Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Career Guidance & Future Planning 7
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A New Future in Sports
Ever since I first picked up a basketball at the age of seven, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. My dream was to become a professional basketball player. I trained every single day after school, ran for miles to build my fitness, and spent my weekends competing in local tournaments. My coaches always told me that I had a natural talent, and I was completely certain that my hard work would eventually lead me to a successful career on the court.
Unfortunately, everything changed during a crucial match last winter. I fell awkwardly and seriously injured my knee. After spending weeks in the hospital, the doctors gave me some terrible news. They explained that while my knee would heal enough for normal daily life, it would never be strong enough for the physical demands of professional sports. I was absolutely devastated. Basketball was my whole life, and suddenly, my future felt empty. For months, I was so upset that I couldn’t even watch matches on television.
One afternoon, my sports coach, Mr. Adams, noticed how miserable I was and invited me to a university open day. He suggested I attend a presentation about a degree called ‘Sports Management’. At first, I had no interest in going, as I only wanted to play sports, not study them. However, during the talk, a guest speaker explained how they organised international tournaments, negotiated player contracts, and marketed famous teams. I was fascinated to discover this entire hidden world happening behind the scenes of the games I loved.
Suddenly, I realised that I didn’t have to leave the sports industry just because I couldn’t be a professional athlete. By becoming a sports manager, I could still experience the excitement of competitions and work closely with talented players. When I returned to school, I asked Mr. Adams if I could help organise our annual athletics championship. Although I wasn’t competing, directing the event and managing the schedules gave me a huge sense of achievement. I am now applying to study sports management at university, and I feel positive about my future again.
1 What does the writer say about his childhood dream?
(A) He found it difficult to balance his schoolwork with basketball training.
(B) He felt confident that he would eventually become a professional player.
(C) He was forced by his coaches to play in local weekend tournaments.
(D) He only played basketball because he had a natural physical talent for it.
2 How did the writer react to the doctors’ news about his knee?
(A) He was relieved that his leg would eventually heal completely.
(B) He decided to watch more basketball on television to cheer himself up.
(C) He felt extremely sad because his career plans were destroyed.
(D) He was angry that the doctors could not perform a better operation.
3 Why did the writer’s attitude change during the university open day?
(A) He realised that organising sports events could be highly interesting.
(B) He learned how to negotiate his own professional basketball contract.
(C) He discovered a new sport that he could play without hurting his knee.
(D) He met a famous guest speaker who played for an international team.
4 What did the writer enjoy about the school athletics championship?
(A) Winning a prize despite not being a professional athlete.
(B) Competing against other talented players at his school.
(C) Helping his coach train the younger students for their races.
(D) Feeling successful from planning and running the event.
5 What would the writer write in his diary now?
(A) “I still feel angry about my knee injury. I’ll never forgive the doctors for saying I can’t play professional basketball.”
(B) “Mr. Adams forced me to attend a university talk today, but I still think studying sports management is incredibly boring.”
(C) “My dream of playing basketball is over, but I’ve found an exciting new way to stay involved in the sports world.”
(D) “Organising the school sports day was far too stressful. I think I need to look for a completely different career.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states the writer was “completely certain that my hard work would eventually lead me to a successful career on the court,” which paraphrases feeling confident about becoming a professional player.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer says, “I was absolutely devastated… and suddenly, my future felt empty,” which matches feeling extremely sad because his career plans were destroyed.
3 A – Paragraph 3 explains that the writer became “fascinated” when learning about how professionals “organised international tournaments” and worked “behind the scenes,” matching the realization that organizing events is interesting.
4 D – Paragraph 4 details that the writer enjoyed “directing the event and managing the schedules,” which gave him “a huge sense of achievement,” matching the feeling of success from planning and running the event.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the emotional arc of the text: moving from devastation over a ruined athletic career to finding renewed passion and purpose in sports management.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Truth About Fashion
For as long as I can remember, I have been absolutely obsessed with fashion. I spent most of my weekends watching glamorous runway shows online, admiring the beautiful models and the incredible clothes. In my mind, being a successful fashion designer was the perfect career. I imagined it was simply about sketching pretty dresses in a shiny notebook and then watching famous people wear my creations on television. Feeling completely confident about my future, I decided to join a beginners’ sewing workshop in my local town to start my exciting journey into the industry.
However, my glamorous expectations were completely shattered within the first hour of the class. When I arrived, the instructor handed me some cheap, stiff cotton fabric and told me to make a very basic skirt. There were no beautiful models, bright lights, or expensive materials anywhere to be seen. I sat down at the heavy sewing machine, pressed the foot pedal, and immediately jammed the thread. While I was trying to fix the complicated machine, I accidentally stuck a sharp needle deep into my thumb. I quickly realised that making clothes was actually going to be quite painful and difficult.
Things only got worse as the long afternoon went on. After finally managing to sew the two sides of my skirt together, the instructor came over to check my work. She gently informed me that I had sewn the pieces completely inside out. Because of this silly mistake, I had to spend the next two hours using a tiny metal tool to unpick hundreds of tiny stitches. My neck ached, my eyes were incredibly tired, and I felt extremely frustrated. I actually considered throwing the fabric in the bin and walking out of the room.
Eventually, I managed to finish the skirt. It wasn’t exactly a masterpiece, but holding the completed piece of clothing gave me an unexpected feeling of pride. That exhausting workshop taught me a highly valuable lesson about the fashion industry. I finally understand that behind every glamorous runway show, there are hundreds of hours of hard physical labour, sore fingers, and immense patience. I still dream of becoming a fashion designer, but I now know that it takes much more than just drawing pretty pictures to succeed.
1 Why did the writer join the sewing workshop?
(A) She wanted to meet some famous models and designers.
(B) She needed to make a pretty dress for a special event.
(C) She believed it would be the first step in her ideal career.
(D) She was asked to design clothes for a television show.
2 What happened during the writer’s first hour at the workshop?
(A) She was given some very expensive material to use.
(B) She discovered that sewing was a safe and relaxing activity.
(C) She hurt herself while trying to operate the equipment.
(D) She successfully completed a basic piece of clothing.
3 How did the writer feel about unpicking her stitches?
(A) Relieved because it was easier than using the sewing machine.
(B) Annoyed that she had to spend so much time fixing her error.
(C) Grateful that the instructor offered to do the work for her.
(D) Proud that she managed to find the tiny metal tool.
4 What did the writer learn from her experience?
(A) Making clothes requires a lot of physical effort and determination.
(B) Drawing designs is the most important skill for a fashion designer.
(C) She no longer wants to work in the fashion industry.
(D) Runway shows are not as glamorous as they appear on television.
5 What would the writer write in her diary that evening?
(A) I’m so happy I finished my skirt today. It looks so professional that I’m sure a famous model will want to wear it on the runway!
(B) I’ve decided to give up on my dream of fashion. Sewing is far too difficult and painful, and I’d rather just buy my clothes from a shop.
(C) The workshop was exhausting, but it showed me that being a real fashion designer involves a lot of hard work, not just sketching designs.
(D) I can’t believe how easy it was to make a skirt! I’m going to start designing my own expensive collections starting tomorrow morning.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, the writer states that being a fashion designer was her “perfect career” and she joined the workshop to “start my exciting journey into the industry.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer explains that while trying to fix the jammed sewing machine, she “accidentally stuck a sharp needle deep into my thumb.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer describes having to spend two hours unpicking her mistakes, noting that her body ached and she “felt extremely frustrated.”
4 A – In paragraph 4, the writer realizes that behind the glamour, “there are hundreds of hours of hard physical labour, sore fingers, and immense patience.”
5 C – This option perfectly captures the global meaning of the text. It summarizes the writer’s realization that her previous ideas about the fashion industry were wrong, and that achieving her dream will require genuine hard work and patience rather than just drawing pictures.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Accidental Teacher
Last week, I was studying in the school library when Mr. Andrews rushed in looking stressed. He explained the primary school teacher next door had an urgent phone call. He asked if I could watch the seven-year-olds for twenty minutes until she returned. I am usually quite shy, and the idea of standing in front of children made me feel incredibly nervous. However, seeing how desperate he was, I agreed to help, hoping the time would pass quickly.
When I walked into the classroom, it was complete chaos. Some children were running around, others were throwing paper, and the noise was unbelievable. I stood at the front and asked them politely to sit down. Unsurprisingly, nobody listened. I tried speaking louder, but my voice was lost in the noise. I felt completely overwhelmed and began to regret my decision to help. I honestly thought it was going to be the longest twenty minutes of my life.
I quickly realised that acting like a strict adult wasn’t going to work. I needed a different approach. I picked up some chalk and drew a ridiculous-looking dinosaur on the blackboard. I deliberately gave it tiny arms and a massive head. One boy stopped talking and pointed at the board. Soon, others noticed and started laughing. I turned around and told them a silly story about a dinosaur who couldn’t catch his dinner. Suddenly, the room was silent.
For the remaining ten minutes, I turned the story into a game. I asked the children to suggest what the dinosaur should do next, and they enthusiastically raised their hands. We were having so much fun that I didn’t even notice the door open. When I looked up, the regular teacher was standing there with a huge smile. She couldn’t believe how well-behaved the class was and thanked me for doing a brilliant job.
Walking back to the library, I felt a deep sense of achievement. I had never considered a career in education before. Making those children laugh and capturing their imagination showed me that I actually have a natural talent for teaching. It was an unexpected challenge, but it has definitely given me an exciting new goal for my future.
1 Why did the writer agree to watch the class?
(A) He wanted to prove that he wasn’t a shy person.
(B) He saw that Mr. Andrews really needed some assistance.
(C) He was looking for a break from studying in the library.
(D) He already had experience standing in front of children.
2 How did the writer feel when he first tried to control the class?
(A) Annoyed that the children were throwing paper at him.
(B) Surprised that his voice was loud enough to be heard.
(C) Confident that the children would eventually sit down.
(D) Stressed because his instructions were completely ignored.
3 What caused the children to finally pay attention?
(A) The writer acted like a strict adult.
(B) The writer drew a funny picture on the board.
(C) The writer asked a boy at the front to stop talking.
(D) The writer shouted a silly story at them.
4 When the regular teacher returned, she was
(A) shocked that the writer was playing a game.
(B) impressed by the children’s good behaviour.
(C) disappointed that the lesson wasn’t finished.
(D) confused about why the children were raising their hands.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) I covered a primary class today, but they were too noisy. I realize now that I definitely don’t have the patience to be a teacher.
(B) Mr. Andrews made me teach a history lesson to seven-year-olds. It was difficult, but I managed to make them laugh by drawing on the board.
(C) What started as a terrifying twenty minutes turned into a great experience. Getting those kids to listen made me realize I might want to teach!
(D) The regular teacher was so happy with my work that she offered me a part-time job at the school. I can’t wait to start my new career!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer says, “seeing how desperate he was, I agreed to help,” which means he saw that Mr. Andrews really needed assistance.
2 D – The second paragraph explains that when he asked them to sit down, “nobody listened” and he felt “completely overwhelmed,” which matches being stressed because his instructions were ignored.
3 B – In the third paragraph, the writer “drew a ridiculous-looking dinosaur on the blackboard,” which made the children stop talking, notice, and start laughing.
4 B – The fourth paragraph states that the regular teacher “couldn’t believe how well-behaved the class was and thanked me for doing a brilliant job,” showing she was impressed.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the emotional arc of the text: moving from feeling nervous and terrified about covering the class to successfully getting their attention and discovering a potential passion for teaching.