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.
Employee Information Signs
Sign 1
New staff must collect their ID badge from Reception before entering any office area for the first time.
What does this sign suggest?
New employees have to pick up an entry badge at Reception before they go into the offices.
New staff must enter any office area first, then collect their ID badge from Reception.
New staff can collect their ID badge from Reception at any time during their first week.
Sign 2
For IT support, submit a help ticket online. Phone calls are only for urgent system outages.
What does the text say?
You should request IT help through the online system, and only call if the whole system is down.
For IT support, submit a help ticket online by phone for urgent system outages only.
You must phone IT for every problem because tickets are only for urgent outages.
Sign 3
Kitchen notice: Label your food and remove it every Friday. Unlabelled items may be thrown away.
What does this sign suggest?
Label your food every Friday and the kitchen will throw away all labelled items.
You can leave food in the fridge all month if you label it with Friday’s date.
You should write your name on your food and take it home by Friday, or it could be removed.
Sign 4
Meeting rooms: You may use any free room, but you must book it on the calendar for meetings over 30 minutes.
What does the text say?
You may use any free room only if your meeting is over 30 minutes.
You’re allowed to use available rooms, but longer meetings have to be reserved in the booking system.
Meeting rooms are only for managers, but you must book them on the calendar.
Sign 5
Security reminder: Do not hold doors open for others. Everyone has to use their own access card.
What does this sign suggest?
Do not hold doors open, but you can share one access card with others.
Everyone has to use their own access card, so you should hold the door open to help them.
You mustn’t let someone enter using your door; each person needs to scan their own card.
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.