Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Business, Retail & Entrepreneurship
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Mark’s Number Dream
Fifteen-year-old Mark is different from the other boys in his class. While his friends spend their free time playing football or watching movies, Mark prefers playing with numbers. He is excellent at maths and even helps his parents to plan the family shopping so they don’t spend too much money.
Mark knows exactly what he wants to do in the future. His biggest dream is to become an accountant. Many teenagers think this job is boring, but Mark disagrees. He knows that every business in the world needs someone careful to look after their cash. He enjoys solving maths problems and finding mistakes.
Last month, Mark’s school had a special work experience week. Mark did not go to a shop or a café. Instead, he spent three days at a local accounting office. The manager, Mr. Jones, was very kind. Mark didn’t just make coffee for the staff; Mr. Jones actually gave him some real lists of numbers to check. Mark found three mistakes, and Mr. Jones was very surprised.
Next autumn, Mark is going to take some extra maths classes at a college. He knows that he must get the best marks to enter a good university. Studying to be an accountant takes a few years, but Mark is ready. He hopes to open his own office in his town one day.
1 How does Mark help his mother and father?
(A) He helps them save cash when they buy things.
(B) He spends his free time playing football with them.
(C) He spends too much money on watching movies.
2 Why does Mark want to become an accountant?
(A) He believes it is a very important and useful job.
(B) He thinks that the job is extremely boring.
(C) He wants to start every business in the world.
3 What did Mark do during his work experience week?
(A) He successfully looked for errors in some documents.
(B) He decided to work in a local shop or a café.
(C) He just made coffee for the staff in the office.
4 What is Mark planning to do next autumn?
(A) do some more study in his favourite school subject
(B) get the best marks to open his own office
(C) study to be an accountant at a good university
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s plans for a career with numbers
(B) How to find mistakes in your maths homework
(C) The best places to go shopping with your family
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Toby’s T-Shirt Business
Toby is a fifteen-year-old boy who loves art and fashion. In his free time, he enjoys drawing pictures on his old clothes. Last month, he wore one of his painted T-shirts to school, and his classmates loved it. Many of them asked Toby to make shirts for them, too. That gave him a brilliant idea for a small business.
However, Toby had a problem. To make better clothes, he needed to buy a special printing machine. The machine cost £150, but Toby only had £50 in his bedroom. He didn’t want to wait a year to save the money. So, he decided to ask his mother and father to lend him the rest.
Toby wanted his parents to know he was serious. He spent two days preparing a presentation on his laptop. On Sunday evening, he showed them his colourful designs and explained how he will earn money. He also promised to give them their money back before the summer holidays.
His parents listened quietly and asked a few questions. They were very surprised by his excellent presentation. Because he had such a clever plan, they agreed to help him. Now, Toby has the new machine in his room, and he is busy creating his first orders!
1 Where did Toby get his business idea?
(A) From the pictures on his old clothes.
(B) His school friends wanted his designs.
(C) He wanted to teach art and fashion.
2 Why did Toby ask his parents for money?
(A) He didn’t have enough cash for some equipment.
(B) He needed to buy a special printing machine for £50.
(C) He had to wait a year to save the money.
3 What did Toby do on Sunday evening?
(A) He spent two days preparing a presentation.
(B) He talked to his family about his project.
(C) He gave them their money back.
4 What did Toby’s parents do in the end?
(A) They were very surprised by the new machine.
(B) They gave him the cash he needed.
(C) They were busy creating his first orders.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s plan to start making money
(B) How to make colourful designs on laptops
(C) The best printing machine for students
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 B 4 B 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Toby’s Supermarket Dream
Fifteen-year-old Toby has a very different dream from his classmates. While his friends want to be famous actors or rich doctors, Toby wants to manage a popular supermarket chain. He doesn’t just like buying things; his biggest goal is to make shopping easier and faster for everyone.
To prepare for his future career, Toby works at a small local supermarket every Saturday. He doesn’t just clean the floors or put boxes on the shelves. His favourite thing to do is watch the customers. He pays attention to where they walk and how they find their food. He always asks them if they need help to understand what people prefer.
Last month, Toby noticed a problem. The fresh fruit and vegetables were at the back of the shop, and many older customers found it difficult to carry heavy bags all the way there. He wrote an email to his manager and asked to move the fruit near the front door. The manager agreed. Now, the shoppers are very happy because it is much easier for them.
Next year, Toby is going to study business and management at college. He knows that nobody can become the boss of a big supermarket chain immediately. It will take many years of hard work to achieve his goal, but he is excited to start his journey.
1 How is Toby’s dream different from his friends’ dreams?
(A) He wants to organize a large group of shops.
(B) He hopes to become a famous actor or rich doctor.
(C) He wants to buy things easier and faster.
2 What does Toby enjoy doing most on Saturdays?
(A) cleaning the floors
(B) putting boxes on the shelves
(C) seeing how people shop
3 What did Toby do to help the customers last month?
(A) He carried heavy bags for older customers.
(B) He suggested a new place for the fresh food.
(C) He wrote an email to the shoppers.
4 What does Toby understand about his future?
(A) He will become the boss immediately.
(B) He is going to manage a college next year.
(C) He needs to work hard for a long time.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s plan to run supermarkets
(B) How to buy fresh fruit and vegetables
(C) The most popular local supermarket
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 C 5 A