Practice English Reading Exercises for A1 – Special Days, Parties & Weekend Fun
Reading 1
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The silly pirate party
Last Saturday was Jack’s birthday. Jack is Tom’s best friend. Jack wanted to have a pirate party at his house. In the afternoon, Tom went to his bedroom to get ready. He put on a red and white shirt and dirty old jeans. He looked in the mirror.
Examples
Jack had a birthday party ………last Saturday……… .
Tom’s ………best friend……… is called Jack.
Questions
1 Jack wanted a ………………………… at his house.
2 Tom got ready in his ………………………… in the afternoon.
3 Tom wore a red and white shirt and some ………………………… .
Then, Tom found a big black hat. He put it on his head and painted a black beard on his face. “I am a very bad pirate now!” Tom laughed. Tom’s mum gave him a square box. “This is Jack’s present,” she said. Tom and his mum walked down the street.
4 Tom put a ………………………… on his head.
5 Tom painted a ………………………… on his face to look like a pirate.
6 Tom thought he was a very ………………………… pirate.
7 Tom’s mother gave him a ………………………… to take to the party.
Tom and his mum stopped at the house. The door opened and there was another pirate! It was Jack. He had a green toy parrot on his shoulder. The boys looked very silly. The two friends ate a big chocolate cake and played games all evening.
8 Tom and his mum ………………………… at Jack’s house.
9 Jack had a ………………………… on his shoulder.
10 The friends played games and enjoyed a ………………………… at the party.
ANSWER KEY
1 pirate party 2 bedroom 3 dirty old jeans
4 big black hat 5 black beard 6 bad 7 square box
8 stopped 9 green toy parrot 10 big 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 Basement Surprise
It was Thursday morning and Paul was very happy. It was his tenth birthday! He woke up early and ran downstairs. His mother and father were in the kitchen. They smiled and said, “Happy Birthday, Paul!” They gave him a small red box. Paul opened it quickly, but there were only old keys inside.
Examples
Paul was very happy because it was his ………tenth birthday……… .
Paul ran ………downstairs……… after he woke up early.
Questions
1 Paul’s mother and father were in the …………………… .
2 Paul got a …………………… from his parents.
3 When Paul opened the box, he found some …………………… inside.
“What are these?” Paul asked. “They are for the basement,” his dad answered. “Go and look inside.” Paul was surprised because the basement was usually dark and dirty. He took a torch and walked slowly down the stairs. He opened the big door with the keys. He looked under an old blanket and behind some tall boxes. Suddenly, he saw something fantastic.
4 Paul’s dad told him the keys were for the …………………… .
5 Paul was surprised because the basement was usually a …………………… place.
6 Paul held a …………………… to help him see when he walked down the stairs.
7 Paul saw something fantastic when he looked behind some …………………… .
It was a beautiful new bicycle! The bike was blue and yellow, which were Paul’s favourite colours. He pushed it upstairs to the garden and laughed loudly. He rode the new bike around the grass all morning. It was the best birthday present ever.
8 The fantastic thing in the basement was a …………………… !
9 Paul pushed his new toy upstairs to the …………………… .
10 Paul thought the bike was the …………………… ever.
ANSWER KEY
1 kitchen 2 small red box 3 old keys
4 basement 5 dark and dirty 6 torch 7 tall boxes
8 beautiful new bicycle 9 garden 10 best birthday present
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The Forest Camp
Last weekend, Paul and his sister Mary went camping with their parents. They drove to a big forest near a blue lake. The weather was sunny but windy. When they arrived, their father put up their big green tent. The children helped their mother to carry the heavy bags from the car.
Examples
Paul and Mary went camping ………last weekend……… with their parents.
The family went to a forest which was near a ………blue lake……… .
Questions
1 The weather was ………………………… on the day of the trip.
2 The children’s father put up the ………………………… .
3 Paul and Mary helped their mother to carry the ………………………… .
In the afternoon, Paul and Mary walked in the forest. They looked for some dry wood because they wanted to make a fire. Suddenly, Paul saw a small grey rabbit under a tree. He wanted to catch it, but the rabbit jumped away quickly. After that, they took the wood back to the camp. Their dad made a warm fire.
4 The children looked for ………………………… to make a fire.
5 Paul saw a ………………………… hiding under a tree.
6 The rabbit ………………………… when Paul tried to catch it.
7 The children’s ………………………… made a warm fire at the camp.
In the evening, the family sat around the warm fire. They cooked sausages and ate them with bread. Then, their mother played her guitar and they all sang happy songs. Paul and Mary were very tired but it was a fantastic weekend in the forest!
8 The family sat around the fire and cooked some ………………………… .
9 The family sang happy songs when their mother played ………………………… .
10 The camping weekend in the forest was ………………………… !
ANSWER KEY
1 sunny but windy 2 big green tent 3 heavy bags
4 dry wood 5 small grey rabbit 6 jumped away quickly 7 dad
8 sausages 9 her guitar 10 fantastic