Air-Traffic Control Problem Disrupts More Than 2,000 Flights at British Airports
About this practice test
Practice B1 English reading with 5 questions based on the Daily News article “Air-Traffic Control Problem Disrupts More Than 2,000 Flights at British Airports”.
What you’ll practice
Finding detail
Locate specific information and evidence.
Interpreting ideas
Connect main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
5 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- B1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Single choice
How to approach this practice
Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.
News lesson for this practice
Read the complete article and use its text or audio alongside these exercises: Air-Traffic Control Problem Disrupts More Than 2,000 Flights at British Airports.
Air-Traffic Control Problem Disrupts More Than 2,000 Flights at British Airports
More than 2,000 flights have been disrupted at British airports over the past two days. The disruption is linked to an air-traffic control problem that has affected normal air travel. Heathrow is named in the title of the report, which describes the situation as a time of major confusion and difficulty. The verified information does not identify a single airport as the only one affected. Instead, it says that British…
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What is the main purpose of the article?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- To explain how airports build control systems
- To report widespread flight disruption and its limits
- To describe one passenger’s difficult journey
- To compare British airports with foreign airports
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- To report widespread flight disruption and its limits
The article presents the disruption and explains what remains unknown.
For now, the central fact is clear: a problem with air-traffic control has caused widespread disruption at British airports.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What can readers infer from the number of affected flights?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- The problem affected only one flight
- The disruption was probably small
- The problem affected many airport operations
- Only passengers at Heathrow were affected
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- The problem affected many airport operations
The large number shows that the problem is serious and broad.
The figure shows the size of the disruption.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What does “It” refer to in the fourth paragraph?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- The title
- The figure
- The airport
- The schedule
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- The figure
The pronoun points back to the number of affected flights.
It is not a small delay involving a few travelers or one flight.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why does the article mention Heathrow?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- To prove Heathrow was the only airport affected
- To identify every airport with delays
- To explain the title’s airport reference
- To describe Heathrow’s control tower
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- To explain the title’s airport reference
Heathrow appears in the title, but the report covers British airports generally.
Heathrow is named in the title of the report, which describes the situation as a time of major confusion and difficulty.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
How is the article mainly organized?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Problem, scale, and limits of information
- History, prices, and future plans
- Passenger story, interview, and solution
- Airport design, weather, and safety rules
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Problem, scale, and limits of information
It moves from the event to its meaning and missing details.
The available report does not provide further verified details about the cause of the air-traffic control problem, how long it will continue, or when normal service will return.
What to review next
Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.
The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?
The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.