⏱️ 15-Minute Reading Workout Level: B1 Intermediate

Give learners 15 minutes to read and answer. Then check the answers together with the explanations (Answer, Evidence, Why).

Read paragraphs A to D once first. Then answer the questions in order, and underline the important words in each question.

Reading Passage

Sleep and Wellbeing

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that people need different amounts of sleep at different ages. Adults aged 18 to 60 need 7 or more hours of sleep a day, teenagers aged 13 to 17 need 8 to 10 hours, and children aged 6 to 12 need 9 to 12 hours. Enough sleep helps people reduce stress, improve their mood, and pay attention and remember things better.

Both the NHS and the CDC advise people to follow a regular routine. They say you should go to bed and get up at similar times every day, including days off. A routine like this makes it easier to fall asleep, so it helps to keep it even when you are not working.

The NHS suggests avoiding screens for an hour before bed, because blue light can make it harder to fall asleep. The CDC suggests turning devices off at least 30 minutes before bedtime. The NHS also says that people who are still awake after around 20 minutes should get up and sit somewhere comfortable.

A bedroom that is quiet, dark and cool helps. Caffeine in tea, coffee and some soft drinks can keep people awake, and the CDC suggests avoiding it in the afternoon and evening. The NHS also warns that large meals close to bedtime may make it harder to fall asleep.

Question 1 • True / False / Not Given Find the fact

"Adults between 18 and 60 need at least 8 hours of sleep a day."

____ True ____ False ____ Not Given

Question 2 • True / False / Not Given Read carefully

"Sleeping longer at the weekend can make up for sleep that you lost during the week."

____ True ____ False ____ Not Given

Question 3 • Information Matching Find the paragraph

"Advice about the light and the temperature in a bedroom."

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

Question 4 • Information Matching Find the paragraph

"Advice on what to do when you cannot fall asleep."

____ Paragraph A ____ Paragraph B ____ Paragraph C ____ Paragraph D

Question 5 • Multiple Choice Think about it

____ a. The CDC and the NHS give the same advice about how long to avoid screens. ____ b. Blue light can make it harder to fall asleep. ____ c. People should watch a calm programme on a screen if they cannot sleep after 20 minutes. ____ d. Looking at screens in the daytime stops people from getting up on time.

Question 6 • Multiple Choice Think about it

____ a. They damage the stomach for ever. ____ b. They make the bedroom warmer and noisier. ____ c. They can make it harder to get to sleep. ____ d. They mean that teenagers need more than 12 hours of sleep.

Question 7 • Sentence Completion Find the word

Enough sleep helps people to reduce ____ (write word(s)) and to improve their mood.

Question 8 • Sentence Completion Find the word

The CDC suggests avoiding ____ (write word(s)) in the afternoon and evening.