This Susan Boyle reading comprehension worksheet is designed for B1–B2 ESL students. It includes an inspiring text about perseverance and success, plus vocabulary activities, comprehension questions, discussion tasks, and an answer key—perfect for classroom use or homework.
Table of Contents
Reading Comprehension Worksheet (B1–B2)
- Topic
- Perseverance • Overcoming Challenges • Never Giving Up
- Level
- Intermediate (B1–B2)
- Skills
- Reading • Vocabulary • Speaking • Critical Thinking • Writing
Pre-Reading Questions (Warm-Up)
Discuss with a partner:
- Have you ever been judged by your appearance?
- Do you believe talent is more important than looks? Why?
- Can success come later in life?
Reading Text
Susan Boyle: Never Give Up on Your Dream
Susan Boyle was born in 1961 in a small village in Scotland. From a young age, her life was not easy. During her birth, there were medical problems that caused learning difficulties. At school, other children often bullied her and called her unkind names. This made her feel shy and insecure.
Although Susan faced many challenges, she discovered something that made her happy: singing. Music became her escape. She took singing lessons and performed in local events, but many people did not believe she could ever become famous. Still, she never stopped practicing.
In 2009, when she was 47 years old, Susan decided to audition for the television show Britain’s Got Talent. When she walked onto the stage, the audience laughed because they did not expect someone like her to be a great singer. However, everything changed when she began to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables. Her voice was powerful and beautiful. The audience became silent, and then they stood up and applauded.
Her performance quickly became one of the most watched videos on YouTube. Overnight, Susan became famous around the world. She later released several successful albums and sold millions of copies.
Susan Boyle’s story teaches us an important lesson: we should never judge people by their appearance. It also shows that perseverance, confidence, and hard work can help us achieve our dreams at any age.
Comprehension Questions
Comprehension Exercises
Exercise 1 – Vocabulary Matching
Match the words with their meanings.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A. bullied B. insecure C. audition D. perseverance E. applauded F. escape | 1. ___ a way to forget problems 2. ___ feeling unsure or lacking confidence 3. ___ a test performance for a role or show 4. ___ clapped hands to show approval 5. ___ treated someone badly or cruelly 6. ___ continuing to try despite difficulties |
1 F
2 B
3 C
4 E
5 A
6 D
Exercise 2 – True or False
Write T or F.
- Susan Boyle had an easy childhood. ___
- She stopped singing because people laughed at her. ___
- She was 47 when she auditioned for the show. ___
- The audience immediately loved her before she sang. ___
- She became famous after her TV performance. ___
1 F
2 F
3 T
4 F
5 T
Exercise 3 – Reading Comprehension Questions
Answer in complete sentences.
- What difficulties did Susan face at school?
- Why was music important to her?
- What happened when she started singing on stage?
- How did her life change after the audition?
- What lesson can we learn from her story?
(Suggested answers – accept similar wording)
1. What difficulties did Susan face at school?
→ She had learning difficulties and was bullied by other students.
2. Why was music important to her?
→ It made her happy and helped her escape from her problems.
3. What happened when she started singing on stage?
→ The audience became silent and then stood up and applauded.
4. How did her life change after the audition?
→ She became famous around the world and released successful albums.
5. What lesson can we learn from her story?
→ We should not judge people by appearance and should never give up on our dreams.
(Accept other reasonable interpretations.)
Exercise 4 – Find the Evidence
Find a sentence in the text that shows:
- People judged her before hearing her sing.
- She did not give up on her dream.
(Answers may vary slightly depending on the sentence students choose)
1. People judged her before hearing her sing.
→ “When she walked onto the stage, the audience laughed because they did not expect someone like her to be a great singer.”
2. She did not give up on her dream.
→ “Still, she never stopped practicing.”
OR
→ “She decided to audition for the television show Britain’s Got Talent.”
Exercise 5 – Discussion Questions (Speaking)
Discuss with your classmates:
- Why do people sometimes judge others by their appearance?
- Do you know someone who succeeded after many failures?
- How can students develop perseverance in learning English?
- What qualities are more important than talent?
(No single correct answers – assess fluency, clarity, and participation.)
– Teacher evaluates:
→relevant ideas
→ use of target vocabulary
→ speaking confidence
Exercise 6 – Writing Task
Choose ONE:
✏️ Write a short paragraph (80–100 words):
- Describe a challenge you faced and how you overcame it.
OR
✏️ Write advice for students who feel discouraged about learning English.
(Assessment criteria suggestion)
Score based on:
– task completion
– grammar accuracy
– vocabulary use
– organization
– clarity of ideas
Optional rubric:
– 5 = excellent
– 4 = good
– 3 = satisfactory
– 2 = needs improvement
– 1 = incomplete
Optional Listening Activity
Watch Susan Boyle’s audition on Britain’s Got Talent and answer:
- How does the audience react before she sings?
- How does their reaction change after the performance?
- Why do you think the video became so popular?
Teacher Notes
Objectives
Students will:
- practice reading comprehension
- learn vocabulary related to challenges and success
- discuss perseverance and motivation
- develop speaking confidence
Suggested Timing
- Warm-up: 5 min
- Reading: 10 min
- Exercises: 20–25 min
- Discussion/Writing: 10–15 min
Skills Focus
Reading for gist, detail, inference, and personal response.
More about Susan Boyle
