Practice Package - Reading

This section of the Practice Package includes elementary level reading comprehension
exercises from the online English learning resource - ESL Lounge. Each reading is
followed by simple questions to test your understanding as well as an answer key to
check your answers.

Check out their website (http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/index.php) for more

language activities in: grammar, listening, reading, pronunciation!

CONTENTS

Tom’s Day 2
My Working Day 3
Hotel Dialogue Re-ordering 4
Letter to a Friend 5
The 1990s 6
My Name is Ben 7
Tomas from Vienna 8
Tim’s Day 9
The Seattle Journalist 10
The Postcard 11
The Town of Clarkson 12
Martin’s Vacation 13
The Hodgsons Can! 14
My Garden 15
Carston Town 16
Michael and his Stomach 17
Ambitious Mary 18
Barnton Swimming Pool 19
The Survey 20
My Office 21
 Tom’s Day
Read the following text, then do the exercise below.

On Sunday, Tom gets up at 10 o’clock. Then he reads his newspaper in the kitchen. He
has breakfast at 11.30 and then he telephones his mother in Scotland.

In the afternoon, at 1.00, Tom plays tennis with his sister and after that, they eat
dinner in a restaurant. At 6.00, Tom swims for one hour and then he goes by bike to his
brother’s house. They talk and listen to music.

Tom watches television in the evening and drinks a glass of Jack Daniel’s whiskey. He
goes to bed at 11.30.

1. Where does Tom have 5. How long does Tom swim for?
breakfast? a. One hour
a. In the kitchen b. Two hours
b. In his bedroom c. Six hours
c. In the lounge

2. Who does he telephone 6. How does Tom go to his brother’s

in the morning? house?
a. His sister a. By bike
b. His brother b. By car
c. His mother c. On foot

3. Where does his mother live? 7. What does Tom drink in the evening?
a. In England a. Wine
b. In his brother’s house b. Beer
c. In Scotland c. Whiskey

4. What time does he play 8. What time does Tom go to bed?

tennis with his sister? a. 11pm
a. 1pm b. 11:30pm
b. 2pm c. Midnight
c. 11.30am

Answers: 1. a; 2. c; 3. c; 4. a; 5. a; 6. a; 7. c; 8. b
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r1-toms-day.php

2 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 My Working Day
Read the text below. For each question, decide if it is “True” or “False”.

My working day starts very early. From Monday to Friday I get up at half past three
and I have a shower and a cup of coffee. I usually leave the house at ten past four
because the car always arrives a few minutes early. I get to the studio at about five
o’clock and start work. My programme Good Morning Britain starts at seven o’clock
and finishes at nine o’clock. Then I leave the studio at a quarter past ten. After that,
I go shopping and visit some friends. I get home at three o’clock. A woman helps me
with the housework and the ironing. I read a newspaper and do some work.

Then my husband gets home at half past five in the evening and I cook dinner. We
stay at home in the evening. We don’t go out because I go to bed very early. We usu-
ally watch television and then I go to bed at half past eight. I’m usually asleep by nine
o’clock.

I think my job is very interesting but I don’t like getting up very early.

1. The person is a woman. T/F

2. She is television journalist. T/F
3. She drives her car to work. T/F
4. She goes home after the programme finishes. T/F
5. She is in the house alone till her husband arrives home. T/F
6. She goes to bed early during the week. T/F
7. She works with her husband. T/F
8. She likes everything about her job. T/F

Answers: 1. true; 2. true; 3. false; 4. false; 5. false; 6. true; 7. false; 8. false

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r2-my-working-day.php

3 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Hotel Dialogue Re-Ordering
Read this mixed-up hotel dialogue. Then, in the boxes, put the numbers in the
correct order.

1. Just a single, please.

2. Yes, of course. We take Visa and Access. Could you sign the register, please?
3. Just this one bag.
4. No, just a signature. Do you have any luggage?
5. Here’s your key. Your room number is 655.
6. Good evening. Can I help you?
7. It’s actually across the street next to the bank. I hope you enjoy your stay.
8. A shower. How much is the room?
9. Thank you. Goodnight.
10.No, thanks. Just breakfast, please. Can I pay by credit card?
11.Of course. A single room or a double?
12.Yes, sure. Do you need my address, too?
13.Oh, one more thing. Where is the hotel car park?
14.Now, do you want a room with a bath or a shower?
15.$85 for the room and that includes breakfast. Would you like to have dinner in the
hotel?
16.Yes, please. Could I have a room for the night?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
6
9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Answers: 6, 16, 11, 1, 14, 8, 15, 10, 2, 12, 4, 3, 5, 13, 7, 9

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r3-hotel-dialogue.php

4 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Letter to a Friend

Read the following letter. Fill in the blanks with the missing sentences below.

Dear Jane,
Thank you for your last letter (1)________ . I am happy that you have decided to start learn-
ing French like me. If you want, we can go on holiday together next summer to France and
then (2)________ . When I come to visit you in London in the spring, we can talk together in
French if you want.
Yesterday, I returned from my short holiday camping in Scotland. I went with Melissa, my
friend that you met (3) ________ . Do you remember her? We stayed in her tent in a camp-
site near Edinburgh but the weather was terrible for (4) ________ we were there. It rained
every day and everything was so wet and (5) ________ . But while I was there I saw a lot of
interesting places and we visited a lot of castles (6) ________ . One day, we hired a boat and
went out onto a lake which was near the campsite. It rained all day (7) ________ decided to
go for a swim in the lake and that was wonderful.
I am starting my new job tomorrow in the library near my house. (8) ________ and he
helped me to find a job for every Saturday morning. I work from nine o’clock in the morning
until one o’clock in the afternoon. It is very useful for me (9) ________ in a library when I
finish university. How is your job at the supermarket? Please tell me what you are
(10) ________ .
I am going to do my French homework now!
- Kate

The Sentences:
a. and other historical places f. which I received last Saturday
b. we can practice our French together g. we were so cold
c. the whole four days h. My uncle works there
d. doing this month i. the last time you were her
e. but me and Melissa j. because I want to work

Answers: 1. (f) which I received last Saturday; 2. (b) we can practice our French to-
gether; 3. (i) the last time you were here; 4. (c) the whole four days; 5. (g) we were so
cold; 6. (a) and other historical places; 7. (e) but me and Melissa; 8. (h) My uncle works
there; 9. (j) because I want to work; 10. (d) doing this month
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r4-letter-sentence-insertion.php

5 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 The 1990s
Read this passage, then complete the questions for the answers given. Use up
to three words to complete each space. Use he/his to make the questions.

In January 1990, I was at primary school and in January 2000, I was at university! I
left primary school in September 1990 and went to a secondary school five kilometres
from my house. I got the bus every day at 7.30am and didn’t get home until 5 o’clock
in the evening. What a difficult life!

My family bought a satellite TV in 1991 and a new video the next year. In 1994, my
brother bought a computer and I got a bicycle the next year.

I left my school in 1997 but decided not to go to university like most people: instead, I
went walking in France alone for four months and then drove around America for three
months with my brother. For the first six months of 1998, I got a job in a health food
shop and then went to university in October 1998 in Wales.

1. What time did ________ the bus? 7:30am.

2. ________ he get home every day? 5pm.
3. When did ________ buy satellite TV? 1991.
4. Who bought ________ in 1994? His brother.
5. _________________ he walk around France for? Four months.
6. Did he go ___________in 1997 after school? No, he didn’t.
7. Who did he go to ___________? His brother.
8. Where ____________ in 1998? A health food shop.
9. _______________ did he work there for? Six months.

Answers: 1. he get; 2. What time did; 3. his family; 4. a computer; 5. How long did; 6.
to university; 7. America with; 8. did he work; 9. How long
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r5-the-1990s.php

6 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 My Name is Ben
Use ONE word to complete each answer about the reading.

My name is Ben and I come from Australia. I am 24 years old and I live in a small
town near Sydney called Branton.

I don’t have a job now, but normally I clean shop windows. I am not married but I live
with my very beautiful girlfriend, Maria, in a nice house in Branton. We don’t have any
children...maybe next year.

My girlfriend is an actress, but she isn’t very famous. She acts in a small theatre in our
town. At the weekend, we like to go swimming in a big lake near our house.

I normally get up at eight o’clock, but on Thursday I get up at six o’clock because that
is the day when I go running in the park.

• Where does Ben come from? He comes from (1) ________.

• How old is Ben? He’s (2) ________ years old.
• Where does Ben live? Ben lives in (3) ________, in Australia.
• Is Ben married? No, he (4) ________.
• What is Ben’s girlfriend called? Her name is (5) ________.
• Do they have any children? No, they (6) ________.
• Do they live in a house or an apartment? They live in a (7) ________.
• What does his girlfriend do? She is an (8) ________.
• What do they do at the weekend? They go (9) ________ in a lake.
• When does Ben go running? He goes running on (10) ________ mornings.

Answers: 1. Australia; 2. 24; 3. Branton; 4. isn’t; 5. Maria; 6. don’t; 7. house; 8. actress;

9. swimming; 10. Thursday.
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r5-the-1990s.php

7 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Tomas From Vienna
Read about Tomas who comes from Vienna, then answer the True/False
questions about him.

I’m Tomas and I live in Vienna with my parents and my sisters. I’m the youngest in
my family. I turned 13 last month. My sisters are Martina, 16, and Betta, 19. Betta’s
very serious and she always tells me what to do, I guess because she’s the oldest. I go
to a nice school not too far from our home and I really enjoy it. I have a lot of friends
there and I enjoy studying. My best subject is Geography, probably because it’s the
easiest too! My most difficult subject is Math - I’m terrible and I don’t like my teacher.
I love playing sports, especially basketball. I’m the tallest player on the school team
and I usually play really well. It’s the happiest part of my day. My coach says that one
day I could play professional basketball! On the weekend I spend a lot of time with
my friends Ralf and Kurt. We do everything together and they are the most important
people in my life, apart from my family of course!

1. Tomas is older than Martina. T/F

2. Betta is the oldest. T/F
3. Geography is the easiest subject. T/F
4. English is more difficult than Math. T/F
5. Tomas is the tallest on the team. T/F
6. Kurt is more important than Betta. T/F

Answers: 1. false; 2. true; 3. true; 4. false; 5. true; 6. false.

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r7-tomas-from-vienna.php

8 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Tim’s Day
Read about Tim’s normal day and then answer either Yes or No for each ques-
tion.

Every day Tim wakes up at five thirty when his alarm clock rings. He gets up and then
goes to the bathroom and has a long, hot shower. After that he makes breakfast for
him and his wife, Betty. Tim has coffee and two slices of toast and Betty drinks a cup
of tea and eats a bowl of cornflakes. At six o’clock Tim brushes his teeth, always be-
fore he gets dressed because it is very important that he doesn’t get toothpaste on
his clothes - Tim is a train driver and he wears a uniform! Finally, he kisses his wife and
baby son and leaves his house in Watford at a quarter after six.

Tim starts work at seven o’clock and drives trains on the London Underground. He
usually works in the mornings from Monday to Friday, but he sometimes works on the
weekends too. At noon he stops work for half an hour to have his lunch. He eats cheese
and tomato sandwiches which Betty makes for him, and drinks a bottle of milk. After
lunch he works until four o’clock and then he goes home. In the evening he plays with
his baby son, Ben, and watches TV with Betty. At ten thirty they all go to bed because
they are very tired - and because they get up so early in the morning!

1. Does Tim wake up before his alarm clock rings? Yes / No

2. Does he have a bath in the morning? Yes / No
3. Is Tim married? Yes / No
4. Does Betty eat toast in the morning? Yes / No
5. Does Tim brush his teeth every day? Yes / No
6. Does Tim drive a car for his job? Yes / No
7. Does Tim have 30 minutes for a lunch break? Yes / No
8. Does Tim finish work late in the evening? Yes / No
9. Do Tim and Betty have any children? Yes / No
10. Does Tim go to bed early? Yes / No

Answers: 1. no; 2. no; 3. yes; 4. no; 5. yes; 6. no; 7. yes; 8. no; 9. yes; 10. yes
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r8-tims-day.php

9 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 The Seattle Journalist
Answer the following questions with either “yes” or “no”.

Mr. Benson is a journalist from Seattle. He is married to Jennifer and they have three
children. They have two boys, Peter and Don, and a daughter, Alice.
Mr. Benson is 47 years old. He has short black hair and he has a beard. Jennifer has
large glasses and she has long blonde hair.
Peter is 15. He has short black hair, like his father. He is tall. His brother, Don, has fair
hair and is not very tall. He is 13 years old.
Their sister, Alice, is 17. She has beautiful long black hair. She has a new car - she is
very happy.
The Benson family have a Labrador dog, Benji. They have a small apartment in Seat-
tle.

1. Is Mr. Benson a farmer? Yes / No

2. Is Mr. Benson married? Yes / No
3. Do they have children? Yes / No
4. Does Jennifer have glasses? Yes / No
5. Does Jennifer have a beard? Yes / No
6. Is Jennifer’s hair blonde? Yes / No
7. Does Peter have black hair? Yes / No
8. Is Peter short? Yes / No
9. Is Don 15 years old? Yes / No
10. Does Alice have a car? Yes / No
11. Does Alice have blonde hair? Yes / No
12. Does the family have a pet? Yes / No
13. Do they have a house? Yes / No
14. Is their apartment in Seattle? Yes / No

Answers: 1. no; 2. yes; 3. yes; 4. yes; 5. no; 6. yes; 7. yes; 8. no; 9. no; 10. yes; 11. no; 12.
yes; 13. no; 14. yes
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r15-elementary-the-seattle-journal-
ist-short-answers.php

10 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 The Postcard
Read the postcard that Helen has written to James. Then match the questions
and answers. There are two answers you don’t need.

Dear James
This vacation is wonderful. The island is beautiful and the weather is hot and sunny
every day. I arrived on Saturday morning and went to the beach immediately. I took a
long swim and then sunbathed all afternoon, but I only put on sunscreen with protec-
tion factor 5 so I got a sunburn! After that I sat under my umbrella and listened to the
CD you bought me for my birthday - thanks again! :-)
On Sunday I met some boys from Turkey and we played beach volleyball with some of
the local people. They are all very friendly.
Yesterday I went shopping and I bought you a nice present. I hope you like it. See you
when I get home.
Love Helen xx

The Answers:
a. because she got sunburn f. on an island
b. on Saturday g. some other tourists
c. volleyball h. an umbrella
d. Turkey i. a gift
e. her CD j. to the beach

1. Where is Helen on vacation?

2. When did she arrive?
3. Where did she go first?
4. Why did she sit under her umbrella?
5. What did she listen to?
6. Who did she meet on Sunday?
7. What did they play?
8. What did she buy yesterday?

Answers: 1. f; 2. b; 3. j; 4. a; 5. e; 6. g; 7. c; 8. i
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r9-the-postcard.php

11 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 The Town of Clarkson
This is an exercise with true/false questions.

Clarkson is a large town. It has more than fifty thousand people living there. It sits
next to a large river, the Clark River. Every day, people take the ferry from North Clark-
son to South Clarkson to go to work.
Most people live in North Clarkson. There are many trees and the streets are very
broad. When the sun shines and the children run and play in the safe streets, North
Clarkson is a wonderful place to live.
South Clarkson has a lot of shops and factories. People don’t live there, but they come
in the morning to work. There is also a big stadium where the Clarkson Tigers play. On
Sundays, many people go to watch their favorite team.
At the weekend, the people from Clarkson enjoy walking along the bank of the Clark
River. They also sail small boats on the water and if there is a little wind, they fly kites
in the large park.
Every year, Clarkson grows in size because a lot of people come to live there. The
government builds more houses and the streets get busier. Maybe in the future, if the
town continues to grow, it will become a city!

1. Nearly fifty thousand people live in Clarkson. T/F

2. The Clark River is a big river. T/F
3. Most of the houses are in South Clarkson. T/F
4. The local sports team is the Clarkson Tigers. T/F
5. The sports team plays on Saturdays. T/F
6. There is a large park in Clarkson. T/F
7. Many new people come to Clarkson to live. T/F
8. Clarkson is now so big that it’s a city. T/F

Answers: 1. false; 2. true; 3. false; 4. true; 5. false; 6. true; 7. true; 8. false

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r11-the-town-of-clarkson-true-or-false.
php

12 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Martin’s Vacation

Read the text, then match the questions and answers.

Martin had a terrible day yesterday. It was the day of his vacation to Spain but it was a
nightmare. He left the house at 10 o’clock in the morning and caught a taxi to the airport.
Martin went to the check-in with his luggage. When the man who worked for the airline
asked for his passport, Martin became very upset. Where was his passport? Martin realized he
didn’t have his passport with him. What a disaster!
He jumped back into the taxi and told the driver to take him home. The driver drove quickly
and Martin arrived back at his house in twenty minutes.
He ran into the house and went into his bedroom. He found his passport on the bedside table
and left the house again. But the taxi wasn’t there! Where was the taxi!
Martin jumped up and down angrily. “I don’t believe it. The taxi left!” he shouted. He ran
down the street and looked for another taxi.
After a few minutes, Martin found another taxi and told the driver to take him to the airport
as quickly as possible. The traffic on the roads was very bad and, unfortunately, Martin’s taxi
arrived at the airport late. His plane left for Spain at 11.30 and Martin missed it. He was very
sad and went to speak to the airline. They promised to get him a seat on an evening flight
and Martin went home on another taxi to wait.
The Answers:
a. The traffic was bad. f. The taxi wasn’t there.
b. At the check-in desk. g. Spain.
c. In his bedroom. h. Another taxi.
d. 10 o’clock. i. By taxi.
e. He was too late for his flight. j. Twenty minutes.

1. Where was Martin going on vacation? 6. Where was the passport?

2. What time did he leave the house? 7. What did Martin discover outside?
3. How did he get to the airport? 8. How did Martin get to the airport
4. When did he realize that he didn’t the second time?
have his passport? 9. Why did he arrive late at the airport?
5. How long did it take to go back to his 10. Why did Martin go home?
house in the taxi?

Answers: 1. g; 2. d; 3. i; 4. b; 5. j; 6. c; 7. f; 8. h; 9. a; 10. e
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r18-elementary-martins-vacation-ques-
tion-answer-match.php

13 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 The Hodgsons Can!
Read about the special talented family, then put one word into each gap to
complete the sentences in the exercise.

The Hodgson family from Texas, USA are probably the most talented family in the
country. Thomas is the father of the family. He’s 52 years old and he can do every-
thing. He can run for a long time. Every day, he goes running in his neighborhood for
40 minutes. He can also swim very well. He swims for his state’s over-50 team! Thom-
as can’t speak any foreign languages, but his wife, Judy, certainly can! She can speak
French, Spanish and even Japanese. And she can teach them too. She works at the
Pinewood Language Academy.

Thomas and Judy Hodgson have three children and they can all do many things too.
Robbie, 23, can’t run for long distances like his father, but he can run very fast. He can
run 100 meters in just 11 seconds. That’s very fast. He can also fly! Not like a bird, but
using a hang-glider. He goes hang-gliding every weekend in the hills near the family
home. The middle child is Janine, who is 19. She’s similar to her mother and she loves
foreign languages. She studies Italian and French and can speak both of them very
well. When she’s with her mother, they can speak French and nobody in the house
understands them!

Clara is the baby of the family. She’s only 9 years old. She can’t speak French and she
can’t fly. What can she do? She can bake the best cakes in the world! And her parents
and her brother and sister can eat them.

1. The family lives in the American state of __________.

2. Thomas like swimming and __________.
3. He __________ speak any foreign languages.
4. Judy speaks English and __________ other languages.
5. Judy is a __________.
6. Robbie can’t run far, but he can run __________.
7. Clara can __________ very good cakes.
8. Her family __________ the cakes.

Answers: 1. Texas; 2. running; 3. can’t; 4. three; 5. teacher; 6. fast; 7. bake; 8. eats

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r21-elementary-reading-the-hodg-
sons-can-missing-word.php

14 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 My Garden
Read about the garden, then use ONE word to complete each sentence.

This is my garden. It’s very big and also very wide. On one side, there is the McDonald
family and on the other side, there is the Korfman family. I like both my neighbors.
There is a lot of grass in my garden. Now, it’s September and the grass is long and
thick. I also have three trees in the garden. There is a young lemon tree which is very
small. It doesn’t have any fruit, maybe next year! Then, there is a peach tree. There
aren’t many peaches this year because of the cold weather in April and May. The third
tree is an apple tree. Apples always grow well in this area and the tree is full of big
green apples. Tomorrow, I want to make a big apple pie.
There are two animals in the garden at the moment. Max is my Rottweiler dog. Many
people think Rottweilers are dangerous, but Max is very friendly and everybody loves
him. He’s 4 years old. Playing with Max is Hector, our beautiful white cat. He’s nearly
ten years old.
There are many other colors in my summer garden. In December when it’s cold and
gray, it’s not a very happy place, but now in September, it’s wonderful. There are the
red roses and we have other flowers that are green and yellow.
There is a large tent in the middle of the grass, a huge purple tent. That’s because my
brother, Luke, likes camping but my mother doesn’t want him to go camping - only in
the garden! So he sleeps in the purple tent. Luke is only eight years old, so I think my
mother is right. Camping in the garden is safe for an eight year old.

1. The McDonalds and the Korfmans are the names of his __________.
2. There are __________ trees in the garden.
3. There is a small __________ tree in the garden.
4. The color of the apples is __________.
5. Max is the Rottweiler and he’s very friendly and not __________.
6. There is also a white __________ in the garden.
7. There are green, red and yellow __________ in the garden.
8. Luke must stay in the garden because he’s too __________ to go camping.

Answers: 1. neighbors; 2. three; 3. lemon; 4. green; 5. dangerous; 6. cat; 7. flowers; 8.

young
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r26-elementary-reading-my-gar-
den-missing-word.php

15 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Carston Town
Look at these definitions of words that appear in the text about Carston. Are
these definitions true or not? Remember some words have more than one
meaning - look at how these words are used in this text!

Carston is a very historic town in the north of England. The Romans arrived in Carston
two thousand years ago and they stayed for three hundred years. Even today, you can
still see many signs of the Romans. There is still the large city wall that they built with
its three gates: Main, East and South. The wall is not complete but you can still see the
three gates. Many tourists comes to Carston to see the Roman ruins.

Carston is famous for its history, but it’s also a modern town with 74,000 people. They
work in many types of jobs. The most common occupation is tourism, but there are
also many people who work in the local car factory. The factory makes sports cars that
are exported all over the world. There is another factory in Carston and in this factory,
four hundred people work and they make microwave ovens.

Carston also has a small football team which is not very successful and a rugby team
that is more successful. The rugby team won the regional championship three years
ago and one of their players, Danny Biggs, played three times for England. He still lives
in Carston. He wants to return to play for Carston rugby team before he retires.

Another famous Carston resident is the Hollywood movie star, Jason John Lee. He left
Carston when he was 15 years old, but returns every summer to visit his family. Jason’s
school, Carston Middle School, now has a small theatre named after Jason. Jason gave
his school some money to build the theatre. Maybe in the future, there will be other
famous actors from Carston!

1. historic - someone famous was born in the town.

2. signs - information and rules such as “Pay Here”, “No Smoking”, “No Parking”.
3. gates - large doorway structures in a wall or fence.
4. ruins - old buildings, now destroyed or in very bad condition.
5. occupation - type of job, work. E.g. teaching, farming, journalism.
6. factory - place where you can buy large machines.
7. championship - competition between ships and boats.
8. resident - someone who lives in the town/city.

Answers: 1. false; 2. false; 3. true; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false; 7. false; 8. true

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r19-elementary-reading-car-
ston-town-vocabulary-definitions.php

16 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Michael and his stomach
Read about Michael and his problems, then answer the True/False questions.

Michael works in a restaurant in the center of Madrid, Spain. He goes to work at 5pm,
but yesterday at 5pm, he wasn’t on the bus, he was in a taxi going to the hospital. He
was very sick! Usually, he works in the kitchen all evening, but yesterday he wasn’t in
the kitchen. He was in the X-ray department of the hospital because the doctors were
worried about his stomach pains.

Normally, at 11pm, Michael takes a bus to go home after finishing at the restaurant,
but yesterday at 11pm, he was still in the hospital and he was still unhappy and sick.
He was in a bed and he was very hot - 102 degrees! Was he worried? Yes, he was!

In the morning, he was better and the doctors were pleased. What was the problem?
It was bad food - from his restaurant!

1. Michael was in the restaurant yesterday afternoon.

2. He goes to work in the restaurant by bus.
3. Yesterday, he was in a bus going to the hospital.
4. He was in the hospital because of his head.
5. He was in the X-ray department of the hospital.
6. He was in the hospital until 11pm.
7. The doctors were very worried about him the next morning.
8. The problem was food from his restaurant.

Answers: 1. false; 2. true; 3. false; 4. false; 5. true; 6. false; 7. false; 8. true

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r22-elementary-reading-mi-
chael-and-his-stomach-true-false-questions.php

17 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Ambitious Mary
Read about Mary and her ambitions, then answer the True/False questions.

Mary Dexter is a young student who lives in Denver, Colorado in the west of the USA.
Now, she is 17 and is studying at her local high school, but she already has big plans
for her future. After she finishes high school next year, she’s going to study at a big
college in California. She’s very excited about it.

She’s going to live in San Diego - her favorite city. She’s going to study Marine Biology,
which means she is going to learn about all the animals that live in the sea. And San
Diego is the perfect place to study Marine Biology because the Pacific Ocean is very
near and there is the wonderful Sea World there, where you can see sharks and seals
and many other sea animals.

What is she going to do after she finishes her six-year course in San Diego? “I’m going
to become a famous biologist and save the oceans,” Mary says.

1. Mary lives in San Diego, California.

2. She left school last year.
3. Mary is very ambitious about her future.
4. She’s going to live in her favorite city next year.
5. San Diego is a good place to study Marine Biology.
6. Sea World also has some land animals, for example an elephant.
7. The Marine Biology course she’s going to do is long.
8. Mary wants to use her education to help the planet.

Answers: 1. false; 2. false; 3. true; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false; 7. true; 8. true

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r24-elementary-reading-ambi-
tious-mary-true-false-questions.php

18 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 Barnton Swimming Pool
Read this conversation between Helga and Tom, then answer the True/False
questions.

Helga: Hello
Tom: Hi, is this Barnton Swimming Pool?
Helga: Yes, it is.
Tom: Oh, good. What time does the swimming pool open?
Helga: Well, we’re open now!
Tom: Thanks, I don’t want to go swimming today. I want to go tomorrow.
Helga: OK
Tom: So, what time does the pool open tomorrow?
Helga: What is the day tomorrow?
Tom: Erm, Thursday. Yes, Thursday.
Helga: Well, it opens at 9am and closes at 6pm.
Tom: Does the pool close for lunch?
Helga: No, not on a Thursday. Do you have any other questions?
Tom: Yes, how much is it to swim for two hours tomorrow morning?
Helga: If you stay for an hour, it’s $5. If you want to stay for the whole day, it’s $8.
Tom: Thank you. One more question about the showers.
Helga: Yes?
Tom: Is there a hot shower?
Helga: Of course there is.
Tom: That’s good because I hate cold showers!
Helga: OK, see you tomorrow.
Tom: Thanks, bye.

1. Tom calls the local swimming pool.

2. The swimming pool is open now.
3. Tom wants to go swimming today.
4. Today is Thursday.
5. The swimming pool opens at 9am on Thursdays.
6. The pool closes for one hour for lunch.
7. There are two prices for swimming.
8. Tom likes hot showers.

Answers: 1. true; 2. true; 3. false; 4. false; 5. true; 6. false; 7. true; 8. true

http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r25-elementary-reading-barnton-swim-
ming-pool-true-false-questions.php

19 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 The Survey
Read this conversation between Linda and Hugo, then answer the True/False
questions.
Linda: Hello, do you have a little spare time?
Hugo: No, sorry.
Linda: It won’t take long, just a couple of minutes.
Hugo: Oh, OK, what do you want to know?
Linda: We want to know what sports you do, how much exercise you do every day or every
week.
Hugo: Well, I like playing soccer. That’s my favorite sport. I play a match every Sunday and
every Wednesday.
Linda: Who do you play with?
Hugo: Just some friends from college.
Linda: What other exercise do you do? Do you go swimming?
Hugo: No, I don’t like swimming.
Linda: Can you swim?
Hugo: Yes, I can, but I don’t enjoy swimming. I prefer running. I go running once or twice a
week.
Linda: Where do you go?
Hugo: There’s a big park near my house and I go running there.
Linda: Do you also go in the winter when it’s cold and snowy?
Hugo: Yes, it’s good for keeping me warm!
Linda: I couldn’t run in the snow! Do you play tennis or volleyball or another sport like that?
Hugo: No, but I go to karate classes on Thursday evenings.
Linda: Isn’t that dangerous?
Hugo: I started karate about four years ago so I’m quite good at it now.
Linda: OK, thanks for your time.
Hugo: No problem, bye.

1. Hugo is in a hurry.
2. Linda asks questions about diet and exercise.
3. Hugo plays his favorite sport three times a week.
4. Hugo plays soccer with people from his job.
5. Hugo can’t swim.
6. Hugo prefers running to swimming.
7. Hugo goes running near his house.
8. Hugo isn’t very experienced in karate.
Answers: 1. true; 2. false; 3. false; 4. false; 5. false; 6. true; 7. true; 8. false
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r28-elementary-reading-the-sur-
vey-true-false-questions.php

20 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING

 My Office
Read about the office and then answer the multiple choice questions. Choose
either True, False or Not Stated if the information is not included in the read-
ing.

This is where I work. The name of my company is Marshall Publishing. I started work-
ing here six years ago. I spend a lot of time on the phone, speaking to our clients,
especially in Japan and Saudi Arabia. It’s lucky that they all speak very good English
because I don’t speak Japanese or Arabic! I also do some work in the advertising
department of the company, helping to make adverts for radio stations around the
world. That’s my favorite part of the job.

It’s not a big office and it’s not very modern either, but we really like working here.
There’s only one computer and there’s a lot of papers and files. It’s like an office from
ten years ago really. The walls are gray, although they should be white. They are dirty
and we need to paint them again.

In my part of the office, there’s me and then there are three others, Lucy, Helen and
Paul. Paul is the new one. He arrived only three months ago. He was a lawyer be-
fore, then he decided he didn’t want to be a lawyer any more, so he changed his job
completely. I imagine he earns a lot less money with us! Helen arrived at Marshall
Publishing only a month or two after me. She’s my best friend in the office because
we helped each other a lot when we were both new. Lucy is the grandmother of the
office. She started working here almost twelve years ago, when the company started.
Everybody comes to her when there’s a problem, when you have something you don’t
understand. She’s a grandmother in real life too: she has 6 grandchildren!

The manager of the office is Liam. He’s 39 years old and worked for a large publishers
in London before taking this job. I think at the beginning, he felt a little strange, like an
outsider. Now, he’s one of the family. He’s the best boss you could have!

1. This person is an editor.

2. This person needs to speak other languages.
3. The office is a modern one.
4. Paul is the most experienced person in the office.
5. Paul had a very different type of job before.
6. Helen and Lucy don’t like each other.
7. Lucy has children.
8. The manager has experience in other publishing companies.
Answers: 1. not stated; 2. false; 3. false; 4. false; 5. true; 6. not stated; 7. true; 8. true
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/reading/1r27-elementary-reading-my-office-mul-
tiple-choice-questions.php

21 PRACTICE PACKAGE - READING