Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Zoos, Safari & Wildlife Parks
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Summer with the Monkeys
Fifteen-year-old Leo wanted to buy a new bicycle, so he decided to look for a summer job. Because he has always loved animals, he asked for work at the local zoo. He was very happy when the manager invited him to join the team for six weeks.
Leo had to arrive at work at seven o’clock every morning. His job was to prepare meals for the monkeys. He spent a lot of time in the zoo kitchen washing and cutting up apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Cutting the vegetables was sometimes quite boring, but the other kitchen workers were very friendly and made him laugh.
When the food was ready, Leo walked to the monkey cages with a zookeeper named Sarah. Leo couldn’t go inside the cages, but he loved watching Sarah give the food to the animals. The monkeys were always very noisy and excited. A small monkey called Bobo was Leo’s favourite because he always tried to steal extra bananas from the other monkeys!
Now the summer holiday is finishing. Leo finally has enough money to buy his bicycle, but his plans have changed. Working at the zoo was a fantastic experience. Now, he doesn’t care about the bike anymore. He wants to save his money for university, study biology, and become a real zookeeper one day.
1 Why did Leo decide to work at the zoo?
(A) He wanted to earn cash for a bike.
(B) The manager invited him to join the team.
(C) He has always loved the local zoo.
2 What does Leo think about his work in the kitchen?
(A) He spent a lot of time washing the zoo kitchen.
(B) He felt some of the activities were not very interesting.
(C) He thought the other kitchen workers were quite boring.
3 What did Leo do when the meals were ready?
(A) He went inside the cages with a zookeeper named Sarah.
(B) He tried to steal extra bananas from the other monkeys.
(C) He enjoyed seeing the animals get their food.
4 At the end of the summer, Leo decided to
(A) keep his earnings to pay for his education.
(B) finally use his money to buy his bicycle.
(C) stop caring about working at the zoo.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s plan to buy a new bicycle
(B) How to prepare healthy meals for animals
(C) A summer job that changed a boy’s dream
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 A 5 C
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Lucas’s Wildlife Adventure
Fifteen-year-old Lucas recently visited a new wildlife park with his family. He has always loved animals, but he usually feels sad when he sees them in small cages at traditional zoos. However, this new park was completely different. It is an open-concept park, which means the animals can walk and run freely across huge fields.
Because the animals are not kept behind glass, visitors cannot walk through the park on foot. Instead, Lucas and his family had to travel in a special safari bus with large windows. A friendly guide drove the bus slowly along a dirt road. He explained lots of interesting facts about the different animals they saw, like the zebras and rhinos.
In the middle of the tour, they had a very exciting experience. The bus stopped, and a tall giraffe walked right up to Lucas’s window. It looked inside with its big brown eyes and started eating leaves from a tall tree next to the bus. Lucas was absolutely amazed because he had never been so close to such a magnificent animal before.
Lucas highly recommends this new park to anyone who loves nature. He believes it is wonderful to see animals living happily in a place that feels like their natural home. He has already asked his parents if they can return next year to see the baby elephants.
1 Why did Lucas prefer this new park to a traditional zoo?
(A) He could see animals living in small cages.
(B) He was able to walk across huge fields.
(C) He liked watching animals move freely in large spaces.
2 How did visitors travel around the wildlife park?
(A) They rode in a special vehicle with a guide.
(B) They drove their family cars along a dirt road.
(C) They walked slowly on a path next to the bus.
3 What happened in the middle of the tour?
(A) A rhino looked inside the bus with big brown eyes.
(B) A giraffe came very close to the window.
(C) The guide caught a magnificent animal.
4 What does Lucas think about the new park?
(A) It is a great place because it feels natural for the animals.
(B) It is too dangerous to visit with a family.
(C) It feels exactly the same as a traditional zoo.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) How to become a tour guide on a safari bus
(B) A teenager’s review of an open-concept zoo
(C) The best leaves to feed a baby elephant
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 A 3 B 4 A 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Giant Friend for Lunch
Fourteen-year-old Leo has always loved wild animals. Last summer, he went on a special holiday to Thailand with his parents. They didn’t go to the beach or visit a city. Instead, they spent three days at a rescue park for elephants. It is a safe home for old and sick animals, not a normal zoo.
On the first morning, a park worker explained the rules. He told the visitors to be very quiet and walk slowly. After that, everybody helped to prepare the animals’ breakfast. Leo’s mother cut up some large watermelons, and Leo carried a heavy bucket full of green apples.
Soon, a huge female elephant called Mali walked towards Leo. At first, Leo felt quite nervous because she was so big, but he stayed in his place. He carefully held out a green apple in his hand. Mali slowly lifted her long trunk, touched his fingers very gently, and took the fruit.
It was the most exciting moment of Leo’s life. Mali ate the apple very quickly and immediately looked at his bucket for another one! Leo gave her all the food. Now, Leo knows exactly what he wants to do in the future. He plans to become a vet and look after wild animals.
1 What kind of place did Leo visit on holiday?
(A) a normal zoo
(B) a place to visit a city
(C) an area that cares for animals
2 How did Leo help before the animals’ breakfast?
(A) He cut up some large watermelons.
(B) He moved a large container of fruit.
(C) He explained the rules.
3 When the elephant came close, Leo
(A) touched her fingers very gently.
(B) did not move even though he was a bit afraid.
(C) slowly lifted his long trunk.
4 Because of this trip, Leo now
(A) looks at his bucket.
(B) eats apples very quickly.
(C) knows which career he wants to have.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) Feeding a beautiful wild animal
(B) The rules of a normal zoo
(C) How to prepare big watermelons
ANSWER KEY
1 C 2 B 3 B 4 C 5 A