For this exercise about snakebites in Australia, you read the text and choose the correct answer to each of the five questions. It provides practice for this reading section of the Cambridge English B1 Preliminary exam.
Snakebites
You're hiking with a friend and then as you step over a tree log a snake beneath bites your leg. One thought races through your mind, 'If you get bitten by a snake, suck out the venom.’' Terrified, you turn to your friend, but he replies, 'No way! Then we'll both die.' Is he right?
Most likely, your friend wouldn't die. But if he has an open wound in his mouth, the venom could enter his bloodstream, which is no help to either of you. So, venom sucking isn't a solution.
To understand how to treat snakebites, you need to know the difference between poisons and venoms. Poisons are toxic, in other words dangerous, if you swallow or smell them. Venoms, on the other hand, are only toxic if they get into soft tissues and the bloodstream.
So, if you suck the venom out of a snake bite, you won't be affected. But that doesn't mean you should do it! Experts now strongly advise against it. Why? Venom enters the bloodstream extremely quickly, and trying to suck it out is ineffective because it’s faster than your reaction. The best way to prevent the venom from quickly moving through the bloodstream is to remain calm, and avoid doing anything that would increase the heart rate.
So what else should we do? Well, be aware of what snakes are in the place you are walking in. That way you will have an idea which ones are dangerous.
Here are new words and phrases from this exercise for the B1 Preliminary Part 3 reading section of the test:
- avoid
- bloodstream
- dangerous
- heart rate
- hiking
- poisons
- reaction
- remain calm
- snakebites
- soft tissues
- solution
- suck out the venom
- terrified
- toxic
- wound
Part 1 - Read five real-world notices, messages and other short texts for the main message.
- Notices and Messages How to Video
- Notices and Messages Set 1
- Notices and Messages Set 2
- Notices and Messages Set 3
- Notices and Messages Set 4
- Notices and Messages Set 5
- Notices and Messages Set 6
- Notices and Messages Set 7
- Notices and Messages Set 8
Part 2 - Match five descriptions of people to eight short texts on a particular topic, showing detailed comprehension.
Part 3 - Read a longer text for detailed comprehension, gist, inference and global meaning, as well as writer’s attitude and opinion.
Part 4 - Read a longer text from which five sentences have been removed. Show understanding of how a coherent and well-structured text is formed.
Part 5 - Read a shorter text and choose the correct vocabulary items to complete gaps.
- Bagpipes
- Book Recommendation
- Mountain Climbing
- Playing Computer Games
- Popular Website
- Saving a Tree
- Single or Mixed-gender Schools
- Work of Art
Part 6 - Read a shorter text and complete six gaps using one word for each gap.
Write about 100 words, answering the email and notes provided.
Write about 100 words, either an article or story.
Articles
Short Stories
Part 3 - Gap-Filled Exercise
Part 4 - Multiple Choice Exercise
The B1 Preliminary Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate. There are two examiners. One of the examiners talks to you and the other examiner listens.
- Air Travel Crossword
- Computer Crossword
- Crime Crossword
- Entertainment Crossword
- Financial Language Crossword
- Food Crossword
- Health Crossword
- Home Crossword
- Language Crossword
- Leisure Crossword
- Money Crossword
- Natural World Crossword
- Places Crossword
- Shopping Crossword
- Sports Crossword
- Technology Crossword
- Texting Crossword
- Time Crossword
- Transport Crossword
- Travel Crossword
- Work and Jobs Crossword
- Adjectives with -ing Word Search
- Art Word Search
- Bonfire Night Word Search
- Buildings Word Search
- Classical Music Word Search
- Countryside Word Search
- Drama Word Search
- Education Word Search
- Entertainment Word Search
- Fast Food Word Search
- Feelings Word Search
- Food and Drink Word Search
- Football Word Search
- Gambling Word Search
- Haunted House Word Search
- Health Word Search
- Home Word Search
- Internet Word Search
- Language Word Search
- Leisure Word Search
- Natural World Word Search
- Shopping Word Search
- Sports Facilities Word Search
- Sports Word Search
- Sushi Word Search
- Technology Word Search
- Time Word Search
- Town and City Word Search
- Travel Word Search
- Weather Word Search
- Work Word Search
- Clothes Word Puzzle
- Color Word Puzzle
- Communication Word Puzzle
- Easter Word Puzzle
- Education Word Puzzle
- Entertainment Word Puzzle
- Environment Word Puzzle
- Food Word Puzzle
- Health Word Puzzle
- Hobbies Word Puzzle
- Language Word Puzzle
- Medicine Word Puzzle
- Natural World Word Puzzle
- Technology Word Puzzle
- Time Word Puzzle
- Weather Word Puzzle
- Air Travel Exercises
- Animals and Pets
- British and American English
- Chinese New Year
- Christmas
- Clothing
- Computer Exercises
- Easter (A2 – B1 Levels)
- Education
- Entertainment
- Environment
- Environmental Issues
- Finance Exercises
- Food and Drink
- Leisure and Hobbies
- Money Exercises
- Phoning and Texting Exercises
- Places and Buildings
- Relationships
- Transport and Travel
- Work and Jobs
- Email – Holiday Plans
- Article – Being Famous
- Short Story – Computer Problems
- Book Review – The Call
- Email – Favourite Film
- Speech – Course Introduction
- Email – Saving Energy
- Report – Eating out in Berlin
- Article – Schools for Boys and Girls
- Article – The Countryside
- Short Story – Talent Contest
- Email – Barbecue Invitation
- Email – Summer School
- News Report – Bank Robbery
- Report – Features of Glaciers
- Email – Party Invitation
- Movie Review – Ted
- Email – New School
- Email – Subject Choices
- Email – Holiday in Thailand
- Letter – Most Important Time
- Short Story – The Angel
- Blog Post – A New Life in Japan
- Short Story – Art Competition
- Short Story – In Free Fall
- Article – Work of Art
- Email – Borrowing
- Email – School Holidays
- Article – The Cardboard Bike
- Email – Computer Games
- Email – about University
- Email – Visiting a relative
Cambridge English exams are designed for learners at all levels from the pre-intermediate level Cambridge English: Key (KET) to the very advanced level Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE). These exams give candidates proof of their ability to use English in a wide variety of contexts, relevant to work, study and leisure activities.