Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Physical Health, Diet & Exercise
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Overcoming My Travel Fears
For as long as I can remember, I used to absolutely hate going on long car journeys with my family. While my parents and my younger sister were always excited about our weekend trips to the countryside or the beach, I would feel very anxious. The problem was that I suffered from terrible motion sickness. Within the first hour of any journey, my stomach would start to ache, and I would feel incredibly dizzy and unwell.
To make the long hours pass more quickly, I usually tried to distract myself. I have always loved reading, so I would pack a few of my favourite adventure novels in my bag. However, I soon discovered that staring down at the pages of a book while the car was moving only made my sickness much worse. My parents suggested trying to sleep, but the uncomfortable seats and the constant movement of the car made that completely impossible for me.
I was beginning to think I would never enjoy travelling. But then, before our summer holiday last year, my mum spoke to our doctor about my problem. He explained that motion sickness happens when your eyes and your body send different messages to your brain. He advised me to sit in the middle of the back seat and look straight ahead at the horizon. He also suggested that I should stop reading printed books in the car.
I decided to follow the doctor’s advice on our next big trip. Instead of packing physical books, I downloaded a few audiobooks onto my smartphone. As my dad drove down the motorway, I kept my eyes fixed on the distant hills and simply listened to the story through my headphones. To my absolute amazement, hours passed and I didn’t feel sick at all. I felt relaxed and actually paid attention to the beautiful scenery outside.
Now, I no longer worry about getting into the car for a long journey. The combination of looking at the horizon and getting lost in a great audiobook has completely cured my travel fears. Family trips are finally something I look forward to, rather than something I want to avoid.
1 How did the writer feel about family trips in the past?
(A) He felt anxious because he knew he would feel sick.
(B) He was excited about visiting the beach and countryside.
(C) He was angry that his sister enjoyed them so much.
(D) He was worried that the journeys would be too long.
2 What happened when the writer tried to read in the car?
(A) He found it easier to fall asleep.
(B) It made his motion sickness more severe.
(C) He stopped paying attention to his parents.
(D) It helped the time pass much more quickly.
3 What advice did the doctor give to the writer?
(A) To close his eyes and try to sleep during the journey.
(B) To read books that have larger printed text.
(C) To focus his eyes on the distance straight in front of him.
(D) To sit next to a window in the back of the car.
4 On the next big trip, the writer was surprised that
(A) his smartphone battery lasted for the whole journey.
(B) the scenery outside the car was so beautiful.
(C) he managed to travel for hours without feeling unwell.
(D) his dad drove down the motorway so carefully.
5 What would the writer say about his experience?
(A) “I still feel a bit sick when we travel, but audiobooks make the uncomfortable journeys slightly better.”
(B) “I wish I had learned how to sleep in the car because looking at the horizon is quite boring.”
(C) “Audiobooks are great, but I would much prefer to read a physical book if I had the choice.”
(D) “Changing my habits during car journeys has finally allowed me to enjoy travelling with my family.”
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The first paragraph states that while the rest of his family was excited, he “would feel very anxious” because he “suffered from terrible motion sickness” and would soon feel dizzy and unwell.
2 B – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that “staring down at the pages of a book while the car was moving only made my sickness much worse” (more severe).
3 C – Paragraph three mentions that the doctor advised him to “look straight ahead at the horizon,” which matches focusing his eyes on the distance straight in front of him.
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, the writer says, “To my absolute amazement, hours passed and I didn’t feel sick at all,” meaning he travelled for hours without feeling unwell.
5 D – This option captures the global meaning and the writer’s final attitude. By changing his habits (looking at the horizon and listening to audiobooks instead of reading), he has “completely cured my travel fears” and family trips are finally something he looks forward to (enjoys).
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Discovering the Power of Earthing
Over the last few months, studying for my final school exams left me feeling incredibly stressed. I was spending all my time indoors, staring at books and computer screens. One evening, I read an interesting article online about something called ‘earthing’. The article explained that taking off your shoes and walking barefoot on natural ground can actually help to reduce stress and improve your mood. Because I was desperate to relax, I decided I had to try it out for myself.
The following Saturday, I went to the large public park near my house. I found a quiet path under some trees, took off my trainers and socks, and confidently stepped onto the dirt. However, my excitement didn’t last long. I hadn’t realised how sensitive my feet were! After only a few minutes of walking, I stepped right onto a sharp stone. It hurt so much that I immediately sat down, rubbing my foot and wondering if the whole idea was just a stupid internet trend.
Although I was almost ready to put my shoes back on and walk home, I noticed a wide, open area of the park that was covered in thick, green grass. I carefully carried my shoes over to this new spot and decided to give the experiment one last chance. As soon as I stepped onto the smooth lawn, everything felt completely different. The ground was soft and slightly cool, and there were no dangerous rocks hiding anywhere.
I slowly walked across the grass for about twenty minutes, and the results were amazing. Focusing on the feeling of the earth beneath my feet made me forget all about my difficult school exams. I felt remarkably calm, grounded, and connected to the natural world around me. Now, whenever I feel overwhelmed by my daily responsibilities, I head straight to that grassy patch. I have learned that taking a few minutes to step away from modern life and touch the earth is the perfect way to clear my mind.
1 Why did the writer decide to try barefoot walking?
(A) To spend less time using his computer at school.
(B) To find a way to deal with the pressure of studying.
(C) To write an interesting article for a website.
(D) To prepare for a physical sports competition.
2 What happened when the writer first tried walking without shoes?
(A) He realised the dirt path was too crowded with people.
(B) He lost his socks and trainers under some trees.
(C) He injured his foot on a hard object.
(D) He decided that internet trends are always true.
3 Why did the writer’s experience improve?
(A) He discovered a more comfortable surface to walk on.
(B) He finally decided to put his shoes back on.
(C) He walked back home to find a better location.
(D) He found a grassy area where he could sit down and read.
4 How does the writer feel about ‘earthing’ now?
(A) He thinks it is only helpful during the exam season.
(B) He wishes he had more time to do it every single day.
(C) He prefers walking barefoot on dirt rather than grass.
(D) He believes it is an excellent method for relaxing his mind.
5 What would the writer write in his diary?
(A) I’m so glad I read that article. Walking barefoot on the dirt paths in the park is completely painless, and I recommend it to everyone!
(B) Trying that barefoot walking trend didn’t start well, but discovering a soft area of grass really helped me disconnect from my stress.
(C) School has been very difficult, so I bought some comfortable new trainers to wear while walking in the park to help me relax.
(D) Earthing is a terrible internet trend. I hurt my foot so badly on a rock that I will never take my shoes off outdoors again.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states in the first paragraph that studying for exams left him “feeling incredibly stressed” and because he was “desperate to relax,” he decided to try earthing.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer explains that after stepping onto the dirt path, he “stepped right onto a sharp stone” and “It hurt so much,” meaning he injured his foot on a hard object.
3 A – The third paragraph describes how he found a new spot with “thick, green grass” and when he stepped onto the “smooth lawn,” it was “soft and slightly cool,” making it a much more comfortable surface.
4 D – In the final paragraph, the writer notes that whenever he feels overwhelmed, he goes to the grassy patch, learning that touching the earth is “the perfect way to clear my mind.”
5 B – This option captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: acknowledging the initial painful failure on the dirt path, the decision to try again on a softer surface, and the ultimate reward of stress relief.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Power of Bubbles
For as long as I can remember, I have been absolutely addicted to sugary fizzy drinks. Every afternoon after finishing school, my daily routine involved buying a large can of cola from the local shop. I just loved the sweet taste and the feeling of the bubbles. However, a few months ago, I noticed a huge problem. Although the sugar gave me a quick burst of energy for about half an hour, I would always experience a massive ‘sugar crash’ later in the evening. I felt incredibly tired, which made it almost impossible to concentrate on my homework. I knew I urgently needed to change my drinking habits.
At first, I decided to cut out sweet drinks completely and replace them with normal, still water. I bought a large reusable water bottle and carried it everywhere with me. Unfortunately, this new habit didn’t last very long. I found flat water incredibly boring, and I really missed the exciting fizz of my usual afternoon cola. Within just three days, I gave up on my healthy plan and went straight back to buying sugary sodas. I was angry with myself, but my brain was just craving the bubbles too much.
A few weeks later, my older sister saw me yawning over my textbooks and offered me some advice. She suggested I try drinking sparkling water instead of plain water. To make it taste more interesting, she cut up a fresh lemon and squeezed the juice into the glass. When I took my first sip, I was completely surprised. The sharp taste of the lemon and the strong bubbles tricked my brain into thinking I was drinking a traditional soda. It provided exactly the same satisfying feeling, but without any of the unhealthy sugar.
Since that day, I haven’t bought a single can of cola. I now keep a bottle of sparkling water in the fridge, and experimenting with different fruit flavours has become a fun daily routine. The best part is that I no longer suffer from those terrible energy crashes in the evenings. I finally have enough energy to finish my studies and hang out with friends. It is amazing how such a simple change to my diet has improved my daily life.
1 Why did the writer want to stop drinking cola?
(A) It was getting too expensive to buy every day after school.
(B) It was causing him to feel completely exhausted later in the day.
(C) His teachers complained about his lack of concentration in class.
(D) He wanted to lose a bit of weight by cutting out sweet foods.
2 Why did the writer’s first attempt to drink healthier fail?
(A) He kept forgetting to carry his new reusable bottle with him.
(B) He became angry because plain water gave him a headache.
(C) He couldn’t easily find bottled flat water in his local shop.
(D) He felt that plain water was completely uninteresting to drink.
3 What was the writer’s reaction to the lemon sparkling water?
(A) He was amazed that it gave him the fizzy experience he was missing.
(B) He thought the fresh lemon juice made the drink taste far too sour.
(C) He was disappointed that his sister didn’t add any sugar to it.
(D) He decided he preferred the taste of plain water with a slice of fruit.
4 How does the writer feel about his new drinking habit?
(A) Annoyed that he has to spend time preparing fruit every afternoon.
(B) Anxious that he will soon get bored of sparkling water and buy cola.
(C) Delighted because he has much more energy for his evening activities.
(D) Proud that he has finally convinced his friends to give up sugary soda.
5 What would the writer say in his blog today?
(A) Giving up sugary drinks was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Even with lemon water, I still miss my daily cola and feel tired all the time.
(B) Plain water is definitely the best choice for your health. If you just force yourself to drink it every day, you will eventually start to love it!
(C) My sister convinced me to stop buying cola from the local shop, but buying sparkling water and fresh fruit is just too expensive to do every day.
(D) I used to think I needed sugar for energy, but I just missed the bubbles! Swapping soda for sparkling water completely stopped my evening tiredness.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states that after drinking cola he would “experience a massive ‘sugar crash'” and “felt incredibly tired,” which made it hard to concentrate on his homework.
2 D – The second paragraph explains that he went back to soda because he “found flat water incredibly boring” and “really missed the exciting fizz”.
3 A – The third paragraph describes his surprise when the lemon and bubbles “tricked my brain into thinking I was drinking a traditional soda” and “provided exactly the same satisfying feeling”.
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, the writer says, “The best part is that I no longer suffer from those terrible energy crashes… I finally have enough energy to finish my studies and hang out with friends.”
5 D – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and narrative of the text: realizing the craving was actually for bubbles rather than sugar, and the positive result of overcoming the daily energy crashes.