Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Science, Environment & Research
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Lily’s Ocean Dream
Fifteen-year-old Lily has a very special dream for her future. While her friends hope to become famous actors or business managers, Lily wants to do something different. Her biggest ambition is to become an environmentalist. She really wants to protect the world’s oceans and save sea animals.
To prepare for her future job, Lily does a lot of work in her free time. She doesn’t spend her weekends shopping or playing video games. Instead, she gets up early every Saturday and goes to the local beach. She walks along the sand and picks up dangerous rubbish. She also reads thick books about the sea to understand how the water is changing.
Last month, Lily decided to do something at her high school. She started a new group called the “Clean Ocean Club.” At first, she was worried that nobody would want to join. However, she was amazed when twenty classmates came to the first meeting. Together, they asked the school cafe to stop using plastic cups, and the teachers agreed!
Next year, Lily is going to study biology and geography at college. She knows that nobody can clean the whole ocean immediately. It will take many years of hard work to achieve her goal. However, she is ready to learn more and hopes to make a real difference in the world.
1 What is Lily’s dream for the future?
(A) to do the same jobs as her friends
(B) to become a famous actor or business manager
(C) to keep the sea and the animals in it safe
2 What does Lily do on Saturdays?
(A) She removes rubbish from the beach.
(B) She goes shopping and plays video games.
(C) She writes thick books about the sea.
3 How did Lily feel when she started her school group?
(A) She was amazed when twenty teachers came.
(B) She was afraid that students wouldn’t be interested.
(C) She was worried about using plastic cups in the cafe.
4 What does Lily understand about her ambition?
(A) She can clean the whole ocean immediately.
(B) She will make a real difference next year.
(C) She needs to put a lot of effort in for a long time.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to pick up rubbish on the beach
(B) A teenager’s plan to save the oceans
(C) The best colleges for biology and geography
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 B 4 C 5 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Future in the Forest
Sixteen-year-old Maya loves animals more than anything else. While her friends spend their free time watching films or going shopping, Maya prefers walking in the forest near her house. She loves watching different birds and insects. Her biggest dream is to travel to different countries and become a professional wildlife researcher.
To get her dream job, Maya knows she has to work very hard. At school, her favourite subject is biology. She always spends hours reading her textbooks in the library. Her science teacher, Mr. Jones, noticed her excellent work last month. He asked her to help him with a special project about the local frogs.
Maya also wanted to learn outside the classroom. Last summer, she didn’t go to the beach with her family. Instead, she worked for free at a famous nature reserve. Her job was to help the scientists clean the river and find sick animals. The work was very dirty and tiring, but Maya absolutely loved it.
Next year, Maya is going to go to a university in South Africa. She wants to study elephants and lions there. Her mother and father are a bit worried because it is very far from home, but they are also very proud of her. Maya is excited to finish school and start her adventure.
1 What does Maya like doing in her free time?
(A) watching films with her friends
(B) spending time outside in nature
(C) going shopping near her house
2 What happened to Maya at school last month?
(A) She got a new task from her science teacher.
(B) She noticed Mr. Jones’s excellent work.
(C) She spent hours reading about local frogs.
3 What did Maya do during her last summer holiday?
(A) She went to the beach with her family.
(B) She did a job without getting paid.
(C) She gave sick animals to the scientists.
4 How do Maya’s parents feel about her future plans?
(A) They are excited to finish school and start an adventure.
(B) They are worried because she wants to study elephants.
(C) They are a little afraid but pleased with her.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The student preparing to work with animals
(B) How to clean a river in a nature reserve
(C) A family holiday to South Africa
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 B 4 C 5 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Daniel’s Stormy Dream
Fifteen-year-old Daniel has a different hobby from his friends. While his classmates enjoy watching funny videos on the internet, Daniel prefers looking at the sky. He loves learning about the weather. Every morning, he checks the temperature and the wind before he walks to school.
Daniel knows exactly what he wants to do in the future. His biggest dream is to become a weather scientist. He is very interested in extreme weather, like dangerous storms and heavy snow. He wants to help people prepare for these events so they can stay safe.
Last month, a terrible storm arrived in Daniel’s town. Most people were sleeping, but Daniel stayed awake all night. He used a small machine to find out how much rain fell and wrote lots of notes in his notebook. The next day, he showed his information to his science teacher, Mr Thomas. Mr Thomas was very surprised and said Daniel did an excellent job.
Next year, Daniel is going to visit a local television station. He wants to see how the presenter prepares the daily weather report for the news. To get his perfect job, Daniel knows he must get the best marks in maths and geography. He is ready to study hard and help protect people everywhere.
1 What does Daniel do before he leaves the house?
(A) He finds out how hot or cold it is outside.
(B) He watches funny videos on the internet.
(C) He walks to school with his classmates.
2 Why does Daniel want to be a weather scientist?
(A) to experience dangerous storms and heavy snow
(B) to keep everyone safe when the weather is bad
(C) to know exactly what he wants to do in the future
3 What did Daniel do during the bad storm?
(A) He gave a small machine to Mr Thomas.
(B) He collected facts about the terrible weather.
(C) He was sleeping all night like most people.
4 Why is Daniel visiting a television station next year?
(A) to find out how someone makes the weather news
(B) to become the new presenter for the daily report
(C) to get the best marks in maths and geography
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s plan for an important weather career
(B) The worst storms and snow in Daniel’s town
(C) How to build a machine to measure the rain
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 B 4 A 5 A