Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Modern Domesticity, Lifestyle & Household Challenges 7
Reading 1
You are going to read an extract from a short story about a teenager trying to find a quiet place to study in a small apartment.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Finding Space
When you share a second-floor, two-bedroom apartment with three other people, privacy is a luxury you simply cannot afford. For the past sixteen years, my family of four had functioned in a delicate, choreographed dance around our modest living space. Usually, I didn’t mind the constant background noise of my mother’s television shows or my father’s booming telephone voice. However, as the crucial final exams of my secondary education loomed, the walls of our flat suddenly seemed to be closing in on me. I needed absolute silence to memorise historical dates and complex biological processes, but silence was the one thing our bustling household could never provide. The lack of personal space began to stir a feeling of claustrophobic rage deep within my chest.
My younger brother, Sam, was the primary source of my frustration. We shared a room that was barely large enough to accommodate two single beds, let alone two conflicting teenage lifestyles. While I desperately tried to read my textbooks, Sam insisted on practicing his electric guitar. Even though it was unplugged, the rhythmic, metallic twang of the strings was enough to shatter my concentration. Whenever I asked him to stop, he would remind me that he had just as much right to use the bedroom as I did. He wasn’t being deliberately malicious, but his sheer presence felt like an insurmountable obstacle to my academic success. I spent hours wearing earplugs, but they only amplified the sound of my own frustrated breathing.
As the week progressed, my irritation transformed into a state of desperate exhaustion. I attempted to relocate my study sessions to the kitchen table, only to be constantly interrupted by my parents preparing meals or unpacking groceries. If we had possessed a larger home, I wouldn’t have found myself locking the family bathroom door and sitting on the edge of the bathtub with my notes balanced on my knees. Unsurprisingly, this proved to be both highly uncomfortable and entirely impractical, especially when someone inevitably knocked on the door demanding entry. By Thursday evening, staring at a mock exam paper through tired, red-rimmed eyes, I felt entirely defeated. My brain was a foggy mess, and the prospect of passing my finals seemed impossibly remote.
It was during this moment of absolute despair that I glanced towards the living room window. Beyond the glass lay our small, neglected balcony. Throughout the year, it served primarily as a storage area for broken umbrellas, empty plant pots, and my father’s bicycle. No one ever went out there, largely because it overlooked a noisy, congested intersection. However, at ten o’clock at night, the traffic had died down to a gentle hum. Driven by a sudden, irrational impulse, I unlocked the glass door and stepped out into the cool spring air. The atmosphere out there was surprisingly fresh, and more importantly, it was completely separated from the chaotic energy vibrating inside the apartment.
Determined to salvage my study schedule, I quickly got to work. I dragged a heavy armchair out onto the concrete floor, ignoring my mother’s confused protests from the sofa. I then gathered every spare blanket and cushion I could find, constructing a makeshift tent to block out the streetlights and the chill. Finally, I ran an extension cord from the living room to power a small desk lamp. Sitting inside my newly built fort, wrapped in thick wool, a profound sense of peace washed over me. The muffled sounds of the city felt distant and soothing, rather than intrusive. I opened my biology textbook, and for the first time in weeks, the words actually made sense. I had finally carved out a piece of the world just for myself.
1 What does the narrator say about her living situation at the beginning of the text?
(A) She had always hated the delicate dance of living in such a small flat.
(B) The usual noise only became a problem when she had to prepare for important tests.
(C) She wished she could afford a more luxurious apartment for her family.
(D) Her parents were constantly shouting at each other on the telephone.
2 How did the narrator feel about her brother’s behaviour?
(A) She was angry that he plugged his electric guitar in while she read.
(B) She believed he had no right to be in their shared bedroom.
(C) She recognised he wasn’t intentionally trying to ruin her studies.
(D) She was frustrated that he refused to wear the earplugs she gave him.
3 What is implied about the narrator’s attempt to study in the bathroom?
(A) It caused a major argument with her family members.
(B) It was successful until she became too tired to read her notes.
(C) It made her realise she needed to ask her parents for help.
(D) It highlighted how desperate she was to find a quiet space.
4 What does the word ‘it’ refer to in paragraph 4?
(A) the living room window
(B) a state of absolute despair
(C) the neglected balcony
(D) the congested intersection
5 Why did the narrator bring an extension cord outside?
(A) to keep her makeshift tent warm in the cool spring air
(B) to provide electricity for a source of light
(C) to block out the distracting noises from the street
(D) to stop her mother from protesting about the armchair
6 What is the writer’s main message in the story?
(A) It is possible to find a personal sanctuary even in the most crowded environments.
(B) Studying for final exams is completely impossible if you share a bedroom.
(C) Building a fort out of blankets is the most effective way to stay warm outside.
(D) Families should always try to move to larger houses when children become teenagers.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 B: The text states that “Usually, I didn’t mind the constant background noise… However, as the crucial final exams… loomed, the walls of our flat suddenly seemed to be closing in on me.” This shows the noise only bothered her when she needed to study. Distractor C uses the text’s exact words (“privacy is a luxury you simply cannot afford”), but twists the meaning; she couldn’t afford privacy, not that she wanted to buy a luxury apartment.
2 C: The narrator explicitly notes that “He wasn’t being deliberately malicious,” meaning she knew he wasn’t doing it on purpose to hurt her. Distractor A is a False Match; the text specifically says the guitar was “unplugged.”
3 D: The fact that she was willing to lock herself in a “highly uncomfortable and entirely impractical” room and balance notes on her knees implies she was out of options and desperate for any quiet space. Distractor A is an Over-Inference; while someone “demanded entry,” there is no mention of a major argument occurring.
4 C: The pronoun ‘it’ refers to the “small, neglected balcony” mentioned in the previous sentence, which was used as a storage area for umbrellas and pots.
5 B: The text explicitly states she “ran an extension cord from the living room to power a small desk lamp.” Distractor A is a Partial Truth trap; she used blankets to deal with the chill, not the extension cord.
6 A: The story concludes with the narrator feeling a “profound sense of peace” in her makeshift fort, having “finally carved out a piece of the world just for myself” despite her cramped apartment. Distractor B is an Extreme Language trap; while it was difficult, the text doesn’t claim it is “completely impossible” for everyone.
Reading 2
You are going to read an extract from a short story about two siblings who have to share a single car.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
The Shared Car
Passing my driving test meant finally getting a slice of independence, though it came in the form of a heavily dented, rust-coloured estate car named ‘The Beast’. As my older brother, Leo, had already been driving it for two years, getting my hands on the keys involved a complex schedule. The car was notorious for its unpredictable heater and strange noises, but to me, it was a magnificent chariot. Despite its numerous mechanical quirks, I adored the sheer freedom it provided. Driving it meant I no longer had to rely on my parents for lifts, which was a monumental relief.
However, our fragile sharing system collapsed entirely on the first Friday of November. I had been planning to drive to my best friend’s birthday party for weeks. Unfortunately, I walked into the kitchen to find Leo aggressively spinning the car keys on his finger. He casually announced that his band had secured a last-minute gig across town, and he needed The Beast to transport his bulky drum kit. When I reminded him it was my scheduled night, he simply scoffed, dismissing my party as a trivial gathering that couldn’t possibly compete with his musical ambitions.
A fierce argument instantly erupted. We stood on opposite sides of the kitchen island, fiercely defending our respective rights to the vehicle. I argued that a pre-agreed schedule shouldn’t be cast aside due to his poor planning. Leo countered by pointing out that he had paid for the recent tank of petrol, meaning he held the moral high ground. Neither of us was willing to back down, escalating the dispute into a bitter stalemate. My mother poked her head around the door, clearly exhausted by the shouting, and warned us that if we couldn’t sort it out ourselves, she would confiscate the vehicle entirely.
As the clock ticked mercilessly towards seven o’clock, a suffocating silence settled over the room. If we continued this childish standoff, neither of us would be going anywhere. I stared at the keys, weighing my options. Missing the party felt like a disastrous social mistake, but I also knew Leo’s gig was a genuine opportunity. The harsh reality was that rural public transport ceased running after six, meaning the car was our only lifeline. I could see the rigid tension in Leo’s jaw, and it slowly dawned on me that beneath his arrogant facade, he was genuinely panicking about letting his bandmates down.
Taking a deep breath to swallow my pride, I finally broke the silence. “Fine,” I muttered begrudgingly. “I’ll drive, and drop you and your drums off first, but you have to find your own way home.” Leo’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly expecting me to fight until the bitter end. He hesitated before nodding slowly, accepting the compromise. We hurriedly loaded the heavy drum kit into the back of The Beast. The drive across town was initially filled with a frosty tension, as we were both still nursing our wounded egos from the kitchen battle.
Yet, as the rusty car chugged along the dark lanes, the atmosphere slowly shifted. Leo reached over and whacked the faulty radio until it played a song we both secretly liked. When I finally pulled up outside the venue, he offered a genuine smile and promised to cover my petrol costs next week. Watching him drag his drums toward the entrance, I realised that our screaming match had ultimately given way to something valuable. We had managed to navigate a fiercely selfish conflict and emerge with a mature compromise, proving that sharing the car was actually teaching us how to be better siblings.
1 What does the narrator say about the car in the first paragraph?
(A) He valued it highly because it allowed him to be self-reliant.
(B) He was constantly annoyed by its unpredictable mechanical faults.
(C) He felt it was unfair that his brother had driven it for two years.
(D) He believed it was a magnificent vehicle because of its appearance.
2 How did Leo react when the narrator claimed it was his turn to use the car?
(A) He argued that a last-minute gig required a different schedule.
(B) He implied that his own plans were far more significant.
(C) He felt slightly guilty for ruining his sibling’s long-term plans.
(D) He aggressively threw the keys at his sibling in frustration.
3 What does the word ‘it‘ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) the vehicle
(B) the recent tank of petrol
(C) the dispute
(D) the moral high ground
4 What does the narrator realise while looking at his brother in the fourth paragraph?
(A) Missing the birthday party would be worse than letting the band down.
(B) He would have to catch a rural bus to avoid letting his own friends down.
(C) His brother was preparing to grab the keys as soon as it turned seven o’clock.
(D) His brother’s confident attitude was actually hiding his true anxiety.
5 Under what condition did the narrator agree to give Leo a lift?
(A) Leo had to promise to pay for the recent tank of petrol.
(B) Leo was required to apologise for causing the bitter argument.
(C) Leo had to organise his own transport for his return journey.
(D) Leo had to load all of his heavy musical equipment by himself.
6 In the final paragraph, the narrator concludes that the experience of sharing the car
(A) helped them develop a more adult and cooperative relationship.
(B) proved that music can help resolve even the most selfish conflicts.
(C) made him realise he should always charge his brother for petrol.
(D) demonstrated why older siblings always win childish arguments.
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 A: The text states that “Despite its numerous mechanical quirks, I adored the sheer freedom it provided” and that he “no longer had to rely on my parents for lifts”. Option B is a False Match; he mentions the faults but says he adored the car despite them. Option C is Unstated in the text. Option D is an Opposite trap; the car is described as heavily dented and rust-coloured, so he did not value its physical appearance.
2 B: The text says Leo “scoffed, dismissing my party as a trivial gathering that couldn’t possibly compete with his musical ambitions.” This shows he thought his event was much more important. Option A is a Partial Truth; it was a last-minute gig, but he didn’t politely argue for a schedule change, he dismissed the narrator. Option C is the Opposite; he showed no guilt. Option D is a False Match; he was “spinning” the keys, not throwing them.
3 C: The pronoun “it” points back to the conflict mentioned in the previous sentences. The mother warned them that “if we couldn’t sort it [the dispute/stalemate] out ourselves, she would confiscate the vehicle.” Options A, B, and D are nouns present in the paragraph, but they do not make logical sense as the thing the brothers need to “sort out” between themselves.
4 D: The narrator notices the tension in Leo’s jaw and realises that “beneath his arrogant facade, he was genuinely panicking”, which is a paraphrase of a confident attitude hiding true anxiety. Option A is an Over-inference; the narrator acknowledges both events are important but doesn’t explicitly rank one as worse than the other. Option B is the Opposite; rural transport ceased running after six. Option C is Unstated.
5 C: The narrator tells Leo he will drop him off first, “but you have to find your own way home.” Option A is Information Misplaced; Leo promises to cover petrol costs later in paragraph 6, but it wasn’t a condition of the deal in paragraph 5. Option B is a False Match; the text says “We hurriedly loaded”, meaning they did it together. Option C is Unstated/Opposite; no apology was demanded.
6 A: The story resolves with the realization that their conflict gave way to a “mature compromise,” teaching them “how to be better siblings.” Option B is a Partial Truth; the radio playing music shifted the atmosphere, but the overarching lesson is about their compromise, not the power of music. Option C is Too Specific and a False Match; the focus is on their relationship, not money. Option D is the Opposite; neither “won” the argument; they compromised.