A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Nature’s Gym 3
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Nature's Gym
Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Vera's unusual running shoes
Fourteen-year-old Vera writes about a new way to help the environment and run fast.
Fourteen-year-old Vera loves running, but she also cares a lot about the environment. A few months ago, she read an article online about some special sports shoes. These running shoes were very different because they were made completely from recycled cardboard and old plastic bottles. Vera thought this was a brilliant idea to help the earth. She didn't ask her parents for the money. Instead, she carefully saved her own pocket money for several weeks until she could finally buy a pair.
When the recycled shoes arrived at her house, Vera was very excited. She wore them to her athletics club the next afternoon. However, her friends didn't like them at all. They looked at the strange brown and grey colours and started laughing. They told Vera that her new shoes looked really ugly. Vera felt a bit disappointed about their reaction, but she decided to keep wearing them because they felt so comfortable on her feet.
Two weeks later, it was the day of the big school sports competition. Vera wanted to run in the 100-meter sprint. When the race started, she ran as fast as she could. Her new recycled shoes were incredibly light, and they helped her to move quickly across the sports field. She crossed the finish line first and won the gold medal. Everyone clapped and cheered for her.
After the race, her friends came to talk to her again. They didn't laugh at her shoes this time. Because Vera won the sprint so easily, her friends suddenly wanted to buy the exact same pair for themselves! Vera felt very pleased. Her shoes are great for the environment and great for running. She is going to wear them in every competition from now on.
14 How did Vera pay for her new sports shoes?
A She used her own pocket money.
B Her parents gave her the money.
C She won the money in a running race.
15 What did Vera's friends do when they first saw her shoes?
A They thought the shoes were ugly.
B They asked to try the shoes on.
C They felt sad about the colour of the shoes.
16 Why did Vera like her shoes during the sports competition?
A They were very light and helped her run.
B They made everyone clap for her.
C They were the same as the other runners' shoes.
17 After the race, Vera's friends
A wanted to get shoes like Vera's.
B were surprised she wanted to talk to them.
C laughed at her because she won easily.
18 What does Vera plan to do next?
A use the shoes for all her future races
B buy some running shoes for her friends
C spend more time helping the environment
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, the text says Vera "didn't ask her parents for the money" and instead "saved her own pocket money". Option B is wrong logic because it states the exact opposite of what she did. Option C is a partial truth trap; she does win a race later in the story, but she didn't win money to buy the shoes.
15 A - Explanation: The second paragraph states her friends "started laughing" and told her the shoes "looked really ugly." Option B is wrong logic; her friends didn't want to wear the shoes until the end of the story. Option C is a wrong reference trap; Vera felt "disappointed" (sad), not her friends, and while the friends noticed the "brown and grey colours", they laughed rather than feeling sad.
16 A - Explanation: In the third paragraph, the text explains that her shoes were "incredibly light, and they helped her to move quickly". Option B is wrong logic; people clapped because she won the race, not just because of the shoes. Option C is not mentioned in the text at all.
17 A - Explanation: The fourth paragraph says that her friends "suddenly wanted to buy the exact same pair for themselves." Option A correctly paraphrases this. Option B is wrong logic; her friends came to talk to her, she didn't surprise them by talking. Option C is a partial truth trap; they laughed earlier in the story, but the text specifically notes they "didn't laugh at her shoes this time."
18 A - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Vera states her future plan: "She is going to wear them in every competition from now on." Option A matches this perfectly. Option B is a wrong reference trap; her friends want to buy the shoes, Vera is not buying them for her friends. Option C is a partial truth; she likes that the shoes help the environment, but her specific plan for the future is to keep racing in them.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A muddy adventure
15-year-old Will writes about a recent trip to the forest.
Hi, I'm Will and I'm 15 years old. My absolute favourite hobby is mountain biking. Last weekend, I decided to go for a ride in the forest near my house. There was a huge rainstorm the day before, so the trees were very wet and the ground was extremely soft. I knew it was going to be difficult to ride my bike, but I wanted to spend some time outside in nature.
At first, everything was fine. The sun was shining through the trees, and the air felt very fresh. I cycled up a large hill and then started to go down the other side. However, I didn't see a large hole in the middle of the path. It was full of thick, dark mud.
I tried to stop, but my bike was moving too fast. Suddenly, my front wheel went deep into the mud and stopped completely. I couldn't stay on the bike. I flew over the handlebars and fell face-first right into a really dirty pool of water! When I stood up, I had brown mud in my hair, on my clothes, and all over my face.
Luckily, I wasn't hurt at all. I just started laughing. I walked to a small stream nearby and used the clean water to wash my face and my bike. My mum was surprised when I came home so dirty, but I really enjoyed the day. In fact, I am planning to go back to the exact same path next Sunday, but I'll ride a bit slower!
14 What does Will say about his bike ride in the first paragraph?
A He was worried about getting lost in the forest.
B He expected the ride to be hard work.
C He went out while it was raining heavily.
15 What problem did Will find on the path?
A The sun was too bright to see clearly.
B There was a dirty hole in the ground.
C The hill was too steep to cycle up.
16 What happened when Will hit the mud?
A His bike broke into pieces.
B He went over the front of his bike.
C He managed to stop his bike just in time.
17 After the accident, Will
A used some water to clean himself.
B cried because he hurt his face.
C asked his mother for help.
18 What is Will going to do next weekend?
A return to the forest for another ride
B find a new path that is completely dry
C take his mum mountain biking with him
Answer Key & Explanations
14 B - Explanation: In paragraph 1, Will says, "I knew it was going to be difficult to ride my bike," which means he expected it to be hard work (B). Option A is wrong logic; he doesn't mention getting lost. Option C is a partial truth trap; there was a "huge rainstorm," but it happened "the day before," not while he was out.
15 B - Explanation: In paragraph 2, Will states he "didn't see a large hole in the middle of the path" that was "full of thick, dark mud" (B). Option A is a partial truth trap; the sun was shining, but it wasn't the reason he couldn't see. Option C is wrong logic; he successfully "cycled up a large hill," so it wasn't too steep.
16 B - Explanation: In paragraph 3, Will explains that his bike stopped and "I flew over the handlebars," which means he went over the front of his bike (B). Option A is wrong logic; the bike stopped completely, but he doesn't say it broke. Option C is wrong logic; he says he "tried to stop" but was "moving too fast," so he didn't stop in time.
17 A - Explanation: In paragraph 4, Will says he "walked to a small stream nearby and used the clean water to wash my face," which means he cleaned himself (A). Option B is wrong logic; he fell face-first, but explicitly states "I wasn't hurt at all. I just started laughing." Option C is a partial truth trap; his mother is mentioned, but she was just surprised when he got home, he didn't ask her for help.
18 A - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Will states, "I am planning to go back to the exact same path next Sunday," which means he will return for another ride (A). Option B is wrong logic; he is going back to the "exact same path," not looking for a dry one. Option C is a wrong reference trap; his mum is mentioned in the paragraph, but he isn't taking her with him.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Walking your way to a better day
Fourteen-year-old Xena writes about a new outdoor activity.
Fourteen-year-old Xena loves spending time in nature. Recently, she started doing something called ‘earthing’. This is a popular new trend where you walk outside without any shoes or socks on. Many people say that earthing is a great way to reduce your everyday stress. Xena decided to try it last month because she felt very tired and worried after her school exams.
On her first day, Xena went for a walk in the local park. At first, it felt quite strange to have cold feet outside. But after just a few minutes, she felt instantly relaxed. She really loved feeling the earth and the cool green grass under her toes. She didn't think about her difficult school work at all. It was a completely wonderful experience for her.
However, Xena wants to warn other teenagers that earthing isn't always easy. You really need to look carefully at the ground while you walk. If you step on a sharp rock, it is very painful. You also need to watch out for small insects. Xena once stepped on a hidden bee in the summer flowers, and her foot hurt for a really long time!
Because of these problems, Xena has some good advice for beginners. She thinks you shouldn't go to a wild forest or a big public place when you first try earthing. Instead, the best place to practice is in your own back garden. The grass there is usually very soft and safe. When you feel completely comfortable doing it at home, you can finally try walking in wilder places.
14 Why did Xena decide to try earthing?
A to spend more time with her friends
B to help her feel better after her studies
C to write about a popular new trend
15 How did Xena feel when she first tried earthing?
A She was unhappy because the grass was too cold.
B She quickly forgot about her problems at school.
C She thought it was strange to walk in the park.
16 What does Xena say is a bad thing about earthing?
A The summer flowers can make you feel ill.
B You might stand on something that hurts.
C It is difficult to find a clean place to walk.
17 Where does Xena say beginners should start earthing?
A in the area behind their house
B in a big park with a lot of people
C in a wild forest with soft grass
18 What is the best title for this article?
A My terrible walk in the park
B A guide to walking without shoes
C The best way to pass your school exams
Answer Key & Explanations
14 B - Explanation: The text states in the first paragraph that Xena decided to try earthing "because she felt very tired and worried after her school exams." Option B correctly paraphrases this. Option A is a wrong logic trap; the text does not mention friends. Option C is a partial truth trap; earthing is a "popular new trend," but she tried it for her stress, not to write about it.
15 B - Explanation: The second paragraph explains that after a few minutes, she "didn't think about her difficult school work at all." Option B accurately matches this. Option A is a wrong logic trap; the text says it felt strange to have cold feet at first, but she was relaxed, not unhappy. Option C is a wrong reference trap; she thought having cold feet was strange, not walking in the park itself.
16 B - Explanation: In the third paragraph, Xena warns that if you "step on a sharp rock, it is very painful" and mentions stepping on a hidden bee. Option B summarizes this meaning. Option A is a wrong logic trap; the text mentions a bee hidden in the flowers, not that the flowers make you ill. Option C is not mentioned in the text.
17 A - Explanation: The text states that "the best place to practice is in your own back garden." Option A correctly paraphrases "back garden" as the area behind a house. Option B is a wrong reference trap; the text explicitly says you shouldn't go to a big public place. Option C is a partial truth trap; the text says the grass in a garden is soft, but warns against going to a "wild forest" at the beginning.
18 B - Explanation: This is a global question. The text explains what earthing is (walking without shoes or socks), its benefits, and gives advice on how to do it safely. Option B perfectly captures the main topic. Option A is wrong logic; she had one bad experience with a bee, but her overall experience was "wonderful," not terrible. Option C is a partial truth trap; exams are mentioned as the cause of her stress, but the text is not about how to pass them.