A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Budget Backpackers 5
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Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My summer of picking fruit!
16-year-old Tina writes about an unusual holiday on a farm.
My name is Tina, and I am 16 years old. Last summer, I wanted to travel and see the countryside, but I didn't have enough money for a hotel. Then, I found an interesting idea online. I travelled to a large farm in the south of the country. I didn't have to pay for my small bedroom there. Instead, I worked on the farm and picked fruit for the farmer.
Before I arrived, I thought the job was going to be really easy. I usually wake up late during my school holidays, but on the farm, I had to get out of bed at five o'clock every morning. The weather was often very hot, and we worked outside in the sun all day.
At first, it was a real challenge. I had to carry heavy boxes of fruit across the fields. For the first three days, my arms and my back hurt terribly. I felt so tired every evening that I wanted to leave the farm and catch a train back to my house. I didn't think I could do it.
However, after a week, my body got stronger and the work became much easier. The best part was the food. We could eat as many fresh strawberries as we wanted! I also met lots of other teenagers from different countries who were working there. We talked and laughed all day, and we quickly became great friends.
In the end, it was the best summer of my life. The hard work taught me a lot, and I really loved living in nature. Next summer, I am going to contact the farmer again. My new friends and I plan to return to the same farm together!
14 Why did Tina work on the farm?
A to get a free bedroom for her holiday
B to earn enough money to pay for a hotel
C to travel to the countryside with her family
15 What was different from Tina's usual school holidays?
A She found the daily activities really easy to do.
B She spent a lot of time outside in the hot sun.
C She had to wake up very early in the morning.
16 How did Tina feel during her first few days on the farm?
A She was angry because the boxes were too heavy.
B She was so tired that she wanted to go home.
C She was happy to catch a train back to her house.
17 What did Tina enjoy most later in the holiday?
A eating a lot of the farm's fresh fruit
B learning the languages of other countries
C showing her new friends how to pick strawberries
18 What is Tina planning to do next summer?
A find a new holiday job in nature by herself
B invite the farmer to visit her and her friends
C work at the same place again with her friends
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Tina says, "I didn't have to pay for my small bedroom there. Instead, I worked on the farm". This matches working to get a free bedroom (Option A). Option B is wrong logic; she didn't have money for a hotel, but she didn't earn money to pay for one, she worked for a free room instead. Option C is wrong reference; she travelled to the countryside, but the text doesn't say her family went with her.
15 C - Explanation: In paragraph 2, Tina says, "I usually wake up late during my school holidays, but on the farm, I had to get out of bed at five o'clock". This matches having to wake up very early (Option C). Option A is wrong logic; she thought the job would be easy before she arrived, but it was actually hard. Option B is a partial truth; she did work in the sun, but this isn't what she directly compared to her "usual school holidays."
16 B - Explanation: Paragraph 3 says she was "so tired every evening that I wanted to leave the farm and catch a train back to my house." This matches being so tired that she wanted to go home (Option B). Option A is wrong logic; she had to carry heavy boxes, but the text says her arms hurt, not that she was angry. Option C is wrong logic; she wanted to catch a train home, she didn't actually do it.
17 A - Explanation: In paragraph 4, Tina says, "The best part was the food. We could eat as many fresh strawberries as we wanted!" This matches enjoying eating the farm's fruit (Option A). Option B is wrong logic; she met teenagers from other countries, but the text doesn't mention learning their languages. Option C is wrong logic; they worked together, but she didn't teach them how to pick the fruit.
18 C - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Tina says, "My new friends and I plan to return to the same farm together!" This means she plans to work at the same place with her friends (Option C). Option A is wrong logic; she is going back to the same farm with her friends, not finding a new job by herself. Option B is wrong logic; she is going to contact the farmer to return there, not invite him to visit her.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A guide to giving extra money
14-year-old Umar writes about leaving tips in restaurants around the world.
Hi, I'm Umar and I'm 14. My family and I love travelling to different countries. Eating in new restaurants is usually my favourite part of our holidays. However, paying the bill at the end of the meal can be really confusing. In many places, people leave a 'tip' - a little bit of extra money for the waiter. But the rules for this are not the same everywhere, and I think tourists need to be careful.
Last year, we went on a trip to the USA. In America, giving a tip is extremely important. Waiters there do not earn a lot of money from their bosses. They need the extra money from customers to live. If you do not leave a big tip, the waiter might think you are angry about your food. My dad always left a lot of dollars on the table after every meal there.
But in other countries, you should never do this! Two years ago, we visited Japan. The food was amazing, and the waiters were very kind and polite. But in Japan, giving extra money is a bad idea. If you leave a tip, the waiter will feel upset. They believe they are just doing their job well, and they do not want more money for it. My parents made a mistake once, and the waiter ran down the street to return the money to them!
So, how do you know what to do? Because the rules are so different, I have some advice for families. Before you travel to a new country, you should read a digital travel guide on the internet. You can easily find out the rules about tipping. If you learn this information before you go, you won't make a mistake or make anyone angry!
14 Why does Umar say paying the bill can be confusing?
A The rules for leaving extra money change depending on the country.
B Tourists often forget to pay for their food in new restaurants.
C Waiters in different countries always ask for too much money.
15 What did Umar learn about waiters in America?
A They earn a lot of money from the bosses of the restaurants.
B They are often angry when they serve customers their meals.
C They need to get extra money from tips because their pay is low.
16 What happens if you leave a tip in a Japanese restaurant?
A The waiter might feel bad because they don't want the money.
B The waiter will think you are a very polite tourist.
C The waiter will run down the street to ask for a bigger tip.
17 What advice does Umar give to tourists?
A They should always leave a big tip when they visit a new country.
B They should find information online to learn how to tip correctly.
C They should buy a new travel guide book from a shop before their trip.
18 What is the best title for Umar's blog?
A How to get a job as a waiter in another country
B Why tourists need to learn about tipping before travelling
C The best digital guides for finding a great restaurant
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Umar says paying the bill is confusing because people leave a tip but "the rules for this are not the same everywhere", which matches A. B is a wrong logic trap; tourists are confused by tipping, not because they forget to pay the bill. C is a wrong logic trap; the text says the rules are different, not that waiters ask for too much money.
15 C - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Umar explains that American waiters "do not earn a lot of money from their bosses. They need the extra money from customers to live," which matches C. A is a wrong logic trap; the text explicitly states they do not earn a lot from their bosses. B is a wrong reference trap; the text says the waiter might think you are angry about the food, not that the waiter is angry.
16 A - Explanation: In the third paragraph, Umar states that if you leave a tip in Japan, "the waiter will feel upset... they do not want more money for it," matching A. B is a wrong logic trap; the text says the waiters are polite, but tipping them will make them upset, not make them think you are polite. C is a partial truth trap; a waiter did run down the street, but it was to return the money, not ask for a bigger tip.
17 B - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Umar advises families to "read a digital travel guide on the internet" to find out the rules about tipping, which matches B. A is a wrong logic trap; he just explained that leaving a big tip in places like Japan is a bad idea. C is a partial truth trap; he suggests reading a guide, but a "digital" one on the internet, not buying a physical book from a shop.
18 B - Explanation: This is a global question. The entire text is an informative opinion blog explaining why tipping rules (like in America and Japan) are confusing and why tourists need to research them before going on holiday, making B the best title. A is wrong because the text is about tipping waiters, not becoming one. C is a partial truth trap; he mentions digital guides, but for learning about tipping, not for finding restaurants.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A busy day in New York
Sometimes it is better to do less on your holiday!
Fifteen-year-old Vera loves organising things. Last month, she travelled to New York City for a holiday with her parents. Her mum and dad gave her a very important job. They asked her to plan everything for their only free day in the big city. Vera felt very proud and excited to choose the activities for her family.
Before the trip, Vera spent a whole week reading about the city on the internet. She wanted to see everything! She made a very long list of famous places to visit. Her plan included visiting three big museums, climbing a tall building, and going shopping in a busy street. She wrote a timetable on a piece of paper so they wouldn't be late for anything.
On Saturday morning, they woke up at six o'clock and left their hotel. They started walking quickly around the noisy city streets. They visited the tall building and one big shop, but they had to walk a very long way. By lunchtime, Vera and her parents were really tired. Her mother's feet hurt, and they felt too tired to follow Vera's timetable.
Vera looked at her piece of paper and knew she had to change the plan. She decided to cancel the afternoon museum trip. Instead, she took her family to Central Park. They bought some cold drinks and sandwiches, sat on the soft green grass, and just relaxed in the warm sun for three hours.
It was a perfect afternoon, and everyone felt happy again. Vera learned that doing too much can make a holiday difficult. Next time her parents ask her to plan a trip, she is going to choose just one or two activities for the whole day!
14 Why was Vera excited about the holiday?
A She wanted to find a good job in a big city.
B She could decide what her family did for a day.
C Her parents asked her to organise the whole trip.
15 What did Vera do before she went to New York?
A She used her computer to learn about the city.
B She bought some tickets for three famous museums.
C She went shopping to buy a timetable.
16 What happened on Saturday morning?
A The family woke up too late to follow the timetable.
B Vera's mother asked to return to the hotel.
C A long walk made everyone feel very tired.
17 How did Vera solve the problem after lunch?
A She found a better museum for them to visit.
B She decided to go to a place where they could rest.
C She took her family to eat a hot meal in a café.
18 What is Vera going to do next time she plans a trip?
A plan fewer things to do during the day
B ask her parents what they want to see
C spend all of her time sitting in a park
Answer Key & Explanations
14 B - Explanation: The correct answer is B because her parents asked her to plan their free day, and Vera felt excited to "choose the activities for her family". Option A is wrong logic; the text says they gave her an "important job" (planning the day), but she didn't want to get a paid job in the city. Option C is a partial truth trap; her parents asked her to plan things, but only for "their only free day", not the whole trip.
15 A - Explanation: The correct answer is A because Vera spent a week "reading about the city on the internet" (using her computer). Option B is a partial truth trap; she planned to visit three big museums, but the text doesn't say she bought tickets for them. Option C is wrong logic; she wanted to go shopping in New York, and she wrote a timetable on paper, but she didn't buy a timetable.
16 C - Explanation: The correct answer is C because they had to "walk a very long way" and by lunchtime, they were "really tired." Option A is wrong logic; they woke up early at "six o'clock", not too late. Option B is not in the text; her mother's feet hurt, but she didn't ask to go back to the hotel.
17 B - Explanation: The correct answer is B because Vera took her family to Central Park where they sat on the grass and "just relaxed" (a place where they could rest). Option A is wrong logic; she decided to "cancel the afternoon museum trip", not find a better one. Option C is a partial truth trap; they ate sandwiches and drank cold drinks, but it wasn't a hot meal in a café.
18 A - Explanation: The correct answer is A because in the final paragraph, Vera says she is going to "choose just one or two activities" (plan fewer things to do). Option B is wrong logic; her parents will ask her to plan the trip, but she will still be the one choosing the activities. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she relaxed in Central Park this time, but the text doesn't say she will spend all her time in a park on every future trip.