Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Culinary Arts & Spicy Flavors
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Who Loves Fiery Food
Sixteen-year-old Ben has an unusual favourite activity. While his friends spend their free time playing video games or watching films, Ben loves searching for the spiciest food in his city. He enjoys meals that make his mouth burn, and he is always looking for a new place to eat.
Every weekend, Ben travels to a different part of the city to try a new dish. Last Saturday, he went to a popular Mexican market. He bought tacos with jalapeños and hot salsa. The chef warned him that they were extremely hot, but Ben ate them quickly and said they were completely delicious.
However, his favourite meal so far came from a tiny Japanese cafe near his school. He ordered a large bowl of spicy ramen with chili flakes. It was so fiery that he had to drink three glasses of cold water! Before that, he thought nothing could be hotter than his mum’s spicy fried chicken with chili powder, but the ramen was definitely stronger.
Ben’s classmates think his food choices are crazy, but he doesn’t mind. Next month, he is planning to start his own internet blog. He wants to write about his weekend food adventures and take photos of his meals. He hopes to help other teenagers find the most exciting and fiery dishes in town.
1 What does Ben like doing in his free time?
(A) Playing video games.
(B) Looking for very hot meals in his area.
(C) Watching films.
2 What happened at the Mexican market last Saturday?
(A) The chef ate them quickly.
(B) Ben warned the chef that they were extremely hot.
(C) Ben really enjoyed his spicy meal there.
3 What does Ben say about the Japanese cafe?
(A) He had to drink three glasses of hot water.
(B) It sells spicy fried chicken with chili powder.
(C) It served the strongest dish he has ever tried.
4 What does Ben want to do next month?
(A) Begin a website to record his experiences.
(B) Make his classmates think his food choices are crazy.
(C) Take photos of his classmates.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to make spicy fried chicken with chili powder
(B) The teenager who loves eating fiery meals
(C) The best places to play video games in town
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 C 4 A 5 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Rolling to Success
Sixteen-year-old Kenji loves eating Japanese food. Last month, he got a weekend job at ‘Sakura’, a popular restaurant in his town. At first, Kenji thought he would just wash dirty dishes or clean the tables. He didn’t expect to learn anything special during his time there.
One Saturday, the head chef, Mr. Tanaka, noticed Kenji watching him carefully. Mr. Tanaka was making beautiful sushi rolls. He asked Kenji, “Do you want to learn how to do this?” Kenji felt incredibly excited but also a bit nervous. He immediately washed his hands and put on a chef’s hat.
Making sushi was much harder than it looked. During his first try, the rice was too sticky and stayed on his fingers. When he finally cut the roll, all the fresh fish fell out onto the table. Mr. Tanaka didn’t get angry. He just laughed and told Kenji that he needed to be patient and practice more.
Kenji practised every weekend for a month. Finally, he created a perfect sushi roll. It looked amazing and tasted delicious. Yesterday, his parents came to the restaurant to have dinner. They tried Kenji’s sushi and felt very proud of him. Now, Kenji hopes to become a professional chef when he finishes school.
1 What did Kenji expect to do when he started his new job?
(A) Basic cleaning work in the restaurant.
(B) Learn something special about food.
(C) Eat lots of Japanese meals.
2 When Mr. Tanaka spoke to Kenji, the teenager felt
(A) quite tired from watching him carefully.
(B) very pleased but a little worried.
(C) angry that he had to wash his hands.
3 What went wrong during Kenji’s first attempt?
(A) Mr. Tanaka got extremely angry with him.
(B) The food didn’t stay inside the roll.
(C) He dropped all the sticky rice on the floor.
4 What do we learn about Kenji’s family?
(A) They want to be professional chefs.
(B) They practised every weekend for a month.
(C) They tasted the meal he prepared for them.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s cooking success at work
(B) How to wash dirty dishes quickly
(C) The best Japanese restaurant in town
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 B 4 C 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Very Spicy Collection
Fifteen-year-old Mateo loves eating food with a lot of flavour. While most teenagers collect comic books or trainers, Mateo collects hot sauce. His unusual hobby started two years ago when he tried a really spicy chicken dish on holiday in Mexico. He bought a bottle of the restaurant’s sauce to take home, and now his collection has over fifty bottles!
Mateo doesn’t just buy his sauces from the local supermarket. When his friends and family go on holiday to different countries, they always bring him a new bottle. He has amazing sauces from Japan, India, and Peru. He also spends his pocket money ordering special or unusual bottles on the internet.
Unlike some collectors, Mateo actually opens the bottles and eats the sauce. He puts it on everything, from pizza to sandwiches. However, he sometimes makes mistakes. Last week, he tried a new Caribbean sauce on his morning eggs. It was incredibly hot, and his mouth hurt so much that he had to drink three glasses of milk!
Next summer, Mateo is planning to do something completely new. He isn’t going to buy more sauces; he is going to make his own! He wants to grow chili peppers in his back garden. If it tastes good, he hopes to sell some bottles to his classmates at school.
1 How did Mateo’s hobby begin?
(A) He started collecting comic books and trainers.
(B) He bought over fifty bottles in Mexico.
(C) He ate a hot meal during a trip abroad.
2 How does Mateo get the bottles for his collection?
(A) He usually buys them from the local supermarket.
(B) People traveling to other countries buy them for him.
(C) He goes on holiday to Japan, India, and Peru.
3 What was the problem with the Caribbean sauce last week?
(A) It was far too spicy for him to eat comfortably.
(B) He accidentally put it on his pizza and sandwiches.
(C) He made a mistake with his three glasses of milk.
4 What is Mateo planning to do next summer?
(A) buy more sauces for his collection
(B) produce his own hot sauce at home
(C) grow chili peppers with his classmates
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The teenager with a very spicy hobby
(B) How to make your own hot sauce
(C) A trip to a restaurant in Mexico
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 B 3 A 4 B 5 A