Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Protecting Wildlife & Animals
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Mia’s Prickly New Friend
Thirteen-year-old Mia loves learning about nature. Last Tuesday evening, she was walking her dog in the local park when she heard a strange noise. She looked under some autumn leaves and saw a tiny baby hedgehog. It was alone and looked very hungry.
Mia knew that she shouldn’t touch wild animals with her hands. She quickly ran back to her house to ask her mother for help. They found a small cardboard box and a pair of thick gardening gloves. Then, they walked back to the park and carefully put the little animal inside the box.
The following morning, Mia and her mum drove to the city wildlife centre. A kind vet called Mr. Evans checked the baby hedgehog. He explained that it was too small to live outside by itself. He told Mia not to worry because they could look after it. He immediately gave the hedgehog some warm milk to drink.
A month later, Mia got a phone call from the wildlife centre. The hedgehog was finally big and strong. Mr. Evans invited Mia to help him return the animal to the forest. When Mia watched the hedgehog run safely into the tall trees, she felt extremely proud. She hopes to become a vet when she finishes school.
1 How did Mia find the hedgehog?
(A) She was picking up autumn leaves.
(B) She was doing a project about nature.
(C) She was exercising her pet.
2 What did Mia and her mother take back to the park?
(A) something to carry the animal in
(B) some other wild animals
(C) a few new gardening plants
3 What did Mr. Evans say about the baby hedgehog?
(A) It needed to drink some warm milk.
(B) It was ready to live outside by itself.
(C) It could not survive on its own yet.
4 Why did Mia go to the forest?
(A) to get a phone call from the centre
(B) to put the animal back into nature
(C) to look at the tall trees
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to become a wildlife vet
(B) A successful rescue of a small animal
(C) The dangers of walking dogs in the park
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 C 4 B 5 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Sofia’s Sea Turtle Mission
Fourteen-year-old Sofia usually writes about school sports for the weekly student magazine. However, last summer, she went on a beach holiday with her family in Greece. Early one morning, she saw a large sea turtle on the sand. Sofia thought it was the most beautiful animal in the world. After this amazing experience, she decided to write a different kind of article for the magazine.
When she got back home, Sofia started to look for information on the internet. She learned that sea turtles are in danger. Many tourists leave their rubbish on the beach. Also, a lot of plastic bags end up in the sea. This is a huge problem because turtles eat jellyfish, and to a turtle, a plastic bag looks exactly like a delicious jellyfish!
Sofia wanted to help, so she included some useful advice in her text. She told her school friends to stop buying drinks with plastic straws. She also asked them to always bring a cloth bag to the supermarket, and to pick up any rubbish they see on the sand.
Sofia’s science teacher loved the text and put it on the front page of the school magazine. Lots of students read it and wanted to help too. Next month, Sofia and her classmates are going to travel to the coast to clean up a local beach. Sofia is very happy that her words are making a difference.
1 Why did Sofia change the subject of her magazine article?
(A) She usually writes about school sports for the magazine.
(B) She had a special encounter with an animal on holiday.
(C) Her family went on a beach holiday to Greece.
2 Why are plastic bags dangerous for sea turtles?
(A) Many tourists leave their rubbish inside them.
(B) They eat delicious jellyfish in the sea.
(C) The sea creatures mistake them for their meals.
3 What does Sofia suggest doing in her article?
(A) Stop buying drinks at the supermarket.
(B) Carry your shopping in something that isn’t made of plastic.
(C) Pick up any cloth bags they see on the sand.
4 What was the result of Sofia’s article?
(A) Her science teacher loved the front page.
(B) Other pupils have decided to take action with her.
(C) She is going to travel to the coast by herself.
5 What is the best title for the text?
(A) A school magazine’s new sports writer
(B) The dangerous jellyfish of Greece
(C) How a teenager’s words helped the environment
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 B 4 B 5 C
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Who Helped an Elephant
Fifteen-year-old Lily loves wild animals. Last month, she watched a brilliant documentary on television about elephants in a national park in Africa. She learned that they are in danger and she wanted to do something to help. She read on the internet that anyone can ‘adopt’ a baby elephant for a year, but she needed fifty pounds to do this.
Lily didn’t have enough money, so she started working in her free time. First, she baked delicious chocolate cakes and sold them to her classmates. Then, she washed cars for the people on her street. It was quite tiring, but everyone was very happy to give her cash for her amazing project.
After three weeks, Lily finally had the money. She sent it to the national park online. A few days later, a special package arrived at her house. Inside, there was a beautiful photograph of a baby elephant called ‘Kibo’ and a piece of paper with Lily’s name on it.
Lily feels incredibly proud of her hard work. Every month, she gets an email from the park scientists with news about Kibo. Now, she is reading books about big cats. Next year, she hopes to raise enough cash to adopt a wild lion!
1 How did Lily first get the idea to support an animal?
(A) She went to a national park in Africa.
(B) A television show inspired her to protect creatures at risk.
(C) She read on the internet that anyone can ‘adopt’ a baby elephant.
2 How did Lily earn the fifty pounds she needed?
(A) She baked delicious chocolate cakes for the people on her street.
(B) She washed cars for her classmates.
(C) She prepared sweet food to sell and cleaned vehicles.
3 What did the national park send to Lily?
(A) An image of the creature and a certificate.
(B) A baby elephant called ‘Kibo’.
(C) A beautiful photograph with Lily’s name on it.
4 What happens regularly now that Lily has adopted Kibo?
(A) She receives digital messages from the wildlife experts.
(B) She is reading books about big cats.
(C) She hopes to raise enough cash to adopt a wild lion.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Washing cars for the people on her street
(B) The schoolgirl who worked hard to sponsor a wild animal
(C) A brilliant documentary on television about elephants
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 A 4 A 5 B