Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Physical Health, Diet & Exercise
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My “No Junk Food” Challenge
I have always been someone who loves snacking. Until recently, my daily diet consisted mostly of crisps, chocolate, and sugary fizzy drinks. Whenever I felt tired after school, I would immediately reach for a can of cola to give me enough energy to do my homework. I never really worried about my health because I was young and active. However, after reading an article about how diet affects the brain, I decided to try a thirty-day ‘no junk food’ challenge. I wanted to see if changing my eating habits would actually make me feel better.
I thought it would be quite easy, but the first week was absolutely terrible. Almost immediately, I started getting awful headaches every afternoon. Without my usual sugar fix, I felt incredibly tired and found it difficult to concentrate during my lessons. Worse still, I was in a bad mood all the time, and I kept arguing with my friends and family over silly things. I almost gave up on the third day because my cravings for salty crisps were so strong.
Fortunately, my older sister noticed how much I was struggling and offered to help. She is very interested in fitness and suggested that I try making my own healthy snacks. She showed me how to make homemade smoothies using fresh fruit, spinach, and milk. At first, I was not excited about drinking something green, but to my surprise, it was really delicious. I also started eating nuts and seeds instead of crisps when I watched television.
These new snacks completely changed my experience. Whenever I felt a craving for sweets, a cold strawberry and banana smoothie fixed the problem immediately. After the second week, my headaches completely disappeared, and my energy levels increased significantly. I found that I could focus much better on my schoolwork, and my mood improved. I didn’t feel exhausted in the afternoons anymore.
Now that the thirty days are over, I feel like a completely different person. Although I will probably still eat a piece of chocolate occasionally, I don’t want to go back to my old habits. This challenge has taught me that real energy comes from giving your body the right fuel, not from cheap sugary snacks.
1 Why did the writer start the challenge?
(A) To get enough energy to do his homework.
(B) He was worried about his lack of physical activity.
(C) He wanted to find out if a different diet would improve how he felt.
(D) He had to write a school article about how diet affects the brain.
2 How did the writer feel during the first week of the challenge?
(A) Surprised by how easily he stopped eating sweets.
(B) Angry that his family was eating crisps in front of him.
(C) Unable to focus on his lessons because of a bad mood.
(D) Unwell and easily annoyed by the people around him.
3 What does the writer say about the smoothies?
(A) He enjoyed the taste of them more than he expected to.
(B) He invented the recipe for them by himself.
(C) He preferred the green ones over the fruit ones.
(D) He drank them while watching television.
4 What happened in the second half of the challenge?
(A) He started eating sweets again when he felt tired.
(B) His desire for unhealthy food was cured by his new drinks.
(C) He realised he needed to sleep more in the afternoons.
(D) His schoolwork became harder to concentrate on.
5 What would the writer say about his experience?
(A) “I regret doing this challenge because it was too difficult, and I miss drinking fizzy drinks every day.”
(B) “I’m glad I finished the thirty days, but healthy food is too expensive to eat all the time.”
(C) “It was tough at first, but I’ve discovered that eating well gives me much more energy than junk food.”
(D) “My sister forced me to drink green smoothies, but at least they helped me finish the thirty days.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In the first paragraph, the writer states he started the challenge because he “wanted to see if changing my eating habits would actually make me feel better”.
2 D – Paragraph two explains that he had “awful headaches”, felt “incredibly tired” (unwell), and was in a “bad mood all the time” keeping him arguing over silly things (easily annoyed by people around him).
3 A – Paragraph three mentions that he was “not excited about drinking something green, but to my surprise, it was really delicious”, matching the idea that he enjoyed the taste more than expected.
4 B – Paragraph four explains that whenever he felt a craving for sweets, a smoothie “fixed the problem immediately”. This shows his desire (craving) for unhealthy food was cured.
5 C – This option captures the global meaning of the text. It acknowledges the difficult beginning (“first week was absolutely terrible”) and summarizes the final realization that “real energy comes from giving your body the right fuel, not from cheap sugary snacks.”
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Magic of a Water Bottle
For the first few months of the school year, I was constantly exhausted. No matter how long I slept, I always woke up feeling completely tired. I struggled to concentrate during my classes, and I noticed my skin had become extremely dry and itchy. I bought expensive lotions and tried going to bed much earlier, but nothing helped. I started worrying there was something seriously wrong with my health.
Eventually, my mother suggested I see a doctor. I sat in the waiting room feeling quite nervous, expecting him to order complicated medical tests. However, after listening to my symptoms, he asked one simple question: “How much water do you drink every day?” I realised I usually only had a small glass at dinner. He advised me to drink at least two litres a day. I was surprised the solution could be so basic.
At first, reaching this goal was incredibly difficult. I kept a large glass on my desk while studying, but I kept forgetting to drink it. If I remembered later, I would drink three glasses all at once, which just made me feel uncomfortable. Keeping track of exactly how much I was consuming felt like a boring chore. After a week, I was ready to give up on the doctor’s advice completely.
Then, while shopping online, I found a special ‘motivational’ water bottle. It had lines printed on the side showing exactly how much water you should drink by certain times of the day, accompanied by encouraging messages like “Keep going!”. I bought it immediately. The bottle changed everything. Instead of being a frustrating task, drinking water became a fun daily challenge. I loved checking the time and seeing that I had reached my goal.
Now, two months later, the positive changes in my body are amazing. My skin is soft again, and I have plenty of energy to get through the school day without feeling sleepy. It is hard to believe that I suffered for so long when the cure was completely free and simple. I realise now that drinking enough water is the easiest way to stay healthy, and my special bottle helps me do exactly that.
1 Why did the writer start worrying about her health?
(A) She was having trouble falling asleep at night.
(B) She could not cure her tiredness and skin problems.
(C) She was spending too much money on pharmacy products.
(D) She was finding her school classes too difficult to understand.
2 How did the writer feel about the doctor’s advice?
(A) Disappointed that he didn’t give her any medicine.
(B) Nervous about having to take complicated medical tests.
(C) Amazed that the answer to her problems was so simple.
(D) Unsure if she could manage to drink two litres a day.
3 What was the writer’s problem with drinking water initially?
(A) She disliked the taste of the water in her house.
(B) She felt ill when she kept a glass on her desk.
(C) She didn’t have a large enough glass to hold two litres.
(D) She found monitoring her water intake to be dull and annoying.
4 What effect did the new water bottle have on the writer?
(A) It helped her learn to read the time better.
(B) It encouraged her to buy more things on the internet.
(C) It turned a difficult activity into an enjoyable game.
(D) It allowed her to drink all her water at the end of the day.
5 What would the writer say about her experience?
(A) I can’t believe I used to feel so tired. The doctor’s advice was great, but keeping track of my drinking is still a terrible chore.
(B) Buying that special bottle was the best decision! It taught me that fixing a health problem doesn’t always require expensive medicine.
(C) I wish I had never gone to the doctor. I spent so much money on a new water bottle when I could have just used a normal glass.
(D) Although the water bottle is very pretty, it hasn’t really changed how I feel. My skin is still dry, but at least I drink more now.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that despite trying to go to bed earlier and buying expensive lotions, “nothing helped” her exhaustion and dry skin, which led her to start worrying there was something seriously wrong.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that she only needed to drink more water and was “surprised the solution could be so basic,” which matches being amazed at a simple answer.
3 D – The third paragraph describes how she kept forgetting to drink and that “keeping track of exactly how much I was consuming felt like a boring chore,” matching the idea of it being dull and annoying.
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, the writer mentions that “Instead of being a frustrating task, drinking water became a fun daily challenge,” indicating it became like an enjoyable game.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and attitude of the text: she solved a health issue that was causing her stress using a very simple, free cure (water) and a helpful tool (the bottle), turning a negative situation into a positive life change.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Fixing My Posture
Over the last few months, I’ve been studying really hard for my final exams. Because I wanted to get the best possible grades, I spent hours every evening bent over my small bedroom desk, reading heavy textbooks and typing on my laptop. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay any attention to how I was sitting. A few weeks ago, I started waking up with terrible back pain. Even though I’m only fifteen years old, my body ached so much that I honestly felt like an old man. I knew I couldn’t ignore the problem anymore because it was making it impossible to concentrate on my schoolwork.
I decided to look for a quick solution online and discovered a popular item called a posture-corrector strap. It’s a piece of equipment that you wear tightly over your shoulders to pull them back and keep your spine perfectly straight. When it arrived in the post, I immediately put it on under my school uniform. At first, I thought it was a brilliant invention. But after just a few hours of wearing it, it became incredibly uncomfortable. It rubbed against my skin and made it surprisingly hard to reach forward to pick up my pen. I soon realised I couldn’t wear it all day.
I eventually mentioned my back problem to my sports teacher, Mr Harris. He explained that the strap was just forcing my body into a straight position, rather than actually solving the main issue. He told me that if I wanted to fix my posture permanently, I needed to build my core strength. He showed me a routine of simple stretches and exercises to do on the floor. I promised to spend fifteen minutes every morning practising them. It was quite hard work initially, and I felt a bit silly doing the strange movements alone in my bedroom.
After a month of doing these daily stretches, the difference is truly amazing. My back pain has completely disappeared, and I naturally sit up straight without even thinking about it. I actually threw the uncomfortable strap away last week because I simply don’t need it anymore. Getting fit and strong has not only cured my pain but also given me much more energy for my studies. I’ve learned that there are usually no quick fixes when it comes to your health, but putting in a little daily effort can definitely make a huge difference.
1 Why did the writer start having back pain?
(A) He was using a laptop that was too heavy for him.
(B) He spent too much time sitting badly while studying.
(C) He injured his spine while doing physical activities.
(D) He had an old bedroom desk that was uncomfortable.
2 What was the writer’s experience with the posture-corrector strap?
(A) He found that it restricted his movements during the school day.
(B) He was embarrassed because his classmates could see it.
(C) He was disappointed that it failed to keep his spine straight.
(D) He thought it was too complicated to put on by himself.
3 What advice did the sports teacher give the writer?
(A) To stop doing strange movements in his bedroom.
(B) To develop specific muscles to support his body.
(C) To wear the strap only when sitting on the floor.
(D) To practice stretching for more than fifteen minutes a day.
4 How does the writer feel about his situation now?
(A) Pleased that he kept the strap just in case his pain returns.
(B) Surprised that sitting up straight still requires a lot of thought.
(C) Happy that his new routine has improved more than just his back.
(D) Annoyed that he didn’t discover the quick health fix earlier.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I can’t believe how much time I wasted doing exercises. The strap I bought online was the only thing that actually cured my terrible back pain!
(B) Studying for my exams is finally over, so I don’t have to spend hours at my desk. My back is already feeling so much better.
(C) My sports teacher was right. Taking the time to strengthen my body was a much better solution than relying on an uncomfortable gadget.
(D) I feel like an old man because my back hurts so much. I really hope these new stretches start working soon so I can study properly.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer spent “hours every evening bent over my small bedroom desk” and “didn’t pay any attention to how I was sitting”, which caused his terrible back pain.
2 A – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that wearing the strap “made it surprisingly hard to reach forward to pick up my pen”, meaning it restricted his movements.
3 B – The third paragraph describes the teacher explaining that the writer “needed to build my core strength” and showed him “a routine of simple stretches and exercises” (developing supporting muscles).
4 C – The fourth paragraph details that “Getting fit and strong has not only cured my pain but also given me much more energy for my studies,” showing it improved multiple things.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and narrative of the text: it acknowledges that the gadget (strap) was just a temporary, uncomfortable fix, and that the teacher’s advice to build core strength (stretches) permanently solved the problem.