Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Physical Endurance & Sports 4
Reading 1
You are going to read a magazine article about a teenager’s first experience taking a scuba certification test.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Breathing Under Pressure
The shimmering water of the Caribbean had always called out to me, which is why I found myself perched on the edge of a small boat, heavily weighed down by scuba gear. I was there to complete my final open-water certification test. For days, our instructor, Sarah, had drilled us in a swimming pool, preparing us for every conceivable underwater emergency. While I had passed the written exams with flying colours, the prospect of demonstrating these survival skills in the vast, unpredictable ocean left my stomach in tight knots. Nevertheless, as I adjusted my buoyancy control device and tumbled backward into the sea, I hoped my theoretical knowledge would seamlessly translate into practical ability.
The moment I descended beneath the choppy surface, the turbulent world above vanished, replaced by an astonishing realm of absolute tranquility. As we sank deeper, the vibrant coral reef revealed itself, teeming with schools of neon-coloured fish darting through the water. The sensation of weightlessness was utterly mesmerising, and I found myself drifting effortlessly along the ocean floor. I was so captivated by a green sea turtle casually munching on some algae that I completely forgot I was actually there to be assessed. The intense anxiety that had plagued me on the boat simply dissolved into pure fascination.
After twenty minutes of exploring, Sarah signalled for us to gather in a semi-circle on a sandy patch of the seabed. It was time for the dreaded skills assessment. We had to perform a series of exercises, including the recovery of our primary breathing apparatus, known as the regulator. I watched as the student next to me flawlessly executed the manoeuvre, taking it out of his mouth and calmly sweeping his arm to retrieve it. I felt relatively confident that I could replicate his smooth performance. However, as he swam back to his position, his flipper accidentally struck my face with surprising force.
The sudden impact violently dislodged my regulator, tearing the vital mouthpiece away from my lips. Simultaneously, my diving mask flooded with stinging saltwater, leaving me effectively blind. A primal, suffocating panic instantly took over. My chest tightened as the overwhelming instinct to gasp for air battled against the logical knowledge that I was fifteen metres underwater. The urge to kick wildly and shoot straight up to the surface was almost irresistible, even though I knew perfectly well that ascending too rapidly could cause a severe injury. Fighting this took every ounce of my willpower, especially since I felt entirely convinced that I was going to drown.
I thrashed my arms in the murky water, desperately trying to locate the heavy black hose. If Sarah hadn’t firmly grabbed my shoulder at that exact moment, I would have undoubtedly given in to the mounting terror. Though I couldn’t see her clearly, her grounding presence acted like an anchor, forcing my racing mind to slow down. Suddenly, the repetitive pool drills kicked in. I forced myself to stop flailing and deliberately exhaled the tiny stream of bubbles I had been taught to release to keep my lungs safe. Leaning to my right, I performed the sweeping arm motion we had practised countless times.
To my immense relief, my fingers brushed against the familiar rubber hose. I quickly guided the mouthpiece back between my teeth, cleared the water from the mechanism with a sharp puff of air, and took a deep, greedy breath. After clearing my mask, I looked at Sarah, who gave me a reassuring ‘OK’ hand signal. I mirrored the gesture, my heart still pounding but my mind remarkably clear. When we eventually surfaced at the end of the dive, I hadn’t just passed my certification. I finally understood that the rigorous, repetitive training wasn’t designed to prevent
emergencies, but to ensure that when panic strikes, resilience and muscle memory take over.
1 What do we learn about the writer before she entered the water?
(A) She was worried that she had not studied enough for the written exams.
(B) She felt confident because she had practised in a swimming pool for days.
(C) She found it difficult to properly adjust her heavy buoyancy control device.
(D) She was apprehensive about performing practical tasks in the open ocean.
2 How did the writer’s attitude change once she was underwater?
(A) She became anxious because the fish were darting around her too quickly.
(B) She became so absorbed in the beautiful environment that she forgot her fears.
(C) She felt confused by the sudden and unusual sensation of weightlessness.
(D) She was frustrated that she was there for a test rather than a relaxing holiday.
3 What does ‘this‘ refer to in paragraph 4?
(A) the severe physical injury caused by ascending too rapidly
(B) the overwhelming feeling that she was about to drown
(C) the powerful temptation to swim quickly to the surface
(D) the sudden flooding of stinging saltwater into her diving mask
4 What is implied about the instructor’s intervention in the fifth paragraph?
(A) She physically handed the writer her missing breathing equipment.
(B) Her physical contact helped the writer regain necessary mental clarity.
(C) She verbally reminded the writer to exhale a tiny stream of bubbles.
(D) She grabbed the writer’s shoulder to pull her safely up to the surface.
5 How did the writer successfully resolve her breathing crisis?
(A) by taking a deep breath of air from her instructor’s spare regulator
(B) by removing her flooded mask before searching for her missing hose
(C) by swimming to the surface of the water as quickly as she possibly could
(D) by using a practised arm motion to find her equipment and clearing it
6 What valuable lesson did the writer learn from the overall experience?
(A) Emergencies can easily be prevented if you follow the safety rules carefully.
(B) Passing a certification test is much more important than overcoming your fears.
(C) The true purpose of repetitive practice is to enable you to act correctly when panicked.
(D) Only highly experienced divers should attempt to swim in unpredictable oceans.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 D: The writer explicitly states that “the prospect of demonstrating these survival skills in the vast, unpredictable ocean left my stomach in tight knots.” This is a clear paraphrase for being apprehensive about performing practical tasks in the open ocean. Distractor A is a false match; she actually passed the written exams “with flying colours”. Distractor B is the opposite of how she felt; despite the pool practice, she was not confident. Distractor C mentions the buoyancy device from the text, but the text never states she struggled to adjust it.
2 B: The text notes that she was “so captivated by a green sea turtle… that I completely forgot I was actually there to be assessed” and that her anxiety “dissolved into pure fascination.” Distractor A is a false match; the fish were darting around, but this did not make her anxious. Distractor C is the opposite; she found the weightlessness “utterly mesmerising”, not confusing. Distractor D is unstated; she forgot about the test, but wasn’t frustrated by it.
3 C: The pronoun ‘this’ refers directly back to the strong impulse described in the previous sentence: “The urge to kick wildly and shoot straight up to the surface was almost irresistible.” Distractor A is the potential consequence of acting on the urge, not the urge itself. Distractor B is how she felt at the end of the paragraph, and Distractor D is what initiated the panic, but neither is what she is “fighting” with her willpower in that exact sentence.
4 B: The text states that the instructor’s “grounding presence acted like an anchor, forcing my racing mind to slow down,” which allowed the writer’s training to kick in. Distractor A is a false match; the instructor only grabbed her shoulder; the writer found the hose herself. Distractor C is a false match; the instructor could not speak underwater. Distractor D is the opposite of good scuba practice and is not supported by the text; Sarah grabbed her shoulder to ground her, not to pull her up.
5 D: The writer explains that she “performed the sweeping arm motion we had practised countless times” to find the hose, and then “cleared the water from the mechanism with a sharp puff of air” before breathing. Distractor A is unstated; she used her own regulator. Distractor B is a chronological trap; she cleared her mask after she started breathing again. Distractor C is the exact opposite of what she did; she deliberately fought the urge to swim to the surface.
6 C: In the final sentence, the writer concludes that “rigorous, repetitive training wasn’t designed to prevent emergencies, but to ensure that when panic strikes, resilience and muscle memory take over.” Distractor A contradicts the text, which specifically says training isn’t designed to prevent emergencies. Distractor B is a false match; she learned a “far more valuable lesson” than simply passing. Distractor D is a plausible real-world statement but is completely unstated in the text.
Reading 2
You are going to read a magazine article about a teenager who learned how to ride a unicycle.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
One Wheel, Endless Bruises
When I stumbled upon a dusty, neglected unicycle at a local garage sale last summer, purchasing it seemed like an absolutely brilliant idea. I have always been the sort of person who naturally gravitates towards quirky hobbies, preferring them to more conventional pastimes like tennis or jogging. At the time, I firmly believed that my years of riding a standard mountain bike would easily translate to this single-wheeled contraption. After all, how much harder could it possibly be to simply remove the front wheel and the handlebars? As I proudly carried my new acquisition home, I was already picturing myself effortlessly gliding down the pavement, drawing admiring glances from my neighbours.
My romanticised expectations were abruptly shattered the moment I actually tried to mount the unicycle. Unlike a standard bicycle, which offers a reassuring sense of stability, a unicycle demands that you constantly adjust your centre of gravity in every conceivable direction. During my first week of practice in the driveway, I felt as though I was battling the fundamental laws of physics. I would desperately grip the garden fence, hoist myself onto the notoriously uncomfortable saddle, and instantly tip over before my feet could even complete half a pedal stroke. It must have been a highly amusing spectacle for anyone watching, but for me, it was deeply humbling.
By the second week, my initial enthusiasm had almost entirely evaporated, replaced by a deep-seated frustration and an impressive collection of bruises. My shins and ankles bore the brunt of the heavy metal pedals violently swinging back and hitting my legs every time I lost my balance. Enduring this rapidly became a daily test of my willpower rather than an enjoyable leisure activity. I was incredibly sore, physically drained, and beginning to question my own sanity. My friends, who had initially found my new pursuit entertaining, politely suggested that perhaps it was time to put the unicycle back in the garage before I did myself any serious damage.
Despite their well-meaning advice, a stubborn part of my personality simply refused to accept defeat. I realised that my main problem wasn’t a lack of physical strength, but rather my intense fear of falling. Every time I wobbled, I instinctively looked down at my feet, which immediately threw my posture completely out of alignment. If I had understood this psychological hurdle from the beginning, I would have saved myself hours of agonizing failure. I knew that to succeed, I had to stop anticipating the crash and start trusting my body to react instinctively to the subtle shifts in momentum.
Armed with this crucial realization, I changed my approach. One crisp Tuesday evening, I dragged the unicycle out to a quiet, flat stretch of pavement in the local park. Instead of clinging to a fence for dear life, I decided to launch myself into the open space. I focused my eyes on a distant lamppost, keeping my back perfectly straight and my arms outstretched for balance. I pedalled forward, feeling the familiar terrifying wobble, but instead of panicking and looking down, I simply pedalled slightly faster to correct the lean.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. For ten glorious, uninterrupted metres, I was riding. I wasn’t falling, I wasn’t leaning on anything; I was simply hovering above the ground, perfectly synchronized with the wheel beneath me. The sensation was nothing short of magical, resembling a strange, exhilarating form of flight. That brief moment of weightless triumph instantly washed away weeks of pain and frustration. I eventually lost my balance and had to hop off, but it didn’t matter. I had finally cracked the code, proving to myself that with enough resilience, even the most impossible-looking challenges can eventually be conquered.
1 What initially motivated the writer to buy the unicycle at the garage sale?
(A) He assumed his existing cycling skills would help him master it quickly.
(B) He wanted to draw admiring glances from people in his neighbourhood.
(C) He was actively looking for a conventional pastime like tennis or jogging.
(D) He had been searching for this specific type of unicycle for a long time.
2 How did the writer feel about his early practice sessions in the driveway?
(A) He found it highly amusing to watch himself fail repeatedly.
(B) He was shocked by how difficult it was to stay upright.
(C) He felt reassured by the stability the garden fence provided.
(D) He was annoyed that his new unicycle lacked handlebars.
3 What does ‘this‘ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) questioning his own sanity and physical strength
(B) his friends finding his new pursuit highly entertaining
(C) the physical pain caused by the pedals striking his legs
(D) gathering an impressive collection of dark bruises
4 What did the writer realise was his main obstacle to success?
(A) He lacked the physical strength required to pedal the unicycle properly.
(B) His friends’ well-meaning advice was actually discouraging him.
(C) He was trying to shift his body’s momentum much too quickly.
(D) His natural instinct to check his foot positioning was ruining his balance.
5 What change did the writer make to his technique when practising in the park?
(A) He slowed down his pedalling whenever he felt a terrifying wobble.
(B) He maintained a steady gaze on an object far ahead of him.
(C) He clung to a fence until he felt perfectly balanced on the saddle.
(D) He kept his arms tightly by his sides while pedalling forward.
6 What is the writer’s main message in the final paragraph?
(A) Experiencing a moment of success makes up for all the previous hardships.
(B) He was disappointed that he eventually lost his balance and had to hop off.
(C) Riding a unicycle is exactly like experiencing the physical sensation of flight.
(D) Only people with natural resilience should attempt impossible-looking challenges.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 A: The text states that he “firmly believed that my years of riding a standard mountain bike would easily translate to this single-wheeled contraption.” This paraphrases the idea that his existing cycling skills would help him master it. Option B is a false match; he pictured drawing admiring glances after he bought it, but it wasn’t his primary motivation for the purchase. Option C contradicts the text, which says he prefers quirky hobbies over conventional ones. Option D is an over-inference; he “stumbled upon” it, meaning it was a chance encounter.
2 B: In the second paragraph, the writer states that his “romanticised expectations were abruptly shattered” and he felt he was “battling the fundamental laws of physics,” making the experience “deeply humbling.” This matches being shocked by the difficulty. Option A is a false match using exact words; it was an “amusing spectacle for anyone watching,” but not for him. Option C is a partial truth; he gripped the fence, but the overall feeling of the sessions was not reassuring. Option D mentions handlebars, which were referenced in paragraph one, not as a source of annoyance in paragraph two.
3 C: The word ‘this’ refers back to the painful action described in the preceding sentence: “the heavy metal pedals violently swinging back and hitting my legs”. Enduring this repetitive physical pain tested his willpower. Option D is a related consequence but ‘this’ points directly to the action of being hit by the pedals. Options A and B are other details in the paragraph that do not fit the grammatical reference of the pronoun.
4 D: The text explicitly states, “Every time I wobbled, I instinctively looked down at my feet, which immediately threw my posture completely out of alignment.” This perfectly matches his instinct ruining his balance. Option A is the direct opposite of the text (“my main problem wasn’t a lack of physical strength”). Option B is a partial truth; his friends gave advice, but he ignored it out of stubbornness, so it wasn’t his obstacle. Option C is a misinterpretation of the text’s advice to “react instinctively to the subtle shifts in momentum.”
5 B: The writer states, “I focused my eyes on a distant lamppost,” which is paraphrased as maintaining a steady gaze on an object far ahead. Option A is the opposite; he “pedalled slightly faster,” not slower. Option C is the opposite; he states “Instead of clinging to a fence… I decided to launch myself into the open space.” Option D contradicts the text, which says his arms were “outstretched for balance,” not kept tightly by his sides.
6 A: In the final paragraph, the writer notes that “That brief moment of weightless triumph instantly washed away weeks of pain and frustration,” meaning the success made up for the hardship. Option B is the opposite of the text, which states he lost his balance “but it didn’t matter.” Option C is too literal; the writer says it “resembled” flight, but this metaphor is not the main message of the paragraph. Option D is an over-inference; he says with enough resilience challenges can be conquered, not that only naturally resilient people should try them.
Reading 3
You are going to read a magazine article about a fencer’s experience dealing with an unpredictable opponent.
For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.
Adapting to the Chaos
Stepping onto the piste for the regional fencing championship final, my confidence was at an all-time high. I had spent the last six months perfecting my technique, spending countless hours in the gym and drilling the classic movements until they became second nature. My opponent, Julian, was a relatively unknown fencer who had somehow fought his way to the final. Watching his previous bouts, I had dismissed him as lucky rather than skilled. As I secured my mask and raised my foil, I felt absolutely certain that my disciplined, orthodox style would easily outclass whatever he had to offer.
The referee called “En garde,” and the bout commenced. Within seconds, my initial assurance evaporated. Julian didn’t move like any fencer I had ever encountered. Instead of the rhythmic, calculated advance and retreat that characterised traditional fencing, he launched a furious, uncoordinated assault. He darted from side to side, lunging from bizarre angles that defied standard tactical logic. I was immediately put on the defensive, struggling to anticipate where his blade would come from next. It felt less like a sophisticated fencing duel and more like trying to dodge a swarm of angry bees. His aggressive unpredictability was utterly bewildering.
Unsurprisingly, the scoreboard quickly reflected my inner turmoil. Julian landed hit after hit, and before I knew it, I was trailing by four points. Every time I attempted to execute a carefully planned attack, he would interrupt it with a wild, sweeping motion that somehow managed to find its target. I stared at the electronic numbers glaring in the dimly lit hall, a deep sense of humiliation washing over me. I was being completely dismantled by someone whose technique was, by all conventional standards, heavily flawed. I couldn’t understand how it was happening so swiftly, and my frustration was mounting with every penalty.
During a brief pause in the match to adjust my gear, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The panic was threatening to consume me, but I knew that giving in to anger would only guarantee my defeat. I recalled the words of my coach, who had always emphasised that a rigid mind is a fencer’s greatest weakness. Julian’s chaotic style was certainly effective, but he must have been exhausting himself with his constant, leaping attacks, leaving significant gaps in his defence. I realised that trying to match his frantic pace was a losing battle; his aggressive approach created vulnerabilities that I simply needed to exploit.
When the bout resumed, I entirely changed my approach. Instead of trying to initiate attacks, I grounded myself, keeping my footwork minimal and my blade perfectly positioned for defence. I waited. As expected, Julian launched another ferocious, flying assault, aiming straight for my chest. This time, however, I didn’t retreat in a panic. I held my ground, parried his blade with a sharp, controlled flick of my wrist, and effortlessly stepped into the space he had left wide open. My foil struck his jacket, and the referee’s light flashed in my favour. The new strategy was working.
Over the next few minutes, the momentum of the match shifted completely. Julian, visibly confused by my sudden calmness, continued to throw himself forward, but his attacks had become predictable in their wildness. I systematically absorbed his energy, blocking his chaotic strikes and responding with precise, clinical counterattacks. By the time the final point was scored, I had not only caught up but had won the match. Removing my mask, I shook his hand with genuine respect. If I hadn’t altered my mindset, I would undoubtedly have lost. The duel had been a terrifying ordeal, but it had taught me that true mastery of a sport isn’t just about flawless technique; it’s about having the mental flexibility to adapt when the rules of the game suddenly change.
1 Why did the writer feel confident before the match began?
(A) He thought his unorthodox style would easily surprise his opponent.
(B) He believed his opponent’s previous victories were due to chance rather than talent.
(C) He had previously defeated Julian in a local fencing tournament.
(D) He knew Julian had spent far less time practising in the gym than he had.
2 How did the writer feel about Julian’s fencing style at the start of the bout?
(A) He was annoyed that the referee allowed such aggressive behaviour.
(B) He was terrified because Julian was moving much faster than a swarm of bees.
(C) He was impressed by the highly sophisticated tactics Julian employed.
(D) He was confused by the lack of traditional rhythm and logic in his movements.
3 What does the word ‘it’ refer to in paragraph 3?
(A) the electronic scoreboard
(B) his opponent’s flawed technique
(C) his rapid and overwhelming defeat
(D) the wild, sweeping motion
4 What did the writer realise during the brief pause in the match?
(A) He should listen more carefully to the instructions his coach was shouting.
(B) His opponent’s aggressive approach created weaknesses that could be used against him.
(C) His gear was malfunctioning, which was the actual cause of his mounting panic.
(D) He needed to exert much more energy in order to keep up with Julian’s pace.
5 How did the writer’s new strategy change the course of the match?
(A) He waited for Julian to attack and then took advantage of his open defence.
(B) He initiated a series of ferocious flying assaults directly at Julian’s chest.
(C) He retreated quickly whenever Julian launched an unpredictable attack.
(D) He stepped completely out of the way so that Julian would fall onto the piste.
6 What is the writer’s main conclusion about his experience?
(A) It is important to treat even the most chaotic opponents with genuine respect.
(B) Flawless technique is the only guaranteed way to win a regional fencing final.
(C) A successful athlete must be capable of adjusting their mindset during competition.
(D) Fencing is a physical sport that relies entirely on an athlete’s endurance and stamina.
Answer Key & Explanations
1 B: The text states that the writer had watched Julian’s previous bouts and “dismissed him as lucky rather than skilled.” This matches the idea that his victories were due to chance. Distractor A is a False Match; the writer had a “disciplined, orthodox style,” not an unorthodox one. Distractor D is an Over-Inference; while the writer spent time in the gym, he never states he knew how much time Julian spent there.
2 D: The writer describes Julian’s movements as defying “standard tactical logic” and calls his unpredictability “utterly bewildering,” which matches being confused by the lack of logic and rhythm. Distractor A is Unstated; the referee’s opinion is never mentioned. Distractor B is a False Match; the writer uses a simile (“like trying to dodge a swarm of angry bees”), but isn’t literally terrified of bees.
3 C: The pronoun refers back to the concept described in the previous sentence: “I was being completely dismantled…” The writer is expressing confusion over how his rapid defeat/dismantling (“it”) was happening so fast.
4 B: The writer reflects that Julian was “leaving significant gaps in his defence” and that his approach created “vulnerabilities that I simply needed to exploit.” Distractor A is a False Match; the coach wasn’t shouting, the writer just remembered his past advice. Distractor D is the Opposite; the writer realised trying to match the pace was a “losing battle.”
5 A: The text explains that the writer “waited,” and when Julian attacked, he held his ground and “stepped into the space he had left wide open.” Distractor B is a False Match; Julian did the flying assaults, not the writer. Distractor C is the Opposite; the text specifically says “I didn’t retreat in a panic.”
6 C: In the final sentence, the writer concludes that true mastery is “about having the mental flexibility to adapt when the rules of the game suddenly change.” Distractor A is a Partial Truth; he did show respect, but this is a detail, not the main takeaway. Distractor B is the Opposite of the text’s conclusion.