Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Green Lifestyle & Sustainable Consumerism 7

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four teenagers sharing the psychological concept of “eco-anxiety” and how constantly reading climate news negatively affects their mental health.

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 a digital application to actively restrict their access to distressing information?

2   felt a persistent sense of guilt despite adopting a highly sustainable daily routine?

3   struggled to envision their personal future due to a pessimistic global outlook?

4   acknowledges that their extreme views created friction with people close to them?

5   experienced a noticeable deterioration in their sleep patterns as a direct consequence?

6   found comfort in interacting with peers who were experiencing the exact same dread?

7   shifted their focus toward practical, local initiatives to regain a sense of control?

8   points out the disproportionate environmental damage caused by massive businesses?

9   admits they were initially unaware of the sheer amount of time they spent consuming bad news?

10   highlights the paralyzing effect of constantly reading alarming statistics and figures?

Navigating the Noise: Teenagers Battling Eco-Anxiety

A Leo

When I first heard the term ‘eco-anxiety’, I brushed it off, but I soon realised it perfectly described my state of mind. Without even noticing, I had fallen into the toxic habit of doomscrolling. I would spend hours swiping through articles about melting ice caps and rising sea levels. It was completely absorbing, and I lost all track of time. Consequently, this non-stop stream of negativity began to take a severe physical toll on me. I found myself lying awake at night, my brain racing with apocalyptic scenarios, which ultimately led to chronic insomnia and exhaustion. It got to the point where I had to take drastic measures to protect my sanity. If I hadn’t downloaded an app that forcibly restricts my daily news intake to fifteen minutes, my academic performance would have undoubtedly collapsed. Cutting out that constant digital noise hasn’t solved the climate crisis, but it has certainly helped me regain my balance.

B Maya

I’ve always been passionate about the environment, to the extent that I transitioned to a strict vegan diet and entirely eliminated single-use plastics from my life. Yet, despite my daily dedication, a heavy sense of guilt constantly weighed me down. I’d regularly read reports filled with catastrophic data, and the sheer volume of these alarming figures left me feeling utterly paralysed. It is incredibly frustrating when you realise that no matter how meticulously you sort your recycling, a handful of multinational corporations are generating the vast majority of global emissions. I used to beat myself up for not doing enough, but eventually, I came to terms with my own limitations. I realised that carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders was completely unsustainable. Now, I try to remind myself that while individual actions are valuable, we cannot hold ourselves personally responsible for systemic industrial failures.

C Toby

My eco-anxiety manifested as an intense, burning anger towards anyone who didn’t take the climate emergency as seriously as I did. I was constantly glued to my newsfeed, and I’d aggressively quote terrifying predictions at the dinner table. Unsurprisingly, this caused major arguments with my family and alienated my closest friends, who felt I was constantly lecturing them. I must have been absolutely exhausting to be around. I became incredibly isolated, trapped in an echo chamber of my own despair. The turning point came when a teacher gently suggested my aggression was misplaced. Instead of picking fights over global policies we couldn’t change, she encouraged me to look closer to home. I decided to pour all that nervous energy into organising a weekly river cleanup in our town. Getting my hands dirty and seeing a tangible, local improvement was incredibly therapeutic, and it finally helped me rebuild the relationships I had strained.

D Chloe

A few months ago, the relentless cycle of bad climate news completely derailed my perspective on life. While my classmates were enthusiastically filling out university applications and discussing their dream careers, I felt completely stuck. Whenever I tried to picture my adulthood, I was paralysed by the thought that there might not be a stable world left to graduate into. Why bother planning for a career when the planet is in such jeopardy? This profound sense of hopelessness was overwhelming until I discovered a youth support group dedicated to climate anxiety. Sitting in a room and listening to other teenagers articulate the exact same existential dread was a massive relief. It was incredibly validating to know I wasn’t losing my mind. Together, we are learning how to balance our valid ecological concerns with the necessity of living our lives and actively planning for a future we still want to be a part of.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four young professionals reviewing the effectiveness of using carbon footprint calculators and the shock of seeing their actual environmental impact.

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

Which person/section

1   points out that the tool provided them with tailored, practical advice?

2   was surprised to learn that their consumer habits were the primary cause of their high emissions?

3   felt that the questions asked by the application were too detailed and difficult to answer accurately?

4   mistakenly believed that a specific lifestyle choice had already minimised their environmental damage?

5   experienced a sense of hopelessness before taking steps to improve their situation?

6   notes that the application failed to consider the unique aspects of their profession?

7   realised that their daily journey to work was generating a significant amount of pollution?

8   invested in new technology for their house as a direct result of their results?

9   used their results to persuade their colleagues to change how they conduct business?

10   appreciated that the final score wasn’t just a frightening statistic?

Calculating the Cost: Facing Our Environmental Impact

A Liam

I’ve always prided myself on being environmentally conscious, primarily because I’ve followed a strict plant-based diet for years. I took it for granted that this lifestyle choice alone kept my emissions well below average. However, entering my data into a carbon calculator was a massive wake-up call. While my food score was highly commendable, my results went through the roof when I was asked to input my work-related travel. The tool highlighted that my constant overseas flights entirely wiped out the ecological benefits of my diet. One drawback of the app, though, was that it didn’t account for the fact that my particular corporate sector often makes physical presence absolutely unavoidable; the questionnaire felt a bit rigid in that regard. Nevertheless, the sheer shock of that final number spurred me into action. I’ve since managed to talk my management team into replacing at least half of our international conferences with virtual alternatives, drastically cutting down our corporate footprint.

B Sarah

When a friend recommended trying out a carbon footprint tracker, I assumed my results would be fairly standard. I don’t drive and rarely fly, so I figured I was completely in the clear. What I hadn’t factored in was my addiction to fast fashion. The calculator revealed that my constant purchasing of cheap, mass-produced garments was leaving a colossal ecological mark. To be honest, I found the assessment process itself rather tedious. I was asked to provide highly specific measurements regarding the exact weight and fabric composition of my recent purchases. Since I simply couldn’t provide this accurately, I was forced to guess a large portion of it. Despite this flaw, the overarching message was impossible to ignore. Seeing the staggering amount of water and energy required to produce my wardrobe was a bitter pill to swallow. I’ve now completely sworn off high-street chains and only purchase second-hand clothing.

C Marcus

I’m a software developer, and until recently, I was blissfully unaware of the damage my daily routine was causing to the planet. If I hadn’t used this calculator, I would never have realised that my solo, hour-long drive to the office each morning was my biggest environmental sin, closely followed by the excessive energy consumption of my numerous electronic devices. What I genuinely appreciated about this particular website was that it didn’t just leave you staring at a terrifyingly high number. Instead of simply making you feel guilty, it immediately generated a customised action plan. It suggested highly specific, manageable tweaks based on my exact inputs, such as switching to a renewable energy provider and setting up a carpool schedule. Taking this tailored advice on board, I’ve started cycling to work twice a week and sharing lifts with a neighbour. It’s reassuring to be given a practical roadmap rather than just a sense of impending doom.

D Chloe

Discovering my true carbon footprint was a deeply uncomfortable experience. I live in an older property, and the application laid bare just how much power I was squandering through poor insulation and thoughtless habits, like leaving appliances on standby. When the final calculation popped up on my screen, it was so astronomical that I initially felt completely overwhelmed. For a few days, I was bogged down by a real sense of despair, convinced that any minor changes I made wouldn’t make a single dent in such a massive global problem. Fortunately, I eventually managed to snap out of it and decided to tackle the issue step by step. My first major move was to upgrade my property by having smart thermostats and automated lighting systems installed to strictly regulate my power usage. It cost a pretty penny upfront, but knowing I’m finally taking definitive control of my domestic emissions has brought me a great deal of peace of mind.

Exercises:   123456