B2 First (FCE) Reading Section Guide
The Reading tasks form Parts 5, 6, and 7 of the B2 First Reading and Use of English paper. While the first four parts test grammar and vocabulary mechanics, these final three parts evaluate your ability to comprehend long-form texts, track argument structures, and locate specific details under time pressure.
The Reading tasks include 3 distinct formats:
- Part 5 (Multiple Choice): A long text followed by 6 four-option multiple-choice questions focusing on detail, opinion, tone, and main idea.
- Part 6 (Gapped Text): A long text with 6 sentences removed. You must choose the correct sentence from a list of seven options to fill each gap.
- Part 7 (Multiple Matching): A series of short texts or one long text divided into sections, accompanied by 10 statements that you must match to the correct section.
Part 6 is where most candidates lose their patience. Inserting six missing sentences into a long article sounds simple enough until you realize every option looks distantly relevant. The trick is to stop reading for general story flow and start treating it like a puzzle. Look for explicit pronoun references, contrast linkers like "however" or "instead," and chronological markers. If a removed sentence starts with "This decision," there must be a clear decision mentioned in the paragraph right before it.
Part 7 presents a completely different problem: time management. Reading the whole text four or five times looking for ten answers will kill your clock. Read the questions first, underline the key concepts, and scan the text for synonymous phrases. Cambridge rarely uses the exact words from the question inside the reading passages.
Do not leave Part 5 for the very end when your brain is tired. Sitting down to analyze dense paragraphs and subtle author opinions in the final ten minutes usually leads to random guessing.