Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Heritage & Cultural Sightseeing
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Lily’s Museum Project
Fifteen-year-old Lily loves painting. Last week, she went on a short holiday to London with her parents and her younger brother, Sam. Lily’s art teacher gave the class some homework. They had to write a report about a famous painting. So, Lily asked her family to visit the National Gallery, a huge art museum in the city centre.
When they arrived, there were hundreds of tourists outside. Inside, the building was enormous and very quiet. Sam wanted to look at modern art, but Lily needed to find some older paintings for her school project. Finally, they found a room with pictures of beautiful flowers and nature. Lily decided to write her report about a famous painting of some yellow sunflowers.
Lily spent two hours looking at the artwork. She couldn’t take photographs with her smartphone in this room, so she drew some pictures in her notebook instead. Her legs hurt after standing for a long time, but she wrote down lots of interesting information.
On the train journey home, Lily started writing her report on her laptop. When she gave the project to her teacher on Monday, he was very happy. He gave Lily top marks! Before this trip, Lily thought museums were a bit boring, but now she really wants to visit another art gallery soon.
1 Why did Lily want to visit the National Gallery?
(A) to finish a piece of school work
(B) to go on a short holiday to London
(C) to find out what her art teacher gave the class
2 What did Lily do inside the museum?
(A) She stood outside with hundreds of tourists.
(B) She wanted to look at modern art.
(C) She chose a picture of the natural world to study.
3 How did Lily get images of the paintings?
(A) She took photographs with her smartphone.
(B) She created copies by hand on paper.
(C) She stood for a long time taking photographs.
4 How did Lily feel about museums after her trip?
(A) She is keen to go to similar places in the future.
(B) She thought museums were a bit boring.
(C) She was very happy that her teacher gave the project.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to paint beautiful yellow sunflowers
(B) A long and boring train journey
(C) A great school project about art
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 A 5 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Tom’s Traditional Fashion Discovery
Last month, sixteen-year-old Tom went on holiday with his parents to a historic village in the mountains. Usually, Tom thinks old places are boring. However, when they arrived, he immediately noticed the local people. They were wearing beautiful traditional clothing. The bright red and blue dresses and jackets looked amazing, and Tom wanted to find out more about them.
In the afternoon, Tom met an old man who was making a jacket. The man spoke good English and explained that the patterns on the clothes are very important. They tell the history of the person’s family. Tom was surprised to hear that making just one jacket takes about three months! It is hard work because they do everything by hand.
Later, the man asked Tom to try on a traditional hat and a long coat. They were very heavy, but Tom loved them. His mother took lots of photos of him. Tom loves art and drawing at school, and he suddenly thought that designing clothes could be a fantastic job for him in the future.
Now Tom is back at his high school, and he is doing a special project about the village’s clothing. He is reading books and looking at the photos he took. He hopes to visit the village again next year to learn how to make his own traditional jacket.
1 Why did Tom become interested in the village?
(A) He liked the outfits the local people had on.
(B) He usually thinks old places are boring.
(C) He wanted to go to the mountains.
2 What did Tom learn from the old man?
(A) It takes about three months to learn the patterns.
(B) The shapes on the clothes share a family’s past.
(C) The man is making a jacket for his family.
3 How did Tom feel about the traditional clothes he wore?
(A) He thought they were a fantastic job for the future.
(B) He enjoyed his mother taking lots of photos of him.
(C) He really liked them even though they weighed a lot.
4 What is Tom doing back at home?
(A) He is making his own traditional jacket.
(B) He is learning about the clothes for his schoolwork.
(C) He is doing a special project about his high school.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s new interest in historic clothing
(B) A boring holiday in the mountains
(C) How to make your own clothes by hand
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Special Day at the Old Market
Last weekend, a fifteen-year-old girl named Maya went to an old market in the city centre with her parents. The market was very busy and full of colourful shops. Maya wanted to buy some souvenirs for her family, but she didn’t want the normal things from big supermarkets. She was looking for something special.
First, she stopped at a small table where a woman was making beautiful jewellery. The artist was using pieces of glass to create beautiful necklaces. Maya watched her work for a few minutes. The woman explained that it takes two hours to make just one piece. Maya bought a blue necklace for her mother’s birthday.
After that, Maya walked down a narrow street and found a man painting small wooden boxes. He told Maya that he uses wood from trees in his own garden. Maya loved the bright colours on the boxes. She paid for a red box to keep her rings and earrings in at home.
At the end of the day, Maya was very happy with her shopping. She felt great because she gave her pocket money to local artists, not large companies. She thinks that handmade souvenirs are much better because every piece is different. She is going to visit the market again next month.
1 What was Maya hoping to find at the market?
(A) something unusual to give to her relatives
(B) some normal things from big supermarkets
(C) a job in one of the colourful shops
2 What did the woman tell Maya about the necklaces?
(A) She made them for her mother’s birthday.
(B) They were quite slow to produce.
(C) She needed two hours to buy pieces of glass.
3 Why did Maya get the red wooden box?
(A) to use wood from trees in her own garden
(B) to start painting small boxes
(C) to put her jewellery inside it
4 How did Maya feel after she finished shopping?
(A) pleased that she supported people from the area
(B) great because she helped large companies
(C) happy to get a souvenir that was the same as everyone’s
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to make your own wooden boxes
(B) The cheapest big supermarkets in the city
(C) Maya’s lovely day buying local art
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 C