telc B1 Reading Part 1: Matching Headlines (Global Understanding)
Last updated: 13 October 2026 · Verified against the official telc mock exam
In telc Deutsch B1, Reading part 1 tests whether you grasp a text's main idea: you match five short texts to the right headline out of ten. Five headlines are left over and each can be used only once. Every item here is worth 5 points, so one wrong answer costs more than three wrong answers in the language elements section.
How the task works
- Each text is a short news or information text; the right headline sums up the whole text, not one detail.
- Wrong headlines often repeat a word from the text but describe a different topic.
- Answers are marked on the answer sheet as items 1–5.
A method for finding the right headline
- Read the text first and state its main idea in one sentence of your own.
- Then read the headlines and mark those that match your main idea.
- Look at who / what / what changed, not at repeated words.
- Make the matches you are sure of first; with fewer headlines left, the harder texts get easier.
Original example (not official)
Text: „Die Stadtbibliothek öffnet ab Oktober auch sonntags von 11 bis 17 Uhr. Damit reagiert sie auf eine Umfrage: Viele Berufstätige hatten sich beschwert, dass sie unter der Woche keine Zeit für einen Besuch haben.“ – Überschriften: a) Bibliothek schließt wegen Personalmangel · b) Mehr Zeit zum Lesen: Bibliothek jetzt auch am Wochenende offen · c) Umfrage: Berufstätige lesen immer weniger
The answer is b: the main idea is that the library now also opens on Sundays. Option c repeats 'Umfrage' and 'Berufstätige' but the text says nothing about reading habits; option a contradicts the text.
Points per item in Reading and language elements
| Part | Task | Items | Points per item | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading part 1 | Global understanding – match headlines | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| Reading part 2 | Detailed understanding – a/b/c | 5 | 5 | 25 |
| Reading part 3 | Selective understanding – match ads | 10 | 2.5 | 25 |
| Language elements | Grammar + vocabulary | 20 | 1.5 | 30 |
An item in parts 1 and 2 is worth 5 points; in the language elements section it is worth 1.5. Plan your 90 minutes with that difference in mind.
Official sources
The exam rules and figures in this guide were checked against the official sources below.
Related guide
Practise telc B1 reading with a timer
Work through telc B1 reading and language elements on Zertifly in the real 90 minutes and see why each answer was wrong.