A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Budget Backpackers 3
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Budget Backpackers
Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The missing passports
15-year-old Nora writes about a scary moment at the airport.
My name is Nora, and I am 15 years old. Last week, my family and I went on a winter holiday to Spain. The airport was very busy and crowded with travellers. My dad is usually the person who takes care of our important things. But this time, he wanted to give me a special job. He gave me all four of our family passports to hold. I felt very grown-up and proud that he trusted me with them.
I put the small books safely into the left pocket of my blue jacket. I zipped the pocket shut so they couldn't fall out. Then, we walked around the airport for an hour. We looked in some big shops, bought some cold drinks, and talked about our holiday. I touched my pocket three or four times to make sure the passports were still there.
Finally, it was time to go through the airport security check. A woman in a uniform asked to see our passports. I smiled and opened the left pocket of my jacket. But when I put my hand inside, the pocket was completely empty! I felt terrible and my face turned red. My parents looked at me, and I thought they were going to be very angry. I just didn't know what to do.
Then, I suddenly remembered something. When we were in the shop, I took off my jacket because it was too warm. When I put it back on, I used the right pocket instead! I quickly put my hand in my other pocket and found the passports. I sighed with relief, took them out, and handed them to the woman. Next time we travel, I am going to let my dad keep the passports!
14 Why did Nora feel proud at the airport?
A She was travelling to Spain without her parents.
B Her dad gave her an important job to do.
C She took care of all her family's heavy bags.
15 What did Nora do while she was waiting at the airport?
A She checked that the passports were safe.
B She bought a new blue jacket from a shop.
C She lost her cold drink in the crowd.
16 At the security check, Nora was worried because
A the woman in the uniform was angry with her.
B her parents didn't know what to do with the tickets.
C she thought she had lost her family's passports.
17 Why were the passports in a different place?
A Nora's dad took them out in the shop.
B Nora put them in another pocket after being too warm.
C Nora left them in the shop by mistake.
18 What is Nora planning to do on her next trip?
A wear a jacket with much bigger pockets
B help her dad to pack the family's bags
C ask her father to look after the passports
Answer Key & Explanations
14 B - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Nora says her dad "wanted to give me a special job" by asking her to hold the passports, and she felt "proud that he trusted me with them." This matches Option B. Option A is wrong logic; she was travelling with her family, not without them. Option C is wrong logic; she took care of the passports, not heavy bags.
15 A - Explanation: Paragraph 2 says, "I touched my pocket three or four times to make sure the passports were still there." This matches checking that they were safe (Option A). Option B is a partial truth trap; she went to some shops and wore a blue jacket, but she didn't buy a new one. Option C is wrong logic; she bought cold drinks, but she didn't lose them.
16 C - Explanation: In paragraph 3, Nora puts her hand in her pocket and finds it is "completely empty", which made her feel terrible and red in the face. This means she thought she lost them (Option C). Option A is wrong logic; she thought her parents were going to be angry, not the woman. Option B is wrong reference; it was Nora who didn't know what to do, not her parents.
17 B - Explanation: In paragraph 4, Nora remembers that she took off her jacket because it was too warm, and "When I put it back on, I used the right pocket instead!" This matches Option B. Option A is wrong reference; Nora moved them, not her dad. Option C is wrong logic; she found the passports in her other pocket, so she didn't leave them in the shop.
18 C - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Nora says, "Next time we travel, I am going to let my dad keep the passports!" This matches asking her father to look after them (Option C). Option A uses words from the text (jacket, pockets), but she doesn't mention wearing a different jacket. Option B is wrong logic; she mentions her dad, but she plans to let him hold the passports, not help him pack bags.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Ticket machine troubles
16-year-old Oscar writes about buying train tickets in other countries.
Hi, I'm Oscar and I am 16 years old. I love travelling to different countries with my family. Going on trains is a fantastic way to see new places, and the seats are usually very comfortable. However, there is one thing I really don't like about it. I think buying train tickets from the machines at the station is extremely stressful. I want to tell you why, and share some advice.
When you arrive at a foreign train station, you usually have to use a large ticket machine. Of course, the information on the screen is in a different language at first. Luckily, there is almost always a button you can press to change the language to English. This is very helpful, but using the machine is still a very difficult job.
The main problem is that the screen gives you too many choices. For example, when you want to buy tickets for your family, you have to choose between many different types of adult and child tickets. Some are for the morning, and some are for the evening. If you don't understand the rules, it is very easy to choose the wrong one. This can cost you a lot of money.
Because of this, I have an important piece of advice for holidaymakers. When you are in a new country, you shouldn't use the ticket machines at all. It is much better to walk to the ticket desk and buy your tickets directly from a real person. They can give you exactly what you need, and you won't make an expensive mistake!
14 What does Oscar say about travelling by train?
A Buying tickets from a machine makes him feel worried.
B The seats on the trains are usually quite uncomfortable.
C He wants to stop travelling to different countries.
15 How does Oscar feel about the language button on the machine?
A It is very hard to find on the large ticket machine.
B It is useful but the machine is still hard to use.
C It makes buying a ticket a very easy job for him.
16 Why is buying a family ticket a problem?
A The evening tickets are more expensive than morning tickets.
B You have to decide between too many different options.
C The machine doesn't sell any tickets for young children.
17 What does Oscar think tourists should do?
A ask a real person to show them how to use the machine
B buy their tickets before they travel to a new country
C get their tickets from someone who works at the station
18 What is the best title for Oscar's blog?
A How to use a foreign train ticket machine
B Why buying train tickets can be a problem
C The cheapest train tickets to buy for your family
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Oscar says that buying tickets from the machines "is extremely stressful," which means it makes him feel worried (A). Option B uses wrong logic; he says the seats are "very comfortable," not uncomfortable. Option C is a wrong logic trap; he explicitly states "I love travelling to different countries."
15 B - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Oscar says changing the language to English "is very helpful, but using the machine is still a very difficult job." This matches B. Option A is not mentioned in the text. Option C is a wrong logic trap; the button helps, but it does not make the job easy.
16 B - Explanation: In the third paragraph, Oscar explains that "the screen gives you too many choices" and "you have to choose between many different types", matching B. Option A is a partial truth trap; morning and evening tickets exist, but the text does not say which one is more expensive. Option C is a wrong logic trap; the machine does sell child tickets.
17 C - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Oscar advises tourists to go to the ticket desk and "buy your tickets directly from a real person," matching C (someone who works at the station). Option A is a partial truth trap; you should talk to a real person, but to buy the ticket from them, not to ask them how to use the machine. Option B is not mentioned in the text.
18 B - Explanation: This is a global question. The entire text is an opinion piece explaining why buying tickets from foreign machines is confusing and stressful, making B the best title. Option A uses wrong logic; his final advice is that you shouldn't use the machines at all. Option C is wrong because the text is about avoiding expensive mistakes on machines, not finding the cheapest deals.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A difficult lunch
Sometimes maths is harder when you are on holiday!
Fifteen-year-old Penny went on a summer holiday to Europe with three of her best friends last month. One afternoon, they felt very hungry after walking around the city centre for a long time. They found a nice, quiet café and sat down at a big table. They ordered a huge lunch with lots of pizzas, salads, and cold drinks. They had a fantastic time and ate everything.
After the wonderful meal, a friendly waitress brought the paper bill to the table. Penny and her friends wanted to share the cost of the lunch. They agreed to split the bill so everybody paid the exact same amount of money. They all took out their purses and looked inside.
However, they soon had a big problem. The country used a different kind of money. Penny and her friends were not used to the foreign paper notes and the strange, heavy coins. Nobody knew how much they needed to pay. They tried to do the maths in their heads, but everyone got a completely different answer. They felt very confused.
The waitress saw their problem and walked back to the table. She smiled at the girls and took a small calculator out of her pocket. She quickly divided the total cost by four. Then, she showed them exactly which coins they needed to use.
Penny and her friends were very happy. They paid the bill and gave the waitress some extra money to say thank you for her help. Penny felt glad that the problem was solved so quickly. Next time she travels to another country, she is going to put a calculator in her bag before she leaves!
14 Why did Penny and her friends go to the café?
A They wanted to get a large meal.
B They needed a rest after meeting some friends.
C They wanted to look at the centre of the city.
15 What did the friends decide to do when the bill arrived?
A ask the waitress how much the lunch cost
B pay for the food using the same purse
C pay an equal amount of money each
16 Why were the girls confused about the bill?
A They didn't understand the local money very well.
B They couldn't read the numbers on the paper notes.
C The lunch was much more expensive than they thought.
17 How did the waitress help them?
A She gave the girls some different foreign coins.
B She used a machine to work out the right price for them.
C She paid some extra money for the girls' lunch.
18 What is Penny planning to do on her next holiday?
A learn about the money in another country
B pack something to help her do maths
C leave a bigger tip for the waiters
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: The correct answer is A because the girls went to the café because they "felt very hungry" and "ordered a huge lunch" (a large meal). Option B is a wrong reference trap; they were already with their friends, they didn't go to the café to meet them. Option C is a partial truth trap; they did walk around the city centre, but this happened before they went to the café, not the reason why they went inside.
15 C - Explanation: The correct answer is C because the text states they wanted "everybody paid the exact same amount of money" (pay an equal amount). Option A is a partial truth trap; the waitress is mentioned, but she simply brought the bill; the girls didn't ask her for the price. Option B is wrong logic; they all took out their purses, they didn't use the same one.
16 A - Explanation: The correct answer is A because they "were not used to the foreign paper notes and the strange, heavy coins" (didn't understand the local money). Option B is a partial truth trap; paper notes are mentioned, but the text doesn't say they couldn't read the numbers, just that they couldn't do the maths. Option C is wrong logic; the text never mentions that the food was too expensive.
17 B - Explanation: The correct answer is B because the waitress "took a small calculator" (a machine) to divide the cost for them. Option A is a partial truth trap; the waitress showed them which coins to use, but she didn't give them coins. Option C is wrong reference; the girls gave the waitress extra money to say thank you, she didn't pay for their lunch.
18 B - Explanation: The correct answer is B because in the final paragraph, Penny says she is "going to put a calculator in her bag" before she leaves (pack something to help her do maths). Option A is a wrong logic trap; she struggled with foreign money on this trip, but she isn't planning to learn about it for the next one. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she left extra money (a tip) this time, but the text doesn't say she plans to leave a bigger one next time.