Read the passage carefully before attempting Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill in the blanks dropdown) below.
Last summer, Priya decided to do something different. Instead of going to the beach like every other year, she booked a week in a small wooden cabin in the Swiss Alps with her cousin, Dina. Priya was a little nervous because she had never been to the mountains before, and she was not sure what to expect.
The first morning, Priya woke up early and opened the cabin window. The air was cold and fresh, and she could see green valleys and white snow on the top of the peaks. She could not believe how beautiful it was. That day, the two cousins walked along a quiet mountain trail for three hours. Their legs were tired at the end, but they felt wonderful. In the evenings, they sat by a wood fire, drank hot chocolate, and talked for hours. There was no television and very little phone signal, so they really relaxed.
Priya also tried something new on the fourth day. A local guide took her and Dina on a short rock-climbing lesson. At first, Priya was frightened, but after twenty minutes she was laughing and climbing higher and higher. It was the most exciting thing she had ever done. When she got home, she told her friends that the Swiss Alps were more beautiful than any photograph, and she is already planning to go back next summer.
Exercise 1
Read the passage about the best holiday carefully and choose the correct answer for each question based on the text.
Example: Where did the person go on their best holiday?
Answer: They went to the beach.
The Best Holiday I Ever Had
Have you ever had a holiday that you still think about years later? Some trips are so special that they stay with you forever. In this passage, you will read about a young woman's unforgettable trip to a place she had never visited before. Before you read, think about these questions: What makes a holiday truly special for you? Have you ever visited a place that surprised you?
Reading Passage: A Week in the Mountains
Last summer, Priya decided to do something different. Instead of going to the beach like every other year, she booked a week in a small wooden cabin in the Swiss Alps with her cousin, Dina. Priya was a little nervous because she had never been to the mountains before, and she was not sure what to expect.
The first morning, Priya woke up early and opened the cabin window. The air was cold and fresh, and she could see green valleys and white snow on the top of the peaks. She could not believe how beautiful it was. That day, the two cousins walked along a quiet mountain trail for three hours. Their legs were tired at the end, but they felt wonderful. In the evenings, they sat by a wood fire, drank hot chocolate, and talked for hours. There was no television and very little phone signal, so they really relaxed.
Priya also tried something new on the fourth day. A local guide took her and Dina on a short rock-climbing lesson. At first, Priya was frightened, but after twenty minutes she was laughing and climbing higher and higher. It was the most exciting thing she had ever done. When she got home, she told her friends that the Swiss Alps were more beautiful than any photograph, and she is already planning to go back next summer.
Key Vocabulary in Context
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| cabin | noun | a small, simple house, often made of wood, in a natural area | We stayed in a cosy cabin near the forest. |
| peak | noun | the top of a mountain | The peaks were covered in snow all year. |
| trail | noun | a path in nature that people walk along | We followed the trail through the trees. |
| signal | noun | the connection that allows a mobile phone to work | There was very little phone signal in the valley. |
| guide | noun | a person who shows tourists around a place and gives information | A local guide showed us the best walking routes. |
| frightened | adjective | feeling afraid or scared about something | She was frightened before she got on the plane. |
| valleys | noun (plural) | low areas of land between hills or mountains, often with a river | The green valleys looked beautiful from above. |
| unforgettable | adjective | so good or special that you cannot forget it | The sunset over the sea was truly unforgettable. |
Reading Strategies & Comprehension Tips
Skimming for the Main Idea
Read the passage quickly the first time without stopping at every word. Ask yourself: Who is this about? Where did she go? How did she feel? This gives you the general picture before you look at the details.
Scanning for Specific Information
If a question asks for a number, a place, or a specific detail, move your eyes quickly down the text to find that piece of information. For example, if a question asks how long the cousins walked, scan for time expressions like hours or minutes.
Understanding the Sequence of Events
This passage follows a timeline. Look for time words and phrases such as last summer, the first morning, that day, in the evenings, and on the fourth day. These words help you understand the order in which things happened.
Guessing Unknown Words from Context
If you do not know the word trail, read the whole sentence: "they walked along a quiet mountain trail for three hours." The words walked, mountain, and three hours all suggest it means a path for walking. Use the words around an unknown word to help you understand its meaning.
Common Reading Pitfalls & Traps
Watch Out for Negative Sentences
The passage says Priya "had never been to the mountains before." Some students misread this and think she went to the mountains many times. Look carefully for the word never — it completely changes the meaning.
Do Not Confuse Similar Details
The passage mentions both a three-hour walk and a twenty-minute rock-climbing lesson. Exam questions often test whether you can identify which activity took how long. Read slowly when you see numbers and times.
Be Careful with Feelings
Priya felt nervous before the trip and frightened at the start of rock climbing, but her feelings changed during the holiday. Do not choose an answer that describes only her first feeling if the question asks how she felt at the end of an activity.
False Detail Trap: Television
The passage says there was no television in the cabin. A question might suggest that Priya watched television every evening. This is false — she sat by the fire and talked instead. Always go back to the text to check.
Quick Summary
This passage tells the story of Priya, a young woman who spent a memorable week in a mountain cabin in Switzerland with her cousin Dina. It was her first time in the mountains, and she surprised herself by enjoying activities like hiking and rock climbing. The text uses past simple tense to describe what happened and includes details about places, feelings, and activities to help you practise reading for specific information and understanding opinions.
Now read the passage carefully and complete Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill-in-the-gap dropdown) below.
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