Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Wildlife Encounters 8
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding Magic in the Rock Pools
Every summer, my family rents a small cottage on the coast of Cornwall for our holidays. When I was younger, I used to love exploring the beach, but this year, as a fifteen-year-old, I wasn’t particularly excited. I spent the first two days reading in my room or listening to music. My parents suggested we go looking for sea creatures in the rock pools, but I immediately refused. I honestly believed that searching for crabs and tiny fish was an activity strictly for little kids, not for someone my age.
However, by the third afternoon, my phone battery had died, and I was incredibly bored. I decided to take a walk along the shore just to get out of the house. The tide had gone out, leaving behind dozens of deep pools of seawater among the dark rocks. I sat down next to one of the largest pools and stared into the water. At first glance, it looked completely empty, containing just some brown seaweed and ordinary grey stones. I was about to stand up and walk back to the cottage when something suddenly moved.
I leaned closer and couldn’t believe my eyes. Right at the bottom of the pool, a small octopus was slowly changing its colour to match the sand around it! It was so perfectly hidden that it was almost impossible to see. Suddenly fascinated, I stayed perfectly still and kept watching. A few minutes later, I spotted a beautiful, bright orange starfish hiding under a large rock. It wasn’t the common type I used to see as a child, but a rare species I had only ever seen in biology books.
I ended up spending the next two hours moving from pool to pool, completely forgetting about my phone and my boredom. Every rock pool seemed like a tiny, secret ocean world. Finding those amazing creatures completely changed my attitude and brought back the curiosity I used to feel when I was a little boy. I finally understood that exploring nature isn’t just for young children. In fact, I am already looking forward to tomorrow’s low tide, and this time, I’ll be the one asking my parents to join me!
1 Why didn’t the writer want to go to the rock pools at first?
(A) He thought he was too old for that kind of activity.
(B) He wanted to spend time listening to music with his parents.
(C) He disliked the small cottage they rented in Cornwall.
(D) He was tired from exploring the beach when he was younger.
2 Why did the writer eventually go down to the shore?
(A) He wanted to find a large rock pool to swim in.
(B) He had nothing else to do because his phone stopped working.
(C) His parents forced him to get out of the house.
(D) He wanted to collect some grey stones and seaweed.
3 What surprised the writer about the octopus?
(A) how quickly it swam away from him
(B) how brightly coloured it was compared to the starfish
(C) how well it blended in with its surroundings
(D) how it managed to hide under a biology book
4 How does the writer feel at the end of the text?
(A) disappointed that he couldn’t take photos with his phone
(B) excited to continue his new hobby with his family
(C) embarrassed that he acted like a little boy all afternoon
(D) proud that he knew so much about different marine species
5 What would the writer write in his diary that evening?
(A) I can’t believe my parents made me go to the beach today. Looking at seaweed in the rock pools was just as boring as I expected.
(B) My phone died, which was annoying, but I’m glad I stayed in my room instead of doing childish activities on the beach.
(C) I thought exploring rock pools was just for kids, but seeing the octopus and starfish reminded me how amazing the ocean really is!
(D) Finding the orange starfish was quite interesting, but I doubt I’ll ever go back to the rock pools again unless I have to.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – The text states the writer “believed that searching for crabs and tiny fish was an activity strictly for little kids, not for someone my age,” meaning he thought he was too old.
2 B – The writer says “my phone battery had died, and I was incredibly bored,” which explains why he took a walk along the shore.
3 C – The text describes the octopus “changing its colour to match the sand around it” and being “so perfectly hidden”, which means it blended in well with its surroundings.
4 B – In the final paragraph, the writer says, “I am already looking forward to tomorrow’s low tide, and this time, I’ll be the one asking my parents to join me!”, showing his excitement to continue the activity with them.
5 C – This statement captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: transitioning from thinking rock pools were for young children to being amazed by marine life and having his curiosity reignited.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Moose Spotting in Sweden
Last summer, my family travelled to Sweden for a two-week holiday. My parents love nature, so we spent most of our time hiking and exploring the countryside. On our final evening, my dad announced a surprise activity: we were going on a driving tour through the forest to look for wild moose. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled. We had already seen thousands of trees during our trip, and the idea of spending another two hours staring at more dark woods didn’t sound like fun. All I really wanted to do was stay at the hotel and eat pizza.
We set off just as the sun was beginning to set. Dad explained that dusk was the best time to see wild animals because they come out to look for food. For the first hour, we drove slowly along narrow, bumpy dirt roads. My parents had their faces pressed against the windows, eagerly searching the shadows. I, on the other hand, was sitting in the back seat, feeling quite bored. The forest was thick and dark, and despite my dad’s excitement, there was absolutely nothing to see except endless rows of pine trees.
Then, everything changed. Dad suddenly pressed the brakes, bringing the car to a quiet stop. He pointed straight ahead, completely speechless. I leaned forward and couldn’t believe my eyes. Stepping out from the dark trees was the largest animal I had ever seen. It was a male moose with enormous horns. He didn’t seem frightened of our car at all. He stood in the middle of the road, turned his huge head to look at us for a moment, and then continued walking. It felt as though time had completely stopped while we watched him glide gracefully across the road.
A few seconds later, the magnificent creature disappeared into the bushes on the other side. Nobody in the car said a word for a long time. We were all just in shock. When I finally spoke, I admitted to my parents that the long, boring drive had been completely worth it. I had never felt so close to wild nature before. If we ever return to Sweden, I will be the first one to suggest a drive into the forest.
1 How did the writer feel when they first heard about the driving tour?
(A) Annoyed because his dad hadn’t told him about it earlier.
(B) Unenthusiastic because he was tired of looking at nature.
(C) Excited about going on a new adventure in the dark woods.
(D) Worried that they wouldn’t be able to find any wild animals.
2 During the first hour of the drive, the writer
(A) helped his parents search for food in the forest.
(B) felt surprised by how many animals they could see.
(C) asked his dad to drive faster on the bumpy roads.
(D) lacked interest while his parents looked for wildlife.
3 What surprised the writer about the moose?
(A) It seemed completely unafraid of the family’s vehicle.
(B) It made a sudden loud noise that shocked the family.
(C) It was much smaller than the writer had imagined.
(D) It ran quickly away as soon as it saw the car.
4 How did the writer feel after the moose disappeared?
(A) Disappointed because he didn’t manage to take a photo.
(B) Amazed, and glad that he had gone on the trip.
(C) Worried that the wild animal might come back.
(D) Upset that the rest of his family wouldn’t speak to him.
5 What would the writer text to a friend about the experience?
(A) I can’t believe how big the moose was! It was a great holiday, but I really wish my dad hadn’t made us drive for hours just to see one animal.
(B) We went looking for moose tonight. We finally saw one, but it disappeared into the bushes before we could get a good look at it.
(C) I really didn’t want to go driving in the woods tonight because I was bored of seeing trees. But seeing a giant wild moose completely changed my mind!
(D) My parents love nature, so we went to the forest again. I stayed in the car the whole time, so I completely missed the giant moose that crossed the road.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – The text states the writer “wasn’t thrilled” and the idea “didn’t sound like fun” because they had “already seen thousands of trees.”
2 D – In paragraph 2, the writer says his parents “eagerly” searched the shadows, while he was “sitting in the back seat, feeling quite bored” (lacking interest).
3 A – The writer notes in paragraph 3 that the huge animal “didn’t seem frightened of our car at all,” and simply stood in the road before continuing to walk gracefully.
4 B – The writer states in paragraph 4 that they were “in shock” (amazed) and admitted to their parents that the “boring drive had been completely worth it” (glad they went).
5 C – This option accurately captures the global meaning and emotional arc of the text: starting with boredom and an unwillingness to see more trees, and ending with complete amazement after the magical encounter with the moose.
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Lessons from a Sloth
I’ve always been someone who does everything at top speed. Whether I’m eating breakfast, rushing through homework, or chatting with friends, I’m always in a hurry. So, when my parents announced we were visiting a sloth sanctuary during our family holiday in Costa Rica, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. I knew sloths were famous for doing absolutely nothing but resting. To an impatient person like me, spending a whole morning watching animals sleep sounded like a complete waste of time. I would have much preferred to go zip-lining or surfing.
When we arrived at the rescue centre, our guide, Mateo, explained that the sanctuary cared for injured and orphaned sloths until they could return to the wild. I tried to pay attention, but I was already tapping my foot, waiting for some action. Mateo led us into a large, leafy area and pointed to a branch just above our heads. There, hanging upside down, was a brown, furry creature. “This is Bella,” Mateo whispered. “She was rescued after falling from a tree as a baby.”
I watched Bella carefully. Slowly, she opened her eyes and decided to reach for a fresh green leaf. It took her almost a full minute just to move her arm a few centimetres. At first, I felt incredibly frustrated; I actually wanted to pull the branch closer to her so she could eat faster! But as I kept watching, my feelings began to change. Because she moved so slowly, I started noticing all the small details—her gentle brown eyes, her long three-toed claws, and her peaceful smile. For the first time in my life, I stood completely still.
By the time our tour finished and we left the sanctuary, I felt unusually relaxed. Bella and the other rescued animals had shown me something important. Not everything in life needs to be completed in a massive hurry. In fact, if you rush through your days, you might miss the beautiful, quiet details along the way. Now that I am back home, I still have a busy school schedule, but I try to take a “sloth moment” every single day. I sit quietly, breathe deeply, and just enjoy the present. It has definitely made me a calmer person.
1 Why was the writer unhappy about visiting the sanctuary at first?
(A) She thought the animals would be too boring to watch.
(B) She was angry that she had to do homework on holiday.
(C) She was afraid of doing outdoor activities like zip-lining.
(D) She believed the journey there would take too much time.
2 How did the writer behave when the guide was talking?
(A) She was fascinated by his stories about injured animals.
(B) She was restless because she wanted something exciting to happen.
(C) She was worried about a baby animal that had fallen from a tree.
(D) She was busy looking for a brown, furry creature in the branches.
3 What was the writer’s initial reaction when Bella reached for the leaf?
(A) She was amazed by the strange shape of the sloth’s claws.
(B) She felt calm when she saw the animal’s peaceful smile.
(C) She felt annoyed and wished the animal would speed up.
(D) She tried to pull the branch down so the sloth could eat.
4 What does the writer do differently now she is back home?
(A) She has decided to spend less time on her schoolwork.
(B) She plans to go back to Costa Rica to work with rescued animals.
(C) She tries to finish all her daily tasks without rushing them.
(D) She makes an effort to stop and relax for a short time daily.
5 What would the writer text her best friend about the trip?
(A) I finally got to go zip-lining in the jungle! It was so fast and exciting, exactly the kind of adventure I needed.
(B) The sanctuary was alright, but the guide talked too much. I wish we could have seen the animals doing something more energetic.
(C) I never thought I’d learn so much from an animal that just sleeps! Seeing the sloths really made me rethink how fast I live my life.
(D) I’m trying to bring a rescued baby sloth home with me! They are so cute and would be the perfect pet to help me relax.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A – In paragraph 1, the writer states she wasn’t thrilled because spending the morning “watching animals sleep sounded like a complete waste of time,” indicating she thought it would be boring.
2 B – Paragraph 2 explains that she tried to pay attention but was “already tapping my foot, waiting for some action,” showing she was restless and impatient for excitement.
3 C – In paragraph 3, the writer says that when Bella took a minute to move her arm, “At first, I felt incredibly frustrated; I actually wanted to pull the branch closer to her so she could eat faster!”
4 D – Paragraph 4 details that despite a busy schedule, the writer now takes a “sloth moment” every day where she will “sit quietly, breathe deeply, and just enjoy the present.”
5 C – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and the writer’s emotional arc: she initially thought sleeping animals were a waste of time but ultimately learned the value of slowing down her rushed lifestyle.