Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Office Environment, Tech & Automation
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person works until very late in the evening?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
2 Which person thinks music helps them feel relaxed?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
3 Which person goes for a short walk to feel better?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
4 Which person writes down a plan of their jobs?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
5 Which person drinks something warm to give them energy?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
6 Which person gets assistance from other workers?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
7 Which person eats something sweet when they have a lot of work?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carlos
Managing End-of-Month Stress
Alice
When the end of the month comes, I am always very busy. To finish everything, I get up early and start at 6 a.m. I sit on my chair all day and never go outside. It can be difficult, but playing my favorite songs keeps me calm. Also, a hot mug of tea keeps me active when I feel tired. I prefer to do all my work completely alone because I don’t like asking people for help. However, a small piece of chocolate makes me happy when I have a lot of work.
Ben
Having a lot of work makes me stressed, but I have a good system. I always put my daily work on a piece of paper before I begin. This helps me see what is important. A quiet room is important because loud noises make it hard to think, so I don’t like listening to the radio. I only drink cold water from the fridge, and I do not eat sugar or cake when I am stressed. I often stay at my desk until 11 p.m. because there is so much to type.
Carlos
My job is very difficult at the end of the month. I always leave the office at 5 p.m. to go home for dinner, so I never stay late. I do not like making lists of work because I prefer to just start typing. When the office is too loud, I step into the small park near the building for ten minutes. Moving my legs helps me feel good. My friends at the office always do some of my work when I have too much to do.
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 B 5 A 6 C 7 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Who says the person teaching the class was talking too fast?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
2 Who experienced a computer problem during the lesson?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
3 Who mentions that the new system will save them time in the future?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
4 Who arrived after the morning session had started?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
5 Who assisted a coworker who was struggling to understand?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
6 Who appreciated the meal provided in the middle of the day?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
7 Who received some extra documents to read at home?
(A) Ben (B) Chloe (C) Dan
Learning New Database Software
Ben
I had a terrible start to the training day. My bus was delayed, so I walked into the room twenty minutes after the manager started speaking! It was a bit embarrassing. The database software looks very useful, but halfway through the morning, my laptop screen went completely black. I couldn’t turn it back on, so the IT team had to bring me a replacement. Because I missed the first part and had technology issues, the manager gave me a heavy folder of printed notes to look at over the weekend so I don’t fall behind.
Chloe
The training day was quite stressful for me. The expert who came to teach us knew everything about the database, but he explained the steps at such a high speed! I couldn’t write down all the instructions fast enough. Luckily, I am quite good with computer programs, so I managed to figure out the exercises by clicking around. The older lady sitting next to me was completely lost, so I spent an hour showing her how to search for customer names. I didn’t mind, but my brain was exhausted by the time we finished!
Dan
I was really looking forward to learning about the new software. We have been using a very old system in the office for years, and it takes hours to find client information. This new database finds everything in seconds, so I will be able to complete my daily tasks much more quickly! The training itself was easy to follow, but the best part was definitely the afternoon break. The company ordered a huge delivery of hot pizzas and fresh salads for everyone in the room. We sat together and ate until our stomachs were completely full.
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 A 5 B 6 C 7 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person gets ideas for things to watch on a screen?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
2 Which person learns how to prepare different dishes?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
3 Which person hears about places to go on holiday?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
4 Which person says chatting helps them feel less worried about their tasks?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
5 Which person likes discussing recent sports matches?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
6 Which person gets useful tips for their education?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
7 Which person enjoys listening to amusing stories about animals?
(A) Leo (B) Mia (C) Sam
Office Kitchen Conversations
Leo
I have a summer job in a big office. Every day at 1 p.m., I sit in the staff kitchen to eat my lunch. I usually just bring a boring cheese sandwich, so I don’t talk about cooking. Instead, the older workers often give me brilliant advice about which university courses I should choose next year. That really helps me! We also chat a lot about the cinema. They always know the best new movies and series. When I go home, I often look for them on my laptop. One guy showed me a photo of his dog, but we usually discuss actors and stories instead!
Mia
Working part-time can be hard, and sometimes I feel worried about my work. However, sitting in the bright kitchen with everyone makes me forget my difficult office jobs, and I quickly stop feeling nervous! We never talk about travelling abroad because I prefer staying at home. During our break, my friends love describing the crazy things their cats and birds do. Those conversations always make me laugh loudly! Also, because I love baking, the older workers often explain how to make amazing soups and chocolate cakes. I never watch films, so I just try their tasty instructions in my own kitchen on Sundays!
Sam
The lunch breaks at my office are fantastic. We all stand around the coffee machine and share our news. I never discuss my school classes because I want to relax. My favourite topic is definitely the weekend football or tennis. We always spend ages arguing about which team played the best and who scored the most goals! I just buy a hot burger from the cafe, so we don’t talk about baking. However, the people I work with travel a lot. They often describe beautiful beaches and foreign cities they flew to. Listening to them helps me plan my own future plane tickets!
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 C 6 A 7 B