Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Culture & Entertainment

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Which person thinks the building is more beautiful when it is dark?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

2   Who says the hall does not match the other buildings in the area?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

3   Which person thinks the building looks like a part of nature?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

4   Who was surprised by how the inside of the hall looked?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

5   Which person thinks the building is too large for the town?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

6   Who says the materials used to build it are good for the environment?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

7   Which person mentions the great views of the city from inside the building?

     (A) Oliver   (B) Mia   (C) Lucas

The New Concert Hall

Oliver

I visited the new concert hall last weekend. When you see it during the day, the grey walls look a bit boring. However, if you go in the evening when all the colourful lights are switched on, it is absolutely amazing! From the outside, the design seems quite simple. Because of this, I didn’t expect much. But when I walked through the doors, the main room was round and painted bright gold. I couldn’t believe my eyes! It is much bigger than my school, but I think the size is perfect for holding large music events.

Mia

Many people think the new hall looks strange, but I love it. The roof goes up and down, and it reminds me of the ocean waves. It’s lovely to have a design like that in the middle of our busy city. I was amazed when I read about how they made it. The people who designed it only used old, recycled wood and local stone, which means it helps keep our planet clean and green. I haven’t been to a concert there at night yet, but I am excited to go soon.

Lucas

Our town is full of traditional houses. Then suddenly, they put this shiny metal building right in the centre. I really don’t think it looks right next to the historic shops. Also, it takes up too much space in the square. We lost a nice park to build it! Despite this, the top floor is actually quite nice. It is completely made of glass, so when you stand up there, you can look out over the roofs of the whole town. I just hope they plant some new trees around it soon to bring nature back.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who says the clothes looked heavy to wear?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

2   Who spent money on an item of clothing to take home?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

3   Who learned about the clothes from someone working at the centre?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

4   Who believes people wore the clothes for important events?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

5   Who visited the exhibition with a family member?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

6   Who mentions the bright shades of the clothes?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

7   Who actually dressed in some of the historical clothes?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Clara

Traditional Clothing at the Heritage Centre

Anna

I visited the heritage centre with my grandfather on Saturday. We spent a few hours looking at the old jackets and dresses. The clothes were mostly dark grey and brown, without any bright colours at all. We didn’t know much about the history of the outfits, but a very helpful man who works there told us all about how people made them by hand. After the tour, we went to the gift shop. I wanted to get a traditional hat to take back to my country, but it cost too much, so I just paid for a book instead.

Ben

I usually travel with my parents, but I was by myself this time. The exhibition was fantastic. The farmers didn’t use these beautiful clothes for working in the fields. Instead, they kept them in their cupboards for weddings and big festivals. In one room, visitors can dress up in copies of the old trousers and shirts. I tried them on and took a funny photo! However, the real winter coats looked like they weighed a lot. I think they would make you very hot and they definitely didn’t look easy to walk in.

Clara

The heritage centre was the best part of my holiday. The traditional dresses on display were absolutely wonderful. I really loved the amazing reds and yellows they used to make them. People actually wore these amazing things every single day, not just for parties! There was a sign next to the displays saying ‘Please do not touch’, so unfortunately, nobody could put them on to see how they looked. Before leaving, I went to the store near the exit. I found a beautiful winter scarf made of sheep’s wool and got it to wear when I travel back home.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Who thought there were too many people at the park?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

2   Who booked their trip on the internet?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

3   Who felt unwell after being on the rides?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

4   Who didn’t have to pay for their meal?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

5   Who enjoyed a very fast water ride?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

6   Who spent time resting next to the water?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

7   Who left an important item at home?

     (A) Alex   (B) Ben   (C) Charlie

A Weekend at the Water Park

Alex

I had a fun weekend, but the amusement park was completely full! We had to wait in line for almost an hour just to get on one slide because of the huge groups of people. I really wanted to try the ‘Rocket’ slide because I heard it goes at top speed, but the queue was just too long. The best part of the day was lunchtime. Because it was my birthday, the cafe gave me a large pizza and a cold drink without charging me any money! Next time, I will buy my tickets on my phone to save time.

Ben

Before we visited the park, I used my laptop to pay for our passes, so we walked straight inside. It was very quiet in the morning, which was great. I was really excited to go on the slides, but when I opened my bag, my swimming costume wasn’t there! I couldn’t believe I didn’t pack it. Because of that, I couldn’t go in the water. Instead, I found a comfortable chair near the big wave pool and just slept in the sun. My friends ate a lot of fast food, but none of them had stomach problems.

Charlie

I packed my bag carefully the night before, so I had all my towels and swimming things ready. We spent the whole afternoon trying the biggest water slides. My favourite was the ‘Black Hole’. It goes down a dark tube so quickly, I couldn’t even see! It was amazing. However, after going on it three times, my stomach started to hurt and I needed to sit down. I think I had too much ice cream earlier! I paid ten pounds for my lunch, but I probably shouldn’t have eaten it.

Exercises:   12345