Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Extreme and Water Sports 8
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My First Trampoline Dodgeball Game
Last weekend, I went to a massive new indoor trampoline park to celebrate my best friend’s birthday. We spent the first hour simply jumping around and trying to do basic tricks. However, then we noticed a closed-off area where a highly competitive game of trampoline dodgeball was taking place. I am usually quite a quiet person who avoids team sports, but the fast music and the cheering crowd made the atmosphere incredibly exciting. Before I even had time to think about it, I had agreed to join the next match.
As soon as the referee blew his whistle, balls started flying everywhere. I quickly realised that playing dodgeball on a trampoline is completely different from playing it on a solid gym floor. You don’t just need to have a good aim to hit the opposite team. The real secret is having excellent spatial awareness. You must constantly know exactly where your body is in the air, while also watching out for people jumping around you. It was exhausting but extremely fun to bounce high and avoid being hit.
We were actually winning the match when things suddenly went a bit wrong for me. One of the tallest players on the other team threw a ball straight at my legs. I jumped as high as I could to avoid it, but I wasn’t looking at the trampoline beneath me. When I came back down, my foot hit the protective edge between the trampolines, and I twisted my ankle. I fell over, and the game had to be stopped. The park staff were wonderful and immediately brought me some ice.
Although I had to sit on a chair by the side of the court for the rest of the afternoon, I didn’t feel too disappointed. My ankle hurt quite a bit, but watching my friends finish the match was still entertaining. My parents were a little worried when they came to collect me, but I told them it was just a small accident. Despite the injury, I absolutely loved the experience. I am already planning to go back and play again as soon as my ankle is completely better!
1 Why did the writer decide to play trampoline dodgeball?
(A) He wanted to show his friends his new jumping tricks.
(B) He was drawn in by the exciting environment of the game.
(C) He is usually a very competitive team player.
(D) His best friend forced him to join the match.
2 What did the writer discover about trampoline dodgeball?
(A) It is much easier to play than normal dodgeball.
(B) The most important skill is being able to throw hard.
(C) You must pay close attention to your position in the air.
(D) It is impossible to avoid the balls while bouncing high.
3 How did the writer get injured?
(A) Another player jumped onto his leg by accident.
(B) He tripped over a ball that was on the trampoline.
(C) He fell out of the trampoline area entirely.
(D) He landed badly while trying to dodge a ball.
4 How does the writer feel about his experience in the end?
(A) Angry that the game had to be stopped because of him.
(B) Upset that his parents were worried about his accident.
(C) Disappointed that his team lost the dodgeball match.
(D) Keen to return to the park once his injury has healed.
5 What might the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) I had a terrible day at the trampoline park. I got hurt so quickly that I didn’t even get the chance to enjoy the game.
(B) Trampoline dodgeball is brilliant! I had a little accident today, but it won’t stop me from playing this awesome sport again.
(C) I wish I had never agreed to play team sports today. My ankle is killing me, and my parents have banned me from going back.
(D) The staff at the park were nice, but the game is too dangerous. I think I will stick to just doing basic tricks from now on.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that “the fast music and the cheering crowd made the atmosphere incredibly exciting,” which motivated him to join.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that you need “excellent spatial awareness” and “must constantly know exactly where your body is in the air.”
3 D – The third paragraph describes how he “jumped as high as I could to avoid it” but didn’t look down and his “foot hit the protective edge,” causing him to twist his ankle.
4 D – In the final paragraph, the writer says, “I am already planning to go back and play again as soon as my ankle is completely better!”
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and attitude of the text: despite twisting his ankle (a little accident), he loved the experience and is eager to play the sport again.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Discovering the Deep
My name is Leo, and I have always loved swimming in the sea. During a family holiday in Greece last summer, I noticed a group of people diving deep underwater without any heavy air tanks. I soon discovered they were practising a sport called free diving. I immediately wanted to try it, so I signed up for a beginner’s course at a local dive centre. However, I actually felt quite anxious because I usually couldn’t hold my breath for more than forty seconds, and I seriously doubted I could improve much.
On the first day, our instructor, Elena, explained the basic rules of the sport. I had always assumed that successful free diving depended entirely on having enormous lungs and being extremely physically fit. But Elena told us that while physical fitness is certainly helpful, the real secret is actually in your mind. We spent the whole morning practising in a shallow swimming pool. During my first few attempts, I felt an urgent need to breathe almost immediately. I was trying too hard to force myself to stay underwater, which only made me panic and come back up to the surface quickly.
The next day, Elena taught us some special breathing exercises before we even got into the water. She explained that if you relax your muscles and slow down your thoughts, your body uses much less oxygen. I sat quietly, closed my eyes, and focused completely on my breathing, trying to forget about everything else around me. When I finally went underwater again, the difference was absolutely incredible. Because my mind was completely calm, I didn’t feel that uncomfortable burning feeling in my chest. To my absolute astonishment, I managed to stay under for over two minutes!
For our final lesson, we took a small boat out into the open sea. Using the mental relaxation skills I had just learned, I dived down along a rope to a depth of ten metres. Without the noisy bubbles that you get with standard scuba diving equipment, the underwater world was completely peaceful. I could hear the clicks of the fish and the gentle movement of the water. It was easily the most magical experience of my life. I am already saving up my pocket money to buy my own professional free diving equipment for next summer.
1 Why did Leo feel worried about doing the free diving course?
(A) He didn’t think he could hold his breath for very long.
(B) He had never swum in the deep sea before.
(C) He couldn’t afford to buy the heavy air tanks.
(D) He was afraid of diving with people he didn’t know.
2 What did Leo realise during his first lesson in the pool?
(A) He was not physically fit enough to do the sport.
(B) He needed to have larger lungs to be successful.
(C) Forcing himself to stay underwater caused him to fail.
(D) The swimming pool was too shallow for diving properly.
3 How did Leo achieve a time of over two minutes underwater?
(A) By swimming faster to use less oxygen.
(B) By ignoring the pain in his chest completely.
(C) By concentrating on the sounds of the water around him.
(D) By making his brain and body completely calm.
4 What did Leo enjoy most about his dive in the open sea?
(A) The fact that he reached a depth of ten metres.
(B) The quiet and calming atmosphere underwater.
(C) Seeing the colourful fish swimming past him.
(D) Using his brand new professional diving equipment.
5 What would Leo write in his diary at the end of the holiday?
(A) I finally tried free diving! It was fun, but I think I’ll stick to scuba diving because I prefer breathing with air tanks.
(B) Free diving is amazing! I can’t believe how learning to control my mind helped me hold my breath for so long.
(C) The free diving course was great, but I’m disappointed that I didn’t manage to stay underwater for more than forty seconds.
(D) I loved free diving in the sea, but the pool sessions were a waste of time because the instructor didn’t teach us any techniques.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – Paragraph 1 states that Leo “felt quite anxious because I usually couldn’t hold my breath for more than forty seconds, and I seriously doubted I could improve much.”
2 C – Paragraph 2 explains that “trying too hard to force myself to stay underwater… only made me panic and come back up to the surface quickly.”
3 D – Paragraph 3 details how he used relaxation techniques to stay under longer: “Because my mind was completely calm… I managed to stay under for over two minutes.” This paraphrases making his brain and body calm.
4 B – Paragraph 4 highlights that “the underwater world was completely peaceful” because there were no “noisy bubbles.” He focuses on how quiet and magical this peacefulness was.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: he enjoyed the sport, was amazed by the mental aspect of it, and successfully held his breath much longer than he ever expected.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Kite Buggying Experience
I have always loved spending my holidays on the coast, but I usually get bored just swimming or sunbathing. Last summer, we visited a resort with a huge, flat sandy beach. Before our trip, I had watched some online videos of people kite buggying, which involves sitting in a small three-wheeled cart pulled by a huge kite. It looked absolutely thrilling. I begged my parents to book me a beginner’s lesson, and luckily, they agreed.
When I arrived for my lesson, the instructor, Mark, showed me the equipment. I had to wear a helmet and learn how to control the enormous kite before I was even allowed to sit in the buggy. Once I finally got into the seat, Mark helped me launch the kite into the air. Suddenly, the wind caught it, and I shot forward across the sand. I couldn’t believe how incredibly fast we were moving. It felt like driving a race car, but without any engine noise!
After driving up and down the beach a few times, I started to feel a bit too confident. I wanted to go even faster. However, I hadn’t noticed that the wind was getting stronger. A sudden, powerful gust caught the kite, and instead of steering smoothly, I panicked and pulled the handles the wrong way. The buggy spun out of control in a wide circle, and I tipped over onto the soft sand. I wasn’t injured at all, but I felt quite foolish as I brushed the sand off my clothes.
Mark drove over to check on me and patiently explained what I had done wrong. He told me that making tiny, gentle movements was the secret to steering perfectly. I climbed back into the buggy, determined to get it right. This time, I paid close attention to the wind’s direction. Within an hour, I was successfully racing along the edge of the water, steering the buggy smoothly and turning without any problems at all.
That afternoon was definitely the highlight of my holiday. Kite buggying is the most exciting activity I have ever tried. I am already saving up the money from my weekend job so I can buy my own second-hand buggy. I can’t wait to get back on the beach and feel the wind in my face again next summer!
1 Why did the writer want to try kite buggying?
(A) He wanted to do something more exciting than his usual beach activities.
(B) His parents suggested it would be a fun holiday activity for him.
(C) He saw people doing it on the beach and wanted to join in.
(D) He was bored of flying ordinary kites while on the coast.
2 What surprised the writer when he first started moving in the buggy?
(A) How difficult it was to launch the kite into the air.
(B) The loud noise the buggy made on the sand.
(C) How heavy the safety equipment was to wear.
(D) The amazing speed he was able to reach.
3 Why did the writer lose control of the buggy?
(A) He drove too close to the edge of the water.
(B) He reacted badly to an unexpected change in the weather.
(C) The wheels of the buggy sank deep into the soft sand.
(D) He tried to do a dangerous trick he had seen in a video.
4 What advice did the instructor give the writer to improve his driving?
(A) Only go out when the wind is blowing gently.
(B) Make small, careful changes to the direction.
(C) Keep looking straight ahead while steering.
(D) Drive slower when turning the buggy around.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about his experience?
(A) The buggy was terrifying when it crashed, so I think I’ll try a safer water sport next time.
(B) You need a lot of physical strength to steer the buggy, but the speed makes it worth the effort.
(C) It was completely thrilling, and although I made a mistake at first, I soon learned how to handle it.
(D) I’m glad my parents forced me to do the lesson because it turned out to be quite an easy skill to learn.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In the first paragraph, the writer mentions getting bored of “just swimming or sunbathing” and wanted to do something that looked “absolutely thrilling,” which matches wanting something more exciting than usual activities.
2 D – In paragraph two, the writer states: “I couldn’t believe how incredibly fast we were moving. It felt like driving a race car,” which matches the surprise at his amazing speed.
3 B – Paragraph three explains that “a sudden, powerful gust” of wind occurred (a change in weather) and he “panicked and pulled the handles the wrong way” (reacted badly), causing the buggy to spin out of control.
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the instructor explains that “making tiny, gentle movements was the secret to steering perfectly.” This paraphrases perfectly to making “small, careful changes.”
5 C – This option accurately captures the overall tone and events of the text: it reflects his excitement (“completely thrilling”), acknowledges his crash in the middle (“made a mistake at first”), and celebrates his eventual success in paragraph four (“learned how to handle it”).