A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Pocket Money Pros 5
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Pocket Money Pros
Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Ian's scary afternoon
Fourteen-year-old Ian writes about losing something important.
Fourteen-year-old Ian is a student at a large school. This month, his favourite science teacher, Mrs. Smith, is leaving the school to stop working and relax at home. Ian's class wanted to do something special for her, so they decided to buy her a wonderful goodbye present. Because Ian is very organized, his classmates chose him to collect £2 from every student. He carefully put all the cash into a brown paper envelope.
By Friday afternoon, Ian had £60 in the envelope. After the bell rang, he walked to the town centre to visit a large garden shop. Mrs. Smith loves nature, so he wanted to get her something nice for her garden. But when he stood outside the shop and looked in his school bag, he couldn't find the brown envelope anywhere.
Ian felt terrible. He thought he dropped the cash in the busy street. He ran all the way back to the school, looking carefully at the ground. He was very worried. The money didn't belong to him, and he didn't have enough of his own pocket money to pay his classmates back.
When Ian arrived at his empty classroom, he looked everywhere. Suddenly, he saw the brown envelope on the floor, right under his desk! It just fell out of his bag before he left the room. Ian felt so happy and safe again.
Ian quickly returned to the garden shop and bought a beautiful green plant with pink flowers. When the class gave it to Mrs. Smith the next day, she smiled and was very pleased. After this scary experience, Ian has made a promise. Next time he looks after a lot of money, he is going to put it inside his coat pocket, not in his school bag!
14 Why did Ian get the money from his classmates?
A to look after it until he bought a present
B because his teacher asked him to collect it
C to buy some new things for his science class
15 What happened when Ian arrived at the garden shop?
A He decided to buy a brown envelope there.
B He saw that he didn't have the cash with him.
C He noticed that his school bag was missing.
16 Why was Ian so worried about the money?
A He dropped all his pocket money in the street.
B He watched someone take it out of his bag.
C He didn't have enough of his own cash to replace it.
17 Where was the missing money?
A inside his school bag
B on the floor in his classroom
C under a desk in the garden shop
18 What is Ian planning to do in the future?
A keep a beautiful plant in his own bedroom
B make a promise to help his teacher more often
C carry important cash in a different place
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In paragraph 1, the text says the class decided to buy a present, and "his classmates chose him to collect £2". Option A correctly matches this. B is a wrong reference trap; his classmates chose him to collect it, not the teacher. C is a wrong logic trap; he is collecting money for a present, not for class supplies.
15 B - Explanation: In paragraph 2, when Ian looked in his bag at the shop, "he couldn't find the brown envelope anywhere." Option B paraphrases this as not having the cash with him. A is a wrong reference trap; he lost his brown envelope, but he didn't decide to buy a new one. C is a wrong logic trap; he looked in his school bag, so it wasn't missing.
16 C - Explanation: In paragraph 3, Ian was worried because "he didn't have enough of his own pocket money to pay his classmates back." Option C perfectly matches this meaning. A is a wrong reference trap; the money he thought he dropped belonged to his classmates, not his own pocket money. B is a wrong logic trap; the text says he thought he dropped it; he didn't see anyone take it.
17 B - Explanation: In paragraph 4, Ian found the envelope "on the floor, right under his desk!" in his empty classroom. Option B is correct. A is a wrong logic trap; the text explicitly states the envelope "fell out of his bag", so it was not inside it. C is a partial truth trap; the money was under a desk, but the desk was at school, not at the garden shop.
18 C - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Ian promises that next time, "he is going to put it inside his coat pocket, not in his school bag!" Option C paraphrases this as carrying cash in a different place. A is a wrong logic trap; he bought a plant for his teacher, but he has no plans to keep one in his bedroom. B is a wrong logic trap; he made a promise to himself about the money, not a promise to help his teacher.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My first pay packet
16-year-old Jenny writes about learning to manage her money.
Hi, I'm Jenny, and I am 16 years old. Last month, I started my first weekend job at a busy café in our town. After four weeks of washing dishes and serving customers, the café manager gave me my first pay packet. I had a lot of money in my hands. I was so excited! I immediately decided to go shopping and spend it all on beautiful new clothes.
However, when I got home, my dad had a different idea. We sat down in the kitchen, and he told me I should keep half of my money in a bank savings account. He explained that it is important to save for the future. At first, I felt really angry. I worked very hard for my money, and I didn't want him to tell me what to do with it.
I thought about it for a few days. Finally, I decided to listen to my dad's advice. I went to the shopping centre, but I only bought one nice T-shirt. Then, I walked to the bank and put the rest of the money into my new savings account. It was hard to leave the money there, but I knew it was safe.
Now, the summer holidays are almost finished. Every time I get paid, I put some cash into my bank account. Yesterday, I checked my bank balance on my phone and I was amazed. The amount has grown so much! I feel incredibly proud of myself because I am learning how to be a responsible adult. Next year, I am going to use my savings to pay for driving lessons!
14 What did Jenny want to do when she got her first pay?
A buy lots of new things to wear
B go out with her manager from the café
C spend her money on food and drinks
15 Why was Jenny angry with her dad?
A He wanted to take half of her money.
B He tried to tell her how to use her money.
C He made her work very hard for her money.
16 What did Jenny do when she went to the shopping centre?
A She bought a nice T-shirt for her dad.
B She spent all her money on different things.
C She spent a small amount of her money on clothes.
17 How does Jenny feel now?
A surprised that she has saved so much money
B sad because the summer holidays are ending
C worried about being a responsible adult
18 What is Jenny planning to do next year?
A find a better weekend job
B buy a new mobile phone
C learn how to drive a car
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: The text in paragraph 1 says, "I immediately decided to go shopping and spend it all on beautiful new clothes." This matches buying lots of new things to wear. Option B is a wrong reference trap; the manager gave her the money, but she didn't want to go out with him. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she works in a café with food and drinks, but she didn't want to spend her money on them.
15 B - Explanation: The text in paragraph 2 says, "I didn't want him to tell me what to do with it." This matches him trying to tell her how to use her money. Option A is a wrong logic trap; her dad told her to put it in a savings account, he didn't want to take it for himself. Option C is a wrong reference trap; she worked hard at her job, but her dad didn't make her do it.
16 C - Explanation: The text in paragraph 3 says, "I went to the shopping centre, but I only bought one nice T-shirt." This matches spending a small amount of her money on clothes. Option A is a wrong reference trap; she bought the T-shirt for herself, not for her dad. Option B is a wrong logic trap; she didn't spend all her money (she put "the rest of the money" into the bank).
17 A - Explanation: The text in paragraph 4 says, "I was amazed. The amount has grown so much!" This matches being surprised that she has saved so much money. Option B is a partial truth trap; the text mentions the summer holidays are almost finished, but she doesn't say she is sad about it. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she says she is learning to be a responsible adult, but she feels "proud", not worried.
18 C - Explanation: This question tests the final paragraph detail (future plans). The text says, "Next year, I am going to use my savings to pay for driving lessons!" This matches learning how to drive a car. Option A is a wrong logic trap; she mentions getting paid, but doesn't talk about finding a new job. Option B is a wrong reference trap; she used her phone to check her bank balance, she isn't planning to buy a new one.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Kevin's first interview
Fifteen-year-old Kevin writes about trying to get a weekend job.
My name is Kevin, and I am 15 years old. Last week, I had a very important day. I want to earn some extra pocket money, so I asked for a weekend job at a local bookshop in my town. The manager invited me to come for an interview. I felt extremely nervous because I have never had a job interview before.
On the morning of the interview, I had to decide what to wear. I have a favourite pair of blue jeans. They are quite old and have some holes in them, but they are incredibly comfortable. I decided to put them on with a simple t-shirt. I looked in the mirror and thought I looked great and ready to go.
However, my older sister stopped me before I left the house. She looked at my clothes and shook her head. She explained that I looked completely wrong for a serious interview. She told me that shop workers need to look smart and tidy, and the manager would definitely not give me the job in old, torn jeans.
I knew my sister was right, so I quickly went to change. I went into my parents' bedroom and borrowed one of my dad's smart white shirts and some nice dark trousers. The clothes were a little bit too big for me, but I definitely looked much better.
When I arrived at the bookshop, I took a deep breath. I answered all the manager's questions in a loud, clear voice. The manager was very friendly and offered me the job immediately! I am very excited to begin working. After I get my first pay next month, I plan to go shopping and buy some smart work clothes of my own.
14 Why was Kevin nervous about going to the bookshop?
A He had never done an interview before.
B He did not know how to sell books.
C The manager was a very serious person.
15 What did Kevin decide to wear at first?
A some old clothes that felt comfortable
B a new pair of jeans that he just bought
C a simple t-shirt that his sister gave him
16 What did Kevin's sister think about his clothes?
A They were not smart enough for an interview.
B They had too many dirty marks on them.
C They were a bad colour for working in a shop.
17 How did Kevin solve his problem?
A He put on some things that belonged to his dad.
B He went to his own bedroom to find a better shirt.
C He quickly went to the shops to buy dark trousers.
18 What is Kevin planning to do next month?
A use his new money to buy clothes for work
B ask the shop manager for some extra pay
C return the white shirt to his father
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, the text says Kevin felt nervous "because I have never had a job interview before." Option B is wrong logic; he applied to a bookshop, but he doesn't say he was nervous about the work itself. Option C is wrong reference; the word "serious" is used later by his sister to describe the interview, not the manager (who is described as friendly).
15 A - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Kevin put on a pair of blue jeans that are "quite old" and "incredibly comfortable." Option B is wrong logic; the jeans are his favourite old pair, he didn't just buy them. Option C is a partial truth; he wore a simple t-shirt, but the text never says his sister gave it to him.
16 A - Explanation: In the third paragraph, his sister tells him he looks "completely wrong" and that workers need to look "smart and tidy." Option B is wrong logic; the jeans had holes in them and were old, but she didn't say they were dirty. Option C is not in the text; she didn't complain about the colour of his clothes.
17 A - Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, the text explains that Kevin "borrowed one of my dad's smart white shirts and some nice dark trousers," meaning he wore things belonging to his father. Option B is a partial truth; he went to a bedroom to find a shirt, but it was his parents' bedroom, not his own. Option C is wrong logic; he borrowed the trousers, he didn't go to the shops to buy them.
18 A - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Kevin says "After I get my first pay next month, I plan to go shopping and buy some smart work clothes of my own." Option B is wrong logic; he mentions getting his pay, but he doesn't plan to ask for extra. Option C is wrong logic; although he borrowed a shirt, returning it is not mentioned as his plan for next month.