Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Environmental & Sustainability
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Making Good Dirt from Old Food
Fourteen-year-old Leo loves gardening. Last month, he watched a TV show about what happens to the food we don’t eat. He was surprised to learn that organic kitchen waste is bad for the environment if it goes in the normal bin. He noticed his neighbours were throwing away lots of fruit and vegetable pieces. Leo decided to change this.
He wanted to build a large compost bin for his street. First, he needed some wood. He didn’t want to buy expensive new materials from the store. Luckily, an old farmer who lived next door gave him some broken wooden boxes. Leo spent his whole weekend hitting his fingers with a hammer, but finally, the big bin was ready.
At first, nobody understood how to use the bin. Some neighbours put meat and empty plastic bags inside. This was a big problem! So, Leo drew a clear picture to show everyone what to do. He explained that they could only bring things like banana skins, apple pieces, and old coffee. After that, everyone followed the rules.
Now, the compost bin is a great success. In just a few months, all the food waste became dark, rich soil. The families on Leo’s street use this soil to grow beautiful flowers and healthy tomatoes in their gardens. Leo feels incredibly proud of his project. Next spring, he hopes to teach teenagers from other towns how to make their own bins.
1 Why did Leo decide to take action?
(A) He found out that throwing away food incorrectly is harmful.
(B) He wanted to watch a TV show about the environment.
(C) He noticed his neighbours were growing lots of fruit.
2 Where did Leo get the materials to build the bin?
(A) He bought expensive new materials from the store.
(B) A person living close to him provided what he needed.
(C) He found some broken wooden boxes in his own house.
3 What was the problem when the bin was first ready?
(A) Leo drew a clear picture to show everyone what to do.
(B) Nobody brought things like banana skins and apple pieces.
(C) The people in his street included items that shouldn’t go in.
4 What is Leo planning to do next spring?
(A) Grow beautiful flowers and healthy tomatoes in his garden.
(B) Show young people from different places how to build bins.
(C) Watch all the food waste become dark, rich soil.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to buy expensive new materials
(B) A teenager’s successful green project
(C) Why you shouldn’t eat meat and plastic
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Girl Who Turned Rubbish into Art
Sixteen-year-old Mia has always loved painting and drawing. She also cares a lot about the environment. Last summer, she walked along the local beach and saw a big problem. People left lots of empty plastic bottles and broken toys in the sand. Mia felt very sad about the dirty beach and decided to do something to help.
The next morning, she brought some large bags and started collecting the rubbish. When she told her classmates about her new hobby, they thought it was quite strange. But Mia didn’t mind. She took all the plastic and glass back to her house, washed it carefully in her garden, and planned to make something beautiful.
For the next three weeks, Mia worked in her bedroom. She used the things she found to build a huge sea turtle. When it was finished, she showed it to her art teacher, Mr. Green. He was amazed by her work. He immediately asked her to put the sea turtle in the main school hall for everyone to see.
Now, all the students look at the turtle and understand that they need to protect the ocean. Mia is very happy because her project has changed how people think about rubbish. Next month, the town library is going to borrow the turtle. Mia hopes her special animal will teach even more people about keeping the world clean!
1 Why did Mia feel sad last summer?
(A) She noticed a lot of rubbish at the seaside.
(B) She left lots of empty plastic bottles in the sand.
(C) She walked along the local beach.
2 What did Mia’s classmates think about her collecting rubbish?
(A) They planned to make something beautiful.
(B) They washed it carefully in her garden.
(C) They believed she was doing something unusual.
3 What happened after Mia finished her sea turtle?
(A) She worked in her bedroom for three weeks.
(B) Her teacher wanted all the students to look at her work.
(C) She used the things she found to build it.
4 What do we find out in the last paragraph?
(A) The town library is going to keep the world clean.
(B) Mia is going to borrow the turtle next month.
(C) Another place in her town will show her project soon.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The teenager who used trash to share an important message
(B) How to clean empty plastic bottles in your garden
(C) Why you should build a huge sea turtle for your bedroom
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 C 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Giving Broken Bikes a New Life
Seventeen-year-old David has an amazing hobby. At the weekend, his friends usually go to the cinema or play basketball. However, David prefers staying in his family’s garage. He repairs old bicycles. He often finds broken bikes in the street, or his neighbours leave them outside his house because they don’t want them anymore.
Making a broken bicycle work again is not a quick job. First, David has to wash the dirty metal carefully. Then, he usually paints the bike a bright colour like red or blue. Sometimes, a bike needs important new pieces, like a comfortable seat or two new tyres. David spends his own pocket money to get these parts from a local sports shop.
When a bicycle is finally ready, David does not sell it. Instead, he gives it to a child in his city. He works with a local primary school to find boys and girls whose parents do not have enough cash for a bike. David says that watching a young kid ride away with a big smile is the greatest feeling in the world.
So far, David has repaired over forty bicycles for the community. He is getting very good at fixing machines. When he leaves school next year, he hopes to go to university to study engineering. Before that, he wants to build a special workshop in his garden!
1 What do we learn about David in the first paragraph?
(A) His friends usually go to his family’s garage.
(B) People living close to him give him their unwanted bikes.
(C) He often finds his neighbours in the street at the weekend.
2 How does David pay for the new parts?
(A) He asks a local sports shop for some pocket money.
(B) He makes a quick job of painting them red or blue.
(C) He uses his personal savings to purchase them.
3 Who does David give the finished bicycles to?
(A) A local primary school in his city.
(B) Parents who want to sell it to a child.
(C) Young kids from families without much money.
4 What does David plan to do before he goes to university?
(A) He intends to create a new workspace at his home.
(B) He hopes to leave school next year to repair machines.
(C) He wants to fix over forty bicycles for the community.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to study engineering at university
(B) The schoolboy repairing bicycles for children in need
(C) Why fixing a dirty metal bike is a quick job
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 C 4 A 5 B