Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Coastal & Nature Travel
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Thanh’s Sunrise Adventure
Sixteen-year-old Thanh loves exploring nature. Last week, he travelled to Da Lat for a holiday. The town is famous for its beautiful forests and high mountains. Thanh decided he wanted to climb the tallest mountain in the area to watch the sun come up. Because he needed to start early, he put his alarm clock on for three o’clock in the morning.
When Thanh woke up, it was extremely cold and completely dark outside. He put on his thickest jacket and turned on his small flashlight. The walk was not easy. The path was dangerous and covered in wet leaves. While he was walking, he heard some strange birds in the trees. He felt a little frightened, but he didn’t stop.
After two hours of hard climbing, Thanh finally reached the top. His legs hurt, and he was incredibly tired. However, a few minutes later, the sky started to change colour. It turned beautiful shades of pink and orange as the sun appeared. Thanh sat on a large rock and enjoyed the amazing view. It was so quiet and peaceful.
Walking down the mountain in the daylight was much easier. When he arrived back at his hotel, he was hungry and sleepy, but he felt very proud. He showed his parents the fantastic pictures on his phone. Next year, he hopes to go on the same adventure, but he wants to take his best friend with him.
1 Why did Thanh put his alarm clock on for three o’clock?
(A) He had to begin his trip very early in the day.
(B) He travelled to Da Lat for a holiday.
(C) He wanted to visit the beautiful forests.
2 How did Thanh feel while he was walking up the mountain?
(A) Extremely cold and completely dark.
(B) A bit scared because of the noises around him.
(C) Dangerous and covered in wet leaves.
3 What did Thanh do when the sun appeared?
(A) He spent two hours of hard climbing.
(B) He started to change colour.
(C) He rested on a stone to look at the sky.
4 What does Thanh plan to do next year?
(A) Show his parents the fantastic pictures on his phone.
(B) Do the hike again with his closest mate.
(C) Start walking down the mountain in the daylight.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The tallest mountain in the area
(B) How to use a small flashlight
(C) A teenager’s amazing early morning hike
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Sophie’s Seaside Discovery
Fifteen-year-old Sophie lives in a small coastal town. During the summer holidays, she doesn’t spend her time swimming in the sea or sunbathing on the warm sand like her friends. Instead, she wakes up early every morning to walk along the beach and collect interesting shells. It is her favourite hobby.
Last Tuesday, the weather was quite windy after a bad storm in the night. Sophie was walking near some large rocks when she noticed something amazing. Half-hidden in the wet sand, there was a beautiful shell. It wasn’t flat and white like the usual ones. It was shaped like a star and had bright orange lines. She carefully put it into her bag.
When she arrived home, Sophie showed her amazing discovery to her grandfather. He was a fisherman for forty years, so he knows everything about the ocean. He put his glasses on and looked at it closely. He explained that it was a ‘tiger shell’, and people very rarely find them on their local beaches.
Sophie was incredibly happy with her new shell. She decided to keep it in a special glass box in her bedroom. Next week, she is going to take her whole collection to school to show her science teacher. She hopes that one day she can work as a scientist and study the sea.
1 What does Sophie enjoy doing during her holidays?
(A) searching for objects by the water
(B) swimming in the sea
(C) sunbathing on the warm sand
2 What do we learn about the shell Sophie found on Tuesday?
(A) It was flat and white.
(B) It was hiding under some large rocks.
(C) It looked totally different from normal ones.
3 What did Sophie’s grandfather say about the object?
(A) He was a fisherman for forty years.
(B) It is not common to see this type in the area.
(C) He put his glasses on and looked at it closely.
4 What is Sophie planning to do next week?
(A) keep it in a special glass box in her bedroom
(B) work as a scientist and study the sea
(C) share her gathered items with a member of staff
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A lucky find on the coast
(B) The best swimming beach in town
(C) How to work as a fisherman
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 C 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Catching My First Wave
Hi! I’m Sam. Last weekend, my older brother Ben took me to the beach. Ben is a fantastic surfer and goes every Saturday. I felt quite nervous because it was my first time trying it. The weather was very windy, and the sky was a bit grey, but the beach was still full of people.
Before we went into the water, we visited a small shop near the sand. Ben has his own surfboard, but we had to rent one for me. The shop assistant gave me a special thick wetsuit. He explained that the strong wind makes the water very cold, so I needed it to stay warm.
When we finally got into the sea, it was really difficult. The waves were big, and every time I tried to stand up on the board, I fell into the deep water. I swallowed a lot of saltwater! After an hour, my arms and legs were tired, and I wanted to sit on the sand. But Ben told me to try one more time.
I paddled hard, pushed myself up, and suddenly, I was standing! I rode the wave all the way to the beach. It was the best feeling in the world. Learning to surf is hard work, but I am going to buy my own wetsuit and go back with Ben next week!
1 How did Sam feel when he arrived at the beach?
(A) worried because he had never done the sport before
(B) a bit grey because the weather was very windy
(C) surprised because the beach was full of people
2 Why did Sam wear a thick wetsuit?
(A) because Ben has his own surfboard
(B) to stop his body from getting cold in the sea
(C) because he had to rent one from the shop assistant
3 What happened when Sam was in the water?
(A) He wanted to sit on the sand with his brother.
(B) He stood up on the board every time.
(C) He had trouble staying on his feet.
4 What does Sam plan to do in the future?
(A) ride a wave all the way to the beach
(B) share the best feeling in the world with Ben
(C) purchase some clothes for surfing
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A successful day in the sea
(B) How to buy a surfboard
(C) The danger of cold water
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 C 5 A