Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – School-based Environmental Activities 1

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four students describing their exhausting but rewarding efforts to organize their school’s first-ever Environmental Awareness Day.

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

Which person/section

1   managed to overcome initial resistance from a senior staff member?

2   stepped in to perform a role when original arrangements fell through?

3   admits to feeling discouraged by a poor early response from classmates?

4   had to swiftly adapt their plans because of adverse weather conditions?

5   didn’t realise how much administrative work would be involved?

6   successfully used online networks to generate interest in the event?

7   was completely worn out by the manual labour required?

8   was impressed by the level of expertise demonstrated on the day?

9   was grateful for unanticipated help when clearing away?

10   found it surprisingly difficult to secure commitments from external professionals?

Green Ambitions: Making Our School’s First Eco-Day a Reality

A Liam

Getting the green light for the school’s inaugural Environmental Awareness Day was no walk in the park. When I initially pitched the idea to the headmaster, he flatly refused, claiming it would significantly disrupt the academic timetable. However, I wasn’t about to give up. I spent an entire weekend compiling a comprehensive proposal highlighting the educational benefits, which eventually convinced him to change his mind. What I hadn’t anticipated, though, was the sheer volume of red tape that followed. Filling out health and safety forms and risk assessments took absolutely ages. There were moments when I was so bogged down in paperwork that I seriously regretted volunteering to lead the committee. Yet, seeing hundreds of students actively engaging with eco-friendly initiatives made every stressful evening worthwhile. It was undeniably exhausting, but I’ve definitely learned that persistence pays off when dealing with school bureaucracy.

B Maya

My primary responsibility was sourcing guest speakers for the various sustainability workshops. I genuinely thought that local environmentalists would jump at the chance to speak, but getting experts to actually pin down a date proved to be incredibly tough. Eventually, I managed to secure five brilliant speakers. Sadly, on the morning of the event, our keynote speaker called in sick. Panic set in immediately, as we had a packed auditorium waiting. Consequently, I had to take a deep breath, step onto the stage, and deliver the opening presentation myself, relying entirely on the notes I had gathered during my research. It was terrifying, but I somehow pulled it off. Once the other sessions began, I was absolutely blown away by the sophisticated insights the visiting scientists shared with us. Despite the last-minute crisis and the immense stress, witnessing my peers absorbing such valuable knowledge was deeply rewarding.

C Chloe

Being in charge of publicity meant it was my job to ensure people actually turned up. Initially, I printed dozens of flyers and stuck them on noticeboards around the corridors, but the response was incredibly disheartening. Hardly anyone seemed interested, and I was terrified the whole day would be a massive flop. Realising I needed a radically different strategy, I shifted my focus to our school’s social media channels. I created a series of eye-catching, interactive posts and a viral challenge about reducing plastic waste. To my relief, the campaign took off almost immediately, and excitement started to build across the year groups. By the time the day arrived, the turnout was phenomenal. Although the headmaster praised the impressive physical setup in the main hall, I knew that our digital outreach was the real reason behind the massive crowds. It certainly taught me a valuable lesson about modern communication.

D Sam

I was tasked with the physical logistics, which basically meant transforming the muddy school playing field into a vibrant festival of eco-stalls. We had planned for a gorgeous spring day, but a sudden, torrential downpour the night before left the ground completely waterlogged. Consequently, we had to frantically relocate the entire event to the indoor gymnasium at the crack of dawn. Lugging heavy tables, display boards, and recycling bins up two flights of stairs left me completely shattered before the event had even officially begun. I was operating purely on adrenaline. By the time the final bell rang, my muscles were aching, and the thought of packing everything away filled me with dread. Fortunately, a large group of younger students unexpectedly stayed behind to lend a hand with the dismantling. It was a gruelling experience, but seeing everyone pull together to salvage the day was incredibly moving.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four teenagers sharing the challenges they faced when trying to convince their school cafeteria to completely ban single-use plastics.

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 gathering concrete financial data was crucial to winning the argument?

2   suggests that their initiative would have failed if they hadn’t educated their peers?

3   explains how existing legal agreements delayed the implementation of their proposal?

4   felt frustrated because the adults in charge initially dismissed their campaign as a temporary phase?

5   acknowledges that their original, ambitious plan had to be scaled back to be accepted?

6   was surprised by the amount of resistance from students who prioritised their own convenience?

7   mentions that having to be patient was the most difficult aspect of the entire process?

8   credits the intervention of a specific faculty member with turning the tide in their favour?

9   believes the kitchen staff were actually eager to help but lacked the authority to do so?

10   expresses pride in having successfully altered the everyday habits of the student body?

The Plastic Problem: How We Changed Our School

A Liam

When I first proposed banning all single-use plastics in the dining hall, I naively assumed everyone would be thrilled. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The school governors immediately shot the idea down, arguing that switching to eco-friendly alternatives would drain the budget. If I hadn’t spent weeks pouring over spreadsheets, I wouldn’t have been able to prove them wrong. Gathering solid figures to demonstrate that biodegradable packaging was economically viable was absolutely essential to winning them over. However, I also had to come to terms with the fact that my initial demand—a total, overnight ban—was simply unrealistic. We had to reach a compromise, modifying our initial vision to a phased reduction over two terms. Looking back, they must have thought I was incredibly naive to expect an instant revolution. Nevertheless, we bounced back from that initial rejection, and seeing the new bamboo forks in the canteen today makes all the number-crunching worthwhile.

B Chloe

I took it for granted that my classmates would naturally support a plastic-free cafeteria. After all, teenagers are supposed to be the environmentally conscious generation! Therefore, I was completely taken aback by the fierce backlash we received. Countless students complained that bringing their own water bottles or paying a small deposit for reusable cups was far too much of a hassle. It was incredibly disheartening. I quickly realised that if we hadn’t launched a massive awareness campaign alongside the ban, the whole initiative would have collapsed entirely. We held assemblies explaining the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine life, hoping to appeal to their better nature. Fortunately, the message sank in. It took time, but the shift in attitude has been remarkable. Honestly, nothing gives me more satisfaction than walking through the lunchroom now and seeing everyone happily using their metal flasks. We actually managed to completely change their ingrained routines.

C Noah

Getting rid of plastic trays and cups seemed like a straightforward task, but we quickly ran into a massive bureaucratic brick wall. The head chef actually agreed with us; in fact, I firmly believe the kitchen workers would have implemented the changes immediately if the decision had been up to them. Unfortunately, their hands were tied. The school was locked into a rigid three-year contract with a catering supplier that exclusively used cheap plastic packaging. Discovering that these binding legal agreements would significantly slow down our progress was a bitter pill to swallow. We were told we simply had to wait it out until the paperwork was up for renewal. Biding our time and keeping the momentum going for eighteen months was undoubtedly the toughest part of the whole ordeal. However, when the time finally came to renegotiate, our detailed proposals were written directly into the new supplier guidelines.

D Maya

When a group of us first approached the senior leadership team about eradicating single-use plastics, we weren’t taken seriously at all. The headmaster told us it was a lovely idea, but his tone implied he thought it was just a passing fad that we’d forget about in a few weeks. It was immensely frustrating to have our genuine concerns dismissed as a temporary teenage obsession. We felt as though we were constantly hitting our heads against a brick wall. The turning point only arrived when Mrs. Higgins, our geography teacher, decided to step in. She had heard about our struggles and passionately defended our cause at a staff meeting. Having a respected teacher clearly championing our proposal completely shifted the administration’s perspective. She pointed out that if they didn’t support our initiative, they would be acting hypocritically. Without her stepping up to bat for us, our campaign would probably still be ignored today.

Exercises:   123456