Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Exercise & Keeping Fit

Exercises:   123456789

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who tells an amusing story to make their friends laugh during the workout?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

2   Who talks about getting something nice to eat or drink when they finish?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

3   Who speaks in a very loud voice to make everyone feel strong?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

4   Who tells their friends that they are much better at exercising now than before?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

5   Who stays close to the friend who needs the most help?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

6   Who plays some different songs to help the group continue?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

7   Who thinks it is a good idea to stop for a minute before they do more?

     (A) Jamie   (B) Robin   (C) Taylor

Encouraging Each Other Not To Give Up

Jamie

When our fitness class gets really hard, I have a special way to keep my friends going. I don’t usually let them stop and sit down, because it is harder to start again. Instead, I move my mat right next to the person who is finding it the hardest. Just being side-by-side really helps! I also like to talk about the delicious pizzas or sweet fruit juices we are going to enjoy after we leave the gym. That always makes everyone move faster. We usually have the radio on, but I never touch it.

Robin

I never shout at my friends when they are tired because that makes them feel worse. If the exercise is getting too difficult, I usually share a silly joke or talk about something crazy that happened at work. When they smile, they forget about their tired legs! Sometimes, I also remind them that they can lift much heavier weights today than they could last month. If someone is really hurting, I tell them to just breathe and do nothing for sixty seconds. After that quick break, we don’t even need a snack to give us power.

Taylor

In our group, I am the noisy one! When we are running up a big hill and everyone wants to quit, I call out “You can do this!” as loudly as I can. It gives everyone a big push. I prefer to stay at the front rather than beside anyone, so they can all try to follow me. I also change the playlist on my phone to something with a much faster, happier beat. We don’t tell jokes because we are breathing too hard, but the new rhythm always makes our feet move quicker.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who says they use the internet to find out how to stretch?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

2   Who says their sports teacher shows them what stretches to do?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

3   Who feels they have more energy the next day if they stretch?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

4   Who does their cool-down routine with a friend?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

5   Who says they do not always remember to do their stretches?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

6   Who says they mostly stretch the lower half of their body?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

7   Who thinks that the cool-down is not very interesting?

     (A) Max   (B) Lily   (C) Omar

Cooling Down After PE Class

Max

After physical education class, I try to spend five minutes cooling down. Our sports teacher always tells us it is good for our bodies. However, I am usually in a hurry to get to my next lesson, so I sometimes just walk away and don’t do it at all! When I actually do my routine, I stretch my arms, back, and feet. I notice a big difference when I wake up the following morning. I can get out of bed easily and I don’t feel sleepy. It really works!

Lily

To be honest, cooling down after playing sports is not much fun. I prefer actually playing the games! But our instructor stands at the front of the hall and we have to copy his movements before we can leave. We do a lot of running in our lessons, so we spend most of the time pulling our feet up and resting our knees. We don’t really do much with our arms. My best friend hates it, but I know it stops us from getting hurt.

Omar

I play a lot of basketball, so cooling down is really important to me. I never forget to do it because I want to keep my muscles safe. I always stay in the sports hall with a classmate, and we complete our routine together. Our school doesn’t give us a list of exercises, so I watch videos on my tablet to learn new ways to cool down. We find some great ideas online! We usually listen to quiet music, which helps us feel relaxed before we go home.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who does their sport with someone in their family?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

2   Who began doing martial arts to become thinner?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

3   Who believes their sport makes them study better?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

4   Who paid for a new uniform for their activity?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

5   Who feels safer when they are outside by themselves?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

6   Who had to stop practicing for a while because they got hurt?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

7   Who enjoys viewing martial arts matches on a screen?

     (A) Liam   (B) Noah   (C) Emma

Getting Fit and Confident with Martial Arts

Liam

Two years ago, I was too heavy. I needed to change my size, so I joined a local judo club. At first, I just wore an old t-shirt and shorts from home because I didn’t want to spend cash on a martial arts suit. My brother likes judo too, but he trains on different days. Learning to fight has really changed me. In the past, I was scared to go through the park in the dark. Now, I have a lot of courage and I don’t worry about walking home at night at all.

Noah

I have always been quite thin, so I didn’t start taekwondo to drop kilos. I wanted to learn how to move faster! I actually gave the club teacher some money for a proper white jacket and trousers last week, so I look like a real sports person now. When I kick and jump, I feel amazing. Since I started, my brain works much faster and I get higher marks in all my school exams. I also love turning on my laptop at the weekend to see famous fighters win big tournaments. It teaches me new moves!

Emma

Karate is the best activity in the world. I don’t really like looking at sports channels on TV; I prefer actually doing the exercises! I go to the sports centre twice a week with my older sister. It is great to share a hobby with her, and we help each other to improve. I feel really strong and healthy, but last month I fell badly during a class. My foot was in terrible pain, so the doctor told me to rest on the sofa for three weeks. Luckily, I am back in the training room now!

Exercises:   123456789