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A week without buying lunch

Read a text, answer ten questions and learn how the evidence supports each answer.

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6reading tests
60scored questions
10–15min per text
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01Ben usually bought lunch near his workplace. One Friday, he added up what he had spent during the week and decided to try bringing lunch from home. He did not plan to stop visiting cafés forever. He simply wanted to find out whether a different routine would save money without taking too much time.

02On Sunday, Ben chose three simple meals and made a shopping list. He cooked enough rice and vegetables for two lunches, then put the meals in containers in the fridge. On Monday morning, he was pleased to leave home with everything ready. At lunchtime, however, he discovered that he had forgotten a fork. A colleague lent him one.

03Tuesday went smoothly, but on Wednesday Ben felt bored with the same flavours. Instead of abandoning the idea, he added a different sauce and some fresh vegetables to his next meal. He also decided to prepare ingredients separately so that he could combine them in different ways.

04At the end of the week, Ben had spent less on lunch, although he had used some time shopping and cooking. His favourite part was not having to join a long queue during his short break. He decided to bring lunch on three days each week and buy it on the other two. For him, a flexible routine was easier to continue than a strict rule.

Skills to work on in this practice

Questions 1–5 build confidence; 6–10 check transfer and detail. Use Practice for feedback after each answer, or Test yourself to check at the end.

Practise, then understand your answers

10 questions · 10 XP per correct answer · explanations included

Answer every question to see your score.0 / 10 answered
Question 1

What started Ben’s experiment?

  1. Adding up his lunch spending.
  2. A ban on cafés.
  3. Losing his job.
Answer & explanation

Adding up his lunch spending.. Paragraph 1 connects the spending total with the decision.

Question 2

Was his aim to avoid cafés forever?

  1. Yes, he promised never to return.
  2. The text says he disliked cafés.
  3. No, he wanted to test another routine.
Answer & explanation

No, he wanted to test another routine.. Paragraph 1 explicitly rejects a permanent ban.

Question 3

What did he do before shopping?

  1. He bought a new fridge.
  2. He chose meals and made a list.
  3. He asked colleagues to cook.
Answer & explanation

He chose meals and made a list.. Paragraph 2 gives this preparation sequence.

Question 4

What went wrong on Monday?

  1. He forgot a fork.
  2. He forgot all his food.
  3. His colleague took his meal.
Answer & explanation

He forgot a fork.. Paragraph 2 identifies the missing fork.

Question 5

Who helped him?

  1. A café owner.
  2. A bus driver.
  3. A colleague.
Answer & explanation

A colleague.. A colleague lent him a fork in paragraph 2.

Question 6

Why did he change his meals?

  1. He had stopped eating vegetables.
  2. He wanted more variety.
  3. He had no containers.
Answer & explanation

He wanted more variety.. Paragraph 3 says he was bored with the same flavours.

Question 7

Why prepare ingredients separately?

  1. To combine them in different ways.
  2. To avoid preparing food altogether.
  3. To make every lunch identical.
Answer & explanation

To combine them in different ways.. Paragraph 3 explains that separate ingredients allowed different combinations.

Question 8

What cost did the experiment still involve?

  1. A required café membership.
  2. Paying a colleague every day.
  3. Time spent shopping and cooking.
Answer & explanation

Time spent shopping and cooking.. Paragraph 4 acknowledges the time involved despite lower spending.

Question 9

What did Ben especially appreciate?

  1. Never shopping again.
  2. Avoiding a long lunchtime queue.
  3. Working through every lunch break.
Answer & explanation

Avoiding a long lunchtime queue.. Paragraph 4 names the queue as his favourite change.

Question 10

What was his final decision?

  1. Bring lunch three days and buy it two days.
  2. Buy every lunch.
  3. Bring every lunch without exception.
Answer & explanation

Bring lunch three days and buy it two days.. The final paragraph gives his flexible three-day and two-day arrangement.

Make the reading stick

Summarise the passage in two sentences. Include the main change or argument, then explain one detail that supports it. Revisit the numbered paragraphs if an answer surprised you.

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KEEP YOUR PRACTICE GOING

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A fresh set of 10 questions with explanations. Continue when you are ready.

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Go deeper: five reading challenges · 15–20 minutes

Use these after the quiz to practise explaining, not just choosing an answer. Write in your own notes; these tasks are self-reviewed.

  1. Summarise the main change or argument in three sentences. Compare your summary with the opening and ending.
  2. Choose two details that support the main idea. Note the paragraph for each and explain the connection.
  3. Choose an unfamiliar word. Infer its meaning from context, then use it in a new sentence.
  4. Revisit one wrong option from the quiz. Explain why the passage does not support it, using a specific detail.
  5. Write 60–80 words applying or responding to one idea from the passage. Separate what the text says from your own opinion.

Self-check: Is each claim supported by the passage? Have you explained the connection rather than copied a sentence? Have you kept your own view separate from the writer’s?

A CLEAR WAY FORWARD

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