Read the passage carefully before attempting Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill in the blanks dropdown) below.
Last spring, Priya noticed something worrying. Every morning, before she had even got out of bed, she was already scrolling through her phone — checking messages, reading news, watching short videos. By the time she arrived at work, she already felt tired and slightly anxious. A colleague suggested she try a “digital detox” — a period of time without phones, laptops, or social media. Priya was not convinced, but she decided to give it a go.
She chose a long weekend in April and booked a small cottage in the Brecon Beacons, a quiet national park in Wales. Before leaving, she switched off her phone and left it in a kitchen drawer. The first few hours were surprisingly uncomfortable. She kept reaching into her pocket out of habit, and she felt a strange urge to check if anyone had messaged her. However, by the second evening, something had shifted. Without the constant noise of notifications, she started to notice things she had been ignoring for months — birdsong, the smell of rain on grass, the pleasure of reading a novel without interruption.
When Priya returned home on Sunday night, she turned her phone back on. There were forty-seven notifications waiting for her, but none of them were actually urgent. She realised that most of the time she spent online was not necessary — it was simply a habit. As a result, she has made some small but important changes. She now keeps her phone in another room while she sleeps, and she tries not to check it for the first thirty minutes of every morning. She admits it is not always easy, but she says it has made a real difference to how she feels.
“I’m not saying everyone should throw their phone into a river,” Priya laughed. “But I do think taking even a short break can help you see how much you actually need it — and how much you really don’t.”
Exercise 1
Read the passage about taking a break from technology carefully, then answer each question by choosing the correct option based on the information in the text.
Example: Why do some people decide to take a break from technology?
Answer: Because they feel stressed or overwhelmed by constant screen time.
Taking a Break from Technology
Think about the last time you spent a whole day without your phone. Can you even remember it? Before you read, consider these two questions: How much time do you think you spend looking at screens each day? And do you think life without technology for a weekend would be relaxing or stressful? Keep your answers in mind as you read the article below.
Reading Passage: The Weekend I Switched Off
Last spring, Priya noticed something worrying. Every morning, before she had even got out of bed, she was already scrolling through her phone — checking messages, reading news, watching short videos. By the time she arrived at work, she already felt tired and slightly anxious. A colleague suggested she try a "digital detox" — a period of time without phones, laptops, or social media. Priya was not convinced, but she decided to give it a go.
She chose a long weekend in April and booked a small cottage in the Brecon Beacons, a quiet national park in Wales. Before leaving, she switched off her phone and left it in a kitchen drawer. The first few hours were surprisingly uncomfortable. She kept reaching into her pocket out of habit, and she felt a strange urge to check if anyone had messaged her. However, by the second evening, something had shifted. Without the constant noise of notifications, she started to notice things she had been ignoring for months — birdsong, the smell of rain on grass, the pleasure of reading a novel without interruption.
When Priya returned home on Sunday night, she turned her phone back on. There were forty-seven notifications waiting for her, but none of them were actually urgent. She realised that most of the time she spent online was not necessary — it was simply a habit. As a result, she has made some small but important changes. She now keeps her phone in another room while she sleeps, and she tries not to check it for the first thirty minutes of every morning. She admits it is not always easy, but she says it has made a real difference to how she feels.
"I'm not saying everyone should throw their phone into a river," Priya laughed. "But I do think taking even a short break can help you see how much you actually need it — and how much you really don't."
Key Vocabulary in Context
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| scrolling | verb (present participle) | moving up or down through content on a screen using your finger or a mouse | She was scrolling through her social media feed instead of sleeping. |
| anxious | adjective | feeling nervous or worried, often without a clear reason | He felt anxious before the exam because he hadn't slept well. |
| digital detox | noun phrase | a period of time when a person chooses not to use phones, computers, or social media | Many people try a digital detox during their holidays to rest their minds. |
| out of habit | prepositional phrase | doing something automatically, without thinking, because you always do it | He checked his watch out of habit, even though he already knew the time. |
| urge | noun | a strong feeling that you want or need to do something | She had a sudden urge to call her best friend and share the news. |
| notifications | noun (plural) | automatic messages or alerts sent by apps or websites to your phone or computer | He turned off all his notifications so he could focus on his work. |
| urgent | adjective | needing immediate attention or action | The email was not urgent, so she replied the following day. |
| interruption | noun | something that stops an activity or a period of time from continuing smoothly | He finally finished the report after working for two hours without interruption. |
Reading Strategies & Comprehension Tips
Skimming for the Main Idea
Read the first and last sentences of each paragraph quickly. This will help you understand the general point of the article without reading every word. In this passage, the opening paragraph introduces a problem, the middle paragraphs describe an experience, and the final paragraph gives a conclusion and opinion.
Scanning for Specific Details
If a question asks about a specific fact — for example, where Priya went or how many notifications she received — scan the text quickly for names, numbers, or place words. You do not need to re-read the whole passage each time.
Understanding Cause and Effect
This passage contains several cause-and-effect relationships. Look for linking words such as as a result, however, and without — these signal that one event leads to another. For example, without the constant noise of notifications, Priya began to notice things around her. Identifying these connections will help you answer inference questions correctly.
Recognising Tone and Opinion
Priya's final quote in the last paragraph gives her personal opinion. Notice that she uses humour ("throw their phone into a river") to make a serious point. At B1 level, recognising the difference between facts and personal opinions in a text is an important reading skill.
Common Reading Pitfalls & Traps
Trap 1: Confusing feelings at different points in the story
Priya feels anxious and tired before the detox, uncomfortable at the start of the weekend, and more relaxed by the end. A common mistake is to mix up how she felt at different times. Always check when something happens before choosing your answer.
Trap 2: Misreading "not convinced" as negative throughout
When Priya says she was "not convinced" at the beginning, this means she was doubtful — not that she refused. She still decided to try. Do not assume that initial doubt means the experience was bad overall.
Trap 3: Overgeneralising Priya's conclusion
Priya does not say that everyone should stop using technology completely. Her conclusion is more balanced — she suggests that a short break can help people reflect on their habits. Be careful not to choose answers that make her opinion sound more extreme than it actually is.
Trap 4: The word "shifted"
In the second paragraph, "something had shifted" means something had changed in how Priya felt. This is an intermediate metaphorical use of the word. Do not confuse it with its more literal meaning of physically moving something.
Quick Summary
Now read the passage carefully and complete Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill-in-the-gap dropdown) below.
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