Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Everyday Repairs & Errands 5

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a handyman for household tasks.

There are descriptions of eight handyman services.

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

1   Mark has bought some heavy wooden boards for his books and needs them attached to his living room wall. He prefers paying for each hour the person works. He is only at home on Saturdays and Sundays.

2   Sarah wants to change the colour of her bedroom walls. She doesn’t want to pay per hour, preferring an exact price for the whole job. She needs a worker who brings all their own brushes and materials.

3   Leo requires someone to decorate his kitchen walls and attach some metal storage racks. He wants to pay based on the time taken. He is very tidy, so the worker must leave the room completely spotless afterwards.

4   Emma’s front door is broken and won’t close properly, so she needs a repairman. She wants to be charged an hourly fee. Because she works late, the handyman must be able to visit after 7 p.m.

5   David wants the outside of his house painted. He is having a party tomorrow, so the work must be completed today. He is a university student with little money, so he needs a special price reduction.

Handyman Services

A The Wood Worker

We specialise in attaching storage units and bookcases securely to your walls. Our schedule is highly flexible, so we are happy to visit your house on Saturday or Sunday. We don’t charge a set job fee; instead, you simply pay for the exact minutes and hours we spend working.

B Colorful Homes

If your bedroom needs a fresh look, our decorating team can help! We supply all the necessary rollers, covers, and ladders, so you don’t need to buy anything. Before we start, we will give you one final cost for the complete project, meaning there are no expensive hourly charges.

C Handy Solutions

Do you need new storage boards hung up and a fresh coat of colour in your kitchen? We can do both! Our customers are billed by the hour, ensuring fair prices. We also promise to remove all rubbish and sweep the floors, leaving your space perfectly neat and tidy.

D Night Repairs

We fix everything from broken locks to damaged entrances! Our team operates late into the night, making us the perfect choice if you need a visit after your workday finishes. You will only pay a simple, low rate for every sixty minutes we are there, with no hidden fees.

E Rapid Decorators

Does the exterior of your property look old? If you are in a rush, our decorators offer a fantastic same-day service, arriving within hours of your call! We provide incredibly cheap options, and if you are studying at college, you get an extra percentage off the total final bill!

F Build-It Fast

We are experts at hanging heavy wooden racks in your living room or office. We offer a brilliant service and charge a reasonable hourly rate for all our tasks. However, please remember that our staff only work from Monday to Friday, and we do not take bookings at the weekend.

G The Paint Professionals

We can make any room look beautiful with our premium decorating services. You won’t need to go shopping, as our staff arrive with all their own paints and tools. We keep our costs simple by charging a standard rate for every hour we spend painting your lovely home.

H Evening Fixers

Are you busy during the day? We start our shifts at 6 p.m. to help professionals. We offer brilliant price cuts for university learners, making us very affordable. However, we only specialise in putting together new furniture from boxes, so we do not mend broken items or do any painting.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a parcel pickup point or locker service.

There are descriptions of eight locker facilities.

Decide which locker facility would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Lucas wants to send back some unwanted clothes to an online shop. He can only visit the facility late at night after his shift and requires a safe system that uses a secret digital pin code.

2   Maya needs to pick up a delivery at any hour of the day or night. She wants a location near a central subway station and requires unique, secure mobile passwords to open the locker safely.

3   Sam needs to drop off a return package for an electronics company. He prefers typing a unique combination number for safety and wants a pickup point located immediately beside a large grocery store.

4   Olivia has several unwanted gifts to send back to online retailers. Because of her irregular study hours, she needs a service open all night and requires a location that provides free parking spaces.

5   Daniel needs to collect a parcel at midnight. He wants a facility that stays open all hours, but he requires a touchscreen that offers multiple language settings and wants a completely indoor location.

Parcel Pickup Options

A The Night Box

Open continuously day and night, this popular spot is perfect for busy professionals. Customers can easily drop off unwanted purchases to send back to internet stores. Settle your mind because every locker requires a special digital password sent to your smartphone to unlock. It is safe, simple, and always open.

B Metro Station Hub

Located right beside the central underground terminal, this modern station pickup point can be accessed around the clock. Your parcel remains safely locked away until you enter a unique, private digit combination sent directly to your device. It provides a secure way to retrieve your online shopping at midnight.

C Market Side Point

Situated immediately next to the town’s biggest supermarket, this service makes running errands easy. You can safely return items to web retailers by locking them inside. To guarantee total safety, the compartments open only when you type in a secret numeric password. Please note our doors close at 9 p.m. daily.

D The Clean Garage

Featuring a massive lot with free parking spaces for your car, this out-of-town depot is highly convenient. It operates twenty-four hours a day, so you can drop off unwanted internet packages before dawn. Simply slide your retail return boxes into the slots. No smartphone keys or numerical entry systems are needed here.

E Global Touch

Situated entirely inside a bright, warm hallway, this station protects you from the weather. It is open continuously around the clock, allowing midnight pick-ups. The advanced electronic monitor lets users choose from five different languages for clear instructions on screen. It is an excellent option for international travelers.

F Retail Returns Desk

Open all hours of the day and night, this convenient point lets you mail back faulty or unwanted electronics to internet warehouses easily. There are no codes or passwords to remember; simply scan the bar label on your parcel at the desk. Please note there are no vehicle parking facilities nearby.

G Grocery Lockers

Find our automated compartments directly inside the central grocery warehouse. It is ideal for picking up items during your weekly food shopping trip. The system is completely safe, opening only when you enter your unique mobile code sequence. However, we close when the store shuts at 8 p.m. and cannot accept return parcels.

H The Welcome Terminal

This indoor parcel terminal stays open continuously from dusk until dawn for your convenience. Friendly assistants stand by the machines to guide you through the collection process if you experience difficulties. Our screens use default local text only, so please ask our helpful on-site employees if you require any translation support.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a vet clinic for their pets.

There are descriptions of eight veterinary clinics.

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

1   Anna wants to get her dog’s regular vaccinations updated. Her dog is extremely frightened and nervous during vet visits, so she needs a patient team that is friendly with nervous animals. She also wants to save time by buying pet medicine directly from the clinic during her visit.

2   Mark is looking for a clinic that specializes in the care of older cats. He wants a facility that features an on-site laboratory for fast blood test results so he doesn’t have to wait, and he needs a place that offers free parking for customers.

3   Chloe wants to find a vet clinic located very close to a subway or metro station because she does not drive a car. She needs to book a check-up for her pet rabbit and requires a clinic that stays open for late-evening appointments.

4   David needs a 24-hour emergency vet clinic to treat an urgent medical crisis. He wants to ensure he receives a clear, fixed-price quote before any treatment begins, and he insists on a clinic that allows him to stay with his pet during the procedure.

5   Elena wants a mobile vet clinic that can visit her home because her pet gets severely carsick. She prefers a practice that integrates natural, holistic therapies alongside standard medicine, and she needs a system where she can book appointments online.

Vet Clinics

A Paws & Palms Vet

We make medical care stress-free! Our staff are specially trained to be exceptionally gentle and patient, creating a calm environment that is friendly with nervous animals who feel anxious or scared. We provide all essential dog vaccinations and health boosters. Plus, our fully stocked on-site pharmacy makes buying pet medicine quick and simple during your visit.

B Senior Felines Clinic

We focus exclusively on providing specialized, high-quality medical care for elderly cats. Our advanced facility features a state-of-the-art internal laboratory, allowing us to deliver comprehensive blood analysis results within minutes. Visitors arriving by car can enjoy our large, complimentary parking area located directly behind the building.

C City Metro Vets

Situated right outside the central underground train exit, our clinic is incredibly easy to access for non-drivers. We treat all kinds of small domestic animals, including rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs. To accommodate busy schedules, we keep our doors open for regular appointments until 9 p.m. every weeknight.

D 24/7 Emergency Care

We are open every second of the day and night to handle critical medical crises. Our policy ensures that owners can remain right next to their beloved animals throughout their treatment. We promise complete financial transparency by giving you a guaranteed fixed-price estimate before our medical team starts any procedure.

E Home-Call Mobile Vets

Skip the stressful car ride! Our fully equipped medical van brings expert veterinary care directly to your front door. Our practitioners combine traditional medical practices with holistic, natural therapies to support your animal’s wellness. Booking an appointment takes just a few clicks through our simple internet portal.

F Gentle Paws Clinic

We offer fantastic grooming services, including therapeutic baths and nail clipping for dogs and cats. We are located in a peaceful countryside setting with free parking. However, we are only open on Saturday mornings, we do not stock any prescription pharmaceuticals, and we cannot accommodate exotic pets like rabbits.

G The Veterinary Hub

Our clinic provides standard health checks and microchipping for puppies and kittens. We are located right next to the main bus station for easy travel. Please note that we operate on a first-come, first-served basis without an online reservation system, and we do not offer home visits or emergency night services.

H Green Valley Animal Hospital

We specialize in surgical procedures and advanced X-ray imaging for large dog breeds. We offer affordable health plans for families with multiple pets. However, our busy waiting room can be quite loud and crowded, making it unsuitable for anxious animals, and we do not sell medications or vaccinations over the counter.

Exercises:   123456