Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Culinary Arts & Spicy Flavors

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The Teenager Cooking Up a Storm

Sixteen-year-old Max loves spending his free time in the kitchen. While his parents usually prefer making simple meals like pasta or salads, Max enjoys cooking spicy fried chicken. He always adds a lot of extra chili powder to his food because he loves strong flavours.

Max first got the idea to cook this dish last winter. He was watching a popular television programme about street food in South Korea. The chicken on the screen looked amazing, so he decided to make it himself. The first time he cooked it, he used too much pepper, and his younger brother couldn’t eat it. But after practising for a few weeks, he finally created the perfect recipe.

Now, Max cooks his famous spicy chicken every Friday evening. His classmates love it, so they often visit his house for dinner. Max asks his friends to bring the drinks, and he prepares the meal. He always buys his special chili powder from a little market near his school.

Max feels very happy when people enjoy his food. Because his friends think his chicken is the best in town, he is planning to start a cooking channel online next month. He hopes to show other teenagers how to make easy and delicious meals. Maybe, one day, he will open his own restaurant!

1   What do we learn about Max in the first paragraph?

     (A) He enjoys eating food with a very hot taste.

     (B) He prefers making simple meals like pasta or salads.

     (C) He always adds a lot of extra chili powder for his parents.

2   Why did Max start making his special chicken?

     (A) He wanted to try a meal he saw on a screen.

     (B) He travelled to buy street food in South Korea.

     (C) His younger brother couldn’t eat it the first time.

3   What happens at Max’s house on Fridays?

     (A) Max gets dishes ready for his visitors to eat.

     (B) His classmates prepare the meal and bring the drinks.

     (C) His friends visit a little market near his school.

4   What does Max want to do soon?

     (A) Teach young people how to cook through the internet.

     (B) Open his own restaurant next month.

     (C) Find the best chicken in town with his friends.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) How to make street food in South Korea

     (B) The schoolboy who loves making hot dishes

     (C) The best little market to buy extra chili powder

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The Student Who Loves Fiery Food

Nineteen-year-old Leo is a busy university student. He loves eating, but he was very tired of having boring meals every day. Because he didn’t have much time, he usually just boiled simple pasta or bought cold sandwiches from the local shop. Last month, he decided he needed to try something different.

One afternoon, Leo visited an Asian supermarket near his house. He found lots of interesting food there. He chose some basic Japanese noodles to take home. Then, he noticed a large jar of bright red chili flakes on a shelf. He remembered a cooking video he saw on the internet and bought the jar immediately.

That evening, Leo cooked his first bowl of ramen. He added the red chili flakes to the hot water, together with some fresh chicken and a boiled egg. When he finally tasted the meal, it was extremely hot! His mouth burned, but he thought the flavour was absolutely fantastic. It was a lot better than the things he usually ate.

Now, cooking spicy noodles is Leo’s favourite hobby. He makes a new recipe every Saturday and invites his classmates to try it. Sometimes the food is too fiery for them, but Leo completely loves it. Next year, he hopes to start a small club at his university to show other students his cooking skills.

1   Why did Leo want to change his meals?

     (A) He wanted to eat something more interesting.

     (B) He needed to buy cold sandwiches from the local shop.

     (C) He was a busy university student with no time.

2   Why did Leo purchase the red chili flakes?

     (A) He needed them for his basic Japanese noodles.

     (B) He wanted to visit an Asian supermarket near his house.

     (C) He got the idea from an online cooking clip.

3   What did Leo think of his first bowl of ramen?

     (A) His mouth burned and he disliked the fresh chicken.

     (B) It had a wonderful taste even though it was very hot.

     (C) It was exactly like the things he usually ate.

4   What do we learn about Leo’s classmates?

     (A) They completely love the food because it is fiery.

     (B) They sometimes find his new recipes too spicy.

     (C) They hope to start a small club at the university.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) A student’s exciting new cooking hobby

     (B) The best Asian supermarket near his house

     (C) How to make cold sandwiches for your friends

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Discovering Spicy Salads

Sixteen-year-old Lily has always loved cooking. Last month, she visited a new Thai restaurant in her town with her parents. She ordered a traditional papaya salad. It was extremely spicy, but she thought it was the most delicious food in the world! Lily immediately decided to learn everything about Thai salads.

Every weekend, Lily started visiting different local Thai restaurants. Instead of just eating, she asked the cooks about their recipes. They explained that they use fresh ingredients like lime juice, green beans, and lots of hot chillies. Lily carefully wrote all this information down in a small notebook.

Sometimes, the restaurant kitchens were very busy. When this happened, the staff didn’t have time to answer her questions, and Lily felt quite disappointed. However, one friendly chef, Mr Boon, actually invited her to watch him cook. He showed her how to mix the vegetables together perfectly to get the best flavour.

Now, Lily makes fantastic spicy salads at home. Last week, she prepared a big meal for her friends, and everyone loved it. Her parents are incredibly proud of her new cooking skills. Next summer, Lily hopes to fly to Thailand. She wants to try the famous street food there and learn even more recipes.

1   Why did Lily decide to learn more about Thai salads?

     (A) She tried a dish and thought it tasted amazing.

     (B) She wanted to open a new Thai restaurant in her town.

     (C) Her parents cooked the most delicious food in the world.

2   During her weekend visits to the restaurants, Lily

     (A) bought fresh ingredients like lime juice and green beans.

     (B) just wanted to start eating lots of hot chillies.

     (C) kept a record of the things used to make the dishes.

3   How did Lily feel when the restaurant kitchens were busy?

     (A) Happy because Mr Boon actually invited her to watch him cook.

     (B) Sad because the workers couldn’t speak to her.

     (C) Excited to mix the vegetables together perfectly.

4   What is Lily planning to do next summer?

     (A) Go to another country to explore its popular meals.

     (B) Prepare a big meal for her friends at home.

     (C) Show her incredibly proud parents the famous street food.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) The best new Thai restaurant in town

     (B) How to prepare a big meal for your friends

     (C) A teenager’s journey to learn about foreign dishes

Exercises:   12345