Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Shopping & City Amenities
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Who bought something for an animal?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
2 Who visited the shop after returning from a journey?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
3 Who thinks the people working at the shop are kind?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
4 Who purchased a snack at the pharmacy?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
5 Who needed medicine because they suddenly felt ill?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
6 Who is happy that they can walk to the shop?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
7 Who didn’t remember to get something they needed earlier?
(A) Alice (B) Ben (C) Clara
The 24-Hour Pharmacy
Alice
Having a pharmacy open all day and night on my street is fantastic. It only takes me five minutes on foot to get there, so I never need to use my car. The people working there are amazing. They always answer my questions with a big smile and give great advice. Sometimes I take my dog out for a walk late at night and see the bright lights of the shop. I haven’t been on holiday this year, but if I need travel medicine in the future, I know exactly where to go!
Ben
Last week, I had a terrible problem. My tooth started hurting badly in the middle of the night. I couldn’t sleep! Luckily, the new 24-hour chemist is very close. I drove there at 3 a.m. to get some painkillers. While I was paying, I also picked up some special shampoo for my cat. I actually planned to get it that afternoon, but I completely forgot! They sell chocolate and sweets too, but I didn’t want anything like that because of the terrible pain in my mouth.
Clara
I travel a lot for my job. Last month, my flight landed very late, and I arrived home at two in the morning. I felt so hungry after my long trip, but my fridge was totally empty. The 24-hour pharmacy on my corner was open, so I went inside. I didn’t need any medicine, but I got a large sandwich and some apple juice. The woman at the desk was quiet and just took my cash. I ate my quick meal and went straight to bed. It was so easy!
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 A 4 C 5 B 6 A 7 B
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Which person talks to their relatives using the internet?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
2 Which person says the internet is not always fast?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
3 Which person thinks it is easier to do schoolwork at the club than at home?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
4 Which person saves videos on their device to view them later?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
5 Which person carries their own computer to the club?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
6 Which person needed someone to tell them the Wi-Fi password?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
7 Which person enjoys playing internet games with other people?
(A) Max (B) Lily (C) Tariq
Free Wi-Fi at the Youth Club
Max
I usually go to the youth club on Friday afternoons. I don’t take my laptop there because the club has tablets we can use. I mostly use the connection to have fun in digital matches against my classmates. However, when there are a lot of teenagers in the room, the Wi-Fi takes a long time to load pages. Because of that, I usually don’t watch films while I am there. Instead, I just put them on my tablet so I can enjoy them in my bedroom at the weekend. I always finish my schoolwork in my house before I arrive!
Lily
I started going to the community club last month. I couldn’t get online at first, so I requested the secret code from the manager to join the network. Now my phone connects immediately. My house is usually very noisy, so I bring my schoolbooks to the club. It is much simpler to focus on my maths and science tasks in the quiet room. When I take a break, I don’t play games like the other kids. I usually just sit and chat with my friends in the cafe, or watch a funny clip.
Tariq
The free Wi-Fi at our youth centre is brilliant. It never stops working and is always really quick. Some kids love spending hours on video games, but I prefer doing other things. My grandparents live in a different country, so I use the club’s connection to have long video calls with them every Saturday. The screens at the club are okay, but I always put my personal laptop in my backpack and use that instead. It has all my photos and programs on it. Sometimes I study there, but mostly I just catch up with my family.
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 B 4 A 5 C 6 B 7 A
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
1 Who had to wait a long time to enter the building?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
2 Which person felt afraid while looking at the city?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
3 Who says they bought something to eat at the top?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
4 Which person used the stairs to reach the highest floor?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
5 Who thought the ticket was too expensive?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
6 Which person went up the skyscraper after dark?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
7 Who bought a gift to remember their visit?
(A) Carlos (B) Megan (C) Yuki
Viewing the city from above
Carlos
I wanted to see the whole city, so I decided to visit the famous tall tower. There is a very fast elevator, but I wanted to do some exercise, so I walked up all the steps instead! It was really tiring. When I finally reached the top floor, the view was beautiful. However, I didn’t stay near the windows for long because I was quite scared of falling! I saw a nice restaurant up there, but I had a big meal before I arrived, so I wasn’t hungry.
Megan
I went to the new skyscraper on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Because the weather was so nice, hundreds of tourists were there, and I stood in a line for nearly an hour before I could go inside. I was surprised by how much money I had to pay just to look out the window. It certainly wasn’t cheap! The view was completely safe, so I never felt frightened. Before leaving, I went to the little shop on the ground floor and got a beautiful postcard for myself.
Yuki
I think the best time to see the city from the skyscraper is when the sun goes down. All the street lights turn on, and it looks like magic! I walked straight inside without standing in a queue, and took the lift to the viewing area. I brought my camera but didn’t buy any souvenirs. Instead, I found a small café near the huge glass windows. I got a delicious slice of chocolate cake and enjoyed it while watching the cars far below. It was a perfect evening.
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 A 3 C 4 A 5 B 6 C 7 B
