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.
A long game of basketball
On Wednesday afternoon, Peter finished all his school lessons. He really wanted to play basketball. He phoned his best friend, Jack, and they walked to the big park behind the library. The boys wore their favourite sports clothes and carried a new orange ball.
Examples
Peter finished all his ………school lessons……… on Wednesday afternoon.
Peter wanted to play ………basketball……… with his best friend.
Questions
1 Jack and Peter went to the …………………… which was behind the library.
2 The two boys wore their favourite …………………… to play in.
3 They took a …………………… with them to the park.
The weather was hot and sunny at the park. Peter and Jack played a long game of basketball. They ran fast and jumped high to catch the ball. They played for two hours and scored lots of points! Then, Jack threw the ball, but it didn’t go in the net. It bounced away and rolled under a yellow car. The boys had to stop their game.
4 At the park, the weather was …………………… .
5 The friends played their game of basketball for …………………… .
6 Jack threw the ball, but it didn’t go into the …………………… .
7 The ball went under a …………………… , so the boys stopped playing.
“I can see our ball!” Peter shouted. He quickly pulled the dirty ball from under the car. The boys were very tired and thirsty after their long game, so they drank some cold water. Then, they said goodbye and walked home for dinner. It was a fantastic day.
8 Peter pulled the …………………… out from under the car.
9 The boys drank …………………… because they were tired and thirsty.
10 After they said goodbye, the friends went …………………… .
ANSWER KEY
1 big park/park 2 sports clothes 3 new orange ball/orange ball
4 hot and sunny 5 two hours/2 hours 6 net 7 yellow car
8 dirty ball/ball 9 some cold water/cold water 10 home for dinner/home
Reading 2
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
Sam’s New Comic
Yesterday after school, Sam walked home quickly. He was very happy because he had a new comic in his bag. It was about a brave space pirate. But Sam also had some homework. His teacher, Mr. Brown, gave him ten difficult math questions. “I must do my homework first,” Sam thought.
Examples
Sam walked home quickly yesterday ………after school……… .
Sam felt ………very happy……… because there was a new comic in his bag.
Questions
1 The new comic was about a brave ………………………… .
2 Sam got ten difficult math questions from his ………………………… , Mr. Brown.
3 Sam wanted to do his ………………………… first.
When Sam got home, he didn’t turn on the television. He went straight upstairs to his bedroom. He sat at his desk and looked at his math book. The questions were difficult, but Sam worked very fast. He wrote the answers carefully. He finished all the math homework in twenty minutes! His mother was surprised.
4 Sam didn’t turn on the ………………………… when he arrived home.
5 Sam sat at his ………………………… in his bedroom.
6 Sam worked ………………………… to do the difficult questions.
7 It took Sam ………………………… to finish the math homework.
“Are you finished, Sam?” his mother asked. “Yes, mum!” Sam answered. He put his pencils and math book in his bag. Then, he jumped on his bed and opened his new comic. The pictures were fantastic. Sam read the exciting story until dinner time. It was a great afternoon.
8 Sam put his math book and ………………………… in his bag.
9 Sam opened his comic when he jumped on ………………………… .
10 Sam read his new comic until ………………………… .
ANSWER KEY
1 space pirate 2 teacher 3 homework
4 television 5 desk 6 very fast 7 twenty minutes
8 pencils 9 his bed 10 dinner time
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
A school trip to the cinema
Last Thursday morning, Mr Gray told his class, “We are going to the cinema today!” The children were very excited. They put on their coats, walked out of the school and waited next to the road. A big yellow bus arrived, and the class got on it.
Examples
Mr Gray and his class went to the ………cinema……… last Thursday.
The children were ………very excited……… about the trip.
Questions
1 The children put on their ………………………… and walked outside.
2 The class waited for the bus next to the ………………………… .
3 The class went on a ………………………… to go to the cinema.
The children sat with their friends on the bus. Paul sat down next to Daisy. They talked about space because the new film was about planets. When they arrived at the cinema, Mr Gray bought the tickets. Inside, the room was very dark. The children sat in big red seats. The film started and they saw a big orange planet.
4 On the bus, Paul sat down ………………………… .
5 The class went to see a new film about ………………………… .
6 ………………………… got the tickets when they arrived at the cinema.
7 In the film, the children saw a ………………………… .
After the film, the children were hungry and thirsty. Mr Gray bought everyone some cheese sandwiches and water. They ate their food outside the cinema. Then, they caught the bus back to school. “That was a great trip,” said Paul. “I loved learning about the planets!”
8 The children felt ………………………… after watching the film.
9 Mr Gray got some water and ………………………… for the children to eat.
10 The class ate their food ………………………… before going back to school.
ANSWER KEY
1 coats 2 road 3 big yellow bus
4 next to Daisy 5 planets 6 Mr Gray 7 big orange planet
8 hungry and thirsty 9 cheese sandwiches 10 outside the cinema