Practice English Reading Exercises for A1 – Funny Mistakes & Small Accidents
Reading 1
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The Wrong Time
Last Sunday, Jim wanted to go to the new cinema. He wanted to watch a film about funny aliens with his cousin, Fred. The film started at two o’clock. Jim looked at the big clock in his kitchen. It said one o’clock. “I have lots of time,” Jim thought.
Examples
Last Sunday, Jim wanted to go to the ………new cinema……… .
Jim wanted to watch a film about some ………funny aliens……… .
Questions
1 The film that the boys wanted to see started at …………………… .
2 Jim looked at the …………………… in his kitchen.
3 Jim thought he had …………………… before the film.
Jim ate a sandwich and slowly put on his green jacket. Then, he walked to the bus stop and caught a bus to the town. He arrived at the cinema and saw Fred outside. Fred did not look happy. “Where were you?” Fred asked. “The film started an hour ago! We missed it!”
4 Jim put on his …………………… slowly after eating a sandwich.
5 Jim travelled to the town on a …………………… .
6 When Jim arrived, Fred was waiting …………………… the cinema.
7 Fred wasn’t happy because the film started an …………………… .
Jim looked at his phone. It was three o’clock! “Oh no,” Jim said. “My kitchen clock is wrong. I made a bad mistake.” Fred laughed. “It is okay,” Fred said. “We can watch the next film at four o’clock.” Jim bought the tickets and some sweet popcorn. They had a great afternoon.
8 Jim knew it was three o’clock when he looked at his …………………… .
9 Jim made a mistake because his …………………… was wrong.
10 Jim bought some …………………… and tickets for the next film.
ANSWER KEY
1 two o’clock 2 big clock 3 lots of time
4 green jacket 5 bus 6 outside 7 hour ago
8 phone 9 kitchen clock 10 sweet popcorn
Reading 2
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The Cheeky Monkey
Last Thursday, a boy called Charlie went to the city zoo with his family. It was a very hot and sunny day. Charlie wore his new green baseball hat to cover his head. First, they walked to the monkey house. Charlie stood very close to the small trees there.
Examples
Charlie and his family visited the ………city zoo……… last Thursday.
The weather that day was very ………hot and sunny……… .
Questions
1 To cover his head, Charlie put on his new ………………………… .
2 The family went to see the ………………………… first.
3 Charlie stood near some ………………………… at the monkey house.
There were lots of small monkeys jumping in the trees. One cheeky monkey looked at Charlie. It was very quick. The monkey jumped down, took Charlie’s green hat, and climbed up the tree again! “Oh no, my favourite hat!” Charlie shouted. He was very sad. The monkey sat on a branch and put the hat on its head. It looked very funny, but Charlie wanted his hat back.
4 Lots of small monkeys were ………………………… in the trees.
5 One monkey was ………………………… and took the hat from Charlie.
6 Charlie shouted because it was his ………………………… .
7 The monkey sat on a ………………………… with the hat on its head.
Charlie’s dad called a zookeeper for help. The zookeeper came quickly with a sweet yellow banana. He showed the banana to the monkey. The hungry monkey dropped the hat on the grass and caught the fruit. Dad washed the dirty hat and gave it to Charlie. The family laughed and went to see the big elephants.
8 Charlie’s dad asked a ………………………… to help them.
9 The monkey dropped the hat on the grass for a ………………………… .
10 Dad washed the hat and then the family went to look at the ………………………… .
ANSWER KEY
1 green baseball hat 2 monkey house 3 small trees
4 jumping 5 very quick 6 favourite hat 7 branch
8 zookeeper 9 sweet yellow banana 10 big elephants
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The black cookies
On Sunday afternoon, Mary wanted to do some cooking. She loved making sweet food for her family. She mixed sugar, butter, and eggs in a big blue bowl to make some chocolate cookies. Then, she put the cookies in the hot cooker. Mary wanted to give them to her friends.
Examples
Mary wanted to cook on ………Sunday afternoon……… .
Mary enjoyed making ………sweet food……… for her family.
Questions
1 Mary used a ………………………… to mix the sugar, butter, and eggs.
2 Mary put the chocolate cookies in the ………………………… .
3 Mary wanted to give the cookies to ………………………… .
Mary went into the living room and turned on the television. Her favourite film was on! It was a very exciting story about some angry pirates and big sharks. Mary sat on the comfortable sofa and watched it. She forgot about the time. Suddenly, she smelled something terrible in the house. Mary jumped up and ran back to the kitchen.
4 Mary watched her ………………………… on the television in the living room.
5 The exciting story was about some ………………………… and big sharks.
6 Mary watched the story on the ………………………… and forgot the time.
7 Mary ran back to the kitchen because she ………………………… in the house.
Mary opened the cooker quickly. Oh no! Her beautiful chocolate cookies were very black. She made a big mistake because she watched the exciting film. Her older brother, Jim, walked into the kitchen and laughed at the messy food. “Don’t be sad, Mary,” he said. “We can eat some cold ice cream instead!”
8 When Mary opened the cooker, the cookies were ………………………… !
9 Mary’s ………………………… laughed when he saw the messy food.
10 Jim told Mary not to be sad because they could eat some ………………………… .
ANSWER KEY
1 big blue bowl 2 hot cooker 3 her friends
4 favourite film 5 angry pirates 6 comfortable sofa 7 smelled something terrible
8 very black 9 older brother / brother 10 cold ice cream