Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Technology & App Development 5

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Bringing History to the Internet

Sixteen-year-old Ben has always loved computers and technology. His hometown has an interesting history museum, but Ben noticed that young people never go there. They think it is boring. So, Ben decided to use his computer skills to create a virtual reality (VR) tour of the building. He wanted teenagers to see the museum from their bedrooms.

To make the tour, Ben needed a special camera. These cameras are very expensive, but luckily, his science teacher lent him one from the school. During the summer holidays, Ben walked through all the museum rooms and took thousands of photographs. He worked for six hours every day.

After taking the pictures, Ben had to use a computer program to join them together. This was the most difficult part. The software was new to him, and he felt very stressed. He almost stopped the project. However, his older sister studies IT at college, and she explained how to use the tools.

Now, Ben’s virtual reality tour is on the museum’s website. Anyone can use their phone or a VR headset to walk through the rooms online. The museum manager said that hundreds of students are visiting the site. Ben feels incredibly proud. He hopes to go to university to learn more about software design when he finishes school.

1   Why did Ben decide to make the VR tour?

     (A) He wanted to learn more about computers and technology.

     (B) He wanted other young people to experience the building from home.

     (C) He noticed that the history museum is very boring.

2   How did Ben get the camera for his project?

     (A) He paid for a very expensive one.

     (B) Someone at his school let him borrow it.

     (C) He found one in the museum rooms during the summer holidays.

3   Why did Ben almost stop working on his project?

     (A) Because he had to take thousands of pictures.

     (B) Because his older sister studies IT at college.

     (C) Because he didn’t know how to use the new computer program.

4   What is happening now because of Ben’s work?

     (A) A lot of teenagers are looking at the online tour.

     (B) The museum manager uses their phone or a VR headset.

     (C) Ben is going to university to learn about software design.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) The most difficult part of the summer holidays

     (B) The teenager who put his town’s history online

     (C) Why young people never go to the history museum

Reading 2

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The Teenager Who Made Recycling Easy

Fourteen-year-old Sam loves computers and writing code. Every weekend, he helps his parents clean the house. However, his family always had a big problem with their rubbish. They often put paper in the plastic bin, or plastic in the paper bin. Sam wanted to find an easier way to sort their recycling.

Sam decided to use artificial intelligence, or AI, to help his family. He bought a small, cheap camera online and connected it to his laptop. Then, he spent two weeks writing a special computer program. It was hard work, but he read a lot of information on the internet to learn how to do it.

Now, when someone in Sam’s family wants to throw something away, they hold the rubbish in front of the camera. The clever program looks at the item and tells them where to put it. A green light turns on for plastic, and a blue light turns on for paper. It never makes a mistake!

Sam’s parents are very pleased because recycling is perfectly organized now. Last week, Sam showed his brilliant invention to his science teacher. The teacher loved it and asked him to make a bigger one for the school cafeteria. When he finishes high school, Sam hopes to study technology and build more programs that help the environment.

1   What was the problem with the rubbish in Sam’s family?

     (A) They put their waste into the incorrect boxes.

     (B) They wanted to find an easier way to sort things.

     (C) They had to clean the house every weekend.

2   How did Sam create his new AI program?

     (A) He studied how to do it on the web.

     (B) He bought a special computer program online.

     (C) He used artificial intelligence to help his laptop.

3   How does the new invention work?

     (A) It turns on a green light when it sees paper.

     (B) It shows people which bin they should use.

     (C) It holds the rubbish in front of the camera.

4   What will Sam do for his school?

     (A) Study technology and build more programs.

     (B) Show his brilliant invention to his science teacher.

     (C) Create another recycling machine for the students.

5   What is the best title for the article?

     (A) How to buy a cheap camera online

     (B) A smart way to sort rubbish at home

     (C) The family who loves writing computer code

Reading 3

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Making Smart Technology for Everyone

Fifteen-year-old Ben has always loved computers and technology. Last year, he wanted to buy some smart home devices for his bedroom, but they were too expensive. He knew his family didn’t have enough money for them. So, Ben decided to learn how to make his own cheap smart machines.

He watched online videos and built a small digital clock that turns on the lights when it rings. When his friends at school saw a video of it, they were amazed. They asked Ben to teach them his secrets. Ben spoke to his science teacher, Mr. Clark, and they decided to open an after-school technology club together.

In the beginning, running the club was a bit difficult. Buying new electronic parts cost a lot of money. To solve this problem, the students asked people to give them their old, broken phones and computers. The club members used the parts from these old machines to build cheap smart home devices, like door alarms and automatic fans.

Now, Ben’s club has twenty members and it is very popular. Next term, the students are going to build a smart heating system for the school library to save energy. Ben is very happy because he helped his friends learn something new, and now they can all make life easier without spending much money.

1   Why did Ben start making his own devices?

     (A) He asked his family to buy some smart home devices.

     (B) He did not have the cash to pay for them.

     (C) He wanted to give his family enough money.

2   What happened after Ben made his first device?

     (A) His friends built a small digital clock.

     (B) Mr. Clark asked Ben to teach his secrets.

     (C) Other students wanted to learn his skills.

3   How did the club get the things they needed to build devices?

     (A) They used pieces from broken machines.

     (B) They spent a lot of money on new electronic parts.

     (C) They fixed people’s old, broken phones and computers.

4   What is the club going to do next term?

     (A) build a smart heating system for twenty members

     (B) create a helpful machine for the school

     (C) spend much money to save energy

5   What is the best title for this article?

     (A) The boy who started a cheap technology club

     (B) How to fix broken phones and computers

     (C) Why you should buy smart home devices

Exercises:   123456