Practice English Reading Exercises for A1 – Special Days, Parties & Weekend Fun
Reading 1
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The messy strawberry cake
Last Sunday, Mia went to her cousin’s birthday party. The party was in a beautiful garden. Mia wore her favorite clothes. She put on a beautiful white dress and pink shoes. Her dress was very new and very clean. Mia was happy to see all her friends there.
Examples
Mia went to a birthday party for her ………cousin……… last Sunday.
The birthday party was in a ………beautiful garden……… .
Questions
1 Mia wore her favorite clothes, which were a beautiful ………………………… and pink shoes.
2 Mia’s white dress was very clean and very ………………………… .
3 Mia felt ………………………… because all her friends were at the party.
There was a lot of lovely food on a big table. Mia saw sandwiches, fruit, and sweets. Then, her uncle gave her a big piece of strawberry cake. It looked delicious, but it was very sticky. Mia walked to a chair to sit down. Suddenly, she dropped the sticky cake! It fell on her white dress. The dress was messy and pink now. Mia wanted to cry.
4 There was lovely food like sandwiches, sweets, and ………………………… on a large table.
5 Mia’s ………………………… gave her a large piece of strawberry cake.
6 The piece of strawberry cake was delicious but it was ………………………… .
7 The cake fell, and Mia’s dress was ………………………… now.
Mia’s aunt saw the pink spot. “Don’t be sad,” she said. They went to the bathroom, and her aunt washed the dress with some soap and warm water. The spot quickly went away. The dress was perfectly clean again. Mia smiled and ran outside to play games.
8 Mia’s ………………………… told her not to be sad about the spot.
9 They went to the bathroom to wash the dress with warm water and ………………………… .
10 The dress was clean again, so Mia smiled and played ………………………… outside.
ANSWER KEY
1 white dress 2 new 3 happy
4 fruit 5 uncle 6 very sticky 7 messy and pink
8 aunt 9 some soap 10 games
Reading 2
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
The Painting Competition
Yesterday was a very special day at Ben’s school. There was a big painting competition for all the children. The teacher, Mr. Green, brought lots of paper and bright paints. “The best picture wins a fantastic new book,” he said. Ben loved reading, so he was very excited.
Examples
It was a very special day at ………Ben’s school……… yesterday.
All the children entered a big ………painting competition……… .
Questions
1 The teacher brought some paper and …………………… for the children.
2 The child with the …………………… gets a fantastic new book.
3 Ben was very excited because he …………………… .
Ben sat next to his best friend, Lucy. Lucy painted a beautiful picture of a yellow sun and a green island. Ben wanted to paint his favourite animal. He used black and orange paints to draw a big tiger. He worked very carefully all morning. When he finished, his hands were very dirty, but he loved his picture.
4 Ben sat next to Lucy, who was his …………………… .
5 Lucy drew a sun and a …………………… in her beautiful picture.
6 Ben painted a …………………… because it was his favourite animal.
7 After he finished his painting, Ben’s …………………… were very dirty.
After lunch, Mr. Green looked at all the pictures. He put the best ones on the classroom wall. Then, he pointed at Ben’s tiger. “This is the winner!” the teacher said. All the children clapped their hands loudly. Ben got the fantastic new book and showed it to Lucy. He felt very happy.
8 Mr. Green put the best pictures on the …………………… .
9 When Ben won the competition, the children …………………… loudly.
10 Ben showed his …………………… to Lucy and felt very happy.
ANSWER KEY
1 bright paints 2 best picture 3 loved reading
4 best friend 5 green island 6 big tiger 7 hands
8 classroom wall 9 clapped their hands 10 fantastic new book
Reading 3
Read the story. Write words to complete the sentences about the story.
You can use 1, 2 or 3 words.
A Sunny Day for Tennis
Last Sunday morning, the weather was beautiful and sunny. Leo and his sister Mia wanted to play outside. Their dad said, “Let’s go to the new sports centre today. I can teach you how to play tennis.” The children were very excited and quickly put on their sports clothes.
Examples
On Sunday morning, the weather was ………beautiful and sunny……… .
Leo and Mia wanted to play ………outside……… .
Questions
1 Dad wanted to teach the children to play ………………………… at the new sports centre.
2 The children felt ………………………… about going to the sports centre.
3 Leo and Mia quickly put on their ………………………… .
The family walked to the sports centre because it was near their house. Dad opened his big green bag and gave Leo and Mia their new tennis rackets. First, Dad showed them how to hit the yellow ball. Leo hit the ball very hard, and it flew over a high fence! Dad laughed and went to find it in the long grass.
4 The family ………………………… to the sports centre.
5 The children’s new tennis rackets were inside a ………………………… .
6 The ball went over a ………………………… because Leo hit it hard.
7 Dad found the yellow ball in the ………………………… .
After that, the children played better. They practiced with their dad for two hours. They were hot and tired, so they bought some cold water from a small shop. “Tennis is my new favourite sport,” said Mia happily.
8 Leo and Mia practiced playing tennis for ………………………… .
9 The family got some ………………………… from a small shop because they were hot.
10 Mia thinks tennis is her ………………………… now.
ANSWER KEY
1 tennis 2 very excited 3 sports clothes
4 walked 5 big green bag 6 high fence 7 long grass
8 two hours 9 cold water 10 new favourite sport