Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – School Rules & Problems

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Dealing with Difficult Rules

Fourteen-year-old Toby started at a new high school last month. Before he went, he expected it to be a very exciting place. However, Toby feels quite unhappy at the moment. The teachers are nice, but the school has too many strict rules, and Toby finds it impossible to remember all of them.

At lunchtime on Wednesday, Toby sat outside with his classmates. He complained about the school uniform. “We have to wear black shoes, and we can’t wear our comfortable trainers,” he said. Yesterday, Toby actually got into trouble with his maths teacher because he forgot to bring his dark blue jacket to class.

The rules about technology are another big problem. Students must leave their mobile phones at home. They cannot even keep them inside their backpacks during the day! Toby’s best friend, Sarah, agreed with him. She explained that trying to follow all the different rules makes her feel incredibly stressed.

That evening, Toby decided he needed a good plan to stay out of trouble. He carefully wrote down a long list of all the important school rules and put it on his bedroom door. He looks at it every morning before he leaves the house. Toby hopes he will remember everything soon, but right now, he really misses his old, relaxed primary school!

1   Why is Toby unhappy at his new school?

     (A) He expected it to be a very exciting place.

     (B) He feels there are too many instructions he must follow.

     (C) He thinks the teachers are nice but they give too much homework.

2   What happened to Toby yesterday?

     (A) A teacher was angry with him because of an item of clothing.

     (B) He sat outside with his classmates and complained.

     (C) He wore his comfortable trainers to his maths class.

3   What does the school say about mobile phones?

     (A) They make Toby’s best friend feel incredibly stressed.

     (B) Students can keep them inside their backpacks during the day.

     (C) Pupils are not allowed to bring their devices to the building.

4   How is Toby trying to solve his problem?

     (A) He created a written note to check every day.

     (B) He looks at his bedroom door every evening.

     (C) He wants to visit his old, relaxed primary school.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) Toby’s comfortable new trainers

     (B) A stressful start to a new school

     (C) How to use phones inside backpacks

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

A Plan for Better Mornings

Fifteen-year-old Emma and her classmates usually feel very tired in the morning. Their first lesson begins at eight o’clock every day. Emma has to wake up at six o’clock to catch the school bus, and she thinks this is too early for teenagers. She believes they need more sleep to do well in their studies.

One morning, Emma decided to do something about the problem. She wrote a long letter to the headteacher. In the letter, she asked the school to start lessons at nine o’clock instead. She called it a petition. During the lunch break, she walked around the cafeteria and asked other students to read it.

At first, a few older students didn’t want to sign the paper. They worried that a later start meant they had to stay at school until five o’clock. However, Emma explained that feeling awake in class is much more important. After hearing this, over two hundred teenagers put their names on the petition.

On Friday, Emma felt quite nervous, but she took the paper to the school office. The headteacher read it carefully. He didn’t say yes immediately, but he promised to talk to the teachers about changing the timetable for next year. Emma felt extremely proud of her hard work.

1   Why does Emma want to start school at nine o’clock?

     (A) She wants to catch the six o’clock school bus.

     (B) She feels that young people need more rest.

     (C) She doesn’t want to do well in her studies.

2   What did Emma do during the lunch break?

     (A) She wrote a long letter to the headteacher.

     (B) She invited people to look at her document.

     (C) She started her lessons at nine o’clock.

3   Some older students didn’t sign the paper immediately because

     (A) they disliked the idea of going home later in the day.

     (B) they thought feeling awake in class is important.

     (C) they had to put their names on the petition.

4   What did the headteacher do?

     (A) He said yes immediately to the plan.

     (B) He changed the timetable for next year.

     (C) He agreed to speak to his staff about the idea.

5   What is the best title for the text?

     (A) Emma’s difficult morning lesson

     (B) A project to improve the school day

     (C) How to talk to the headteacher

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Staying Late at School

Fourteen-year-old Mark is sitting alone in his classroom. It is four o’clock in the afternoon, and all the other students left an hour ago. Mark has to stay at school because he didn’t finish his science homework. He feels a bit sad, but he knows it is his own fault.

Yesterday afternoon, his best friend Paul invited him to play basketball in the local park. Mark loves sports, so he quickly decided to go. He thought he could easily do his schoolwork later in the evening. However, when he finally returned home, he was very tired and fell asleep on the sofa immediately.

Now, his science teacher, Mrs. Smith, is working quietly at her big desk. She told Mark that he couldn’t go home until he completed all the questions about plants. The classroom is completely silent without the other teenagers. Mark is surprised because the science activity is actually quite easy and interesting.

After forty-five minutes, Mark writes the answer to the final question. He stands up and gives his notebook to Mrs. Smith. She checks his work, smiles, and tells him to have a good evening. As Mark walks out of the school building, he promises himself to always finish his homework before playing basketball.

1   Why is Mark staying late at school today?

     (A) He didn’t complete a school task.

     (B) All the other students left an hour ago.

     (C) He feels a bit sad alone in his classroom.

2   What did Mark do yesterday afternoon?

     (A) He fell asleep on the sofa immediately.

     (B) He spent time playing a game with his friend.

     (C) He easily did his schoolwork later in the evening.

3   What is happening in the classroom now?

     (A) Mrs. Smith is answering all the questions about plants.

     (B) The other teenagers are completely silent.

     (C) Mark discovers that his assignment isn’t very hard.

4   What does Mark plan to do in the future?

     (A) He will do his schoolwork before having fun.

     (B) He promises himself to always play basketball.

     (C) He will tell Mrs. Smith to have a good evening.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) How to play basketball in the park

     (B) Learning a lesson after school

     (C) The boy who loves science teachers

Exercises:   12345