Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Physical Health, Diet & Exercise
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Five-Minute Sleep Solution
I have always been a very active person. I play football for my school team, and we usually train three or four times a week. I really enjoy the exercise, but recently, I started having a terrible problem. I was waking up in the middle of the night with awful pains in my legs. My leg muscles would cramp so badly that I couldn’t fall back asleep. I knew exactly what was causing it: I was always too lazy to stretch my muscles after our heavy training sessions. I just wanted to go straight home and relax on the sofa.
After a few weeks, the pain was happening almost every night. I was feeling completely exhausted during the day because my sleep was continually interrupted. I finally decided to mention the issue to my football coach. He wasn’t surprised at all and told me that many young athletes experience this. Instead of telling me to stretch at the football club, he suggested a different idea. He told me to spend just five minutes doing a simple stretching routine right before I got into bed every night.
At first, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about his advice. By the time I put on my pyjamas, the only thing I wanted to do was sleep. However, I was desperate to stop the midnight pains, so I decided to try it. On the first night, sitting on my bedroom floor touching my toes felt a bit annoying. But to make it less boring, I started putting on some quiet, relaxing music while I did the exercises. Surprisingly, it actually made me feel much calmer before going to sleep.
To my amazement, the new routine worked perfectly. After just a few days of stretching before bed, the awful leg cramps completely disappeared. Because I was finally sleeping through the night without any pain, I had much more energy for my school lessons the next morning. Furthermore, my performance on the football pitch improved. I’ve realised that taking just five minutes to look after my body can have a massive impact on my health and happiness.
1 Why did the writer start experiencing leg pains at night?
(A) He pushed himself too hard during his school football matches.
(B) He avoided doing exercises to relax his muscles after sports.
(C) He preferred sleeping on the sofa instead of in his own bed.
(D) He was training more frequently than his coach recommended.
2 How did the writer’s coach react to his problem?
(A) He was angry that the writer hadn’t stretched at the club.
(B) He seemed shocked that a young athlete was suffering from cramps.
(C) He advised the writer to do some exercises immediately before sleeping.
(D) He suggested the writer should stop playing football for a short time.
3 How did the writer feel about the stretching routine at first?
(A) Reluctant because he usually felt too tired at that time of night.
(B) Anxious because he didn’t know how to touch his toes properly.
(C) Excited to try the new exercises while listening to calm music.
(D) Disappointed because the stretches didn’t stop the pain immediately.
4 What was the result of the writer’s new habit?
(A) He started spending less time practicing on the football pitch.
(B) He noticed a positive change in his daily energy and sports performance.
(C) He decided to start waking up earlier to prepare for his school lessons.
(D) He realised he needed more than five minutes to look after his body.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about his experience?
(A) I really hate stretching at the football club. Maybe if I listen to some relaxing music, it won’t be as boring for me.
(B) I’m still waking up with awful cramps in my legs. The coach gave me a routine to do, but I’m just too exhausted to try it.
(C) I finally stopped my leg cramps by taking a long break from football. It’s great to go straight home and relax on the sofa now.
(D) Adding a short stretching habit to my evening has completely stopped my leg pain. I’m sleeping great and feeling so much better!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer states the cause of his cramps: “I was always too lazy to stretch my muscles after our heavy training sessions,” which matches avoiding muscle-relaxing exercises.
2 C – Paragraph 2 explains that the coach “told me to spend just five minutes doing a simple stretching routine right before I got into bed every night.”
3 A – In paragraph 3, the writer admits he “wasn’t very enthusiastic” because “the only thing I wanted to do was sleep,” meaning he was reluctant due to tiredness.
4 B – Paragraph 4 details how the writer had “much more energy for my school lessons” and that his “performance on the football pitch improved,” showing a positive change in both daily energy and sports.
5 D – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the writer’s final attitude: the successful elimination of the pain, improved sleep quality, and overall better health resulting from the new 5-minute routine.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Mindful Eating Experiment
For a long time, my favourite part of the day was dinnertime, but not because of the food. As soon as my parents let me take my plate to my bedroom, I would immediately open my laptop. My daily routine was to watch funny videos on YouTube while I ate. Because I was completely focused on the screen, I used to gulp down my meals incredibly quickly. I never actually paid attention to what was on my fork.
Unsurprisingly, this bad habit started to cause problems. Because I was eating so fast, my brain didn’t have enough time to realise that my stomach was full. I would eat huge amounts of food without stopping, and afterwards, I always felt terribly sick and uncomfortable. My parents often warned me that eating so quickly was unhealthy, but I didn’t listen. However, after feeling unwell for the third time in a week, I finally decided to search online for some advice about digestion.
I found an interesting article about something called ‘mindful eating’. The advice was very simple: turn off all screens and focus entirely on your food. The next evening, I decided to try it. I left my laptop and smartphone in my bedroom and sat at the kitchen table. At first, eating in silence felt quite strange and actually a bit boring. But I remembered the article’s instructions and forced myself to take smaller bites and chew everything very slowly.
To my surprise, the experience completely changed the way I felt about food. Because I was taking my time, I could actually taste the different spices and flavours in the meal. It was absolutely delicious! Furthermore, I realised I was full long before my plate was empty. By stopping at the right moment, I completely avoided that horrible sick feeling, and my digestion improved immediately.
Now, mindful eating has become my normal daily routine. I still enjoy watching videos on the internet, but I make sure I never do it while I have a meal. Turning off the screen has turned dinnertime into a peaceful and satisfying experience, and my stomach feels much better.
1 What did the writer usually do during dinnertime in the past?
(A) He concentrated on the taste of his food.
(B) He watched videos while eating very fast.
(C) He cooked meals in his bedroom.
(D) He preferred to eat with his parents.
2 Why did the writer eventually look for advice on the internet?
(A) His parents forced him to read about digestion.
(B) He wanted to prove his parents were wrong.
(C) He felt sick several times in a short period.
(D) He was looking for new videos to watch.
3 How did the writer feel when he first tried ‘mindful eating’?
(A) He found the experience a little unusual and dull.
(B) He was angry that he couldn’t use his smartphone.
(C) He was worried that he wouldn’t finish his meal.
(D) He was excited to sit in the kitchen in silence.
4 What was one positive result of eating more slowly?
(A) He ate everything on his plate much faster.
(B) He discovered that he liked cooking spicy food.
(C) He stopped eating before he started to feel uncomfortable.
(D) He needed to drink more water with his meal.
5 What would the writer say about his new eating habit?
(A) “It’s difficult to eat in silence, so I think I will go back to watching videos soon.”
(B) “My parents were wrong about my digestion, but I still enjoy eating slowly.”
(C) “I miss watching videos, but eating fast is the only way I can taste the flavours.”
(D) “Turning off my laptop during meals has helped me enjoy my food and feel much healthier.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states: “My daily routine was to watch funny videos on YouTube while I ate… I used to gulp down my meals incredibly quickly.” This directly matches watching videos while eating very fast.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer says, “after feeling unwell for the third time in a week, I finally decided to search online for some advice”. This paraphrases feeling sick several times in a short period.
3 A – Paragraph three mentions that when he sat at the kitchen table without screens, “eating in silence felt quite strange and actually a bit boring”, which means he found the experience a little unusual and dull.
4 C – In paragraph four, the writer notes that because he was full long before his plate was empty, he stopped at the right moment and “completely avoided that horrible sick feeling”. This matches stopping before he started to feel uncomfortable.
5 D – This option captures the global meaning and the writer’s final attitude. By separating his screen time from his meals (turning off his laptop), dinnertime became “peaceful and satisfying” (enjoying his food) and his “stomach feels much better” (feeling much healthier).
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My “Stairs Only” Challenge
I live on the seventh floor of a tall apartment building, and my secondary school is also spread across five floors. For years, my daily routine involved standing in hallways, staring at closed doors, and waiting for incredibly slow elevators. I used to get so frustrated when I was late for class simply because the lift stopped at every single level. One Monday morning, after waiting ten minutes just to go down to the ground floor, I decided I had had enough. I made a strict personal rule: from that day on, I would only take the stairs. I figured it would save me time and perhaps improve my fitness, too.
However, making the rule was much easier than actually following it. The first few days were an absolute nightmare. By the time I reached my apartment or my history classroom on the top floor, I was completely breathless. My legs ached, and I had to stop and rest several times on the way up. To make matters worse, my friends would take the elevator and arrive at our classroom looking fresh and relaxed, while I arrived sweating and exhausted. I honestly considered breaking my rule and going back to my old, lazy habits.
Despite the pain, I forced myself to continue, and after about two weeks, I noticed a surprising shift. My breathing became much slower and more controlled, and my legs stopped hurting. Instead of seeing the stairs as a terrible punishment, I began to see them as a personal challenge. I even started timing myself to see if I could reach my front door faster each week. Furthermore, I realised I actually preferred the quiet, empty stairwell to being squeezed into a tiny, crowded lift with lots of noisy students.
Now, two months later, I can easily run up seven flights of stairs without feeling tired at all. I have gained a fantastic level of fitness completely for free, without having to join an expensive gym or spend hours doing traditional workouts. It is amazing how such a simple change to my daily routine has transformed my health. I will definitely never wait for another elevator again!
1 Why did the writer create his new rule?
(A) He wanted to save money on expensive gym memberships.
(B) He was annoyed by the time he wasted standing in hallways.
(C) His friends told him he needed to improve his fitness.
(D) He was often late for school because he walked too slowly.
2 How did the writer feel during the first few days of his new routine?
(A) Confident because he reached his classroom before his friends.
(B) Annoyed that his friends refused to climb the stairs with him.
(C) Tempted to give up because the activity was physically very difficult.
(D) Embarrassed because he had to ask his teachers for extra breaks.
3 What positive change did the writer experience after two weeks?
(A) He began to enjoy being away from large groups of people.
(B) He bought a new watch to time his daily journeys.
(C) He realised the stairs were no longer a personal challenge.
(D) He finally managed to beat his friends to the top floor.
4 What does the writer think about his fitness now?
(A) He wishes he had joined a gym as well as taking the stairs.
(B) He feels lucky to have improved his health without spending money.
(C) He plans to start doing more traditional workouts soon.
(D) He believes running up stairs is much safer than other sports.
5 What would the writer write in his diary today?
(A) I can’t believe I wasted so much time taking the stairs. From tomorrow, I’m going to start using the lift again to save my energy for studying.
(B) The stairs at my school are still exhausting, but at least I’m not standing in the hallway waiting for the slow elevator anymore.
(C) My friends finally decided to join me on the stairs today! It’s so much more fun climbing up to the top floor when you have company.
(D) I never thought that refusing to use the elevator would make such a massive difference. I’m so proud that I pushed through those painful first days!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer explains he used to “get so frustrated” waiting for “incredibly slow elevators” and made the rule to “save me time”.
2 C – The second paragraph details how breathless and exhausted he was, stating, “I honestly considered breaking my rule and going back to my old, lazy habits.”
3 A – In the third paragraph, the writer mentions, “I realised I actually preferred the quiet, empty stairwell to being squeezed into a tiny, crowded lift with lots of noisy students.”
4 B – The fourth paragraph states that he has “gained a fantastic level of fitness completely for free, without having to join an expensive gym,” showing his appreciation for this cost-free health benefit.
5 D – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and emotional journey of the text: recognizing the initial physical struggle, celebrating his perseverance, and appreciating the huge, positive impact it had on his health.