Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Travel Mishaps & Surprises
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Sam’s Unusual Holiday Dinner
Fifteen-year-old Sam loves traveling and trying new things. Last week, he went on a summer holiday to a famous city in Asia with his parents. On their second evening, the family decided to visit a busy street market to buy some dinner. Sam was very excited to see all the different types of food.
While his parents ordered some simple chicken noodles, Sam looked for something more unusual. He walked around and found a small stall selling fried insects on sticks. The cook told him they were very popular and delicious. Sam bought a stick of insects because he wanted to take a funny photo for his friends back home before he ate them.
He ate the insects quickly. They tasted a bit like salty crisps, but they were incredibly spicy! A few hours later, when they were back at the hotel, Sam started to feel unwell. He got a bad stomach ache and had to lie down on his bed instead of watching television.
His mother gave him some medicine and a large glass of cold water. Fortunately, by the next morning, his stomach was completely fine. Sam was happy he could go out sightseeing again. He still loves exploring new places, but he promises to choose his evening snacks more carefully next time!
1 Why did Sam’s family go to the street market?
(A) to get their evening meal
(B) to see all the different types of food
(C) to go on a summer holiday
2 Why did Sam pay for the insects?
(A) He wanted to get a picture to show people at home.
(B) He thought they were very popular and delicious.
(C) He wanted to eat some simple chicken noodles.
3 What happened to Sam back at the hotel?
(A) He suffered from a pain in his tummy.
(B) He spent the evening watching television.
(C) He ate a large bag of salty crisps.
4 How did Sam feel the following morning?
(A) He was better and ready to be a tourist.
(B) He needed a large glass of cold water.
(C) He had to choose his evening snacks more carefully.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A strange meal and a painful lesson
(B) A summer holiday in a famous city
(C) The different types of food at the market
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Wrong Suitcase
Last week, fifteen-year-old Mark went on a family holiday to Malta. He was very excited because it was his first time visiting a hot, sunny island. His parents planned the trip months ago to escape the cold English weather. Mark slept on the airplane for most of the three-hour flight and dreamed about swimming in the ocean.
When they arrived at their hotel, the weather was brilliant. It was thirty degrees! Mark quickly opened his suitcase to find his swimming shorts and a t-shirt. However, when he looked inside, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Instead of summer clothes, the bag was full of thick jumpers, winter trousers, and warm socks. He had picked up the wrong suitcase from his bedroom!
Mark felt very silly. He was standing in a hot hotel room wearing a heavy sweater. When his parents saw his clothes, they didn’t get angry. His dad laughed loudly, and his mum smiled. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We can go to the market and buy you some things for the beach.”
That afternoon, the family went shopping. Mark bought two cheap t-shirts, a pair of shorts, and some sunglasses. He washed them in the hotel sink every evening. Even though he only had a few clothes for the whole week, Mark had an amazing holiday. Now, he always checks his bags carefully before leaving the house!
1 Why was Mark excited about the holiday?
(A) He was going to a warm place for the first time.
(B) He wanted to plan the trip months ago.
(C) He needed to sleep on the airplane.
2 What happened when Mark opened his suitcase?
(A) He found his swimming shorts and a t-shirt.
(B) He saw that he brought the wrong items.
(C) He took out all of his summer clothes.
3 What did Mark’s parents do when they saw what he packed?
(A) They started to get angry with him.
(B) They found the problem quite funny.
(C) They made him wear a heavy sweater.
4 What did Mark do with his new clothes on holiday?
(A) He cleaned them with water every day.
(B) He packed them for the whole week.
(C) He checked them carefully before leaving the house.
5 Why has the writer written this text?
(A) to explain how to pack a suitcase for a holiday
(B) to tell a funny story about a mistake on a trip
(C) to describe the beautiful summer weather in Malta
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 B 4 A 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Sleepy Mistake in Paris
Last month, sixteen-year-old Mark went on a school trip to Paris. He was incredibly excited because his favourite school subject is history. On Saturday morning, the class planned to go on a special tour of the famous Louvre Museum. The teacher told everyone to be ready in the hotel restaurant at eight o’clock.
On Friday night, Mark stayed in his room with his friends. They had a lot of fun chatting and playing video games on their phones. They didn’t go to sleep until two o’clock in the morning. Because he was so tired, Mark completely forgot to set the alarm clock on his phone.
The next day, Mark woke up and looked out of the window. The sun was shining brightly. Then, he checked his phone and saw it was ten o’clock! He dressed quickly and ran downstairs. He asked the receptionist about his class, but the woman said the school bus left two hours ago. Mark missed the tour.
At lunchtime, his classmates came back to the hotel. They talked about the amazing paintings they saw, and Mark felt very sad. To cheer him up, his teacher took him to a small, quiet art gallery near their hotel in the afternoon. Mark enjoyed the visit, but he promised himself he would always go to bed early on school trips in the future.
1 Why was Mark excited about the trip to Paris?
(A) He really enjoys learning about the past.
(B) He wanted to eat in the hotel restaurant.
(C) He had to plan a special tour.
2 Why did Mark forget to use his alarm clock?
(A) He was playing video games on his phone.
(B) He felt extremely sleepy.
(C) He didn’t go to sleep until two o’clock.
3 What happened when Mark went downstairs?
(A) He saw that the sun was shining brightly.
(B) He discovered that his group had already departed.
(C) The receptionist missed the tour.
4 What did Mark do in the afternoon?
(A) He talked about the amazing paintings.
(B) He went to bed early.
(C) He looked at some art close to where he stayed.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to sleep well on a school trip
(B) A mistake that cost a student a special tour
(C) The most amazing paintings in Paris
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 B 4 C 5 B