Practice English Reading Exercises for A1 – Shopping, Clothes & Presents
Reading 1
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The Fast Red Shoes
Next Friday is the big sports day at Alex’s school. Alex loves running, but his old sports shoes were very dirty and too small. “I need new shoes to run fast,” Alex said to his dad on Saturday morning. His dad said, “Okay, let’s go to the town today.”
Examples
The big sports day at Alex’s school is ……… next Friday ……… .
Alex really ……… loves running ……… .
Questions
1 Alex’s old shoes were too small and ………………………… .
2 Alex talked to his dad on ………………………… .
3 His dad wanted to go to the ………………………… that day.
They caught a bus to a big sports shop. Inside, Alex saw lots of beautiful clothes and shoes. First, he tried on some blue shoes, but they hurt his feet. Then, he found some amazing red running shoes. They were very good. Alex looked at the box. “Oh no, they are very expensive!” he thought.
4 Alex and his dad took ………………………… to the big sports shop.
5 The first shoes that Alex tried on were ………………………… .
6 Alex couldn’t wear the blue shoes because they ………………………… .
7 The red running shoes were very good but also ………………………… .
His dad smiled and bought the expensive shoes for him because Alex was a good boy. On Friday, Alex wore his new red shoes to school. He ran in the big race and he was the winner! His friends clapped loudly. Alex was very happy with his fast shoes.
8 Dad bought the shoes because Alex was a ………………………… .
9 On sports day, Alex ran in the big race and was the ………………………… .
10 ………………………… clapped loudly for Alex when he won.
ANSWER KEY
1 very dirty 2 Saturday morning 3 town
4 a bus 5 blue 6 hurt his feet 7 very expensive
8 good boy 9 winner 10 His friends
Reading 2
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The Birthday Present
Yesterday, Jack went to the toy shop with his dad. It was his little sister’s birthday. Her name is Lucy and she was five. Jack looked at all the toys. He bought a beautiful doll with curly hair for her. It was in a big, square box.
Examples
Jack went to the toy shop with his ………dad……… yesterday.
The birthday girl was Jack’s little sister, ………Lucy……… .
Questions
1 Jack’s sister was ………………………… years old.
2 Jack chose a ………………………… for his sister.
3 The present was inside a ………………………… .
Jack and his dad walked home. “We must hide the present,” Dad said, “because the party is tomorrow.” Jack carried the box upstairs to his bedroom. He looked inside his cupboard, but it was full of old games. So, he put the present carefully under his bed. He put a blanket in front of it.
4 Dad wanted to ………………………… because the party was the next day.
5 Jack took the box to his ………………………… upstairs.
6 Jack couldn’t put the box in his cupboard because there were lots of ………………………… in it.
7 Jack hid the present under the bed and put a ………………………… in front of it.
In the morning, Jack woke up early. He took the box downstairs to the living room. Lucy opened her present. “Wow! Thank you, Jack!” she shouted. She loved the doll very much. She played with it all day on the floor. Jack was very happy too.
8 In the morning, Jack took the box down to the ………………………… .
9 Lucy shouted “Thank you” because she ………………………… very much.
10 Lucy sat ………………………… to play with her new toy all day.
ANSWER KEY
1 five / 5 2 beautiful doll / doll 3 big square box / square box
4 hide the present 5 bedroom 6 old games 7 blanket
8 living room 9 loved the doll 10 on the floor
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
A Trip to the Mall
Last Saturday morning, Nick and his best friend Ben wanted to go to the city mall. They wanted to look at the new video games there. The boys walked quickly to the bus stop near Nick’s house. They waited for ten minutes, and then they caught the big yellow bus. Nick was very excited.
Examples
Nick went to the city mall with his ………best friend………, Ben.
The boys wanted to go to the mall last ………Saturday morning……… .
Questions
1 Nick and Ben wanted to look at some …………………… at the mall.
2 The bus stop was near …………………… .
3 The boys caught a …………………… to the mall after waiting for ten minutes.
The bus stopped outside the large mall. The boys went inside and walked upstairs to a big computer shop. There were lots of amazing games on the shelves. Ben pointed at a red box. “Look, Nick! This is the new car driving game,” he said. Nick looked at the game, but it was very expensive. They didn’t have enough money, so they didn’t buy it.
4 The boys found a …………………… upstairs in the mall.
5 There were lots of …………………… on the shop’s shelves.
6 Ben saw a new …………………… in a red box.
7 The boys didn’t buy the game because they didn’t have …………………… .
Then, Ben had a great idea. “Let’s go back to my house and play football in the garden,” he said. The two friends caught the bus home. They played outside all afternoon and then ate hot chicken sandwiches. They had a fantastic weekend.
8 Ben wanted to go to his house to …………………… in the garden.
9 The boys spent all afternoon playing …………………… .
10 Nick and Ben ate …………………… after they played.
ANSWER KEY
1 new video games 2 Nick’s house 3 big yellow bus
4 big computer shop 5 amazing games 6 car driving game 7 enough money
8 play football 9 outside 10 hot chicken sandwiches