Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Targeted Fitness, Health and Dance 2
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Pushing Through the Pain
Last spring, I realised I spent too much time sitting at my desk. I wanted to improve my fitness before the summer holidays, but joining a local gym seemed far too expensive and a little intimidating. While searching on the internet, I discovered a free thirty-day home workout challenge. The instructor in the video promised great results in just twenty minutes a day. It sounded perfect, so I immediately downloaded the schedule and confidently prepared for day one.
During the first week, I quickly learned that the exercises were much harder than they appeared on my computer screen. The instructor made jumping and bending look completely effortless, but I was sweating heavily within the first five minutes. The following mornings, my legs and arms ached terribly. Despite the physical pain, I refused to miss a single video. I cleared a space in my bedroom every evening, and soon, the movements slowly started to feel a bit easier.
However, by the time I reached day fifteen, my enthusiasm completely disappeared. I was no longer excited to exercise, and the routine was starting to feel incredibly boring. One evening, my friends invited me to go to the cinema. I stared at my exercise mat, feeling very tempted to skip my daily workout just this once. I knew that if I stopped now, I would probably never finish the challenge. I forced myself to press play and complete the session before meeting my friends.
To stop myself from quitting, I decided to change my habits. I started waking up early to do the videos before school, which gave me more energy for the rest of the day. This simple change made a huge difference to my motivation. Finally, day thirty arrived. As I finished the last set of exercises, I lay on the floor and smiled. I felt immensely proud of my achievement.
The challenge didn’t transform me into a professional athlete, but the results were still fantastic. I feel physically stronger, but more importantly, I know I have the mental strength to finish what I start. I have already recommended the videos to my classmates, and I am searching for a new fitness programme to begin next week.
1 Why did the writer decide to start the home workout challenge?
(A) He was preparing to compete in a summer sports competition.
(B) He couldn’t afford to pay for a membership at a fitness centre.
(C) He was advised by his doctor to spend less time sitting at his desk.
(D) He wanted to become a fitness instructor like the person in the video.
2 What does the writer say about his experience during the first week?
(A) He struggled to understand the instructions given by the video trainer.
(B) He was disappointed because he didn’t sweat during the short workouts.
(C) He found the physical activity more demanding than he had expected.
(D) He had to buy a new computer to watch the exercise videos properly.
3 How did the writer feel on day fifteen of the challenge?
(A) angry that his friends wanted to go to the cinema without him
(B) determined to complete his workout even though he had lost interest
(C) worried that the exercises were becoming too painful to continue
(D) confident that he could easily skip one day without any problems
4 What was the main benefit of completing the thirty days for the writer?
(A) He developed a belief in his own ability to reach his goals.
(B) He managed to turn himself into a professional athlete.
(C) He persuaded all his classmates to join a local sports team.
(D) He found that exercising early in the morning helped him sleep better.
5 What would the writer write in his diary on day thirty?
(A) I finally finished the challenge today! My body hurts too much, so I definitely won’t be trying another exercise programme anytime soon.
(B) The videos were incredibly easy from start to finish. I just wish I had spent more time at the cinema with my friends instead of exercising.
(C) Waking up early was the worst part of the last thirty days. I never had any energy at school, but at least I didn’t quit.
(D) I’m so proud of myself for completing the whole month. It was tough when I got bored halfway through, but pushing through was completely worth it!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The first paragraph states that the writer wanted to improve his fitness but “joining a local gym seemed far too expensive”, mapping to not being able to afford a fitness centre membership.
2 C – In the second paragraph, the writer notes that “the exercises were much harder than they appeared on my computer screen”, meaning the activity was more demanding than expected.
3 B – The third paragraph describes how his “enthusiasm completely disappeared” and the routine felt boring (lost interest), yet he “forced myself to press play and complete the session” (determined to complete his workout).
4 A – The fifth paragraph explains that “more importantly, I know I have the mental strength to finish what I start,” which perfectly paraphrases developing a belief in his own ability to reach his goals.
5 D – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges his ultimate pride in finishing, the significant loss of motivation (getting bored) in the middle of the challenge, and his positive attitude towards the accomplishment.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Dancing to the Beat
I have never been a huge fan of traditional gym workouts. Running on a treadmill or lifting heavy weights always felt a bit boring to me. However, I knew I needed to improve my fitness, so I started looking for a more entertaining way to exercise. Last month, a friend told me about a local Zumba class. She described it as a high-energy dance workout mixing Latin and pop music. It sounded exactly like the kind of fun activity I was looking for, so I confidently bought a ticket for the next session.
When I walked into the dance studio, the atmosphere was incredibly energetic. The music was already playing loudly, and the room was packed with people of all ages. Our instructor, Maria, stood on a small stage at the front. As soon as the class began, she started demonstrating some fast, complicated dance moves. While the rest of the class immediately copied her steps perfectly, I just stood there feeling completely confused. I had always known that I wasn’t a natural dancer, but I didn’t expect to be quite so uncoordinated.
Things got even worse during a particularly fast song. Maria told everyone to step to the right, but my brain somehow told my feet to go to the left. I ended up facing the completely wrong direction and nearly crashed into the woman dancing next to me. My face turned bright red, and I felt incredibly foolish. I moved to the very back of the room, secretly hoping that nobody else had noticed my embarrassing mistake. I seriously considered sneaking out of the door before the class finished.
However, as I watched Maria, I noticed something important. She kept shouting that it didn’t matter if we made mistakes, as long as we kept moving. I looked around and saw that actually, several other people were also doing the wrong steps, but they were all smiling widely. I decided to stop worrying about looking silly. I relaxed my shoulders, listened to the energetic beat of the music, and just let my body move.
By the end of the hour, my clothes were soaked with sweat, but I felt absolutely fantastic. Zumba taught me that exercise doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be enjoyable. I am now a regular member of the class, and I love every minute of it.
1 Why did the writer decide to try a Zumba class?
(A) She wanted to learn how to dance to Latin and pop music.
(B) She was looking for an exercise routine that wasn’t boring.
(C) Her friend invited her to go to a party at the local dance studio.
(D) She wanted to stop running on the treadmill at her gym.
2 How did the writer feel when the class first started?
(A) Disappointed that the room was so crowded with people.
(B) Annoyed that the music was playing too loudly.
(C) Surprised by her own lack of ability to follow the steps.
(D) Impressed that the instructor was dancing on a stage.
3 What happened to the writer during the fast song?
(A) She moved in the opposite direction to the rest of the class.
(B) She accidentally injured the woman dancing next to her.
(C) She walked out of the door because she felt so embarrassed.
(D) She was told to stand at the back of the room by the instructor.
4 What made the writer change her attitude during the class?
(A) She realised that the instructor was also making a few mistakes.
(B) She saw that other people were having fun despite getting it wrong.
(C) She discovered that the energetic music was helping her relax.
(D) She managed to copy the complicated dance moves perfectly.
5 What would the writer write in her blog about her Zumba experience?
(A) I’m so glad I stopped doing traditional gym workouts. Zumba is great, but I really wish I was a much better dancer.
(B) The class was a disaster! I was so embarrassed when I went the wrong way, so I don’t think I’ll ever go back.
(C) It was incredibly tough to follow the steps at first, but I’ve learned that having fun is much more important than being perfect.
(D) I finally found a fitness class I enjoy. The instructor is great because she makes sure everyone does the moves exactly right.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states that traditional gym workouts “always felt a bit boring to me” and she was “looking for a more entertaining way to exercise,” which paraphrases to looking for a routine that wasn’t boring.
2 C – Paragraph two explains that while others copied the steps perfectly, she felt confused and “didn’t expect to be quite so uncoordinated,” matching the surprise at her own lack of ability to follow the steps.
3 A – In the third paragraph, the text states, “Maria told everyone to step to the right, but my brain somehow told my feet to go to the left. I ended up facing the completely wrong direction.” This means she moved in the opposite direction to everyone else.
4 B – Paragraph four mentions that she “looked around and saw that actually, several other people were also doing the wrong steps, but they were all smiling widely,” which led her to stop worrying. This perfectly matches seeing others having fun despite getting it wrong.
5 C – This option successfully synthesizes the emotional arc of the text. It acknowledges her initial struggle with the coordination (“tough to follow the steps at first” from paragraphs 2 and 3) and captures her final positive realization in paragraphs 4 and 5 that the goal of the exercise is enjoyment (“having fun is much more important than being perfect”).
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Mastering the jump rope
by Sam Davies
My name is Sam, and I have always used a jump rope to keep fit. Usually, I just do basic jumps while listening to music in my garage for twenty minutes. It is a fantastic way to stay active without spending money on an expensive gym. However, a few weeks ago, I watched a fitness video online featuring athletes doing an advanced trick called “double-unders.” This means the rope passes under your feet twice during a single jump. It looked incredibly fast and impressive, so I immediately decided I wanted to learn how to do it myself.
I honestly thought it would not be too difficult because I was already quite good at normal jumping. I went out to the garden, jumped as high as I could, and spun the rope quickly. But instead of going under my feet twice, the heavy plastic rope hit the back of my legs with a loud smack. It was extremely painful! I tried again and again, but I just kept whipping my legs and arms. Within ten minutes, I had painful red marks all over my skin, and I felt completely frustrated by my lack of progress.
Over the next few days, the pain and frustration only grew worse. I seriously considered giving up the trick and just returning to my normal, easy jumps. My legs were aching, and I still could not even manage a single successful double-under. Then, I decided to ask my older sister for some advice, as she does a lot of advanced fitness training. She watched me practice for a minute and explained that my timing was completely wrong. I was trying to use far too much power instead of relaxing my shoulders and moving my wrists faster.
The following afternoon, I picked up the rope again with a completely different attitude. I stopped jumping wildly and focused entirely on the speed of my wrists, just as my sister had suggested. Suddenly, I heard a satisfying sound, and the rope went under my feet twice perfectly. I couldn’t believe it! I kept going, taking deep breaths, and managed to land five double-unders in a row. All the pain and frustration disappeared instantly. Learning this advanced trick was physically tough, but the feeling of finally achieving my goal was absolutely fantastic.
1 Why did Sam decide to learn how to do “double-unders”?
(A) He wanted to avoid paying for an expensive gym membership.
(B) He was bored of listening to the same music in his garage.
(C) He saw some people doing the trick on the internet.
(D) He needed to prepare for a special fitness competition.
2 How did Sam feel about his first attempt at the trick?
(A) Surprised by how much it hurt when he made a mistake.
(B) Disappointed that his jumping rope was broken.
(C) Annoyed that he couldn’t jump high enough in the garden.
(D) Confident that he would master it within ten minutes.
3 What did Sam’s sister tell him about his jumping technique?
(A) He was not jumping with enough power to complete the trick.
(B) He needed to rest because his legs were too tired from practising.
(C) He should buy a better rope designed for advanced tricks.
(D) He was using his body incorrectly instead of focusing on his wrists.
4 What happened when Sam tried the trick again the next day?
(A) He realised he still preferred doing normal jumps.
(B) He successfully performed the trick several times without stopping.
(C) He stopped because he was worried about hitting his legs again.
(D) He found that he needed to jump even more wildly to succeed.
5 What would Sam write in a text message to a friend?
(A) Learning a new jump rope trick was so painful that I have decided to give up and just stick to normal jumping.
(B) My sister gave me some terrible advice today, but I still managed to do a double-under all by myself!
(C) The trick was incredibly frustrating and painful to learn, but getting the technique right and doing five in a row felt amazing!
(D) Double-unders are incredibly easy to learn if you just use all your power and jump as high as you possibly can.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 C – In paragraph 1, Sam says, “I watched a fitness video online featuring athletes doing an advanced trick… so I immediately decided I wanted to learn how to do it myself.” This perfectly matches seeing people doing it on the internet.
2 A – In paragraph 2, Sam explains that he thought it would not be difficult, but instead the rope hit his legs, it was “extremely painful!”, and he got “red marks all over my skin”. This maps to being surprised by how much it hurt when making a mistake.
3 D – In paragraph 3, his sister tells him that his timing is wrong and he is “trying to use far too much power instead of relaxing my shoulders and moving my wrists faster.” This paraphrases using his body incorrectly and needing to focus on his wrists.
4 B – In paragraph 4, Sam notes that he finally succeeded and “managed to land five double-unders in a row.” This matches performing the trick several times without stopping.
5 C – This option successfully captures the global narrative arc of the text: Sam’s initial struggles and physical pain (frustrating and painful to learn), his breakthrough with the right technique, and his ultimate feeling of success (doing five in a row felt amazing).