Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Performing Arts, Theater & Dance
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Surprise Performance
I have always loved dancing, so last month I decided to organise a flash mob with some friends. A flash mob is when a large group of people suddenly start performing a dance routine in a public place. I thought our local shopping mall would be the perfect location because it is always full of people. I asked twenty friends from my dance school to join me, and they were all extremely excited to take part in the secret project.
We spent the next three weeks practising the routine. Since we couldn’t practise at the mall without people seeing us, we met at a local park every evening. At first, it was difficult to get everyone moving together, but the choreography soon started to look amazing. We had a lot of fun during those outdoor rehearsals, and by the end of the third week, everyone felt confident and ready for the big performance.
Finally, Saturday arrived. We all went to the shopping mall in small groups, pretending to just look in the shop windows. My heart was beating fast as I got ready to give the signal to start the music. However, before I could even raise my hand, a security guard walked over. He had noticed us hanging around and told us that performances were strictly forbidden inside the building without official permission. We were incredibly disappointed that our plan had failed before it even started.
I knew I had to think quickly because everyone had worked so hard. I suddenly remembered the large public square just outside the mall. I told everyone to follow me outside. Once we were in the square, I turned on the portable speaker and started the music. We began our dance, and it was absolutely perfect. A huge crowd of shoppers quickly gathered around us, clapping to the beat and cheering loudly when we finished.
Looking back, the experience taught me a lot. Even though things didn’t go exactly as I had planned, the result was still fantastic. I learned that as an organiser, you have to be able to solve problems calmly and find quick solutions. The feeling of performing together and hearing the crowd cheer was unforgettable, and we are already planning our next surprise event!
1 Why did the writer choose the shopping mall for the flash mob?
(A) She needed a place with enough space for twenty people.
(B) She knew there would be a large audience there.
(C) Her dance school was located very close to the building.
(D) She had seen other flash mobs perform there before.
2 What does the writer say about the rehearsals?
(A) They had to pay to use the local park.
(B) The dancers were confident from the very first day.
(C) They had to hide from shoppers while practising.
(D) It took time for the group to dance well together.
3 How did the writer feel when the security guard spoke to her?
(A) Upset because they couldn’t do their performance.
(B) Relieved because she was too nervous to dance.
(C) Angry because she had already asked for permission.
(D) Worried that the guard would take her speaker away.
4 What happened when they moved to the public square?
(A) The music was too quiet for people to hear.
(B) The dancers forgot some of the steps.
(C) They attracted a very supportive audience.
(D) The security guard followed them outside.
5 What would the writer say about the whole experience?
(A) “It was a disaster from start to finish. I will never try to organise a performance without permission again.”
(B) “Although we had to change our location at the last minute, it was a great success and taught me how to deal with unexpected problems.”
(C) “The park was actually a much better place to perform than the square, so I’m glad the security guard stopped us.”
(D) “I was disappointed that my friends didn’t want to dance after the guard stopped us, but I still had fun.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that she thought the mall would be perfect “because it is always full of people.”
2 D – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that “At first, it was difficult to get everyone moving together,” meaning it took time for them to dance well as a group.
3 A – The third paragraph describes the writer and her friends feeling “incredibly disappointed that our plan had failed before it even started” when the guard stopped them.
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, the text mentions that a “huge crowd of shoppers quickly gathered around us, clapping to the beat and cheering loudly,” which means they had a supportive audience.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and the lesson learned in the final paragraph: despite the sudden change of plans, the event was fantastic and taught her to solve problems calmly and find quick solutions.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding the Right Voice
I have always been a huge fan of animated films. While my friends admired the talented artists who drew the characters, I was fascinated by the people who gave them their voices. Because I spent most of my free time entertaining my younger brother with funny impressions, I decided to sign up for a weekend voice acting workshop for teenagers. I confidently believed that doing cartoon voices would just be a simple matter of standing in front of a microphone and making silly noises.
During our first session, we were asked to record a few lines for a small, energetic cartoon animal. When it was my turn, I stood completely still and made my voice as high and squeaky as I possibly could. I was sure everyone in the room would find it hilarious. However, when the instructor played the recording back, my voice didn’t sound like a real character at all. It just sounded extremely annoying and unnatural. Nobody laughed, and I felt my face turn red, suddenly realising that voice acting was much more difficult than I had expected.
The workshop director, a friendly woman named Sarah, noticed my disappointment and came over to offer some advice. She explained that beginners often make the mistake of only using their throats. “If your character is jumping around or feeling angry,” she said, “you can’t just stand there like a statue.” She suggested that I should use my hands, change my facial expressions, and physically act out the character’s emotions while speaking into the microphone.
I stepped back up to the microphone to try the lines again. This time, I imagined I really was the energetic little animal. I threw my arms around, jumped up and down slightly, and pulled silly faces to match the angry dialogue. The difference was incredible. My voice naturally became richer, more full of energy, and actually funny. By moving my body, the invisible character finally sounded alive. I am still a beginner, but I have learned that great voice acting isn’t just about sounding strange; it is about acting with your whole self.
1 Why did the writer sign up for the weekend workshop?
(A) He wanted to learn how to draw animated characters.
(B) He enjoyed making his younger sibling laugh with voices.
(C) He thought he could easily become famous from it.
(D) His younger brother asked him to learn how to do it.
2 How did the writer feel after hearing his first recording?
(A) Angry that the other students were laughing at his performance.
(B) Upset because his voice wasn’t high and squeaky enough.
(C) Embarrassed because he realized his voice sounded bad.
(D) Surprised that the studio microphone was so difficult to use.
3 What advice did Sarah give to the writer?
(A) To speak more loudly into the microphone.
(B) To use his body to express what the character was feeling.
(C) To practice jumping around before he started recording.
(D) To stand completely still like a statue while recording.
4 What happened when the writer tried the recording for a second time?
(A) He successfully produced a much more believable voice.
(B) He felt too silly pulling faces to finish his dialogue.
(C) He realised he still needed to make his voice sound stranger.
(D) He struggled to move his arms and speak at the same time.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about the workshop?
(A) “I learned today that my natural voice is too squeaky for animation. I guess I’ll just stick to entertaining my little brother from now on.”
(B) “The workshop showed me that voice acting requires physical movement to be convincing. I can’t wait to practice this new technique!”
(C) “I was so annoyed when Sarah told me I was doing it wrong. I thought standing perfectly still was the best way to record.”
(D) “I finally managed to make the other students laugh, but doing cartoon voices is definitely just as simple as I originally thought.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that because he “spent most of my free time entertaining my younger brother with funny impressions,” he decided to sign up for the workshop.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer mentions that his voice sounded “extremely annoying and unnatural,” no one laughed, and he felt his “face turn red” (embarrassed), realising it was difficult.
3 B – In the third paragraph, Sarah suggests that he should “physically act out the character’s emotions while speaking,” which means using his body to show feelings.
4 A – The fourth paragraph describes how throwing his arms around and pulling faces made an “incredible” difference, and his voice “sounded alive,” meaning it was much more believable.
5 B – This option successfully synthesizes the global narrative: the writer started thinking voice acting was just about making squeaky noises, but learned from the director that physically acting out the emotions is what actually brings a character’s voice to life.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Costume to Remember
For as long as I can remember, I have loved cosplay, which involves dressing up as characters from movies or video games. This year, I decided to enter the character look-alike contest at the biggest comic convention in my city. I spent nearly two months designing and building an elaborate suit of armor for my favorite fantasy hero. I used hundreds of pieces of foam, painted them carefully, and glued everything together. I felt incredibly proud of my work and was so excited to show it off to everyone.
However, the journey to the convention center didn’t go as planned. I decided to wear my costume on the train because it was too large to pack in a bag. Unfortunately, the train was completely crowded. Suddenly, it stopped very quickly, and a heavy suitcase fell against my leg. I heard a terrible cracking sound and looked down to see that three large pieces of my leg armor had broken off. I felt absolutely devastated and wanted to go straight back home.
Instead of giving up, I gathered the broken pieces and hurried into the bathroom as soon as I arrived at the convention center. My hands were shaking, but I remembered that I had packed a small emergency repair kit. I didn’t have any glue, so I had to use thick tape and dozens of safety pins to attach the foam pieces back onto my suit. It took almost an hour, and it definitely didn’t look as perfect as it had that morning, but it held together.
When it was finally my turn to walk onto the stage for the contest, my heart was beating so fast. I was terrified that the safety pins would open and my armor would fall off in front of the judges. But once the music started, I got into character and performed my routine with as much confidence as I could. I was absolutely amazed when they announced that I had actually won first prize!
Looking back, this experience taught me a really valuable lesson about performing. Things rarely go exactly as planned, but you shouldn’t let a disaster stop you. My quick repairs actually made the armor look like it had been in a real battle! I am so glad I didn’t let a train ride ruin my special day.
1 How did the writer feel about her costume before the convention?
(A) She was worried that she hadn’t used enough glue.
(B) She was proud of the time and effort she had put into it.
(C) She was nervous about wearing it in front of a crowd.
(D) She wished she had chosen a different character to design.
2 What happened to the writer on the train?
(A) Her costume was damaged by someone’s luggage.
(B) She dropped her bag because the train was so crowded.
(C) She decided to take the costume off to protect it.
(D) She realized she had left pieces of her armor at home.
3 What did the writer do in the bathroom?
(A) She asked another person to help her fix the costume.
(B) She successfully used her emergency glue to repair the armor.
(C) She made the costume look exactly as perfect as it did before.
(D) She managed to fix the broken suit using tape and pins.
4 How did the writer feel while she was on the stage?
(A) disappointed that the judges didn’t notice her hard work
(B) certain that she was going to win the first prize
(C) anxious that her costume might break apart again
(D) confused about what she was supposed to do in her routine
5 What would the writer say about her convention experience?
(A) If you want to win a cosplay contest, you must make sure your costume is absolutely perfect and unbroken.
(B) Even though things went wrong, I learned that fixing problems creatively can still lead to a great success.
(C) I should have gone home when my armor broke, because the stress of fixing it wasn’t worth the effort.
(D) It’s much better to pack your costume in a bag rather than wearing it on a crowded train to a convention.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text in paragraph 1 states that she spent nearly two months designing it and “felt incredibly proud of my work.”
2 A – Paragraph 2 explains that the train stopped quickly and “a heavy suitcase fell against my leg… three large pieces of my leg armor had broken off,” showing it was damaged by luggage.
3 D – In paragraph 3, the writer states, “I didn’t have any glue, so I had to use thick tape and dozens of safety pins to attach the foam pieces back onto my suit.”
4 C – Paragraph 4 says that on stage she was “terrified that the safety pins would open and my armor would fall off in front of the judges,” which matches being anxious that it might break apart again.
5 B – This captures the global meaning and the lesson learned in the final paragraph. Despite the disaster on the train, her creative repairs held together, and she realized that “you shouldn’t let a disaster stop you” after winning the contest.