Practice English Reading Exercises for A2 – Zoos, Safari & Wildlife Parks
Reading 1
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Perfect Picture
Fifteen-year-old Leo has always loved taking pictures of animals. For his birthday last month, he didn’t ask for a new phone or clothes. Instead, he wanted an annual pass for the local wildlife park. His parents bought it for him, and Leo was very happy. He told them he wanted to photograph the lions there every week.
Every Saturday morning, Leo wakes up early and catches the bus to the park. At first, it was quite difficult to get good photos. The lions were often sleeping in the long grass, or they were too far away. Leo’s friends told him to take pictures of the monkeys instead, but Leo only wanted to photograph the big cats.
Then, one Sunday, it was raining heavily. Leo’s mother said he should stay at home, but he went to the park anyway. Because of the bad weather, there were no other visitors. Suddenly, a young lion walked right up to the glass and looked straight at Leo’s camera. Leo quickly pressed the button and took the most amazing picture.
The next day, Leo showed the photograph to his classmates and put it on the school blog. Everyone loved it, and his art teacher even asked for a copy. Now, Leo feels great about his hobby. When he finishes university, he hopes to travel around the world and work as a wildlife photographer.
1 What did Leo receive for his birthday?
(A) a ticket that he can use all year
(B) a new phone
(C) some clothes
2 Why was it hard for Leo to take good photos at first?
(A) He didn’t like waking up early on Saturday morning.
(B) The big cats were resting and were not close to him.
(C) He had to take pictures of the monkeys instead.
3 What happened when it rained heavily?
(A) His mother went to the park anyway.
(B) He decided to stay at home because of the bad weather.
(C) An animal came very near to him and he got a great shot.
4 What do we learn about Leo in the last paragraph?
(A) His classmates asked for a copy of his photograph.
(B) He plans to do photography as a job when he is older.
(C) He hopes to travel around the world with his art teacher.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) The boy who finally got the perfect photo
(B) A school trip to the wildlife park
(C) How to take pictures of monkeys
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 A
Reading 2
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A Better Place for Bears
Hello everyone! I’m Lily, and I love sharing my travel stories on this blog. Last month, I traveled to a beautiful country in Eastern Europe. I really wanted to see some wild animals, but I decided not to visit a traditional zoo. Instead, I spent the day at a bear sanctuary.
A sanctuary is very different from a normal zoo. It is a safe place for bears that had difficult lives in the past. Here, they have a huge forest to live in. Visitors cannot touch the bears or get very close to them, which is much better for the animals.
During my visit, I watched a large brown bear named Bruno. He was playing in a small lake and looked very happy. A guide told us all about Bruno’s history. I took a few photos of him, but I was careful to stay quiet. I didn’t want to make any loud noises and frighten him.
I think my trip to the sanctuary was the best part of my holiday. The animals there are definitely happier than the animals in small zoo cages. Next week, I am going to write more about how we can help wild animals. I hope all my readers will visit a sanctuary one day!
1 What did Lily do last month?
(A) She chose to see animals in a different way.
(B) She visited a traditional zoo in Eastern Europe.
(C) She shared her travel stories with wild animals.
2 What is true about the bear sanctuary?
(A) It is exactly the same as a normal zoo.
(B) It is a home for bears that had hard lives.
(C) Visitors can get very close to the bears.
3 When Lily was watching Bruno, she
(A) made some loud noises to frighten him.
(B) told a guide about the brown bear’s history.
(C) tried not to make a sound.
4 How does Lily feel about her visit?
(A) She thinks animals are happier in small zoo cages.
(B) She believes it was the greatest thing she did on her trip.
(C) She is going to visit the sanctuary again next week.
5 What is Lily’s main reason for writing this blog post?
(A) to explain why she wants to work in a traditional zoo
(B) to tell people about a great place for animals
(C) to ask her readers for money to help the bears
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 B 3 C 4 B 5 B
Reading 3
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Girl Who Loves Poison Frogs
Most teenagers love animals, but fourteen-year-old Mia has an unusual favourite. While her friends prefer keeping fluffy cats or friendly dogs, Mia is fascinated by poison dart frogs. She first saw them last year when her uncle, a zookeeper, took her to his workplace. He showed her a special heated glass room where the frogs live.
Inside the glass room, the air is always very hot and wet. This is because the frogs need an environment that feels exactly like a tropical rainforest. Mia loves watching them because they are not just green. These tiny creatures have amazing, bright colours. Some are deep blue, while others are bright red or yellow with black spots.
Many people feel afraid when they hear the word ‘poison’. However, Mia’s uncle explained that the frogs in the zoo are actually completely safe to touch. In the wild, they become dangerous because of the specific insects they eat. At the zoo, they get different food. Every Saturday, Mia visits the zoo and carefully cleans the outside of the glass room so visitors can see clearly.
Mia knows exactly what she wants to do when she finishes school. She plans to become a scientist and travel to South America. She dreams of studying these beautiful frogs in their natural home. Right now, she is saving her pocket money to buy a good camera to take photos of her favourite animals.
1 What do we learn about Mia in the first paragraph?
(A) She enjoys looking at a very unusual type of animal.
(B) She prefers keeping fluffy cats or friendly dogs.
(C) She took her uncle to his workplace last year.
2 Why is the air inside the glass room hot and wet?
(A) Because the animals require a climate similar to a jungle.
(B) Because these tiny creatures have amazing, bright colours.
(C) Because they are not just green.
3 The frogs at the zoo are safe to touch because
(A) they are given a completely different kind of meal.
(B) of the specific insects they eat.
(C) Mia carefully cleans the outside of the glass room.
4 What is Mia doing at the moment?
(A) Keeping her cash to get some photography equipment.
(B) Planning to travel to South America.
(C) Studying these beautiful frogs in their natural home.
5 What is the best title for the article?
(A) A teenager’s special animal interest
(B) How to look after frogs at home
(C) The most dangerous animals in the zoo
ANSWER KEY
1 A 2 A 3 A 4 A 5 A