The Energy-Saving App
About this practice test
Practice B2 English reading with an energy-saving app trial covering design, results, supporting activities, data privacy, and research limits.
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
- B2. 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.
The Energy Saving App
An energy company created a small app called HomeWise to help households reduce electricity use. Users enter their appliances and receive an estimate of how much power they use during peak hours. In a trial involving 300 households, average electricity use during those hours fell by 12 percent. Researchers warn that the app was not the only reason for the change: every participating household also attended a short energy workshop. To protect privacy, the app stores detailed usage data on the phone belonging to each user instead of sending it to a central server. The company plans to add a feature that helps households compare electricity use with the output of their solar panels.
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What does HomeWise help households do?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Reduce electricity use
- Book public transport
- Repair household furniture
- Measure rainfall
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Reduce electricity use
The app helps households reduce electricity use, especially during peak hours.
An energy company created a small app called HomeWise to help households reduce electricity use.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
How many households took part in the trial?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- 300
- 30
- 3000
- 12
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- 300
The trial involved 300 households.
In a trial involving 300 households, average electricity use during those hours fell by 12 percent.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
How much did average peak-hour electricity use fall?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- 12 percent
- 2 percent
- 20 percent
- 30 percent
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- 12 percent
The passage reports a 12 percent fall.
Users enter their appliances and receive an estimate of how much power they use during peak hours.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why can researchers not attribute the whole change to the app?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- Participants also attended an energy workshop.
- The app was used only at night.
- No household entered appliance information.
- The trial had no participating households.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Participants also attended an energy workshop.
Every household also attended an energy workshop.
Researchers warn that the app was not the only reason for the change: every participating household also attended a short energy workshop.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
How does the app protect detailed usage data?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- It stores the data on each users phone.
- It publishes the data online.
- It deletes all data every hour.
- It sends data to every energy company.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- It stores the data on each users phone.
It stores the data on the phone belonging to each user rather than a central server.
To protect privacy, the app stores detailed usage data on the phone belonging to each user instead of sending it to a central server.
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.