Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Homework, Exams & Assessments
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Who used the internet to find the meaning of words?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
2 Who worked on a text that made them laugh?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
3 Who did the translation for a family member?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
4 Who spent more time on the work than they wanted to?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
5 Who looked at the whole story a few times before starting?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
6 Who believes their language skills are improving?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
7 Who says the name of the story was difficult to change into English?
(A) Sam (B) Anya (C) Ben
Translating a Short Story
Sam
For my Spanish homework, I had to translate a short story about a sad king. It wasn’t like the funny comic books I usually read! I didn’t know a lot of the vocabulary, so I went online to look up what the words meant. That helped me a lot. However, I needed a whole weekend to finish the text. I wished it was quicker because I wanted to play football with my friends! My sister helped me check for spelling mistakes when I finally finished.
Anya
Our French teacher gave us a comedy about a dog to read and write out in English. I smiled a lot while I was doing it! Before I wrote anything down, I went through all the pages three times to make sure I understood the main ideas. Because the words were quite easy, it didn’t take hours to complete. I didn’t even need to open my dictionary! I think I am getting much stronger in French this year, and I hope to get a top mark for this project.
Ben
I decided to choose my own German text to translate. I found a great fairy tale and made an English version for my little brother, who is only six. He loved it! I didn’t turn on my computer or look at web pages to find meanings; I just used my old paper dictionary. Strangely, changing the sentences was quite simple, but the hardest thing to get right was the word on the front cover! Even though I still make mistakes in German, I was proud of my work.
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 B 6 B 7 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Who writes down the tasks they need to complete?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
2 Who starts their homework as soon as they get home?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
3 Who wakes up early to do their schoolwork?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
4 Who does their schoolwork with another person?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
5 Who puts their mobile phone away while working?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
6 Who uses a clock to know when to rest for a bit?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
7 Who gave up a free-time activity to focus on studying?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Carla
Managing Study Time
Alice
I used to stay awake until midnight reading my textbooks, but I was always too tired. Now, I never wait to begin my assignments. When classes finish at 3 p.m., I go straight to my desk. To stop myself from looking at messages, I leave my device downstairs in the kitchen. It makes a huge difference! My best friend sometimes asks me to review lessons with her in the morning, but I really prefer to work by myself. I usually have all my evenings free to relax now.
Ben
I am terrible at studying in the evenings because I just want to watch television. So, I changed my daily routine. Now, I get out of bed at 6 a.m. and complete my exercises before breakfast. My mind is much clearer then! To avoid getting too tired, I set an alarm on my watch. When it rings after thirty minutes, I stop reading and walk around the room. Sadly, I had to stop going to my Wednesday tennis club because I needed those extra hours for my difficult science subjects.
Carla
Last term, I always forgot about important tests until the last minute. Now, every Sunday, I take a piece of paper and make a daily plan of exactly what I must read or write. It really helps me organise my week! I also meet a girl from my maths group at the local library twice a week. We test each other, which is much better than trying to understand everything alone. Sometimes we use our smartphones to find information online, but we never use them to chat while working.
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 B 4 C 5 A 6 B 7 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which teacher says that talking about books with classmates is useful?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
2 Which teacher mentions that stories help students learn new words?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
3 Which teacher believes students learn better when they select what they read?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
4 Which teacher says stories teach teenagers about different places?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
5 Which teacher thinks it is a good idea to read at night?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
6 Which teacher explains that reading stories increases reading speed?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
7 Which teacher prefers using books that make students laugh?
(A) Mr. Harris (B) Ms. Miller (C) Mr. Davies
How Stories Improve Reading Comprehension
Mr. Harris
In my classes, I notice that teenagers improve their reading skills when they pick their own novels. If I give them a book, they often get bored. But if they decide what to look at, they understand the text much better. I always tell my students to read in the evening, right before they go to sleep. It really helps their brain remember the information! Some teachers like using amusing texts, but my students prefer exciting adventures. They usually read alone in their bedrooms, with a small dictionary next to them to check difficult language.
Ms. Miller
Reading stories is fantastic for teenagers. I find that amusing tales keep my students interested the longest. If they are smiling, they pay more attention to the text! Also, doing it in groups is a great idea. When they sit together and discuss the ending of a story, they understand it completely. I don’t ask them to read about faraway countries; we usually read about local people. I tell them to read during breakfast, not late in the day. Because they enjoy the stories, they take less time to finish a page now!
Mr. Davies
I always give my students a reading list at the beginning of the year. I want them to read slowly so they don’t miss any details. Reading fiction is the best way to discover fresh language. Instead of opening a dictionary, they can guess what an unknown expression means from the sentences around it. Also, stories are amazing because they show teenagers how people live in other parts of the world. They can explore foreign cultures and traditions without leaving their homes, which really grows their minds and improves their comprehension.
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 A 4 C 5 A 6 B 7 B