A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – History & Origins of Food 8
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – History & Origins of Food
Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The History of Salt
Salt is something we use every day to make our food taste better, but it has a very interesting history. Most of the salt we eat comes from the (19)…………… , but people also find it under the ground in large (20)…………… .
A long time ago, salt was very difficult to get. Because of this, it was very (21)…………… to buy. In some countries, people even used it as money! Before we had fridges, salt was very important for (22)…………… meat fresh for a long time.
Without salt, people could not travel long distances (23)…………… they had no food to take with them. Today, salt is cheap and easy to find in supermarkets. It is still a very (24)…………… part of our daily meals all over the world.
19 A ocean B river C beach
20 A rocks B hills C stones
21 A high B rich C expensive
22 A keeping B holding C making
23 A because B so C but
24 A famous B important C favourite
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (ocean): This relies on semantic fit. Salt water naturally comes from the sea or 'ocean'. A 'river' has fresh water, and a 'beach' is made of sand, not the water itself.
20 A (rocks): This tests semantic fit. Large, hard, natural formations of salt found underground are called 'rocks'. 'Stones' are small pieces you can hold in your hand, and 'hills' are raised areas above the ground.
21 C (expensive): This requires understanding the broader context. The text says salt was difficult to get, which means it cost a lot of money to buy (expensive). Objects cannot be 'rich' (only people or land can be), and prices can be 'high', but the item itself is not 'high to buy'.
22 A (keeping): This tests a strong A2 collocation. 'Keep something fresh' is the correct fixed phrase for making sure food does not go bad. 'Holding' means to carry something in your hands, and 'making' implies turning bad meat fresh again, which is impossible.
23 A (because): This tests phrase-level meaning. The conjunction 'because' is needed here to introduce the reason why people could not travel long distances (they had no food). 'So' introduces a result, and 'but' introduces a contrast.
24 B (important): This tests a collocation/noun phrase. 'An important part' is a very common fixed phrase meaning something is necessary. A basic ingredient like salt is not 'famous' (which is for people or places), and 'favourite' does not fit the factual, necessary tone of the sentence.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Where Do Bananas Come From?
Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world. People love them because they are sweet and have a bright (19)…………… skin. But where do these delicious fruits come from?
Bananas cannot live in cold places. They need a lot of sun and very (20)…………… weather to survive. For this reason, farmers (21)…………… a lot of time growing them in warm countries like India and Brazil. The plants look like tall trees, but their stems are actually very (22)…………… and full of water.
When the fruit is ready, it does not grow one by one. Bananas grow together in large (23)…………… of up to one hundred! Farmers cut the fruit while it is still green. Because the bananas have a long (24)…………… across the sea, they turn yellow later. They are perfect when they finally arrive at your supermarket.
19 A yellow B blonde C pale
20 A hot B heavy C busy
21 A spend B make C do
22 A soft B kind C lazy
23 A bunches B teams C clubs
24 A journey B way C street
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (yellow): Semantically, "yellow" is the correct colour to describe a banana's skin. "Blonde" is strictly used for hair colour, and "pale" means very light or lacking colour, which does not match the word "bright".
20 A (hot): "Hot weather" is the correct natural collocation for describing a warm, sunny climate. In English, we say "heavy" rain or snow, but we do not say heavy weather, and "busy" describes people or places, not the weather.
21 A (spend): "Spend time" is a correct and very common fixed collocation. You do not "make time" or "do time" when talking about using your hours to complete a farming activity.
22 A (soft): Semantically, "soft" is the correct adjective to describe the physical feeling of a plant that is full of water. "Kind" and "lazy" are personality adjectives used only for people or animals, not plants.
23 A (bunches): At a phrase level, "bunches" is the correct specific vocabulary word used for a group of bananas growing together. "Teams" and "clubs" are groups of people who play sports or share hobbies.
24 A (journey): Based on the broader context of travelling "across the sea", "journey" is the only correct noun. A "street" is a road inside a town or city, and a "way" usually refers to a direction or method, not a physical trip across an ocean.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The History of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a very popular food that people love to eat all over the world. People make it by pressing small (19)…………… together until they become a thick cream.
A long time ago, in the 1890s, an American (20)…………… had a clever idea. He wanted to prepare a new food for his sick patients. They had bad teeth and could not eat hard meals. Because of this, he needed something that was very (21)…………… to eat.
Soon, other people tasted the peanut butter and loved it. Today, millions of families enjoy putting it on their (22)…………… for breakfast. Eating this snack is a good way to stay (23)…………… because it (24)…………… you a lot of energy for the day. You can also mix it with sweet jam for a tasty afternoon treat.
19 A vegetables B leaves C nuts
20 A farmer B doctor C cook
21 A soft B weak C slow
22 A meat B bread C soup
23 A safe B healthy C fresh
24 A gives B makes C does
Answer Key & Explanations
19 C (nuts): This is a semantic fit. Peanut butter is made by crushing peanuts, which belong to the 'nuts' family in everyday language. We do not press 'vegetables' or 'leaves' to make this food.
20 B (doctor): This fits the broader context. The next sentence explains that he made the food for his "sick patients". A 'doctor' cares for patients, while a 'farmer' grows crops and a 'cook' makes food for customers, not medical patients.
21 A (soft): This fits the phrase-level meaning. The text contrasts this new food with "hard meals". The direct opposite of hard is 'soft'. 'Weak' describes a lack of physical strength in a person, and 'slow' describes speed.
22 B (bread): This is a semantic fit. Peanut butter is a spread that families typically put on 'bread' for a morning meal. 'Meat' and 'soup' are not usual breakfast items that you would cover in a sweet spread.
23 B (healthy): This is a collocation. The standard English phrase for keeping your body in good condition by eating well is to "stay healthy". You "stay safe" from danger, and "fresh" is an adjective used to describe the food itself, not the person eating it.
24 A (gives): This is a strong collocation. In English, when food provides power to your body, we say it 'gives' you energy. We do not say it 'makes' you energy or 'does' energy.