Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Major Life Changes & Daily Events
Reading 1
You are going to read an extract from a short story about a teenager who has to pack up his room before moving to a new city.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Blank Canvas
I had been staring at the identical brown cardboard boxes for over an hour, hoping they might magically pack themselves. My parents had announced our relocation to a new city two months prior, but the reality of the situation hadn’t truly hit me until this very morning. My father had been offered a promotion that was simply too good to turn down, which meant I was being uprooted from the only home I had ever known. I had bitterly protested the decision, arguing that it was completely unfair to drag me away from my school and my friends right before my final year. However, my complaints had fallen on deaf ears, and now I was faced with the monumental task of dismantling my childhood sanctuary.
My mother had already poked her head around the door twice, gently reminding me that the removal van was scheduled to arrive at the crack of dawn the following day. “You really need to get a move on, Leo,” she had sighed, taking in the chaotic mess of clothes and books scattered across my floor. I knew she was right, but I kept finding excuses to delay the inevitable. I meticulously folded clothes that didn’t need folding and spent twenty minutes reading the back of an old comic book I hadn’t looked at in years. Ultimately, though, I knew I couldn’t put it off forever. The most daunting challenge wasn’t the clothes or the books; it was the walls.
For the past five years, my bedroom walls had functioned as a visual diary of my life. Every inch was plastered with band posters, ticket stubs, photographs, and postcards. Taking them down felt like erasing my identity. I started with a poster of my favourite indie band, carefully peeling the sticky tack away from the corners so as not to tear the paper. As the poster came away, it revealed a perfectly unfaded rectangle of blue paint underneath, a stark contrast to the rest of the wall, which had naturally dulled over time. If I hadn’t been so emotionally attached to this room, I might have found the patchwork pattern of faded and bright paint slightly amusing. Instead, it just made my chest feel incredibly heavy.
As I continued the arduous process, peeling away layers of my teenage years, the room began to change. Without the sound-absorbing layer of paper and photographs, my footsteps started to echo on the wooden floorboards. The space, which had always felt so warm and inviting, suddenly seemed vast, cold, and entirely unfamiliar. I sat down on the edge of my stripped bed and looked around at the bare walls. It was a deeply unsettling sight. I must have sat there for a good ten minutes, completely overwhelmed by a wave of profound nostalgia, recalling the late-night study sessions and the countless hours spent chatting with friends in this exact spot.
Eventually, my eyes drifted towards a fresh stack of blank drawing paper sitting on top of my desk. Seeing it sparked a sudden, unexpected thought. If my father hadn’t been offered that new job, I would undoubtedly have spent another year staring at the exact same posters in the exact same arrangement. I was being given an entirely empty room in our new house, a fresh start that I could design from scratch. The blue paint in this room belonged to the younger version of me, but the new room could reflect who I was becoming.
By the time I taped the final box shut, the bitter resentment that had clouded my mood for weeks had significantly lifted. I wouldn’t say I was leaping for joy at the prospect of leaving my friends behind, but as I glanced at the empty walls one last time, the heaviness in my chest had been replaced by a faint flutter of anticipation. The new house wasn’t just a place I was being forced to go to; it was a blank canvas waiting to be filled.
1 Why was the narrator delaying the process of packing his belongings?
(A) He was hoping the cardboard boxes would eventually be packed by his parents.
(B) He was deeply opposed to his family’s decision to move away.
(C) He wanted to finish his final year of school before organizing his things.
(D) He believed his father’s new job was in the exact same city.
2 How did Leo behave when his mother told him to hurry up?
(A) He complained to her about the chaotic mess covering his floor.
(B) He immediately started taking down the posters from his walls.
(C) He deliberately wasted time doing unnecessary, minor tasks.
(D) He started reading a comic book to prepare himself for the journey.
3 What impact did removing the posters have on the narrator?
(A) It made him acutely aware of the emotional history the room held.
(B) It made him realise that the walls needed a fresh coat of blue paint.
(C) It helped him to quickly forget the difficult study sessions he had there.
(D) It caused the temperature in the bedroom to drop significantly.
4 What does the word ‘It’ refer to in paragraph 4?
(A) the sound of his footsteps echoing on the floorboards
(B) the appearance of his completely empty room
(C) the wave of profound nostalgia he experienced
(D) the edge of his stripped wooden bed
5 What eventually changed the narrator’s perspective on the move?
(A) He found some new posters to put up in his next bedroom.
(B) He acknowledged that his father’s promotion was a positive thing.
(C) He decided he was tired of looking at his old indie band posters.
(D) He realised the move offered him a chance for personal reinvention.
6 How does the narrator’s emotional state evolve by the end of the text?
(A) From intense anger to a cautious sense of optimism.
(B) From extreme happiness to a feeling of deep regret.
(C) From mild annoyance to overwhelming despair.
(D) From reluctance about leaving to eagerness about his new school.
Answer Key
1 B: The text explicitly states that he had “bitterly protested the decision” because he felt it was “completely unfair to drag me away from my school and my friends”, showing his deep opposition to the move. Distractor A is a literal misinterpretation of his sarcastic wish that the boxes might “magically pack themselves”.
2 C: The text describes how he “kept finding excuses to delay the inevitable” by meticulously folding clothes that didn’t need folding and reading an old comic book. Distractor D is a Partial Truth; he did read a comic book, but he did it to delay the packing, not to prepare for the journey.
3 A: Taking the posters down felt like “erasing my identity”, made his chest feel “incredibly heavy”, and triggered a “wave of profound nostalgia” as he recalled his past experiences. Distractor B is a False Match; he noticed the different shades of paint, but he never thought about actually repainting the room.
4 B: The pronoun “It” refers to the sentence immediately preceding it, where he “looked around at the bare walls”, making the sight of the stripped, empty room deeply unsettling.
5 D: Seeing the blank drawing paper made him realise he was getting a “fresh start that I could design from scratch” and that the new room could “reflect who I was becoming”, showing a desire for reinvention. Distractor C is an Unstated trap; he acknowledges he would have kept staring at the same posters, but he doesn’t state he was tired of them.
6 A: The narrator starts with “bitter resentment” (anger) and ends with a “faint flutter of anticipation” and viewing the new room as a “blank canvas waiting to be filled” (cautious optimism). Distractor D is a Partial Truth but fails because the text specifically notes he wasn’t “leaping for joy” about leaving friends, and it doesn’t mention him being eager about the school itself.
Reading 2
You are going to read an extract from a short story about a teenager’s first day at a new school.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Cafeteria Trial
If my father hadn’t been offered a promotion, I wouldn’t have found myself standing outside the imposing gates of Blackwood High in the middle of February. Changing schools is daunting at the best of times, but arriving halfway through the academic year is a uniquely miserable experience. By this point, friendship groups are as firmly established as concrete walls, and everyone knows exactly where they belong. I had spent the entire weekend tossing and turning, plagued by a sense of anxious dread about how I would possibly blend in. My primary objective for the day was simple: avoid drawing any unnecessary attention to myself.
The morning classes passed in a blur of unfamiliar faces and confusing corridors. Fortunately, most of the teachers were too preoccupied with their lesson plans to make a fuss over my arrival. In History, however, Mr. Harrison insisted on introducing me to the entire room. He cheerfully announced where I had moved from and asked me to share a fun fact about myself, which was met with polite but entirely indifferent stares. I mumbled something about liking science fiction novels and quickly hurried to my assigned desk at the back. Despite surviving the academic part of the morning, a heavy knot remained in my stomach. I knew the real test was yet to come.
Nothing exposes the vulnerable status of a new student quite like the school cafeteria. When the lunch bell finally rang, I joined the chaotic stampede heading towards the dining hall. Pushing open the double doors, I was instantly hit by a wall of deafening noise and the smell of fried food. I grabbed a plastic tray, selected a sandwich, and paid the cashier. Then, I turned around to face the vast room. It was a sea of crowded tables, each occupied by tight-knit groups laughing and chatting easily. They must have known each other for years, I thought, scanning the room for an empty seat.
There wasn’t a single isolated spot to be found. I stood awkwardly at the end of an aisle, clutching my tray so tightly my knuckles turned white. Seconds stretched into hours. Every time I took a tentative step towards a table that looked promisingly sparse, a backpack would suddenly be thrown onto the spare chair to reserve it for a missing friend. The feeling of humiliating vulnerability was overwhelming. I was convinced that hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the tragic figure of the new kid who had absolutely nowhere to go. I seriously considered abandoning my lunch and retreating to the safety of a bathroom stall.
Just as I was about to execute my cowardly escape plan, a loud voice cut through the surrounding babble. “Hey! You want to sit here?” I blinked, looking frantically for the source of the invitation. At a corner table near the vending machines, a girl with brightly dyed purple hair was waving enthusiastically at me. She was surrounded by a rather quirky assortment of individuals, one of whom was deeply engrossed in a sketchbook, while another was wearing vintage clothing that looked straight out of a seventies film. Hesitantly, I navigated my way over to them, half-expecting the offer to be a cruel practical joke.
To my immense surprise, it was nothing of the sort. The purple-haired girl immediately shifted her bag to make room for me, introducing herself as Maya. Her friends barely looked up from what they were doing, yet they offered welcoming nods and casual greetings that felt entirely genuine. As I finally sat down and took a bite of my sandwich, the suffocating tension in my chest evaporated. I wasn’t suddenly part of the most popular crowd, nor had I mastered the school’s complex social hierarchy. Nevertheless, the intense relief of simply having a place to anchor myself made me realise that surviving Blackwood High might actually be possible.
1 What was the writer’s main concern about starting school in February?
(A) It is exceptionally difficult to integrate because social circles are already fixed.
(B) She was anxious about keeping up with the challenging academic work.
(C) She resented her father for forcing the family to relocate so suddenly.
(D) She feared she would stand out among the concrete walls of the building.
2 How did the writer react to Mr. Harrison’s actions during the History lesson?
(A) She felt highly uncomfortable being made the focus of everyone’s attention.
(B) She was offended by the rude and indifferent stares of her new classmates.
(C) She was grateful that he helped her break the ice with her peers.
(D) She hurried to her desk because the academic lesson was about to begin.
3 What does the word ‘it‘ refer to in paragraph 4?
(A) a tentative step
(B) a promisingly sparse table
(C) a backpack
(D) the spare chair
4 In the fourth paragraph, what does the writer imply about her situation in the cafeteria?
(A) She felt angry that students were unfairly saving seats for their friends.
(B) She believed her awkward predicament was being widely observed by others.
(C) She realised that the other students were deliberately trying to isolate her.
(D) She concluded that eating her food in the bathroom would be more comfortable.
5 What initially caused the writer to hesitate before approaching Maya’s table?
(A) She was intimidated by their unusual vintage clothing and colourful hair.
(B) She thought the group was too engrossed in their activities to want company.
(C) She suspected that the enthusiastic invitation might not be genuine.
(D) She couldn’t hear the loud voice clearly over the surrounding babble.
6 What is the writer’s overall realisation in the final paragraph?
(A) Finding a small sense of acceptance was enough to make her feel optimistic.
(B) Understanding the complex social hierarchy is the key to enjoying a new school.
(C) Becoming part of the popular crowd is a goal that takes a lot of time to achieve.
(D) Her quirky new friends were much kinder than people at her previous school.
Answer Key
1 A: The text explains that arriving halfway through the year is miserable because “friendship groups are as firmly established as concrete walls” and everyone knows where they belong. Option B is a Partial Truth; she is anxious, but about blending in socially, not academically. Option C is Unstated; she mentions her father’s promotion but does not express resentment. Option D is a False Match; “concrete walls” is used metaphorically to describe the friendship groups, not the building.
2 A: The writer says she mumbled her answer and “quickly hurried to my assigned desk” to escape the attention, maintaining her goal to “avoid drawing any unnecessary attention.” Option B is an Over-inference; the stares were “indifferent,” but she doesn’t express feeling offended by them. Option C is the Opposite; the introduction did not successfully break the ice. Option D is a False Match; she hurried to her desk to hide, not because the lesson was starting.
3 D: The pronoun “it” refers back to “the spare chair”, which the backpack was thrown onto in order to reserve that seat for a missing friend. Options A, B, and C are mentioned in the same sentence but do not grammatically or logically fit the reference.
4 B: The writer implies this by stating, “I was convinced that hundreds of pairs of eyes were fixed on the tragic figure of the new kid”. Option A is an Over-inference; she felt vulnerable, not angry. Option C is an Over-inference; the students were just saving seats, not actively conspiring against her. Option D is a False Match; she considered “abandoning” her lunch and hiding in the bathroom, not eating it there.
5 C: The writer states she approached the table “half-expecting the offer to be a cruel practical joke,” showing she doubted their sincerity. Option A is a Partial Truth; she noticed their unique appearance, but this wasn’t the cause of her hesitation. Option B is a False Match; some were engrossed in activities, but the girl with purple hair actively invited her. Option D is a False Match; the voice “cut through” the babble, meaning she heard it clearly.
6 A: The writer concludes that despite not being popular or understanding the social hierarchy, “the intense relief of simply having a place to anchor myself made me realise that surviving Blackwood High might actually be possible.” Option B is the Opposite; she specifically notes she hadn’t mastered the social hierarchy. Option C is Unstated; she mentions the popular crowd but not as a goal. Option D relies on outside knowledge/assumptions; there is no comparison made to her old school’s students.
Reading 3
You are going to read a magazine article about a person’s experience bringing home a rescued dog.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
A Test of Patience
When I decided to adopt a rescue dog, my mind was filled with picture-perfect scenes from Hollywood films. I had spent weeks preparing my apartment, purchasing an array of squeaky toys and a plush bed that took up half the living room. I envisioned energetic walks in the local park and cosy evenings with a loyal companion. If I had known how the first few days would actually unfold, I might have managed my expectations better. Still, my anticipation was at an all-time high as I drove to the shelter to collect Barnaby, a timid terrier mix rescued from a neglectful owner.
The reality of the situation hit me the moment we stepped through my front door. Instead of excitedly exploring his new surroundings or sniffing the expensive toys I had laid out, Barnaby panicked. His tail was tucked firmly between his legs, and his eyes darted around in sheer terror. Before I could even unclip his lead, he scrambled across the wooden floor and vanished beneath the sofa. It was a heartbreaking sight, but I assumed he just needed a few hours to adjust. I cheerfully placed a bowl of water and some treats nearby, fully expecting him to emerge once he felt safe.
By the third day, however, my initial optimism had completely evaporated. Barnaby had relocated to the darkest corner under my bed, and he absolutely refused to come out. More concerning was the fact that he hadn’t touched his food. I tried everything: coaxing him with a gentle voice, tossing roasted chicken under the bedframe, and even leaving the room so he could eat in private. Nothing worked. The sense of rejection I felt was overwhelming, and helplessness soon gave way to doubt. He must have been deeply traumatised by his past, and I wondered if I was truly equipped to handle the situation.
Desperate for advice, I contacted the shelter. They suggested that my constant attempts to interact were probably doing more harm than good, explaining that my well-intentioned hovering was likely overwhelming him. Taking their words to heart, I completely changed my strategy. That evening, instead of trying to lure him out or offering him more food, I simply sat down on the floor by the side of the bed. I brought a book and began to read aloud in a low, monotonous voice, deliberately avoiding any eye contact. I wouldn’t force an interaction; I would just share his space.
It was an exercise in extreme patience. My legs ached from the hard floor, and the silence in the room was heavy. Just as I was about to give up and move to the living room, I heard a faint rustling sound. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a wet nose slowly inching out from the shadows. I froze, barely daring to breathe, terrified that any sudden movement would send him retreating back into the darkness. Barnaby took a hesitant step forward, paused, and then took another. He sniffed my knee, let out a soft sigh, and gently licked my hand.
That single, tentative gesture was more rewarding than any of the joyful greetings I had initially imagined. It wasn’t the instant, magical connection you often see in films, but it felt remarkably profound. I realised then that earning the trust of an abused animal is a long, gradual process. We still have a vast amount of work to do before Barnaby is fully confident, but that small lick was the undisputed turning point. It taught me that sometimes, the most effective way to help someone who is scared is simply to be present, quietly waiting until they are ready.
1 What do we learn about the writer’s attitude before bringing Barnaby home?
(A) They held an overly romanticised view of what adopting a dog would be like.
(B) They were anxious about whether their apartment was suitable for a pet.
(C) They bought expensive toys because they knew the dog had been neglected.
(D) They expected that forming a bond with the dog would take a few days.
2 How did the writer react to Barnaby’s behaviour upon arriving home?
(A) They were deeply shocked and immediately regretted their decision.
(B) They felt heartbroken but believed the dog would soon settle down.
(C) They were frustrated that he ignored the expensive things they had bought.
(D) They panicked when the dog managed to escape their grasp and hide.
3 What does the writer mean by the phrase ‘my initial optimism had completely evaporated’ in the third paragraph?
(A) They lost all hope that the dog would become a perfect pet.
(B) They no longer felt positive about the situation.
(C) They were physically exhausted from trying to help the dog.
(D) They felt angry that their preparations had been a waste of time.
4 The writer decided to read a book on the floor in order to
(A) pass the time because they had nothing else to do.
(B) make the dog think there was another person in the room.
(C) create a non-threatening environment for the dog.
(D) trick the dog into coming out to investigate the noise.
5 When Barnaby finally emerged from under the bed, the writer
(A) gently offered him their hand to lick.
(B) remained perfectly motionless to avoid scaring him.
(C) slowly moved to the living room so he would follow.
(D) let out a soft sigh of relief.
6 What is the writer’s main purpose in the final paragraph?
(A) To warn readers about the challenges of adopting rescued animals.
(B) To express regret over how they initially treated their new pet.
(C) To emphasize the importance of allowing a frightened animal to take its time.
(D) To explain why rescue dogs ultimately make better pets than others.
Answer Key
1 A: The text states that the writer’s mind was filled with “picture-perfect scenes from Hollywood films” and they envisioned “cosy evenings,” indicating an idealistic expectation. Distractor D is the opposite of the text, as they expected an instant bond. Distractor C contains elements from the text (toys, neglect) but incorrectly connects them as cause and effect.
2 B: The writer notes it was a “heartbreaking sight” but “assumed he just needed a few hours to adjust,” showing they thought the panic was temporary. Distractor D uses the word “panicked,” but it was the dog that panicked, not the writer. Distractor A is incorrect because the regret/doubt doesn’t happen until the third day.
3 B: The phrase means that their hopeful and positive feelings had entirely disappeared. Distractor C refers to physical exhaustion rather than emotional doubt. Distractor A is too extreme; they doubted their ability to handle it, but didn’t state they lost “all hope” of him being a good pet.
4 C: By deliberately avoiding eye contact and sitting calmly, the writer aimed to “not force an interaction” and simply “share his space,” removing the pressure that was overwhelming the dog. Distractor D is the opposite of the writer’s intention, as they were actively trying not to lure or trick the dog out anymore.
5 B: The writer states, “I froze, barely daring to breathe, terrified that any sudden movement would send him retreating.” Distractor A is a false match; the dog licked the hand, but the writer didn’t initiate the movement. Distractor D attributes the “soft sigh” to the writer, but it was actually the dog who sighed.
6 C: The concluding message reflects on the lesson learned: “the most effective way to help someone who is scared is simply to be present, quietly waiting until they are ready.” Distractor A is a plausible real-world takeaway but doesn’t capture the positive, reflective resolution of the paragraph. Distractor D is never stated in the text.