Reading Mastery
Parts 5–7
Exam-style reading practice that marks every answer instantly and shows you the exact line that proves it.
Reading for detail and opinion
Read the text and answer questions 31–36, choosing the answer (A, B, C or D) that fits best. Two marks each.
Strategy, tips & common traps
What it tests: detail, opinion, feeling, reference (what a word like it or this points to), and meaning in context.
- Read the whole text first; the questions follow the order of the text.
- Find the exact line that proves your answer before you choose.
- Watch for options that repeat words from the text but change the meaning.
- For “how did the writer feel” questions, look for feeling words and tone.
When my school announced a “digital detox” challenge — thirty days with no social media — I signed up without really thinking about it. I expected it to be easy. After all, I only checked my apps a few times a day, or so I told myself. The reality was a shock.
The first weekend was the hardest. I kept reaching for my phone out of habit, only to remember there was nothing new to look at. I felt strangely bored, and a little left out, as if life was carrying on somewhere without me. My best friend, Sofia, who had also joined the challenge, admitted she felt exactly the same. We ended up meeting in person far more than usual, simply because messaging felt less tempting.
By the second week, something had changed. I noticed I was sleeping better, and I no longer woke up in the night to check my notifications. I started reading again — actual books, the kind I hadn’t touched in years. My mum joked that she had forgotten what the top of my head looked like, because I was finally looking up instead of down at a screen.
It wasn’t all positive, though. There were moments when I genuinely missed knowing what was going on. When my cousin got engaged, I was the last in the family to find out, and I felt embarrassed. Social media, I realized, isn’t only a waste of time; it’s also how a lot of real news reaches us now. Cutting it out completely came at a cost.
The most surprising lesson came at the end. When the thirty days were over, I expected to rush straight back to my old habits. Instead, I found I didn’t want to. I reinstalled one app, not five, and I kept my phone downstairs at night. The challenge hadn’t turned me against technology — it had simply shown me that I, not my phone, could decide how I spent my time.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely, but with one piece of advice: don’t do it alone. Having Sofia to share the experience with was what kept me going on the days I wanted to give up. A challenge like this is far easier, and far more fun, when someone is struggling — and laughing — right there beside you.
Following the article
Six sentences have been removed from the article below. Choose from sentences A–G the one that fits each gap (37–42). There is one extra sentence you do not need. Two marks each.
Strategy, tips & common traps
What it tests: how sentences connect — reference words, linkers, and the flow of ideas.
- Read the whole article first so you understand the story.
- Track words like them, this, however, instead — they point back to something.
- Check the sentence before and after each gap; the missing line must link to both.
- The extra sentence is meant to look tempting — leave it until the end.
Most teenagers spend their free time gaming or scrolling through videos. Fifteen-year-old Daniel Okafor does something rather different: he makes wildlife films in his own back garden. 37 His short videos of foxes, birds and insects have now been watched by thousands of people online.
Daniel’s interest began almost by accident. Two summers ago, he noticed a family of hedgehogs living under the garden shed. 38 Before long, he was spending every evening crouched in the bushes with an old camera, waiting for them to appear.
At first, the results were disappointing. The footage was shaky, and the animals often disappeared before he could film them. 39 He read articles, watched tutorials, and slowly taught himself how to be patient.
His big break came when one of his fox videos was shared by a famous nature presenter. 40 Suddenly, messages were arriving from all over the world. Some viewers even wrote to say that his films had inspired them to look more closely at the nature around their own homes.
Daniel is modest about his success. 41 “You don’t need expensive equipment or a trip to Africa,” he says. “There’s an amazing world right outside your window, if you take the time to look.”
These days, he is busier than ever, but he has no plans to stop. 42 Whatever happens, he says, he will keep filming the small, wild corners of the place he knows best: home.
Scanning for detail
Read about four teenagers who joined a club at school. For questions 43–52, choose from the people (A–D). The people may be chosen more than once. One mark each.
Strategy, tips & common traps
What it tests: finding specific information and paraphrased detail quickly.
- Read the questions first, then scan the texts for the detail — don’t read every word in order.
- The answer usually paraphrases the question rather than repeating its words.
- People can be chosen more than once, so don’t expect an even spread.
- Re-read the exact sentence before you commit.
A — Leah, drama club
I joined the drama club because I was painfully shy, and I hoped it might help me come out of my shell. I won’t pretend it was easy — at my first performance I was so nervous I almost forgot my lines. But the people made all the difference. I became close friends with students from older year groups I would never normally have spoken to. Honestly, my only regret is that I didn’t join in my very first year at the school. I wasted so much time being scared of something I now love.
B — Marcus, coding club
To be honest, I only went along to the coding club because my best friend kept nagging me to give it a try. I found it really hard at first — everyone else seemed to understand the lessons instantly, while I felt completely lost. I’m glad I didn’t let that put me off, though. By the end of the year I had built a simple video game of my own. Now I’m one of the students who helps the younger members when they get stuck, which feels strange but good.
C — Priya, environment club
I joined the environment club because I genuinely worry about climate change and wanted to do something real. Our biggest success was setting up a recycling scheme for the whole school, which has cut the amount of plastic we throw away enormously — I’m really proud of that. The frustrating part is that some students still can’t be bothered to use the right bins, no matter how many times we explain. Changing people’s habits, I’ve learned, is much harder than changing your own.
D — Tomás, basketball team
I started playing basketball mostly to keep fit and have a laugh with friends. There was a point, though, when I came very close to quitting: I spent weeks sitting on the bench while everyone else played, and it was demoralizing. What kept me going was our coach, who pulled me aside and told me my time would come if I kept training. He was right. More than the sport itself, the team taught me discipline and how to rely on other people.
English Refresher · B2 First for Schools · Reading Parts 5–7