Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Charity Events, Fundraising & Activism
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The 24-Hour Challenge
Last month, my school announced a charity event called the “24-Hour Famine”. The goal was to raise money and awareness for people around the world who don’t have enough to eat. Students who volunteered had to stop eating completely for a whole day, drinking only water. I had always cared about global issues, and I wanted to collect sponsorship money from my friends and family to help. I honestly thought skipping a few meals wouldn’t be too difficult, so I confidently signed up.
However, the reality of the challenge hit me much harder than I expected. The first few hours were fine, but by hour sixteen, I was struggling. My stomach was aching loudly, and I had a terrible headache. That evening, I walked into the kitchen and saw a half-eaten packet of biscuits on the table. My parents were in the living room, so nobody would see if I quickly ate one. The temptation to cheat was huge, and my brain kept telling me that one tiny biscuit wouldn’t matter.
As I reached out my hand, I suddenly stopped. I thought about the documentary our teacher had shown us about children in developing countries. I realised that I was only feeling hungry because I chose to, and I knew exactly when my next meal would be. Millions of people, however, experience this painful hunger every single day without any choice or hope of a full plate. Feeling embarrassed by my weakness, I walked out of the kitchen and drank a large glass of water instead.
When the twenty-four hours finally ended the next morning, I ate a simple bowl of cereal. It tasted more delicious than any expensive restaurant meal I had ever had. The experience was incredibly humbling and taught me a valuable lesson. It gave me a genuine understanding of starvation that reading a textbook never could. I managed to raise over £150 for the charity, but more importantly, my attitude towards food has completely changed. I never complain about my meals anymore, and I’m already planning to organise another fundraising event next term.
1 Why did the writer decide to take part in the 24-Hour Famine?
(A) He wanted to see how long he could survive without drinking water.
(B) He wanted to gather funds for an important global cause.
(C) His teachers forced him to join the school charity event.
(D) He wanted to prove to his family that fasting is extremely difficult.
2 What happened when the writer was sixteen hours into the fast?
(A) He felt angry because his parents were eating biscuits.
(B) He secretly ate a small snack while nobody was watching.
(C) He experienced physical pain and considered breaking the rules.
(D) He complained to his family about his terrible headache.
3 What stopped the writer from eating the biscuits?
(A) He remembered that his teacher was watching him.
(B) He felt proud that he had already lasted for so long.
(C) He couldn’t find anything tasty to eat in the kitchen.
(D) He thought about people who suffer from daily starvation.
4 How does the writer feel about his experience now?
(A) He believes he raised enough money to end world hunger.
(B) He prefers eating simple food like cereal instead of restaurant meals.
(C) He has gained a deeper empathy for those who live without food.
(D) He wishes he had learned about the charity from a textbook instead.
5 What would the writer write in his blog?
(A) Fasting for twenty-four hours was actually much easier than I expected. I didn’t feel hungry at all!
(B) I managed to finish the challenge, but I only did it because my friends sponsored me. I wouldn’t do it again.
(C) Feeling truly hungry for a day was a difficult but powerful experience. I now realise how lucky I am to have food on my table.
(D) I was so disappointed with myself for eating a biscuit during the fast. Next year, I will try harder to follow the rules.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states the writer “wanted to collect sponsorship money from my friends and family” for people who don’t have enough to eat, which means gathering funds for a global cause.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that his “stomach was aching loudly” and he had a headache (physical pain), and the “temptation to cheat was huge” (considered breaking the rules).
3 D – The writer stopped because he realised that “Millions of people, however, experience this painful hunger every single day”, showing he was thinking about those who truly starve.
4 C – The text mentions that the experience was “incredibly humbling” and gave him “a genuine understanding of starvation”, which paraphrases gaining deeper empathy.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the writer’s attitude shift. He struggled with the physical difficulty of the fast but ultimately gained a profound appreciation and empathy for what he has compared to those who go hungry.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Running for a Reason
Last spring, I decided to organise a five-kilometre charity run to raise money for our local children’s hospital. When my younger sister was ill, the nurses there were incredibly kind, so I really wanted to do something to thank them. Initially, I thought putting the event together would be quite straightforward. I imagined I just needed to choose a date, design some colourful posters, and invite people from my town to run. I thought it would be a fun, relaxing morning for everyone. I had absolutely no idea how much careful planning was actually required.
The problems began when I visited the town council to tell them about my idea. I quickly discovered that you can’t just invite a huge crowd of people to run through the streets. A friendly official handed me a thick pile of complicated forms. I needed to apply for official permission to hold the event, arrange safe road closures, and even hire medical staff. Looking at all the confusing paperwork, I felt completely overwhelmed. For a few days, I seriously considered cancelling the whole project because it seemed like an impossible task for a sixteen-year-old.
Fortunately, my sports teacher, Mr. Harrison, noticed I was feeling stressed and offered his assistance. He patiently explained all the difficult vocabulary on the forms and showed me how to contact the local police to discuss the traffic. With his guidance, dealing with the rules became much easier. Once the paperwork was finally approved, we focused on contacting local supermarkets, who generously agreed to provide free bottles of water and healthy snacks for the runners. Although the organization was going well, I still felt incredibly anxious that nobody would actually attend.
However, my worries disappeared completely on the bright morning of the race. When I arrived at the park, I was amazed to see over three hundred people waiting at the starting line, wearing their running shoes and smiling. As the town mayor blew the whistle to start the race, all my previous frustration about forms and rules simply faded away. We managed to raise thousands of pounds for the hospital that day, and I felt so proud. Seeing the community come together made me realise that achieving something great is definitely worth overcoming a few difficult challenges.
1 Why did the writer decide to organize the charity run?
(A) To say thank you to the medical staff who looked after his sister.
(B) To complete a challenging project for his sports class at school.
(C) To design colourful posters to advertise the local children’s hospital.
(D) To find out how to officially close roads in his town.
2 How did the writer feel after visiting the town council?
(A) Angry because the official refused to give him the correct forms.
(B) Surprised that so many people wanted to run through the streets.
(C) Ready to give up because the required organization was too much.
(D) Relieved that he didn’t need to hire medical staff for the event.
3 What happened while the writer was preparing for the race?
(A) The local police provided free water and snacks for everyone.
(B) His teacher helped him understand the complicated official documents.
(C) He felt confident that hundreds of people were going to take part.
(D) Mr. Harrison offered to run the five kilometres with him.
4 On the morning of the race, the writer realized that
(A) the mayor had forgotten to blow the whistle to start the run.
(B) they had failed to collect enough money for the hospital.
(C) the runners were unhappy about the rules of the event.
(D) the frustrating planning had been completely worth the effort.
5 What would the writer write in his blog after the event?
(A) I’m so glad the race is over. The town council made it so difficult that I’ve decided to never raise money for charity again.
(B) I thought organizing a run would be easy, but the paperwork was a nightmare. However, seeing everyone at the starting line made me feel amazing!
(C) My sister and I had a great time running in the park today, even though the local supermarkets didn’t provide any snacks or water.
(D) The local police and the mayor helped me design some fantastic posters, which is why so many people attended the run today.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In paragraph 1, the writer states that the nurses were incredibly kind when his sister was ill, “so I really wanted to do something to thank them.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer says he felt “completely overwhelmed” by the paperwork and “seriously considered cancelling the whole project,” meaning he was ready to give up.
3 B – In paragraph 3, the text explains that his sports teacher “patiently explained all the difficult vocabulary on the forms,” which means he helped him understand the complicated documents.
4 D – In paragraph 4, the writer notes that all his frustration “faded away” and he realized that “achieving something great is definitely worth overcoming a few difficult challenges.”
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: the initial expectation of it being easy, the severe stress caused by the bureaucratic paperwork, and the ultimate feeling of pride and success when the runners lined up.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
More Than Just Hair
For as long as I can remember, my long, thick hair has been my favourite physical feature. I spent hours every week washing, brushing, and styling it. However, when my school announced a charity month to raise money for cancer research, I knew I wanted to do something massive to help. I decided to ask people to sponsor me to shave my head completely bald. My friends were absolutely shocked, but within a few weeks, I had collected thousands of dollars in promises from my classmates, teachers, and local businesses.
Despite my confident attitude during the planning phase, the reality of the situation hit me hard on the actual day. A large crowd gathered in the school hall to watch the event. As the hairdresser turned on the electric razor, a loud buzzing sound filled the room. In that exact moment, pure panic washed over me. I suddenly wondered if I was making a terrible mistake. I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt the cold metal against my scalp and heard my beloved locks of hair falling to the floor.
When it was finally over, someone handed me a hand-held mirror. Staring back at my reflection, I almost didn’t recognise myself. Without my hair to frame my face and hide behind, I felt completely exposed and incredibly vulnerable. My head felt strange, light, and cold. For a few brief seconds, I desperately wished I could glue it all back on.
Then, the headteacher stepped up to the microphone and announced the final total of the sponsor money I had raised. Hearing that my single action had generated over four thousand dollars for cancer research instantly changed my perspective. I looked in the mirror again, and this time, my feelings of vulnerability were replaced by an overwhelming sense of pride. I realised that my hair would eventually grow back, but the money I had raised could help save someone’s life right now.
1 Why did the writer choose to shave her head?
(A) She was tired of spending hours washing and brushing her long hair.
(B) She wanted to do something highly significant to collect money for charity.
(C) Her friends and teachers challenged her to do it in front of the school.
(D) She wanted to show her classmates what she would look like bald.
2 How did the writer feel when the hairdresser turned on the razor?
(A) She felt terrified and started to seriously question her decision.
(B) She was annoyed because the buzzing noise was far too loud.
(C) She felt excited that such a large crowd was watching her.
(D) She felt relieved that the stressful event was finally happening.
3 How did the writer describe her first reaction to looking in the mirror?
(A) Surprised by how much she actually liked her new, bald appearance.
(B) Embarrassed because the hairdresser had done a terrible job.
(C) Uncomfortable and unprotected without her usual hair to hide behind.
(D) Angry that she had agreed to participate in the charity month.
4 What made the writer’s negative feelings disappear?
(A) Her friends telling her that she still looked beautiful without hair.
(B) Realising that her hair would grow back much faster than she thought.
(C) Finding out the exact amount of money she had successfully raised.
(D) The headteacher giving a speech praising her bravery to the school.
5 What would the writer say about her experience?
(A) “I deeply regret shaving my head because I feel too vulnerable, and the money wasn’t worth the sacrifice.”
(B) “It was a terrifying moment to lose my favourite feature, but I am incredibly proud that it raised so much money.”
(C) “I wish I had chosen a different charity event because losing my beloved hair was just too traumatic for a teenager.”
(D) “The best part was hearing the large crowd cheer for me, which made me forget about losing my hair immediately.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph, “when my school announced a charity month to raise money for cancer research, I knew I wanted to do something massive to help. I decided to ask people to sponsor me to shave my head”.
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that when the razor buzzed, “pure panic washed over me. I suddenly wondered if I was making a terrible mistake.”
3 C – The third paragraph mentions that staring in the mirror, “Without my hair to frame my face and hide behind, I felt completely exposed and incredibly vulnerable.”
4 C – In the final paragraph, the text says that hearing the final total of over four thousand dollars “instantly changed my perspective” and replaced her vulnerability with pride.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: she experienced pure panic and vulnerability at losing her beloved hair, but ultimately felt an overwhelming sense of pride because her sacrifice raised thousands of dollars to help save a life.