A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Active Assistants 1
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Active Assistants
Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Gym Assistant
Sixteen-year-old Eva writes about her weekend job.
Sixteen-year-old Eva loves sports and being healthy. Last month, she got a weekend job at a busy local gym in her town. She doesn't teach the sports classes. Instead, her job is to keep the gym clean and tidy. She wipes the machines after people use them, and she organizes the heavy weights so everything looks nice.
Last Saturday morning, the gym was completely full. Eva was working hard. First, she cleaned all the running machines carefully. Then, she walked into the room where people lift weights. She noticed that a customer had left a few things on the floor.
Eva wanted to tidy the room quickly. She saw a very large 20-kilogram weight lying on the ground. She tried to pick it up and carry it to the shelf by herself. But the metal weight was much too heavy for her. She couldn't hold it, and it suddenly fell from her hands. It hit the floor with a very loud noise! Everyone stopped doing their exercise and looked at her.
Eva felt quite worried. Luckily, a friendly gym instructor called David heard the noise and ran over. David was very strong, and he easily picked up the heavy weight. He put it safely in its correct place on the shelf. He wasn't angry, but he told Eva she must be careful.
Eva was very glad that David was there. She still enjoys her weekend job, but she learned an important lesson that day. Next time, she is going to ask someone for help before she tries to move anything that is too heavy!
14 What is Eva's job at the gym?
A to lift the heavy weights with the customers
B to clean the equipment and tidy the rooms
C to teach the sports classes at the weekend
15 What did Eva do first on Saturday morning?
A She washed the machines people use for running.
B She left some things on the floor of the gym.
C She walked into the weight room to do some exercise.
16 What was the problem with the 20-kilogram weight?
A Someone put it on the wrong shelf in the room.
B It broke when it hit the ground with a loud noise.
C It was too difficult for Eva to hold on her own.
17 How did David help Eva?
A He angrily told her to be more careful.
B He picked up the weight and put it away for her.
C He showed her how to lift the heavy weight safely.
18 What is Eva planning to do in the future?
A get someone to help her with very heavy objects
B stop working at the local gym at the weekends
C leave the very heavy objects lying on the floor
Answer Key & Explanations
14 B - Explanation: In paragraph 1, the text says her job is to "keep the gym clean and tidy" and she "wipes the machines" and "organizes the heavy weights". This matches cleaning the equipment and tidying the rooms. Option A is wrong logic; she organizes the weights, but she doesn't lift them with the customers. Option C is the opposite of the truth; the text explicitly states she "doesn't teach the sports classes."
15 A - Explanation: Paragraph 2 explains that "First, she cleaned all the running machines carefully." Washing the machines people use for running is a direct paraphrase. Option B is a wrong person trap; a customer left things on the floor, not Eva. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she walked into the room to tidy it up, not to do exercise herself.
16 C - Explanation: In paragraph 3, the text states that the weight "was much too heavy for her. She couldn't hold it". This matches being too difficult for her to hold on her own. Option A is a wrong fact trap; the weight was on the floor, not on the wrong shelf. Option B uses partial truth; it hit the ground with a loud noise, but it didn't break.
17 B - Explanation: Paragraph 4 says David "easily picked up the heavy weight" and "put it safely in its correct place on the shelf." Option A is the opposite of the truth (wrong logic); the text specifically says "He wasn't angry." Option C is wrong logic; David lifted the weight himself, he didn't give Eva a lesson on how to lift it safely.
18 A - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Eva says she is going to "ask someone for help before she tries to move anything that is too heavy!" Getting someone to help her is a paraphrase of asking someone for help. Option B is wrong logic because the text says she "still enjoys her weekend job," so she isn't stopping. Option C is wrong logic; she won't leave them on the floor, she will just ask for help to move them.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The pink football shirts
14-year-old Finn writes about a funny mistake he made after a sports match.
Hi, I’m Finn, and I’m 14 years old. I play for my school football team. We usually wear white shirts for our games. Last Saturday, we had a very important match. It rained all morning, so the sports field was extremely muddy. After the game, all our beautiful white shirts were completely brown and dirty.
Our coach usually washes the clothes, but he was very busy. I wanted to be helpful, so I asked to take the heavy bag of shirts home. I felt very proud to do this important job for the team. When I got home, I put all the clothes into the washing machine immediately.
However, I made a very silly mistake. I didn't check the machine carefully before I closed the door. I accidentally dropped one of my bright red football socks inside with the white shirts! I turned the machine on and went to watch television. When the washing finished, I opened the door and had a terrible surprise.
Because of the red sock, the hot water changed the colour of the clothes. All the team's white shirts were now light pink! I felt really worried about this. I thought my friends would be very angry with me because the clothes looked so different.
The next day, I took the pink shirts to our football practice. When the players saw them, they didn't get angry at all. They just laughed and thought it was very funny. We actually wore the pink shirts for our next match and we won! I feel much happier now, but I am definitely going to check all the socks next time!
14 Why were the team's shirts so dirty on Saturday?
A The ground they played on was very wet.
B The team decided to wear brown shirts for the game.
C The players had to stand in the rain all morning.
15 Why did Finn take the bag of shirts home?
A to wash a heavy bag that was completely brown
B to show his coach that he was a very proud person
C to do a job for the team's busy coach
16 What mistake did Finn make?
A He forgot to close the door of the washing machine.
B He put an extra piece of clothing in the machine.
C He watched television instead of washing the shirts.
17 How did Finn feel when he opened the washing machine?
A angry that the hot water broke the machine
B surprised that the shirts were still brown and dirty
C afraid that his teammates would be upset with him
18 What is Finn planning to do in the future?
A look more carefully before he washes things
B buy some new white shirts for his team
C ask the team to always wear pink shirts
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: The text states that "It rained all morning, so the sports field was extremely muddy" which made the shirts brown and dirty (the ground was wet). Option B is a wrong logic trap: the white shirts became brown because of the mud; they didn't decide to wear brown shirts. Option C is a partial truth trap: it rained all morning, but the text doesn't say the players stood in it all morning.
15 C - Explanation: The text says the coach "was very busy. I wanted to be helpful, so I asked to take the heavy bag of shirts home" (do a job for the busy coach). Option A is a wrong reference trap: he took the bag home to wash the shirts inside it, not to wash the bag itself. Option B is a wrong logic trap: he felt proud to do the job, but he didn't do it just to show his coach he was proud.
16 B - Explanation: Finn explains that he "accidentally dropped one of my bright red football socks inside with the white shirts" (put an extra piece of clothing in the machine). Option A is a wrong logic trap: he says he didn't check carefully before he closed the door, he didn't forget to close it. Option C is a wrong logic trap: he turned the machine on to wash the shirts and then watched television.
17 C - Explanation: The text says Finn felt really worried and thought "my friends would be very angry with me" (afraid his teammates would be upset). Option A is a wrong logic trap: the hot water changed the clothes, but it didn't break the machine. Option B is a wrong reference trap: he was surprised because the shirts were pink, not because they were still brown.
18 A - Explanation: In the final sentence, Finn says, "I am definitely going to check all the socks next time!" (look more carefully before he washes things). Option B is a wrong logic trap: he says he is happy now and his friends liked the shirts, so he isn't planning to buy new white ones. Option C is a partial truth trap: they wore the pink shirts for their next match, but he never says he will ask them to always wear them.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A long morning at the city marathon
15-year-old Gina writes about her weekend job as a volunteer.
Hi, I'm Gina, and I'm 15 years old. Last weekend, there was a big sports event in my city. Thousands of people came to run in the city marathon. I didn't run in the race, but I had a very important job. I was a volunteer, and my responsibility was to hand out cups of water to the tired runners. I decided to write this blog to tell you what it is like to do this job.
There are lots of great things about being a volunteer. My favourite part of the morning was watching the athletes. Some of them ran very fast, and others looked quite slow and tired. It felt wonderful to smile and cheer for them while they ran past my table. When I gave them a cup of cold water, they always looked so happy and said thank you.
However, the work was also really difficult. The marathon is a very long race, so I had to stand behind my table for four hours. I couldn't sit down at all. By the end of the morning, my back and my feet ached terribly. I was completely exhausted when I finally went home, and I just wanted to sleep!
Because of that hard morning, I learned a very useful lesson. If you ever want to volunteer at a sports event, my advice is simple. You must always wear your softest running shoes. Do not wear old boots or hard shoes, because your feet will hurt too much. Good shoes will keep you comfortable, and you will enjoy the day a lot more!
14 What did Gina do at the city marathon?
A She gave drinks to the people in the race.
B She ran a long way with the other athletes.
C She sold water to the people watching the sports.
15 What did Gina enjoy most about her morning?
A drinking cold water when she felt tired
B encouraging the people who were running
C saying thank you to the other volunteers
16 Why did Gina's body hurt at the end of the job?
A She had to carry a heavy table to the race.
B She couldn't sleep well the night before.
C She had to stay on her feet for a long time.
17 What does Gina advise new volunteers to do?
A Take off their shoes when their feet hurt.
B Put on the most comfortable shoes they have.
C Buy some new boots to wear for the day.
18 What is Gina doing in this text?
A explaining how to train for a long city race
B describing her experience of helping at an event
C asking readers to bring her water at the next marathon
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In paragraph 1, Gina explains that she was a volunteer and her job was "to hand out cups of water to the tired runners" (gave drinks to the people in the race). B is the opposite of the truth because she explicitly says "I didn't run in the race". C is a wrong reference trap; she gave water to the runners, she didn't sell it to people watching.
15 B - Explanation: In paragraph 2, Gina says her favourite part was watching the athletes and that "It felt wonderful to smile and cheer for them" (encouraging the people). A is a wrong reference trap; she gave cold water to the tired runners, but the text doesn't say she drank it herself. C is a wrong reference trap; the runners said thank you to her, not the other way around.
16 C - Explanation: In paragraph 3, Gina explains her feet and back ached because "I had to stand behind my table for four hours. I couldn't sit down at all" (stay on her feet for a long time). A is a wrong logic trap; she stood behind a table, but she didn't carry it. B is a wrong timeline trap; she wanted to sleep after the event because she was exhausted, not the night before.
17 B - Explanation: In paragraph 4, Gina's simple advice is that "You must always wear your softest running shoes" (the most comfortable shoes). A is a wrong logic trap; she tells you what to wear so your feet don't hurt, but she doesn't tell you to take them off. C is the opposite of the text; she explicitly warns readers, "Do not wear old boots".
18 B - Explanation: Throughout the blog, Gina writes about what it was like to be a volunteer handing out water, including what she loved, what made her tired, and her final advice. A is a wrong logic trap; the text is about a marathon, but she doesn't teach anyone how to run or train for one. C is a wrong reference trap; she handed out water to others, she isn't asking for water for herself.