression immediately melted into a radiant smile. Not only did she patiently help me with my order, but she also slipped an extra, freshly baked croissant into my bag free of charge, acknowledging my attempt to speak her language. If I hadn’t made the effort, I would undoubtedly have remained a nuisance. Instead, I wasn’t just another tourist contributing to the summer rush; I was welcomed as a genuine guest.

B Sarah

During my first few days in Tokyo, I was completely lost in the sprawling subway system. Whenever I approached locals for directions, they would often look panic-stricken and hurry away. I initially thought they were simply unfriendly, but I soon realised they were just terrified of their own lack of English fluency and the potential embarrassment of not being able to help. Up to that point, I had been relying solely on my smartphone to bridge the communication gap, constantly thrusting a translation app into people’s faces. Deciding to ditch the digital crutch, I mastered a handful of essential Japanese words: ‘excuse me,’ ‘where is,’ and ‘thank you.’ The difference was staggering. By simply starting the interaction with ‘Sumimasen’ (excuse me) in their native tongue, the invisible barrier vanished. People visibly relaxed, relieved that they weren’t expected to speak flawless English. Rather than fleeing, they went out of their way to assist me, with one gentleman even walking me three blocks to my exact destination.

C David

Anyone who has visited the vibrant souks of Marrakech knows that navigating the labyrinth of stalls can be an overwhelming experience. The vendors are famously persistent, and I usually found the aggressive sales tactics incredibly draining. Honestly, when a friend suggested learning a tiny handful of Arabic words, I highly doubted that a mere twenty phrases would make the slightest dent in such a chaotic environment. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The next time a merchant enthusiastically blocked my path to sell me a rug, I politely smiled, placed my hand on my heart, and said ‘La shukran’ (no thank you). The effect was instantaneous. The pushy sales pitch evaporated, replaced by genuine surprise and respect. Instead of a high-pressure financial negotiation, the interaction morphed into a friendly chat. Before I knew it, I was invited to sit down on a pile of carpets and share a steaming pot of sweet mint tea, laughing together despite our limited shared vocabulary.

D Elena

I was driving through the remote countryside of Sicily when disaster struck. My rental car got a flat tyre on a deserted, dusty road, and I had absolutely no idea how to change it. When a local farmer eventually drove past, I knew I had to make my twenty words of Italian count. Memorising the vocabulary hadn’t been too difficult, but trying to nail the rolling ‘r’s and musical intonation of the accent was a real struggle! Nevertheless, I managed to string together a desperate greeting and a plea for help. To my immense relief, the farmer didn’t just fix the tyre; he completely took me under his wing. Once the car was roadworthy again, he refused to accept any payment. Instead, he insisted I follow him back to his nearby farmhouse, where I ended up spending the entire afternoon eating olives and drinking homemade wine with his extended family. Those few halting words transformed a stressful transport nightmare into the absolute highlight of my trip.

Exercises:   123456