Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Career Changes & Taking Leaps 8

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four former lawyers who left the legal field to become chefs.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   used their previous professional skills to benefit their new business?

2   studied the culinary arts while still working in the legal profession?

3   experienced disapproval from relatives regarding their career change?

4   mentions a specific event that triggered their decision to switch careers?

5   appreciates seeing the immediate, physical results of their hard work?

6   points out that their current job is just as demanding, but in a different way?

7   deliberately created an establishment focused on bringing people together?

8   felt frustrated by the strict, unimaginative nature of their former job?

9   was willing to accept a significant drop in their income?

10   took a considerable financial risk to fund their new venture?

From the Courtroom to the Kitchen

A Marcus

I spent nearly a decade working as a corporate litigator, and while the salary was exceptional, I felt utterly drained by the endless paperwork. People often assume that swapping the courtroom for a commercial kitchen means leaving stress behind. Actually, the pressure during a busy dinner service is intense, but it’s a physical exhaustion rather than a mental one, which I vastly prefer. When I handed in my notice, my colleagues thought I’d lost my mind. I certainly don’t take home the kind of money I used to, but the pay cut has been entirely worth it for my peace of mind. Surprisingly, my legal background hasn’t gone to waste. When I’m securing contracts with local farmers or negotiating leases for my restaurant space, my former training gives me a distinct advantage. I might have traded my tailored suits for a chef’s apron, but I still know how to drive a hard bargain.

B Elena

For me, the legal field was incredibly rigid. I specialised in property law, which left absolutely no room for imagination or personal expression. I had always been passionate about cooking, but the turning point came during a holiday in Sicily. I tasted a simple, rustic pasta dish and suddenly realised that I wanted to spend my life making food that makes people feel that exact same joy. Returning home, I made the terrifying decision to pour my entire life savings into acquiring a small, rundown bistro. It was a massive gamble, and there were months when I genuinely feared I’d go bankrupt. Fortunately, my Mediterranean-inspired menu became a hit. I don’t use any of my legal knowledge anymore, but I don’t miss it either. I finally have the freedom to be inventive, designing new menus every season, and that creative liberty is something I never experienced in my former career.

C Julian

Coming from a long line of successful barristers, it was always taken for granted that I would follow in their footsteps. I complied, but my heart was never in it. When I announced I was leaving the firm to open a neighbourhood tapas bar, it caused a major rift. My parents were deeply disappointed and couldn’t understand why I’d throw away such a prestigious career. It took a couple of years, and a glowing review from a national food critic, for them to finally come around. My primary goal wasn’t just to serve great food; I wanted to establish a welcoming hub where locals could gather, chat, and unwind. The legal world is highly adversarial, constantly pitting people against each other. In contrast, my restaurant brings individuals together over shared meals. Seeing regular customers chatting across tables gives me a profound sense of achievement that winning a court case never did.

D Sophie

I didn’t abandon the legal profession overnight. I was too cautious to give up my steady income immediately, so I enrolled in an intensive culinary arts diploma, attending classes in the evenings after finishing my shifts at the law firm. It was an incredibly grueling year, running on caffeine and pure determination. Both jobs require you to work ridiculously long hours, but the end products are completely different. In law, you might spend months negotiating a contract, resulting in nothing more than a stack of signed papers. As a chef, the outcome of your labour is immediate and tangible. When I look out into the dining room and see empty plates and smiling faces, the satisfaction is instant. I took out a small bank loan to get the restaurant off the ground, but thankfully, we’ve been fully booked since opening night. I’ve finally found my true calling.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four people discussing how traveling the world for a year completely altered their career ambitions and led them to work in eco-tourism.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person

1   abandoned a formal educational path to pursue their new passion?

2   is grateful to have escaped a completely screen-based working environment?

3   admits to having initial reservations about the sudden drop in their income?

4   was motivated by seeing the environmental damage caused by excessive numbers of visitors?

5   established a network that connects individuals with practical conservation work?

6   highlights the importance of ensuring that local residents make a living from tourism?

7   successfully adapted the skills from their previous profession for their new business?

8   describes a disturbing encounter with marine waste that prompted their career shift?

9   had a profound realisation while participating in an organised wildlife tour?

10   feels their current lifestyle offers more personal satisfaction than their previous corporate role?

A Change of Scenery: From Backpackers to Eco-Tourism Leaders

A Liam

I used to work as an investment banker, earning a lucrative salary but feeling completely empty inside. I took a sabbatical to travel across Southeast Asia, expecting a year of pure relaxation. However, everything changed when I visited a remote island. Instead of pristine white sand, I was greeted by a disturbing scene: the shoreline was completely choked with plastic waste. That single, shocking encounter was my wake-up call. I realised I couldn’t return to a life of chasing profits while the planet suffered. I handed in my resignation, took a massive pay cut—which terrified me at first—and set up an eco-friendly travel agency. We focus on zero-waste itineraries and sustainable transport. Although I occasionally miss the financial security of my former profession, I wouldn’t trade places with my old self for the world. My current lifestyle offers a much deeper sense of fulfillment, knowing that I am actively contributing to the preservation of our fragile ecosystems.

B Sofia

Before I packed my bags for a gap year in South America, I was halfway through a rigorous law degree. I fully intended to return to my studies and eventually become a corporate lawyer. But during a guided excursion through a jungle reserve in Ecuador, the local guide explained how their indigenous community managed the sanctuary themselves. That moment of clarity changed everything for me. I saw firsthand how vital it is to ensure that native communities directly profit from the travellers exploring their homeland. Consequently, I made the difficult decision to drop out of university, abandoning my legal studies to earn a qualification in sustainable development. I now work as a consultant, helping rural communities set up eco-lodges that protect their cultural heritage. While my parents were initially shocked by my departure from formal education, they eventually came to terms with it once they saw how passionate I had become about ethical travel.

C Noah

For five years, I was a software developer, spending up to twelve hours a day glaring at lines of code. I saved up enough to take a twelve-month trip around Africa, hoping to clear my head. While in Kenya, I stumbled upon a rhino sanctuary that was desperately short of temporary helpers. I ended up staying for three months! Mucking out enclosures and feeding the animals was physically exhausting, but the profound relief of not being tethered to a digital device all day was indescribable. It suddenly dawned on me that countless other burnt-out professionals were probably craving the exact same escape. That’s why I founded a service that links city workers with hands-on conservation projects across the globe. My platform matches individuals with ethical sanctuaries where they can do meaningful physical labor. I still use a computer occasionally to run the website, but my primary office is now the great outdoors.

D Elena

My year-long backpacking trip across Europe was supposed to be a well-deserved break from my high-pressure job as a marketing executive. However, as I trekked through some of the continent’s most famous natural parks, I was horrified by the destructive consequences of mass tourism. Trails were severely eroded, and wildlife was being pushed out of its natural habitat by large crowds. I knew then that I wanted to be part of the solution, not the problem. Rather than turning my back on my professional background entirely, I realised I could successfully repurpose my expertise. I launched a campaign promoting off-the-beaten-path destinations, drawing tourists away from overwhelmed hotspots. I use my deep knowledge of consumer behaviour and social media algorithms to highlight lesser-known, eco-conscious tours. It’s incredibly rewarding to use the very same promotional tools I once used to sell unnecessary commercial products to now protect vulnerable landscapes and promote responsible exploration.

Exercises:   123456