Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Targeted Fitness, Health and Dance 7
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Hitting the Target
I have been going to my local youth club every Friday evening for two years. My friends and I usually spend our time playing table tennis or sitting on the comfortable sofas playing video games. However, last month, the club leader announced a darts competition for beginners. I had watched professionals playing darts on television and always thought it looked incredibly easy. You just throw small arrows at a large circle on the wall, right? Wanting to try something new, I confidently put my name on the sign-up sheet.
During my first practice session, my confidence quickly disappeared. Throwing the dart hard enough to stick into the board was surprisingly simple. However, aiming for a specific number was a completely different story. Whenever I tried to hit the high-scoring number twenty, my dart would fly off to the left or right, hitting a one or a five instead. I felt quite frustrated when I realised that my arm was shaking. A successful throw requires a perfectly steady hand and a very balanced stance.
An older teenager named Tom saw me struggling and offered some advice. He explained that having a good throwing technique is only half the game. To my absolute amazement, he told me that darts is actually a mathematical puzzle. In a real match, you start with a score of 501 and have to subtract the points you hit until you reach exactly zero. You have to calculate your remaining score incredibly quickly in your head. I suddenly found the combination of physical precision and fast mental arithmetic fascinating.
By the time the competition evening arrived, I had practised my throwing and my maths skills almost every day. As I stepped up to the line for my first match, the room was full of noisy teenagers. My heart was beating fast, but I remembered to take a deep breath and focus entirely on the board. I managed to score well, and although I didn’t win the golden trophy, I successfully completed my game by hitting the exact number I needed to reach zero.
Walking home that night, I felt extremely proud of my performance. Darts is much more than a simple game you play with friends; it requires intense concentration and sharp thinking. I am definitely going to keep practising, and my mental maths has already improved in my school lessons!
1 Why did the writer decide to enter the darts competition?
(A) He wanted to take a break from playing table tennis.
(B) He believed the activity would be very simple to do.
(C) His friends persuaded him to put his name on the list.
(D) The club leader told him he would be naturally good at it.
2 What did the writer find out during his first practice session?
(A) It was difficult to make the darts stay in the board.
(B) He needed to throw the darts with much more physical power.
(C) Hitting the exact area he wanted was surprisingly hard.
(D) The board was much smaller than the ones he had seen on TV.
3 What surprised the writer when Tom spoke to him?
(A) Tom offered to help him improve his throwing technique.
(B) Players have to do fast mental calculations while playing.
(C) The starting score in a real match is always exactly zero.
(D) Older teenagers were allowed to compete in the tournament.
4 How did the writer feel during his first match?
(A) annoyed because the other teenagers were making too much noise
(B) disappointed that he failed to win the golden trophy at the end
(C) confident because he was the best at doing mathematics in the room
(D) nervous but able to concentrate on what he was doing
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) I realised today that darts is just throwing things at a wall. It was quite a boring competition, so I’ll go back to video games.
(B) I won my first ever tournament today! However, I don’t think I’ll play again because doing all that math was too stressful.
(C) Even though I didn’t win, I had a great time! I love how the sport challenges both my physical coordination and my brain.
(D) The practice really helped my throwing, but I still don’t understand the complex rules of the game. I hope Tom can teach me more.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer states that he “always thought it looked incredibly easy” and “confidently put my name on the sign-up sheet,” which maps to believing the activity would be simple to do.
2 C – The second paragraph explains that while hitting the board was simple, “aiming for a specific number was a completely different story” and his dart would fly off to the wrong number. This means hitting the exact area he wanted was surprisingly hard.
3 B – In the third paragraph, the writer expresses his “absolute amazement” at learning that “darts is actually a mathematical puzzle” where players must “calculate your remaining score incredibly quickly in your head,” matching the idea of fast mental calculations.
4 D – The fourth paragraph describes the writer’s heart beating fast (nervous), but he “remembered to take a deep breath and focus entirely on the board,” showing he was able to concentrate.
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text. It acknowledges that the writer didn’t win but highlights his enjoyment and his newfound appreciation for how darts combines physical precision and mental arithmetic.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Sweating in the Virtual World
I have always been a huge fan of video games, spending hours sitting comfortably on the sofa with a controller in my hand. Naturally, my parents often complained that I wasn’t getting enough physical exercise. Last month, for my birthday, they bought me a virtual reality headset. I had seen some online videos of people playing a high-intensity VR boxing game, so I immediately downloaded it. I wanted to prove to my parents that gaming could actually be an active hobby.
When I cleared a space in our living room and put the heavy headset on, I felt a little bit silly. In the virtual world, I was standing inside a bright, futuristic boxing ring. My digital opponent appeared, and the fast, energetic music started playing. Because there was nothing physical to hit, I was just throwing punches into empty space. I confidently assumed that punching the air would be incredibly easy and wouldn’t make me tired at all.
However, within the first ten minutes, I realised how completely wrong I was. The game wasn’t just about throwing your arms forward; you also had to quickly bend your knees to avoid attacks and step from side to side to follow the targets. As the music became faster, I had to move at a crazy speed. Even though I wasn’t hitting a heavy bag, throwing punches with all my strength was surprisingly exhausting. My arms soon felt extremely heavy, and my heart was beating terribly fast.
By the time the thirty-minute session finally ended, I took off the headset and dropped onto the sofa. I was absolutely breathless and my t-shirt was completely drenched in sweat. When my parents walked into the living room, they were shocked to see how exhausted I looked. I had to admit that playing the virtual game was actually much harder than running in the park.
I am now completely hooked on VR fitness, and I play the boxing game for an hour every single day. It has completely changed my opinion about working out. I have finally discovered that you don’t need expensive gym equipment to get fit; you just need a fun way to trick your brain into exercising.
1 Why did the writer download the VR boxing game?
(A) To show his parents that gaming isn’t just a lazy activity.
(B) He wanted to practice his real-life boxing skills.
(C) His parents suggested it would be a good way to get fit.
(D) He saw a friend playing it on the living room sofa.
2 What did the writer think when he first started the game?
(A) He was worried about looking silly in the futuristic ring.
(B) He believed the physical activity would be very simple.
(C) He found the energetic music too distracting.
(D) He felt the VR headset was too heavy to wear.
3 What surprised the writer about the game?
(A) The need to hit a heavy bag to score more points.
(B) The fact that he had to learn complicated boxing rules.
(C) How tiring it was to punch without hitting anything solid.
(D) The high speed at which his virtual opponent was moving.
4 When the writer finished the session, his parents were
(A) annoyed that he had sweat on the living room sofa.
(B) amazed by the physical effect the game had on him.
(C) disappointed that he had only played for thirty minutes.
(D) pleased that he was finally going running in the park.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about VR fitness?
(A) I played a VR boxing game today, but it was just like traditional gaming. I didn’t even get tired!
(B) It’s a fantastic workout! I was completely exhausted after punching the air, and I’m going to play it every day now.
(C) I got really sweaty playing VR, but I think going to a traditional gym with real equipment is much better for fitness.
(D) VR boxing is great, but my parents are still annoyed because they think I’m just playing video games on the sofa.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In the first paragraph, the writer states he downloaded the game because he “wanted to prove to my parents that gaming could actually be an active hobby.” This matches showing his parents that gaming isn’t just a lazy activity.
2 B – Paragraph two explains that because there was nothing physical to hit, he “confidently assumed that punching the air would be incredibly easy,” which paraphrases to believing the physical activity would be very simple.
3 C – In the third paragraph, the writer notes, “Even though I wasn’t hitting a heavy bag, throwing punches with all my strength was surprisingly exhausting.” This means he was surprised by how tiring it was to punch without hitting anything solid.
4 B – Paragraph four describes how his parents “were shocked to see how exhausted I looked” when they saw him breathless and drenched in sweat, which matches being amazed by the physical effect the game had on him.
5 B – This option successfully synthesizes the writer’s emotional and physical journey. It captures his realization about the intense physical effort required (“completely exhausted after punching the air” from paragraphs 3 and 4) and his positive future attitude (“going to play it every day now” from paragraph 5).
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The secret to the freeze
by Jordan Lee
I’ve always been amazed by breakdancing. Watching dancers spin on their heads and perform incredible acrobatic moves looks like pure magic. Last month, I decided I wanted to learn a fundamental move called the ‘baby freeze’. It’s a pose where you balance your entire body weight on just one arm and your head, keeping your legs suspended in the air. Because I was already quite athletic from playing football, I confidently assumed I would be able to master it in a single afternoon.
When I tried it in my living room for the first time, I quickly realised how wrong I was. I placed my hands on the floor, tucked my elbow into my side, and tried to lift my legs. Instantly, I collapsed onto the carpet. No matter how many times I adjusted my hand position, my arm simply couldn’t support the weight of my body. It felt completely impossible. After an hour of crashing to the floor, my wrists were aching, and I felt incredibly frustrated by my lack of balance.
I decided to search online for some advice. A video by a professional breakdancer explained that the freeze isn’t actually about having perfect balance; it is almost entirely about core strength. If your stomach and back muscles aren’t strong enough to hold your body tightly together, your arm will always collapse. I realised I needed to change my approach. Instead of trying the move over and over again, I spent the next three weeks doing daily push-ups, planks, and other exhausting core exercises.
After nearly a month of strength training, I decided it was time to try the freeze again. I got down on the floor, positioned my elbow carefully, and slowly lifted my toes off the ground. To my absolute amazement, I didn’t fall. My body felt solid and controlled, and I was finally balancing my entire weight exactly like the dancers in the videos. I held the pose for five seconds before dropping down with a massive smile on my face.
That single moment of success was worth all the boring conditioning exercises. I learned that breakdancing isn’t just about throwing your body around and hoping for the best; it requires serious physical preparation and patience. I have a long way to go before I can spin on my head, but I am incredibly proud of my first freeze!
1 Why was Jordan confident he could learn the ‘baby freeze’ quickly?
(A) He had already mastered spinning on his head.
(B) He considered himself fit because he played another sport.
(C) He had a professional breakdancer teaching him in person.
(D) He thought the living room carpet would make it easier to balance.
2 What was Jordan’s main problem during his first attempts?
(A) He was afraid of injuring his head on the hard floor.
(B) He couldn’t remember the correct hand positions.
(C) His arm was not strong enough to hold his body up.
(D) His legs were too long to suspend in the air properly.
3 What did the online video teach Jordan about the move?
(A) He needed to practice his balance for several hours a day.
(B) He should focus on building the muscles in his stomach and back.
(C) He had to move his arms and legs much faster to succeed.
(D) He should avoid doing exhausting exercises like push-ups.
4 When Jordan finally achieved the freeze, he
(A) successfully held the position for several minutes.
(B) realised that doing core exercises was completely unnecessary.
(C) managed to transition immediately into a head spin.
(D) felt a great sense of control over his body.
5 What would Jordan write in his blog about his experience?
(A) I thought learning the freeze would be quick and easy, but it actually took weeks of hard physical conditioning to finally achieve it.
(B) Breakdancing is completely impossible unless you start learning when you are very young. I’m going to stick to playing football.
(C) The online video gave me terrible advice. Once I stopped doing push-ups and just focused on my balance, I mastered the move instantly.
(D) I finally balanced on one arm today! It didn’t take much effort, but the move was so boring that I doubt I’ll ever breakdance again.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In paragraph 1, Jordan says, “Because I was already quite athletic from playing football, I confidently assumed I would be able to master it”. This maps directly to considering himself fit because he played another sport.
2 C – In paragraph 2, Jordan notes that “my arm simply couldn’t support the weight of my body” and he kept collapsing. This perfectly matches his arm not being strong enough to hold his body up.
3 B – In paragraph 3, the video explains that the move “is almost entirely about core strength” and mentions that the “stomach and back muscles” need to be strong. This paraphrases focusing on building the muscles in his stomach and back.
4 D – In paragraph 4, Jordan describes his successful attempt by saying, “My body felt solid and controlled”. This matches feeling a great sense of control over his body.
5 A – This option successfully captures the global narrative arc of the text: Jordan’s initial overconfidence (assuming it would be quick), the reality of the struggle, his dedication to building core strength (weeks of conditioning), and his ultimate proud success.