Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Charity Events, Fundraising & Activism
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Santa’s Teenage Elf
I have always loved the festive season, but this year I wanted to do more than just receive presents. While browsing online, I noticed a message from a local charity asking for toy donations for children whose families couldn’t afford Christmas gifts. Because I only get a small amount of pocket money, buying new things wasn’t an option for me. Then, I had an idea. I decided to ask people in my neighbourhood if they had any broken or unwanted toys that I could take away and repair.
Gathering the toys was the easy part. Within a couple of days, my bedroom floor was completely covered with damaged board games, dirty plastic cars, and soft toys. However, I soon discovered that fixing them was a massive challenge. One evening, I tried to sew a missing arm back onto a large brown teddy bear. It was incredibly frustrating! I kept dropping the needle, and it took me hours just to make the stitches look tidy. At one point, I got so annoyed that I almost threw the bear in the bin.
Despite the difficulties, I refused to stop trying. Once I finally managed to fix that teddy bear, I felt much more confident. I spent the next two weeks working in my bedroom every evening. I carefully cleaned the dirt off remote-control cars, replaced missing batteries, and glued broken pieces back onto wooden puzzles. It was definitely hard work, but watching these sad, broken objects slowly transform into beautiful playthings was surprisingly satisfying.
By the middle of December, I had three large boxes full of perfect toys. I spent a whole afternoon covering them in bright wrapping paper and tying ribbons around them, which made me feel exactly like one of Santa’s elves! When I finally delivered the boxes to the charity centre, the volunteers were absolutely amazed. Seeing their grateful smiles made all my sore fingers and long evenings completely worth it. I am already looking forward to doing exactly the same thing next winter, and I might even ask some of my classmates to help me.
1 Why did the writer start collecting broken toys?
(A) He wanted to learn how to repair different objects.
(B) He didn’t have enough money to purchase brand new gifts.
(C) He was asked to do so by a local children’s charity.
(D) He wanted to earn extra pocket money before Christmas.
2 How did the writer feel while trying to repair the teddy bear?
(A) Upset because his neighbours had given him so much rubbish.
(B) Anxious that he wouldn’t be able to finish it before Christmas.
(C) Annoyed because the task was much harder than he expected.
(D) Surprised that he needed so many different tools to fix it.
3 What happened after the writer successfully fixed the bear?
(A) He started enjoying the process of restoring the old toys.
(B) He decided to only work on wooden puzzles from then on.
(C) He had to ask his parents for money to buy new batteries.
(D) He stopped working in the evenings because he was too tired.
4 What does the writer say about delivering the toys to the charity?
(A) The volunteers asked him to wrap the boxes in bright paper.
(B) The reaction he received made his hard work feel worthwhile.
(C) He was disappointed that the volunteers didn’t seem surprised.
(D) He realised he would need his classmates’ help to carry the boxes.
5 What would the writer write in his diary after delivering the toys?
(A) I was so embarrassed when the charity volunteers opened my boxes. Some of the toys were still broken! Next year, I’ll just buy new ones.
(B) Fixing the teddy bear was the worst part of the project, and I’ve decided to let my friends do all the repairing next time.
(C) Putting together those beautiful boxes of gifts made me feel just like Santa’s elf. Giving my time to help others is a wonderful feeling.
(D) My neighbours gave me so many great toys that I decided to keep a few for myself. The charity won’t mind missing a few cars!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that “buying new things wasn’t an option for me” because he only gets “a small amount of pocket money,” so he decided to collect and repair broken toys instead.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that trying to sew the arm back on was “incredibly frustrating” and he got “so annoyed that I almost threw the bear in the bin,” which means the task was much harder than expected.
3 A – The third paragraph describes how after fixing the bear, he “felt much more confident” and found that watching the broken objects transform into beautiful playthings was “surprisingly satisfying.”
4 B – In the final paragraph, the writer states that “Seeing their grateful smiles made all my sore fingers and long evenings completely worth it.”
5 C – This option successfully captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text. It references the specific feeling of being “Santa’s elf” from paragraph 4 and synthesises his final realization that donating his time and effort was a deeply rewarding experience.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Loudest Silence
Over the past few months, bullying had become a serious problem at my school. Several students were dealing with cruel jokes and mean comments in the corridors. The teachers had given long speeches in the assembly hall and put up anti-bullying posters, but nothing seemed to change the toxic atmosphere. I felt incredibly frustrated and knew we needed a completely different approach to make people pay attention. I decided to organize a silent protest to show that we were no longer going to accept this behaviour.
My plan was simple but challenging. I asked a group of my classmates to stand shoulder-to-shoulder against the lockers in the main hallway during the busy morning break. We committed to standing in absolute silence for exactly fifteen minutes. We wouldn’t hold any warning signs or shout any angry slogans; we would just stand there and look straight ahead. Although a few of my friends were nervous about looking foolish, about twenty people bravely agreed to join me.
On Wednesday morning, the bell rang for the break, and we took our positions. At first, the other students walking past were just confused. However, once people realised what we were doing, a small group of kids decided to try and ruin it. They stood right in front of us, making silly faces, waving their hands, and telling loud jokes. Their goal was clearly to make us laugh or get angry so that our protest would completely fall apart.
For a few minutes, it was incredibly difficult. My heart was beating fast, and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from reacting to their teasing. But we all held our ground and refused to say a single word. As the minutes ticked by, something amazing happened. Our strict silence began to feel incredibly heavy and powerful. The kids who were mocking us suddenly looked very awkward and uncomfortable. Without getting the reaction they desperately wanted, they eventually looked down at their shoes and quietly walked away. By the end of the fifteen minutes, a dozen more students had silently joined our line.
When the bell finally rang to go back to class, the atmosphere in the hallway had completely changed. The event taught me a profound lesson about standing up for what is right. I learned that you don’t always need to shout or argue to make a point against bullies. Sometimes, maintaining a united, powerful silence speaks much louder than any speech ever could.
1 Why did the writer decide to organize the silent protest?
(A) She was asked by the teachers to create a new anti-bullying poster.
(B) She felt that the previous speeches and posters had failed to stop the bullying.
(C) She wanted to practice standing quietly for a school theatre performance.
(D) She wanted to punish the students who were making cruel jokes online.
2 What were the rules for the students participating in the protest?
(A) They had to hold up large warning signs and stare at the bullies.
(B) They had to stand quietly but were allowed to talk to their friends.
(C) They had to stand together without speaking or holding any signs.
(D) They had to walk up and down the main hallway in complete silence.
3 How did some kids try to destroy the protest?
(A) By complaining to the teachers that the hallway was too crowded.
(B) By trying to provoke the protesters into laughing or getting angry.
(C) By pushing the protesters away from their spots against the lockers.
(D) By holding up their own signs to mock the anti-bullying message.
4 What happened as the protesters continued to stay silent?
(A) The mocking students felt uncomfortable and eventually left the area.
(B) The teachers came into the hallway and told everyone to go back to class.
(C) The writer eventually laughed at a joke, but the others stayed quiet.
(D) The mocking students decided to apologize for their bad behaviour.
5 What is the main lesson the writer learned from this experience?
(A) “I regret not shouting at the bullies, because silence just makes them tell more jokes.”
(B) “The protest was a failure because it is impossible for teenagers to stay entirely silent for fifteen minutes.”
(C) “I realised that bullies only respect you if you are willing to argue and fight back.”
(D) “I learned that a strict, united silence can be a far more powerful statement than speaking out loud.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that “teachers had given long speeches… and put up anti-bullying posters, but nothing seemed to change,” leading her to feel frustrated and try a completely different approach.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains the plan: “We committed to standing in absolute silence… We wouldn’t hold any warning signs or shout any angry slogans; we would just stand there”.
3 B – The third paragraph mentions that the group of kids stood in front of them “making silly faces, waving their hands, and telling loud jokes. Their goal was clearly to make us laugh or get angry”.
4 A – In the fourth paragraph, the text says that the silence made the mockers look “awkward and uncomfortable” and that without getting a reaction, “they eventually looked down at their shoes and quietly walked away.”
5 D – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and the lesson learned in the final paragraph: the writer realizes that “maintaining a united, powerful silence speaks much louder than any speech ever could.”
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Levelling the Playing Field
I’ve always loved playing football. My school has fantastic sports facilities, perfectly cut grass, and we receive new kits every season. I never really thought about how lucky we were until last month. While we were travelling on the bus to an away match, we drove past a much smaller school in a poorer neighbourhood. I looked out the window and noticed some teenagers playing a match. They were running around in torn shoes, and the ball they were kicking was completely flat. Seeing that made me feel incredibly guilty about my own perfect equipment, and I knew I had to do something to help them.
The next day, I asked my headteacher if I could organise a sports gear collection for the other school. He agreed, so I put some large plastic boxes in the reception area. However, during the first week, the boxes remained almost empty. A few people dropped off some useless items like broken tennis rackets or dirty t-shirts. I felt quite discouraged and thought nobody cared. I realised I needed to communicate better, so I stood up in the morning assembly. I explained exactly what those kids needed: football boots, shin guards, and proper balls.
That short speech changed everything. By the end of the second week, students and parents were bringing in bags full of excellent equipment. Some kids even bought brand new footballs with their own pocket money. My teammates and I spent our entire weekend cleaning the donated boots and pumping up the footballs. It was definitely exhausting and our hands were covered in mud, but packing all those clean, shiny items into my dad’s van felt amazing.
When we finally arrived at the neighbouring school to deliver the gear, the students couldn’t believe their eyes. Watching them put on proper football boots for the first time and kick a perfectly pumped-up ball around the yard was unforgettable. Their pure joy made me realise just how unequal the world can be, and how easy it is to take things for granted. It also showed me that a simple community effort can bring enormous happiness to others. I’ve already spoken to my teammates, and we’re planning to make this collection an annual event!
1 Why did the writer decide to start the collection?
(A) He was asked by his school to help a poor neighbourhood.
(B) He wanted to replace his own team’s old sports equipment.
(C) He saw some students playing with unsuitable gear.
(D) He lost a football match against a neighbouring school.
2 How did the writer feel during the first week of the project?
(A) Disappointed because people were not donating the right things.
(B) Annoyed that the headteacher wouldn’t let him use the reception area.
(C) Surprised that so many students wanted to give a speech in assembly.
(D) Anxious about speaking in front of the whole school.
3 What does the writer say about preparing the donations?
(A) The parents offered to clean the boots for the team.
(B) His teammates used their pocket money to buy a new van.
(C) He had to wash all the dirty sports clothes by himself.
(D) It was a tiring task but it gave him a great feeling.
4 What did the writer learn from the delivery experience?
(A) That his school needs to play more football matches.
(B) That he should appreciate what he has because life isn’t fair.
(C) That raising money for new sports facilities is very difficult.
(D) That he prefers delivering equipment rather than playing sports.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I’m so glad we finally delivered the sports gear. The kids were happy, but I don’t think I have the energy to ever do it again.
(B) Seeing those kids play with a real football was incredible. It really opened my eyes to how unfair life is, but I’m proud we helped.
(C) The collection was a huge success today! I just wish my teammates had helped me clean all those muddy boots instead of leaving it to me.
(D) I felt so guilty looking at my own perfect football boots today. I’ve decided to give up playing for my school team to focus on charity work.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer saw teenagers “running around in torn shoes, and the ball they were kicking was completely flat” (unsuitable gear) and decided he “had to do something to help them.”
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that the boxes were almost empty or filled with “useless items,” making him feel “quite discouraged and thought nobody cared.”
3 D – The third paragraph describes cleaning the boots and pumping the footballs as “definitely exhausting” (a tiring task), but packing them away “felt amazing” (gave him a great feeling).
4 B – In the final paragraph, the writer reflects that the kids’ joy made him realise “how unequal the world can be, and how easy it is to take things for granted.”
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and the writer’s attitude shift. It highlights the successful delivery of the gear, his realisation about global inequality, and his pride in taking action to help.