Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Community Leadership & Social Good
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Fun in the Water for Everyone
Sixteen-year-old Mia has always loved the water. She goes to her local swimming pool three times a week. Last summer, she saw some young children sitting outside the sports centre. They were watching the swimmers but never went inside. Mia soon found out that swimming lessons cost too much money for their parents. She immediately decided to help them.
First, Mia had a meeting with the pool manager. He thought her idea was great and said she could use the pool for free on Sunday mornings. Next, Mia needed to find teachers. She asked her school friends, but they were busy with exams. So, she asked her older brother, David, to assist her. Together, they made colourful posters and put them up around the town.
On the morning of the first lesson, fifteen children arrived. At first, it was quite difficult. The water was a bit cold, and some of the younger kids felt frightened. Mia didn’t get angry. Instead, she brought out some plastic balls and they played simple games. After a few minutes, all the children were laughing and having fun.
Now, Mia’s swimming club is extremely popular. The children are learning fast and feel much safer in the water. Mia is incredibly proud of her small project. She doesn’t want to stop here. Next year, she is going to collect money to buy nice swimming costumes and warm towels for all her new students.
1 Why did Mia decide to help the young children?
(A) Their families couldn’t pay for them to learn.
(B) She saw some young children sitting outside the sports centre.
(C) She goes to her local swimming pool three times a week.
2 Who helped Mia teach the children?
(A) A member of her family.
(B) Her school friends.
(C) The pool manager.
3 What did Mia do when the children were afraid?
(A) She used toys to make the lesson enjoyable.
(B) She told them that the water was a bit cold.
(C) She didn’t get angry with the fifteen children.
4 What does Mia plan to do next year?
(A) Raise cash to get things for the kids to wear.
(B) Make her swimming club extremely popular.
(C) Help the children feel much safer in the water.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s project to teach kids a useful sport
(B) How to use the pool for free on Sunday mornings
(C) Why you should ask your older brother to assist you
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Making New Students Feel Welcome
Sixteen-year-old Leo knows how difficult it is to start a new school. Two years ago, his family moved to a different city. During his first week at his new high school, he felt very lonely. He didn’t have any friends to sit with at lunch. Because he remembered that sad time, Leo decided to help this year’s new students.
Before the autumn term started, Leo talked to his headteacher. He wanted to create a “buddy” group. In this group, older teenagers spend time with new students. They show them where the classrooms are and answer their questions. The headteacher loved the fantastic idea and told Leo to find some volunteers.
On the first day of school, Leo and ten of his classmates waited at the front door. When the new students arrived, they were very quiet. Leo gave them all a big smile and a map of the school. He and his team spent the whole morning talking to them. By lunchtime, everyone was laughing and having fun together.
Now, the buddy program is very popular. The new teenagers feel happy and safe at school. Next year, Leo hopes to invite more older students to join his group. He is extremely proud because his simple idea has changed the school for the better.
1 Why did Leo decide to assist the new students?
(A) He moved to a different city during his first week.
(B) He understood what it was like to feel alone in a new place.
(C) He didn’t have any friends to sit with at lunch this year.
2 What is the main job of the older teenagers in the group?
(A) To talk to his headteacher before the autumn term started.
(B) To find some volunteers for the fantastic idea.
(C) To help the young kids find their way around the building.
3 What happened when the new kids arrived at the school?
(A) They didn’t speak very much at the beginning.
(B) They waited at the front door with ten classmates.
(C) They gave Leo a big smile and a map of the school.
4 What does Leo plan to do next year?
(A) Feel happy and safe at school next year.
(B) Get a larger number of buddies for his project.
(C) Change the school for the better with a simple idea.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Why you should move to a different city
(B) How to make a map of your new high school
(C) The teenager who made his school a friendlier place
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 A 4 B 5 C
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Powerful Message on Stage
Fifteen-year-old Leo loves watching plays, but he usually prefers acting in them. Last month, his drama teacher, Mr Harris, asked him to do something different. He wanted Leo to direct a short play for the whole school. The play was about stopping bullying. Leo felt excited about the idea, but he was also quite worried because he didn’t have any experience as a director.
First, Leo spent a weekend writing the story. Then, he asked some of his classmates to be the actors. In the beginning, the practice was quite difficult. The students thought it was a fun game and laughed a lot. Leo had to ask them to stop playing around. He explained that bullying is a serious problem, and they needed to show that when they were acting. After that, everyone worked very hard.
On the morning of the school assembly, Leo felt sick. The hall was full of hundreds of students. However, as soon as the play started, Leo knew it was going to be great. The actors didn’t forget their words. The students in the audience were completely quiet because the story was so sad and real.
When the play finished, the teachers and students clapped for a long time. Later, a younger boy came up to Leo. He said the play helped him feel better about his own problems at school. Leo felt extremely proud. Now, he is already planning to write and direct another play next year.
1 How did Leo feel when his teacher gave him the project?
(A) glad but nervous because he had no experience
(B) sad because he prefers acting in the school plays
(C) angry that his teacher asked him to do something different
2 What was the problem when the actors started practising?
(A) The actors did not want to play a fun game.
(B) The students thought the story was too difficult to learn.
(C) The classmates did not take the activity seriously at first.
3 During the play, the audience was very quiet because
(A) the hall was full of hundreds of students.
(B) the events in the story felt very true to them.
(C) the actors did not forget to speak quietly.
4 What happened after the assembly finished?
(A) Leo asked a younger boy for help with his problems.
(B) A student told Leo that the performance helped him.
(C) The teachers told Leo they were extremely proud of him.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to stop bullying at school
(B) A young director’s successful play
(C) The boy who decided to become an actor
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 B 5 B