Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Creative & Performing Arts 6
Reading 1
You are going to read a magazine article about a person trying ice sculpting at a winter festival.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Melting Masterpieces
When I signed up for the introductory ice sculpting workshop at the annual Frostbite Winter Festival, I was absolutely captivated by the idea of creating art from frozen water. Having always admired the magnificent, crystal-clear swans that decorated the town square each February, I assumed carving ice would be a peaceful, meditative experience. If I had known how frantic the reality would turn out to be, I might have simply stuck to drinking hot chocolate and watching the professionals. Nevertheless, as I stood before my assigned one-metre block of flawless ice, I felt a surge of excitement. It looked completely solid and unyielding, practically begging to be transformed into the elegant leaping dolphin I had sketched in my notebook.
Our instructor, a seasoned sculptor named Lars, handed out tools with a stern warning. He explained that ice was a surprisingly fragile medium, demanding both physical strength and a delicate touch. “You must work decisively,” he told us, emphasizing that hesitation was the enemy of a good sculpture. Initially, I found the exertion highly satisfying. Armed with a chisel and a Japanese ice saw, I began to chip away at the corners. The ice yielded with satisfying crunches, sending showers of frosty shards onto my boots. I was thoroughly enjoying the process, feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment as the block slowly started to resemble the curved back of a sea creature. At that early stage, I genuinely believed the task would be a breeze.
However, Mother Nature had other plans. Mid-morning, the dense clouds that usually blanketed the festival parted, and an unseasonably warm sun beat down on our outdoor workshop. Almost immediately, the dynamic shifted. The surface of my dolphin, which had previously been dry, began to glisten with moisture. Drops of water trickled down, pooling at the base. Lars rushed around, urgently advising us to adapt our designs and abandon overly intricate details. “The ice is deteriorating rapidly,” he announced, pointing at a neighboring student’s collapsing tower. Panic rippled through the group. My beautiful edges were softening, and the dorsal fin I had spent thirty minutes meticulously shaping was beginning to look dangerously thin. I knew that would be the first thing to snap off.
What had started as a calm, artistic endeavor quickly morphed into a frantic race against the elements. If the temperature hadn’t risen so dramatically, I would have smoothed out the textured chisel marks, but now, the survival of the overall shape was my sole priority. I hacked away at the remaining block, completely abandoning my original blueprint. There was no time to carefully carve the dolphin’s face; instead, I focused on stabilizing the base so the top-heavy structure wouldn’t topple over. My movements became hurried and clumsy, and I found myself sweating despite the winter air. Several participants threw down their tools in frustration as their creations melted into unrecognizable lumps, but I was stubbornly determined to have something to show for my morning’s labor.
By noon, the workshop was officially called off. My dolphin was undeniably imperfect; its beak was blunt, and the majestic tail was lopsided. Yet, as the sunlight caught the melting ice, illuminating it from within like a glowing diamond, I found myself struck by its unique, transient beauty. I realized that the magic of ice sculpting doesn’t lie in creating a permanent masterpiece to be displayed forever in a gallery. Instead, the true value is found in the fleeting nature of the art itself. It was a poignant reminder to appreciate the present moment, knowing that soon, my hard work would simply return to the earth as a puddle of water. I walked away from the festival feeling oddly liberated, having learned to let go of perfection.
1 In the first paragraph, what were the writer’s expectations before the workshop began?
(A) She anticipated that the activity would be a calming pursuit.
(B) She intended to replicate the crystal-clear swans she had seen before.
(C) She was concerned that her block of ice would be too unyielding to carve.
(D) She planned to spend her time watching professional sculptors at work.
2 How did the writer feel during the initial stages of carving?
(A) She was annoyed by the stern warnings given by her instructor.
(B) She felt a growing sense of pride as her design began to emerge.
(C) She was worried because the ice yielded too easily to her tools.
(D) She believed the Japanese ice saw was the most satisfying tool to use.
3 What does the word ‘that’ refer to in the third paragraph?
(A) the unseasonably warm sun
(B) the student’s collapsing tower
(C) the dolphin’s dorsal fin
(D) the rapidly deteriorating ice
4 What is implied about the writer’s approach in the fourth paragraph?
(A) She chose to focus on the facial features of her sculpture instead of the body.
(B) She smoothed out the textured chisel marks to save time as the ice melted.
(C) She threw down her tools because her original blueprint was ruined.
(D) She prioritized the stability of her artwork over its intricate appearance.
5 What was the writer’s final impression of her sculpture?
(A) It was a glowing diamond that belonged in a permanent gallery.
(B) It was undeniably perfect despite the fact that its beak had melted.
(C) It possessed a special charm specifically because it would not last long.
(D) It was nothing more than a puddle of water by the time the workshop ended.
6 What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this article?
(A) to explain the complex techniques used by professional ice sculptors
(B) to complain about the unpredictable winter weather at the festival
(C) to describe how a challenging experience led to a meaningful realization
(D) to encourage others to take up ice sculpting as a permanent hobby
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A: The text states the writer “assumed carving ice would be a peaceful, meditative experience,” which paraphrases as a “calming pursuit.” Distractor B is a partial truth; she admired the swans, but she sketched a dolphin. Distractor D uses exact words from the text (“watching the professionals”), but this was what she said she might have done if she had known the truth, not her original plan.
2 B: The writer says she was “feeling a tremendous sense of accomplishment as the block slowly started to resemble the curved back of a sea creature.” Distractor D is a trap; she found the exertion satisfying, not just the saw itself. Distractor C is the opposite of how she felt.
3 C: The pronoun “that” refers back to the most recently mentioned noun phrase in danger: “the dorsal fin I had spent thirty minutes meticulously shaping was beginning to look dangerously thin.” She knew the fin would be the first thing to snap off.
4 D: The writer explains she “abandoned her original blueprint” and “focused on stabilizing the base so the top-heavy structure wouldn’t topple over,” implying she prioritized stability over the detailed appearance. Distractor A is the opposite of the text. Distractor B is a false match; she states she would have smoothed the marks if the temperature hadn’t risen.
5 C: The writer notes she was “struck by its unique, transient beauty” and realized “the true value is found in the fleeting nature of the art itself.” Distractor A is a literal misinterpretation of her simile (“like a glowing diamond”). Distractor D is false; it would soon return to a puddle, but hadn’t fully melted yet.
6 C: The text traces a narrative from a stressful, frantic challenge to a profound, philosophical conclusion about letting go of perfection and appreciating the present. Distractor A is too narrow and misses the emotional arc. Distractor D contradicts the main theme, which celebrates the impermanent nature of the art, not a “permanent” hobby.
Reading 2
You are going to read a magazine article about a teenager’s experience DJing at a school prom for the first time.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Saving the Night at the School Prom
When I was asked to be the DJ for my school’s summer prom, I initially hesitated, but the temptation to control the dance floor was simply too great to resist. For an entire month, I dedicated my evenings to meticulously curating the ultimate playlist. I poured over music charts, asking friends for their favourite tracks and ensuring I had a seamless mix of classics and current hits. By the time the big night arrived, my initial nerves had been completely replaced by a surging wave of confidence. I had set up my state-of-the-art laptop, the speakers were perfectly positioned, and the lighting rig was casting a dazzling array of colours across the gymnasium. I genuinely believed I had anticipated every single detail and was entirely assured of my success.
For the first two hours, the evening went exactly according to plan. The dance floor was packed with my classmates, moving energetically to the rhythm of the upbeat tempo I had selected. From my elevated booth, I had a fantastic view of the crowd, and seeing them enjoying the atmosphere gave me an incredible thrill. I remember thinking that being a DJ was far less complicated than professionals made it out to be. After all, the software was doing most of the heavy lifting, seamlessly transitioning from one song to the next. I was merely there to press a few buttons and occasionally adjust the volume. I was completely in my element, convinced that nothing could possibly ruin the magical vibe of the night.
However, my illusions of grandeur were abruptly shattered right in the middle of a highly anticipated dance track. Without any warning whatsoever, my laptop screen froze, locking onto a terrifyingly static image. A split second later, the music cut out completely, plunging the entire room into an excruciatingly awkward silence. The sudden absence of sound was deafening. Hundreds of pairs of eyes slowly turned towards the DJ booth, expecting me to fix the issue immediately. My heart began to hammer against my ribs as sheer panic washed over me. I frantically clicked the mouse and tapped the keyboard, hoping it would miraculously unfreeze, but the machine remained entirely unresponsive. I felt my face burning with intense humiliation.
I knew that rebooting the system would take several minutes, which is an absolute eternity when a crowd is waiting in silence. The murmurs of frustration were already beginning to ripple through the room, and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my audience. It was then that a wave of clarity pierced through my panic. If I hadn’t downloaded a backup playlist onto my smartphone earlier that week just in case, the night would have been a complete disaster. With trembling hands, I yanked the audio cable out of the frozen laptop and plugged it directly into my phone. I didn’t even have time to check the volume levels properly; I simply selected the most energetic, universally loved song I could find and hit play.
The heavy bassline blasted through the speakers, instantly shattering the tension in the room. There was a brief moment of hesitation from the crowd, followed by a massive cheer as they recognised the popular tune and rushed back onto the dance floor. The crisis had been successfully averted, and the energy in the room was somehow even higher than before. The rest of the evening proceeded without a hitch, and my laptop eventually decided to cooperate again, though I kept my phone close by just to be safe. Looking back, the experience taught me an invaluable lesson. It isn’t the expensive equipment or the perfectly curated playlist that makes a successful DJ. Rather, it is the ability to remain calm under pressure and think on your feet when things inevitably go wrong.
1 What does the writer say about his preparation for the prom?
(A) He spent a month asking friends to lend him audio equipment.
(B) He felt completely assured of his success before the event began.
(C) He hesitated to accept the job because he lacked the right music.
(D) He bought a state-of-the-art laptop specifically for the occasion.
2 How did the writer feel about DJing during the first two hours?
(A) He realised that adjusting the volume was the hardest part of the job.
(B) He was surprised by how much the crowd enjoyed his music selection.
(C) He believed the task was much easier than people claimed it to be.
(D) He was constantly worried that the software might suddenly stop working.
3 What does the word ‘it‘ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) the mouse
(B) the keyboard
(C) the laptop
(D) the DJ booth
4 Why didn’t the writer simply restart his computer?
(A) He didn’t know how to reboot the system properly.
(B) He realised his smartphone had a much better playlist.
(C) He couldn’t hear the murmurs of frustration in the room.
(D) He knew the audience would lose patience if he tried.
5 How did the crowd react when the music started again?
(A) They cheered because they were relieved the laptop was fixed.
(B) They rushed to the DJ booth to see what had happened.
(C) They were initially unsure before enthusiastically returning to dance.
(D) They complained that the volume levels were entirely wrong.
6 What is the writer’s main purpose in writing this article?
(A) to warn people against using laptops for live musical performances
(B) to explain how to curate the perfect playlist for a school event
(C) to describe how an unexpected problem taught him a valuable lesson
(D) to encourage teenagers to take up DJing as a professional career
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B: The text states that “my initial nerves had been completely replaced by a surging wave of confidence” and that he “genuinely believed I had anticipated every single detail and was entirely assured of my success.” Distractor A is a false match; he asked friends for their favourite tracks, not for equipment. Distractor C is false; he hesitated initially, but not because of lacking music. Distractor D contains a partial truth (he had a state-of-the-art laptop), but the text never states he bought it specifically for this event.
2 C: The writer explicitly says, “I remember thinking that being a DJ was far less complicated than professionals made it out to be.” Distractor A is a false match; he mentions adjusting the volume, but says he was “merely there to press a few buttons”, implying it was easy. Distractor D is the exact opposite of the text, as he was “convinced that nothing could possibly ruin the magical vibe”.
3 C: The pronoun refers back to the device that froze. The narrator clicked the mouse and tapped the keyboard hoping the “laptop screen” (or machine) would unfreeze.
4 D: The text mentions that “rebooting the system would take several minutes, which is an absolute eternity when a crowd is waiting in silence” and that he “couldn’t bear the thought of losing my audience.” Distractor A is unstated; he knew it would take time, not that he didn’t know how. Distractor B is a false match; his phone was a backup, not a better playlist. Distractor C is the opposite; he clearly states the murmurs were “already beginning to ripple through the room”.
5 C: The text states there was a “brief moment of hesitation from the crowd, followed by a massive cheer as they recognised the popular tune and rushed back onto the dance floor.” Distractor A is a false match; the crowd cheered for the song, and it was playing from a phone, not a fixed laptop. Distractor D uses the phrase “volume levels” from the previous paragraph to trick the reader, but no one complained.
6 C: The overall arc of the text details his initial confidence, the crisis of the broken laptop, his quick fix, and concludes with the reflection that the experience taught him “an invaluable lesson” about remaining calm under pressure. Distractor A is too specific and not his point (his laptop even started working again later). Distractor B is a minor detail from the first paragraph. Distractor D is completely unstated.
Reading 3
You are going to read a magazine article about a woman’s experience in a traditional calligraphy class.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Beauty of the Blemish
Ever since I enrolled in a traditional Japanese calligraphy class, I had been driven by an unrelenting desire for flawlessness. To me, calligraphy was a rigorous discipline where every brushstroke had to be exactly as the master demonstrated. For months, my teacher, Sensei Nakamura, had patiently observed my progress, occasionally hinting that I was perhaps too focused on technical precision. By the time our end-of-year exhibition approached, I had spent countless hours practising a single kanji character: ‘harmony’. I had prepared my workstation meticulously, convinced that if I controlled every variable, my final submission would be an absolute masterpiece.
The atmosphere in the studio on the day of the final assessment was incredibly tense. I took a deep breath, dipped my bamboo brush into the dark, fragrant liquid, and began to write. At first, the process felt wonderfully meditative. The brush glided across the premium rice paper, leaving bold, sweeping lines that perfectly mirrored the image I had in my head. I was completely absorbed in the rhythm of the movement, satisfied with how the character was taking shape. However, just as I was lifting the brush to complete the final, delicate tail of the word, disaster struck. My elbow brushed against the edge of the heavy inkstone, sending a large, undeniable splash of black ink directly onto the bottom corner of my pristine paper.
I froze, staring at the spreading dark stain in utter disbelief. A wave of profound devastation washed over me. All those weeks of intense dedication and late-night practice felt as though they had been completely pointless. If I hadn’t been so obsessed with getting the angle of my arm perfectly aligned, my artwork wouldn’t currently be sitting there ruined. My immediate impulse was to screw the paper into a tight ball and throw it into the bin. I felt a stinging sense of failure, convinced that the piece must be entirely unsalvageable, and that this represented the sudden end of my participation in the upcoming exhibition.
I stepped away from the desk to wash my ink-stained hands, trying to calm my racing heart. As the cold water ran over my fingers, I recalled something Sensei Nakamura had told me during my very first lesson. He had explained that true calligraphy is not simply about producing a photographic copy of a character, but rather about capturing the energy of the present moment. He had said that mistakes were an inevitable part of the human experience and should be embraced rather than feared. Looking back at the desk from across the room, I began to see things differently. The stark black splash didn’t look quite as catastrophic as it had initially appeared.
Returning to my workstation, I picked up a smaller, finer brush. Instead of attempting to hide the blotch with white paint or starting again from scratch—which the strict time limit wouldn’t allow anyway—I decided to work with the mistake. With a few swift, spontaneous strokes, I transformed the accidental spill into the rough, textured bark of a cherry blossom branch resting beneath the character. I then added a few tiny, pale pink petals drifting downwards. It was a risky move, but as I worked, the rigid tension in my shoulders finally began to ease.
When the exhibition opened the following week, my piece drew a surprising amount of attention. Viewers praised the dynamic contrast between the formal, structured calligraphy and the organic, spontaneous branch at the bottom. The experience fundamentally shifted my approach to art, and perhaps to life in general. I finally understood that striving for absolute perfection is a fruitless endeavour. Sometimes, it is the unexpected flaws and our ability to adapt to them that ultimately make a creation truly unique and beautiful.
1 What do we learn about the writer in the first paragraph?
(A) She felt her teacher’s strict instructions were too demanding.
(B) She believed that thorough preparation and strict accuracy were the keys to success.
(C) She was increasingly frustrated by the amount of time she had to spend practising.
(D) She wanted to create a completely unique version of a traditional character.
2 How did the writer feel immediately before the accident occurred?
(A) Anxious about making a mistake on the final brushstroke.
(B) Uncomfortable with the tense atmosphere in the studio.
(C) Deeply engaged and satisfied with her own performance.
(D) Worried that her ink was spreading too quickly across the paper.
3 What does the word ‘this‘ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) the strict alignment of her arm
(B) the physical act of throwing the paper away
(C) the catastrophic mistake she had just made
(D) her feeling of profound devastation
4 When recalling her teacher’s advice, the writer realised that
(A) she had completely misunderstood the meaning of the word she was writing.
(B) the true value of art lies in its expression rather than its absolute precision.
(C) she should have spent more time focusing on controlling her physical energy.
(D) her teacher had deliberately tried to make her fail the final assessment.
5 How did the writer deal with the spilled ink?
(A) She covered it up by painting over the mark with a white liquid.
(B) She used a different brush to incorporate the mark into her design.
(C) She quickly started the whole project again from the very beginning.
(D) She wiped the ink away swiftly before it could soak into the paper.
6 What is the writer’s main purpose in the text as a whole?
(A) to explain the complex techniques required to master Japanese calligraphy
(B) to encourage other students to embrace a more spontaneous style of painting
(C) to complain about the unrealistic standards expected in traditional art classes
(D) to demonstrate how a perceived disaster led to a valuable personal insight
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B: The writer states she was “driven by an unrelenting desire for flawlessness” and “prepared my workstation meticulously, convinced that if I controlled every variable, my final submission would be an absolute masterpiece.” This aligns with option B. Distractor A is false; her teacher actually hinted she was too focused on precision. Distractor C is a false match; she spent “countless hours practising” but doesn’t express frustration about the time spent. Distractor D is the opposite; she wanted every stroke to be “exactly as the master demonstrated.”
2 C: The text says that just before the accident, “the process felt wonderfully meditative,” she was “completely absorbed in the rhythm of the movement,” and “satisfied with how the character was taking shape.” Distractor A is a partial truth; she was on the “final, delicate tail,” but the text says she felt absorbed and satisfied, not anxious. Distractor B uses exact words from the text (“atmosphere in the studio… tense”) but misapplies it to her personal feeling while painting. Distractor D refers to an event that happened after the accident.
3 C: The pronoun ‘this’ refers to the accident and the ruined state of the paper (“convinced that the piece must be entirely unsalvageable, and that this represented the sudden end…”). Distractor A refers to what caused the mistake, not the outcome she is looking at. Distractor B refers to an impulse she had, but she didn’t actually do it. Distractor D describes her emotion, but ‘this’ points to the physical ruin of the project that she believes will disqualify her.
4 B: The teacher’s advice was that calligraphy “is not simply about producing a photographic copy… but rather about capturing the energy of the present moment” and that mistakes “should be embraced.” This means expression is more valuable than precision. Distractor A is unstated; she knows she is writing ‘harmony’ but hasn’t misunderstood its definition. Distractor C is a false match; the teacher mentioned the “energy of the present moment”, not controlling physical energy. Distractor D is completely unstated and illogical.
5 B: The writer states, “I picked up a smaller, finer brush… I decided to work with the mistake” and transformed the spill into a “cherry blossom branch”. Distractor A uses exact words from the text (“white paint”) but she explicitly says “Instead of attempting to hide the blotch with white paint”. Distractor C is false because the text says she couldn’t start “again from scratch” due to the time limit. Distractor D is a false match; she used “swift, spontaneous strokes”, not swift wiping.
6 D: The entire text describes a journey from rigid perfectionism to a catastrophic mistake, which ultimately teaches her that “striving for absolute perfection is a fruitless endeavour” and flaws make things beautiful. Distractor A is too specific; the text is a personal narrative, not a technical manual. Distractor B is a partial truth; she learns to be spontaneous, but she is sharing a personal realization, not directly instructing readers to change their style. Distractor C is the opposite; she embraces the art form and learns a positive lesson.