Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Starting and Developing Traditional Sports 8
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Figure Skating Journey
I’ve always loved watching the Winter Olympics on television. My favourite sport to watch was always figure skating. The athletes looked so elegant, jumping and spinning through the air as if they weighed nothing at all. Because I already knew how to roller-skate quite well, I felt confident that I could easily transfer my skills to the ice. After weeks of begging, my parents finally agreed to sign me up for beginner lessons at the local ice rink.
However, my confidence completely disappeared during my very first class. Stepping onto the ice, I immediately realised how slippery and unforgiving it was. Within five minutes, I lost my balance and crashed onto the frozen surface. Nobody had warned me exactly how hard the ice actually is! For the first few weeks, I spent more time sitting on the cold, wet ground than I did standing up. My feet also ached because the tight boots were incredibly uncomfortable. I quickly understood that the sport was much harder than it looked on television.
Despite the physical pain, I was determined not to quit. My main goal was to learn how to do a simple spin. It looked so easy when the instructor demonstrated it, but trying to do it myself was incredibly frustrating. Whenever I tried to turn quickly on one foot, I would get dizzy and fall over. My coach reminded me to be patient, explaining that it takes months of dedication and practice to get it right. I had to focus on my posture and arm movements instead of just spinning wildly.
After almost three months of continuous effort, everything finally came together. One Saturday morning, I pushed off, pulled my arms into my chest, and completed three perfect circles before stopping smoothly. I felt a massive sense of achievement. Although my knees were still covered in bruises, the thrill of finally succeeding was absolutely worth it. I am still far from being a professional, but I have developed a huge amount of respect for figure skaters. I’m already looking forward to learning how to jump next season!
1 Why did the writer start figure skating?
(A) She wanted to compete in the next Winter Olympics.
(B) She thought her roller-skating abilities would make it easy.
(C) Her parents suggested she try a new winter activity.
(D) She wanted to become as elegant as a professional dancer.
2 What surprised the writer during her first few lessons?
(A) How cold the ice rink was compared to outside.
(B) How difficult it was to put her skating boots on.
(C) How painful it was when she hit the ground.
(D) How little time the instructor spent helping her.
3 Why did the writer find the spin so frustrating?
(A) She couldn’t stop herself from getting dizzy and falling down.
(B) Her coach gave her the wrong advice about her posture.
(C) She had to practice for a whole year to master the move.
(D) The instructor made it look much harder than it really was.
4 How does the writer feel at the end of the text?
(A) She wants to stop skating because her knees are covered in bruises.
(B) She is disappointed that she still doesn’t know how to jump.
(C) She believes she is almost as good as a professional skater.
(D) She feels proud of her progress and wants to keep learning.
5 What might the writer write in her diary that evening?
(A) Figure skating is definitely easier than I expected. My roller-skating experience meant I didn’t even fall down on my first day!
(B) I am so annoyed. I’ve been practicing for months, but I still can’t do a single spin. Maybe I should quit and go back to roller-skating.
(C) I finally managed to do a spin today! It took a lot of hard work and my body hurts, but I am so happy I didn’t give up.
(D) The professionals on TV make skating look difficult, but it’s actually quite simple once you get used to wearing the tight boots.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states she started because she “already knew how to roller-skate quite well” and “felt confident that I could easily transfer my skills to the ice.”
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer expresses surprise at the pain of falling, noting, “Nobody had warned me exactly how hard the ice actually is!”
3 A – The third paragraph explains her frustration with the spin, stating that whenever she tried to turn, she “would get dizzy and fall over.”
4 D – In the final paragraph, she describes feeling a “massive sense of achievement” (proud of progress) and says she is “looking forward to learning how to jump next season” (wants to keep learning).
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the passage: the pain and struggle of learning the sport, followed by the rewarding feeling of finally achieving her goal.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Rowing Together
I’ve always been quite sporty, mostly playing tennis or football. However, last spring, I decided I wanted to try something completely different that involved being on the water. When I saw an advertisement for a local rowing club, I immediately signed up. I have always been physically strong, so I assumed I would be naturally good at it. The coach placed me in an ‘eight’, which is a long, thin boat with eight rowers and one person steering. I felt incredibly confident as I sat in the boat for the very first time.
That confidence quickly disappeared as soon as we pushed away from the riverbank. I quickly realised that rowing is not just about pulling the oars as hard as you possibly can. If even one person puts their oar into the water a second too early or too late, the whole boat becomes unbalanced and slows down. During that first session, I kept trying to use all my power, which completely ruined the rhythm of the other seven rowers. The boat rocked violently from side to side, and I felt extremely embarrassed for making so many mistakes.
After the session, our coach, Mr Davies, explained exactly what was going wrong. He told me that in an eight, individual strength means absolutely nothing if you aren’t moving at exactly the same time as everyone else. He taught us that we had to listen carefully to the coxswain—the person sitting at the back who shouts the rhythm. The following week, Mr Davies made us do a training exercise where we rowed with our eyes completely closed. This forced us to stop looking around and start feeling the movement of the boat and the rest of the team.
That blindfolded exercise changed everything for me. Instead of trying to be the star athlete, I focused entirely on matching the person sitting directly in front of me. Suddenly, the eight of us were moving together as one single machine. The boat stopped rocking and began to glide silently and beautifully across the water. It was the most amazing feeling of teamwork I have ever experienced. We have our very first local race next month, and although we might not win, I know we will row perfectly together.
1 Why did the writer decide to join the rowing club?
(A) He was tired of playing tennis and football with his friends.
(B) He wanted to do a sports activity that took place on the water.
(C) He wanted to prove that he was the strongest athlete in his town.
(D) He was invited to join an ‘eight’ by the local sports coach.
2 What happened during the writer’s first time on the water?
(A) He was surprised by how fast the boat was moving.
(B) He dropped his oar because the boat was rocking violently.
(C) He caused problems for the team by using too much power.
(D) He realised he wasn’t physically strong enough for the sport.
3 Why did Mr Davies make the team row with their eyes closed?
(A) To help them pay attention to the movement of the other rowers.
(B) To test if they could hear the coxswain shouting from the back.
(C) To make them row faster without looking at the riverbank.
(D) To prove that individual strength was the most important thing.
4 How does the writer feel about his team’s upcoming race?
(A) He is worried that they will lose their balance and rock the boat.
(B) He expects them to easily win because they are working as a machine.
(C) He feels proud that he is finally the star athlete of the team.
(D) He is pleased because he knows they will be completely synchronized.
5 What would the writer text his friend about his rowing experience?
(A) I joined a rowing club because I’m so strong, but the other seven guys just can’t keep up with my rhythm!
(B) I finally understand what teamwork means! It was hard at first, but we are finally moving together perfectly in the boat.
(C) Rowing is quite fun, but it’s really annoying that I have to keep my eyes closed during all the races!
(D) We are definitely going to win our race next month because our coach taught us how to pull the oars as hard as possible.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – Paragraph 1 states that he “wanted to try something completely different that involved being on the water,” which matches wanting an activity that took place on the water.
2 C – Paragraph 2 explains that during the first session, he “kept trying to use all my power, which completely ruined the rhythm of the other seven rowers.”
3 A – Paragraph 3 details that the exercise “forced us to stop looking around and start feeling the movement of the boat and the rest of the team.”
4 D – Paragraph 4 highlights that “although we might not win, I know we will row perfectly together,” showing he is pleased they will be synchronized.
5 B – This option successfully captures the global narrative of the text: the writer initially struggled because he didn’t understand the group dynamic, but he eventually learned the ultimate lesson in teamwork and synchronization.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My First Time on the Squash Court
I have always been a huge fan of tennis. During the summer, I spend most of my weekends playing matches on the outdoor courts near my house. However, when winter arrives, the heavy rain and freezing weather often make it completely impossible to play. Last month, my best friend suggested we try squash instead. He explained that it was a fast indoor racket sport, so I happily agreed to join him. Because I was already quite a strong tennis player, I confidently assumed that squash would be incredibly easy for me to master.
When we stepped into the squash court for our first game, I immediately noticed how small the playing area was. We were completely surrounded by four high walls. My friend handed me a small, black rubber ball to examine. At first, it felt cold and barely bounced at all when I dropped it. However, once we started hitting it hard against the front wall, the ball warmed up and suddenly came alive. It bounced off the side and back walls at completely unpredictable angles. Every time I thought I knew exactly where it was going to land, it flew past my racket in the opposite direction.
I very quickly discovered that the pace of the game was unbelievably fast. In ordinary tennis, you usually have a few seconds to prepare for your next shot while the ball travels across the long grass court. In squash, however, the ball comes back at you almost instantly. I spent the entire hour running wildly from one corner of the room to the other. By the end of the session, I was completely breathless and my legs felt like heavy blocks of wood. I soon realised that you need to have incredibly quick reactions to be successful.
Despite losing the match badly and feeling absolutely exhausted, I had a truly amazing time. There is something incredibly satisfying about hitting the ball as hard as you can without worrying about it going outside the lines. I am now completely addicted to this fast-paced game. In fact, I have already booked another court for next weekend, and I am determined to improve my skills and beat my friend!
1 Why did the writer agree to try squash?
(A) He wanted to find a sport he could play during bad weather.
(B) He thought it would make him a much stronger tennis player.
(C) He was invited to join an indoor tennis team by a friend.
(D) He was bored of playing matches on his local outdoor courts.
2 What surprised the writer about the squash ball?
(A) It was too heavy to hit properly at the beginning.
(B) It was difficult to guess which way it would travel.
(C) It regularly bounced over the high walls of the court.
(D) It broke his racket when he hit it hard against the wall.
3 What did the writer find most difficult about the game?
(A) Remembering the rules while running around the court.
(B) Waiting for the ball to return from the other side.
(C) The lack of time to get ready for the ball to return.
(D) Holding the heavy wooden racket for an entire hour.
4 How does the writer feel about squash now?
(A) He prefers tennis because there are lines on the court.
(B) He is upset that his friend beat him so easily.
(C) He is hooked on the sport despite it being tiring.
(D) He wants to take lessons so he won’t be exhausted next time.
5 What would the writer text to another friend about his squash experience?
(A) I played squash today! It’s a great indoor sport, but it’s annoying how the ball barely bounces at all during the game.
(B) Squash is much harder and faster than tennis! I’m completely exhausted, but I loved it and can’t wait to play again.
(C) I just played my first game of squash. Because I’m good at tennis, I won easily, but the court was a bit too small for me.
(D) It’s a very fast game, but I really dislike having to hit the ball against a wall. I’m going back to tennis next weekend.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In the first paragraph, the writer mentions that winter weather makes tennis “completely impossible to play” and then his friend suggested squash as “an indoor racket sport,” which matches wanting a sport for bad weather.
2 B – Paragraph two explains that once the ball warmed up, it bounced at “completely unpredictable angles” and “Every time I thought I knew exactly where it was going to land, it flew past my racket,” meaning it was hard to guess its direction.
3 C – The third paragraph compares tennis (where you have a few seconds) to squash, where “the ball comes back at you almost instantly,” requiring incredibly quick reactions. This paraphrases to a lack of time to get ready.
4 C – In the final paragraph, he says despite “feeling absolutely exhausted” (tiring), he is “completely addicted to this fast-paced game” (hooked on the sport).
5 B – This option successfully synthesizes the writer’s overall experience. It covers his realization about the speed compared to tennis (“harder and faster”), the physical toll (“completely exhausted” from paragraph three), and his final positive attitude and future plans (“loved it and can’t wait to play again” from paragraph four).