Practice English Reading Exercises for A1 – Health, Food & The Body
Reading 1
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
Fred’s Dirty Shirt
Last Wednesday evening, Fred was at home with his mother. They were in the dining room for dinner. Fred wore his new, clean white shirt because it was his birthday. His mother cooked a big bowl of hot tomato soup. “This smells great!” Fred said. He was very hungry after a long day at school.
Examples
Fred and his mother had dinner at home last ………Wednesday evening……… .
They ate their meal in the ………dining room……… .
Questions
1 Fred put on a clean white shirt for his ………………………… .
2 Fred’s mother made a bowl of ………………………… for dinner.
3 Fred was ………………………… because he had a long day at school.
Fred took a spoon and started to eat. But the soup was very hot. He dropped his spoon, and the red soup fell on his white shirt. “Oh no!” cried Fred. He was sad because his new shirt was very dirty now. His mother stood up quickly. “Don’t cry,” she said. “Take off the shirt and give it to me.”
4 Fred started to eat the soup with a ………………………… .
5 Some of the ………………………… fell on Fred’s shirt.
6 Fred felt ………………………… about his dirty new shirt.
7 Fred’s mother told him to ………………………… his dirty shirt.
Fred put on an old blue T-shirt and sat down again. His mother took the dirty shirt to the bathroom and washed it with soap and water. Ten minutes later, she came back. “Look, it is clean again!” she smiled. Fred was very happy. He finished his delicious soup and then ate a big piece of chocolate cake.
8 Fred changed his clothes and wore an ………………………… .
9 Fred’s mother cleaned the shirt in the ………………………… with water and soap.
10 After he finished the soup, Fred had a piece of ………………………… .
ANSWER KEY
1 birthday 2 hot tomato soup 3 very hungry
4 spoon 5 red soup 6 sad 7 take off
8 old blue T-shirt 9 bathroom 10 chocolate cake
Reading 2
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The wet hair
Last Saturday afternoon, Lily and her parents went to a beautiful forest. The weather was very hot and sunny that day. They walked for an hour and found a famous river. Lily was very excited because she loved nature and wanted to see fish.
Examples
Lily and her parents visited a ………beautiful forest……… last Saturday afternoon.
The weather was ………very hot……… and sunny that day.
Questions
1 The family found a ………………………… after walking for an hour.
2 Lily felt ………………………… because she really loved nature.
3 Lily wanted to look for ………………………… in the river.
Soon, the family heard a loud noise. It was a big waterfall! Lily wanted to take a picture with her camera, so she walked very near to the fast water. Suddenly, a strong cold wind blew. A lot of water flew high into the air and fell on Lily’s head. Her long blonde hair was completely wet, and her clothes were dirty!
4 The family heard a ………………………… which came from a big waterfall.
5 Lily wanted to take a picture, so she stood ………………………… the fast water.
6 A ………………………… blew and water flew up into the air.
7 The water fell on Lily’s head, and her ………………………… was completely wet!
Lily’s older brother, Ben, laughed loudly when he saw her. He quickly opened his bag and gave Lily his dry blue towel. She used the towel to clean her wet face and her hair. After that, the happy family sat down on some large grey rocks. They ate a lovely picnic and talked about their funny day in the forest.
8 Ben is Lily’s ………………………… , and he laughed loudly at her.
9 Ben opened his bag and got his ………………………… for Lily.
10 The family had their picnic while sitting on some ………………………… .
ANSWER KEY
1 famous river 2 very excited 3 fish
4 loud noise 5 very near to 6 strong cold wind 7 long blonde hair
8 older brother 9 dry blue towel 10 large grey rocks
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
Lucy’s trip to the zoo
Last Sunday, Lucy went to the city zoo with her parents. The weather was sunny and warm. First, they looked at the funny monkeys and the tall giraffes. Lucy was very happy because she loved animals. She ate a yellow ice cream.
Examples
Lucy visited the ………city zoo……… with her parents last Sunday.
On that day, the weather was ………sunny and warm……… .
Questions
1 The family looked at the funny monkeys and the ………………………… first.
2 Lucy was happy because she ………………………… a lot.
3 Lucy ate a ………………………… at the zoo.
Then, the family walked to the reptile house. Dad wanted to see the big lizards. But when they went inside, Lucy saw a long green snake. It looked at her with small black eyes. Lucy was suddenly very frightened. Her stomach hurt and her face went white. “I feel ill,” she said quietly to her mother. She didn’t want to look at the animals now.
4 Dad wanted to look at the ………………………… in the reptile house.
5 Inside the building, Lucy saw a ………………………… .
6 Lucy felt ………………………… when the snake looked at her.
7 Lucy said she felt ill because her ………………………… .
Mum carried Lucy outside into the sun. They sat on a green seat near some nice flowers. Dad brought Lucy some cold water. After ten minutes, her stomach didn’t hurt. She smiled again. “Can we go and see the grey elephants now?” she asked.
8 Mum and Lucy sat on a ………………………… outside.
9 Dad gave Lucy ………………………… to drink.
10 Lucy wanted to see the ………………………… when she was better.
ANSWER KEY
1 tall giraffes 2 loved animals 3 yellow ice cream
4 big lizards 5 long green snake 6 very frightened 7 stomach hurt
8 green seat 9 some cold water 10 grey elephants