Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Mental Health, Sleep & Mindfulness
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Curing My Sleepless Nights
For the past few months, getting a good night’s sleep felt like an impossible task. While everyone else in my house was dreaming peacefully, I would stare at my bedroom ceiling until three in the morning. My mind would race with thoughts about upcoming school exams, conversations with friends, and even completely random things. When my alarm finally rang at seven o’clock, I was always exhausted. I knew I needed to fix my sleeping habits because my tiredness was making it difficult to concentrate during my lessons.
At first, I tried to solve the problem by simply forcing myself to sleep. I would lie in bed with my eyes shut tight, telling myself that I had to fall asleep immediately. However, this method actually made the situation much worse. Lying there in the dark just made me feel more anxious and stressed. I would constantly look at my clock, calculating exactly how few hours of rest I had left before morning. The more I worried about not sleeping, the wider awake I became.
One weekend, my older cousin noticed how tired I looked and offered some interesting advice. She told me that if I couldn’t sleep after twenty minutes, I should actually get out of bed. This sounded completely crazy to me. Why would I leave my comfortable bed if my goal was to sleep? But she explained that staying in bed while anxious trains your brain to connect your bedroom with stress. Instead, she suggested sitting in another room under a dim light and reading a really boring book.
That night, when I couldn’t sleep, I decided to test her theory. I got up, went to the living room, and turned on a small lamp. I found an old, extremely dull textbook about farming techniques and started reading. It wasn’t enjoyable at all, but within fifteen minutes, my eyes began to feel incredibly heavy. As soon as I started yawning, I walked quietly back to my bedroom. To my absolute amazement, I fell asleep almost as soon as my head touched the pillow.
Since then, my night-time routine has completely changed. I don’t panic anymore if I can’t sleep right away, because I know exactly what to do. Reading a boring book for a few minutes tricks my brain into relaxing naturally. Now, I finally have the energy I need for my busy school days.
1 Why did the writer want to change his sleeping habits?
(A) He was worried about failing his upcoming school exams.
(B) He wanted to stop having strange dreams at night.
(C) His lack of sleep was affecting his attention at school.
(D) His friends were complaining that he looked exhausted.
2 How did the writer feel when he tried to force himself to sleep?
(A) Angry because his bedroom clock was too bright.
(B) Relaxed as long as he kept his eyes closed tightly.
(C) Confused about why his mind was suddenly so active.
(D) Stressed because watching the time made him anxious.
3 What did the writer think about his cousin’s advice initially?
(A) He thought it was a very strange idea.
(B) He believed it would quickly solve his problem.
(C) He felt annoyed that she noticed he was tired.
(D) He was excited to read a new type of book.
4 What happened when the writer tested the theory?
(A) He found the old farming textbook quite interesting.
(B) He became naturally sleepy after reading for a short time.
(C) He fell asleep while sitting on the living room sofa.
(D) He had to turn on all the lights to read the small text.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I still can’t fall asleep before 3 AM, but at least I have some interesting farming books to keep me entertained in the living room.
(B) I’m so exhausted today. I tried reading a boring book last night, but it just made me worry even more about my school exams.
(C) My cousin’s advice seemed silly at first, but getting out of bed when I’m awake has completely cured my sleep problems!
(D) I finally threw away my bedroom clock so I won’t feel stressed, but I still wish I could find a way to stop my racing thoughts.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The first paragraph states that the writer needed to fix his habits because “tiredness was making it difficult to concentrate during my lessons.”
2 D – The second paragraph explains that forcing sleep made him feel “anxious and stressed” and that he “would constantly look at my clock”, which made him wider awake.
3 A – In the third paragraph, the writer says that getting out of bed “sounded completely crazy to me”, showing he thought it was a strange idea.
4 B – The fourth paragraph describes how, after reading the dull book for fifteen minutes, “my eyes began to feel incredibly heavy” and he started yawning.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: the writer initially doubted the advice, but applying the counter-intuitive trick successfully solved his insomnia.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Beating the Exam Panic
I’ve always been a good student, but maths has always been my weakest subject. Because of this, I spent weeks studying for my final exam. I felt completely prepared the night before, but as I was walking into the large exam hall, I started feeling extremely nervous. My hands were sweating, and I felt a heavy pressure in my chest.
When the teacher finally handed out the test paper, I quickly looked at the first question. Suddenly, my mind went completely blank. I couldn’t remember a single formula I had practiced. My heart began to race faster and faster, and I actually found it difficult to breathe. I realised I was having a panic attack right in the middle of the classroom. I just sat there staring at the clock, completely terrified that I was going to fail the test.
Then, I remembered some helpful advice my older sister had given me. She often gets anxious before job interviews and uses a special relaxation method called the “4-7-8” technique. I closed my eyes and decided to try it. I breathed in deeply through my nose for four seconds, held the air inside my lungs for seven seconds, and then slowly blew it out through my mouth for eight seconds. I repeated this exact pattern three more times.
To my absolute amazement, the simple exercise actually worked. My heartbeat slowly returned to its normal speed, and the terrible feeling of fear disappeared. With a much calmer mind, I opened my eyes and looked at the exam paper again. Suddenly, the complex numbers made sense, and the formulas I had studied so hard to learn came back to me. I finally picked up my pen and began to write confidently.
When I got my results a few weeks later, I was delighted to discover that I had passed the exam with a really good grade. I realised that learning how to manage my stress was just as important as studying the subject itself. Now, whenever I feel overwhelmed by a difficult situation, I use my sister’s breathing trick. It makes me feel completely in control of my anxiety, and I know I can handle any challenge.
1 How did the writer feel as they entered the exam hall?
(A) Confident because maths was their favourite subject.
(B) Anxious despite having studied for several weeks.
(C) Angry that they had to sit in such a large room.
(D) Relaxed because they had slept well the night before.
2 What happened when the writer looked at the first question?
(A) They noticed the classroom clock was showing the wrong time.
(B) They realised they had studied the wrong maths formulas.
(C) They were unable to recall any of the information they had learned.
(D) They asked the teacher if they could leave the room to breathe.
3 Why did the writer decide to use the 4-7-8 technique?
(A) Their sister had told them it was a good way to deal with anxiety.
(B) They had recently read an article about relaxation methods.
(C) Their teacher instructed the whole class to do a breathing exercise.
(D) They wanted to practice it before their sister’s job interview.
4 What does the writer think about passing the exam?
(A) It proves that maths is actually quite an easy subject.
(B) It shows that getting a good grade requires months of studying.
(C) It demonstrates that controlling your emotions is vital for success.
(D) It means they will never experience a panic attack again.
5 What would the writer text to a friend after getting their results?
(A) I can’t believe I failed my maths exam! The 4-7-8 breathing trick didn’t work at all when I looked at the test.
(B) I’m so happy I passed! I had a terrible panic attack during the test, but I managed to calm myself down and remember the answers.
(C) The maths exam was so easy today! I was nervous for no reason, and I didn’t even need to use my sister’s advice.
(D) I finally passed my maths test! I’m going to start teaching my classmates how to do the breathing technique tomorrow.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states that they “spent weeks studying” but “started feeling extremely nervous” as they walked into the exam hall, mapping to being anxious despite studying.
2 C – Paragraph 2 explains that when they looked at the first question, their “mind went completely blank” and they “couldn’t remember a single formula,” which means they were unable to recall information.
3 A – In paragraph 3, the writer says they remembered “helpful advice my older sister had given me” because she uses the technique when she “gets anxious.”
4 C – Paragraph 5 states, “I realised that learning how to manage my stress was just as important as studying the subject itself,” showing that emotional control is vital for success.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: experiencing a panic attack, using the breathing technique to successfully calm down, and ultimately passing the exam.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Gratitude Journal
I used to be an incredibly negative person. If it rained, I complained about the wet weather. If we had a lot of homework, I complained about the lack of free time. Instead of enjoying the good moments, my mind always focused on exactly what was going wrong. My friends and family found it quite exhausting to be around me, and honestly, I was tired of feeling miserable all the time too.
Everything changed during my final year of secondary school. My English teacher, Mr. Harris, noticed that I was always in a bad mood. One afternoon, he asked me to stay behind after class and gave me a small, blank notebook. He suggested that I start a ‘gratitude journal’. His instructions were simple: before going to sleep, I had to write down three positive things that had happened that day. At first, I thought it was a completely ridiculous idea, but I agreed to try it anyway.
For the first week, writing in the journal felt extremely difficult. I would sit on my bed staring at the empty pages, unable to think of a single good thing. On some nights, I felt so silly that I just wrote down basic things like “I had pizza for lunch” or “I didn’t miss the bus”. It didn’t feel like a magical cure for my bad moods, and I almost threw the notebook in the bin a few times.
However, after about three weeks, something surprising happened. My brain actually started looking for positive moments during the day so that I would have something interesting to write about later. If a friend told a funny joke or if I saw a beautiful sunset, I would make a mental note of it. Without even realising it, I was training my mind to pay attention to the good things instead of only seeing the problems.
Now, keeping a gratitude journal is my favourite daily habit. I no longer complain about every little detail, and I feel significantly calmer and happier. It is amazing to realise that simply writing a few sentences each night can completely rewire your brain. I now believe that there is always something to be thankful for, even on the worst days.
1 How did the writer behave in the past?
(A) She enjoyed arguing with her friends and family.
(B) She only paid attention to the negative aspects of her life.
(C) She preferred to spend her free time alone in the rain.
(D) She refused to do her homework when she felt miserable.
2 What did the writer think about Mr. Harris’s suggestion at first?
(A) She believed it was a silly and useless idea.
(B) She was excited to start a new hobby.
(C) She felt angry that he gave her extra homework.
(D) She was worried she wouldn’t have time to do it.
3 What problem did the writer have during the first week?
(A) She lost the notebook her teacher gave her.
(B) She felt too tired to write before going to sleep.
(C) She struggled to find positive things to write about.
(D) She forgot to write down what she had for lunch.
4 How did the journal change the writer’s daily life?
(A) She started taking photos of beautiful sunsets.
(B) She began to notice good things as they were happening.
(C) She spent more time telling funny jokes to her friends.
(D) She learned how to solve her problems more quickly.
5 What would the writer say about her experience?
(A) “Keeping a journal is a nice idea, but I still struggle to find anything to be thankful for on bad days.”
(B) “Mr. Harris was wrong; it takes much more than a blank notebook to change a miserable personality.”
(C) “It was easy from the beginning, and I highly recommend writing about your problems to feel calmer.”
(D) “I almost gave up, but writing down three good things every day has completely transformed how I see the world.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that instead of enjoying good moments, her “mind always focused on exactly what was going wrong.” This perfectly paraphrases paying attention only to the negative aspects of her life.
2 A – In the second paragraph, when Mr. Harris suggests writing three positive things, the writer admits: “At first, I thought it was a completely ridiculous idea”. This matches believing it was a silly and useless idea.
3 C – Paragraph three explains that she would sit “staring at the empty pages, unable to think of a single good thing”. This means she struggled to find positive things to write about.
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the writer notes that her brain “actually started looking for positive moments during the day” so she would have something to write about later, making a mental note of them. This matches beginning to notice good things as they were happening.
5 D – This option synthesizes the entire text and the writer’s attitude. She acknowledges her initial struggle (“I almost threw the notebook in the bin”), but concludes that the daily habit can “completely rewire your brain” and make her happier, which matches transforming how she sees the world.