A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Active Escapes 5
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Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A freezing summer swim!
14-year-old Ian writes about an exciting day in the mountains.
My name is Ian, and I am 14 years old. Last July, my family and I went on a holiday to the mountains. The weather was very hot. One day, we went on a long walk to find a beautiful, clear lake. After two hours of walking, we finally arrived. The water looked amazing, and I really wanted to go in.
My parents were very tired from the long walk, so they sat down under a tree to eat some sandwiches. But I was so hot that I couldn't wait. I quickly changed into my swimming clothes and stood on a small rock next to the water. I closed my eyes and jumped!
However, there was a big problem. The water was freezing cold! It was a big shock, and I couldn't breathe for a second. Because it was the middle of summer, I thought the water was going to be nice and warm. I was completely wrong.
I knew I had to move quickly to get warm, so I swam as fast as I could across the lake. After five minutes, I felt much better, but I decided to get out of the water. I found a warm place in the bright sun to dry off.
Actually, I felt fantastic! The cold water gave me a lot of energy for the walk back to our hotel. Next year, I am going to ask my parents to hike to the same lake. But this time, I will just put my feet in the water first!
14 How did Ian feel when they first arrived at the lake?
A He was too tired to go swimming.
B He wanted to get into the water immediately.
C He was hungry and wanted to eat his sandwiches.
15 What were Ian's parents doing when he jumped into the water?
A They were resting and having a snack.
B They were changing into their swimming clothes.
C They were standing on a rock next to the water.
16 Why was Ian surprised when he was in the water?
A He thought the lake would not be so cold.
B The water in the lake was very dirty.
C He hit a big rock at the bottom of the lake.
17 What did Ian do to feel warmer in the lake?
A He got out of the water after a few seconds.
B He swam as quickly as he could.
C He stood on a rock in the bright sun.
18 What is Ian planning to do next year?
A visit a completely different mountain lake
B jump into the water much faster
C test the water before he goes in completely
Answer Key & Explanations
14 B - Explanation: The text says, "I really wanted to go in" and in paragraph 2 he adds, "I couldn't wait." This matches wanting to get in the water immediately (Option B). Option A is wrong reference; his parents were tired from the walk, not Ian. Option C is also wrong reference; his parents ate the sandwiches, not Ian.
15 A - Explanation: Paragraph 2 says his parents "sat down under a tree to eat some sandwiches." This matches resting and having a snack (Option A). Option B is wrong reference; Ian changed into his swimming clothes, not his parents. Option C is wrong reference; Ian stood on the rock before he jumped.
16 A - Explanation: In paragraph 3, Ian says, "Because it was the middle of summer, I thought the water was going to be nice and warm. I was completely wrong." This means he didn't expect it to be so cold (Option A). Option B is wrong logic; the text says the lake was "clear," not dirty. Option C is wrong logic; he stood on a small rock to jump, but he never hit a rock in the water.
17 B - Explanation: Paragraph 4 states, "I knew I had to move quickly to get warm, so I swam as fast as I could". This matches swimming quickly (Option B). Option A is wrong logic; he couldn't breathe for a second, but he stayed in the water for five minutes, not a few seconds. Option C is a partial truth trap; he did use the bright sun to dry off, but this was after he got out of the water, not while he was in it.
18 C - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Ian says that next time, "I will just put my feet in the water first!" This matches testing the water before going in completely (Option C). Option A is a partial truth trap; he wants to go back to the same mountain lake, not a different one. Option B is wrong logic; he jumped in this time, but plans to put his feet in slowly next time.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
My first time on a paddleboard
13-year-old Jenny writes about trying a new water sport on holiday.
Hi, I’m Jenny and I am 13 years old. Last week, I went on a beach holiday with my family. The weather was beautiful, and I wanted to try a new water sport. I went to a shop near the beach and rented a large paddleboard. At first, the sea was very flat and calm. It looked like a really easy sport to do.
I carried the heavy board to the water and climbed on. I stood up slowly. I felt a bit worried, but I didn't fall. The sun was shining, and I started to push myself away from the beach with my long paddle. Everything was going perfectly, and I felt very proud of myself.
Suddenly, I heard a loud noise. A small motorboat drove past me very quickly. I didn't think about it at first, but the boat made some large waves in the water. The calm sea was suddenly moving up and down a lot. My board started to move, too. I completely lost my balance and fell into the cold water with a big splash!
I wasn't hurt, but I was very wet! I swam to the board and climbed back on. Then, I remembered some good advice from the man at the rental shop. He told me to bend my knees to keep my balance on the waves. I tried this, and it worked brilliantly. I didn't fall into the water again.
I stayed on the sea for two whole hours and had an amazing time. It is definitely my favourite water sport now. Next summer, I am going to save my pocket money to buy my own paddleboard. I also want to teach my younger brother how to do it!
14 Why did Jenny think paddleboarding would be easy?
A The water was not moving very much.
B She watched her family do the sport.
C The board from the shop was very large.
15 How did Jenny feel when she first stood on the board?
A She was a little bit afraid of falling.
B She felt angry because the board was heavy.
C She was proud of her nice new paddle.
16 What made Jenny fall into the water?
A a sudden loud noise from the beach
B some big waves from a passing boat
C moving too quickly on her board
17 What helped Jenny stay on the board after she fell?
A changing the way she stood on it
B swimming quickly back to the beach
C asking a man at the shop for help
18 What is Jenny planning to do next summer?
A learn how to do a completely new water sport
B use her own money to get a paddleboard
C ask her younger brother to teach her how to paddle
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Jenny says "the sea was very flat and calm. It looked like a really easy sport to do," which matches A. B is a wrong logic trap; she went on holiday with her family, but there is no mention of watching them do it. C is a partial truth trap; the board was large, but the text says it looked easy because the sea was calm, not because of the board's size.
15 A - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Jenny says when she stood up, "I felt a bit worried, but I didn't fall," matching A. B is a partial truth trap; she carried a heavy board, but she wasn't angry. C is a wrong logic trap using words from the text; she felt proud of herself, not her paddle.
16 B - Explanation: In the third paragraph, Jenny says a boat "made some large waves" and this made her lose her balance, matching B. A is a partial truth trap; she heard a loud noise from the boat, but the waves made her fall, not the noise. C is not mentioned in the text.
17 A - Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, Jenny says she remembered to "bend my knees to keep my balance," which means changing the way she stood (A). B is a wrong logic trap; she swam to the board, not back to the beach. C is a wrong timeline trap; the man at the shop gave her advice earlier, she didn't ask him for help while she was in the water.
18 B - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Jenny states, "Next summer, I am going to save my pocket money to buy my own paddleboard," matching B. A is a wrong logic trap; she wants to continue paddleboarding because it is her "favourite", not learn a new sport. C is a wrong reference trap; she wants to teach her brother, she doesn't want him to teach her.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Adventure over relaxation
Sixteen-year-old Kevin writes about extreme sports holidays for teenagers.
Hi, I’m Kevin and I am 16 years old. Every summer, families try to decide where to go on holiday. These days, many teenagers want to do something really exciting, like an extreme sports holiday. Instead of sitting on a quiet beach for a week, they choose to do fast activities like mountain biking. I think this is a fantastic way to spend your summer trip.
Some people just want to relax and sleep in the sun next to the sea. But in my opinion, having an active holiday is much better. When you ride a bike fast down a big hill, it makes you feel amazing. It is very exciting! You will always remember this kind of adventure because it is so different from your normal, quiet daily life.
However, there is one big problem with extreme sports holidays. They can cost a lot of money. You usually have to pay for special clothes and safe equipment like helmets. Also, people often travel to different countries to find the best and highest mountains. Flight tickets and hotels in these places are very expensive, so it is difficult for lots of families to pay for these trips.
So, how can you have a great adventure without spending too much? I think it is a good idea to look for outdoor sports camps in your own country. If you stay close to home, you don't have to buy expensive plane tickets, and you can still have a lot of fun. Just find a beautiful forest or hill near your town, and get ready for a brilliant holiday!
14 What does Kevin say about teenagers on holiday these days?
A They prefer doing exciting activities to sitting by the sea.
B They like to travel to new countries without their families.
C They think riding a mountain bike is too difficult for them.
15 Why does Kevin prefer active holidays?
A They give you memories that you will keep for a long time.
B They help you to relax and sleep better in the sunshine.
C They teach you how to ride a bike down a big hill safely.
16 What does Kevin think is a problem with extreme sports holidays?
A The special sports equipment is very heavy to carry.
B It costs a lot of money to fly and stay in another country.
C It is hard to find really high mountains to ride down.
17 What is Kevin’s advice for teenagers?
A Choose a sports camp that is close to your home.
B Buy cheaper plane tickets to travel to another country.
C Go to a beautiful forest to learn a completely new sport.
18 What is Kevin doing in this blog post?
A sharing his thoughts on active holidays and how to afford them
B explaining the rules for staying safe during extreme sports
C writing a story about a mountain biking trip he went on
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Kevin says that teenagers want to do something exciting and "Instead of sitting on a quiet beach... they choose to do fast activities". This perfectly matches option A. Option B is a partial truth trap; the text mentions "families" and traveling, but does not say teenagers want to go without them. Option C is wrong logic; the text says they choose to do mountain biking, not that it is too difficult.
15 A - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Kevin explains that you will "always remember this kind of adventure because it is so different from your normal, quiet daily life." Option A paraphrases "always remember" as keeping memories for a long time. Option B is wrong logic; Kevin says other people want to relax and sleep in the sun, not him. Option C is a partial truth trap; he mentions riding a bike down a hill, but he doesn't say the holiday is for learning how to do it safely.
16 B - Explanation: In the third paragraph, Kevin explains that people travel to different countries and "Flight tickets and hotels in these places are very expensive". This matches option B. Option A is a wrong logic trap; Kevin mentions special equipment and helmets, but he says they cost a lot, not that they are heavy. Option C is the opposite of the text; people travel to other countries specifically to find the best mountains, meaning they are not hard to find, just expensive to reach.
17 A - Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, Kevin advises readers to "look for outdoor sports camps in your own country" and "stay close to home". Option A correctly matches this advice. Option B is the opposite of the text; Kevin tells readers they "don't have to buy expensive plane tickets". Option C is a partial truth; he says to find a beautiful forest, but he doesn't say you must go there to learn a new sport.
18 A - Explanation: As an opinion blog, the best global answer must cover the whole text. The text is about Kevin's opinion that active holidays are great but expensive, and his solution to do them locally. Option A perfectly summarizes this purpose. Option B is a minor detail trap; he mentions "safe equipment like helmets," but does not explain safety rules. Option C is a wrong reference trap; he talks about mountain biking generally, but never tells a story about a specific trip he took.