A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – History of Transport & Unusual Travel 4
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – History of Transport & Unusual Travel
Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Traveling on a Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a very unusual type of transport. It does not have wheels like a normal car or bus. Instead, it travels by (19)…………… just above the ground. This means it can move over dry land, ice, and deep (20)…………… without any problems.
When you ride on a hovercraft, the journey is exciting. The machine has large fans that push the (21)…………… downwards. Because these fans are so powerful, the hovercraft can go very (22)…………… across the sea. However, it is a good idea to cover your ears. The big engines make it a very (23)…………… way to travel.
Many people use hovercrafts when they go on holiday. You should always (24)…………… your tickets early because these trips are very popular. It is a wonderful way to begin a fun adventure with your family!
19 A floating B sailing C driving
20 A water B ground C earth
21 A air B wind C weather
22 A fast B quick C early
23 A noisy B angry C busy
24 A buy B pay C cost
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (floating): At a phrase level, a hovercraft travels by "floating" in the air just above the surface. You "sail" a boat on the water and "drive" a car using wheels.
20 A (water): Based on the broader context of the adjectives "dry" and "deep," "water" is the correct choice. We say "deep water," but we do not usually describe the "ground" or "earth" as being deep to travel over in this way.
21 A (air): Semantically, fans are machines that push "air." "Wind" is air that moves naturally outside, and "weather" refers to the general condition of the sky and temperature.
22 A (fast): "Go fast" is the correct natural collocation for a vehicle traveling at high speed. "Quick" usually describes an action that takes a short time to finish, and "early" relates to time, not speed.
23 A (noisy): Semantically, "a noisy way to travel" matches the previous sentence about covering your ears because of the big engines. A machine cannot be "angry," and a way of traveling is not described as "busy" just because of the engine sound.
24 A (buy): "Buy tickets" is the correct vocabulary and verb pattern when you get something in exchange for money. You use money to "pay for" something, and a ticket "costs" money, but you do not "cost" a ticket.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The First Bicycles
The bicycle is a very popular way to travel today. However, early bicycles looked very different from the ones we use now. One of the most famous designs was the penny farthing, which people used in the (19)…………… . This unusual machine had a very (20)…………… wheel at the front and a small one at the back.
Because the front part was so large, the rider had to sit very (21)…………… up in the air. This made the bicycle quite dangerous if the person fell off. It was also extremely (22)…………… to climb up onto the seat.
For this reason, many people did not enjoy (23)…………… them on small country roads. Today, you do not see penny farthings on the street, but you can still look at a real wooden (24)…………… from one of these amazing machines in a history museum.
19 A history B time C past
20 A deep B big C heavy
21 A long B high C tall
22 A careful B busy C difficult
23 A driving B riding C sailing
24 A wheel B circle C ring
Answer Key & Explanations
19 C (past): "In the past" is a very strong, fixed vocabulary collocation in English used to describe time before now. You cannot say "in the history" or "in the time" in this context.
20 B (big): "Big" is the correct semantic fit to describe the large size of the bicycle part. "Heavy" describes how much something weighs, and "deep" is used for water or holes in the ground, not a bicycle.
21 B (high): This requires broader context comprehension. Because the front part of the machine was "so large", the rider was lifted far off the ground, sitting "high up". We use "tall" for the height of a person or building from the ground, and "long" for distance.
22 C (difficult): This tests phrase-level meaning. The text explains that the bicycle was dangerous and had a seat very far up in the air. Therefore, trying to climb onto it was a "difficult" task. "Careful" and "busy" describe people, not the action of climbing.
23 B (riding): "Riding" is the correct standard collocation for traveling on a bicycle, horse, or motorbike. You use "driving" for a car, bus, or train, and "sailing" for a boat on the water.
24 A (wheel): This is a semantic fit based on the broader context of the text. The text specifically discusses the large and small round parts of the bicycle. The correct mechanical word for this is a "wheel". A "circle" is just a shape on paper, and a "ring" is jewellery you wear on your finger.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Travelling to the Moon
People have always looked up at the night sky and dreamed about travelling to the moon. When the sun goes down, you can see millions of bright (19)…………… shining in the dark. For a long time, we did not have the right machines to travel there.
A trip into space is very difficult. A normal airplane cannot fly high enough. You need a special vehicle called a (20)…………… . These amazing machines are very powerful and can fly incredibly (21)…………… through the sky. When they are (22)…………… the ground, they make a very loud noise and a lot of fire.
The brave men and women who travel in these machines are called (23)…………… . They wear special suits to stay safe when they are far from Earth. Today, humans are planning to visit the moon again soon. Maybe one day, you will (24)…………… a trip into space, too!
19 A clouds B moons C stars
20 A rocket B helicopter C balloon
21 A fast B hard C heavy
22 A missing B leaving C dropping
23 A pilots B drivers C astronauts
24 A take B make C do
Answer Key & Explanations
19 C (stars): This tests semantic fit. "Stars" are the natural objects that shine brightly in their millions at night. Earth only has one "moon", and "clouds" do not shine in the dark.
20 A (rocket): This relies on the broader context of the paragraph. The text discusses a "special vehicle" for travelling into space because airplanes cannot go high enough. This describes a "rocket", not a "helicopter" or a "balloon".
21 A (fast): This tests semantic fit and collocation. "Fast" correctly describes the high speed of the machine as it moves through the sky. "Hard" and "heavy" do not naturally describe the speed of flight.
22 B (leaving): This tests phrase-level meaning. When the space vehicle goes up into the air, it is departing or "leaving" the ground. "Missing" means you cannot find something, and "dropping" means falling down, which does not fit the upward movement.
23 C (astronauts): This tests semantic fit within a specific context. The professionals who travel in space machines are specifically called "astronauts". "Pilots" fly standard airplanes, and "drivers" control cars or buses on the road.
24 A (take): This tests collocation. "Take a trip" is the correct and highly common A2-level phrase for going on a journey. In natural English, we do not "make" or "do" a trip.