A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Mind & Muscle 4
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Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The nine-finger piano player
15-year-old Fiona writes about a problem she had before a music exam.
My name is Fiona, and I am 15 years old. I love music, and I have played the piano for a long time. Last month, I was getting ready for a very important piano exam. I practised every day because I wanted to get a good mark. I also enjoy sports, and a week before my music exam, I played a volleyball match with my school team.
The volleyball game was very exciting. The other team was very strong. Near the end of the match, a girl on the other team hit the ball over the net very hard. I quickly put my hands up to stop the ball. The ball hit my left hand, and I felt a terrible pain immediately.
My teacher took me to the hospital. The doctor looked at my hand and gave me some bad news. My little finger was broken! He put a hard plastic cover on it to keep it safe. He told me that I couldn't move it for three weeks. I felt extremely sad because I thought I couldn't take my piano exam.
However, I decided not to cancel the exam. When I got home, I sat at the piano. I tried to play my exam songs using only nine fingers. At first, it was quite difficult, but I practised all weekend. I slowly learned how to move my hands in a new way to press the right keys.
On the day of the exam, I felt nervous, but I played perfectly. Yesterday, I got my results, and I passed brilliantly! I am very proud of myself. Next time, I will definitely take a break from playing sports a few weeks before a big exam!
14 What did Fiona do a week before her piano exam?
A She took part in a school sports match.
B She practised playing the piano with a team.
C She got a very good mark in a test.
15 How did Fiona hurt her hand in the game?
A She fell down on the ground very quickly.
B She tried to catch a ball that was hit hard.
C She hit the ball over the net too hard.
16 What did the doctor say about Fiona's finger?
A She had to cancel her piano exam.
B She needed to wear a plastic cover for a month.
C She must not move it for three weeks.
17 When Fiona played the piano at home, she
A asked someone to show her a new way to play.
B found it quite hard to use only nine fingers at first.
C decided to practise different, easier songs for the exam.
18 What is Fiona planning to do in the future?
A stop playing all sports with her school team
B avoid playing sports just before a big exam
C take another music exam to get a better mark
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Fiona states, "a week before my music exam, I played a volleyball match with my school team." This matches Option A. Option B is a wrong logic trap; she played volleyball with her team, she didn't practise the piano with them. Option C is a wrong timing trap; she was preparing to get a good mark on her exam, but she hadn't taken the test yet.
15 B - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Fiona says another girl hit the ball hard, and "I quickly put my hands up to stop the ball." Trying to stop the hard ball matches Option B. Option A is an invented detail; there is no mention of her falling on the ground. Option C is a wrong reference trap; the other girl hit the ball over the net too hard, not Fiona.
16 C - Explanation: In the third paragraph, the doctor told Fiona "that I couldn't move it for three weeks." This matches Option C. Option A is a wrong reference trap; Fiona thought she couldn't take her exam, but the doctor didn't tell her to cancel it. Option B is a partial truth trap; he put a plastic cover on it, but for three weeks, not a month.
17 B - Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, Fiona explains that she tried to play her songs using only nine fingers, and "At first, it was quite difficult". This perfectly matches Option B. Option A is a wrong reference trap; she learned to move her hands in a new way by herself, she didn't ask someone else to show her. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she played her "exam songs," she didn't change them to easier ones.
18 B - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Fiona states her future rule: "Next time, I will definitely take a break from playing sports a few weeks before a big exam!" This matches Option B. Option A is a partial truth trap; she plans to stop just before exams, not completely stop all sports. Option C is a wrong logic trap; she passed brilliantly, so she doesn't need to take it again to get a better mark.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Stopping the stomach ache
16-year-old George writes about staying calm before a big sports competition.
Hi, I'm George and I am sixteen years old. I love swimming and I am in my school's swimming team. We practice three times a week. Today on my blog, I want to talk about a problem that many young sports players have. When I have a big swimming race, I often feel very nervous. Sometimes, I get a terrible stomach ache just before the race begins!
It is a really bad feeling. When I stand near the pool and think about the other fast swimmers in the competition, my stomach hurts a lot. Sometimes the pain makes me feel so sick that I just want to put my clothes on, go home, and not swim at all. I know other people on my team feel exactly the same way.
In the past, I tried different things to stop the pain. My friends told me to drink lots of cold water, but that didn't help me. I also tried talking to my sports coach about my worries. He always smiles and says very kind words to me. But unfortunately, having a conversation with him doesn't really make my stomach feel any better.
Luckily, I finally found something that works. Now, about twenty minutes before I have to dive into the water, I walk away from the other swimmers and find a quiet corner to sit down. I put my headphones on and listen to some slow, relaxing guitar music. Closing my eyes and doing this helps my stomach feel completely fine again. If you often feel sick before a big sports match, you should definitely try my idea!
14 What does George say about his stomach ache in the first paragraph?
A It happens because he feels very worried about racing.
B It started when he joined his school's swimming team.
C It stops him from practicing three times a week.
15 When George thinks about the competition, he
A believes he is much faster than the other swimmers.
B tells the other people on his team how sick he feels.
C wants to leave the pool without doing his race.
16 What happened when George spoke to his sports coach?
A The coach told George to drink lots of cold water.
B The coach's words didn't stop George's stomach pain.
C The coach was angry because George was worried.
17 What does George do before a race now?
A He sits and talks quietly with the other swimmers.
B He plays his guitar in a quiet corner of the room.
C He uses music to help his stomach feel better.
18 What is the main reason George wrote this blog post?
A to describe a problem he has and offer a helpful idea
B to complain about the swimming races at his school
C to explain how to become a much faster swimmer
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In paragraph 1, George says, "When I have a big swimming race, I often feel very nervous" and this gives him a "terrible stomach ache". Option A correctly paraphrases feeling nervous as feeling worried. Option B is a wrong logic trap; he is on the team, but he never says the stomach aches started when he joined. Option C is a wrong logic trap; he practices three times a week, but the stomach ache only happens "just before the race begins," not before practice.
15 C - Explanation: In paragraph 2, George says the pain makes him feel so sick that he wants to "put my clothes on, go home, and not swim at all." Option C correctly matches wanting to leave without swimming. Option A is a wrong logic trap; he thinks about "the other fast swimmers", but he doesn't say he is faster than them. Option B is a partial truth trap; he knows his teammates feel the same way, but the text doesn't say he actually tells them about his sickness at the pool.
16 B - Explanation: In paragraph 3, George says his coach says kind words, but "having a conversation with him doesn't really make my stomach feel any better." Option B accurately describes this lack of success. Option A is a wrong reference trap; it was George's friends who told him to drink water, not the coach. Option C is a wrong logic trap; the coach "smiles and says very kind words", so he isn't angry.
17 C - Explanation: In paragraph 4, George says he listens "to some slow, relaxing guitar music" and this "helps my stomach feel completely fine again." Option C correctly paraphrases using music to fix his problem. Option A is a wrong logic trap; he actually says he walks "away from the other swimmers", not that he talks to them. Option B is a wrong reference trap; he listens to guitar music on his headphones, but he doesn't play a guitar himself.
18 A - Explanation: This is a global question. The entire blog is about George's stomach ache (describing a problem) and his method of listening to music to fix it (offering a helpful idea). Option A perfectly summarises this. Option B is a wrong logic trap; he feels nervous before races, but he isn't complaining that the races themselves are bad. Option C is a wrong logic trap; the text gives advice on how to stay calm, not how to swim faster.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Never giving up!
Hannah, 14, writes about trying a difficult new sport.
Hi, I’m Hannah and I’m 14 years old. I always love trying exciting new sports, so last month I decided to start a completely new hobby. I wanted to join a local roller derby team for teenagers in my town. To get ready for the sport, I saved my pocket money, went to a big sports shop, and bought my own special quad skates.
Before my first practice, I felt a bit worried. I spent some time watching roller derby games on the internet, and the players skated incredibly fast. I thought it looked very difficult to do, but I wanted to try my best. On Saturday morning, I put on my heavy new skates, wore a strong helmet, and went to the large sports hall to meet my team.
When the lesson started, I quickly learned that I had a big problem. I was really terrible at balancing! We had to skate together in a large circle, but my legs wouldn't stay straight. I fell down onto the hard wooden floor very often. In fact, I think I fell down at least twenty times in just the first hour! My arms and legs hurt a little bit, and I felt quite embarrassed because everyone else was skating beautifully.
But then something wonderful happened. Every time I fell on the floor, the other girls on my team stopped to look after me. They cheered loudly, smiled, and gave me a hand to help me stand up again. They were incredibly kind and friendly. Because of my amazing new teammates, I never want to quit the sport. Next week, I am going to buy some thicker knee pads and try again!
14 Why did Hannah go to the sports shop?
A to get the equipment she needed for her new hobby
B to spend her pocket money on some new clothes
C to meet the other teenagers in her local team
15 How did Hannah feel before her first practice?
A angry that she had to wear a heavy helmet
B bored of watching sports games on the internet
C nervous because the sport looked hard to do
16 What happened during the first hour of the lesson?
A Hannah found it very difficult to stay on her feet.
B Hannah made the other girls fall on the wooden floor.
C Hannah skated beautifully in a large circle.
17 What did the other girls on the team do?
A They stopped skating to laugh at Hannah's mistakes.
B They were friendly and helped Hannah get back up.
C They smiled and sang a loud song for Hannah.
18 What is Hannah planning to do next week?
A quit the roller derby team to try a different sport
B give a hand to the newest girls on her team
C buy some better protection before she practices again
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Hannah says she "went to a big sports shop, and bought my own special quad skates" to get ready for the sport. B is a partial truth trap; she spent her pocket money, but on skates, not clothes. C is a wrong reference trap; she joined a local team, but she met them at the sports hall, not at the shop.
15 C - Explanation: In the second paragraph, Hannah says, "I felt a bit worried... I thought it looked very difficult to do" (she was nervous because it looked hard). A is a partial truth trap; she wore a heavy helmet, but the text doesn't say she was angry about it. B is a wrong logic trap; she watched games on the internet, but she wasn't bored by them.
16 A - Explanation: In the third paragraph, Hannah explains she was "terrible at balancing" and "fell down at least twenty times" (found it difficult to stay on her feet). B is a wrong logic trap; Hannah fell on the floor, but she didn't make the other girls fall. C is a wrong reference trap; the other girls were skating beautifully, not Hannah.
17 B - Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, Hannah says the girls "gave me a hand to help me stand up again. They were incredibly kind" (friendly and helped her get back up). A is a wrong logic trap; the girls stopped skating, but they helped her, they didn't laugh at her. C is a wrong detail trap; they cheered and smiled, but they didn't sing a song.
18 C - Explanation: This is a specific detail question focused on the final paragraph's future plans. Hannah states, "Next week, I am going to buy some thicker knee pads and try again!" (buy some better protection before she practices). A is a wrong logic trap; she explicitly says "I never want to quit". B is a wrong reference trap; the team gave her a hand, she doesn't mention helping new girls.