Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Outdoor Adventures & Nature
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Passion for the Mountains
Fifteen-year-old Toby has a different hobby from his classmates. At the weekend, most of his friends enjoy playing video games or sleeping late in their comfortable beds. However, Toby loves getting up at six o’clock on Saturday mornings. He prefers going to the high mountains near his town to breathe the fresh air and go hiking.
This interesting outdoor activity began two years ago. Toby’s grandfather invited him on a short walk in the hills. At first, Toby really hated it because the weather was cold and his legs hurt a lot. But when they finally arrived at the very top, Toby looked down at the beautiful blue lake below. That amazing view completely changed his mind.
Now, Toby goes hiking almost every weekend. Before he leaves his house, he always packs a strong bag. He carefully puts in a large bottle of water, a map, and some cheese sandwiches. Sometimes his older sister goes with him, but he usually walks with a local teenagers’ nature club. They always talk and laugh a lot together.
Toby believes that walking in the wild mountains makes him feel incredibly relaxed and healthy. He easily forgets about all his difficult school homework. Next summer, he has a very exciting plan. He wants to travel to a different country with his grandfather and climb a very famous mountain there!
1 What does Toby like doing at the weekend?
(A) Getting out of bed early to walk in the hills.
(B) Playing video games with his classmates.
(C) Sleeping late in his comfortable bed.
2 How did Toby feel about his first trip to the mountains?
(A) He liked the cold weather on the walk.
(B) He disliked the experience at the start.
(C) He wanted to visit the beautiful blue lake.
3 Who does Toby normally go walking with now?
(A) His older sister.
(B) His grandfather.
(C) A group of young people from his area.
4 What is Toby going to do next summer?
(A) Finish all his difficult school homework.
(B) Travel to a different country with his nature club.
(C) Go abroad to do a climb with a relative.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s favourite outdoor hobby
(B) How to pack a strong bag for a walk
(C) The best video games to play at the weekend
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 C 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Toby’s First Camping Trip
Thirteen-year-old Toby joined his school’s outdoor club last month. For their first trip, the students travelled to a large forest for the weekend. Toby felt very excited because he loved being in nature, but he was also a little worried. He had never slept outside before and didn’t know much about camping.
When they arrived, the first job was putting up the tents. Toby wanted to do it by himself. He took out the parts, but soon he had a problem. He couldn’t understand how to build it. The club leader, Mr Harris, came over to help. He showed Toby how to use the metal poles. After twenty minutes of hard work, Toby’s tent was ready.
Next, it was time to build a campfire. Toby collected lots of dry wood from the ground. Before they started the fire, Mr Harris taught them some important safety rules. He made the students put big stones in a circle and place a bucket of water next to them. Then, Toby carefully lit the fire.
In the evening, everyone sat around the warm campfire and cooked hot dogs. Toby looked at his tent and the bright fire, and he felt extremely proud. He was not worried anymore. He had a fantastic time and is already planning what to pack for the next club trip in July.
1 How did Toby feel about the weekend in the forest?
(A) He was excited because he usually slept outside.
(B) He was a bit afraid because it was a new experience.
(C) He was worried about joining his school’s outdoor club.
2 What happened when Toby tried to set up his tent?
(A) He needed an adult to assist him.
(B) He managed to do it completely by himself.
(C) He looked for the metal poles for twenty minutes.
3 To make the campfire safe, Mr Harris told the students to
(A) collect lots of dry wood from the ground.
(B) put the big stones inside a bucket.
(C) keep some water close to the fire.
4 In the evening, Toby
(A) felt pleased with his hard work.
(B) was planning what to pack for the evening.
(C) was still worried about sleeping outside.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The rules of building a campfire
(B) A teenager learns how to camp
(C) Toby’s difficult weekend in the forest
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 A 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Toby’s Feathered Friends
Fourteen-year-old Toby has an unusual hobby for a teenager. While most of his friends enjoy playing video games in their bedrooms, Toby prefers to spend his free time outside. Last year, his grandfather gave him a special camera, and since then, Toby has loved watching birds in the local park.
Every Saturday, Toby wakes up at six o’clock in the morning. He walks to the park and sits quietly near the lake. He watches the birds and tries to take clear photos of them. At first, it was difficult because they flew away very quickly. Now, he knows how to stay completely still. When he gets home, he uses an app on his phone to learn their names.
Last month, Toby had a wonderful experience. He was waiting near some tall trees when he saw a small, bright blue bird. It was a kingfisher! He carefully took a picture before it disappeared. Toby felt incredibly lucky because these birds are very rare in his town. He showed the photo to his science teacher, who was very impressed.
Toby’s hobby has changed what he wants to do in the future. He is going to join a wildlife group next summer to learn more about the natural world. He hopes that one day he can travel to other countries and study different animals. For now, he is just happy exploring the park.
1 How did Toby become interested in his hobby?
(A) He enjoys playing video games in his bedroom.
(B) A family member got him a present.
(C) He spent his free time outside with his friends.
2 What was Toby’s problem when he started his hobby?
(A) He didn’t have an app on his phone.
(B) He couldn’t wake up at six o’clock in the morning.
(C) The animals moved too fast.
3 How did Toby feel about seeing the blue bird?
(A) He was very impressed by his science teacher.
(B) He was fortunate to spot something unusual.
(C) He was sad when it disappeared into some tall trees.
4 What is Toby planning to do next year?
(A) become a member of a nature club
(B) travel to other countries to study different animals
(C) spend all his time exploring the park
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s favourite outdoor activity
(B) How to take the best photos of birds
(C) A boy who wants to travel the world
ANSWER KEY
1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (B) 4 (A) 5 (A)