Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – The Bond Between Humans and Animals

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The Dog Who Loves Music

My name is Lily and I am ten years old. I live with my parents and our funny pet dog, Buster. I really love music. Every Tuesday after school, I go to the music centre in my town for a piano lesson. I am not a brilliant player yet, but I practice in my bedroom every evening.

Last month, something very unusual happened. I was playing a new song on my piano. Suddenly, Buster walked into the room. He sat on the floor, looked at me, and opened his mouth. He didn’t bark. Instead, he started to make very strange noises. He was trying to sing with my music! His voice was so loud and funny.

I couldn’t stop laughing, so I stopped playing. But when the music stopped, Buster stopped singing, too. I started to play again, and the dog’s funny song began one more time. My dad heard the noise and came upstairs. He took his smartphone out of his pocket and made a video of us.

Dad sent the video to all my aunts and uncles. They thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Now, Buster is a famous singer in our family. I enjoy my daily practice much more because I always have a special friend to share the music with.

1   What do we learn about Lily’s piano playing in the first paragraph?

     (A) She plays her instrument every day at home.

     (B) She is already a brilliant player.

     (C) She goes to a piano lesson every evening.

2   What did Buster do when Lily played a new song?

     (A) He produced some unusual sounds.

     (B) He began to bark very loudly.

     (C) He started playing a new song.

3   When Dad heard the noise, he

     (A) used his phone to film his daughter and the dog.

     (B) stopped playing the piano to go upstairs.

     (C) came upstairs to sing with the music.

4   How does Lily feel about playing the piano now?

     (A) She likes doing it better than before.

     (B) She hopes to become a famous singer.

     (C) She wants to send the video to her aunts.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) A special singing pet

     (B) How to use a new smartphone

     (C) The best piano lessons in town

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

My Quiet Best Friend

My name is Liam, and my life is very noisy. During the week, I spend all day at a large, crowded secondary school. Then, when I go home, it is never quiet. I have twin brothers who are five years old, and they love shouting and playing loud music. Sometimes, I get a headache from all the noise.

Last month, I had my thirteenth birthday. My parents asked me if I wanted a pet. My twin brothers wanted a puppy or a kitten, but I said no. Dogs bark loudly, and cats can break things. I told my parents that I wanted a pet fish because they don’t make any noise at all. They bought me a beautiful orange fish, and I named him Goldie.

Now, I have a special routine. When I come home from school, I go straight to my bedroom and close the door. I feed Goldie and sit on a chair next to his glass tank. I spend about twenty minutes just watching him swim in the water.

Watching Goldie swim slowly around his tank makes me feel calm. My friends think fish are boring pets, but I do not agree with them. After a busy, noisy day, sitting in a quiet room with Goldie is exactly what I need.

1   Why does Liam sometimes get a headache?

     (A) Because his house is full of loud sounds.

     (B) Because he goes to a large, crowded secondary school.

     (C) Because his twin brothers are five years old.

2   Why did Liam choose to get a fish for his birthday?

     (A) He wanted to get a puppy or a kitten.

     (B) He wanted an animal that was very quiet.

     (C) He wanted a pet that can break things.

3   What does Liam do when he comes home from school?

     (A) He spends twenty minutes swimming in the water.

     (B) He sits on a glass tank next to his chair.

     (C) He goes to his room to give his pet some food.

4   How do Liam’s friends feel about his fish?

     (A) They feel calm when they watch him swim slowly.

     (B) They don’t think it is a very interesting animal.

     (C) They think a fish is exactly what I need.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) A quiet pet for a busy boy

     (B) My large, crowded secondary school

     (C) How to clean a glass fish tank

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Chloe’s Painted Memory

Fifteen-year-old Chloe loves art. While her friends spend their free time watching movies or playing video games, Chloe prefers using brushes and paints. Her biggest project right now is painting a beautiful portrait of her old dog, Max. She wants to create something special to remember him forever.

Max was her best friend for many years, but he sadly died last month. To create the perfect picture, Chloe didn’t just guess what he looked like. She spent hours looking through hundreds of old family photographs. She wanted to find the exact picture that showed his happy smile and his big brown eyes.

Last weekend, Chloe finally finished the painting. Before she showed it to her family, she was a little worried. She was afraid that she hadn’t got the colors of his fur quite right. However, when her parents saw the portrait, they were absolutely amazed. Her mother even cried a little bit because it looked so real and brought back so many good memories.

Next week, Chloe is going to hang the special painting on the wall in the living room. She knows she will always miss her lovely dog. However, she understands that creating this art has helped her to feel much better. She enjoyed the experience so much that she hopes to paint more pictures of animals in the future.

1   What is Chloe’s main project at the moment?

     (A) watching movies and playing video games

     (B) creating a picture of her old pet

     (C) buying new brushes and paints

2   What did Chloe do to help her paint the picture?

     (A) She looked at lots of old pictures of Max.

     (B) She asked her family to smile for her.

     (C) She guessed what her dog looked like.

3   Why was Chloe worried before she showed her parents the artwork?

     (A) She was afraid her mother would start crying.

     (B) She didn’t want to finish the painting.

     (C) She thought the colors might be wrong.

4   What does Chloe understand about making the painting?

     (A) It was a good way to help her feel happier.

     (B) It will make her forget about her lovely dog.

     (C) It is a very difficult skill to learn.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) A teenager’s special painting of her dog

     (B) How to take perfect photographs of pets

     (C) The best brushes and colors for portraits

Exercises:   12345