A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Weather, Geography & Earth Science 10
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Weather, Geography & Earth Science
Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Beautiful Valleys
A valley is a long area of low land. It is usually (19)…………… two mountains or hills. Most valleys have a river running through them. It (20)…………… a very long time for the moving water to cut through the hard rock and make a deep valley.
The land in a valley is often very green. The ground is great for plants because the river brings water from the high mountains. For this reason, farmers often prefer to (21)…………… vegetables in valleys. Animals also like to live there because they can easily find food and water.
In winter, the weather in a valley is often warmer than on top of a mountain. Cold winds cannot easily reach the (22)…………… , so the animals there feel very (23)…………… . Valleys are beautiful places, and many tourists visit them to (24)…………… for a long walk in nature.
19 A between B among C middle
20 A takes B spends C keeps
21 A grow B keep C make
22 A bottom B floor C ground
23 A safe B careful C sure
24 A go B do C make
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (between): We use the preposition "between" to describe a place that separates two things (two mountains). We use "among" for a group of more than two things, and "middle" requires a different grammatical structure ("in the middle of").
20 A (takes): We use the phrase "it takes" to talk about how much time is needed for something to happen. We use "spends" when a person or animal actively uses time (e.g., people spend time), and "keeps" does not collocate with time in this way.
21 A (grow): We use the verb "grow" to talk about planting and producing plants or vegetables. Farmers might "keep" animals or "make" a product, but they "grow" crops.
22 A (bottom): The lowest part of a deep space like a valley or the sea is called the "bottom". A "floor" is the surface you walk on inside a building, and the "ground" is too general to specifically describe the lowest point of the valley.
23 A (safe): This relies on the broader context of the sentence. Because the cold winds cannot reach them, the animals are protected from the bad weather and feel "safe". "Careful" means trying to avoid a mistake, and "sure" means feeling certain.
24 A (go): The standard English collocation is to "go for a walk". We do not say "do for a walk" or "make for a walk".
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Soil
Soil is the soft, dark layer of ground that covers our planet. It is usually (19)…………… or black, and it feels wet and heavy after it rains. Soil is very important because plants need it to (20)…………… tall and strong. Without good soil, farmers cannot produce enough food for everyone on (21)…………… .
Many tiny animals live deep inside the dirt. If you look closely, you can often find (22)…………… moving slowly through it. These small animals do a very useful (23)…………… . They mix the earth and make little holes so water can easily go down to the roots. It is always a good (24)…………… to leave these helpful creatures alone when you see them in your garden.
19 A brown B clear C clean
20 A grow B build C make
21 A Earth B world C space
22 A worms B birds C fish
23 A job B turn C piece
24 A idea B plan C rule
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (brown): 'Brown' is the correct semantic fit for the natural colour of dirt. 'Clear' means you can see through it (like glass), and 'clean' means free from dirt; neither describes the colour of the ground.
20 A (grow): 'Grow' is the correct semantic fit to describe plants naturally getting bigger. 'Build' is used for structures like houses, and 'make' requires hands or tools; plants do not 'build' or 'make' themselves tall.
21 A (Earth): 'On Earth' is a fixed phrase-level structure meaning everywhere on our planet. We must say 'in the world' (not 'on'), and 'space' is outside our planet.
22 A (worms): In this broader context, 'worms' are the correct animals that live slowly moving deep inside the dirt. 'Birds' fly in the sky, and 'fish' live in the water.
23 A (job): 'Do a job' is a strong, natural English collocation used to describe completing a useful task or work. We do not say 'do a turn' or 'do a piece' in this sentence structure.
24 A (idea): 'A good idea' is a very common English collocation used when giving advice or talking about a smart choice. A 'plan' refers to a future schedule, and a 'rule' is a strict instruction.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Interesting Peninsulas
Our planet is full of interesting natural shapes. One of these is called a peninsula. This is a special piece of land that has water on three sides. However, it is still (19)…………… of a larger piece of land.
There are many famous peninsulas in the world. For example, Italy is a very large peninsula. If you look at a map, it (20)…………… like a long boot reaching into the sea. Because they have so much water around them, peninsulas usually have beautiful sandy beaches. This makes them popular places for people to (21)…………… their summer holidays.
Many people sometimes (22)…………… that a peninsula is an island. But an island has water all around it. The best thing about a peninsula is that you do not (23)…………… a boat to visit one. You can usually just drive there along the (24)…………… !
19 A part B piece C member
20 A looks B seems C shows
21 A spend B pass C do
22 A think B decide C hope
23 A need B want C keep
24 A coast B beach C bank
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (part): This tests phrase-level meaning. We use the phrase "part of" to describe something that belongs to a larger whole. "Piece" usually describes a physical object that has been broken off or cut (like a piece of cake), and "member" is only used for people or animals in a group.
20 A (looks): This tests a very common collocation. The phrase "looks like" is used to describe when something has a similar shape or appearance to something else. We do not use "seems" or "shows" in this specific phrase.
21 A (spend): This tests a highly frequent A2 collocation. In English, we use the verb "spend" to talk about passing time or having a holiday. We do not use the verbs "pass" or "do" with holidays in this way.
22 A (think): This tests semantic fit. The sentence describes people having an incorrect idea in their head, making "think" the logical choice. "Decide" means to make a choice, and "hope" describes wanting something good to happen, neither of which fits making a geographical mistake.
23 A (need): This tests broader context. The next sentence explains that you can simply drive to a peninsula. Because driving is possible, taking a boat over the water is not necessary, meaning you do not "need" one. "Want" does not fit the logic of explaining how transport works here.
24 A (coast): This tests semantic fit. The general area of land next to the sea, where towns and roads are built, is called the "coast". A "beach" is the specific sandy area where people sit or swim (you do not usually drive a car on it), and a "bank" is the side of a river.