Practice English Reading Exercises for B1 – Winter, Outdoor and Adventure Sports 2
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Hooked on Hockey
I’ve always loved watching ice hockey on television. The speed of the players and the excitement of the games always amazed me. However, my own physical experience was limited to a few relaxing public skating sessions with my friends. When my local ice rink advertised a weekend training camp for absolute beginners, I decided it was time to finally try the sport myself. I filled out the online form, but as the first day approached, I felt extremely anxious. I worried that everyone else would be much better at skating than me.
Arriving at the rink, my first challenge was simply getting dressed. I had to put on heavy protective pads, thick gloves, and a tight helmet. Walking around the changing room felt strange and uncomfortable. When our coach, David, handed me my hockey stick, things became even more complicated. I was used to swinging my arms freely to keep my balance while skating, but holding the stick with both hands meant I had to completely change how I moved on the ice.
During the morning session, David introduced some basic exercises. We had to skate forward, control the small rubber puck with our sticks, and look up to see where we were going simultaneously. For me, it was a complete sensory overload. My brain simply couldn’t process doing three different things at once. Every time I looked down at the puck, I immediately lost my balance and fell onto the cold ice. By lunchtime, I was exhausted and seriously considered giving up and going home.
Despite my frustration, I stayed for the practice match in the afternoon. For the first ten minutes, I just tried to stay out of everyone’s way. Then, suddenly, a teammate passed the puck directly to me near the opposite team’s net. Without even thinking, I swung my stick as hard as I could. To my absolute astonishment, the puck flew straight past the goalkeeper and into the net!
My teammates immediately skated over to celebrate with me. Even though I knew it was mostly just a lucky shot, the feeling of scoring was incredible. That single moment completely changed my attitude towards the sport. I quickly forgot about the confusing morning drills and the heavy equipment. I realise now that learning ice hockey takes a huge amount of patience, but I am totally hooked. I have already signed up for regular weekly lessons!
1 Why did the writer decide to join the training camp?
(A) He wanted to improve his basic ice skating skills with his friends.
(B) He wanted to take his interest in a televised sport to a practical level.
(C) He was invited to attend by the manager of the local ice rink.
(D) He wanted to prove he was better at skating than the other beginners.
2 What did the writer find difficult when he first got on the ice?
(A) The protective pads were too heavy for him to stand up safely.
(B) The tight helmet made it hard for him to hear the coach’s instructions.
(C) He couldn’t use his arms to help him stay steady while moving.
(D) His thick gloves made it impossible to grip the hockey stick properly.
3 During the morning exercises, the writer
(A) found it impossible to concentrate on multiple tasks at the same time.
(B) asked the coach if he could go home early before the lunch break.
(C) kept falling over because he was looking up at the other players.
(D) successfully learned how to control the rubber puck with his stick.
4 How did the writer feel after the practice match?
(A) Disappointed that he only managed to score one goal.
(B) Embarrassed because his goal was just a lucky accident.
(C) Relieved that he wouldn’t have to wear the heavy equipment again.
(D) Enthusiastic about continuing to learn and improve at the sport.
5 What would the writer text to his friend that evening?
(A) Ice hockey is much easier than it looks on television! The equipment is a bit heavy, but scoring goals is actually quite simple.
(B) The training camp was terrible. The coach made us do too many things at once, so I left before the afternoon match even started.
(C) I nearly quit ice hockey today because doing everything at once was so confusing. But then I actually scored a goal and now I love it!
(D) I finally played ice hockey today! I had a great time from the very beginning, mainly because I’m already such a fantastic ice skater.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – Paragraph 1 states that the writer had “always loved watching ice hockey on television” and eventually “decided it was time to finally try the sport myself,” which means taking his interest to a practical level.
2 C – Paragraph 2 explains that he was “used to swinging my arms freely to keep my balance,” but holding the stick with both hands meant he had to change how he moved, meaning he couldn’t use his arms to stay steady.
3 A – Paragraph 3 details how trying to skate, control the puck, and look up was a “complete sensory overload” and his brain “couldn’t process doing three different things at once” (multiple tasks).
4 D – Paragraph 5 highlights that the single moment of scoring “completely changed my attitude” and that he is “totally hooked” and has “already signed up for regular weekly lessons,” showing his enthusiasm.
5 C – This option successfully captures the global narrative and emotional arc of the text: the writer was initially overwhelmed and wanted to quit, but experiencing the thrill of a lucky goal made him fall in love with the sport.
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Walk in the Winter Woods
My family loves going to the mountains for our winter holidays. Usually, we spend all our time skiing, but this year, my parents suggested we try something completely different: snowshoeing. When we rented the equipment, I was quite surprised. The snowshoes looked exactly like giant tennis rackets! You have to attach them to your winter boots so that you don’t sink deeply into the soft snow. I was quite excited to try a new sport, but as we walked towards the edge of the forest, I felt incredibly clumsy and worried I would trip over my own feet.
During the first half hour, it was definitely a struggle. Walking in snowshoes requires a completely different technique compared to normal walking. You have to lift your knees quite high and keep your legs slightly wider apart than usual. My younger brother couldn’t get the rhythm right at first and kept stepping on his own shoes. At one point, even my dad lost his balance and fell backward into a huge pile of soft snow. We all laughed out loud, but I quickly realised that this activity was going to be physically exhausting.
As we climbed higher up the mountain, the path became much steeper. My legs started to ache, and I was breathing heavily in the freezing air. However, the environment around us was absolutely magical. Because there were no ski lifts or large crowds of people, the forest was completely silent. We stopped for a short break to drink some warm hot chocolate from a flask, and I enjoyed watching the snow falling gently from the dark green trees. It was a very peaceful moment that made me forget about my tired muscles.
After two hours of continuous climbing, we finally reached the summit. As I looked down over the valley, I was amazed. The frozen landscape spread out for miles below us, shining brightly in the winter sun. It was an unforgettable sight. I suddenly understood why people choose to do such a tiring activity. Although snowshoeing is definitely harder work than taking a ski lift, the feeling of achieving something difficult makes the beautiful views even more special. Next winter, I’m going to make sure we explore another mountain on our snowshoes.
1 How did the writer feel when she first started walking in the snowshoes?
(A) Disappointed that they didn’t look like her usual skis.
(B) Awkward and concerned that she might fall over.
(C) Confident because she had played a lot of tennis before.
(D) Annoyed that it took so long to attach them to her boots.
2 What happened during the first part of the walk?
(A) The writer’s dad hurt himself falling into the deep snow.
(B) The writer’s brother decided to take his snowshoes off.
(C) The family struggled to learn the correct walking technique.
(D) The family walked much faster than they had expected.
3 Why did the writer enjoy the break in the forest?
(A) She was able to chat with some other tourists on the path.
(B) She could listen to the interesting sounds of the wild animals.
(C) She wanted to sleep because her body was so exhausted.
(D) She appreciated how quiet and beautiful the surroundings were.
4 Reaching the top of the mountain made the writer realise that
(A) taking a ski lift is the best way to see the frozen landscape.
(B) the incredible scenery was a fair reward for the hard work.
(C) she prefers ordinary skiing to walking up steep mountains.
(D) they should have brought more food for such a long journey.
5 What would the writer write in her blog about the trip?
(A) I’m glad we didn’t go skiing this year. Snowshoeing is incredibly easy and you don’t even need any special equipment for your boots!
(B) The frozen landscape was pretty, but I won’t go snowshoeing again. Walking with giant tennis rackets on my feet was just too embarrassing.
(C) We finally tried snowshoeing today. It was quite tiring and clumsy at first, but the amazing views from the top made it a brilliant experience.
(D) We reached the summit today! Unfortunately, my dad fell in the snow and was miserable, so the journey was completely ruined.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B – In the first paragraph, the writer says, “I felt incredibly clumsy and worried I would trip over my own feet,” which perfectly paraphrases to feeling awkward and concerned she might fall over.
2 C – Paragraph two explains that “Walking in snowshoes requires a completely different technique” and mentions that her brother couldn’t get the rhythm right and her dad lost his balance. This means the family struggled to learn the correct walking technique.
3 D – In the third paragraph, the writer notes that the forest was “completely silent” and it was a “very peaceful moment” as she watched the snow gently falling, which matches appreciating how quiet and beautiful the surroundings were.
4 B – Paragraph four states, “Although snowshoeing is definitely harder work than taking a ski lift, the feeling of achieving something difficult makes the beautiful views even more special.” This shows the scenery was a reward for the hard work.
5 C – This option successfully synthesizes the writer’s overall experience. It mentions the initial difficulties (“tiring and clumsy at first” from paragraphs 1 and 2) and her final positive conclusion about the reward of the journey (“amazing views from the top made it a brilliant experience” from paragraph 4).
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Scandinavian dog sledding adventure
by Mia Carter
Last winter, my family and I travelled to northern Norway for a holiday. I was hoping to see the famous Northern Lights, but my parents had also booked a surprise activity for us: a dog sledding trip. I had seen pictures of people riding across the snow pulled by beautiful dogs, and it looked like a peaceful, relaxing way to spend a morning. I couldn’t wait to sit back and enjoy the amazing winter scenery.
However, when we arrived at the sledding camp, the atmosphere was completely different from what I had expected. There were dozens of dogs, and they were barking so loudly that I could hardly hear my own voice. They were jumping up and down, full of energy and desperate to start running. I was surprised by how strong they looked. Then, the guide explained that we weren’t just going to be passengers. We actually had to stand at the back and drive our own sleds!
Before we set off, the guide gave us a quick safety talk. The most important rule was about turning corners. He told us that the dogs run incredibly fast, and if we didn’t balance properly, the sled would easily flip over in the snow. To prevent this, we had to lean our body weight to the side whenever the track curved. Suddenly, my relaxing morning sounded like a serious physical challenge, and I felt quite nervous as I stepped onto the back of the wooden sled.
As soon as the guide let go of the ropes, the dogs rushed forward. The speed was unbelievable. At first, I was terrified of falling off. Every time we reached a corner, I had to hold on tightly and lean as far as I could. My arms and legs were working hard to keep the sled upright. But after about twenty minutes, I started to understand the rhythm. I stopped worrying and began to move smoothly with the sled.
Once we were deep in the forest, the dogs stopped barking, and the only sound was the snow under our runners. It was magical. By the time we returned to the camp, I was completely exhausted, but I felt incredibly proud. I had learned to work together with the dogs, and it was easily the best experience of my life.
1 Why was Mia looking forward to the dog sledding trip?
(A) She wanted to learn how to drive a team of strong dogs.
(B) She thought it would be a calm and easy experience.
(C) She hoped it would help her see the Northern Lights.
(D) She had watched television programmes about the animals.
2 What surprised Mia when she arrived at the camp?
(A) The guide was not ready to start the tour on time.
(B) The dogs were much smaller than she had imagined.
(C) The amount of noise and energy the dogs had.
(D) The bad weather conditions in the local area.
3 The guide told Mia that she needed to
(A) pull the ropes tightly to stop the dogs from running.
(B) move her body to stop the sled from falling over.
(C) step off the sled whenever it went round a sharp corner.
(D) warn the dogs when a difficult turn was approaching.
4 During the ride, Mia
(A) became annoyed because her arms and legs were hurting.
(B) gradually became more confident in her ability to control the sled.
(C) decided to make the dogs run at a much slower speed.
(D) wished she had paid more attention to the safety talk.
5 What would Mia write in her diary that evening?
(A) The dogs were much too loud and scary. I’m glad I just got to sit in the sled while the guide drove us through the forest.
(B) I successfully managed to balance the sled, but I don’t think I’ll ever go sledding again because it was just too dangerous.
(C) The guide’s instructions were very confusing, which meant my sled flipped over in the snow. It ruined the whole trip for me.
(D) I was expecting a relaxing ride, but driving the sled was actually a tough physical challenge. However, I absolutely loved it!
Answer Key & Explanations
1 (B) – In paragraph 1, Mia says, “it looked like a peaceful, relaxing way to spend a morning. I couldn’t wait to sit back and enjoy the amazing winter scenery.” This paraphrases expecting a calm and easy experience.
2 (C) – In paragraph 2, Mia describes the camp atmosphere, saying the dogs “were barking so loudly” and were “jumping up and down, full of energy”. This maps to being surprised by the amount of noise and energy.
3 (B) – In paragraph 3, the guide explains that if she didn’t balance, the sled would flip, so she “had to lean our body weight to the side whenever the track curved.” This matches moving her body to stop the sled from falling over.
4 (B) – In paragraph 4, Mia explains that while she was terrified at first, after twenty minutes she “started to understand the rhythm,” “stopped worrying,” and “began to move smoothly.” This shows her gradually becoming more confident.
5 (D) – This option perfectly captures the global meaning and narrative arc of the text: Mia’s initial expectation (a relaxing ride), the reality of the situation (a tough physical challenge to drive the sled), and her final emotional response (pride and loving the experience).