Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Sports Career Development, Competitions & Injuries 6
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Mastering the Pentathlon
I have been a cross-country runner since I was nine years old. I loved running long distances, but last year, I started to feel quite bored with just doing one activity. That was when my athletics coach suggested I try the modern pentathlon. If you are not familiar with it, it is a fascinating competition where athletes must compete in five different sports: fencing, swimming, horse riding, pistol shooting, and running. I immediately loved the idea of learning so many new skills and agreed to join a local training group.
During my first few weeks, I felt incredibly confident. Because of my background, the running section was very easy for me, and I was consistently the fastest in my group. Swimming was also relatively simple to pick up, as I already had strong legs and good lungs. I honestly believed that mastering the other three sports would be just as straightforward. I imagined myself winning medals in no time.
However, my confidence quickly disappeared when we started practicing pistol shooting. In this event, you have to run a short distance and then shoot a laser pistol at a small target. It requires intense concentration and a very steady hand. Unfortunately, after running, my heart was always beating wildly, and my hands shook so much that I couldn’t even hit the target once. It was a complete disaster. I was so used to being the best at sports that being terrible at something made me feel extremely frustrated. I even thought about quitting the pentathlon completely.
Fortunately, my shooting coach noticed how upset I was and gave me some excellent advice. He explained that absolutely nobody is perfect at all five sports in a pentathlon. He told me that instead of getting angry about my weakness, I should focus on making tiny, steady improvements every week.
I decided to follow his sensible advice. I stopped comparing myself to the expert shooters and just concentrated on my own progress. Now, my shooting is still far from perfect, but I can finally hit the target! The pentathlon has taught me that it is completely fine to have weaknesses, as long as you keep trying your best. I am really looking forward to my first official competition next month.
1 Why did the writer start training for the modern pentathlon?
(A) He wanted to become a professional cross-country runner.
(B) He was looking for a fresh challenge after getting bored.
(C) His coach forced him to join a local sports club.
(D) He wanted to try a sport that involved working with animals.
2 How did the writer feel during the first few weeks of training?
(A) He was certain he would learn everything without difficulty.
(B) He was surprised by how much new information he had to learn.
(C) He was worried about his swimming technique being incorrect.
(D) He felt exhausted because he was running faster than the others.
3 What problem did the writer have with pistol shooting?
(A) The laser pistol was much too heavy for him to hold.
(B) He found it hard to concentrate because of the noisy crowd.
(C) The target was placed too far away for him to see clearly.
(D) His physical reactions after running made it impossible to aim accurately.
4 What did the writer learn from his shooting coach?
(A) That he should spend more time practicing his running speed.
(B) That he needed to compare his scores to the expert shooters.
(C) That accepting his flaws and making gradual progress is the key.
(D) That quitting a difficult sport is sometimes the most sensible choice.
5 What might the writer write in his diary tonight?
(A) I really hate shooting! It’s so frustrating that I’ve decided to quit the pentathlon and go back to being just a runner.
(B) Pentathlon training is tough, especially shooting. I’m not the best at everything, but I’m improving and excited to compete soon!
(C) Today my coach told me I have to be perfect at all five sports if I want to win. I guess I need to practice shooting even more.
(D) I’m the fastest runner and the best swimmer in my group. Because of this, I know I will definitely win a gold medal next month.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states he “started to feel quite bored with just doing one activity” and “immediately loved the idea of learning so many new skills.”
2 A – The second paragraph explains that because running and swimming were easy for him, he “honestly believed that mastering the other three sports would be just as straightforward.”
3 D – In the third paragraph, the writer says that after running, his “heart was always beating wildly, and my hands shook so much that I couldn’t even hit the target once.”
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, the coach explains that “nobody is perfect” and advises him to “focus on making tiny, steady improvements,” which means accepting flaws and making gradual progress.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: recognizing the difficulty of the five sports, accepting that he isn’t perfect, and feeling positive about his steady improvement and upcoming competition.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Spirit of the Game
I’ve been playing Ultimate Frisbee with my school friends for about a year now. We usually just play relaxing games in the local park at the weekend, so I was incredibly excited when our sports teacher entered us into a regional tournament. I had always thought of myself as a fairly fast runner with a good throw, but as we walked onto the massive sports field for our first proper match, my stomach was completely full of butterflies. The other teams simply looked much older and more experienced than we were.
As soon as the match started, I realised how different tournament play actually is. The game was unbelievably fast-paced, and I had to sprint continuously just to keep up with the opposite team. However, the most unusual thing about Ultimate Frisbee is that there are no referees on the field. Instead, the sport relies on a special rule called the ‘Spirit of the Game’. This means that the players themselves are completely responsible for following the rules and admitting when they make a mistake.
Towards the end of the match, the score was tied, and the tension was extremely high. The other team’s captain threw the plastic disc towards his teammate, who was running very close to me. I jumped up as high as I could to block the pass. As I reached out, my hand hit the other player’s arm right before I knocked the disc to the ground. Because everything happened so quickly, none of the people watching realised that I had actually made a foul.
For a brief second, I thought about keeping quiet. If I didn’t say anything, my team would win the point and probably the whole match. However, knowing that I had broken the rules made me feel incredibly guilty. I immediately raised my hand and loudly admitted that I had fouled the other player. Because of my confession, the opposite team kept the disc and eventually won the game.
Although I was initially disappointed about losing, that feeling didn’t last long. My coach and my teammates all came over to tell me how proud they were of my honest behaviour. Even the players from the other team thanked me for being so fair. I realised that winning a plastic medal isn’t nearly as important as playing with true sportsmanship. Next season, our team will definitely return, and we will try to win the tournament the right way!
1 Why did the writer feel nervous before the tournament began?
(A) He had never played Ultimate Frisbee with his school friends before.
(B) He thought his running and throwing skills were quite weak.
(C) He noticed that the competing teams seemed to be older and better.
(D) He didn’t want his sports teacher to watch him play on the massive field.
2 What surprised the writer about playing an Ultimate Frisbee match?
(A) The players have to act as the judges of the game.
(B) The teams do not have to follow any strict rules on the field.
(C) The speed of the players is much slower than a relaxing park game.
(D) The referees on the field are often very strict about mistakes.
3 What happened when the writer tried to block the disc?
(A) He managed to catch the disc perfectly in the air.
(B) He illegally touched his opponent during the jump.
(C) The people watching the game shouted that it was a foul.
(D) The other team’s captain accidentally hit his arm.
4 What did the writer learn from his experience at the tournament?
(A) Being fair is more valuable than winning a prize.
(B) Admitting mistakes usually makes your teammates annoyed.
(C) It is impossible to win if you always tell the truth.
(D) Next season, he needs to train harder to avoid making fouls.
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) I’m so annoyed! We would have won the tournament if my teammates hadn’t told everyone about my foul.
(B) Today showed me what the ‘Spirit of the Game’ really means. Losing the match hurts, but telling the truth was definitely the right choice.
(C) The tournament was fun, but I think the organisers should hire real referees. It’s too difficult for players to watch everything.
(D) I played perfectly today and didn’t make a single mistake. It’s a pity that the other team was just too fast for us to beat.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – Paragraph 1 states that the writer’s stomach was full of butterflies because “The other teams simply looked much older and more experienced than we were.”
2 A – Paragraph 2 explains that there are no referees and that “the players themselves are completely responsible for following the rules and admitting when they make a mistake,” which means they act as the judges.
3 B – Paragraph 3 details that as the writer jumped to block the pass, “my hand hit the other player’s arm,” causing a foul. This matches illegally touching his opponent.
4 A – Paragraph 5 highlights the writer’s realisation that “winning a plastic medal isn’t nearly as important as playing with true sportsmanship.”
5 B – This option successfully captures the global narrative and attitude of the text: the writer played a fast-paced game, had the opportunity to cheat to win, but chose sportsmanship and honesty over victory.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Magic in the Water
I have been a strong swimmer since I was a child, but doing lengths up and down the pool eventually became a bit boring. I also love dancing and gymnastics, so when a synchronized swimming club opened at our local sports centre, I immediately signed up. I thought it would be the perfect way to combine my favourite hobbies. I was extremely excited to start, although I felt slightly nervous about learning such complicated routines with a completely new team.
During the first few months of training, I quickly realised that the sport was much harder than it looked on television. Our coach, Elena, gave us a very fast and complex routine to learn for the summer competition. Memorising the movements was difficult, but that wasn’t the biggest challenge. Elena kept reminding us that synchronized swimming is a performance. This meant I had to hold my breath underwater for a long time, and then rise above the surface with a huge, relaxed smile on my face. At first, I was so out of breath that I just looked completely panicked! I swallowed a lot of pool water and often left training feeling absolutely exhausted.
Another huge challenge was the timing. In synchronized swimming, you can’t just focus on your own body; you have to move at exactly the same moment as seven other girls. If one person lifts their leg a second too late, the whole routine looks terrible. We had to practice the same three-minute routine hundreds of times. Sometimes, people got frustrated and we argued because we were so tired, but slowly, our movements started to match perfectly.
When the day of the summer competition finally arrived, the atmosphere at the pool was incredibly tense. As we stood by the water in our matching costumes, my heart was beating terribly fast. However, as soon as we dived in and our music started playing through the underwater speakers, my nerves completely disappeared. We didn’t make a single mistake. We held our breath, completed our lifts, and smiled beautifully at the judges. When we finished our final pose, the crowd cheered loudly. It truly felt like magic. All those exhausting hours of practice were suddenly worth it, and I can’t wait to start learning our next routine.
1 Why did the writer decide to try synchronized swimming?
(A) She wanted to compete in a national swimming team.
(B) She was looking for a way to mix her different interests.
(C) Her dance teacher suggested it would improve her gymnastics.
(D) She wanted to make new friends at the local sports centre.
2 What did the writer find most difficult about the training?
(A) Remembering all the complicated dance movements.
(B) Listening to the coach’s strict instructions.
(C) Trying to look happy while struggling for air.
(D) Staying underwater longer than the other swimmers.
3 Why did the team sometimes argue during practice?
(A) They couldn’t agree on which routine to perform.
(B) Some girls were swimming much faster than others.
(C) The coach made them practice longer than usual.
(D) They were feeling extremely tired from repeating the routine.
4 How did the writer feel during the actual performance?
(A) Worried that someone would make a terrible mistake.
(B) Upset that the underwater speakers stopped working.
(C) Relaxed and confident as soon as the routine began.
(D) Surprised by how loudly the crowd was cheering for them.
5 What would the writer text to a friend after the competition?
(A) It was a disaster! I was so nervous that I forgot to smile, and I swallowed so much water during the performance.
(B) We did it! The routine was perfect. It’s an incredibly tough sport, but the feeling at the end was absolutely amazing.
(C) I’m glad the competition is over. The other girls were arguing with me too much, so I’m going back to normal swimming.
(D) We won the competition, but to be honest, it was actually quite easy once we learned the routine.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states that she loves dancing and gymnastics and thought synchronized swimming “would be the perfect way to combine my favourite hobbies.” This paraphrases to mixing her different interests.
2 C – Paragraph two explains that memorising the movements was difficult, “but that wasn’t the biggest challenge.” The biggest challenge was having to “rise above the surface with a huge, relaxed smile on my face” while being “so out of breath.”
3 D – In the third paragraph, the text states, “We had to practice the same three-minute routine hundreds of times. Sometimes, people got frustrated and we argued because we were so tired.” This perfectly matches being tired from repeating the routine.
4 C – Paragraph four notes that although her heart was beating fast before the performance, “as soon as we dived in and our music started playing… my nerves completely disappeared.” This means she felt relaxed and confident once it began.
5 B – This option successfully synthesizes the global meaning of the text. It celebrates the flawless final performance (“The routine was perfect” / “felt like magic” from paragraph 4), acknowledges the difficulty of the training (“an incredibly tough sport” from paragraphs 2 and 3), and captures her highly positive overall reaction.