Making a Home at Linden Court
About this practice test
Practice B1 English reading with a new-neighborhood story that follows ten people-and-home phrasal verbs through friendships, visits, moving house, and staying in touch.
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:
8 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.
Making a Home at Linden Court
When Priya moved into Linden Court in May, she wanted more than a clean room. After several weeks of looking for an apartment near the Greenford Community Library, she chose a small first-floor apartment with a shared courtyard. She was looking forward to a fresh start, but she worried that she would not know anyone in the building. On her first evening, Daniel from the apartment below dropped by with a welcome note. His visit was short and informal; he had only come to introduce himself and explain how the recycling bins worked. Daniel was leaving for four days to visit his sister, so he asked whether Priya could look after his balcony plants. Priya agreed and promised to water them on Tuesday and Thursday. Daniel said that most people in the building get along with one another, although they did not all have the same habits. That Saturday, the residents held a small gardening morning in the courtyard. Priya arrived early, and soon she was helping to carry bags of soil. The residents often hung out there after work, but this was the first time Priya had joined them. She talked with Rosa, who lived across the hall, and with Amir, who worked at the café on the corner. By midday, Priya knew where to find the tools and who to ask when a tap needed fixing. A week later, Rosa came over to Priya’s apartment for a planned lunch. Priya had spent the morning looking for a simple recipe and then wrote the ingredients down. The meal was not perfect—the bread became slightly too dark—but the two women laughed about it. Rosa told Priya that she could join the group whenever she wanted, even if she could only stay for a few minutes. In June, an older couple on the third floor moved out. Priya felt sad because they had always greeted her in the elevator. A few days later, a young family moved in. Their children played quietly in the courtyard, and Priya helped them find the nearest park. She realized that a building could change without losing its sense of welcome. One afternoon, Daniel left Priya a message about the plants. She was serving a customer at the library, so she could not answer immediately. During her break, she called him back and explained that one of the pots had lost a leaf but was still healthy. Daniel thanked her and said he would bring her some tomatoes when he returned. By the end of the summer, Priya no longer felt like a visitor at Linden Court. She had not made one big decision that changed everything. Instead, she had accepted small invitations, helped when she could, and allowed people to visit her. Those simple contacts helped her make a home.
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What is the passage mainly about?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- How Priya gradually becomes part of a welcoming apartment community
- How a library changes its opening hours for new residents
- Why Daniel decides to grow tomatoes in the courtyard
- Why the young family leaves Linden Court after a few weeks
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- How Priya gradually becomes part of a welcoming apartment community
The passage shows how Priya gradually becomes part of her new apartment community through small acts of help, conversation, and visits.
When Priya moved into Linden Court in May, she wanted more than a clean room.
Those simple contacts helped her make a home.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why did Priya choose the apartment at Linden Court?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- It was near the library and had a shared courtyard
- It was the only building with free furniture
- Daniel promised to cook for her every evening
- Her new manager asked her to live nearby
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- It was near the library and had a shared courtyard
She wanted an apartment near the community library and liked that it had a shared courtyard.
After several weeks of looking for an apartment near the Greenford Community Library, she chose a small first-floor apartment with a shared courtyard.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why did Daniel ask Priya to look after his balcony plants?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- He was going away for four days to visit his sister
- He was moving out of the building permanently
- He wanted Priya to redesign the shared courtyard
- He could not find the plants in his own apartment
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- He was going away for four days to visit his sister
Daniel was going away for four days to visit his sister, so he needed someone to care for the plants.
Daniel was leaving for four days to visit his sister, so he asked whether Priya could look after his balcony plants.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What does “dropped by” mean in the second paragraph?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Moved to another apartment in the building
- Left a package outside without speaking
- Asked Priya to leave the building with him
- Visited briefly and informally
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Visited briefly and informally
Dropped by means visited briefly and informally, which matches Daniel’s short welcome visit.
On her first evening, Daniel from the apartment below dropped by with a welcome note. His visit was short and informal; he had only come to introduce himself and explain how the recycling bins worked.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What did Priya learn during the gardening morning?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Where to find the tools and who to ask about a broken tap
- How to work at the community library
- Why Daniel was leaving the building
- Which family would move into the third floor
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Where to find the tools and who to ask about a broken tap
By midday, Priya knew where the tools were and who could help when a tap needed fixing.
By midday, Priya knew where to find the tools and who to ask when a tap needed fixing.
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Question 6 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Which meaning best matches “hung out” in the third paragraph?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Worked silently in the courtyard every evening
- Spent relaxed time there with other people
- Stored their gardening tools there overnight
- Waited there for a bus to the library
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Spent relaxed time there with other people
Hung out means spent relaxed social time in a place, rather than doing a formal activity there.
The residents often hung out there after work, but this was the first time Priya had joined them.
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Question 7 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What can the reader infer from Rosa’s invitation to join the group for only a few minutes?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Rosa wanted Priya to feel welcome even when she was busy
- Rosa expected Priya to organize every group meeting
- Rosa thought the residents disliked talking to visitors
- Rosa planned to move out of Linden Court soon
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Rosa wanted Priya to feel welcome even when she was busy
Rosa was helping Priya feel welcome by showing that she could participate without having to stay for a long time.
Rosa told Priya that she could join the group whenever she wanted, even if she could only stay for a few minutes.
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Question 8 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What does Priya realize by the end of the passage?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- A home can grow through small acts of connection with other people
- A person must host a large event before feeling comfortable
- Neighbors usually become close only after living together for years
- Moving to a new building means keeping away from other residents
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- A home can grow through small acts of connection with other people
Priya realizes that a sense of home can grow through small invitations, helpful actions, and visits with neighbors.
Instead, she had accepted small invitations, helped when she could, and allowed people to visit her.
Those simple contacts helped her make a home.
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.