Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Impact of Tech & Social Media
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Map Reading Lesson
My name is Sam, and until recently, I believed my smartphone could solve any problem. I used it for everything, especially the GPS app for getting around. Last month, my parents and I went on a weekend driving trip to the mountains. Since I’m usually good with technology, they asked me to sit in the front and be the navigator. I typed our hotel’s name into the app and confidently told my dad which way to drive. At first, the journey was perfectly fine.
After about two hours, the app told me to leave the wide, busy highway and turn onto a smaller road. A few kilometres later, it instructed us to take another turn. Before we knew it, we were driving along a very narrow dirt track. The trees were almost touching the car windows, and there were no other cars around. My mum suggested we turn back, but I insisted the app knew a faster route. Suddenly, the track ended completely at a locked wooden gate. The app proudly announced that we had reached our destination!
My dad had to slowly and carefully reverse the car out of the dangerous dirt track, which took a long time. Once we were safely back on a normal road, we stopped at a small village shop. My dad decided he didn’t want to trust my phone anymore. Instead, he bought a traditional, physical paper map. I felt a bit embarrassed, but I realised that relying blindly on technology had been a big mistake.
For the rest of the journey, I was in charge of the paper map. At first, it was quite difficult to understand. I had to pay close attention to the road signs and the shapes of the roads. However, it quickly became an enjoyable challenge. Instead of just staring at a small screen, I was actually looking out of the window and understanding where we were. It gave me a great sense of independence and improved my spatial awareness.
Now, whenever we travel, I have a completely different attitude. I haven’t completely stopped using GPS, because it is still useful for checking traffic. However, I never follow it blindly anymore. I always study the route on a real map before we leave, just to be safe.
1 Why was Sam asked to give directions on the family trip?
(A) He was the only person who owned a smartphone.
(B) His parents felt he was skilled with electronic devices.
(C) He had already been to the hotel in the mountains before.
(D) His dad wanted to concentrate on the heavy traffic.
2 What happened as they followed the smaller roads?
(A) They arrived at a locked gate instead of their hotel.
(B) Mum told Dad to drive faster to get off the dirt track.
(C) The app suddenly stopped working and lost its signal.
(D) The car got damaged by the trees on the narrow road.
3 How did Sam feel when his dad bought the paper map?
(A) upset that his dad was shouting at him
(B) worried that his dad didn’t know how to read it
(C) a little silly for trusting the app so much
(D) relieved that they had found a village shop
4 Using the paper map made Sam feel
(A) annoyed because the shapes of the roads were difficult to learn.
(B) proud because he was finally paying attention to his phone screen.
(C) capable and more aware of the world around him.
(D) confused because the road signs did not match the map.
5 What might Sam write in his online diary about the experience?
(A) I’ve decided to throw away my smartphone completely. Paper maps are the only safe way to travel nowadays!
(B) It’s good to use modern apps, but you shouldn’t follow them blindly. Map-reading is actually a great skill to learn!
(C) If your parents ask you to navigate, say no! It’s too much responsibility and it’s very easy to get lost in the mountains.
(D) I’m so glad my dad bought that map. Without it, we would probably still be stuck in front of that wooden gate.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states, “Since I’m usually good with technology, they asked me to sit in the front and be the navigator,” which matches being skilled with electronic devices.
2 A – In paragraph two, the text says, “Suddenly, the track ended completely at a locked wooden gate. The app proudly announced that we had reached our destination!” showing they did not arrive at the hotel.
3 C – Paragraph three mentions, “I felt a bit embarrassed, but I realised that relying blindly on technology had been a big mistake.” Feeling “a little silly” paraphrases “embarrassed.”
4 C – In paragraph four, Sam says, “Instead of just staring at a small screen, I was actually looking out of the window… It gave me a great sense of independence and improved my spatial awareness,” which matches feeling capable and aware.
5 B – This option captures the overall lesson of the text (the global meaning). Sam still uses GPS for traffic but learned not to trust it completely and found the paper map to be an enjoyable challenge.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Wake-Up Call
For the last two years, I have spent almost every evening playing a popular competitive video game online. I loved the feeling of winning and moving up the ranks to play against better players. At first, it was just a fun way to relax after a long day at school and chat with my friends. However, as I got better at it, I started taking the game much more seriously. I wanted to reach the highest rank possible, and I played for hours. If I lost, I would feel in a bad mood for the rest of the evening.
One evening last month, I was playing one of the most important matches I had ever played. My team was winning, and I just needed one more point to reach my dream rank. I was completely focused on the screen. Suddenly, my internet connection slowed down. Because of this ‘lag’, my character completely stopped moving, and the other team easily won the match. I was so incredibly angry and frustrated that I lost control. Without thinking, I shouted loudly and hit my heavy wooden desk as hard as I could with my right hand.
Immediately, a terrible pain shot up my arm, and I knew I had made a huge mistake. I had to go to the kitchen to get some ice, and my hand was swollen and bruised for the next few days. Writing at school was really difficult, and I felt embarrassed when my teachers and friends asked me what had happened. I couldn’t tell them the truth, so I just said I had fallen over. That physical pain was a huge wake-up call for me. I suddenly realised how silly and dangerous my behaviour actually was.
I decided right then that things had to change, so I uninstalled the game completely. I told myself I wouldn’t play it for at least a month. At first, I really missed it and didn’t know what to do with my free evenings. However, I soon started reading books again and spending more time riding my bike outside. It has been a month now, and my hand has fully healed. More importantly, my mind feels much calmer. I finally understand that a virtual rank is not worth causing real-life stress or physical harm.
1 How did the writer’s attitude towards the game change over time?
(A) It became less important to him than chatting with his friends.
(B) He stopped playing because it always put him in a bad mood.
(C) He started caring much more about winning and achieving a high rank.
(D) He realised it was the best way to relax after a long day at school.
2 What caused the writer to lose his important match?
(A) The other team had much better players than his team.
(B) A problem with his internet connection stopped his character from moving.
(C) He lost his focus because he was thinking about his dream rank.
(D) His heavy wooden desk broke while he was trying to play.
3 Why did the writer lie to people at school about his hand?
(A) He didn’t want them to know how angry a video game had made him.
(B) He was afraid his teachers would stop him from writing in class.
(C) He wanted them to think he was hurt while playing a physical sport.
(D) He didn’t think the pain was bad enough to go to the hospital.
4 How does the writer feel now that he has stopped playing the game?
(A) He hopes he can start playing it again as soon as next month.
(B) He is bored because he doesn’t have anything to do in the evenings.
(C) He regrets not deleting the game sooner so he could ride his bike more.
(D) He is happier and more relaxed without the stress of the video game.
5 What would the writer say in his blog today?
(A) I really miss playing with my team, but I have to wait until my hand is fully healed before I can download the game again.
(B) Video games are completely dangerous, and I think everyone should stop playing them and read a book instead.
(C) Getting angry over a game was a mistake, but getting hurt helped me realise that online success shouldn’t come before my real-life well-being.
(D) It is so frustrating when you lose a game because of lag, so I am going to buy a better internet connection for my computer.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The first paragraph explains that “as I got better at it, I started taking the game much more seriously. I wanted to reach the highest rank possible…”
2 B – The second paragraph explicitly states that his internet connection slowed down (lag), which made his character stop moving, leading to the other team winning.
3 A – The third paragraph shows he felt “embarrassed” to tell his teachers and friends the true cause of the injury, so he lied and “said I had fallen over.”
4 D – In the fourth paragraph, the writer states that since uninstalling the game, his “mind feels much calmer” and he understands that virtual ranks are not worth real-life stress.
5 C – This option captures the global meaning and the overall moral of the story: the physical pain was a wake-up call that helped him understand that a virtual rank isn’t worth physical or mental harm.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Unexpected Discovery
Last Tuesday evening, I sat down at my desk to finish an important history project. I had to write a long essay about the ancient Romans, and I needed some extra facts. I opened YouTube on my laptop, intending to watch a short documentary to help me with my research. However, as soon as the homepage loaded, a colourful thumbnail on the side of the screen caught my attention. It was a video explaining how wooden violins are traditionally made. Even though I don’t play any musical instruments, I felt curious and clicked on it.
I promised myself I would only watch for a few minutes, but the video was absolutely fascinating. It didn’t just talk about the history of the music; it showed the careful process of cutting the wood and putting the complex pieces together. When that video finished, the website automatically played another one. This time, it was an interesting physics video explaining exactly how sound waves travel through the air. Before I knew it, I was deep down an internet rabbit hole, watching detailed clips about how suspension bridges are constructed and how aeroplane engines actually work.
When I finally looked at the clock, three whole hours had passed. My history document was still completely empty! At first, I felt annoyed with myself for getting so distracted from my studies. I knew my history teacher would be disappointed if I handed in my homework late. But as I closed my laptop, I realised something quite surprising. I wasn’t just wasting time watching silly entertainment; I was genuinely interested in the clever mechanics of how things are designed and built. I had accidentally discovered a real passion for engineering.
The very next day at school, I excitedly spoke to my science teacher about my new interest. He was incredibly encouraging and suggested I join the school’s after-school robotics club. Although my history grade wasn’t very good that week, I honestly don’t regret my internet distraction at all. It is definitely easy to waste time online, but sometimes, letting your curiosity guide your browsing can help you figure out what you truly want to do in life.
1 Why did the writer originally go on YouTube?
(A) To search for a video about traditional violins.
(B) To find information for a school assignment.
(C) To watch colourful music documentaries.
(D) To learn how to play a new musical instrument.
2 What did the writer find most interesting about the first video?
(A) The way the sound waves travelled through the air.
(B) The history of the music being played in the background.
(C) The physical construction and mechanics of the instrument.
(D) The explanation of how aeroplane engines operate.
3 How did the writer feel immediately after looking at the clock?
(A) Worried that his science teacher would be angry with him.
(B) Excited that he had finally finished his long essay.
(C) Frustrated that he had lost focus on his schoolwork.
(D) Delighted that he was watching silly entertainment.
4 What is the writer’s attitude towards his experience now?
(A) He regrets getting a bad grade in his history class.
(B) He believes the internet is mainly just a place to waste time.
(C) He wishes he had joined the robotics club much earlier in the year.
(D) He is glad that being distracted led him to a new goal.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) My history teacher gave me a terrible grade today. I’ve decided to stop using the internet completely so I can concentrate better.
(B) I spent three hours watching videos about the ancient Romans today. I’m so proud that I finally managed to finish my history essay!
(C) Getting distracted online usually makes me feel guilty, but today it actually helped me discover that I want to study engineering!
(D) The robotics club is so much fun! I just hope we get to build a wooden violin instead of learning about complicated physics.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer needed “some extra facts” for an “important history project” and intended to “watch a short documentary to help me with my research,” meaning he went online for a school assignment.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that the video didn’t just talk about music, but “showed the careful process of cutting the wood and putting the complex pieces together,” focusing on the physical construction.
3 C – The third paragraph describes the writer looking at the clock, seeing his document was empty, and feeling “annoyed with myself for getting so distracted from my studies,” which matches feeling frustrated about losing focus.
4 D – In the final paragraph, the writer states, “I honestly don’t regret my internet distraction at all,” because “letting your curiosity guide your browsing can help you figure out what you truly want to do in life.”
5 C – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: transitioning from the guilt of avoiding history homework to the excitement of finding a genuine educational passion through random internet videos.