Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Zoos, Safari & Wildlife Parks

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

A Special Day with the Big Cats

My name is Mia and I am twelve years old. My favourite animals are tigers. Last month, I won a special school competition. The prize was amazing! I spent a whole day at the city zoo with a zookeeper called David. He looks after the dangerous tigers.

We started work very early in the morning. First, David had to prepare the tigers’ breakfast. They eat a lot of heavy meat! Then, he cleaned their sleeping area. Of course, David never goes into the cage when the tigers are there. The animals always wait in a different place because they are wild and can hurt people.

In the afternoon, we watched the tigers outside. David told me that it is important to keep the animals busy. He hides the meat in the trees and under large rocks. The tigers have to use their noses to find it. This is good for them because it is exactly like their life in the forest.

At the end of the day, I was very tired. Being a zookeeper is not an easy job. You have to carry heavy things and work outside in the rain and the sun. However, it was the best day of my life. Now, I know exactly what I want to do. I am going to study hard and become a zookeeper too!

1   Why did Mia spend a day with a zookeeper?

     (A) She was successful in a contest at her school.

     (B) She wanted to win a special school competition.

     (C) She needed to get a prize that was amazing.

2   What happens when David cleans the tigers’ sleeping area?

     (A) The big cats have to stay in another part of the zoo.

     (B) He never goes into the cage to prepare their breakfast.

     (C) He usually gives the animals a lot of heavy meat.

3   Why does David put the tigers’ food in secret places?

     (A) to make the animals act like they do in nature

     (B) to help the tigers sleep under large rocks

     (C) because he wants to watch the tigers outside

4   What did Mia learn about being a zookeeper?

     (A) It requires a lot of hard physical effort.

     (B) It is an easy job when you carry heavy things.

     (C) You only work outside in the rain and the sun.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) Learning how to care for wild tigers

     (B) How to be safe in a dangerous forest

     (C) The best way to win a school competition

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Speaking Up for Animals

Fifteen-year-old Sarah loves animals. Last week, she took part in a big speaking competition at her high school. The topic was about animals in zoos. Sarah felt quite nervous before it started because her parents and all her friends were in the room to watch her. However, she was also very excited to talk about something so important to her.

When it was Sarah’s turn to speak, she stood up. She talked about big wild animals, like bears and tigers. “In the wild, these animals walk for many kilometres every day,” Sarah said. She explained that it is wrong to keep them in small cages where they can hardly move. She believes they need lots of open space to be happy and healthy.

A boy called Tom was on the other team. He argued that zoos are very safe places. He said that people can learn a lot about the natural world by visiting them. Sarah agreed that learning is important, but she answered that watching a sad animal in a tiny space doesn’t teach us how they really live.

At the end of the evening, the teachers decided that Sarah’s team was the winner. Everyone clapped loudly. Sarah felt extremely proud of her hard work. After the debate, she told her parents about her future plans. She doesn’t want to just talk about animals; she wants to travel to Africa after university to protect them in the wild.

1   How did Sarah feel before the competition?

     (A) She felt quite nervous to watch her parents and friends.

     (B) She was worried because people she knew were in the audience.

     (C) She wanted to be in the room to watch a big speaking competition.

2   What was Sarah’s main point about large wild animals?

     (A) They walk for many kilometres in small cages.

     (B) They are happy and healthy when they can hardly move.

     (C) They require a lot of room for a good life.

3   What did Tom say about zoos?

     (A) They protect creatures and help people study nature.

     (B) They keep a sad animal in a tiny space.

     (C) They teach us how they really live.

4   What does Sarah plan to do when she is older?

     (A) She wants to just talk about animals.

     (B) She hopes to keep wild creatures safe in another country.

     (C) She plans to tell her parents about her future plans.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) The dangers of wild bears and tigers

     (B) A successful school debate about animals

     (C) How to travel to Africa after university

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Noah’s Reptile Adventure

Fifteen-year-old Noah has a very unusual interest. While his classmates spend their weekends playing football or going to the cinema, Noah prefers reading about reptiles. His biggest goal this term is to organize a special class trip to a local crocodile farm to learn all about these ancient animals.

To prepare for the trip, Noah didn’t just ask his teacher to do the work. He spent hours researching the farm on the internet. He wrote down a long list of safety rules and interesting facts to tell his classmates on the bus. He wants everyone to understand that crocodiles are not just scary monsters, but important parts of nature.

Last week, Noah had to present his idea to the headteacher. At first, he was quite nervous because it was a very unusual place for a school trip. However, he showed a fantastic presentation with pictures of how crocodiles have survived since the time of the dinosaurs. The headteacher was very impressed and immediately said yes.

Next month, thirty students are going to visit the farm. Noah knows that organizing a big group of teenagers takes a lot of time and effort. However, he is incredibly excited to see the huge reptiles close up. He hopes to become a wildlife biologist and study animals all over the world in the future.

1   What is Noah’s main goal for this term?

     (A) to spend his weekends playing football with his class

     (B) to arrange a school visit to see some ancient reptiles

     (C) to become the new headteacher of his local school

2   What did Noah do to prepare for the trip?

     (A) He found information online and made a list of rules.

     (B) He just asked his teacher to do the research for him.

     (C) He caught a scary monster to show his classmates.

3   How did Noah feel before speaking to the headteacher?

     (A) He was angry because the headteacher said no.

     (B) He was very impressed by the fantastic presentation.

     (C) He was a bit anxious about his unusual idea.

4   What does Noah understand about organizing the trip?

     (A) It requires a lot of hard work to plan for a large group.

     (B) It is very easy to take thirty students to a farm.

     (C) He needs to become a wildlife biologist next month.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) The best ways to survive the time of the dinosaurs

     (B) A teenager’s successful plan to learn about crocodiles

     (C) How to play football at a local nature farm

Exercises:   12345