A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Young Explorers, Travelers & Adventurers 3
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Young Explorers, Travelers & Adventurers
Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teen Arctic Explorer
Leo Davis is a fifteen-year-old boy from Canada, and he loves extreme winter adventures. Last year, he travelled to the Arctic with a small group of explorers. Before they left, they had to (19)…………… months preparing for the journey.
The Arctic is a beautiful place, but the weather is always very (20)…………… . Leo had to wear a thick jacket and heavy boots every day. The group walked for many hours across the deep, white (21)…………… . It was hard work, but Leo was very good (22)…………… pulling his heavy bags over the frozen ground.
During the trip, Leo saw some amazing wildlife. He was lucky enough to see a large (23)…………… bear catching fish in the sea. He also loved to (24)…………… lots of photos to show his family at home. One day, he hopes to visit the South Pole.
19 A spend B take C hold
20 A dark B dry C cold
21 A sand B snow C dust
22 A in B at C on
23 A brown B polar C black
24 A make B take C catch
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (spend): This tests a standard A2 collocation. When talking about a person using time to do an activity, the correct verb is 'spend' (they spend months preparing). The verb 'take' is used differently (e.g., it takes months), and you do not 'hold' time.
20 C (cold): This is a semantic fit. The sentence immediately after mentions wearing a "thick jacket and heavy boots." The only weather condition that requires this type of clothing is 'cold'. While the Arctic can be 'dark' or 'dry', these do not explain the heavy winter clothing.
21 B (snow): This requires understanding the broader context and semantic fit. The text describes a frozen, wintery environment in the Arctic. The correct ground covering that is "deep" and "white" in this setting is 'snow'. 'Sand' and 'dust' do not fit the freezing Arctic context.
22 B (at): This tests phrase-level meaning. When talking about a person's skill or ability, the correct preposition to use after the adjective 'good' is 'at' (e.g., good at reading, good at pulling). We do not say 'good in' or 'good on' for personal skills.
23 B (polar): This requires understanding the broader context of the text. The expedition is taking place in the Arctic, and the bear is catching fish in the sea. The correct type of bear that lives in this icy environment is a 'polar' bear. 'Brown' and 'black' bears live in forests.
24 B (take): This tests a strong collocation. The correct fixed English expression for using a camera to capture images is to 'take photos'. We do not use the verbs 'make' or 'catch' to form this phrase.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Young Shipwreck Diver
Leo is a fifteen-year-old boy from Australia, and his favourite hobby is scuba diving. Last summer, he went on an amazing trip to explore an old shipwreck at the (19)…………… of the sea. The large wooden ship sank over a hundred years (20)…………… , and it is now covered in beautiful green plants.
Lots of colourful sea animals live inside the ship today. When Leo swims through the dark water, he often takes amazing (21)…………… of the fish with his waterproof camera. Sometimes, he can (22)…………… small sharks swimming slowly through the broken windows.
Diving deep underwater can be quite dangerous, so Leo always has to (23)…………… close to his older diving instructor. He loves finding old cups and plates in the sand, (24)…………… he never brings anything up to the beach. He wants to leave the shipwreck exactly as he found it.
19 A back B end C bottom
20 A past B before C ago
21 A photos B drawings C paintings
22 A watch B look C see
23 A stand B stay C hold
24 A because B so C but
Answer Key & Explanations
19 C (bottom): The lowest part of the sea or ocean is called the 'bottom'. The 'end' is used for a line or a period of time, and the 'back' is the part behind something.
20 C (ago): We use 'ago' with a period of time in the past simple (e.g., a hundred years ago) to show how far back in time something happened. 'Past' and 'before' do not fit this grammatical structure.
21 A (photos): The correct collocation for using a camera is to 'take photos' (or pictures). 'Drawings' and 'paintings' are created with pencils or paint, not a camera.
22 C (see): You 'see' things when you notice them naturally with your eyes, which fits the ability word 'can'. 'Look' requires the preposition 'at' (look at small sharks), and 'watch' means to stare at something carefully for a long time.
23 B (stay): The correct phrase is to 'stay close', which means to remain near someone for safety. 'Stand' means being upright on your feet (which he cannot do while swimming), and 'hold' requires an object (hold something).
24 C (but): This conjunction is needed to show a clear contrast between his love for finding old objects and the fact that he never takes them. 'Because' gives a reason, and 'so' shows a result.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Teenage Hiker
Leo is fifteen years old and he loves exploring nature. Last summer, he decided to walk along a famous hiking trail in the mountains. He went with his father, and the journey took a whole month.
When you walk for a long distance, you must wear strong (19)…………… on your feet so you do not hurt them. Leo also carried a heavy (20)…………… on his back with all his clothes and food inside. During the trip, they woke up very early every morning. Leo always looked at his paper map to (21)…………… sure they did not get lost in the forest.
Hiking for thirty days is not an (22)…………… thing to do. Sometimes Leo felt very tired, (23)…………… he never wanted to stop walking. He loved sleeping in a tent and waking up to the sound of the birds. He hopes to (24)…………… part in another long walk next year.
19 A boots B gloves C helmets
20 A backpack B pocket C wallet
21 A make B do C get
22 A easy B soft C light
23 A but B so C because
24 A take B play C have
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (boots): This word correctly fits the semantic meaning of strong clothing worn on your feet for walking. You wear "gloves" on your hands and "helmets" on your head, so they do not fit the context.
20 A (backpack): A "backpack" is the correct bag worn on your back to carry large things like clothes and food. A "pocket" is a small part of your trousers, and a "wallet" is used only for money, so neither can hold clothes and food.
21 A (make): "Make sure" is a common set collocation that means to check or confirm that you are safe or correct. You cannot say "do sure" or "get sure" in English.
22 A (easy): "Easy" is the correct adjective to describe an activity that is not difficult. "Soft" describes something that is not physically hard (like a bed), and "light" means not heavy, so neither fits the phrase-level meaning of doing a long hike.
23 A (but): This conjunction is needed for the broader context to show a contrast: Leo was very tired, but (despite this) he never wanted to stop. "So" shows a result, and "because" shows a reason.
24 A (take): "Take part" is a fixed English collocation meaning to join in or participate in an activity or event. "Play part" and "have part" are incorrect in this phrase structure.