Practice English Reading Exercises for A1 – School, Learning & Friends
Reading 1
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The thunderstorm game
Last Wednesday afternoon, Mary and her friend Lily had a big tennis match at their school. The weather was very hot and sunny. A lot of children sat on the green grass to watch the game. Mary wore her new sports shoes and a yellow t-shirt.
Examples
Mary and her friend Lily played a ………tennis match……… last Wednesday.
The weather that afternoon was very ………hot and sunny……… .
Questions
1 The girls played their big match at ………………………… .
2 The children sat on the ………………………… to look at the game.
3 Mary had a yellow t-shirt and some ………………………… on.
The match started at three o’clock. Mary hit the yellow ball really well. But suddenly, the sky turned black. The children heard a very loud noise above them. “It’s a thunderstorm!” shouted their sports teacher, Mr. Brown. “Stop playing and run inside!” Heavy rain started to fall. Mary and Lily dropped their rackets and ran to the sports hall very quickly.
4 The girls started their game at ………………………… .
5 The sky ………………………… and the children heard a loud noise.
6 Mr. Brown, the ………………………… , told the children to run inside.
7 Mary and Lily ran quickly to the ………………………… because of the heavy rain.
All the children were safe inside the hall, but they were very wet. Mr. Brown found some dry towels and gave them to the girls. “We can finish the tennis match next week,” he said. Mary and Lily smiled. They weren’t sad. They were happy because they could play table tennis inside instead.
8 Inside the hall, the children were safe but they were ………………………… .
9 Mr. Brown gave the girls some ………………………… to use.
10 The girls played ………………………… inside instead and were happy.
ANSWER KEY
1 their school 2 green grass 3 new sports shoes
4 three o’clock 5 turned black 6 sports teacher 7 sports hall
8 very wet 9 dry towels 10 table tennis
Reading 2
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
A funny day at the zoo
Last Tuesday, Mr Green and his class went to the big city zoo. The children caught a yellow bus from their school. They were very happy because they loved animals. Mr Green told them to take their pencils and notebooks. “We must draw the animals today!” he said.
Examples
Mr Green and his class visited the zoo ………last Tuesday……… .
The children took a ………yellow bus……… from their school.
Questions
1 The children were very happy because they …………………… .
2 Mr Green told the class to bring their notebooks and …………………… .
3 Mr Green said the class must …………………… at the zoo.
At the zoo, the class walked to the monkey cages first. There were five brown monkeys. They jumped up and down in the trees and ate sweet bananas. The children sat on the grass and started to draw. But one small monkey climbed down and took a boy’s pencil! The boy, whose name was Fred, laughed. The monkey looked at the pencil and put it behind its ear.
4 The children visited the …………………… first.
5 The monkeys jumped in the trees and ate …………………… .
6 The children sat on the …………………… when they started to draw.
7 A monkey climbed down and took Fred’s …………………… !
A zookeeper saw the funny monkey. She gave it an apple, and the monkey dropped the pencil. Mr Green picked it up and gave it back to Fred. Fred finished his beautiful picture. After that, the class ate sandwiches for lunch. Then, they said goodbye to the monkeys and went home.
8 A …………………… gave the monkey an apple.
9 Fred finished his …………………… after Mr Green gave him the pencil.
10 The class ate …………………… for their lunch before going home.
ANSWER KEY
1 loved animals 2 pencils 3 draw the animals
4 monkey cages 5 sweet bananas 6 grass 7 pencil
8 zookeeper 9 beautiful picture 10 sandwiches
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
Lunch in the playground
On Monday morning, Tom and his best friend, Lily, were at school. They had three difficult lessons. At twelve o’clock, the bell rang. The children were very happy because it was time for lunch. They took their yellow bags and quickly walked out to the big playground.
Examples
Tom and his best friend, Lily, were ………at school……… on Monday morning.
The children had three ………difficult lessons……… before lunch.
Questions
1 The school bell rang at …………………… .
2 Tom and Lily took their …………………… outside.
3 The children went to the …………………… for their lunch.
The weather was warm and sunny. Tom and Lily sat down on the green grass under a tall tree. Tom opened his bag, but he was sad. “I don’t have any food!” he said. “My lunch is on the kitchen table at home.” Lily smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Tom. I have a lot of food today. We can share.”
4 Tom and Lily sat on the …………………… under a tree.
5 Tom was …………………… when he opened his bag.
6 Tom left his food on the …………………… at home.
7 Lily had a lot of food and wanted to …………………… with Tom.
Lily gave Tom a big chicken sandwich and a sweet red apple. Lily had a chicken sandwich and a banana. They ate their delicious lunch and drank some water. Then, they played a fun game of football with their classmates before the afternoon lessons started.
8 Lily gave Tom a sweet red apple and a …………………… .
9 After they ate their delicious lunch, the friends drank …………………… .
10 The children played a game of …………………… before the afternoon lessons.
ANSWER KEY
1 twelve o’clock 2 yellow bags 3 big playground
4 green grass 5 sad 6 kitchen table 7 share
8 big chicken sandwich/chicken sandwich 9 some water/water 10 football