Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Unusual Pets & Exotic Animals
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My Happy Water Monster
My name is Emma and I am thirteen years old. I have a very unusual pet in my bedroom. It is not a cat or a rabbit. I have an axolotl called Pip. Some people call these animals ‘water monsters’, but Pip is definitely not scary at all. He lives in a large glass tank next to my bed.
The best thing about Pip is his funny face. His mouth turns up at the sides, so he looks like he is always smiling at me. When I come home after a very difficult day at school, I just look at him. His happy little face immediately makes me feel much better and I forget my problems.
Taking care of an axolotl is quite an important job. Pip needs very clean, cold water, so I always wash his tank every weekend. He doesn’t eat normal fish food from the supermarket. I have to give him special small worms. I love sitting quietly in my room and watching him swim slowly in the water.
Sometimes, my classmates come to my house to see Pip. At first, they often think he looks a bit strange because he has funny things on his head. But when they see his beautiful smile, they always say he is a wonderful little animal. I really think I have the perfect pet!
1 What does Emma say about her pet in the first paragraph?
(A) It is an uncommon animal to keep at home.
(B) It is a very scary water monster.
(C) It lives in a large glass tank with a rabbit.
2 Why does Pip’s face help Emma?
(A) It turns up at the sides after school.
(B) It always smiles at her problems.
(C) It changes her mood when she is having a bad time.
3 What do we learn about taking care of Pip?
(A) Emma has to buy his meals from the supermarket.
(B) Emma must provide him with a specific type of food.
(C) Emma washes him in cold water every weekend.
4 How do Emma’s friends feel about Pip?
(A) They like him when they notice his happy expression.
(B) They often think he is a wonderful little classmate.
(C) They have strange things on their heads.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The most difficult day at school
(B) How to build a large glass tank
(C) The smiling monster in my bedroom
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 C 3 B 4 A 5 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Think Before You Buy a Parrot!
Hi, I’m Leo and I am fifteen years old. Last year, I bought a beautiful exotic parrot named Charlie. At first, I thought having a parrot was a fantastic idea because they are very smart and have amazing colors. However, I soon learned that they are not easy pets to keep.
First, exotic parrots need a really big space. Charlie is quite large, so his cage takes up half of my bedroom! Also, parrots cannot stay in their cages all day. They need to fly around the house to get exercise. Because of this, I have to tidy my room very carefully every single day so he doesn’t break anything.
Another big problem is the noise. Parrots are incredibly loud. Charlie wakes up very early in the morning and starts screaming. He also shouts when he wants me to play with him. This wakes up my whole family, and sometimes our neighbors complain about the terrible noise.
I love Charlie very much, and he makes me laugh when he talks. But I want to warn other teenagers. Exotic birds are not like normal pets such as cats or dogs. They are a lot of hard work. If you want a parrot, you must be sure you have the right kind of house for one!
1 Why did Leo want a parrot at first?
(A) He liked how clever and colorful they were.
(B) He wanted an easy pet to keep.
(C) He thought it was a fantastic idea for a fifteen-year-old.
2 What does Leo say about Charlie’s cage?
(A) It is large enough for Charlie to fly in all day.
(B) It takes up a lot of room.
(C) It must be tidied very carefully every single day.
3 Why do the neighbors sometimes complain?
(A) Because Leo’s whole family wakes up very early.
(B) Because Leo wants to play with the bird too much.
(C) Because the parrot makes very loud sounds.
4 What is Leo’s advice to other teenagers?
(A) They should get a normal pet like a cat or dog instead.
(B) They need to think about their home before getting a parrot.
(C) They should warn their families about all the hard work.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to teach your exotic bird to talk
(B) Why parrots are better than cats and dogs
(C) The difficulties of keeping a pet parrot
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 C
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Keeping the Frogs Warm
Twelve-year-old Toby has always loved small animals. Last month, for his birthday, his parents bought him two tropical frogs. They also got a large glass tank for them to live in. Toby’s father explained that because the frogs come from a jungle, they need a very warm home. This is completely different from the frogs in their own garden.
To keep the frogs warm, Toby put a special lamp above the glass tank. During the first week, he left the lamp on all day and all night. However, this was a bad idea. The tank became too hot, and the frogs looked tired. They just hid under the water and didn’t jump around at all.
Toby felt worried, so he went to the school library and found a book about caring for tropical pets. He learned that the temperature inside the tank must be exactly 25 degrees. The book also told him to turn the lamp off when it gets dark outside, so the frogs can rest properly.
Now, Toby checks the thermometer inside the tank every morning before breakfast and again in the evening. His frogs are very active and eat their food quickly. Toby feels really proud of his new skills. In the future, he hopes to start a website to help other children look after unusual animals.
1 What did Toby’s dad tell him about the new pets?
(A) They require a much hotter place to live than local frogs.
(B) They can live with the frogs in their own garden.
(C) They got a large glass tank for them to live in.
2 What was Toby’s mistake during the first week?
(A) He put a special lamp above the glass tank.
(B) He didn’t turn off the light, making the pets’ home too warm.
(C) He hid under the water and didn’t jump around all day and all night.
3 What useful information did Toby find in the book?
(A) He must go to the school library to care for tropical pets.
(B) He must turn the temperature inside the tank to exactly 25 degrees outside.
(C) He needs to switch the light off at night so the animals can sleep.
4 What do we learn about Toby in the final paragraph?
(A) He plans to show other kids how to keep strange pets.
(B) He helps other children look after unusual animals now.
(C) He eats his food quickly every morning before breakfast.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to build a large glass tank for frogs
(B) A boy learns how to care for his new pets
(C) The interesting frogs in Toby’s garden
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 B