Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Sports, Fitness & Athletics
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenager Who Ate to Win
Fifteen-year-old Leo loves playing football. He is in the high school team and practises every Tuesday and Thursday. However, last month, Leo had a problem. During the weekend matches, he always felt extremely tired after just twenty minutes of running. He really wanted to get better and help his team win.
One afternoon, Leo visited the local library. He usually likes reading funny stories, but this time, he looked for something different. He found several books about the daily meals of famous sports stars. He borrowed three books and started reading them in his bedroom every night.
Leo learned that professional players are very careful about what they eat. They don’t have a lot of sugar or fast food. Because of this, Leo decided to change his habits. He stopped drinking sweet cola and asked his parents to buy more fish, pasta, and fresh vegetables. His father was surprised but happy to cook these healthy dinners for him.
After just a few weeks, Leo felt like a completely new person. He had much more energy on the football pitch and even scored two amazing goals in his last match. Now, his teammates are asking him for advice. Next month, Leo is going to start a cooking club to share his favourite healthy meals with them.
1 Why was Leo unhappy with his football matches last month?
(A) He became exhausted very quickly during the games.
(B) He practises every Tuesday and Thursday.
(C) He was in the high school team.
2 What did Leo take home from the library?
(A) Texts explaining the diets of top athletes.
(B) Reading funny stories.
(C) The daily meals of famous sports stars.
3 What did Leo ask his parents to do?
(A) Purchase better food from the shops.
(B) Have a lot of sugar or fast food.
(C) Change his habits and drink sweet cola.
4 What was the result of Leo’s new diet?
(A) His performance on the sports field improved a lot.
(B) His teammates are going to start a cooking club.
(C) He felt extremely tired after just twenty minutes of running.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The schoolboy who changed his diet to play better
(B) Reading funny stories in the bedroom every night
(C) How to cook these healthy dinners for your parents
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Finding Strength and Confidence
Fourteen-year-old Leo was always a quiet boy. He didn’t like speaking in front of his classmates, and he often felt shy. Some older boys at school were sometimes unkind to him. Leo wanted to learn how to protect himself and feel stronger, so he decided to join a local karate club.
Before his first class, Leo felt very nervous. However, the teacher, Mr. Davis, was incredibly friendly. He explained that karate is not just about fighting other people. He told the students that it is about keeping calm and working hard. After that, Leo practised at the sports centre every Tuesday and Friday evening.
After a few months, the exercises became more difficult. Leo had to learn some new moves and he often fell on the floor. Sometimes his arms and legs hurt the next morning. However, he never missed a lesson. Soon, he noticed a fantastic change. He could move faster and he felt much fitter.
Now, Leo is a completely different teenager. He isn’t afraid to answer questions in his school lessons anymore. Last week, he even won a yellow belt in a big competition! He knows he can defend himself if he needs to, but he is mostly just happy to feel so confident.
1 Why did Leo decide to start karate?
(A) Because he didn’t like speaking in front of his classmates.
(B) To learn how to keep himself safe.
(C) Because some older boys at school were quiet.
2 What did Mr. Davis tell his students about karate?
(A) It is just about fighting other people.
(B) It is about feeling very nervous.
(C) It means staying relaxed and trying your best.
3 How did things change after a few months?
(A) The training sessions became harder to do.
(B) Leo missed a lesson because his arms and legs hurt.
(C) Leo had to fall on the floor to feel much fitter.
4 What do we learn about Leo in the last paragraph?
(A) He is afraid to answer questions in his school lessons.
(B) He is brave enough to speak in class now.
(C) He has to defend himself in a big competition.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Winning a yellow belt in a big competition
(B) The best way to defend yourself at school
(C) How a new hobby changed a boy’s life
ANSWER KEY
1 B 2 C 3 A 4 B 5 C
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Love for the Snow
Fourteen-year-old Max is completely different from his classmates. When July arrives, his friends are always excited about the warm weather and long beach holidays. However, Max really hates the summer because it is just too hot for him. He prefers the cold months because his absolute favourite hobby is winter sports.
Last December, Max’s parents took him to a famous mountain resort for a two-week holiday. When he was a little boy, Max was very good at skiing. But on this trip, he decided to try snowboarding instead. During his first few days, he fell down in the snow quite often and his legs hurt. His parents told him to rest, but he wanted to keep practising.
By the second week of the trip, everything changed. Max finally learned how to balance on his board, and he was soon going down the mountain very quickly. He spent every afternoon riding through the white snow with his older brother, Tom. It was the most exciting time of his life.
Now, Max is already dreaming about his family’s next winter holiday in February. He is keeping all his pocket money in a box in his bedroom because he plans to get a brand new snowboard. Next year, he hopes to enter a snowboarding competition for teenagers and win first prize.
1 How is Max different from his classmates?
(A) He enjoys sports that you do in the cold.
(B) He is always excited about the warm weather.
(C) He loves going on long beach holidays.
2 What happened during Max’s trip last December?
(A) He was very good at skiing.
(B) He began learning a new sport.
(C) He decided to rest because his legs hurt.
3 In the second week of the holiday, Max
(A) learned how to ski with his older brother.
(B) spent every morning riding through the white snow.
(C) became a very fast snowboarder.
4 Why is Max keeping his pocket money in a box?
(A) He wants to enter a snowboarding competition.
(B) He is saving up to buy some new equipment.
(C) He needs to pay for his next winter holiday in February.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s favourite winter activity
(B) How to win first prize in a competition
(C) The best mountain resort for a holiday
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 A