Reading - Signs & Notices
B1
Cambridge English B1 Exam
Look at the text of each sign. What does it suggest? Select the option that best captures the meaning of the sign.
Mixed Public Signs Practice
Sign 1
Staff area. Visitors must sign in at Reception and wear a visitor badge at all times.
What does this sign suggest?
Visitors should ask staff for a badge if they want to enter the staff area.
Visitors must sign in at Reception only when they leave, and the visitor badge is optional.
Visitors have to register at Reception and keep a visitor badge on while they are here.
Sign 2
Cyclists: You must use the bike lane. Riding on the pavement is not permitted.
What does the text say?
People on bikes have to ride in the cycle lane and are not allowed to use the pavement.
Cyclists must use the pavement because the bike lane is not permitted.
Cyclists should ride slowly on the pavement if the bike lane is busy.
Sign 3
Quiet zone after 9 p.m. Please keep conversations low and do not play music in the garden.
What does this sign suggest?
After 9 p.m., you can play music quietly in the garden if conversations are low.
After 9 p.m., the garden is closed, so nobody is allowed to go there.
After 9 p.m., you should speak quietly and you mustn't play music outside.
Sign 4
Swimming pool: Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. No exceptions.
What does the text say?
Children under 14 must accompany an adult into the pool area.
Anyone younger than 14 has to be with an adult to use the pool.
Children under 14 can swim alone if they are good swimmers.
Sign 5
Ticket office closed. You can buy tickets from the machine, but it only accepts card payments.
What does this notice suggest?
You can buy tickets at the office if you pay by card instead of cash.
The ticket office is closed because the machine accepts only cash payments.
You can still get a ticket, but you must pay by card at the machine.
About Reading Signs & Notices — Cambridge English B1
This Cambridge English B1 Reading Signs & Notices exercise shows short public messages — signs, labels, emails and notes. For each one, choose the option that best explains its meaning.
It tests your understanding of everyday English and the real purpose behind short, functional messages you meet in daily life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Reading Signs & Notices?
You read a short message such as a sign, label or note and choose the option that best explains what it means or wants you to do.
What does it test?
Understanding the purpose and meaning of short, real-world English messages.
Any tips for Signs & Notices?
Ask yourself who wrote the message and why — the correct option matches its real purpose, not just individual words in it.
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What to do
This part of the reading test consists of five images with messages. Each image has 3 possible answer options. What does the notice say?
Read the notices and messages first. Don’t look at the choices until you understand the texts.
Compare each option with the text before choosing your answer. Remember that the wrong, answers might seem to be correct at first, so it is important to read the chosen option again to check that the meanings match.
Strategy
- Read the text and decide what situation it could appear in.
- Look at the images, the design often suggests the correct answer.
- Read the three options.
- Compare each option with the text before choosing an answer.
- Read the chosen option again to be sure it is a right answer.