Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Performing Arts, Theater & Dance
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding My Voice
Ever since I watched a famous talent show on television last year, I’ve been completely fascinated by ventriloquism. The performers could hold a hilarious conversation with a wooden dummy without moving their own lips at all. It looked exactly like magic. I decided to try it myself, so I saved up my weekly pocket money and bought a basic puppet online, which I named Barnaby. I imagined that with just a little bit of practice, I would easily be able to entertain my friends and family.
However, my early attempts in my bedroom were a complete disaster. To stop my lips from moving, I pressed them together so tightly that my face actually ached. Instead of looking relaxed, I just looked like I was in terrible pain! Even worse, when I finally managed to make Barnaby speak, he sounded exactly like me. My younger sister watched me practise one afternoon and couldn’t stop laughing. She pointed out that it was obvious I was doing all the talking, which made me feel quite embarrassed and ready to quit.
Fortunately, before I put Barnaby away in a dark cupboard forever, I found a really useful tutorial video. The experienced teacher explained that ventriloquism isn’t only about keeping your mouth completely still. To make the illusion work, the puppet needs a completely different personality and tone. I started practising speaking in a much higher, squeaky pitch. The teacher also suggested keeping the dummy in constant motion. If Barnaby was always moving his head and hands, the audience would naturally watch him instead of staring at my face.
I spent the next month practising these clever new techniques in front of a big mirror. When the school talent show finally arrived, I felt incredibly nervous, but I bravely walked onto the stage with Barnaby. During our comedy routine, I used his new high voice and made sure he looked directly at the audience. It worked perfectly! People were so distracted by Barnaby’s lively movements that nobody noticed the tiny movements of my mouth. It was a deeply rewarding experience, and I’m already writing new jokes for our next show.
1 Why did the writer buy a wooden dummy?
(A) He wanted to enter a television talent show.
(B) He was inspired by a performance he had seen on TV.
(C) He needed to spend his weekly pocket money on a toy.
(D) He was looking for a hobby that required very little practice.
2 What was the problem with the writer’s first attempts at ventriloquism?
(A) He couldn’t think of anything funny for the puppet to say.
(B) His sister was making too much noise while he practised.
(C) He hurt his mouth trying to invent a completely new voice.
(D) He looked uncomfortable and his dummy didn’t sound unique.
3 What important advice did the tutorial video provide?
(A) You must stop your mouth from making any tiny movements.
(B) Making the puppet active takes the audience’s attention away from you.
(C) You should keep your puppet in a dark cupboard to protect it.
(D) Speaking in a low, deep voice is the best way to sound like a dummy.
4 How did the writer feel about his school talent show performance?
(A) Pleased because his new techniques successfully fooled the crowd.
(B) Relieved because he remembered all of his comedy jokes.
(C) Disappointed because the audience still saw his lips moving.
(D) Surprised because he felt completely relaxed before going on stage.
5 What would the writer write in his blog?
(A) Ventriloquism is impossible! I squeezed my lips so hard they hurt, but people still knew it was me talking. I think I’m going to sell Barnaby.
(B) The school talent show was fun, but I wish I hadn’t used a high voice for my puppet. It just made my younger sister laugh at me again.
(C) I thought learning to be a ventriloquist would be simple, but it actually took clever distractions and a lot of practice to get the illusion right.
(D) If you want to be a great ventriloquist, the only thing you need to focus on is keeping your mouth perfectly still while you tell jokes.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states he watched a famous talent show on television and was “completely fascinated by ventriloquism,” which motivated him to buy the dummy.
2 D – Paragraph 2 explains that his face ached (looked uncomfortable/in pain) and that when the dummy spoke, “he sounded exactly like me” (didn’t sound unique).
3 B – In paragraph 3, the teacher suggests keeping the dummy in constant motion so that “the audience would naturally watch him instead of staring at my face.”
4 A – In paragraph 4, the writer mentions that “It worked perfectly!” and that people were “so distracted by Barnaby’s lively movements that nobody noticed the tiny movements of my mouth.”
5 C – This option captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: starting out thinking it would be “easy,” struggling with the reality, and finally succeeding by using practice and “clever distractions” (changing pitch and moving the dummy).
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The School Musical
I’ve always loved singing in my bedroom, so when my school announced they were doing a musical this year, I was extremely excited. The teachers chose a famous show, and I immediately decided I wanted to audition for the lead role. I spent hours practising the main character’s songs in front of my mirror. I was sure that I had a good chance of getting the part, even though I had never been in a school play before.
On the day of the audition, I stood on the stage in the school hall. The drama teacher asked me to sing first. I took a deep breath and sang as loudly and confidently as I could. The music teacher smiled, and I felt fantastic. I hit all the high notes perfectly and walked off the stage feeling like a star. I thought the hardest part was over and the lead role was definitely mine.
However, I had completely forgotten about the second part of the audition: the dance routine. The dance teacher grouped us together and showed us a fast, complicated sequence of steps. When the music started, my mind went blank. While everyone else moved smoothly to the left, I stepped to the right and accidentally crashed into another student. My arms and legs felt completely uncoordinated, and I was so embarrassed that I wanted the floor to open and swallow me.
A few days later, the cast list was pinned to the noticeboard. I searched for my name next to the lead role, but it wasn’t there. Instead, my name was listed at the bottom under ‘Chorus’. At first, I felt a sharp pain of disappointment. I almost told the teacher I didn’t want to do it anymore. But after talking to my friends, who were also in the chorus, I decided to accept the spot.
Now that we have started rehearsals, I realise I made the right choice. Being in the ensemble is actually thrilling. We sing the big group numbers, wear amazing costumes, and support the main actors. I might not be the star of the show, but I have discovered that being part of a team working together to create something beautiful is an incredible experience.
1 How did the writer feel about the audition before it happened?
(A) confident because she had performed in plays before
(B) hopeful because she had practised the songs carefully
(C) worried because the musical was a very famous show
(D) surprised that the teachers asked her to audition
2 What happened during the singing part of the audition?
(A) The music teacher asked her to sing louder.
(B) She felt she had performed the song extremely well.
(C) She found it more difficult than she had expected.
(D) The drama teacher told her she had got the part.
3 During the dance routine, the writer…
(A) forgot the steps and moved in the wrong direction.
(B) learned the complicated sequence very quickly.
(C) got angry with another student who crashed into her.
(D) asked the dance teacher to show her the moves again.
4 When the writer saw the cast list, she…
(A) was pleased to see her friends were in the chorus.
(B) immediately told the teacher she was quitting.
(C) felt sad that she hadn’t got the main part.
(D) couldn’t find her name anywhere on the board.
5 What would the writer say about her experience in the musical?
(A) I was terrible at dancing, so I understand why I didn’t get the lead, but I hate just singing in the background.
(B) Rehearsing with the chorus is a lot of fun, even though I still wish I didn’t have to wear such strange costumes.
(C) I didn’t get the role I originally wanted, but I’ve learned that being part of the group is really exciting.
(D) I’m glad I decided not to take the lead role in the end, because the dancing would have been too hard for me.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states she “spent hours practising the main character’s songs” and “was sure that I had a good chance of getting the part”. Option A is incorrect because she had never been in a play before.
2 B – The writer says she hit the high notes perfectly, felt fantastic, and “walked off the stage feeling like a star.”
3 A – The text explains that her mind went blank and while others went left, she “stepped to the right and accidentally crashed into another student.”
4 C – In paragraph four, she looks for her name next to the lead role, doesn’t find it, and feels “a sharp pain of disappointment.”
5 C – This option captures the overall journey and global meaning of the text: she didn’t get the lead role she wanted but found that being in the ensemble (the group) is thrilling and a great team experience.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Invisible World of Pantomime
I’ve always been interested in the theatre, but I usually rely on my voice to perform. A few months ago, I decided to try something completely different and signed up for a beginner’s course in pantomime. I had watched some amazing videos of street performers and thought communicating without any words at all looked incredibly fun. I honestly believed that learning how to be a mime would be a very simple and relaxing weekend hobby.
During our second class, our instructor introduced us to the famous ‘glass box’ illusion. We had to pretend we were trapped inside an invisible box and couldn’t get out. I raised my hands and pressed them flat against the empty air, but I felt absolutely ridiculous. My movements were too fast, light, and careless. Looking around the practice room, I quickly realised that my performance didn’t look believable at all. I just looked like a teenager waving his arms around at nothing.
Seeing my frustration, my teacher came over to give me some helpful advice. She explained that making an invisible object appear real is actually about how you use your own body. She told me to focus intensely on my muscle tension. If I wanted to show that I was pushing against a heavy, solid glass wall, my arms and shoulders needed to look as if they were doing hard physical work. I went home and spent the entire weekend practising this difficult technique in front of my bedroom mirror.
A few weeks later, my pantomime class organised a short outdoor performance in the local park. When it was my turn, I confidently stepped onto the grass and began the glass box routine. This time, I remembered to tense my muscles and move slowly. To my absolute amazement, a group of young children stopped to watch, and one of them even walked up and tried to touch the invisible wall I was leaning on! They genuinely believed it was really there.
That single moment gave me an enormous amount of confidence. Pantomime is much more challenging than it originally appeared to me, but bringing an invisible world to life is a magical experience. I am already looking forward to starting my next advanced course.
1 Why did the writer decide to take a pantomime course?
(A) He wanted to improve his speaking skills for the theatre.
(B) He was invited to join by a street performer he saw online.
(C) He thought it would be an easy and enjoyable activity.
(D) He needed a relaxing hobby to help him deal with stress.
2 How did the writer feel when he first tried the ‘glass box’ illusion?
(A) Silly because his actions didn’t look realistic.
(B) Upset because the invisible box was too heavy.
(C) Angry because his classmates were laughing at him.
(D) Surprised that his arms were able to move so fast.
3 What did the teacher tell the writer to do?
(A) Try pushing against a real glass wall for practice.
(B) Look in the mirror while performing his routine.
(C) Spend his whole weekend practising his new skills.
(D) Show the physical effort of moving something heavy.
4 What happened during the performance in the park?
(A) The writer felt too nervous to complete his routine.
(B) Some kids thought the writer’s imaginary box was real.
(C) A young child accidentally walked into the writer.
(D) The writer forgot to move slowly and tense his muscles.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about learning pantomime?
(A) “It turns out pantomime is just waving your arms around. I don’t think I’ll continue with the advanced classes next month.”
(B) “I failed to impress the children in the park today. Next time, I need to focus much more on my muscle tension.”
(C) “Although I felt foolish at first, learning the physical techniques made my acting believable. It’s tough but incredibly rewarding!”
(D) “The ‘glass box’ was the only trick I enjoyed learning. It’s a shame that street performing is actually quite a boring hobby.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – The first paragraph states that the writer thought communicating without words “looked incredibly fun” and believed it would be a “very simple and relaxing weekend hobby.”
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer mentions he “felt absolutely ridiculous” (silly) because his performance “didn’t look believable at all” (wasn’t realistic).
3 D – In the third paragraph, the teacher advises the writer to “focus intensely on my muscle tension” and make his arms look “as if they were doing hard physical work” (showing physical effort).
4 B – The fourth paragraph describes how the children stopped to watch, tried to touch the invisible wall, and “genuinely believed it was really there.”
5 C – This option accurately captures the global narrative: the writer started out feeling ridiculous (paragraph 2), learned the intense physical techniques required (paragraph 3), successfully performed the illusion (paragraph 4), and now finds the challenging experience magical and rewarding (paragraph 5).