Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Modern Lifestyle, Habits & Productivity 4
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding the Right Balance
At the beginning of the school year, I decided I was going to do it all. I had always been quite good at sports and acting, so I joined both the school football team and the drama club. On top of that, I chose an advanced maths class because I wanted to challenge myself. My friends warned me that I was taking on too much, but I felt extremely confident. I truly believed I had enough energy to balance my hobbies and my schoolwork perfectly.
However, the reality of my new schedule hit me within a few weeks. Every afternoon was a mad rush. As soon as the school bell rang, I ran to drama rehearsals, only to leave early so I wouldn’t be completely late for football practice. When I finally got home at eight o’clock, I still had a mountain of complex maths problems to solve. I was surviving on very little sleep and drinking too much coffee. I felt like a machine that was running completely out of power.
Everything finally became too much just before our big autumn football match. During a drama rehearsal that afternoon, I forgot my lines completely because my brain was so tired. Later that night, while staring at a difficult maths assignment, I just put my head on my desk and started crying. I wasn’t just tired; I was completely exhausted. I realised that I wasn’t doing any of my activities well. I was letting my teammates down, my drama teacher was disappointed, and my grades were dropping.
The next morning, I made the hardest choice of my life. I went to my football coach and told him I had to quit the team. It was absolutely heartbreaking to leave the sport I loved, and I felt guilty for a few days. But almost immediately, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. With football gone, I finally had time to learn my lines perfectly and understand my maths equations. I learned a difficult but valuable lesson: doing two things exceptionally well is much better than failing at three.
1 Why did the writer take on so many activities at the start of the year?
(A) He was pushed by his friends to challenge himself.
(B) He wanted to prove to his teachers that he was talented.
(C) He was certain he could successfully manage a busy routine.
(D) He had to choose advanced maths to stay in the drama club.
2 How did the writer describe his daily routine after a few weeks?
(A) He was annoyed that drama practice started so late.
(B) He felt completely drained of energy by his packed schedule.
(C) He thought his advanced maths homework was surprisingly easy.
(D) He was disappointed that his football coach made him stay late.
3 What caused the writer to finally break down and cry?
(A) He performed badly in the big autumn football match.
(B) His drama teacher told him he had to leave the play.
(C) He received a terrible grade on an important maths test.
(D) He was overwhelmed by his inability to succeed at anything.
4 How did the writer feel after giving up football?
(A) relieved that he could focus properly on his remaining tasks
(B) angry that he had to sacrifice his favourite hobby
(C) worried that his teammates would never forgive him
(D) unhappy because his maths grades continued to fall
5 What would the writer write in his diary about this experience?
(A) “I regret quitting football. Even though I have more free time now, I miss playing with my friends too much to care about my grades.”
(B) “Trying to be perfect at everything nearly ruined my year. I’ve discovered that focusing my energy on fewer things brings much better results.”
(C) “I’ve learned that schoolwork is the only thing that matters. From now on, I won’t participate in any clubs or sports so I can just study.”
(D) “My friends were wrong about my schedule. If I hadn’t cried over that maths homework, I could have easily finished the whole football season.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The writer states in paragraph 1 that he felt “extremely confident” and “truly believed I had enough energy to balance my hobbies and my schoolwork perfectly.”
2 B – In paragraph 2, the writer explains he was surviving on little sleep and felt “like a machine that was running completely out of power,” showing he was physically exhausted by the routine.
3 D – Paragraph 3 explains that he cried because he was “completely exhausted” and “realised that I wasn’t doing any of my activities well,” letting everyone down across all his commitments.
4 A – The writer notes in paragraph 4 that “a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders” and he “finally had time to learn my lines perfectly and understand my maths equations.”
5 B – This option accurately captures the global meaning and attitude of the text: the writer learned a valuable lesson that choosing quality over quantity (doing two things well instead of failing at three) is the best approach to balancing life.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Five-Second Courage Rule
My name is Sam, and for as long as I can remember, I have been an incredibly shy person. In school, I was always the student who sat quietly at the back of the classroom. Even if I knew the answer to a teacher’s question, I never raised my hand. I was terrified of everyone looking at me, and talking to people I didn’t know made my heart beat extremely fast. I often felt disappointed in myself because my fear stopped me from doing the things I really wanted to do.
One evening, while I was watching videos online, I discovered a very interesting idea. A speaker was talking about something called the “5-Second Rule.” She explained that if you have an idea to do something positive, you must take physical action within five seconds. If you wait any longer, your brain will kill the idea with fear and excuses. You just have to count backwards—five, four, three, two, one—and then immediately act. I thought it sounded much too simple to actually work, but I promised myself I would try it the next day.
My first opportunity happened during a difficult science lesson. I didn’t understand the experiment we were doing, and I desperately needed help. I looked at the teacher and felt the familiar panic rising in my stomach. However, instead of staying silent, I started counting in my head. Five, four, three, two, one. Before I could change my mind, my hand went straight up in the air. The teacher answered my question kindly, and nobody laughed at me. I actually felt a small wave of pride.
A few days later, I faced a much bigger challenge. I saw a poster for a new school photography club. I love taking pictures, but joining a club meant meeting completely new people. I stood in the corridor, staring at the sign-up sheet, feeling extremely nervous. Then, I used my new trick. Five, four, three, two, one. I quickly wrote my name on the list before I could run away.
Because of that single moment of courage, I am now a regular member of the club and have made three brilliant new friends. I haven’t completely stopped being a shy person, and I still feel frightened sometimes. However, my comfort zone has grown drastically. I now know that whenever I feel afraid, bravery is only five seconds away.
1 Why did Sam often feel disappointed in himself?
(A) He didn’t know the answers to the teachers’ questions.
(B) His shyness prevented him from enjoying new activities.
(C) He was forced to sit at the back of the classroom.
(D) He spoke too quickly when talking to new people.
2 What did Sam learn about the “5-Second Rule” from the video?
(A) It gives you more time to think about your fears.
(B) It only works if you practise it for five days.
(C) You must move before your mind creates reasons not to.
(D) You should count forwards to calm your heart rate.
3 When Sam used the rule in his science class, he
(A) found out that the experiment was actually quite easy.
(B) was surprised that the other students laughed at him.
(C) answered a difficult question that the teacher asked.
(D) successfully asked for the information he needed.
4 How does Sam feel about joining the photography club?
(A) He is pleased because it helped him meet some great people.
(B) He wishes he had joined a drama club instead.
(C) He feels annoyed that he is still the shyest person there.
(D) He thinks the photography tasks are a big challenge.
5 What would Sam write in a blog post about his experience?
(A) The 5-second rule is a magic trick that completely cured my shyness overnight. I never feel nervous anymore!
(B) I still feel scared sometimes, but counting down helps me act before fear stops me. It has really changed my life.
(C) Joining clubs is the only way to stop being shy. If you don’t join a club, you will always be afraid of people.
(D) The rule didn’t really work for me in class, but it was surprisingly useful when I wanted to join a new school club.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph: “I often felt disappointed in myself because my fear stopped me from doing the things I really wanted to do.” This paraphrases as his shyness preventing him from enjoying new activities.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the rule is explained: “you must take physical action within five seconds… If you wait any longer, your brain will kill the idea with fear and excuses.” This matches moving before the mind creates reasons not to.
3 D – Paragraph 3 mentions that Sam didn’t understand the experiment and needed help. By counting down, “my hand went straight up in the air. The teacher answered my question kindly.” This shows he successfully asked for information.
4 A – In the final paragraph, Sam says that because he joined the photography club, he is a regular member and has “made three brilliant new friends,” showing he is pleased to have met great people.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning of the text. Sam explicitly states in the conclusion that he hasn’t completely stopped being shy and still feels frightened sometimes, but the countdown technique has grown his comfort zone and given him courage when he needs it.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Beating the Clock
I have always had a serious problem with time management. No matter how hard I tried to be organised, I was always ten minutes late for everything: school, sports practice, and hanging out with mates. I didn’t mean to be rude, but I somehow always believed I had more time to get ready than I actually did. My friends used to laugh about my habit, but recently, they started getting genuinely annoyed. When I arrived late and missed the beginning of a film we had planned to watch together, my best friend told me I was being selfish. I felt terrible and knew I had to finally fix the problem.
I immediately looked online for advice on how to be punctual. First, I tried downloading calendar apps and setting multiple alarms on my mobile phone, but I just ignored them when they rang. Then, I read a blog post about a simple psychological trick. The writer suggested setting all the clocks in your bedroom fifteen minutes fast. Honestly, it sounded a bit silly to me. I figured that if I knew the clocks were wrong, my brain would just do the maths and ignore them. Despite my doubts, I decided to give it a go.
That evening, I changed the time on my wall clock, my computer screen, and my watch. The next morning, my alarm went off and I sleepily looked at the clock. It said 7:30 AM, which meant I was going to miss my school bus! I jumped out of bed in a panic and rushed to get dressed. It was only when I was running down the street that I remembered my trick. I actually arrived at the bus stop ten minutes early. Instead of stressing out about being late, I enjoyed a peaceful, quiet wait in the morning sun.
It has been a month now, and this simple trick has completely transformed my daily routine. Even though I know the clocks are fast, that initial moment of panic when I see the time always makes me hurry. I haven’t been late to a single event since I started doing it. My friends are amazed by my new behaviour and appreciate that they no longer have to stand around waiting for me. It feels incredibly rewarding to be seen as a reliable person, and I’m definitely going to keep all my clocks exactly as they are.
1 Why did the writer finally decide to change his habit of being late?
(A) He was missing too many important football practices.
(B) He wanted to stop his friends from joking about him.
(C) His friends’ negative reactions made him feel bad about himself.
(D) He missed the entire film he was supposed to watch at the cinema.
2 What did the writer think about the clock trick before trying it?
(A) He believed he would easily figure out the real time and ignore the trick.
(B) He was sure it would work much better than his mobile phone apps.
(C) He felt it was exactly what the online article recommended for teenagers.
(D) He thought it would be too difficult to change the time on all his devices.
3 How did the writer feel while he was waiting for the bus?
(A) worried because he had to run all the way down the street
(B) relaxed because he had plenty of time before the bus arrived
(C) stressed because he honestly thought he had missed his transport
(D) annoyed that he had played such a silly trick on himself
4 What does the writer say about his current situation?
(A) His friends are still used to standing around waiting for him.
(B) He forgets that his clocks are fifteen minutes fast.
(C) He is planning to set his clocks back to the correct time soon.
(D) He sometimes still feels panicked, but it helps him to be on time.
5 What would the writer write in his diary?
(A) I can’t believe I lost my friends over my terrible timekeeping. I wish I had discovered this clock trick a few years ago.
(B) Changing the clocks was a funny idea, but my brain is too smart for it. I need to find a new way to stop being late.
(C) It’s amazing how a silly trick has turned me into someone people can trust. I love not having to apologise for being late anymore!
(D) I am so tired of waking up in a panic every morning. I’m going to buy a traditional alarm clock tomorrow to solve the problem.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, the writer explains that his friends stopped joking and started getting “genuinely annoyed,” and when his best friend called him selfish, he “felt terrible and knew I had to finally fix the problem.”
2 A – Paragraph 2 states that the writer thought it sounded silly because “if I knew the clocks were wrong, my brain would just do the maths and ignore them.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer describes the wait at the bus stop by saying, “Instead of stressing out about being late, I enjoyed a peaceful, quiet wait in the morning sun.”
4 D – Paragraph 4 explains that “Even though I know the clocks are fast, that initial moment of panic when I see the time always makes me hurry,” showing that the panic is what successfully keeps him on schedule.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: acknowledging the silliness of the trick, celebrating the transformation into a reliable person, and enjoying the positive impact on his friendships.