Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Coastal & Nature Travel
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Saving the Sea Turtles
My name is Leo and I am fifteen years old. Last month, I went on a beach holiday to Greece with my parents. Usually, I spend my holidays swimming in the sea or playing video games. However, on our first day, I saw a large poster outside our hotel. It said that local sea turtles were in danger. I immediately decided to do something to help them.
The next morning, I joined a volunteer group called Turtle Friends. The leader of the group, a friendly scientist named Maria, gave me a green T-shirt to wear. She explained that my job was to walk along the beach very early every day. I had to look carefully in the sand for new turtle nests.
On my third day, I finally found one! I quickly called Maria. We put a heavy wooden box over the eggs. This keeps them safe from wild birds and tourists’ feet. Waking up at 5 a.m. was quite difficult, but a week later, I watched the baby turtles run into the dark water. It was the best experience of my life!
Now, I am back at my high school. I am making a presentation about the turtles for my science class. Before this trip, I didn’t know what job I wanted to do. Now, I hope to become a biologist and protect animals everywhere.
1 Why did Leo decide to help the turtles on his holiday?
(A) He read some news about their difficult situation.
(B) He wanted to spend his time swimming in the sea.
(C) He was bored of playing video games at his hotel.
2 What was Leo’s task for the volunteer group?
(A) to give a green T-shirt to wear to the tourists
(B) to search the coast in the morning for animal homes
(C) to become a friendly scientist named Maria
3 What did Leo do after he found a turtle nest?
(A) He watched the baby turtles run into the dark water.
(B) He caught the wild birds and checked the tourists’ feet.
(C) He helped cover it to protect the eggs from danger.
4 What is Leo doing now that he is back home?
(A) hoping to become a biologist to protect animals everywhere
(B) telling his classmates about his exciting holiday project
(C) trying to find out what job he wanted to do
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) My amazing summer helping sea animals
(B) How to make a presentation for science class
(C) The danger of wild birds on Greek beaches
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Giant of the Beach
My name is Charlie, and I am fourteen years old. Every August, my family goes to a beautiful beach in the south of Spain. I usually spend my time swimming in the sea, but yesterday I had a different idea. I wanted to build the biggest sandcastle on the beach with my brother, Leo, and my sister, Mia.
We started early in the morning. Leo and I used our plastic spades to dig a very deep hole. Mia ran to the sea with her red bucket to get water. We had to work very fast because the sand was quite dry. At first, the walls kept falling down, but then we learned how to make them strong by mixing more water into the sand.
By the afternoon, our castle was nearly two metres tall! Then, it was time to make it look beautiful. We walked along the beach and found white shells and green seaweed. We put them all over the top of the castle. An older couple stopped to look and said it was the most amazing sandcastle they had ever seen.
Before the sun went down, the sea water came higher up the beach and finally washed our castle away. We weren’t sad, though. My dad took some fantastic photos of us standing next to it before it disappeared. Next summer, we are going to try and build an even bigger one!
1 What does Charlie usually do on his summer holiday?
(A) He spends his time in the water.
(B) He has a different idea.
(C) He builds the biggest sandcastle.
2 Why did the children have a problem at first?
(A) They had to use their plastic spades.
(B) The sand was not wet enough.
(C) Mia ran to the sea with her red bucket.
3 How did the children decorate their castle?
(A) They made it nearly two metres tall.
(B) They stopped to look at an older couple.
(C) They used things they collected from the beach.
4 How did Charlie feel when the castle disappeared?
(A) He was unhappy because the sun went down.
(B) He didn’t feel upset about it.
(C) He took some fantastic photos of it.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A successful project at the beach
(B) How to take fantastic photos
(C) The dangers of swimming in the sea
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Leo’s Secret Discovery
Fourteen-year-old Leo loves taking pictures of nature. Last weekend, he went on a school trip to a huge national park. His classmates wanted to climb the tall mountains, but Leo preferred walking in the forest. While he was photographing some unusual birds, he suddenly realised his friends were not there.
Leo didn’t feel worried because he had a good map in his backpack. He decided to walk down a small, quiet path. The afternoon was extremely hot and his legs felt tired. Suddenly, he heard a loud noise. It sounded like heavy rain, but the sky above the trees was completely blue.
He walked a bit faster and pushed some big leaves away. Behind the trees, he saw an amazing hidden waterfall. The water fell into a beautiful, clear pool. Leo sat on a large rock next to the water to eat his sandwiches. He also took lots of incredible photos of the secret place.
After his rest, Leo used his map to find the main road again. He quickly met his teacher and his classmates near the park entrance. When he showed everyone the pictures on his camera, they were very surprised. Leo felt incredibly proud of his special discovery. He hopes to take his family there next summer.
1 How did Leo get separated from his group?
(A) He wanted to climb the tall mountains.
(B) He was busy taking pictures of animals.
(C) He preferred walking in the forest with his friends.
2 What was unusual about the sound Leo heard on the path?
(A) He noticed the noise of water when the weather was fine.
(B) He saw heavy rain falling from the completely blue sky.
(C) He heard his tired legs walking on the quiet path.
3 What did Leo do when he found the waterfall?
(A) He went swimming in the beautiful, clear pool.
(B) He pushed some big leaves away to go to sleep.
(C) He enjoyed his lunch and used his camera.
4 How did the other students react to Leo’s adventure?
(A) They met his teacher near the park entrance.
(B) They were amazed by the images he shared.
(C) They felt incredibly proud of his special discovery.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to climb the tall mountains
(B) A teenager’s secret find in the forest
(C) A dangerous walk in a national park
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 B 5 B