Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Language Learning & Academic Skills
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Weekend Storyteller
Fifteen-year-old Leo has always loved reading. Last month, his local library was looking for teenagers to help on Saturday mornings. Leo’s English teacher told him about it and said it was a good idea for him to read to the younger children. Leo usually plays football on Saturdays, but he decided to try volunteering instead. He felt quite nervous about it.
On his first day, things did not go very well. He had a group of ten children, aged five to seven. Leo chose a long story about a brave knight, but it didn’t have many pictures. After five minutes, the children started talking to each other and running around the room. Leo felt very tired and thought that volunteering was a bad idea.
Before his second week, Leo spoke to Mrs. Davis, the librarian. She told him that young children need books with big pictures and funny characters. She also said, “You have to change your voice for different people in the story!” Leo practised doing this at home. The next Saturday, he read a funny book about a hungry bear. He made silly animal noises, and the children sat quietly and listened.
Now, Leo really enjoys his time at the library. He doesn’t feel nervous anymore, and the children are always excited to see him. Because of this experience, Leo has decided what he wants to do when he finishes school. He wants to study at university and become a primary school
teacher.
1 Why did Leo decide to volunteer at the library?
(A) He wanted to stop playing football on Saturdays.
(B) Someone at his school advised him to do it.
(C) The younger children asked him to read to them.
2 What happened on Leo’s first day?
(A) The children enjoyed running around the room with the knight.
(B) The kids lost interest in the book he was reading.
(C) He read a long story that had lots of big pictures.
3 How did Mrs. Davis help Leo?
(A) She gave him useful tips on how to tell a story.
(B) She read a funny book about a hungry bear to the children.
(C) She made silly animal noises for the young children.
4 How has volunteering changed Leo?
(A) He wants to get a job at the library when he finishes school.
(B) He always feels nervous when he sees the young children.
(C) It has helped him choose his future career.
5 What is the writer’s main purpose in this text?
(A) to explain how to get a job at the local library
(B) to describe a teenager’s experience of helping others
(C) to tell young children which books they should read
ANSWER KEY
1 (B) 2 (B) 3 (A) 4 (C) 5 (B)
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Who Learned to Search Smartly
Fourteen-year-old Leo loves science and history. Last month, his teacher gave the class a big project about space travel. Leo immediately went on the internet to look for facts. However, he quickly felt very confused. There was too much information, and he didn’t know which websites were actually true.
The next day, Leo asked the school librarian for some advice. She explained that anyone can write things on the internet, so he must be careful. She told him not to click on the very first link he sees. Instead, she showed him how to search for special educational pages.
That evening, Leo tried the librarian’s new method at home. He stopped reading normal blogs and popular social media sites. Instead, he only looked at websites belonging to famous museums and big universities. Because of this, he found all the correct facts he needed and finished his homework much faster than usual.
When Leo gave his space project to his teacher, he got an excellent mark. He felt incredibly proud of his hard work. Now, his classmates always ask him to help them find information online. Next term, Leo hopes to begin a special computer club to teach other teenagers how to search safely.
1 What problem did Leo have with his schoolwork at first?
(A) He wasn’t sure if the online details were correct.
(B) His teacher gave the class a big project.
(C) He wanted to look for facts about space travel.
2 What did the librarian tell Leo to do?
(A) Click on the very first link he sees.
(B) Use specific online pages made for learning.
(C) Write things on the internet.
3 How did Leo change the way he worked at home?
(A) He read normal blogs and popular social media sites.
(B) He finished his homework much faster than usual.
(C) He visited pages from well-known institutions.
4 What is Leo planning to do next term?
(A) Ask his classmates to help him find information online.
(B) Start a group to show students how to look for facts online.
(C) Give his space project to his teacher.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Reading normal blogs and popular social media sites
(B) The schoolboy who learned how to find the right facts online
(C) How to get an excellent mark on a space project
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding the Right Words
Fifteen-year-old Max always had great ideas, but he was a very quiet student. When he tried to explain his thoughts in class, he often forgot his words. He wanted to change this, so his history teacher suggested joining the school debate club. The teacher explained that it was a fantastic way to learn how to speak clearly.
At his first club meeting, Max felt incredibly nervous. He sat at the back of the classroom and watched the older students. They were arguing about school uniforms. They spoke loudly and looked very confident. Max didn’t say anything during the whole hour, but he listened carefully to their fantastic arguments.
After a few weeks, Max’s best friend, Sarah, offered to help him. They decided to practice together in the local library every Wednesday. Sarah taught Max a brilliant trick. She told him to write short notes on small pieces of paper and to breathe slowly before talking. This really helped him to remember his main points.
Yesterday, Max finally stood up to speak in front of the whole debate club. The topic was about giving students less homework. He looked at his short notes and spoke perfectly. All the members clapped when he finished. Max feels completely different now, and he hopes to enter a national competition next spring!
1 Why did Max join the debate club?
(A) To get better at sharing his thoughts with people.
(B) Because his history teacher forgot his words.
(C) To get some great ideas for his class.
2 What did Max do at his first meeting?
(A) He was arguing about school uniforms.
(B) He only paid attention to what others were saying.
(C) He spoke loudly and looked very confident.
3 How did Sarah help Max?
(A) She wrote short notes on small pieces of paper for him.
(B) She told him to remember the local library.
(C) She showed him a useful way to get ready to speak.
4 During his speech yesterday, Max
(A) gave all the members less homework.
(B) performed successfully with the help of his texts.
(C) talked about a national competition next spring.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Winning a national debate competition
(B) The history of giving students less homework
(C) Gaining confidence at a school club
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 C