Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Planning, Packing & Preparation
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Heavy Mistake
Toby is a student who loves reading. Last month, he went on a beach holiday to Greece with his parents and sister. While his sister packed video games and beautiful dresses, Toby decided to take a lot of books. He packed ten thick novels because he wanted to read on the beach every day.
When Toby closed his suitcase, it was incredibly heavy. His father tried to lift it and said, “This is too heavy, Toby. You should leave some books at home.” But Toby didn’t listen. At the airport, the woman at the desk weighed his bag. It was heavier than the limit, so his parents had to pay extra money. Toby felt a bit bad about this.
However, the holiday was full of surprises. The hotel had an amazing swimming pool, and Toby quickly made friends with some other teenagers. He spent his days exploring the town, swimming, and playing volleyball on the sand. During the whole week, he only read a short magazine on the first evening. The ten thick novels stayed at the bottom of his suitcase.
On the last day, Toby had a big problem. He wanted to buy some souvenirs for his friends, but he had no space in his bag. When he carried his heavy suitcase to the taxi, his arms hurt. He realized he made a silly mistake. Next year, he is going to pack just one small e-reader!
1 What did Toby put in his suitcase for his holiday?
(A) video games and beautiful dresses
(B) to read on the beach every day
(C) plenty of things to read
2 What happened when Toby and his family were at the airport?
(A) His father tried to lift his heavy bag.
(B) He had to leave some books at home.
(C) His mum and dad were charged a fee.
3 During his time in Greece, Toby
(A) looked at his ten thick novels.
(B) had fun playing sports and meeting people.
(C) read a short magazine every evening.
4 Why was Toby unhappy on the final day of his trip?
(A) There was no room left in his luggage for gifts.
(B) He managed to buy some souvenirs for his friends.
(C) He decided to pack just one small e-reader.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A difficult lesson about packing
(B) The best souvenirs to buy in Greece
(C) How to make friends on a beach holiday
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 C 3 B 4 A 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Young Travel Assistant
My name is Leo, and I am fourteen years old. Next week, my family is going on holiday to Spain. My parents love travelling, but they are not very good with computers. Yesterday, my dad asked me to help him with our travel documents. My mom’s laptop was broken, so we had to use my small tablet.
First, we needed our boarding passes for the flight. I went on the airline’s website to choose our seats. My mom really wanted a window seat, but I could only find seats next to the aisle. I chose those and started printing the tickets. Suddenly, my dad’s printer stopped working because there was no paper! I found some more paper and finished the job.
After that, my parents wanted to plan our journey to the airport. My dad thought we should take the bus because he believed it was the cheapest way. However, I looked online and found a special taxi company. For three people, the taxi was actually less expensive than the bus tickets. I quickly booked the car for five o’clock in the morning.
When everything was ready, my parents were very happy. My mom smiled and said I was the best travel agent in the world. I felt very proud of myself. Before this, I never liked planning holidays, but now I think it is interesting. Maybe I will work in tourism when I finish school!
1 Why did Leo help his parents with the travel documents?
(A) They find using technology difficult.
(B) He broke his mom’s laptop.
(C) They asked to use my small tablet.
2 What happened when Leo got the boarding passes?
(A) He gave his mom a window seat.
(B) The machine he used to print needed something.
(C) His dad’s printer stopped working forever.
3 Why did Leo decide to book a taxi?
(A) His dad thought they should take the bus.
(B) It cost less money for his family.
(C) The taxi is always the cheapest way.
4 How did Leo feel when everything was ready?
(A) He remembered that he never liked planning holidays.
(B) He felt pleased with what he achieved.
(C) He got a job as the best travel agent.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A terrible flight to Spain
(B) The boy who organised a trip
(C) How to repair a broken laptop
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 B 4 B 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Maya’s Packing Problem
Fifteen-year-old Maya was very excited. Next week, she was going on a summer holiday to the coast with her family. Usually, Maya travels with a huge suitcase. But this time, she wanted to take just one small backpack. The only problem was that she had too many clothes.
She started by putting all her favourite things on her bed. There were three heavy sweaters, four pairs of shoes, and ten beautiful T-shirts. When her mother walked into the bedroom, she laughed loudly. She told Maya that the bag would be too heavy to carry, so she must choose fewer items.
Maya listened to her mom and took out the heavy sweaters and two pairs of shoes. Instead, she chose light clothes that are easy to wash. Then, she tried a clever trick she saw on the internet. She rolled her T-shirts very tightly instead of folding them. Suddenly, there was much more space inside the bag!
Finally, the small backpack was full, but it was surprisingly light. Maya felt incredibly pleased with herself. She was happy because she didn’t have to wait for a big suitcase at the airport anymore. Now, she is completely ready for her adventure and knows exactly how to pack for her next trip.
1 What did Maya want to do differently for this holiday?
(A) Carry a smaller piece of luggage than normal.
(B) Travel with a huge suitcase.
(C) Pack too many clothes in her bag.
2 Why did Maya’s mother laugh at the items on the bed?
(A) She thought there were too many things to pack.
(B) She wanted to put all her favourite things there.
(C) She needed to find three heavy sweaters.
3 What did Maya do to fit more things in her bag?
(A) She stored her tops in a new way to save room.
(B) She chose light clothes that are easy to wash.
(C) She tried a clever trick to fold them.
4 How did Maya feel about her packing in the end?
(A) Glad because her bag wasn’t difficult to lift.
(B) Happy to wait for a big suitcase at the airport.
(C) Incredibly pleased to find her next trip.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager learns how to travel light
(B) Buying a new backpack on the internet
(C) Waiting for your luggage at the airport
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A