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.
School Canteen Safety Notices
Sign 1
For hygiene, you must wash your hands before entering the canteen. Use soap and warm water.
What does this sign suggest?
You have to clean your hands before you go into the canteen.
You must wash your hands after entering the canteen. Use soap and warm water.
You should wash your hands only if they look dirty before lunch.
Sign 2
Hot drinks area: Students must carry cups with lids. No open cups beyond this line.
What does the text say?
Hot drinks area: Students must carry cups with lids beyond this line.
You are required to use a lid if you take a hot drink past this point.
You can take open cups past the line if you walk carefully.
Sign 3
Queue safely: Please stand behind the yellow line and wait until staff call you forward.
What does this notice mean?
You should stay behind the yellow line until staff tell you to move forward.
You must wait in the queue only if the canteen is busy.
Please stand behind the yellow line and call staff to come forward.
Sign 4
Allergies: Do not share food. If you have an allergy, you must tell a member of staff.
What does this sign suggest?
If you have an allergy, you should avoid the canteen completely.
Allergies: Share food with staff, and tell a member of staff.
You must not give your food to others, and you should inform staff about any allergy.
Sign 5
Spills must be reported immediately. Do not walk through wet areas—use the side path.
What does the notice tell students to do?
Tell staff at once if something is spilled, and avoid the wet floor by taking another route.
Spills must be reported immediately, so walk through wet areas using the side path.
You should clean up spills yourself before you report them.
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.
