Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Culinary Tourism & Local Food
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Eating on the Streets of Europe and Asia
My name is Lucas and I am sixteen years old. Last summer, I went on a wonderful trip with my parents. We visited two famous cities: Istanbul and Rome. I love trying new dishes, but I don’t like sitting in expensive restaurants. I prefer buying street food because it is fast and cheap.
Our first stop was Istanbul. The streets were very busy, and there were small food markets everywhere. Every morning, I bought a round piece of bread with seeds on it. It cost almost nothing, but it was delicious. One evening, my dad and I ate a fish sandwich near the water. The fish was very fresh, and the bread was warm.
After that, we flew to Rome. The street food there was different. We ate a lot of pizza. In Rome, they cut the pizza into squares and you eat it while you walk. It was more expensive than the food in Istanbul, but the cheese was amazing. I also ate some traditional Italian ice cream. It was much sweeter than the desserts in Turkey.
Both cities have fantastic food, but they are not the same. Istanbul is the best place if you want a cheap, hot meal. However, Rome is my favourite for sweet things. Next week, I am going to buy a cookbook. I really want to learn how to make these amazing dishes in my own kitchen!
1 Why does Lucas like street food?
(A) It doesn’t take much time and has low prices.
(B) He loves sitting in expensive restaurants.
(C) He went on a wonderful trip with his parents.
2 What does Lucas say about his fish sandwich in Istanbul?
(A) He ate it with his father next to the sea.
(B) He bought a round piece of bread with seeds on it.
(C) He found it in the busy streets with small food markets.
3 How was the street food in Rome different from Istanbul?
(A) It cost more money to buy.
(B) They cut the pizza into squares.
(C) You eat it while you walk.
4 What is Lucas planning to do next?
(A) He hopes to prepare the meals himself.
(B) He wants a cheap, hot meal.
(C) He is going to Rome for sweet things.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A student’s favourite street food in two cities
(B) How to make these amazing dishes in your kitchen
(C) Sitting in expensive restaurants in Istanbul and Rome
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Lily’s Sweet Internet Search
Fifteen-year-old Lily loves sweet food. She usually bakes cakes at home with her mother at the weekends. However, this Saturday, her parents were busy. Lily decided to go out and find a great local café. She wanted to drink a nice cup of coffee and eat a huge slice of cake.
Instead of asking her friends, Lily used her tablet to search on the internet. She spent an hour reading online reviews. First, she found a place called The Green Cup. People said the coffee was fantastic, but the desserts were very expensive. Then, she discovered a small café named Sweet Dreams. The website showed amazing pictures of their homemade cakes, and the prices were very cheap.
Lily walked to Sweet Dreams in the afternoon. The café was quite busy, but she found a small table near the window. She ordered a piece of chocolate cake and a hot coffee. When the waiter brought her order, Lily was very happy. The cake was incredibly soft, and the coffee was perfect.
Before she finished her dessert, Lily took a photo with her smartphone. She uploaded the picture to her social media page and wrote a great review. Next week, she is not going to bake at home. She plans to visit the same café again with her best friend!
1 What did Lily plan to do this Saturday?
(A) Have a hot drink and a sweet snack in town.
(B) Bake cakes at home with her mother.
(C) Go out and find her busy parents.
2 Why didn’t Lily want to visit The Green Cup?
(A) The cakes there cost a lot of money.
(B) People said the coffee was fantastic.
(C) She spent an hour reading online reviews.
3 What happened when Lily arrived at the café?
(A) She got a seat even though there were lots of people.
(B) She walked to Sweet Dreams in the afternoon.
(C) She ordered a piece of hot chocolate cake.
4 What will Lily do next week?
(A) Return to the coffee shop with another person.
(B) Take a photo with her smartphone.
(C) Bake at home and write a great review.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Discovering a fantastic new café online
(B) How to bake the best chocolate cake
(C) The most expensive coffee in town
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Lucas’s Spicy Surprise
Sixteen-year-old Lucas loves going out for dinner with his classmates at the weekend. They usually go to the same places and eat pizza or burgers. However, last Saturday, they decided to try a new Indian restaurant in the city centre. Lucas was excited because he loves trying new things.
When they sat down, they looked at the menu. His best friend, Jamie, chose a mild chicken dish. Lucas saw a picture of a beautiful red vegetable curry. He ordered it because the colours looked amazing. The waiter asked Lucas if he was sure, but Lucas smiled and said yes.
A few minutes later, the waiter brought the meals. Lucas took a large bite of his red curry. Suddenly, his face went completely hot and his eyes started to water! The dish was full of chilli. He drank two large glasses of cold water immediately, but his mouth still hurt. He couldn’t eat another bite of his meal.
Fortunately, his friends were very kind. They gave him some of their food, so he didn’t feel hungry at the end of the night. Lucas had a fun evening, but he learned an important lesson. Next time he visits a new restaurant, he is going to ask the staff for advice before he chooses his food!
1 What did Lucas and his friends do last Saturday?
(A) They went to an unfamiliar restaurant.
(B) They ordered pizza and burgers in the city centre.
(C) They visited the same places they usually go to.
2 Why did Lucas choose to eat the red curry?
(A) His best friend Jamie chose it for him.
(B) He really liked the appearance of the food.
(C) The waiter told him it was a good choice.
3 When Lucas started eating his dish, he
(A) found the taste was much too strong for him.
(B) drank two large glasses of warm water.
(C) couldn’t eat another bite of his meal because it was cold.
4 What did Lucas’s classmates do to help him?
(A) They asked the staff for some advice.
(B) They offered him some of their own meals.
(C) They made sure he didn’t feel hungry the next day.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A surprisingly spicy dinner
(B) The best Indian restaurant in the city
(C) How to cook a beautiful red curry
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 A 4 B 5 A