Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – City Breaks & Historic Towns 5

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find underground city tours.

There are descriptions of eight city tours.

Decide which tour would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Mark wants to explore the city’s hidden passageways. He gets cold easily, so he needs a tour that provides warm jackets. He also wants to enjoy a hot meal while he is down there.

2   Nina is studying 20th-century history and really wants to see old military shelters. She only has free time to visit on Monday mornings. She also wants to buy a souvenir poster to take home.

3   Leo loves adventure and wants to explore dark, wet underground areas beneath the streets. He is looking for a tour that starts late in the evening. He also hopes to hear scary local ghost stories.

4   Sofia wants to walk through the forgotten train routes below the city. She needs a guide who can explain everything clearly in Spanish. She is a university student and requires a cheap discounted ticket.

5   David wants to visit the secret underground rooms where leaders hid during the war. He needs a route with flat floors because he walks slowly. He also prefers listening to recorded information on headphones.

Underground City Tours

A Below the Streets

Discover the secret walking routes deep beneath the capital. The temperature drops significantly down here, so we hand out thick winter coats to all guests. After your fascinating walk, sit down in our unique cave restaurant for a delicious, freshly cooked dinner before returning to the busy surface.

B Wartime Secrets

Step into the safe spaces used by soldiers many decades ago. We open our doors at 9 a.m. at the start of the week, perfect for early visitors. Before you leave, don’t forget to visit our lovely gift shop to purchase a beautiful printed wall picture of the historic site.

C Midnight Shadows

Are you brave enough to enter the damp, unlit caves under the town? Our experts lead you through the water-filled paths long after the sun goes down. Along the way, you will listen to terrifying tales of the spirits that are believed to still haunt these ancient, mysterious stones.

D Lost Stations

Explore the amazing abandoned underground railways that passengers haven’t used for fifty years. We offer lower prices for anyone in full-time education, making it very affordable. Furthermore, our excellent tour leaders are fluent in Castellano, ensuring you understand every fascinating detail about the creation of this historic transport system.

E Government Refuge

See exactly where politicians stayed safe from danger in the 1940s. There are no stairs or steep hills here, making it completely accessible for anyone with mobility difficulties. Instead of following a noisy group, you receive a personal audio device to play fascinating facts as you explore the area.

F The Deep Escape

Journey through the invisible corridors below the historic centre. It is freezing cold underground, so visitors must remember to pack their own heavy sweaters! At the end of the long journey, everyone enjoys a fantastic bowl of hot soup in our special dining room carved directly into the rock.

G Spooky Caverns

Discover the frightening legends of the city’s dead on our popular scary myths tour! We take you deep into the dripping, wet holes beneath the castle. Because these spaces are dangerous at night, we only run these exciting group trips at midday. Be prepared to get your shoes muddy!

H History Below

Explore the incredible concrete rooms built to protect the army during the last century. We welcome visitors every day, including the beginning of the working week at 10 a.m. Please note that we are currently rebuilding our visitor centre, so there are absolutely no items available to buy right now.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find budget city hostels.

There are descriptions of eight city hostels.

Decide which city hostel would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Mark is traveling with an expensive camera and needs a safe place to store it. He wants a hot morning meal included in the price and hopes to find a lively games room where he can easily make new friends.

2   Jenny carries a huge suitcase, so she requires a large secure space for her luggage. She prefers chatting with people in a peaceful reading lounge. She also needs a free morning meal that offers good plant-based options.

3   Diego has an early train, so he needs a complimentary morning meal served before 7 a.m. He wants to relax and mix with others on an outdoor terrace, and he needs a small security box just for his passport.

4   Fatima prefers traditional local food for her included morning meal. She enjoys chatting with other tourists in a cozy coffee shop environment. She also needs to keep her travel documents completely safe using modern digital security boxes.

5   Alex and Sam love eating a lot, so they want a free morning buffet. They prefer having lockable storage directly under their beds. To meet other young travelers, they are looking for a place that organizes fun evening parties.

Budget City Hostels

A Backpackers’ Hub

Our fantastic central location is perfect for young explorers! Start your day without paying extra for our delicious cooked eggs and sausages. Spend your evenings playing pool and board games in our noisy, fun entertainment zone. We also provide heavy-duty metal cabinets to protect your valuable electronics while you sleep.

B The Peaceful Rest

We offer a calm atmosphere for tired visitors. Enjoy meeting fellow guests in our silent library space, perfect for quiet conversations. Every morning, we serve a complimentary healthy meal featuring delicious dairy-free and meat-free dishes. Plus, our oversized security units are big enough to hold your widest, heaviest travel bags.

C Sunny Days Hostel

Enjoy spectacular city views while sharing stories with fellow backpackers on our large open-air rooftop. If you have a dawn departure, our staff provides a free basic morning snack from 6:00 a.m. You will also find compact, key-operated mini-safes in every room, which are the perfect size for your travel papers.

D Heritage House

Experience authentic culture at our welcoming accommodation! We offer complimentary regional morning dishes, so you can taste local flavors immediately. Chat with international visitors and neighborhood residents in our warm, relaxed espresso bar. For your peace of mind, all dormitories feature advanced password-protected safes to keep your important documents secure.

E The Night Owl

If you want an unforgettable social life, join our fantastic staff-led dance nights and group events! Sleeping here is convenient, with personal locking drawers located immediately beneath every mattress. You will never go hungry, as our zero-cost, all-you-can-eat morning spread is available until noon to cure your late-night hunger.

F City Center Sleep

This highly rated youth accommodation features amazing under-bed security drawers for your heavy bags. Our fantastic underground entertainment area is packed with video games and table tennis, making it super easy to socialize. We have a wonderful communal kitchen where you can cook your own meals, as food isn’t provided.

G The Sleepy Tree

Relax after a busy sightseeing day in our comfortable, completely silent sitting room, where you can read and gently chat. Our guests love the massive metal cupboards that easily fit giant suitcases. Our café serves incredible plant-based morning meals and hot coffees, available to purchase for a very low price.

H Horizon Backpackers

Start your adventure right with our complimentary breakfast, which is conveniently served from 5:30 a.m. for early risers. Make lifelong friends while enjoying the fresh air on our beautiful garden patio. Please note that while our building is very safe, we do not currently offer any lockable storage for personal items.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an urban cycling holiday.

There are descriptions of eight city bike trips.

Decide which city bike trip would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Anna wants to hire an electric bicycle. She gets tired easily, so she needs a city with completely flat ground. She also hopes to visit some ancient historic buildings during her trip.

2   Tom is cycling with his young daughter. He must hire a bicycle equipped with a safe child seat. To keep her safe, he wants routes entirely separated from car traffic. He also wants to relax on a beach afterwards.

3   Clara is a very fit cyclist. She wants to cover long distances on completely level ground without any hills. After riding, she loves tasting famous local dishes. She also wants to join organised group rides to meet people.

4   Mark and Leo want to travel on electric bicycles but don’t own any, so they need a rental shop. They are afraid of traffic, so they need paths completely separate from cars. They want to sleep in cheap accommodation.

5   Sarah brings her own expensive bicycle, so she needs a hotel that provides a safe place to lock it. She prefers cycling on paths without any cars. She is also very interested in visiting modern art museums.

Urban Cycling Holidays

A Old Town Wheels

Explore the city’s centuries-old castles without getting tired! Our beautiful city has absolutely zero steep streets, making it an incredibly easy ride for anyone. You can easily pick up one of our battery-powered cycles from various stations around the centre, giving you a relaxing journey through our fascinating past.

B Coastal Cruisers

Enjoy a fantastic family ride! We provide top-quality bicycles equipped with comfortable carriers for your little ones to ride behind you. You will travel along special tracks that completely ban all motor vehicles, ensuring total safety. At the end of your journey, you can swim from the beautiful sandy coast.

C Gourmet Gliders

Join our fantastic team! We organise daily cycling trips where you can ride alongside other friendly tourists. You will not face any difficult climbs, as the entire route is on completely even ground. Along the way, we stop at fantastic traditional restaurants where you can taste incredible regional cooking.

D City Glide Backpackers

This highly affordable youth hostel is perfect for tourists watching their money. Step outside our doors and hire one of our fantastic motorised two-wheelers to explore the area. You will feel completely safe, as the city has built special cycle networks that keep you far away from all trucks and cars.

E Creative Coast Hotel

Bring your beloved bicycle and keep it protected in our locked, video-monitored basement. When you ride out, you can enjoy our town’s special traffic-free routes, where no cars are allowed. These safe tracks lead directly to the cultural quarter, home to several fantastic galleries displaying twenty-first-century paintings and sculptures.

F Highland Heritage Rides

Discover incredible ancient monuments and medieval walls on this fascinating tour! To help you manage the extremely steep hills and difficult climbs, you can hire one of our excellent battery-assisted bicycles. It is a fantastic historical adventure, though riders must be prepared for some very challenging uphill journeys.

G Sunny Shore Cycling

Travel safely along our brilliant traffic-free cycle networks, completely away from any dangerous cars. Follow the beautiful route until you reach the gorgeous white sands and ocean waves. Please note that we only supply adult-sized racing bikes, and we do not have any equipment for carrying babies or toddlers.

H Urban Art Boutique

This stylish hotel provides an excellent, secure room to lock up your own bicycle overnight. We are located right next to the city’s newest contemporary art museum, featuring incredible modern exhibitions. Unfortunately, the city lacks separate cycle tracks, so you must bravely share the busy roads with heavy motor traffic.

Exercises:   123456