CAMBRIDGE · READING TASK GUIDE
Short Texts (Multiple Choice)
Six signs, notices and messages at A2 Key, five at B1 Preliminary. Each one has a single question about what it really means, and the answer is never the option that simply repeats its words.
Where It Appears
| Exam | Paper and part | Questions | Marks | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Key | Reading and Writing, Part 1 | Q1-6 | 6 × 1 | Reading |
| B1 Preliminary | Reading, Part 1 | Q1-5 | 5 × 1 | Reading |
What You See
Each short text is printed as it would look in real life: a notice on a door, a label, a text message, a sticky note, a short email. Next to it are three options. At A2 Key they are three statements and you choose the one that matches the message; at B1 Preliminary there is sometimes a question stem first ("What does Anna want Tom to do?").
- The layout is part of the text. Where a notice is, and who a message is from, often decides the answer.
- The texts are short — a sentence or two — so every word counts, especially only, before, unless, if and times.
- The options are text, not pictures.
Worked Example
A complete short texts (multiple choice) task at B1 Preliminary level. Work it with the answers closed, then open the key.
B1 Preliminary — Notices and messages
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Sophie is telling Ben that
Show answers
Answer key
1. B — “Group work welcome” means people can study together in this room as long as they talk quietly. A is wrong because quiet talking is allowed, and C is wrong because the top-floor room is for people who want silence, not for groups.
2. A — Their mother “needs it back by 6”, so Ben must bring the car back before then. B is wrong because she is driving to Gran’s in the evening, and C is wrong because Sophie reminds Ben to fill the car up himself.
3. C — The second-floor printer can’t print in colour yet, so colour documents must go to the meeting-room printer. A is wrong because it only works for black and white, and B is wrong because staff can still print in colour in the meeting room.
4. B — Passengers go by train to Hillford and then take a bus, so they use two kinds of transport. A is not mentioned, and C is wrong because the notice gives the bus journey time but says nothing about how long the train normally takes.
5. C — “I’ll swap it for a bigger bike” means Maria will exchange it instead of selling it. A is wrong because she wants a bigger bike, for an older child, and B is wrong because her son stopped using it because he grew too tall, not because he didn’t like it.
The same task type at other levels: A2 Key.
Strategy
- Ask who wrote it, for whom, and why before looking at the options. A notice gives information or a rule; a message usually asks, offers or changes a plan.
- Say the message in your own words. "The shop closes early on Saturday" is easier to match than the notice itself.
- Test each option against the whole text. Two options are usually half true.
- Watch small words. Must and can, before and after, all and some are where the wrong options are made.
Common Mistakes
- Choosing the option that uses the same words as the notice.
- Ignoring who the message is from or who it is for.
- Missing a condition such as unless or only if.
- Spending too long on six one-mark questions at the start of the paper.
How to Practise
More practice at every level is on the Cambridge Reading samples page. The whole section in context is on the Cambridge Reading page, and how it is marked is on the scoring page.
