Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Overcoming Fears, Phobias & Mental Obstacles 5

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four people sharing the profound sense of vulnerability and immense strength required to make the first phone call to book a therapy appointment.

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 physically disconnecting the line on their initial attempt?

2   felt astonished by the friendly manner of the clinic’s staff member?

3   explains how a feeling of physical relief washed over them once the booking was confirmed?

4   acknowledges that admitting their own struggles was the most difficult hurdle?

5   purposefully sought out a secluded spot to ensure no one overheard them?

6   states that a major change in their circumstances finally prompted them to take action?

7   reveals they had repeatedly practised their opening sentence before dialling?

8   worried about what the individual taking the booking might think of them?

9   admits they were unable to stop tears from falling while speaking?

10   was persuaded to seek professional support by a concerned relative?

Dialling for Help: The Hardest Phone Call You’ll Ever Make

A Daniel

For weeks, I had stared at the clinic’s phone number, treating it like a complex puzzle I couldn’t solve. I had locked myself in my bedroom, terrified of my flatmates finding out. I must have paced the floor a hundred times, whispering my opening line aloud until it sounded natural. I was absolutely petrified of the receptionist’s reaction. In my mind, the person answering the phone would silently judge me, viewing my request as a sign of profound weakness. When I finally summoned the courage to dial, my heart was hammering against my ribs. Surprisingly, the brief conversation went smoothly. The moment I put the phone down, a profound wave of exhaustion and liberation washed over my body. It felt as though a massive, invisible weight had instantly been lifted from my shoulders. The sheer vulnerability of that initial contact was terrifying, but it was undoubtedly the bravest thing I’d ever done.

B Sophie

The anxiety leading up to my first therapy appointment was genuinely overwhelming. I remember driving to a deserted car park on the edge of town, simply because I needed an entirely isolated environment where nobody could possibly overhear my conversation. On my first attempt, my nerves completely took over; the second the line started ringing, panic set in, and I hastily terminated the call. It took another twenty minutes of deep breathing before I could try again. When a polite voice finally answered, the floodgates opened. I had intended to sound calm and collected, but I found myself sobbing uncontrollably as I tried to articulate why I was calling. It was intensely embarrassing at the time, though the clinic worker handled my distress with utmost professionalism. I had assumed booking a session would be a straightforward administrative task, but it turned out to be an incredibly emotional hurdle.

C Javier

I’ve always been someone who prided themselves on being fiercely independent. Whenever things got tough, my motto was simply to put my head down and push through. However, after I was unexpectedly made redundant from a job I loved, my usual coping mechanisms completely stopped working. I fell into a deep slump and isolated myself. It was actually my older sister who staged an intervention; she practically begged me to seek professional guidance, pointing out how drastically my personality had changed. If she hadn’t given me that push, I’d likely still be suffering in silence. I kept staring at my phone, debating whether to call, almost hitting the ‘end’ button multiple times before the dial tone finished. Taking that step meant surrendering my pride. Although the initial call didn’t instantly cure my anxiety—that took months of actual sessions—it was the critical turning point in my recovery.

D Nina

People often assume that the actual therapy sessions are the most intimidating part of the mental health journey, but I strongly disagree. For me, making the decision to pick up the phone was infinitely more daunting. Admitting to yourself that you are no longer capable of managing your own mind is a bitter pill to swallow; it requires you to strip away all your defensive layers. I had jotted down a few bullet points on a notepad, expecting a clinical, highly formal interrogation when I rang the centre. Instead, I was completely taken aback by the receptionist’s warm and conversational tone. She chatted to me as if we were old friends, making a few light-hearted remarks that instantly diffused the tension in the air. That unexpected cheerfulness made me realise that asking for help isn’t a tragic failure, but rather a remarkably normal part of the human experience.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four students discussing the unique, overwhelming anxiety of perfectionism, where getting an A-minus felt like a catastrophic failure that ruined their self-worth.

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 putting off assignments because of a desire to execute them flawlessly?

2   experienced chronic bodily discomfort as a direct result of their quest for perfection?

3   recalls a specific incident where a near-perfect score triggered a severe emotional response?

4   deliberately projected an image of someone who achieved top marks without trying?

5   admits that their self-esteem was entirely dependent on their academic results?

6   experienced a moment of clarity after receiving supportive guidance from a school staff member?

7   realised they were entirely responsible for generating their own unbearable academic pressure?

8   felt intimidated by the impressive academic track record of a family member?

9   reached a sudden physical limit that ultimately forced them to alter their habits?

10   acknowledges that overcoming this psychological burden remains a continuous, everyday struggle?

The A-Minus Catastrophe: Surviving Perfectionism

A Sarah

For as long as I can remember, receiving an A-minus felt indistinguishable from utter failure. I recall one specific instance in my final year when a marginally lower grade on a biology paper completely ruined my weekend; I spent two entire days sobbing in my room. People often assumed that I was being pushed by fiercely demanding parents, but they couldn’t have been further from the truth. I eventually came to the harsh realisation that this suffocating pressure was entirely self-inflicted. I was my own harshest critic, and no one else was demanding such impossible standards. The relentless pursuit of flawlessness took a severe toll on my health, too. I suffered from chronic migraines, and my stomach was permanently tied in knots. If I hadn’t been so obsessed with unattainable perfection, I would have enjoyed my school years much more. It must have been incredibly difficult for my friends to understand why a 92% score felt like a disaster to me.

B Tom

The psychological burden of perfectionism doesn’t always look like intense, non-stop studying; for me, it manifested as crippling procrastination. I would regularly delay starting crucial essays because the fear of writing something mediocre was absolutely paralysing. I would stare at a blank screen for hours, convinced that if the very first draft wasn’t a masterpiece, I shouldn’t bother writing it at all. Much of this anxiety stemmed from living in the shadow of my older brother, an academic prodigy who had breezed into a prestigious medical school. Feeling highly daunted by his flawless track record, I firmly believed I had to match his achievements to earn my family’s respect. Although my teachers frequently advised me to simply get my initial ideas down on paper, I couldn’t break the cycle. I deliberately kept my struggles hidden, acting as though I was just too lazy to start early, rather than admitting to my deep-seated terror of inadequacy.

C Mia

In high school, I went to great lengths to carefully cultivate the image of a laid-back genius. I desperately wanted my peers to believe that top grades came to me effortlessly, without breaking a single sweat. Behind closed doors, however, the reality was quite different. I was secretly pulling all-nighters, fuelled by strong coffee and sheer panic. Getting an A-minus was simply out of the question because it would instantly shatter the glamorous illusion of my natural brilliance. I kept up this deceitful, exhausting facade for over two years until the inevitable happened: my body simply shut down. I collapsed from severe exhaustion during a morning assembly and had to be sent to the hospital. That terrifying episode served as a massive wake-up call. I realised that maintaining an immaculate public image wasn’t worth sacrificing my health. I tentatively started submitting homework that was merely ‘good enough’, and to my utter surprise, the world didn’t end.

D Jake

My fundamental issue was that my entire sense of personal value was intrinsically linked to my academic transcripts. If I secured an A, I felt worthy of love and respect; if I received an A-minus, I genuinely felt worthless. This toxic mindset was completely unsustainable and made me utterly miserable. The major turning point occurred when my English literature tutor asked me to stay behind after a seminar. He had noticed my profound distress over a minor spelling error and gently told me that a person’s worth could never be measured by a percentage on a test paper. He explained that making mistakes is a mandatory component of learning, not a negative reflection of my character. That conversation was an absolute revelation. By applying his advice, I slowly began to decouple my identity from my grades. I would be lying if I said I’m completely cured; accepting imperfection is a daily battle. Nevertheless, I no longer view a slight drop in marks as a fatal blow.

Exercises:   123456