Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Office Environment, Tech & Automation

Exercises:   123456789101112

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who says the robots can move very heavy objects?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

2   Who explains how the robots know where to go?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

3   Who mentions that the robots can work without stopping for a rest?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

4   Who says the robots rarely make a mistake?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

5   Who talks about machines that look like animals?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

6   Who thinks the robots are quite noisy when they move?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

7   Who says the robots help human workers stay safe?

     (A) Felix   (B) Maya   (C) Toby

Robots in the Warehouse

Felix

I visited a huge warehouse for a school project last month. There were hundreds of machines driving around the space. They only carry small packages, so they don’t do the really big jobs. However, they can drive all day and night because they don’t need to sleep or have lunch! That makes them very useful. One thing I noticed is that they aren’t quiet. You can hear them buzzing and beeping from the other side of the building! People work right next to them, but the machines sometimes drop a box by accident.

Maya

My dad repairs warehouse robots. He says they look like flat cars, not humans or dogs! They are quite amazing because they never get lost in the huge building. To find a shelf, they just follow special painted lines on the floor. It is very clever! Also, they almost never pick up the wrong parcel, so the customers are always happy. In the past, people climbed high ladders to get boxes, which was scary. Now, the machines do the dangerous jobs, which stops people from getting hurt. It is a brilliant way to work.

Toby

Have you seen the newest warehouse robots on the internet? Some of them have four legs and move exactly like mechanical dogs. It is so cool to watch! They bring the right shelves to the workers so people don’t have to walk around looking for items. These machines are very strong. Even though they are small, they can lift things that weigh hundreds of kilos easily. You might think they make a terrible sound, but they actually roll across the floor silently. My dream is to design software for them when I finish college.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Which person asked their relatives to use the app?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

2   Which person thinks the app looks quite ugly?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

3   Which person believes many people will download the app?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

4   Which person checked if the software runs on older mobiles?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

5   Which person says the instructions are difficult to follow?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

6   Which person discovered a problem that closes the program?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

7   Which person earns cash for doing this work?

     (A) Liam   (B) Maya   (C) Noah

Testing a New Mobile App

Liam

I am testing a new game app at the moment. To see what other people thought, I gave my tablet to my parents and sister so they could play it. They loved it! I am sure that thousands of teenagers will want to put this on their phones when it is ready. However, the background colors are dark brown and grey. I told the designers it is not beautiful at all, and they must change it. The rules are very easy to read, so nobody will have trouble. I am doing this for free, but it is a lot of fun!

Maya

My job is to find out if a new music app is ready for everyone. First, I borrowed my grandfather’s smartphone from five years ago. I wanted to see if the program was too slow for a device from the past, but it was fine! The real issue is that learning what to do is not simple. The words explaining how to use it are very confusing. I didn’t show the app to my family because it is a secret project. I think the pictures and colors are very pretty, though.

Noah

I am testing a health app right now. It is a fantastic job because the company gives me ten pounds for every mistake I catch! Yesterday, I noticed a huge problem. When I touched the map button, the screen suddenly went black and the software just shut down. I had to open it again and write a report so they can fix it. I think only a few people will want this app, so it might not become famous. Luckily, the text inside is clear and simple to understand.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who gave their coworker something to read later?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

2   Who helped a person from a different department?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

3   Who says teaching the software improved their own skills?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

4   Who created some pictures to explain the new system?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

5   Who missed their midday meal to offer help?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

6   Who assisted a coworker who was quite old?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

7   Who believed the new computer program was designed badly?

     (A) David   (B) Maria   (C) Ali

Helping a Coworker with Technology

David

Yesterday, the manager asked me to show the new database to a guy at work. We sat together right after breakfast. To make things clear, I got a pen and made a few simple drawings on a whiteboard. That really helped him understand the software! When we finished, I printed a document with all the steps so he could check it at home. We actually finished the lesson just in time for me to go out and buy a hot lunch.

Maria

I had a really busy afternoon yesterday. A woman who works on the first floor with the sales group came to my desk. She was very stressed because she couldn’t use the new company email program. Honestly, I think the app is terrible and very confusing for everyone! I spent an hour clicking the screen with her to show her what to do. Because of that, I didn’t even get to eat my sandwich at noon! At least she took a photo of the screen to remember the steps.

Ali

There is a man in my office who is almost seventy years old. We work at the exact same desk, but he is not very good with modern technology. When our boss installed the new file-sharing system, he was completely lost. I spent a long time explaining where to click. I didn’t write anything down for him, but I told him to practice. The funny thing is, showing him what to do actually made me much faster at using the system myself!

Exercises:   123456789101112