Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Performing Arts, Theater & Dance
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Real Scare
My best friend, Toby, is studying media at college and recently asked me to star in his short horror film. He wanted to make a zombie movie for his final project. Although I had never acted before, I immediately said yes because I thought it would be a fun weekend activity. I was quite excited to see myself on screen, even though I felt a little nervous about remembering my instructions.
We started filming on a sunny Saturday morning in our local park. Toby told me to run through the trees, look over my shoulder, and scream as if a monster was chasing me. However, pretending to be terrified in broad daylight felt completely ridiculous. There were families having picnics and people walking their dogs who stopped to watch us. Because I felt so silly, my acting was terrible, and my screams sounded completely fake.
After a few hours, Toby realized that the bright sunshine was ruining the atmosphere. We decided to take a long break and return to the park later that evening, just as the sun was going down. When we got back, the park was empty. Toby set up some small, coloured lights among the trees and even brought a smoke machine. The familiar park suddenly looked strange and unwelcoming.
When Toby shouted “Action!” this time, everything felt different. The thick smoke and the dark shadows made the trees look like tall, frightening figures. As I started running, I heard a sudden noise behind me. Even though I knew it was only Toby’s brother pretending to be a zombie, my heart started beating very fast. I didn’t have to pretend to be frightened anymore; the dark environment naturally made me feel genuinely terrified. My performance was suddenly very believable, and Toby was absolutely thrilled with the footage we recorded.
Toby got top marks for his project, and everyone at his college loved the movie. Looking back, I am very proud of what we achieved. I finally understand that good acting isn’t just about making faces at a camera. Creating the right mood and surrounding yourself with the correct atmosphere is just as important for a great performance.
1 Why did the writer agree to act in his friend’s film?
(A) He wanted to study media at college.
(B) He had always wanted to be a professional actor.
(C) He thought it would be an enjoyable way to spend his time.
(D) He wanted to help his friend write a horror story.
2 How did the writer feel during the first morning of filming?
(A) frightened by the people watching him in the park
(B) foolish because of the situation he was in
(C) annoyed that families were ruining the video
(D) exhausted from running through the trees so much
3 What did Toby do to improve the movie?
(A) He asked the people in the park to leave.
(B) He changed the location to a stranger place.
(C) He waited for the weather to become rainy and dark.
(D) He used equipment to change the way the park looked.
4 Why was the writer’s acting better in the evening?
(A) He forgot that Toby’s brother was chasing him.
(B) He was actually scared by his surroundings.
(C) He had practiced his screams many times that day.
(D) Toby gave him clearer instructions before shouting ‘Action’.
5 What would the writer say about his acting experience?
(A) Pretending to be terrified in a horror film is easy if you practice your facial expressions enough.
(B) The best way to act well is to make sure you are working with a professional film crew.
(C) I discovered that it is much easier to give a good performance when the environment feels real.
(D) I regret acting in the movie because the dark park was too dangerous for us to be in.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In the first paragraph, the writer says he agreed “because I thought it would be a fun weekend activity,” which matches it being an enjoyable way to spend time.
2 B – The second paragraph states that “pretending to be terrified in broad daylight felt completely ridiculous” and he “felt so silly,” which means he felt foolish about the situation.
3 D – Paragraph 3 explains that Toby “set up some small, coloured lights among the trees and even brought a smoke machine,” which means he used equipment to change how the park looked.
4 B – In the fourth paragraph, the writer explains that the environment naturally made him “feel genuinely terrified” and that his heart was beating fast because of the dark shadows and smoke.
5 C – This captures the global meaning and the lesson learned in the final paragraph: “Creating the right mood and surrounding yourself with the correct atmosphere is just as important for a great performance.”
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Taking the First Step
I have always been fascinated by circus performers, so when a local youth centre announced a summer circus skills workshop, I immediately signed up. While other teenagers chose to learn how to juggle colourful balls or ride a unicycle, I was drawn to the tall wooden stilts. The professional performers I had seen on television made walking on them look incredibly effortless and graceful. I thought it would be a unique and exciting skill to show off to my friends, so I enthusiastically picked up a pair and got ready to try.
However, my confidence quickly disappeared the moment I strapped the long pieces of wood to my legs and tried to stand up. Suddenly, the ground seemed terrifyingly far away. I managed to stand straight by holding tightly onto a brick wall, but my whole body froze. The fear of falling backwards was completely paralyzing. Every time I thought about lifting one foot, my brain told me I was going to crash to the floor. I stood there for nearly twenty minutes, sweating and unable to take a single step, feeling quite foolish while everyone else happily practised their new skills.
Just as I was about to untie the straps and quit, our instructor, Mark, walked over to help. He noticed how stiff my body was and gently explained that I was doing the exact opposite of what I needed to do. Mark told me that trying to stand perfectly still is the easiest way to lose your balance. Instead, he advised me to lean slightly forward and just keep my legs moving. He explained that walking with continuous momentum is what actually keeps you upright on stilts, not standing frozen in fear.
I took a deep breath, let go of the safe wall, and leaned forward as he had suggested. As soon as I took my first step, I forced myself to immediately take another. To my absolute amazement, Mark was right. The continuous forward movement kept me perfectly balanced. Once I understood that hesitation was the real enemy, the paralyzing fear finally vanished. By the end of the lesson, I was successfully marching across the room. I still have a lot of practising to do, but I cannot wait for our next workshop.
1 Why did the writer choose to learn stilt walking?
(A) He wanted to learn the same skills as his teenage friends.
(B) He thought it would be an impressive trick to share with others.
(C) He was invited to perform gracefully on a television show.
(D) He believed the wooden stilts would be easy to balance on.
2 How did the writer feel when he first tried to use the stilts?
(A) Disappointed because the wooden straps were hurting his legs.
(B) Annoyed because the other teenagers were watching him carefully.
(C) Confused because the brick wall was too far away to reach.
(D) Scared that he would lose his balance and fall backwards.
3 What important advice did Mark give the writer?
(A) To pause and stand perfectly still before taking a big step.
(B) To lean backwards whenever he felt like he was going to fall.
(C) To keep moving forward continuously to maintain his balance.
(D) To hold tightly to the wall until his legs felt less stiff.
4 What happened when the writer followed the instructor’s advice?
(A) He discovered that hesitating was what made the activity so difficult.
(B) He needed Mark to hold him up while he marched across the room.
(C) He was frustrated that he still couldn’t take a second step safely.
(D) He realised he preferred juggling over walking on the tall stilts.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that night?
(A) Stilt walking looked so graceful on TV, but it’s just too dangerous. I stood against a wall for twenty minutes and then finally gave up.
(B) I was so terrified today, but learning to trust my momentum and avoid hesitating changed everything. I can’t wait to practise more!
(C) Mark was very helpful, but I think trying to keep moving forward is a bad idea. Standing completely still is the only way to feel safe.
(D) The other teenagers were much better than me, which made me feel foolish. I’m going to switch to the unicycle for the next workshop.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states his motivation: “I thought it would be a unique and exciting skill to show off to my friends”, which matches wanting to share an impressive trick with others.
2 D – In paragraph 2, the writer explains that his “body froze” and that “The fear of falling backwards was completely paralyzing.”
3 C – Paragraph 3 details Mark’s advice: “he advised me to lean slightly forward and just keep my legs moving,” explaining that “continuous momentum is what actually keeps you upright”.
4 A – In paragraph 4, the writer takes continuous steps and realises that “hesitation was the real enemy,” meaning that pausing out of fear was causing the difficulty.
5 B – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the passage: the writer started out paralyzed by fear, used the continuous momentum technique to overcome his hesitation, and now looks forward to the next workshop.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding the Beat
I have always loved singing in my school choir, but I never really thought about what the conductor actually did. To me, it just looked like they were waving their arms to the music. So, when my music teacher, Mr. Davies, asked me to conduct the choir for one song at our next concert, I immediately agreed. I felt very proud and confident, assuming it would be a fun and simple experience.
However, my first rehearsal was a complete disaster. When the music started, I just stood in front of my classmates and waved my arms around wildly to the beat in my head. Unfortunately, my movements were completely unclear. The sopranos started singing too early, and the altos came in too late. Everyone looked incredibly confused, and the song quickly fell apart. I felt my face go red with embarrassment as I realised that conducting was much more than just moving your hands.
Seeing my panic, Mr. Davies stopped the choir and came to help me. He explained that conducting is actually a secret language. Because the song was in ‘4/4 time’, there was a specific pattern I needed to follow. He showed me how to move my hand: down on the first beat, in towards my body on the second, out on the third, and up on the fourth. That evening, I stood in front of my bedroom mirror and practised the pattern for hours until it felt completely natural.
At the next rehearsal, I stepped up to the front of the room feeling much more prepared. I took a deep breath, looked at the choir, and began the precise movements Mr. Davies had taught me. Down, in, out, up. The difference was amazing. This time, the singers understood exactly what I wanted them to do. All the voices came together at exactly the right time, creating a powerful, beautiful sound.
The concert was a huge success, and the experience taught me a very valuable lesson. I finally understood that a conductor isn’t just dancing to the music; they are keeping everyone connected. Although I still prefer singing, learning how to guide a group of musicians has made me a much better musician.
1 How did the writer feel when Mr. Davies first asked her to conduct?
(A) nervous about performing in front of her friends
(B) certain that it would be an easy task to do
(C) surprised because she was the best singer in the choir
(D) worried that she wouldn’t have enough time to practice
2 What happened during the first rehearsal?
(A) The choir sang the wrong words to the song.
(B) The students laughed at the way the writer moved.
(C) The singers didn’t know when they should start singing.
(D) The writer forgot which song they were supposed to practice.
3 What did the writer do to improve her conducting?
(A) She learned a specific way to move her hand.
(B) She asked her teacher to conduct the song instead.
(C) She watched videos of famous conductors online.
(D) She changed the song to one with a slower beat.
4 During the second rehearsal, the writer felt amazed because…
(A) the singers finally remembered all the lyrics.
(B) her teacher praised her in front of the class.
(C) her arms didn’t feel as tired as before.
(D) the choir followed her instructions perfectly.
5 What would the writer say about her experience of conducting?
(A) It was a terrible mistake, and I will never agree to do something I haven’t practised before.
(B) I discovered that conducting requires specific skills, and it helped me understand music better.
(C) Conducting is much easier than singing, so I plan to become a professional conductor in the future.
(D) The most important part of conducting is making sure you look confident, even if you are making mistakes.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that she felt “confident, assuming it would be a fun and simple experience.”
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that because her movements were unclear, “The sopranos started singing too early, and the altos came in too late” and everyone looked confused.
3 A – The third paragraph describes how Mr. Davies showed her “a specific pattern” (down, in, out, up) and she practised these specific movements in front of a mirror.
4 D – In the fourth paragraph, she notes that the difference was amazing because “the singers understood exactly what I wanted them to do” and the voices came together at the right time.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and reflection in the final paragraph: she learned that conducting is a “secret language” (requires specific skills) and that learning to guide the musicians “has made me a much better musician.”