Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Chores & Household Habits
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Who receives some money for recycling their bottles?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
2 Which person has to walk a long way to empty the bins?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
3 Who shares this chore with a brother or sister?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
4 Which person sometimes forgets to do this job?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
5 Who finds another use for plastic bottles instead of throwing them away?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
6 Which person says their street has special bins for different types of rubbish?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
7 Who takes the rubbish out as soon as they wake up?
(A) Harry (B) Maya (C) Sam
Taking out the Rubbish
Harry
In my house, dealing with the waste is a job for two people. My younger sister and I do it together every evening after dinner. I don’t like getting out of bed early to do it! We try not to waste anything. When we buy water or juice, we never put the empty plastic containers in the bin. Instead, we wash them and fill them with tap water to take to school. My dad gives my sister a few coins for helping, but I do it for free because I am older.
Maya
I am responsible for our family’s recycling. Every time I collect fifty plastic bottles, I take them to a supermarket machine that gives me cash in return! It is a great way to save up for new video games. The shop is very close to my house, so I don’t have to travel far. My parents want me to empty the kitchen bin before breakfast, but honestly, I don’t always remember to do it. Sometimes my mum has to remind me because I leave it too late.
Sam
I live in a large apartment building. To throw away our waste, I have to carry heavy bags all the way down to the end of the street. It takes me ten minutes just to get there! Downstairs, we have a great system. There is a blue container for paper, a green one for glass, and a yellow one for plastic. I do all of this work by myself because I don’t have any brothers or sisters. Sometimes I want to keep glass jars for art projects, but my mom says we don’t have space.
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 A 4 B 5 A 6 C 7 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person listens to something while they are doing this chore?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
2 Who puts their clothes in the same place as another family member?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
3 Which person learnt how to do this job from a parent?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
4 Who chooses to do this chore early in the day?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
5 Which person damaged a piece of clothing by mistake?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
6 Who gives away clothes that they do not need anymore?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
7 Which person keeps their clothes in order by colour?
(A) Oliver (B) Bella (C) Lucas
The Worst Weekend Chores
Oliver
I really don’t like keeping my bedroom tidy. Making shirts look nice is the worst job! I always sort my things out right after I wake up at the weekend. If I wait until the afternoon, I never do it. My younger brother and I use the same large cupboard, so it gets messy very quickly. We have to separate his things from mine every time. He likes to play loud music when he cleans, but I need complete quiet. I tried to iron my favourite red t-shirt yesterday, but it took a really long time.
Bella
Putting clothes away is so boring. I usually do this job late in the evening before I go to bed. Making my school uniform flat used to be very hard, but my mother showed me the best way to do it. Now, I never ruin my dresses or leave hot marks on them! I also go through my things every month. If a jumper is too small for me, I give it to someone who needs it. It feels good to help others, even though putting everything back neatly takes ages.
Lucas
I have a lot of clothes in my bedroom, and it takes hours to fold them. I try to make it fun by putting on a funny podcast or radio show while I work. I hate ironing because it can be dangerous. Once, I left the hot iron on my favourite trousers and burnt a huge hole in them! My dad was quite angry. When I put my things in the wardrobe, I always put the blue ones together, then the white ones, and so on. I like keeping everything, so I never send old things away.
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 B 4 A 5 C 6 B 7 C
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person uses a machine to clean the plates?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
2 Which person cleans up because another family member cooks the meal?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
3 Which person washes the dishes with a brother or sister?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
4 Which person enjoys hearing audio when they wash up?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
5 Which person receives cash for doing this chore?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
6 Which person does this activity after they wake up?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
7 Which person hates getting their hands wet?
(A) Mark (B) Lisa (C) Daniel
Taking Turns Washing the Dishes
Mark
In my house, my dad usually prepares dinner every evening, so my parents think it is fair that I make the kitchen tidy afterwards. I don’t have any siblings to split the work with, so I must do everything by hand. We don’t even own a dishwasher! However, I don’t really mind the chore. While I am standing at the sink, I always put my headphones on. Playing my favourite pop music or interesting podcasts makes the time go much faster. I always do the job right after we finish eating before I go to sleep.
Lisa
My older sister and I split the job of tidying the kitchen. She is the one who usually makes our meals, but she still has to help me clean! Our parents never pay us for doing chores around the house. We usually feel too tired after dinner, so we leave the dirty plates and cups on the table overnight. We deal with them before we leave for school the next day. The only thing I really can’t stand is putting my fingers into the cold, dirty liquid. I always wear big yellow gloves to protect my skin.
Daniel
In our family, everyone takes a turn, but I do the kitchen mostly on weekends. Fortunately, I don’t have to use soap and a sponge. I just fill the dishwasher with all the dirty bowls and spoons and press the button. It is so easy! My mum actually gives me a few pounds every Sunday for helping out, which is great because I can save up for new video games. I always make sure the room is completely finished before I go to bed. I prefer working in a silent house, so I never turn the radio on.
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 B 4 A 5 C 6 B 7 B