Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Fashion, Design & Crafts
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Turning Maths into Fashion
Sixteen-year-old Emma loves two things: fashion and maths. At school, her favourite subject is geometry, because she enjoys drawing circles, squares, and triangles. Last year, while she was studying for a maths exam, she had a brilliant idea. She decided to use basic shapes to design a new line of clothes.
Emma started by drawing her ideas in a notebook. Then, she asked her grandmother to teach her how to use a sewing machine. Her grandmother had a lot of old material, so Emma didn’t have to spend any money. Making the first T-shirt was quite difficult, and she broke two needles. But after a few weeks, she had a fantastic collection of colourful skirts and shirts with large shapes on them.
When Emma wore one of her new skirts to school, everyone noticed it. Her classmates thought it looked amazing. Soon, her friends started asking her to make clothes for them. Emma was very surprised, but she agreed. She spent her entire weekend sewing, and by Monday, she had sold five T-shirts!
Now, Emma’s clothing line is becoming very popular. She is saving the cash from her sales to build a proper website for her brand. She doesn’t want to stop studying maths, but when she finishes high school, she hopes to go to a fashion college in London.
1 Why did Emma start her clothing line?
(A) She combined her interest in maths with her love for fashion.
(B) She needed something to wear while studying for a maths exam.
(C) She wanted to learn how to draw circles, squares, and triangles.
2 What does Emma say about making her first clothes?
(A) She spent a lot of money to buy old material.
(B) She broke two needles while sewing a colorful skirt.
(C) She got the items she needed to sew for free.
3 How did Emma’s classmates react to her project?
(A) They asked her to wear a new skirt to school.
(B) They loved what she made and wanted their own.
(C) They were very surprised when she agreed to sew.
4 What is Emma planning to do in the future?
(A) She hopes to stop studying maths soon.
(B) She is keeping her money to pay for a visit to London.
(C) She wants to learn more about design at university.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to use a sewing machine at home
(B) The schoolgirl who turned shapes into style
(C) Why studying geometry is very popular
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 C 5 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Who Makes and Shares Fashion
Fourteen-year-old Chloe has a very interesting hobby. While her classmates spend their money in big clothes shops, Chloe prefers to make her own outfits. Two years ago, she couldn’t find a dress for a school party, so her grandmother showed her how to use a sewing machine. Since then, Chloe has made all her own clothes.
When she wore her new skirts and T-shirts to school, her friends were amazed. They asked Chloe to make special outfits for them, too. However, Chloe didn’t have enough time to sew for everyone. Instead, she decided to teach them how to do it themselves.
Last January, Chloe started recording short videos in her bedroom. In her videos, she shows teenagers how to cut material and sew simple things. Filming the steps takes many hours, and she sometimes makes mistakes, but she doesn’t mind. She really enjoys reading the nice messages from teenagers all over the world who watch her videos.
Chloe is already planning her next project. She wants to make a video about using old clothes to make new jackets. Some people ask if she wants to be a famous fashion designer when she is older. Chloe isn’t sure yet, but she knows she feels wonderful when she wears something completely different from everyone else.
1 Why did Chloe start making her own clothes?
(A) She wanted to spend her money in big clothes shops.
(B) She needed something to wear for a special event.
(C) Her grandmother asked her to use a sewing machine.
2 What did Chloe do when her friends wanted new clothes?
(A) She chose to instruct them on how to sew.
(B) She made special outfits for them, too.
(C) She told them she didn’t have enough time for her friends.
3 What does Chloe think about producing her online videos?
(A) It takes many hours to watch her videos.
(B) She gets upset when she sometimes makes mistakes.
(C) She loves seeing the positive comments from viewers.
4 What do we learn about Chloe in the final paragraph?
(A) She is certain she will be a famous fashion designer.
(B) She likes having clothes that nobody else has.
(C) She is planning to buy old clothes to make new jackets.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The teenager who shares her sewing skills online
(B) How to start a famous fashion business
(C) The best clothes shops for teenagers
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 B 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Fashion for a Good Cause
Sixteen-year-old Lily has always loved reading fashion magazines and making her own outfits. Last month, she wanted to raise money for a local children’s hospital. She noticed that many of her classmates often threw away perfectly good clothes. So, Lily decided to organize a special fashion show at her school using only donated clothes.
First, Lily asked everyone in her town to give her their old jumpers, dresses, and trousers. Soon, her bedroom was completely full of heavy bags! Some of the clothes were very dirty or much too big. Lily washed everything carefully and asked her grandmother to teach her how to use a sewing machine. Together, they changed the big dresses into beautiful new skirts.
The fashion show happened in the school hall on Saturday evening. Lily’s best friends were the models, and they walked on the stage to loud pop music. It was a fantastic night. Many parents and students bought tickets to watch the show, and some people even bought the clothes after the event finished.
In the end, Lily made over five hundred pounds for the children’s hospital. She felt incredibly tired but very proud of her hard work. Her teachers loved the idea too. Next year, she is going to organize another fashion show, and she hopes young people from other schools will come to watch.
1 Why did Lily organize the event?
(A) To collect cash for a medical place.
(B) To throw away perfectly good clothes.
(C) To read fashion magazines and make outfits.
2 What did Lily do with the items she received?
(A) She cleaned them and gave them a different shape.
(B) She put them in completely full heavy bags.
(C) She gave the big dresses to her grandmother.
3 At the fashion show, Lily’s best friends
(A) wore the outfits for the audience to look at.
(B) bought tickets to watch the show.
(C) bought the clothes after the event finished.
4 What is Lily planning to do next year?
(A) Put on a similar show for a larger group of people.
(B) Make over five hundred pounds for the hospital.
(C) Feel incredibly tired but very proud of her hard work.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s successful charity project
(B) How to use a sewing machine
(C) The new models at the children’s hospital
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A