Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – TV Programmes & Shows 4

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a documentary series about wildlife rescue programs.

There are descriptions of eight documentary series.

Decide which series would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Sarah wants to study veterinary science and hopes to see operations on injured animals. She is specifically interested in creatures that live in the ocean. She does not have much free time, so the programme must be under thirty minutes.

2   Marcus loves emotional stories about animals recovering from terrible situations. He wants to watch a show focused entirely on big wild cats like lions and tigers. He also wants the programme to explain how viewers can give money to help.

3   The Taylor family wants to watch a series about rescuing injured birds. Because they have young children, the show must not show any scary medical scenes or blood. They also want tips on making their own garden safe for wildlife.

4   Leo wants a programme that shows the daily lives and struggles of the rescue volunteers. He prefers shows set in tropical jungle environments. He also wants the series to be presented by a famous scientist who can explain animal behaviour.

5   Nina wants to see rescue teams saving orphaned baby animals that have lost their parents. She is fascinated by creatures living in freezing, snowy environments. She would also like a show that provides website links to watch the animals live.

Wildlife Rescue Documentaries

A Ocean Medics

This brilliant twenty-minute show follows skilled doctors working at a busy coastal hospital. Viewers watch real medical procedures and surgeries as the team fixes injured turtles and sick dolphins. It is an excellent way for anyone to learn about animal medicine, focusing completely on treating wonderful underwater sea creatures.

B Roar of Hope

Follow the heartwarming journey of rescued tigers and lions as they slowly return to health. The series focuses on these giant predators and their touching relationships with their human helpers, often bringing viewers to tears. At the end of each episode, you will find details on supporting the charity financially.

C Feathered Friends

Perfect for the whole family, this gentle programme looks at a centre that cares for parrots and owls. There are absolutely no frightening operations or upsetting moments shown on screen. Furthermore, the presenters share fantastic advice on how you can build birdhouses and provide food in your own backyard.

D Rainforest Rescue

Presented by the world-renowned biology expert Dr. Jane Miller, this series takes you deep into the rainforests of Borneo. Instead of just focusing on the wildlife, the camera follows the brave workers, showing their daily routines, tough living conditions, and the challenges they face protecting rare monkeys in the trees.

E Winter Orphans

Travel to the freezing Arctic to meet a team dedicated to raising tiny penguins and polar bears that are left alone without mothers. It is a beautiful look at early life in icy climates. Viewers can even visit the programme’s internet site to stream continuous video of the growing babies!

F Coastal Babies

Enjoy this touching thirty-minute documentary about a sunny sanctuary raising baby seals and dolphins. It is full of emotional moments as these tiny ocean animals learn to swim and hunt. While it does not show any complicated hospital treatments or surgery, the incredibly sweet stories will surely capture your heart.

G Jungle Wings

Hosted by famous scientist Mark Evans, this series focuses on colourful birds living in tropical rainforests. It is a thrilling watch, but it includes very intense, bloody scenes of wildlife fighting, making it unsuitable for younger audiences. It focuses entirely on wild nature rather than helping animals at home.

H Predator Hospital

Step inside a busy clinic that treats injured lions and tigers. The show is highly educational, explaining the difficult veterinary science behind saving these giant wild cats. It focuses entirely on facts and medical data, completely avoiding sad personal stories or requests for viewers to send money to the clinic.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find a stand-up comedy special to watch.

There are descriptions of eight stand-up comedy specials.

Decide which stand-up comedy special would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Sarah wants to watch a female performer. She loves hearing funny stories about being a parent and raising children. She only has a little free time, so the show must finish in less than 60 minutes.

2   Tom enjoys comedians who play instruments and sing silly songs. He likes it when the performer actually speaks directly to the live audience. He prefers clean jokes that are safe for everyone to hear without bad language.

3   Alex loves performers who use their bodies to be funny on stage. He wants to hear jokes about visiting different nations and flying abroad. He is looking for a show that was recorded outside in the fresh air.

4   Mia prefers a quiet performer who speaks very slowly and doesn’t smile much. She wants to hear jokes about modern gadgets, social media, and the internet. She loves the atmosphere of a massive arena with thousands of cheering fans.

5   Jake likes performers who speak incredibly fast with high energy. He loves laughing at stories about eating out, cooking, and chefs. He prefers the feeling of a tiny, dark comedy club with only a few tables.

Stand-up Comedy Specials

A Mother Knows Best

This brilliant woman will make you laugh until you cry. She shares hilarious tales about her crazy life with toddlers and the daily struggles of a busy mum. The entire performance wraps up in just forty-five minutes, making it a perfectly brief evening of excellent entertainment for viewers with busy schedules.

B Around the Globe

Filmed under the night sky in a lovely open-air theatre, this fantastic show will take you on a wild journey. The star runs and jumps across the stage, using his whole body to tell hilarious tales about his vacations, exploring foreign cities, and getting lost in busy airports around the world.

C Singing in the Dark

This musical genius brings his guitar to a massive sports arena to entertain twenty thousand cheering fans. He sings incredibly catchy tunes while chatting with people in the front row. However, be warned: his humour is strictly for adults, featuring lots of inappropriate words that younger viewers should definitely avoid.

D Kitchen Nightmares Live

Recorded in a cozy, dark basement venue with just fifty seats, this performance feels incredibly personal. The star delivers his jokes at lightning speed, barely pausing for a breath. Get ready to giggle at his crazy opinions on terrible restaurant meals, weird chefs, and his own disasters making dinner at home.

E The Digital Age

This clever lady shares her thoughts on everything from smartphones to terrible online dating experiences. Her observations about our digital lives are absolutely brilliant. The show is comfortably short, lasting only fifty minutes, but she shouts and runs around the stage a lot, which might tire out some more relaxed viewers.

F A Little Tune

This charming man combines clever guitar playing with incredibly funny lyrics. Between his catchy melodies, he constantly asks questions to the ticket-holders, making everyone feel happily involved. Best of all, parents can relax because there is absolutely no bad language, making it completely suitable for audiences of all ages to enjoy.

G Screen Time

Performing in front of fifteen thousand people in a gigantic sports hall, this comic has a wonderfully calm, unsmiling style. He takes his time delivering brilliant observations about mobile phones, social networks, and laptop problems. His quiet, serious voice makes his modern digital jokes even more surprising and deeply amusing.

H Family Matters

This energetic guy talks a mile a minute, rushing through his stories about growing up with five brothers and sisters. He performs in a tiny, intimate comedy club, which makes the loud laughs echo perfectly. It is a great hour of comedy, though he doesn’t discuss anything except his relatives.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The people below all want to find an antique or auction show to watch.

There are descriptions of eight television shows.

Decide which show would be the most suitable for the people below.

1   Anna wants to learn how to make money from her old furniture. She enjoys watching shows where people compete against each other to win. She is only free to watch television on Sunday evenings.

2   David wants to understand how professionals decide the price of old objects. He is incredibly interested in ancient weapons and swords. He is quite busy, so he needs a programme with short episodes under half an hour.

3   Maria loves discovering the fascinating history behind old necklaces and rings. She wants to be in the audience when the programme is recorded. It is essential that tickets to attend the filming cost absolutely nothing.

4   Ken is looking for a show hosted by a well-known historian. He wants to see people getting broken antique objects and fixing them up to keep. He prefers to stream the episodes online whenever he wants.

5   Sarah wants to watch a programme focusing on incredibly expensive and rare classical paintings. She loves learning about the daily lives of the people who created them. She wants the show to include a downloadable audio podcast.

Antique and Auction Shows

A The Bidding Battle

Tune in at the end of the weekend for this thrilling contest! Contestants race to get the highest prices for their grandparents’ wooden chairs and classic tables. It is a fantastic guide if you want to trade your own vintage pieces for cash. Catch it weekly at 7 p.m. before Monday begins.

B Swords and Silver

This fantastic twenty-minute documentary explores the fascinating world of historical military equipment. Each brief episode focuses on a different historic blade or shield. Top specialists examine the items carefully and explain exactly how they calculate how much money they are actually worth. It perfectly fits into a quick break.

C Hidden Gems

Join us as we explore the incredible stories behind beautiful antique bracelets and diamond earrings. You can join the crowd as we film these historical discoveries live in studios across the country. Audience passes are available to purchase on our website for just twenty pounds. It is a wonderful experience!

D Treasures of the Past

We uncover the secrets and historical backgrounds of gorgeous vintage rings and golden chains. Fans are completely welcome to watch our experts film the episodes live in the studio. You won’t have to pay a penny to get in, but you must reserve your free seats on our website immediately.

E Fix and Fortune

Presented by the celebrated history professor, Dr. Alan Smith, this internet-only series is available to watch whenever you desire on our app. See guests get damaged antiques, repair them perfectly, and then auction them off for massive profits. It is a thrilling look at how to get rich from restoration!

F Restore and Adore

Guided by the famous expert of the past, Professor Jane Evans, this programme follows people getting cheap, damaged antiques and repairing them beautifully for their own living rooms. All episodes are uploaded directly to our internet platform, so you can enjoy viewing them on your tablet absolutely anytime you choose.

G Masterpiece Mysteries

This series explores some of the most valuable, museum-quality portraits and landscapes ever created. It beautifully explains the personal histories and daily routines of the famous individuals who painted them. Furthermore, every episode comes with an extra audio file that you can download and listen to on your phone later.

H Weekend Antiques

End your week perfectly every Sunday at 8 p.m. with this relaxing, peaceful programme. We follow lovely families as they try to find out the history of their antique wooden beds and classic cupboards. There are no winners or stressful games here, just a gentle look at beautiful, traditional furniture.

Exercises:   123456