Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Physical Health, Diet & Exercise
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Morning Energy Secret
For a long time, my morning routine was a complete disaster. I would always hit the snooze button on my alarm clock several times, which meant I had to rush to get ready for school. Because I was always running late, I completely stopped eating breakfast. I thought it wasn’t a big deal, but by ten o’clock every morning, my stomach would start making loud noises. More importantly, I felt so exhausted that concentrating on my lessons was almost impossible.
I realised I had to change my habits when I received a disappointing grade in my morning history class. My teacher gently told me that I looked like I was falling asleep during his lectures. I knew he was right. I wanted to start eating properly, but I also knew myself well. I was never going to wake up thirty minutes earlier just to cook a hot meal. I needed to find a solution that wouldn’t require any extra time in the mornings.
While looking for quick food ideas online, I discovered something called ‘overnight oats’. The recipe was incredibly simple. You just mix rolled oats with milk, throw in some fruit or nuts, and leave the bowl in the fridge while you sleep. The next morning, it is soft, delicious, and completely ready to eat. That evening, I spent just five minutes preparing a bowl with chopped apples and a little honey.
The following day, I grabbed the bowl from the fridge and ate it on the way to the bus stop. To my surprise, it tasted fantastic! However, the biggest difference happened later at school. Instead of feeling sluggish and miserable during my morning classes, I had plenty of energy. I answered the teacher’s questions and actually enjoyed the lessons. My mood completely changed because my brain finally had the fuel it needed to work properly.
Now, making overnight oats is a strict part of my evening routine. I haven’t skipped breakfast in over two months, and my school grades have improved significantly. It amazes me how such a small change in my diet could have such a huge impact on my daily life. I only wish I had started doing this much sooner!
1 Why did the writer skip breakfast in the past?
(A) They wanted to lose weight by eating less.
(B) They were usually in a hurry to leave for school.
(C) They didn’t feel hungry until ten o’clock.
(D) They thought the food at home was a disaster.
2 What made the writer decide to change their morning routine?
(A) They received a low mark and a warning from a teacher.
(B) They wanted to learn how to cook a hot breakfast.
(C) Their history teacher told them they needed to eat more.
(D) They finally managed to wake up thirty minutes earlier.
3 What did the writer like about the ‘overnight oats’ recipe?
(A) It required a lot of expensive fruit and nuts.
(B) It could be prepared quickly the night before.
(C) It was the cheapest meal they could find online.
(D) It tasted exactly like a freshly cooked hot meal.
4 How did the writer feel after eating the oats before school?
(A) They felt too full to answer the teacher’s questions.
(B) They were surprised by how sluggish they still felt.
(C) They noticed they were more active and focused in class.
(D) They were annoyed they had to eat it at the bus stop.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about their new habit?
(A) I still hate waking up early to cook, but forcing myself to do it has really improved my history grades!
(B) Overnight oats are okay, but I prefer a hot meal. I’m going to try waking up thirty minutes earlier tomorrow.
(C) I make my oats every morning now before the bus arrives. It’s a quick recipe and gives me energy for class.
(D) I finally found a way to eat breakfast without losing sleep. It tastes great and makes school so much easier!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer explains that because they were “always running late” (in a hurry to leave), they “completely stopped eating breakfast.”
2 A – Paragraph 2 states the writer realised they had to change their habits after receiving a “disappointing grade” (low mark) and their teacher noting they looked like they were falling asleep (a warning).
3 B – Paragraph 3 describes the recipe as “incredibly simple” because they could “leave the bowl in the fridge while you sleep,” meaning it could be prepared quickly the night before.
4 C – In paragraph 4, the writer explains that instead of feeling sluggish, they had “plenty of energy” and “answered the teacher’s questions,” showing they were active and focused.
5 D – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the writer’s attitude: solving the problem of skipping breakfast without waking up early (losing sleep), enjoying the taste, and performing better at school.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Learning to Rest
I have always been the kind of person who can’t sit still for a single minute. I play football, go running, and ride my bike everywhere around my town. So, when I woke up one morning last month with a sore throat and a runny nose, I refused to let it change my weekend plans. I was convinced it was just a minor cold that would disappear quickly. Instead of staying at home to recover, I took some medicine and went to a heavy football training session in the freezing rain.
Looking back, that was a truly terrible decision. Over the next few days, my simple cold turned into a serious cough, and I felt completely exhausted all the time. Because I hadn’t allowed my body to fight the illness early on, the virus lasted for three whole weeks. Eventually, I felt so weak that I couldn’t even walk up the stairs without taking a long break. I had absolutely no choice but to cancel all my upcoming sports matches and stay in bed.
Being stuck in my bedroom was incredibly frustrating for me. At first, I hated every single minute of resting. I spent hours staring at the ceiling, feeling annoyed that my friends were outside having fun while I was trapped indoors. I even tried to do some light exercises on my bedroom floor, but my body simply wouldn’t let me. I had to accept that I wasn’t in control of the situation, which was definitely the hardest part of the whole experience.
However, as the slow days passed, my attitude gradually changed. I started reading books that I had ignored for months, watching interesting films, and finally getting enough sleep at night. I realised that my body had been working far too hard for a very long time, and this illness was its natural way of forcing me to stop. It was a clear warning that I couldn’t ignore anymore.
Now that I am finally healthy again, I have completely changed my daily routine. I still love playing sports, but if I ever feel tired or sick, I immediately take a day off. I have finally learned that listening to what your body demands is the absolute best way to prevent future burnouts and stay active in the long term.
1 Why did the writer go to football training despite feeling unwell?
(A) He didn’t want to miss an important competition.
(B) He believed that his illness was not very serious.
(C) His friends persuaded him to join them in the rain.
(D) He had taken medicine that made him feel completely better.
2 What was the result of the writer’s decision to keep playing sports?
(A) He passed the virus to his football teammates.
(B) His illness took nearly a month to recover from.
(C) He had to go to the hospital because of a bad cough.
(D) He injured his legs while trying to walk up the stairs.
3 How did the writer feel during his first few days in bed?
(A) He was grateful for the chance to catch up on his sleep.
(B) He felt proud that he managed to do his floor exercises.
(C) He was angry that he was missing out on outdoor activities.
(D) He was worried that his friends had forgotten about him.
4 What important lesson did the writer learn from his illness?
(A) Reading books is a much better hobby than playing football.
(B) Taking medicine is the fastest way to cure a serious virus.
(C) Pushing your body harder will eventually lead to better performance.
(D) Resting when necessary helps you stay healthy in the future.
5 What would the writer say about his experience?
(A) “I regret playing in the rain, but I still believe staying active is the best cure for a cold.”
(B) “My friends were wrong to have fun without me, and I wish they had stayed inside to keep me company.”
(C) “Being forced to stay in bed was awful, but it taught me a valuable lesson about looking after myself.”
(D) “I will never play sports again because I am too afraid of getting sick and having to stay indoors.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states he “was convinced it was just a minor cold that would disappear quickly”, which means he believed his illness was not very serious.
2 B – The second paragraph explains that because he didn’t allow his body to fight the illness early on, “the virus lasted for three whole weeks”. This paraphrases taking nearly a month to recover from.
3 C – Paragraph three mentions that the writer spent hours staring at the ceiling, “feeling annoyed that my friends were outside having fun while I was trapped indoors”. This matches being angry about missing out on outdoor activities.
4 D – In the final paragraph, the writer notes he has learned that “listening to what your body demands is the absolute best way to prevent future burnouts and stay active in the long term”, which means resting when necessary helps you stay healthy.
5 C – This option accurately captures the overall meaning and emotional journey of the text. The writer hated the frustration of being stuck in bed at first (“awful”), but ultimately realised the illness was a necessary warning and changed his habits to protect his health (“taught me a valuable lesson about looking after myself”).
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Extreme Diet Disaster
I have always tried to stay healthy, so I usually pay attention to what I eat. Recently, while scrolling through social media, I noticed a new trend called the “Smoothie Cleanse.” Several famous influencers were claiming that living entirely on blended fruits and vegetables for a week was the perfect way to get clear skin and endless energy. Because they looked so fantastic and confident, I immediately decided to try it myself. I thought it would be a quick and simple way to improve my fitness.
On Monday morning, I filled my kitchen with expensive berries, spinach, and bananas. Making the drinks was actually quite fun, and my first breakfast smoothie tasted delicious. For the first few hours, I felt extremely proud of my healthy choice. However, by the middle of the afternoon, my stomach was making loud noises. I was craving a normal plate of food, but I remembered the online videos saying that feeling hungry was just part of the process, so I refused to give up.
By the time Tuesday morning arrived, my positive attitude had completely disappeared. When I got out of bed, the room seemed to spin, and I felt dangerously dizzy. At school, my situation only got worse. I was so weak that I couldn’t concentrate on my lessons, and I had no energy to participate in my physical education class. To make matters worse, the lack of proper food put me in a terrible mood. I was furious with my friends for absolutely no reason at all.
By Wednesday, I knew I had to stop. I walked straight to the school canteen and bought a large chicken salad sandwich. As soon as I took the first bite, it felt like my brain switched back on. The dizziness vanished, and my energy quickly returned. I realised then that the human body isn’t designed to survive on liquids alone.
Looking back, I feel quite silly for trusting a social media fad instead of my own common sense. I still enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie occasionally, but only as a drink next to a proper meal. I have learned the hard way that extreme diets are incredibly dangerous and that eating a balanced diet of solid food is the only real way to stay healthy.
1 Why did the writer decide to try the “Smoothie Cleanse”?
(A) She wanted to save money on buying fresh fruit and vegetables.
(B) She was inspired by the appearance of online celebrities.
(C) Her doctor suggested she needed to have more energy.
(D) She wanted to learn how to make delicious new drinks.
2 How did the writer deal with her hunger on the first day?
(A) She drank an extra smoothie to make herself feel full.
(B) She ate a small plate of normal food in the afternoon.
(C) She ignored it because of what she had seen online.
(D) She immediately decided to stop following the diet.
3 How did the diet affect the writer at school on Tuesday?
(A) She was completely unable to focus on her schoolwork.
(B) She had a huge argument with her physical education teacher.
(C) She felt angry because her friends were eating snacks.
(D) She had to go home early because she felt so dizzy.
4 What is the writer’s opinion of smoothies now?
(A) She refuses to ever drink a fruit smoothie again.
(B) She believes they are a healthy replacement for a meal.
(C) She feels they are a huge waste of expensive ingredients.
(D) She thinks they are fine if consumed alongside solid food.
5 What would the writer write in her blog after this experience?
(A) I can’t believe I managed to complete the seven-day smoothie challenge. It was very difficult, but the endless energy was definitely worth it!
(B) Smoothies are a great way to stay fit, but they are too expensive for a teenager to make every day. I’ll just buy normal food instead.
(C) Trusting an extreme internet diet was a foolish mistake. Feeling dizzy and angry taught me that eating proper, balanced meals is essential.
(D) I felt terrible trying to live on just liquids, but I’m going to try it again next month. You just have to get used to the dizziness!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in paragraph 1 that “Several famous influencers were claiming…” and “Because they looked so fantastic and confident, I immediately decided to try it myself.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer explains that she “remembered the online videos saying that feeling hungry was just part of the process, so I refused to give up.”
3 A – Paragraph 3 describes her experience at school, stating, “I was so weak that I couldn’t concentrate on my lessons.”
4 D – In paragraph 5, the writer mentions, “I still enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie occasionally, but only as a drink next to a proper meal.”
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and the writer’s attitude: she feels silly for falling for a fad, acknowledges the negative physical effects (dizziness/anger), and concludes that a balanced diet of solid food is necessary.