Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Consumer Habits & Shopping Situations

Exercises:   12345678910

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who says that they avoid clothes that need a professional cleaner?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

2   Who looks at the label to see if the clothes will become smaller after washing?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

3   Who mentions that they find the symbols on the labels difficult to understand?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

4   Who checks the label to find out the temperature for washing?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

5   Who bought a shirt without checking the instructions first?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

6   Who prefers clothes that can be put in a machine?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

7   Who says that information on the tag is not always in their language?

     (A) Sarah   (B) Tom   (C) Emma

Checking Clothes Labels

Sarah

Before I decide to buy anything new, I always look at the little white tag inside. It is very important to me that I can just throw my clothes into the washing machine at home. I have no time to go to a special cleaning shop, so if the tag says “dry clean only,” I put it back immediately. I also check that it can be washed at 30 degrees, because I don’t want to use too much hot water. It saves energy and keeps my clothes in good condition for longer.

Tom

I’m usually quite careful, but I made a mistake last month. I bought a really cool wool jumper because I loved the style, but I forgot to check the instructions. When I washed it at home, it became so small that it could only fit a toy doll! Now, I always read the label to check if the material will shrink. I also find it helpful to look for the little pictures that show if you can use a hot iron on the fabric, as I hate having to wear wrinkled clothes.

Emma

I try to be careful, but sometimes the labels are very confusing. There are so many strange circles and squares, and I have no idea what they mean. Plus, I sometimes buy clothes while I am on holiday, and the instructions are written in a language I don’t speak at all! I have to use a translation app on my phone to figure out how to look after them. It takes a lot of time, but I suppose it is better than ruining a nice piece of clothing.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Which person gave away an item they never put on?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

2   Which person wants their old things to be useful for others?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

3   Which person cleaned their clothes before taking them to the store?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

4   Which person was told to clear out their room by a relative?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

5   Which person donated clothing because it didn’t fit anymore?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

6   Which person sold some of their items instead of giving everything away?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

7   Which person felt sad about letting their old clothes go?

     (A) Toby   (B) Sarah   (C) Mike

Donating Clothes to a Charity Shop

Toby

Last weekend, my dad looked at my messy bedroom and said I had to put my old things in a bag for the charity shop. I had a lot of t-shirts that I really loved. It broke my heart to leave them in the donation box! But I know giving them away is a fantastic idea. I just hope poor families can wear them and feel happy. I didn’t use the washing machine because my dad already put them through the laundry. I actually kept one jacket because it is still too big for me!

Sarah

I usually keep my favourite things for a long time. However, I recently found a beautiful red dress in my cupboard. The store label was still on it, so it was completely unused! When I tried it on, it was much too tight for my shoulders. I decided to take it to the charity shop in town. My brother said I should ask for cash on the internet, but I preferred to give it away for free. I felt really happy walking out of the shop, not unhappy at all!

Mike

Before I took my bags to the charity shop, I spent the whole morning putting everything through the washing machine. I wanted the next owner to have fresh, nice-smelling jumpers! I wore these jumpers every single day last winter, so they definitely weren’t new. They were actually still the perfect size for me, but I just wanted a different style. I gave almost all of my old winter clothes to the charity, but a boy on a fashion website gave me twenty pounds for my heavy winter coat!

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who bought her dress without going to a clothes shop?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

2   Who needed someone else to pay for her dress?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

3   Who had to make her dress shorter before the dance?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

4   Who chose a dress in a colour she doesn’t normally wear?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

5   Who travelled to another town to find her dress?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

6   Who bought a dress that was not completely new?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

7   Who paid very little money for her dress?

     (A) Lily   (B) Mia   (C) Harper

A Last-Minute Party Dress

Lily

I only had two days before the school dance, and I didn’t have time to walk around town! So, I opened my laptop and ordered an outfit online. Luckily, the postman brought it the next morning. I always put on black or grey clothes, but this time I chose a bright pink one! I was worried it wouldn’t fit, but the size was completely right, and it wasn’t too long. Also, the website had a special summer sale. It only cost me ten pounds, so I used my own pocket money and didn’t ask my parents for cash!

Mia

I started looking for my outfit on the morning of the party! There are no good clothes shops in our village, so I caught a fast train to the big city miles away to see what I could find. I tried on a brand-new black dress in a large store. Black is my favourite, so I knew I wanted it immediately. The problem was that it was incredibly expensive. I didn’t have enough cash in my purse, so my older sister bought it for me. I promised to give the amount back to her next month.

Harper

I needed an outfit just hours before the dance started! I walked into a small shop on my street that sells things people don’t want anymore. I found a lovely dark blue dress there, which is exactly the shade I always prefer. Because someone wore it before me, it wasn’t expensive, and I didn’t spend all my monthly allowance. The only problem was the length. It was touching my shoes and the floor when I walked. Luckily, my mum is great at sewing, and she quickly cut the bottom to make it perfect for my height.

Exercises:   12345678910