Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Charity Events, Fundraising & Activism
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Tech Fast
I have a confession: I used to be completely addicted to my smartphone. I would spend hours every day scrolling through social media, watching videos, and messaging my friends. Therefore, when my school announced a charity event called the “Tech Fast,” everyone laughed and told me I couldn’t do it. The challenge was to give up all screens—no phones, tablets, or television—for a whole week to raise money for a children’s hospital. I wanted to prove to my classmates that they were wrong, so I immediately collected sponsors and handed my devices to my parents.
However, the first two days were an absolute nightmare. When I woke up, I reached for a phone that wasn’t there. Without screens, my house felt incredibly quiet and I experienced a terrible fear of missing out. I kept wondering what funny pictures my friends were sharing or what conversations I was ignoring. By Tuesday evening, I was so bored and miserable that I almost begged my parents to let me check my messages just for five minutes.
To stop myself from quitting, I knew I had to find something else to occupy my mind. I searched through my bedroom and found a mystery novel that someone had given me for my birthday last year. Surprisingly, once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I also began taking long walks in the local park every afternoon. Instead of staring down at a screen, I actually looked at the trees and listened to the birds. The feeling of boredom completely disappeared.
When the week finally ended, my friends were amazed that I had successfully finished the challenge. I managed to raise over £200 for the hospital, which felt fantastic. But the most important result was how much my own mindset had changed. Although my parents gave my phone back, I didn’t turn it on immediately. I’ve now promised myself that I will read more and leave my phone in another room at bedtime. This charity stunt hasn’t just helped sick children; it has permanently transformed my lifestyle into a much healthier one.
1 Why did the writer agree to do the “Tech Fast”?
(A) To get a new smartphone from his parents.
(B) To show his friends that he was capable of doing it.
(C) To buy new computers for a local children’s hospital.
(D) To win a school competition against his classmates.
2 How did the writer feel during the first couple of days?
(A) Anxious about what his friends were doing online.
(B) Relieved that his house was finally peaceful and quiet.
(C) Angry that his parents refused to give his phone back.
(D) Surprised by how easily he forgot about his devices.
3 What did the writer do to deal with his boredom?
(A) He bought a new mystery novel from the local bookshop.
(B) He started taking photographs of nature in the park.
(C) He began doing activities that didn’t involve technology.
(D) He spent more time talking to his friends outdoors.
4 What does the writer say about the end of the challenge?
(A) He was disappointed by the amount of money he raised.
(B) He immediately turned on his phone to message his friends.
(C) He decided to stop using his smartphone completely.
(D) He realised the experience had a positive effect on his habits.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I can’t believe I survived a whole week without my phone! Raising money was great, but I’ve realised I don’t need to stare at a screen all day to be happy.
(B) Giving up screens was the worst experience of my life. I’m so glad I have my phone back so I can finally catch up on all the messages I missed!
(C) The charity event was a success, but I regret doing it because I lost touch with my friends. I’ll never volunteer for a school project again.
(D) I was sure I would fail the Tech Fast, but I won the competition. Next week, I’m going to challenge my friends to give up their phones too.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that his friends said he couldn’t do it, and he “wanted to prove to my classmates that they were wrong”.
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer mentions experiencing “a terrible fear of missing out” and kept “wondering what funny pictures my friends were sharing or what conversations I was ignoring.”
3 C – The third paragraph describes how he found a novel to read and began taking long walks instead of looking at a screen, meaning he found tech-free activities.
4 D – In the final paragraph, the writer states that the most important result was how his mindset changed, and that the event “permanently transformed my lifestyle into a much healthier one.”
5 A – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges the success of the charity challenge while highlighting his personal growth and transformation regarding screen time.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Books Behind Bars
I have always believed that a good book can completely change your life. Because of this, I was quite shocked to read an article stating that our local prison’s library was almost completely empty. I thought about how boring and lonely life must be without anything to read. So, I decided to organise a book collection at my secondary school. I confidently announced the project in the morning assembly and placed large cardboard boxes in the main hall. I imagined that by the end of the week, I would have hundreds of exciting stories to hand over.
However, my excitement quickly disappeared when I actually looked inside the boxes. Lots of students and parents had certainly brought things in, but the reality was incredibly disappointing. Most people had just used my project as an excuse to clear out their unwanted rubbish. I found old children’s books with missing pages, cooking magazines from twenty years ago, and heavy school textbooks that nobody would ever read for pleasure. Spending my weekend sorting through these useless, damaged items made me feel completely depressed. I began to think the whole idea was a massive mistake.
Despite my frustration, I knew I couldn’t just give up. I spoke to my English teacher, Mr. Clark, who gave me some excellent advice. He suggested that instead of just asking for “books,” I needed to be much more specific. I immediately designed new posters asking clearly for modern novels, exciting thrillers, and interesting biographies. I explained that the goal was to provide adult readers with engaging stories, not to collect recycling.
The change in the donations was absolutely amazing. Within a fortnight, the new boxes were filled with fantastic, high-quality literature. When the day finally came to pack everything up, I had collected exactly two hundred brilliant books in perfect condition. As I helped load the heavy boxes into the prison van, my previous sadness completely vanished. I realised that I wasn’t just giving the inmates something to pass the time; I was offering them a genuine opportunity to learn and escape their daily routine. I am already planning to run a similar campaign next year, but this time, I will definitely provide a clear list of what we actually need from the very beginning.
1 Why did the writer start the book collection?
(A) To get rid of her own boring and unwanted reading materials.
(B) To provide reading options for people living in a local prison.
(C) To complete a reading project required by her secondary school.
(D) To help the school library get hundreds of new and exciting stories.
2 How did the writer feel when she sorted through the first donations?
(A) Upset because people had given away unsuitable and ruined items.
(B) Surprised by how many students wanted to read cooking magazines.
(C) Angry because the cardboard boxes were too heavy for her to move alone.
(D) Confused about why so many people wanted to read old school textbooks.
3 What did the writer do to fix the problem with the donations?
(A) She asked her English teacher to donate his own thriller novels.
(B) She stopped asking for books and started collecting recycling instead.
(C) She created new advertisements requesting specific types of literature.
(D) She told Mr. Clark to announce the new rules in the morning assembly.
4 When loading the van, the writer realised that
(A) two hundred books were not enough to fill the prison library.
(B) it would be impossible to run another campaign the following year.
(C) she should have kept some of the brilliant thrillers for herself.
(D) she was giving the prisoners a real way to improve their lives.
5 What would the writer write in her diary about the project?
(A) The book drive was a huge failure. People only donated twenty-year-old magazines and torn children’s books, so I definitely won’t do it again.
(B) Mr. Clark was so helpful! He collected 200 perfect books for the prison all by himself while I stayed home and sorted out the rubbish.
(C) I’m so proud of the final result! It started off terribly, but collecting the right books means we are providing real help to the inmates.
(D) It was great to clear out my unwanted rubbish this weekend. The prisoners will absolutely love reading my old school textbooks!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states she was shocked that the local prison’s library was empty and decided to organize a collection because she thought about “how boring and lonely life must be without anything to read.”
2 A – In paragraph 2, the writer says she felt “completely depressed” (upset) because people had donated “unwanted rubbish” like “old children’s books with missing pages” and “cooking magazines from twenty years ago” (unsuitable and ruined items).
3 C – In paragraph 3, the writer explains that she “immediately designed new posters asking clearly for modern novels, exciting thrillers, and interesting biographies,” which means she created new advertisements requesting specific types of literature.
4 D – In paragraph 4, the writer notes that she realised she was “offering them a genuine opportunity to learn and escape their daily routine,” showing she understood she was giving them a real way to improve their lives.
5 C – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges the frustrating start with the terrible donations, while highlighting the ultimate success and the meaningful impact the high-quality books will have on the inmates.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Second Wind
When my school announced a twelve-hour “Dance-a-Thon” to raise money for a new community sports centre, I was the first person to sign up. I love dancing, and I easily convinced my friends to join my team. For the first few hours, the atmosphere in the school gym was electric. The music was loud, everyone was laughing, and dancing non-stop felt like an incredibly fun party. I honestly thought that completing the full twelve hours would be an absolute breeze.
However, by the eighth hour, the reality of the physical challenge hit me like a brick wall. My legs were cramping painfully, and the soles of my feet felt like they were on fire. The fun party atmosphere had faded into silent exhaustion for most of the participants. I dragged my heavy feet across the floor, desperately staring at the clock. My entire body was screaming at me to just collapse onto the gym mats and give up. I was entirely convinced that I couldn’t keep moving for another four hours.
Just as I was walking towards the edge of the room to sit down and quit, the DJ grabbed the microphone and changed the music. Suddenly, the opening beat of my absolute favourite song blasted through the speakers. It was a high-energy track that my friends and I always listened to before sports matches. Hearing that familiar, exciting rhythm acted like magic. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and felt a sudden, massive rush of adrenaline.
That song gave me the perfect “second wind.” My friends rushed over, and we started jumping and singing the lyrics together, completely forgetting about our aching muscles. We managed to keep our energy up and kept moving right until the final countdown. When the buzzer finally rang at the twelfth hour, we all collapsed onto the floor in a pile of sweaty, happy tears.
Looking back, the Dance-a-Thon taught me a vital lesson about human endurance. I learned that our bodies are capable of going much further than our exhausted minds tell us. When you feel like you have absolutely nothing left to give, a single spark of joy or a familiar song can provide the exact energy you need to push past your limits and cross the finish line.
1 Why did the writer join the Dance-a-Thon?
(A) She wanted to practice for a professional dance competition.
(B) She wanted to raise money for a new community sports centre.
(C) Her friends forced her to sign up for the school team.
(D) She needed to complete a physical education assignment.
2 How did the writer feel during the eighth hour?
(A) In extreme physical pain and completely ready to quit the challenge.
(B) Energetic and excited because the charity event was almost over.
(C) Annoyed that her friends were dancing much better than she was.
(D) Hungry because the school hadn’t provided any snacks for the dancers.
3 What happened right before the writer was about to sit down?
(A) The headteacher announced that they had reached their money target.
(B) Her friends grabbed her hands and forced her to keep dancing.
(C) The DJ started playing her absolute favourite, high-energy song.
(D) The school buzzer rang to signal the end of the twelve hours.
4 What effect did the new music have on the writer?
(A) It made her feel dizzy, so she had to sit down immediately.
(B) It gave her a rush of adrenaline and the energy to keep going.
(C) It made her realise she preferred singing to dancing.
(D) It annoyed her because it was too loud for the tired crowd.
5 What would the writer say about her Dance-a-Thon experience?
(A) “It was definitely not worth the pain, and I will never agree to dance for charity again.”
(B) “I realised that dancing is actually very dangerous if you do it for more than eight hours.”
(C) “The event was easy, and I didn’t even feel tired until the very last minute of the countdown.”
(D) “It taught me that even when you want to give up, a small spark of joy can push you past your limits.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph, “When my school announced a twelve-hour ‘Dance-a-Thon’ to raise money for a new community sports centre, I was the first person to sign up.”
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that her legs were cramping, her feet felt like fire, and her “entire body was screaming at me to just collapse onto the gym mats and give up.”
3 C – The third paragraph mentions that just as she was walking to the edge of the room to quit, “the DJ grabbed the microphone and changed the music. Suddenly, the opening beat of my absolute favourite song blasted through the speakers.”
4 B – In the third and fourth paragraphs, the text says she felt a “sudden, massive rush of adrenaline” and that the song gave her “the perfect ‘second wind'” to keep moving.
5 D – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and the lesson learned in the final paragraph: the writer learned that “When you feel like you have absolutely nothing left to give, a single spark of joy or a familiar song can provide the exact energy you need to push past your limits”.