Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Extended Stays & Relocations
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Thanh’s Tasty Travel Adventures
Seventeen-year-old Thanh is a high school student who lives in Ho Chi Minh City in the south of Vietnam. He loves eating street food with his friends. Last October, he travelled to Hanoi in the north to study for six months. He was very excited to try all the famous local dishes there.
In Hanoi, the weather was quite cold during the winter months. Because of this, Thanh often bought bowls of hot noodle soup from the busy street markets. It was absolutely delicious and kept him warm. However, he noticed that street food in the north is not usually very spicy. Local people there prefer simple and natural flavours.
This was very different from the cooking in his hometown. In Ho Chi Minh City, the street meals are often a little sweeter. Also, Thanh really enjoys eating things with fiery heat, like spicy fried chicken. Because he loved hot flavours so much, he sometimes had to ask the friendly food sellers in Hanoi for extra red chilli powder!
Now, Thanh is back in the sunny south. He often misses the amazing hot soup from those cold winter days in Hanoi. But he is incredibly happy to eat his favourite spicy meals again. Next year, he wants to start a video channel to talk about his fantastic eating adventures across the country.
1 Why did Thanh travel to Hanoi last October?
(A) To take educational classes for half a year.
(B) He loves eating street food with his friends.
(C) To try all the famous local dishes there.
2 What did Thanh think about the hot noodle soup in Hanoi?
(A) He noticed that street food in the north is not usually very spicy.
(B) It was a great way to stay comfortable in the cold weather.
(C) Local people there prefer simple and natural flavours.
3 What is a difference between the food in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City?
(A) He sometimes had to ask the friendly food sellers.
(B) The dishes in the south are prepared with more sugar.
(C) It has extra red chilli powder.
4 What is Thanh planning to do in the future?
(A) Eat his favourite spicy meals again.
(B) Miss the amazing hot soup from those cold winter days.
(C) Share his food journeys on the internet.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Discovering different street food in my country
(B) The friendly food sellers in Hanoi
(C) A high school student in Ho Chi Minh City
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 B 4 C 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Alex’s Italian Weekend Adventures
Fifteen-year-old Alex moved to Rome, Italy, for six months because of his mother’s new job. During the week, he studies hard at an international school. But at the weekend, his routine is completely different. He takes short train journeys to explore small, ancient towns near the capital.
Last Saturday, he visited a quiet town called Tivoli. He didn’t want to buy expensive souvenirs in the shops. Instead, he spent his afternoon walking around old castles and eating traditional pizza. He always carries his small black camera to take pictures of the beautiful historic buildings.
Sometimes travelling alone is difficult. Two weeks ago, Alex caught the wrong train and got lost in a dark station. He didn’t have internet on his smartphone to check a map. Luckily, a friendly man at the station helped him find the right way. Because of this, Alex always buys a paper map before he leaves home.
Alex only has two months left in Italy. He plans to visit four more historic places before his family returns to England. He believes these weekend trips are a fantastic idea because he feels much more confident now. He hopes to write a blog about his Italian adventures soon!
1 What does Alex do on Saturdays and Sundays?
(A) He travels to old places near Rome.
(B) He studies hard at an international school.
(C) He works at his mother’s new job.
2 What did Alex enjoy doing in Tivoli?
(A) buying expensive souvenirs in the shops
(B) carrying his small black camera
(C) looking at historic sites and having a local meal
3 What problem did Alex have two weeks ago?
(A) He was able to check a map on his smartphone.
(B) He travelled to an incorrect location.
(C) He met a friendly man at the station.
4 How does Alex feel about his short trips?
(A) He hopes to write a blog about his Italian adventures soon.
(B) He thinks they have made him a braver person.
(C) He feels ready to return to England.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Getting lost at a dark train station
(B) Discovering history during a temporary move
(C) How to study at an international school
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 B 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Making Connections in Manchester
Last September, 19-year-old Sam moved to Manchester to start university. He really liked his classes, but he didn’t know anyone there. Because his family and old friends lived far away, he often felt quite lonely on the weekends. In his free time, Sam loved making videos and learning how to sell things on the internet.
One afternoon, Sam saw a poster in the library. It was about a meeting at a local café for people who enjoy creating websites and online videos. Sam felt a bit shy about going alone, but he knew he had to try. He put on his favourite jacket and walked to the café.
When he arrived, the room was full of young people. Sam sat next to a friendly girl called Emma and a boy named Tom. They started talking and quickly realised they all shared the same hobbies. Tom showed Sam his new website, and Emma talked about her popular online videos. Sam was very interested and learned a lot of new information.
Before the café closed, the three teenagers promised to meet again the next day. They decided to work on a fun internet project together. Walking back to his room, Sam smiled. He finally felt at home in the big city because he had found people just like him.
1 How did Sam feel about his life in Manchester at first?
(A) He enjoyed his studies but missed the people he knew.
(B) He felt quite lonely because he disliked his classes.
(C) He travelled far away to visit his family and old friends.
2 How did Sam feel about going to the meeting?
(A) nervous because he had nobody to go with
(B) excited to put on his favourite jacket
(C) happy to meet people who enjoy creating websites
3 What did Sam do at the café?
(A) He found out some useful things from the others.
(B) He showed his new website to a boy named Tom.
(C) He made some popular online videos with Emma.
4 What did the teenagers agree to do?
(A) create something together on the web
(B) wait until the café closed to meet again
(C) walk back to his room in the big city
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Finding new friends with the same hobbies
(B) How to start a business on the internet
(C) The best café for university students
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A