Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Home Cooking & Ingredients

Exercises:   12345

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Which person gets their ingredients from an outdoor shopping place?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

2   Who thinks using a large amount of a flavour is a mistake?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

3   Which person was shown how to cook with these items by a relative?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

4   Who produces one of these flavours in their own garden?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

5   Which person likes their dishes to taste extremely hot?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

6   Who puts these flavours into desserts?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

7   Which person puts these items in a cold place to keep them fresh?

     (A) Marco   (B) Elena   (C) Raj

Cooking with Ginger and Chili Powder

Marco

I use fresh ginger and chili powder in my kitchen every day. My grandmother showed me exactly how to mix them into meat dishes when I was a teenager. I never put them in sweet foods like cakes, though! I usually buy my chili powder from the local supermarket. However, I don’t buy ginger because I plant it outside my house. Pulling it from the dirt makes it taste much better! Some people keep ginger in the fridge, but I just leave it in a bowl on the table.

Elena

Cooking is my favourite hobby. My brother likes making very spicy chicken, but I actually hate meals that make my mouth burn. Instead, I love baking! I always add a little chili powder and some ginger to my chocolate biscuits. It makes them taste amazing. I never go to the large supermarkets to get my spices. I prefer to buy everything from the little wooden stalls in the town square. The farmers there always sell the freshest things.

Raj

I am a big fan of strong flavours! I always make sure my curries are full of chili powder because I really enjoy food that makes me sweat. However, with fresh ginger, you must be careful. Putting a huge amount in your pan ruins the dinner because the taste becomes too strong. I don’t have space to grow plants, so I buy pieces of ginger in large bags. To stop them going bad, I always store them inside the refrigerator until I need them.

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Which person began cooking because they had nothing to do?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

2   Which person thinks the teacher in the video spoke too quickly?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

3   Which person cooked a meal for someone in their family?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

4   Which person got some new equipment to help them cook?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

5   Which person likes it when cooking videos have no music?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

6   Which person forgot to get an important thing from the supermarket?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

7   Which person watches a single video several times?

     (A) Leo   (B) Mia   (C) Sam

Learning to Cook Pasta Online

Leo

Last weekend, it was raining and I couldn’t go out. I had zero plans, so I decided to learn how to make macaroni cheese on the internet. My mom usually cooks for us, but I wanted to try. The chef in the clip was great and explained things slowly, which was very helpful. I enjoyed it so much that I went to the shop and spent my pocket money on a large, heavy pot to use for my next meal.

Mia

I love learning to make spaghetti from the internet. When I find a good lesson, I usually play it three or four times before I even turn on the cooker. This helps me understand everything. My favorite channels are the quiet ones. If there are loud pop songs in the background, I can’t hear the instructions, so I stop watching. Yesterday, I prepared a beautiful tomato pasta lunch for my younger sister, and she ate it all!

Sam

I wanted to make a special pasta dish I saw online. The video had a cool rock song playing, which I loved. But the guy explaining the recipe talked in such a hurry that I missed some steps. I had to pause the video a lot! Then, when I went to the kitchen, I realized I didn’t remember to pick up the cheese from the store. That is the main part of the dish! My dad had to go and get it for me.

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1   Which person likes to arrive at the market as soon as it opens?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

2   Which person learns new ways to prepare their food?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

3   Which person never changes what they get at the market?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

4   Which person goes to the market with a relative?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

5   Which person looks for the cheapest food available?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

6   Which person enjoys chatting with the market workers?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

7   Which person uses a bike to go shopping?

     (A) Anna   (B) Ben   (C) Carla

Shopping for Fresh Vegetables

Anna

I love my Saturday market trips. I always get there at 6:00 a.m. because there are fewer people and the vegetables are very fresh. My brother sometimes wants to come with me, but he prefers to sleep late! I spend a lot of time having long conversations with the farmers. They are so friendly and interesting. I don’t look at the cost of things too much; I just buy whatever looks delicious for my weekend meals.

Ben

Every Sunday afternoon, I walk to the market in the town square. I don’t cycle because I always carry too many heavy bags on the way back. I am a student, so I cannot spend a lot of cash. I always walk around the whole market first to find the stalls with the lowest prices. My shopping bag never looks different; I pick up carrots, potatoes, and onions every single time. I usually cook them exactly the same way, too!

Carla

The market is quite far from my house, so taking my bicycle is the fastest way to travel there. I usually go on Wednesday afternoons after college. My mother always joins me, and we have a lot of fun choosing our meals together. I don’t talk much to the people selling things, but I love reading the little signs they put next to the vegetables. These helpful notes give great ideas for making delicious new dishes!

Exercises:   12345