Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Modern Lifestyle, Habits & Productivity 5
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Secret to a Peaceful Evening
For a long time, evenings in my house were far from relaxing. As soon as we finished dinner, the exact same argument would start. My parents would ask me to empty the dishwasher, and I would complain that I was too tired or had too much homework. Usually, I would eventually do it, but only after they had asked me three or four times, often raising their voices. By then, everyone was in a bad mood, and the whole house felt stressed. I hated the constant nagging, but I simply didn’t want to spend my free time doing boring chores.
One evening, after a particularly loud argument with my mum, I went up to my bedroom and sat on my bed. I felt terrible. I realised that the actual job of putting the plates and cups away only took about ten minutes, but the arguing lasted for much longer and ruined my whole night. I also realised that my parents were tired after a long day at work, and fighting with me didn’t help. I decided that something had to change. I made a promise to myself to try a new experiment: I would empty the dishwasher the next day before anyone had the chance to ask me.
The following day, as soon as I finished my dinner, I went straight into the kitchen. While my parents were watching the evening news in the living room, I quietly opened the dishwasher and put everything away in the cupboards. It actually felt quite satisfying to complete the task quickly. When my dad finally walked into the kitchen to remind me to do my chore, he stopped and stared in surprise. He couldn’t believe it was already done. He smiled and thanked me, and for the first time in months, we spent the rest of the evening watching a film together without any complaints.
Since then, I have made it a habit to empty the dishwasher unprompted every single evening. It has completely transformed our family life. Because my parents no longer have to remind me, the arguments have stopped entirely. We have peaceful evenings, and they even let me stay up a bit later at the weekends because they say I am becoming more responsible. Taking control of this one simple chore has taught me that doing things before you are asked is the easiest way to avoid trouble and create a happier home.
1 Why were evenings stressful in the writer’s house?
(A) He refused to do his homework after eating dinner.
(B) His parents made him do all the cooking and cleaning.
(C) There were frequent disagreements about doing a household job.
(D) His parents were always in a bad mood when they got home.
2 What made the writer decide to change his behaviour?
(A) He wanted to see if an experiment could improve his parents’ mood at work.
(B) He realised that arguing took more time and energy than the chore itself.
(C) His mum sent him to his bedroom because he was constantly complaining.
(D) He wanted to prove to his parents that he was too tired to work.
3 When the writer emptied the dishwasher for the first time, his dad was
(A) annoyed that the writer hadn’t cleaned the kitchen properly.
(B) amazed because he was just about to tell the writer to do it.
(C) angry that the writer had interrupted the evening news on television.
(D) confused about where the clean plates and cups were kept.
4 How does the writer feel about his new habit now?
(A) He is proud that his parents pay him extra money for being responsible.
(B) He secretly wishes he didn’t have to do it every single evening.
(C) He thinks his parents should stop reminding him about his other chores.
(D) He is pleased because it has improved his relationship with his parents.
5 What would the writer write in his diary?
(A) I still hate emptying the dishwasher, but if I do it quickly, my parents will buy me things at the weekend.
(B) It is amazing how doing one chore without being told can stop family arguments and make life so much more peaceful.
(C) My parents are finally doing the chores themselves, which means I can spend more time doing my homework in peace.
(D) I tried doing my chores without being asked, but my parents still find something to complain about every evening.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The first paragraph explains that the stress was caused because “the exact same argument would start” when his parents asked him to empty the dishwasher and he complained.
2 B – In the second paragraph, the writer states: “I realised that the actual job… only took about ten minutes, but the arguing lasted for much longer and ruined my whole night.”
3 B – In the third paragraph, the text says his dad walked in “to remind me to do my chore” but then “stopped and stared in surprise. He couldn’t believe it was already done.”
4 D – The final paragraph describes how his new habit “has completely transformed our family life” and led to “peaceful evenings” and a happier home, showing he is pleased with the improved relationship.
5 B – This option successfully synthesizes the global meaning of the text: taking proactive responsibility for a chore brings an end to fighting and creates a peaceful family environment.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My “No-Spend” Weekend
Last month, I realised I was spending all my weekly allowance on things I didn’t really need, like cinema tickets and expensive coffees. I desperately wanted to save up for a new guitar, but my bank account was always empty. To fix this, I decided to challenge myself with a strict “no-spend” weekend. The rule was simple: from Friday evening until Monday morning, I was not allowed to use any money. I told my friends about my plan, though most of them thought it was an impossible challenge.
When Saturday morning arrived, the reality of my new rule finally hit me. My friends texted me to ask if I wanted to meet them at our favourite café in town. It was incredibly difficult to say no, especially since I usually loved our weekend chats over hot chocolate. Sitting alone in my bedroom, I felt a little miserable and wondered if I should just buy one cheap drink. However, I knew that breaking my own rule so quickly would make me feel disappointed in myself, so I chose to stay at home.
Determined not to waste my entire weekend looking at my phone, I started searching through my house for free entertainment. In the back of a cupboard, I discovered a pile of old board games my family hadn’t touched for years. I also looked in the fridge and realised we had plenty of ingredients to make some tasty sandwiches. I suddenly had a great idea. I messaged my friends again, but this time I invited them to bring a blanket and join me for a free picnic and a games afternoon in the local park.
To my surprise, my friends happily agreed, and the afternoon was a massive success. We spent hours sitting on the grass, eating our homemade food, and laughing at the silly board games. It was much more interactive than sitting silently in a dark cinema or staring at our screens in a busy café. By Sunday evening, my wallet was still completely full, but I didn’t feel like I had missed out on anything. I finally understood that creating fantastic memories with your friends doesn’t have to cost a penny.
1 Why did the writer start the no-spend weekend?
(A) He wanted to prove to his friends that he could do it.
(B) He needed to keep his money for a specific item.
(C) He was spending too much money on transport to the cinema.
(D) His parents had stopped giving him his weekly allowance.
2 How did the writer feel on Saturday morning?
(A) Surprised that his friends wanted to go to a café.
(B) Angry with himself for breaking his strict rule.
(C) Sad because he had to miss out on a regular social activity.
(D) Glad that he didn’t have to spend money on hot chocolate.
3 What did the writer do to solve his boredom?
(A) He asked his friends to buy him some sandwiches.
(B) He bought some new board games to play in the park.
(C) He spent the whole afternoon playing games on his phone.
(D) He used things he already had at home to plan an activity.
4 What did the writer realise at the end of the weekend?
(A) That going to the cinema is better than playing board games.
(B) That his friends prefer eating at cafés instead of the park.
(C) That spending money isn’t necessary to have a great time.
(D) That keeping his wallet full was more important than having friends.
5 What would the writer write in his blog about the experience?
(A) “I saved enough money for my guitar, but I definitely won’t do a no-spend weekend again because it was just too lonely.”
(B) “My friends refused to join me in the park, which proved that you really need money to maintain a social life.”
(C) “I didn’t manage to last the whole weekend without buying a drink, but I still saved a lot of my allowance.”
(D) “It was tough at first, but skipping the café and playing old games showed me that the best weekends can actually be free.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The writer states in paragraph 1 that he “desperately wanted to save up for a new guitar”, showing he was keeping money for a specific item.
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer says it was “difficult to say no” to his friends’ café invitation and that he felt “a little miserable” sitting alone, showing his sadness about missing out.
3 D – Paragraph 3 explains that he searched his house for free entertainment, found old board games in a cupboard, and used ingredients from the fridge to make sandwiches.
4 C – The writer notes in the fourth paragraph that he didn’t miss out on anything and “understood that creating fantastic memories with your friends doesn’t have to cost a penny.”
5 D – This option accurately captures the global meaning and attitude of the text: the writer struggled initially but ultimately realized through his picnic and games that fun does not require spending money.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Don’t Break the Chain
My name is Mia, and until a few months ago, I was terrible at sticking to a healthy routine. I always started the week with great plans: I wanted to drink a litre of water every day, read for twenty minutes, and do some basic exercise in my bedroom. However, by Wednesday, I usually forgot all about my promises. I was busy with schoolwork and spending time with friends, so these healthy activities quickly disappeared from my daily schedule. I felt incredibly annoyed with myself for giving up so easily every single time.
One evening, while looking at my smartphone, I discovered a free habit-tracking app and decided to download it. It was incredibly simple to use. I just typed in the three daily goals I wanted to achieve. The app didn’t just send me loud reminders to drink water or read; it also created a visual “streak.” Every time I successfully completed my three habits, the app added another bright link to a digital chain on my screen. If I missed a day, the chain would break, and I would have to start the process again from zero.
For the first week, following my new routine was quite exciting. But on the twelfth day, I faced a real challenge. I came home from school feeling completely exhausted after a difficult math exam. All I wanted to do was lie on the sofa and watch television until dinner. I hadn’t done my daily exercise or reading yet, and I really didn’t have the energy for them. Then, I opened the app and saw my perfect eleven-day chain. The thought of losing all my hard work and returning to day one was actually much worse than the idea of doing my exercises.
So, I forced myself to get up, do a quick twenty-minute workout, and read a chapter of my book. The simple desire not to “break the chain” was incredibly powerful and pushed me forward. It has now been over three months, and my digital streak is still growing every day. More importantly, those activities have become a completely normal part of my life. I don’t even need the app to remind me to drink water or exercise anymore, but I still love watching my virtual chain get longer!
1 Why did Mia feel annoyed with herself in the past?
(A) She was given too much homework by her teachers.
(B) She regularly failed to continue her healthy plans.
(C) She spent too much of her free time with her friends.
(D) She didn’t know how to do the exercises correctly.
2 What did the habit-tracking app do when Mia achieved her daily goals?
(A) It made a visual record of her continuous success.
(B) It allowed her to add new goals to her personal list.
(C) It sent a loud message to remind her to drink water.
(D) It gave her a prize for starting again from zero.
3 What happened on the twelfth day of Mia’s routine?
(A) She decided to take a short break from her daily exercises.
(B) She forgot to look at the app because of a difficult exam.
(C) She nearly didn’t complete her habits because she was tired.
(D) She realised her goals were much too difficult to achieve.
4 How does Mia feel about her healthy routine now?
(A) She is annoyed that she still has to check the app every day.
(B) She thinks the exercises take up too much of her free time.
(C) She wants to stop using the app because her chain is long enough.
(D) She is proud that the activities now happen completely naturally.
5 What would Mia write in an online review of the habit-tracking app?
(A) This app is okay, but it sends too many loud reminders. I prefer to remember my habits without using my phone.
(B) I used to give up on my goals, but seeing my chain grow on this app gave me the motivation I needed to succeed.
(C) The digital chain is a fun game, but it didn’t really change my behaviour. I still forget to drink water and exercise.
(D) It’s a great app if you want to start a healthy routine, but it is very complicated to set up your daily goals.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, Mia states she forgot her promises by Wednesday and felt annoyed with herself for “giving up so easily every single time,” which means she regularly failed to continue her plans.
2 A – Paragraph 2 explains that when she successfully completed her habits, the app “added another bright link to a digital chain,” which acts as a visual record of her continuous success.
3 C – Paragraph 3 describes how she came home “completely exhausted” and wanted to lie on the sofa, meaning she nearly didn’t complete her habits because of her tiredness, until she looked at her streak.
4 D – In the final paragraph, Mia notes that these activities have become a “completely normal part of my life” and she doesn’t even need the app to remind her anymore, showing they happen naturally.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning of the text. Mia’s problem was that she used to give up, but the app’s visual streak (the growing chain) provided a powerful desire not to “break the chain,” giving her the motivation to build permanent healthy habits.