Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Other Food Experiences
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person washed the tables at the end of the meal?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
2 Which person hopes to have a job helping people later?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
3 Which person was afraid on their first day?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
4 Which person prepared the vegetables for cooking?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
5 Which person received a present from a visitor?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
6 Which person believed the food would not taste good?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
7 Which person did this activity with a relative?
(A) Mark (B) Lily (C) Tom
Volunteering at a Soup Kitchen
Mark
I usually spend my weekends sleeping, but last Saturday I went to a center for homeless people. I didn’t cook the soup, but I got the potatoes and carrots ready with a knife. I served bowls of hot food to the guests. One old man gave me a small drawing he made, which was very kind. My sister wanted to come with me, but she was sick. When everyone left, my job was to make the dining area tidy with a cloth and soapy water.
Lily
Last week, our class visited the town soup kitchen. I thought the soup would taste terrible, but it was actually really delicious! I didn’t clean the floors or plates, I just sat and talked with the visitors. Some people were a little scared to talk at first, but I smiled at them. I really enjoyed listening to their stories. When I finish university, I want to become a social worker so I can continue doing things like this every day.
Tom
My aunt volunteers at the kitchen every Friday, so I decided to join her this time. Before we arrived, I felt quite worried because I didn’t know anyone there. But everyone was extremely friendly! I didn’t cut any food or get any special things from the guests. Instead, I poured drinks and handed out bread. I don’t think I want to do this as a career when I am older, but I will definitely go back and help again next month!
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 A 6 B 7 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person prepares the meal with a family member?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
2 Which person goes out to a restaurant for their birthday noodles?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
3 Which person finds it difficult to eat the dish correctly?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
4 Which person says they didn’t like this tradition when they were younger?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
5 Which person invites their friends to eat the meal with them?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
6 Which person adds something extra to make the dish taste hot?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
7 Which person explains what happens if you break the noodles?
(A) Wei (B) Hana (C) Jin
Eating Noodles for Long Life
Wei
Every year on my special day, my grandmother and I stand in the kitchen to make long life noodles together. As a small boy, I was unhappy about this custom because I only wanted to eat sweet cakes. Now I understand it better. She taught me that you must never bite the noodles into smaller pieces, because that means your time on earth will be short! We prefer to eat at our own dining table, not in a busy café, and the soup is never spicy.
Hana
In my family, we never make our own food on birthdays. Instead, my parents take me to a fantastic local dining place that serves huge bowls of fresh noodles. The chef makes a very mild, simple soup, but I love mixing in a lot of red chili sauce to give it a burning flavour. It is a quiet evening just for my parents and me. I don’t ask my classmates to come; I usually see them for a party on a different day.
Jin
Eating long noodles on your birthday is a fun tradition. I have always loved it since I was a baby. However, keeping them in one single piece while you put them in your mouth is a really tough job! I always drop them or make a mess on my shirt. For my birthday lunch, my dad makes a huge pot of noodles, and I get to ask a few mates from school to come over and share it with us. It is the best part of the day!
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 C 6 B 7 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person shared the chocolate with a relative?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
2 Which person had something warm to drink while eating it?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
3 Which person says the chocolate cost too much money?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
4 Which person received the chocolate as a gift?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
5 Which person was unable to finish their chocolate?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
6 Which person plans to get this chocolate again?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
7 Which person prefers to eat a different type of sweet food?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Noah
Trying Bitter Dark Chocolate
Max
I usually love sweet things, so trying 90% dark chocolate was a big change. I bought a bar for myself and ate it all very quickly! It had a very strong taste, so I made a cup of hot tea to go with it. That made the flavour much better. My brother saw me eating it, but he didn’t want any. Even though it was quite bitter, I really enjoyed the taste. Next time I go to the supermarket, I will definitely pick up another one. It didn’t cost a lot, either!
Lily
For my birthday, my best friend gave me a beautiful box of very dark chocolate. I opened it after dinner and gave half of it to my mother to try. We both took a bite, and I had to drink a glass of freezing water immediately! It wasn’t bad, but it was just too bitter for me. I managed to eat the rest of my piece, but honestly, I like ordinary milk chocolate much more. I am glad I didn’t pay for it myself, as it looked quite expensive!
Noah
I saw some fancy dark chocolate in a shop yesterday and decided to try it. When I paid for it, I couldn’t believe the high price! It was definitely not cheap. I broke off a big square and put it in my mouth, but the taste was awful. It was so bitter that I threw the rest of the bar into the bin. I didn’t even have a cup of coffee to help with the taste. I will never spend my pocket money on something like that again.
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 B 5 C 6 A 7 B