Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Wildlife Encounters 7
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
When my parents announced we were going on a gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda, I couldn’t believe my luck. I have always loved wildlife photography and dreaming of seeing these amazing creatures in their natural habitat. In my mind, I pictured a relaxing walk along a clear path, just like the nature trails near my house. I thought we would hike for about an hour, take some fantastic pictures, and then return to our hotel for a nice dinner. I was certainly not prepared for the reality of the African rainforest.
The trek started early the next morning, and it was immediately clear that this was not going to be an easy walk. The jungle was incredibly thick, and there were no paths to follow. We had to push our way through tall plants and climb up steep, muddy hills. The worst part, however, was the unbearable humidity. Within twenty minutes, my clothes were completely wet, and my legs were aching. There were moments when I really wanted to tell the guide to stop so I could go back, but I knew I would regret it if I gave up.
After three hours of exhausting hiking, our guide suddenly stopped and raised his hand, signaling us to be completely silent. He pointed through the dark green leaves. Just a few metres away sat a massive silverback gorilla. He was eating leaves and seemed completely unbothered by our presence. As I looked into his deep, dark eyes, my heart pounded. He was so powerful and huge that I initially felt a wave of fear, but that quickly turned into pure amazement.
We were allowed to stay and watch the gorilla family for exactly one hour. As I sat quietly in the dirt, watching them play and care for each other just like humans do, my own life back home suddenly felt very small. I forgot about the painful hike and the uncomfortable heat. That humbling experience changed me completely. It made me realise how important it is to protect these beautiful animals and the forests they live in, and I promised myself I would do everything I could to help them.
1 What did the writer expect the trek to be like?
(A) He thought it would be a simple, comfortable walk.
(B) He was worried it would be too difficult for him.
(C) He expected to see gorillas as soon as he left the hotel.
(D) He believed the jungle would be full of dangerous animals.
2 How did the writer feel during the hike?
(A) Annoyed that the guide was walking too fast.
(B) Shocked by how much it rained in the jungle.
(C) Uncomfortable because of the difficult conditions.
(D) Surprised that there were no insects in the rainforest.
3 When the writer first saw the silverback gorilla, he
(A) tried to take a photograph as quickly as possible.
(B) felt terrified but then became fascinated.
(C) was disappointed that the gorilla ignored him.
(D) worried that the animal was going to attack the group.
4 How did the experience affect the writer in the end?
(A) He decided he wants to live in Rwanda in the future.
(B) He felt ashamed of how humans treat wild animals.
(C) He realized that his own daily problems are not that important.
(D) He wished he had spent more than an hour with the gorillas.
5 What would the writer write in an email to a friend?
(A) The trek was so tiring and uncomfortable that I really wouldn’t recommend it, even though the gorillas were nice.
(B) Seeing the gorillas was an unforgettable experience that changed how I see the world, despite the incredibly tough journey.
(C) I was lucky to see a silverback gorilla, but I was disappointed that it didn’t do much except eat leaves.
(D) If you want to see wild gorillas, make sure you practice hiking on clear paths first because it takes a long time.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In the first paragraph, the writer states, “I pictured a relaxing walk along a clear path… I thought we would hike for about an hour,” indicating he expected it to be easy and comfortable.
2 C – The second paragraph describes the writer dealing with “steep, muddy hills,” “unbearable humidity,” and “aching” legs, which all show how uncomfortable and challenging the conditions were.
3 B – The third paragraph explicitly mentions the writer’s emotional shift: “I initially felt a wave of fear, but that quickly turned into pure amazement.”
4 C – In the fourth paragraph, the writer reflects on the experience, noting that “my own life back home suddenly felt very small,” meaning his everyday human concerns no longer felt as significant.
5 B – This option effectively synthesizes the entire passage, acknowledging both the physical difficulty of the hike (the thick jungle and humidity) and the profound, life-changing impact of seeing the gorillas in the wild.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A furry friend in the Andes
When my parents first suggested a hiking trip to the Andes in Peru, I was incredibly excited. I had seen countless photos of the amazing mountains and ancient ruins online, and I couldn’t wait to explore them myself. I am usually a very active person who enjoys playing sports and running, so I confidently assumed the trekking would be a simple and easy activity for me. I didn’t even bother to do any extra training before we left home.
However, on the second morning of our trek, I quickly realised how wrong I was. As we climbed higher into the mountains, the air became much thinner. Despite my general fitness, I suddenly started to feel terrible. My head was aching, my legs felt as heavy as stones, and I became so dizzy that I had to sit down on a rock. The views around us were spectacular, with bright white snow on the peaks, but I felt too sick to care about them. I genuinely believed I would have to give up and return to our camp.
Just as I was about to tell my parents I couldn’t go any further, our local guide, Mateo, walked over. He smiled warmly and gently pulled a rope he was holding. Behind him was a small, incredibly fluffy alpaca with large, curious eyes. Mateo explained that the animal’s name was Chaska, and suggested I walk with her for a while. As I reached out to touch her soft wool, she made a funny humming sound and touched my hand with her nose. It was so unexpected and sweet that I completely forgot about my headache and started laughing.
Walking with Chaska changed everything. Having the alpaca walking beside me provided the perfect distraction from my physical discomfort. Whenever I felt tired, I just looked at her funny face and found the energy to take another step. Eventually, we reached the highest point of our trail. Standing there, looking out over the incredible valleys, I felt so proud. I learned that day that even when your body wants to quit, a little bit of unexpected joy can give you exactly the strength you need to succeed.
1 What did the writer think about the hike before it started?
(A) She was worried she wasn’t fit enough to complete it.
(B) She believed it would be an easy physical challenge.
(C) She was annoyed she had to do extra training for it.
(D) She expected to see a lot of wild animals on the trail.
2 Why did the writer have to sit down on a rock?
(A) She wanted to admire the snow on the mountain peaks.
(B) She was suffering from the physical effects of the altitude.
(C) She needed to wait for her parents to catch up with her.
(D) She had injured her legs while climbing the steep path.
3 What happened when Mateo brought the alpaca over?
(A) The alpaca was frightened by the writer’s sudden laughter.
(B) Mateo explained that the animal was feeling sick, too.
(C) The writer was surprised by the animal’s friendly behaviour.
(D) The writer was annoyed that she had to look after the animal.
4 How does the writer describe the final part of the hike?
(A) She realised physical fitness was the only way to reach the top.
(B) She felt sad because she knew she had to leave the alpaca behind.
(C) She was too exhausted to enjoy the incredible views at the end.
(D) She found that focusing on the animal helped her keep going.
5 What would the writer write in her travel blog?
(A) I always knew I was fit enough to climb the Andes. The altitude was tough, but I easily pushed through the pain on my own to reach the beautiful top!
(B) I almost didn’t finish my trek today because the thin air made me feel so sick. Luckily, making a new furry friend gave me the push I needed!
(C) Peru is amazing, but I definitely wouldn’t recommend hiking in the mountains unless you have trained for months beforehand. It’s just too dangerous.
(D) Our guide Mateo was great, but I was so annoyed when he made me lead an alpaca up the mountain. It just made my headache so much worse!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text in paragraph 1 states that she is an active person and “confidently assumed the trekking would be a simple and easy activity for me.”
2 B – In paragraph 2, the writer mentions that as the air became thinner, she felt terrible, dizzy, and her legs felt heavy, which caused her to sit down. She was too sick to admire the peaks, eliminating option A.
3 C – In paragraph 3, the alpaca made a funny sound and touched her hand, which the writer describes as “so unexpected and sweet” that it made her laugh.
4 D – Paragraph 4 explains that the alpaca was the “perfect distraction from my physical discomfort,” and looking at the animal’s face gave her the energy to take another step.
5 B – This option perfectly synthesises the global narrative of the text: the writer struggled significantly with altitude sickness but managed to finish the challenging hike thanks to the distraction and joy brought by the alpaca.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Puffin Watching in Iceland
When my family decided to visit Iceland for our summer holidays, I was mostly looking forward to the amazing waterfalls and volcanoes. However, my dad had another plan in mind: puffin watching. He had read that these small seabirds gather on the coast during the summer months. I agreed it sounded like a fun idea, imagining a gentle walk along the beach to take some nice photos in the sunshine.
The reality, however, was quite different. To see the puffins, we had to drive to a remote area and climb up to some high cliffs. As soon as we stepped out of the car, the freezing wind hit us. It was so strong that it almost blew me over, and I had to hold onto my dad’s jacket just to walk in a straight line. Standing near the edge of the cliff, looking out at the grey, empty ocean, my toes quickly went numb. I started to wonder if this freezing trip was a huge mistake.
We waited for what felt like hours, but there were no birds. Just as I was about to ask if we could go back to the warm car, a dark shape appeared in the sky, followed by dozens more. The puffins had finally arrived! As they got closer, I could see their bright orange beaks and funny black-and-white bodies. They looked very serious but were surprisingly clumsy in the air.
Watching them land was the best part. Instead of landing gracefully like other birds, they seemed to crash onto the grass, tumbling forward on their little orange feet. Suddenly, nobody was complaining about the freezing wind anymore. My family and the other tourists around us started laughing out loud at the birds’ funny behaviour. The puffins walked around awkwardly, completely ignoring the humans laughing at them. It was impossible to stay in a bad mood while watching them.
Looking back, that windy afternoon on the cliff was actually the highlight of our entire trip. The weather was absolutely terrible, but it made the moment the puffins arrived feel even more special. It taught me that sometimes you have to put up with a bit of discomfort to see something truly amazing. I just know that next time, I’ll definitely pack a thicker coat!
1 What did the writer expect the puffin watching trip to be like?
(A) He thought it would be a relaxing experience in good weather.
(B) He expected to see volcanoes and waterfalls on the beach.
(C) He believed they would have to climb high cliffs.
(D) He was worried it would be too hot for a long walk.
2 How did the writer feel when they were standing on the cliff?
(A) He was worried that his dad would fall over in the wind.
(B) He was angry that there were no other tourists around.
(C) He began to doubt if the experience was worth the physical discomfort.
(D) He was scared because the ocean looked extremely dangerous.
3 When the puffins finally appeared, the writer noticed that they
(A) were much larger than he had imagined.
(B) looked quite awkward when they were flying.
(C) seemed scared of the strong winds on the cliff.
(D) had completely black bodies and beaks.
4 What effect did the puffins have on the people watching?
(A) They made everyone forget about the terrible weather conditions.
(B) They made the crowd want to walk much closer to them.
(C) They annoyed the tourists by making too much noise.
(D) They made the writer want to leave the cliff immediately.
5 What would the writer write in his diary about the trip to the cliffs?
(A) The freezing wind made the trip a total disaster. I wish we had just gone to look at the waterfalls instead.
(B) The puffins were very beautiful, but it’s a pity they didn’t come closer to us while we were waiting in the cold.
(C) I’m glad we saw the puffins, but next time I’ll make sure we go in the summer when the weather is much warmer.
(D) Even though the weather was awful and we had to wait a long time, seeing those funny little birds was completely worth it.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In paragraph 1, the writer states that he was “imagining a gentle walk along the beach to take some nice photos in the sunshine.”
2 C – In paragraph 2, the writer describes his toes going numb from the freezing wind and says, “I started to wonder if this freezing trip was a huge mistake.”
3 B – In paragraph 3, the writer describes the puffins in the sky and notes that they “were surprisingly clumsy in the air.”
4 A – In paragraph 4, the writer explains that once the birds landed, “nobody was complaining about the freezing wind anymore” and everyone was laughing instead.
5 D – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and the writer’s final reflection in paragraph 5, acknowledging the terrible weather but concluding that the amazing experience was worth the discomfort.