Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Academic Projects & Field Trips 7
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Hard Lesson in Virtual Money
When my economics teacher, Mr. Clark, announced a new class project, I couldn’t wait to get started. He gave every student $10,000 in imaginary money to invest in the stock market over four weeks. We had to track our investments and see who could make the most profit. Some of my classmates were worried because they didn’t know anything about finance. However, I felt extremely confident. I was sure I would easily win the competition and impress everyone in the room.
Instead of spending time reading financial reports or studying different industries, I made a very quick decision. I used all my virtual money to buy shares in a trendy technology company called VisionTech. They were about to release a highly anticipated new smartphone, and everyone on social media was talking about it. My friends chose to put their money into several different traditional businesses, like supermarkets and transport companies. I actually laughed at their choices, telling them that those boring companies would never make them rich.
Unfortunately, my excitement didn’t last long. Just a week later, VisionTech announced a major problem with their new phone’s battery, and they had to delay the launch. I logged into the stock market game the next morning and stared at the screen in absolute shock. The value of my shares had dropped terribly, and my $10,000 had turned into just $3,000. Meanwhile, my friends, who had chosen those ‘boring’ companies, were slowly but steadily making a profit. I felt incredibly foolish for not being more careful with my choices.
During our next lesson, Mr. Clark explained what had happened. He didn’t make me feel bad, but he used my situation to teach the class an important rule about investing. He explained that if you put all your money in one place, you risk losing everything at once. He told us that successful investors always spread their money across various businesses. Although it was embarrassing to lose the game so quickly, I now realize it was a very useful experience. I learned the hard lesson of doing proper research, and luckily, it didn’t cost me any real money!
1 How did the writer feel when the stock market project was announced?
(A) Anxious about competing against his classmates.
(B) Certain that he would be the most successful student.
(C) Worried that he didn’t understand finance well enough.
(D) Surprised that the teacher gave them real money.
2 Why did the writer choose to invest in VisionTech?
(A) Because his friends recommended the company to him.
(B) Because he had read positive financial reports about it.
(C) Because it was a popular brand that people were discussing online.
(D) Because it produced the same goods as traditional businesses.
3 What happened to the writer in the second week of the game?
(A) He discovered that his friends had also lost their money.
(B) He realized he couldn’t log into the game anymore.
(C) He managed to sell his shares before the price crashed.
(D) He was surprised by how much the value of his investment fell.
4 What is the writer’s attitude towards his mistake now?
(A) He is grateful he learned an important financial rule safely.
(B) He is still angry at his teacher for embarrassing him.
(C) He regrets not using real money to play the game.
(D) He thinks the teacher’s advice about spreading money is wrong.
5 What would the writer say about his experience in the stock market game?
(A) I proved that investing in technology companies is always a bad idea, even if you do your research.
(B) My friends won the game because they were lucky, but I lost because the rules were too complicated.
(C) I thought I knew exactly what I was doing, but I ended up learning that good investments require careful planning.
(D) I am going to invest all my real savings into VisionTech because their share prices will definitely go up again.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states he “felt extremely confident” and was “sure I would easily win the competition,” which matches being certain he would be the most successful.
2 C – The second paragraph explains that he invested in VisionTech because it was a “trendy technology company” and “everyone on social media was talking about it.”
3 D – In the third paragraph, the writer logs into the game and stares at the screen “in absolute shock” because his $10,000 had dropped to $3,000.
4 A – In the final paragraph, the writer reflects that it was a “very useful experience” to learn this hard lesson and adds, “luckily, it didn’t cost me any real money!”
5 C – This statement accurately reflects the global meaning of the text: the writer began with overconfidence but ultimately realized the importance of diversifying investments and doing proper research instead of following trends.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My unexpected trip to a software company
When my IT teacher announced a class trip to a local software company called TechNova, I wasn’t particularly excited. I had always imagined that “going to work” in an office meant sitting in a tiny, grey cubicle all day. I expected to see a strict environment where everyone wore uncomfortable suits, followed completely rigid rules, and typed on their keyboards in total silence. To me, office work sounded like the most boring thing in the world, and I was sure this trip would just prove my point.
However, as soon as we walked through the glass doors of TechNova, my mouth dropped open. There wasn’t a single grey cubicle in sight! Instead, the room was painted in bright colours and filled with comfortable beanbags and large sofas. In the middle of the floor, two employees in jeans and t-shirts were having a quick game of ping pong. Over in the corner, there was a free café where people were making coffee and chatting. It felt more like a modern youth club than a place where adults went to work.
Our guide, a young software developer named Maya, showed us around. She explained that the company wanted their staff to feel relaxed because it helps them think more creatively. Maya introduced us to her team, who were sitting together around a large wooden table with their laptops. I soon realised that despite the fun atmosphere, they were actually working incredibly hard. They were designing a new educational app, and I was amazed by how they discussed complex problems and shared ideas. It wasn’t just typing; it was all about teamwork and communication.
On the bus ride back to school, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had seen. The trip had completely changed my idea of what a career could look like. Work doesn’t have to be a miserable place where you count the minutes until you can go home. If you find the right company, it can be a place where you are encouraged to have fun and be creative. I’ve always enjoyed computers, but now I am seriously thinking about studying software engineering at university.
1 What did the writer expect the tech company to be like?
(A) He thought the workers would have to follow strict rules.
(B) He believed everyone would be wearing casual clothes.
(C) He expected to see a lot of modern technology.
(D) He imagined it would be a noisy and busy place.
2 How did the writer feel when he first walked into TechNova?
(A) annoyed that the staff were playing games instead of working
(B) confused about why there were no desks for the employees
(C) shocked because the office looked like a place for young people to relax
(D) disappointed that the cafe didn’t have any free food
3 What did the writer learn about the software developers?
(A) They spend most of their time working alone on their laptops.
(B) They find their jobs very stressful and difficult.
(C) They do not need to communicate much with each other.
(D) They work hard together despite the casual environment.
4 How has the trip influenced the writer’s thoughts about the future?
(A) He wants to apply for a part-time job at TechNova.
(B) He now considers a career in software engineering.
(C) He plans to build his own educational app.
(D) He realizes that office jobs are usually miserable.
5 What would the writer text a friend about the trip?
(A) The tech company was exactly what I expected. Everyone was wearing suits and working in silence all day.
(B) I’ve decided I never want an office job. The trip proved that working on computers all day is incredibly boring.
(C) You won’t believe how cool the office was! It showed me that going to work can actually be fun and creative.
(D) The office had ping pong tables and beanbags, but the staff seemed really lazy and didn’t do much work.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states the writer expected to see a “strict environment” where everyone “followed completely rigid rules,” which matches option A.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer’s mouth “dropped open” (shock) and he notes that the colourful room with beanbags and ping pong “felt more like a modern youth club.”
3 D – Paragraph 3 mentions that “despite the fun atmosphere, they were actually working incredibly hard” as a team to discuss complex problems and share ideas.
4 B – In the final paragraph, the writer states that because the trip changed his idea of a career, he is now “seriously thinking about studying software engineering at university.”
5 C – This text perfectly captures the writer’s realization and the global meaning of the passage: the relaxed environment of the office changed his negative expectations and showed him that work can be a positive, creative experience.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Writing Poetry Outdoors
When my English teacher, Mr. Evans, announced a class trip to the local forest, I was quite excited. However, my excitement disappeared when he explained the reason. We were going there to write nature poetry. I have always enjoyed English lessons, especially reading science fiction, but I thought writing poems about trees sounded completely boring. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to spend time describing a piece of grass.
On Friday morning, we arrived at the forest. The weather was cool, which didn’t improve my mood. Mr. Evans handed out notebooks and gave us our instructions. We had to find a quiet place away from our classmates, sit in silence for twenty minutes, and observe our surroundings. At first, I felt ridiculous. I found a spot under a large tree, sat on the damp ground, and stared at my empty page. I just wished I was back in a warm classroom.
As I continued to sit there silently, something changed. I stopped worrying about my friends and what they were doing. I started to notice the sound of the wind moving through the branches. I watched a single yellow leaf slowly fall to the ground. Suddenly, the quiet atmosphere made me think about how stressed I had been feeling recently about my school exams. The busy, noisy forest was actually quite similar to the inside of my head.
Without thinking about it, I picked up my pen and began to write. The words flowed onto the paper faster than I expected. Instead of just describing a tree, I used the falling leaves to explain my own worries and how I wanted to let them go. I realised I wasn’t just writing about nature; I was using nature to express my own emotions. By the time Mr. Evans called us back, I had filled two pages.
When we returned to school, I felt incredibly proud of my poem. I used to believe poetry was just old-fashioned rules and boring descriptions, but this trip completely changed my mind. I finally understand that poetry is a powerful tool for sharing how you feel. I am actually looking forward to our next poetry lesson, and I might even try writing more poems in my garden this weekend.
1 How did the writer feel when she learned the purpose of the trip?
(A) She was excited to read some science fiction in the forest.
(B) She was disappointed because she disliked the topic they would study.
(C) She was confused about why Mr. Evans chose the local forest.
(D) She was looking forward to writing about plants and flowers.
2 What did the writer do when she first sat under the tree?
(A) She began writing in her notebook immediately.
(B) She enjoyed the cool weather and the damp ground.
(C) She felt silly and wanted to return to school.
(D) She tried to find where her classmates were hiding.
3 What happened while the writer was sitting quietly?
(A) She realised that her friends were feeling just as stressed as she was.
(B) She found a connection between the natural world and her own thoughts.
(C) She became frightened by the strange noises coming from the branches.
(D) She decided to catch a falling leaf to put inside her notebook.
4 The writer’s poem was mainly about
(A) her personal feelings and problems.
(B) the exact appearance of a large tree.
(C) the instructions Mr. Evans had given.
(D) the history of the local forest.
5 What would the writer say about her experience?
(A) “Mr. Evans was right to take us outside. Nature gave me the perfect way to write about the things I was worrying about.”
(B) “I’m so glad I finished my poem quickly so I could spend the rest of the trip chatting with my friends in the forest.”
(C) “Writing outside is okay, but I still believe that poetry is just about following old-fashioned rules and describing boring things.”
(D) “I wrote a great poem today, but it was much too cold to be outside. I’ll definitely refuse to do it again next time.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states her “excitement disappeared” and she thought writing poems about trees sounded “completely boring,” which paraphrases being disappointed and disliking the topic.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer says, “At first, I felt ridiculous” and “I just wished I was back in a warm classroom,” which matches feeling silly and wanting to return to school.
3 B – Paragraph 3 explains that the quiet atmosphere made her think about her stress, and she realized the forest “was actually quite similar to the inside of my head,” matching the connection between nature and her thoughts.
4 A – Paragraph 4 details how she “used the falling leaves to explain my own worries” and “to express my own emotions,” rather than just describing a tree.
5 A – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the writer’s shift in attitude: she initially disliked the idea but discovered that nature helped her express her personal stress and emotions.