Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Arts, Design & Entertainment
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Singing for a Dream
Sixteen-year-old Lucas is a high school student with a very special hobby. While most of his classmates love playing football or going to the cinema at the weekend, Lucas prefers singing. He sings in his bedroom, in the shower, and on his way to school. His biggest dream is to win the famous TV competition, Singing Stars.
Last year, Lucas watched the show and decided he wanted to be on it. However, he knew he needed to improve his voice. He didn’t want to ask his parents for cash, so he found a part-time job at a local café. He washes dishes every Saturday to pay for his own singing lessons.
Every Wednesday evening, Lucas visits his singing teacher, Mrs Green. When he first started, the classes were quite difficult. Mrs Green taught him that singing is not just about making a loud noise. He had to learn how to breathe correctly. Now, he can sing very high notes perfectly, and his voice sounds much stronger.
Next month, Lucas is going to travel to the capital city for his first Singing Stars interview. His parents are a bit worried because he has important school exams soon, but they are also very proud. Lucas knows that winning a TV show is hard, but he feels ready to show his talent to the world.
1 What do we learn about Lucas in the first paragraph?
(A) He loves playing football or going to the cinema at the weekend.
(B) He enjoys an activity that is different from what his friends do.
(C) His biggest dream is to watch the famous TV competition.
2 How does Lucas pay for his music classes?
(A) He earns his own money by working at the weekend.
(B) He asks his parents for cash.
(C) He washes dishes every Saturday for his family.
3 What happened when Lucas began going to Mrs Green?
(A) He only cared about making a loud noise.
(B) He could sing very high notes perfectly.
(C) He found the new lessons quite hard.
4 Why are Lucas’s parents a little worried?
(A) He is going to travel to the capital city alone.
(B) He has some important tests to do at school soon.
(C) They know that winning a TV show is hard.
5 What is the best title for this article?
(A) Working as a singer in a local café
(B) How to pass your important school exams
(C) Preparing for a television talent show
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 B 5 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Maya’s Movie Magic
Sixteen-year-old Maya has a very creative hobby. While her classmates spend their money on normal clothes and makeup to look nice, Maya buys different things. She loves painting faces, but she does not want to make people look beautiful. She prefers creating scary monsters, aliens, and old people.
Maya’s biggest dream is to become a makeup artist for famous movies and theatre plays. Because she cannot buy expensive professional makeup, she practices with cheap face paints and everyday things from the kitchen. She often asks her younger brother to sit in a chair for hours while she works on his face. Her friends think her strange creations are amazing.
Last month, Maya’s school put on a big play. Maya did not want to sing or act on the stage. Instead, she asked the drama teacher if she could do the makeup for the students. The teacher agreed, and Maya worked very hard. She made a fifteen-year-old boy look like an eighty-year-old man. Everyone in the audience was very surprised.
Next summer, Maya is going to travel to London. She is going to visit a special college for the arts. She hopes to study there when she finishes school. She knows that working in the movie business is not easy, but she is ready to learn. She cannot wait to see her name on the screen in a cinema one day.
1 What does Maya enjoy doing?
(A) changing how people look using paint
(B) spending her money on normal clothes and makeup
(C) making people look beautiful for her classmates
2 How does Maya practice for her dream job?
(A) She uses items she finds around the house.
(B) She buys expensive professional makeup.
(C) She makes her friends sit in a chair for hours.
3 What did Maya do during the school play?
(A) She prepared the actors’ faces before the show.
(B) She decided to sing or act on the stage.
(C) She asked a fifteen-year-old boy to help the teacher.
4 Why is Maya travelling to London next summer?
(A) to look at a place where she wants to study
(B) to find a job in the movie business
(C) to see her name on the screen in a cinema
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s unusual plan for a creative career
(B) How to buy cheap makeup for a school play
(C) The best movies to watch at the cinema
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Mia’s Musical Dream
Mia is a fifteen-year-old high school student with a special hobby. Unlike her classmates who play sports or video games, Mia spends her free time writing songs. She has a beautiful voice, but she does not want to be a singer. Instead, her biggest dream is to write music for famous pop groups.
Finding the right words for a new song is not always easy. Mia usually starts by playing her guitar in her bedroom until she finds a good tune. Then, she thinks about the lyrics. She often gets her best ideas by listening to her friends when they talk about their problems or happy memories at school.
Last month, Mia decided to put one of her songs on the internet. A local rock band heard it and asked if they could play it at their concert. Mia went to watch them. When the crowd started dancing to her music, she felt absolutely amazing. It was the best night of her life.
Now, Mia is working harder than ever. She knows it is difficult to become a successful songwriter. Before she can write for big pop stars, she has to finish high school. After that, she plans to go to university to study music. For now, she will keep writing every single day.
1 What does Mia hope to do in the future?
(A) create songs for well-known bands
(B) be a singer
(C) play sports or video games
2 How does Mia get ideas for her songs?
(A) by finding the right words
(B) by playing her guitar in her bedroom
(C) from the things her classmates say
3 At the concert, Mia felt very happy because
(A) she decided to put one of her songs on the internet.
(B) the audience moved to the music she wrote.
(C) a local rock band heard it.
4 What must Mia do before she goes to university?
(A) write for big pop stars
(B) complete her studies at school
(C) keep writing every single day
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The most famous pop group in the world
(B) How to play the guitar at a rock concert
(C) A teenager’s plan to write hit songs
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 B 5 C