Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Physical Health, Diet & Exercise
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Truth Behind the Packaging
I’ve always tried to keep fit by playing football and going for runs, but recently I realised my diet wasn’t very good. I often bought chocolate and crisps on my way home from school. Deciding it was time to make a change, I went to the supermarket to find some healthier snacks. I spotted a box of granola bars that looked perfect. The packaging was bright green with pictures of fresh oats, nuts, and fruit, and it had the word ‘Natural’ written in huge letters. I bought a large box, feeling really pleased with my healthy choice.
For the next few days, I ate a couple of these bars every afternoon. They tasted incredibly sweet and delicious, which I thought was just because of the fruit. However, while I was eating one at the kitchen table, my older sister asked to see the box. She pointed to the small print on the back and told me to read the ingredients. I was absolutely shocked to discover that sugar was the second item on the list! I suddenly realised that the ‘healthy’ packaging was just a clever trick to make people buy the product. I felt completely cheated by the marketing.
I refused to let companies trick me again, so I decided to educate myself. I spent the weekend researching food labels on the internet. I learned that ingredients are always listed in order of weight, meaning the first few items make up most of the product. I also discovered how to check the nutritional table to see exactly how many grams of sugar or fat a product contains. It was surprisingly easy to understand once I knew what to look for.
Now, my trips to the supermarket take a bit longer, but it is definitely worth it. I never trust the colourful pictures on the front of a packet anymore. Instead, I immediately turn the box over and read the small print on the back. It takes practice, but knowing exactly what I am putting into my body makes me feel so much better. I am finally in control of my diet, and I have even started baking my own sugar-free oat bars at home.
1 Why did the writer buy the granola bars?
(A) To save money on his afternoon snacks.
(B) To improve the quality of his daily diet.
(C) To give himself energy before a football match.
(D) To share a natural and tasty treat with his sister.
2 How did the writer feel when he looked at the back of the box?
(A) Annoyed that the text was too small for him to read.
(B) Surprised that his sister wanted to eat his snack.
(C) Upset because the company had deceived him.
(D) Disappointed that the bars didn’t contain real fruit.
3 What did the writer learn about reading food labels?
(A) The most common ingredient in a product is written near the top.
(B) The nutritional table is deliberately made difficult to understand.
(C) Companies are not legally allowed to hide sugar in their products.
(D) You should only buy products that have a very short list of ingredients.
4 What does the writer say about his shopping habits now?
(A) He relies on colourful packaging to help him find new foods.
(B) He spends much less time in the supermarket than he did before.
(C) He only buys snacks that he can easily bake himself at home.
(D) He feels satisfied knowing exactly what he is choosing to eat.
5 What would the writer write in his blog today?
(A) I can’t believe how much sugar I used to eat! From now on, I’m never buying packaged food from the supermarket again, no matter what it is.
(B) Finding out my ‘healthy’ snack was full of sugar was annoying, but learning to read labels has finally helped me take charge of my health.
(C) Food labels are still a complete mystery to me. I just try to find boxes that have pictures of fruit and nuts on the front to be safe.
(D) I’m so glad my sister told me to buy those granola bars. They are delicious and give me lots of energy for playing sports!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that the writer realised his diet wasn’t very good and decided to “make a change,” so he went to “find some healthier snacks,” which means he wanted to improve the quality of his diet.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer realises the packaging was a “clever trick” and states, “I felt completely cheated by the marketing,” meaning he felt deceived by the company.
3 A – The third paragraph explains that ingredients are “listed in order of weight, meaning the first few items make up most of the product,” which means the most common ingredient is near the top of the list.
4 D – In the fourth paragraph, the writer says, “knowing exactly what I am putting into my body makes me feel so much better,” which shows his satisfaction and control over his food choices.
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: the initial frustration of being tricked by food marketing, followed by the empowering result of learning how to read nutritional labels properly.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Secret to Getting Stronger
Last year, I decided to try out for my school’s basketball team. I knew the competition would be tough, so I wanted to be in the best possible physical shape before the trials began. I joined a local gym and made a strict plan to work out seven days a week. I honestly believed that spending more time lifting weights and running would automatically make me stronger and faster. For the first few weeks, my motivation was incredibly high, and I never missed a single day of training.
However, after about a month, things clearly started to go wrong. Instead of feeling full of energy, I felt completely exhausted all the time. My arms and legs ached constantly, even when I wasn’t doing any physical exercise. To make matters worse, I noticed that I had stopped making progress. I couldn’t lift heavier weights, and my daily running times were actually getting slower. I became quite frustrated and confused because I was putting in so much effort but getting absolutely terrible results.
One afternoon, an experienced gym trainer named Mark saw me struggling to finish my exercises. He came over to help and carefully asked me about my weekly routine. When I proudly told him that I was working out every single day, he looked shocked. He told me to stop immediately and explained that I was suffering from something called ‘over-training’. He insisted that I needed to introduce at least two complete ‘rest days’ into my schedule each week. Initially, I felt very anxious about this advice, worrying that taking time off would ruin my fitness completely.
Mark patiently explained the simple science behind getting fit. He told me that when we exercise, we actually create tiny damage in our muscle fibers. It is only when we are resting and sleeping that our bodies can repair this damage and make the muscles larger and stronger. I decided to trust his professional advice and began staying away from the gym on Wednesdays and Sundays. The change was absolutely amazing. Within a fortnight, my muscle pain disappeared, my energy returned, and I finally started lifting heavier weights. I now understand that resting is just as important as working hard.
1 Why did the writer start going to the gym every day?
(A) He wanted to become a professional gym trainer.
(B) He thought exercising non-stop would improve his sports performance.
(C) His school basketball coach told him to practice seven days a week.
(D) He wanted to spend his free time doing something highly motivated.
2 How did the writer feel when he realized he wasn’t making progress?
(A) Relieved that his running times were staying exactly the same.
(B) Confused as to why his hard work was leading to bad results.
(C) Annoyed that his arms and legs only hurt while he was running.
(D) Exhausted because the gym equipment was much too heavy for him.
3 When Mark first suggested taking ‘rest days’, the writer was
(A) proud that a trainer had noticed his daily efforts.
(B) shocked that the trainer wanted to change his routine.
(C) worried that resting would have a negative effect on his fitness.
(D) angry that he was forced to stop in the middle of an exercise.
4 What did the writer learn from Mark about building muscle?
(A) Muscles only become stronger when you are not exercising them.
(B) You have to cause permanent damage to your muscles to get fit.
(C) Sleeping is a good way to avoid the pain of lifting heavy weights.
(D) Wednesday and Sunday are the best days of the week to build muscle.
5 What would the writer write in his blog today?
(A) I can’t believe how much time I wasted resting! If you want to make the basketball team, you have to be in the gym seven days a week without stopping.
(B) My muscles still ache all the time, but Mark told me that this is just the science of getting stronger. You just have to push through the pain!
(C) I used to think that non-stop training was the only way to succeed. Now I know that giving your body a break is actually the secret to getting stronger!
(D) The trainer at my local gym was so shocked by my routine that he told me to stop coming. I guess I’ll never be fit enough for basketball now.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer “honestly believed that spending more time lifting weights and running would automatically make me stronger and faster”, which paraphrases thinking that exercising non-stop would improve his sports performance.
2 B – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that he became “quite frustrated and confused because I was putting in so much effort but getting absolutely terrible results.”
3 C – The third paragraph describes the writer feeling “very anxious about this advice, worrying that taking time off would ruin my fitness completely.”
4 A – The fourth paragraph details the trainer’s explanation that “It is only when we are resting and sleeping that our bodies can repair this damage and make the muscles larger and stronger.”
5 C – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and narrative of the text: the writer’s initial flawed belief that working out every single day was best, followed by the realization that resting is essential for muscle growth and success.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Tofu Transformation
For a long time, my diet consisted mostly of chicken, beef, and pasta. I knew that eating a lot of meat wasn’t great for the environment, but I really didn’t enjoy vegetarian food. My biggest enemy was tofu. I had tried it once in a soup, and I absolutely hated it. It wasn’t the taste that bothered me, as it didn’t really taste of anything, but the soft, wet texture. Because of that experience, I promised myself I would never eat it again.
One evening last month, my best friend Maya came to my house for dinner. Maya is a strict vegetarian and is always talking about the benefits of eating alternative proteins. She offered to cook for us, which I thought was a lovely idea. However, when she unpacked her shopping bags and pulled out a large block of tofu, my heart sank. I didn’t want to be rude, so I smiled and said nothing, but secretly I was planning to make a meat sandwich later.
As Maya started cooking, I noticed she was doing things differently. First, she placed heavy books on the tofu to press all the water out of it. After about twenty minutes, she cut it into small squares, covered them in olive oil, salt, and various spices, and then put them into a hot oven. I watched from the kitchen table, feeling a bit skeptical but surprisingly curious because the smell coming from the oven was actually quite pleasant.
When dinner was finally ready, Maya served the tofu squares with some noodles and fresh vegetables. I picked up my fork, took a deep breath, and tried a piece. I was completely amazed! The oven had made the outside incredibly crispy, and it was full of delicious flavours. It was completely different from the soft food I remembered. I ate my whole plate and even asked Maya for the recipe.
Since that dinner, my attitude towards food has completely changed. I still eat meat occasionally, but I now cook crispy baked tofu at least twice a week. I’ve also started exploring other eco-friendly protein sources, like lentils and beans. I’m so glad my friend forced me to open my mind, because eating healthily and protecting the planet is much tastier than I thought!
1 Why did the writer dislike tofu in the past?
(A) It had a very strong and unpleasant smell.
(B) They hated the way it felt in their mouth.
(C) They preferred eating fresh vegetables instead.
(D) It was always served to them in a hot soup.
2 How did the writer feel when Maya brought tofu to their house?
(A) Annoyed because Maya was talking about the environment again.
(B) Pleased because Maya was finally going to show them how to cook it.
(C) Unhappy, but they hid their true feelings to remain polite.
(D) Hungry, so they decided to make a sandwich immediately.
3 What did the writer think while Maya was preparing the meal?
(A) They were worried that the heavy books would damage the food.
(B) They were slightly interested because the dish smelt good.
(C) They were confused about why Maya was using so many spices.
(D) They were impatient because the tofu took a long time to cook.
4 What is the writer’s attitude towards their diet now?
(A) They have decided to completely stop eating meat.
(B) They only eat alternative proteins when Maya cooks for them.
(C) They think that lentils are much tastier than crispy baked tofu.
(D) They are willing to try new environmentally friendly foods.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about the experience?
(A) I still think vegetarian food is boring, but Maya makes a really good tofu soup that you should try!
(B) I tried to cook tofu for Maya, but I left too much water in it. Next time I’ll definitely use the oven instead!
(C) Maya cooked dinner for me, and I was so surprised! It turns out tofu is amazing if you just prepare it the right way.
(D) I’m eating a completely vegetarian diet now to protect the environment. You should give up eating meat too!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, the writer explains that it wasn’t the taste that bothered them, “but the soft, wet texture,” which means they hated the way it physically felt in their mouth.
2 C – Paragraph 2 states that when Maya pulled out the tofu, the writer’s “heart sank” (unhappy), but they “didn’t want to be rude, so I smiled and said nothing” (hid their true feelings to be polite).
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer mentions watching Maya cook, “feeling a bit skeptical but surprisingly curious because the smell coming from the oven was actually quite pleasant.”
4 D – Paragraph 5 reveals that the writer has “started exploring other eco-friendly protein sources, like lentils and beans,” demonstrating their willingness to try new environmentally friendly foods.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the passage: the writer’s initial reluctance, the surprise at how Maya prepared the meal (crispy baked instead of soft/wet), and the newfound appreciation for tofu.