A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – History of Transport & Unusual Travel 6
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 by Gondola in Venice
Venice is a very famous city in Italy. Because it is built on small islands, it does not have normal streets. Instead, it has canals full of (19)…………… , so you cannot drive a car there.
The best way to see the beautiful buildings is in a gondola, which is a traditional black (20)…………… . Every day, thousands of tourists (21)…………… a short trip in one of these to explore the city.
The person who drives it is called a gondolier. They do not sit down like a normal driver. Instead, they move it by (22)…………… at the back and pushing a long piece of wood. Because there is no machine or engine, the journey is very (23)…………… . This is perfect for looking around and taking photos. Many couples visit Venice because a gondola ride is a very (24)…………… way to enjoy the afternoon.
19 A water B ground C earth
20 A boat B ship C bus
21 A take B make C do
22 A standing B resting C waiting
23 A slow B fast C early
24 A romantic B careful C kind
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (water): Based on the broader context of the text, Venice has "canals" instead of streets, meaning you must travel on "water". You do not travel on "ground" or "earth" in a canal.
20 A (boat): Semantically, a gondola is a type of "boat". It is too small to be a "ship" (which is used for oceans), and a "bus" is driven on the road.
21 A (take): "Take a trip" is the correct fixed collocation for going on a short journey. In English, we do not use the verbs "make" or "do" with a trip.
22 A (standing): At a phrase level, the text notes that the driver "does not sit down". The correct action used to push the vehicle is "standing". "Resting" and "waiting" do not make sense for someone actively moving a boat.
23 A (slow): Based on the broader context of having "no machine or engine", the vehicle moves without mechanical power, meaning it is "slow". This contradicts "fast", and "early" refers to time, not speed.
24 A (romantic): Semantically, an activity designed for "couples" is correctly described as "romantic". A gondola ride cannot be described as "careful" or "kind", as these adjectives describe human personalities.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Story of the Titanic
The Titanic is one of the most famous ships in history. In the (19)…………… , people did not have airplanes, so they used large ships to travel to different countries. The Titanic was a (20)…………… ship, and it could carry thousands of people.
In 1912, it began its first (21)…………… from England to America. The captain and the travellers felt very happy as they moved across the cold, blue (22)…………… . Everyone believed the new ship was completely safe.
However, on a very dark night, the ship hit a large, white piece of (23)…………… in the water. The damage was very bad, and the ship quickly began (24)…………… . Today, people still read books and watch movies about this famous story.
19 A past B time C history
20 A high B huge C tall
21 A transport B tour C journey
22 A ocean B lake C river
23 A cloud B ice C snow
24 A dropping B falling C sinking
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (past): "In the past" is a very strong, fixed vocabulary collocation used to describe the time before now. You cannot say "in the time" or "in the history" without adding extra words.
20 B (huge): This is the correct semantic fit to describe something extremely large. We use "tall" for the vertical height of a person or a building from the ground, and "high" describes a position far up in the air.
21 C (journey): This tests phrase-level semantic fit. Traveling from one country to another over a long distance is a "journey". A "tour" involves visiting many different places for a holiday, and "transport" is a general word for vehicles, not the trip itself.
22 A (ocean): This requires broader context comprehension. The text states the ship was travelling from "England to America". These two places are separated by the Atlantic "ocean". A "lake" or a "river" is much too small for this kind of international travel.
23 B (ice): This tests phrase-level meaning and context. "Ice" is frozen water that can float as hard, white pieces in a cold sea and cause damage. "Snow" is soft and does not break ships, and a "cloud" is up in the sky.
24 C (sinking): "Sinking" is the correct semantic fit for the action of a boat or ship going down under the water. "Falling" and "dropping" are used for objects moving quickly through the air down to the ground.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Riding a Snowmobile
Riding a snowmobile is an exciting way to travel when the weather is very cold. These machines are like motorcycles, but they are specially made for travelling on thick (19)…………… . They do not have wheels. Instead, they have wide tracks at the back and skis at the front to help them move smoothly.
Every snowmobile has a powerful (20)…………… inside it. This means they can travel very (21)…………… across long, white fields. People often use them during the (22)…………… months to explore beautiful forests and mountains.
However, it is very important to be careful. Before you start (23)…………… , you must put on warm clothes and a strong helmet. This helps you to stay (24)…………… on your journey. Riding a snowmobile is fun, but you always need to watch the path ahead.
19 A rain B snow C ice
20 A engine B battery C heater
21 A slow B late C fast
22 A winter B summer C spring
23 A driving B flying C sailing
24 A safe B careful C well
Answer Key & Explanations
19 B (snow): This tests semantic fit. Skis and tracks are designed specifically to travel on "thick snow". "Rain" is liquid, and while it is cold, you do not travel on "thick ice" with skis.
20 A (engine): This tests semantic fit. An "engine" is the main part inside a vehicle that gives it power to move. While a snowmobile might have a "battery" or a "heater", the engine is what logically makes it "powerful" and able to travel.
21 C (fast): This tests phrase-level meaning. Because the text just mentioned the vehicle has a "powerful engine", the logical speed it travels at is "fast". "Slow" means the opposite, and "late" refers to arriving after a certain time, not speed.
22 A (winter): This tests collocation and broader context. "Winter months" is a natural English collocation. Additionally, because snowmobiles require snow and cold weather, they are used in "winter", not "summer" or "spring".
23 A (driving): This relies on the broader context of the paragraph. A snowmobile is a land vehicle, so the correct action for controlling it is "driving" (or riding). You would be "flying" an airplane or "sailing" a boat.
24 A (safe): This tests collocation. "Stay safe" is a highly common A2-level phrase. Wearing a strong helmet is for protection, so you are "safe". You can be a "careful" person, but the helmet itself keeps you "safe", and "well" usually means you are not sick.