1. Before You Start the Reading Paper 📝
Before we practise Part 3, let’s understand the official exam instructions. This helps you work calmly, manage your time and avoid losing marks for avoidable mistakes.
⏱️ Time
You have 45 minutes for the complete Reading paper.
🔢 Total questions
The Reading paper has 32 questions in total.
✅ Marks
Questions 1–32 carry one mark each.
📌 Part 3
Part 3 has 5 questions: Questions 11–15.
Official candidate instructions
- Do not open the question paper until you are told to do so.
- Write your name, centre number and candidate number on your answer sheet.
- Read the instructions for each part carefully.
- Answer all the questions.
- Read the instructions on the answer sheet.
- Write your answers on the answer sheet. Use a pencil.
- You must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.
- At the end of the test, hand in both the question paper and your answer sheet.
Paper-based and digital-based exams: in the paper-based version, you mark your answers on an answer sheet using pencil. In the digital-based version, you select your answers on screen. The skill is the same: read for meaning, identify evidence, avoid distractors and choose the best answer.
Teacher tip: Part 3 is a longer reading text. You do not need to understand every single word, but you do need to understand the writer’s ideas, feelings and reasons.
2. Welcome! Today We Are Going to Master Reading Part 3 🌟
Hello, my lovely students! Today we are going to practise Part 3 of the Cambridge B1 Preliminary Reading paper. This is the part where you read a longer text and answer multiple-choice questions. 😊
I know longer texts can feel scary at first, but please do not worry. With enough training, you will learn how to find the correct information, ignore distractions and choose answers with confidence. We are going to do it slowly, clearly and step by step. 💪
What are we going to do in this lesson?
📖 Understand the task
We will learn what Cambridge asks you to do in Reading Part 3.
🔍 Analyse a real exam text
We will use the official text about artist Peter Fuller and mountain biking.
🚫 Avoid common traps
We will see how distractors work and why some answers are wrong.
✅ Solve step by step
We will solve Question 11 using evidence from the text.
In this lesson, I want you to stop reading in panic mode. Reading Part 3 is not about translating. It is about understanding the question, finding the exact part of the text and checking the evidence. We are training your exam brain today. 🧠✨
3. What Do You Have to Do in Part 3? 🔎
In Reading Part 3, you read a longer text and answer multiple-choice questions. Each question has four options: A, B, C or D. Your job is to choose the answer that best matches the information in the text.
Official instruction
Part 3
Questions 11–15
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Real exam text
Artist Peter Fuller talks about his hobby
There’s a popular idea that artists are not supposed to be into sport, but mountain biking is a huge part of my life. It gets me out of my studio, and into the countryside. But more importantly, racing along as fast as you can leaves you no time to worry about anything that’s going on in your life. You’re too busy concentrating on not crashing. The only things you pay attention to are the pain in your legs and the rocks on the path in front of you.
Example from the real exam — Question 11
11 Peter enjoys mountain biking because...
- it gives him the opportunity to enjoy the views.
- he can use the time to plan his work.
- he is able to stop thinking about his problems.
- it helps him to concentrate better.
Important: in Part 3, the answer is usually supported by a specific sentence or idea in the text. Do not answer from your opinion. Answer from the evidence.
4. Problems and Common Mistakes in B1 Reading Part 3 🚫
Part 3 is not difficult because the text is impossible. It is difficult because the options are designed to look possible. That is why we need strategy.
1. Choosing an answer because it sounds true
Maybe mountain biking gives beautiful views, but the question asks why Peter enjoys it. We need his reason, not our imagination.
2. Not finding evidence
Every correct answer has evidence in the text. If you cannot point to the line or idea, you are probably guessing.
3. Falling for distractors
Distractors often use words connected to the text but change the meaning. Similar vocabulary does not always mean correct answer.
4. Reading too slowly
You have 45 minutes for the whole paper. Do not spend too long trying to translate every word in the article.
Common Spanish-speaking student mistakes
| Problem | Example | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Translating everything | Students stop because of words like “crashing” or “path”. | Focus on the question first. You only need the part that answers it. |
| Confusing “views” with “countryside” | The text says countryside, but not that views are Peter’s main reason. | Check the exact reason after “more importantly”. |
| Ignoring paraphrase | “No time to worry” = “stop thinking about problems”. | Train synonyms and equivalent meanings. |
| Choosing an option too quickly | Option D says “concentrate”, and the text says “concentrating”. | Ask: concentrate on what? In the text, he concentrates on not crashing, not “better” generally. |
Teacher tip: the correct answer in Part 3 often says the same idea in different words. This is called paraphrasing. Learn to love it, because Cambridge uses it everywhere. 💛
5. Tips for Success and Strategies 🌟
Here is the method I want you to use in Reading Part 3. Use it every time until it becomes automatic.
The 6-Step Reading Part 3 Strategy ⚡
- Read the question first. Know what information you are looking for.
- Identify the topic of the question. Is it asking about reason, feeling, opinion, detail or main idea?
- Find the relevant paragraph. Do not search randomly in the whole text.
- Underline the evidence. Find the sentence or idea that answers the question.
- Paraphrase the evidence. Say it in easier English.
- Check all options. Eliminate distractors and choose the best match.
For Question 11, what are we looking for?
| Question focus | What it means | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| “Peter enjoys mountain biking because...” | We need Peter’s reason for enjoying it. | The first paragraph, where he explains what mountain biking gives him. |
| Key signal | “But more importantly...” | This phrase introduces the main reason. |
| Evidence type | Emotional / mental benefit | “leaves you no time to worry...” |
My advice: in Part 3, do not ask “Which answer sounds nice?” Ask: Where is the evidence? That question will save you many marks.
6. Solving Step by Step – Example from the Real Exam ✅
Now let’s solve Question 11 together. Remember: we need Peter’s reason for enjoying mountain biking.
Question 11
Peter enjoys mountain biking because...
- it gives him the opportunity to enjoy the views.
- he can use the time to plan his work.
- he is able to stop thinking about his problems.
- it helps him to concentrate better.
Step 1: Find the relevant evidence
“But more importantly, racing along as fast as you can leaves you no time to worry about anything that’s going on in your life.”
This sentence is essential because “more importantly” tells us that Peter is giving his main reason.
Step 2: Paraphrase the evidence
“No time to worry about anything” means: he stops thinking about his problems while he is mountain biking.
Step 3: Check the options
| Option | Why it is correct or wrong | Result |
|---|---|---|
| A. It gives him the opportunity to enjoy the views. | The text mentions countryside, but not enjoying views as the main reason. | Wrong |
| B. He can use the time to plan his work. | The opposite is true. He is too busy concentrating on biking, not planning work. | Wrong |
| C. He is able to stop thinking about his problems. | This matches “leaves you no time to worry about anything going on in your life”. | Correct |
| D. It helps him to concentrate better. | The text says he concentrates on not crashing, but that is not the reason he enjoys it. | Wrong |
Correct answer: C ✅
The correct answer is C, because Peter says mountain biking gives him no time to worry about life. In other words, it helps him stop thinking about his problems.
Teacher tip: notice the paraphrase: “no time to worry” = “stop thinking about problems”. This is exactly how Cambridge creates correct answers.
7. Essential Grammar and Vocabulary Knowledge 📚
Reading Part 3 often tests meaning, opinions, reasons and feelings. These grammar and vocabulary points will help you understand longer texts more quickly.
Key vocabulary from the Peter Fuller text
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| be into something | to be interested in something | Peter is into mountain biking. |
| a huge part of my life | something very important to me | Cycling is a huge part of his life. |
| more importantly | introduces the main or stronger reason | More importantly, it helps him stop worrying. |
| worry about | think nervously about problems | He has no time to worry about life. |
| pay attention to | focus on something | He pays attention to the rocks on the path. |
| concentrate on | focus your mind on something | He concentrates on not crashing. |
Grammar patterns you need for Part 3
| Grammar point | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| because + clause | gives a reason | He enjoys biking because it helps him stop worrying. |
| so + result | shows consequence | He was tired, so he stopped racing. |
| but / however | shows contrast | He is an artist, but he loves sport. |
| used to + verb | past habit | He used to draw pictures of bikes. |
| not until | emphasises a later time | It wasn’t until later that someone invented one. |
| too + adjective + to | something is impossible or difficult because of degree | He was too busy to worry. |
Important paraphrases for Reading Part 3
| Text says... | Option may say... | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| leaves you no time to worry | stop thinking about problems | mental escape |
| gets me out of my studio | takes him away from work | change of environment |
| concentrating on not crashing | focused on staying safe | attention during activity |
| took that up instead | started doing a new activity | replacement hobby |
| gave me a reason to train hard | motivated him to practise | purpose and motivation |
Teacher tip: after each Reading Part 3 exercise, write down the paraphrases. This is how you build Cambridge reading intelligence. 🧠
8. Final Advice: Never Leave an Answer Blank 🌈
My dear students, please remember this: never leave a Reading answer blank. Cambridge tells you to answer all the questions, so give yourself every possible chance.
How many marks is Part 3 worth?
The Reading paper has 32 questions, and Questions 1–32 carry one mark each.
Part 3 has 5 questions, Questions 11–15, so this part is worth 5 marks out of 32.
That means every answer matters. Even if you are not completely sure, choose the best option. A blank answer has no chance, but a careful answer might be correct.
Final teacher tips 💛
- Read the question before searching in the text.
- Identify what the question is testing: reason, opinion, feeling, detail or main idea.
- Find the relevant paragraph.
- Underline the evidence.
- Look for paraphrases, not identical words only.
- Eliminate distractors carefully.
- Answer every question. Do not leave blanks.
Remember this ❤️
You do not need to understand every word to succeed in Reading Part 3. You need to understand the question, locate the evidence and choose the option that matches the meaning. With practice, you will become faster, calmer and more accurate.
Source
This activity is based on the official Cambridge B1 Preliminary Sample Paper (2022) – Reading and Use of English: Part 3.
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B1 Reading Part 3 - Artist Peter Fuller
Questions 11 – 15
For each question, choose the correct answer.There’s a popular idea that artists are not supposed to be into sport, but mountain biking is a huge part of my life. It gets me out of my studio, and into the countryside. But more importantly, racing along as fast as you can leaves you no time to worry about anything that’s going on in your life. You’re too busy concentrating on not crashing. The only things you pay attention to are the pain in your legs and the rocks on the path in front of you.
I’m in my sixties now, but I started cycling when I was a kid. In the summer my friends and I would ride our bikes into the woods and see who was brave enough to go down steep hills, or do big jumps. The bikes we had then weren’t built for that, and often broke, so I used to draw pictures of bikes with big thick tyres that would be strong enough for what we were doing. They looked just like modern mountain bikes. However, it wasn’t until many years later that someone actually invented one. By the 1980s, they were everywhere.
At that time I was into skateboarding. I did that for a decade until falling off on to hard surfaces started to hurt too much. Mountain biking seemed a fairly safe way to keep fit, so I took that up instead. I made a lot of friends, and got involved in racing, which gave me a reason to train hard. I wanted to find out just how fit and fast I could get, which turned out to be fairly quick. I even won a couple of local races.
In the end I stopped racing, mainly because I knew what it could mean to my career if I had a bad crash. But I still like to do a three-hour mountain bike ride every week. And if I’m out cycling in the hills and see a rider ahead, I have to beat them to the top. As I go past I imagine how surprised they would be if they knew how old I am.
Question 11
Question 12
Question 13
Question 14
Question 15
B1 Reading Part 3 Skills Practice
Main Idea
Choose the best answer.
Opinion vs Fact
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Reference Words
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Distractors
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Inference
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Scanning
Choose the best answer.
Context
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Checking Answers
Choose the best answer.
Keywords
Choose the best answer.
Best Strategy
Choose the best answer.