A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Pocket Money Pros 1
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 3 Test – Pocket Money Pros
Test 1
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Tom's cool phone cases
Fourteen-year-old Tom writes about his weekend hobby.
Fourteen-year-old Tom loves art and technology. Because of this, he has a really fun hobby that helps him earn some extra pocket money. He buys cheap, plain phone cases and paints cool pictures on them. Then, he sells the colourful cases on the internet to other teenagers. His classmates think his designs look fantastic.
Last week, a girl from his school asked for a special phone case. She wanted a bright pink case with her name, 'Katy', in big yellow letters. Tom was very excited to do this job. He started working on it on Saturday morning in his bedroom. He used his favourite new paints.
However, when Tom finished, there was a big problem. He looked at the case and felt terrible. He made a silly spelling mistake! He painted the name with an 'i' instead of a 'y'. He wrote 'Kati'. He knew his customer wouldn't be happy to buy a phone case with the wrong name on it. He didn't want to throw the case in the bin.
Tom had to fix it, so he quickly thought of a clever idea. He used some green and purple paint to draw a beautiful flower completely over the wrong letter. After that, he carefully wrote the correct 'y' next to it. The painting looked perfect.
The next day, he showed the phone case to the girl. She loved the flower and happily paid him some extra cash for his great work. Tom felt very proud. Next month, he is planning to start painting names on laptop bags so he can grow his small business.
14 What does Tom do to get pocket money?
A He paints pictures on phone cases to sell online.
B He helps his classmates design new mobile phones.
C He buys cheap, colourful phone cases from the internet.
15 What did the girl from school ask Tom to make?
A a pink phone case with her name on it
B some big yellow letters for her bedroom
C a bright case for his favourite new paints
16 Why did Tom feel terrible about the phone case?
A He spelled the customer's name incorrectly.
B He threw the customer's phone case in the bin.
C He painted a silly picture of the girl on it.
17 How did Tom fix his mistake?
A He put a picture of a flower over the wrong letter.
B He used some green and purple paint to draw a 'y'.
C He asked the girl to choose a new beautiful design.
18 What is Tom planning to do next month?
A put his art on a different kind of product
B ask the girl to pay him some extra cash
C show his classmates how to grow a business
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In paragraph 1, the text says Tom "paints cool pictures on them. Then, he sells the colourful cases on the internet". Option A matches this perfectly. B is a wrong logic trap; he paints cases, he doesn't design new mobile phones. C is a partial truth trap; he buys cheap plain cases and sells the colourful ones on the internet, he doesn't buy colourful ones from the internet.
15 A - Explanation: In paragraph 2, the girl "wanted a bright pink case with her name, 'Katy'". Option A correctly matches this request. B is a wrong logic trap; she wanted big yellow letters on the case, not for her bedroom. C is a wrong reference trap; Tom used his favourite new paints to do the job, the girl didn't ask for a case to put his paints inside.
16 A - Explanation: In paragraph 3, Tom felt terrible because "He made a silly spelling mistake!" by writing 'Kati' instead of 'Katy'. Option A paraphrases this correctly. B is a wrong logic trap; the text explicitly states he didn't want to throw the case in the bin. C is a wrong reference trap; he made a "silly spelling mistake", he didn't paint a silly picture of the girl.
17 A - Explanation: In paragraph 4, Tom used paint "to draw a beautiful flower completely over the wrong letter." Option A perfectly describes this solution. B is a partial truth trap; he used green and purple paint for the flower, not to write the letter 'y'. C is a wrong logic trap; he fixed it himself with a clever idea, he didn't ask the girl to choose a new design.
18 A - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Tom says he is planning to "start painting names on laptop bags". A laptop bag is a different kind of product from a phone case, making A the correct answer. B is a wrong logic trap; the girl already paid him extra cash. C is a partial truth trap; he wants to grow his own small business, he isn't planning to show his classmates how to do it.
Test 2
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Saving money for something special
13-year-old Uma blogs about learning to manage her pocket money.
Hi, I’m Uma and I am 13 years old. I am writing this blog post to talk about something important: money! Every week, my parents give me some pocket money. At the moment, I have a big project. I really want to buy a new games console, but it is quite expensive. So, I have the personal responsibility of keeping my money safe and saving it up until I have enough to buy the console myself.
Learning how to manage my money is an interesting experience. I keep all my cash in a large glass jar on my bedroom desk. Every week, I put a few more coins and notes inside it. Honestly, it is very exciting to watch my savings grow bigger and bigger. I can see that I am getting closer to my goal, and that makes me feel very proud.
However, saving money is not always easy. The most difficult thing for me is changing my weekend plans. Sometimes, my friends invite me to go to the cinema with them. The tickets and snacks there are very expensive. I really want to go, but I know I must say 'no'. It is hard to stay at home when my friends are out having fun together.
If you are trying to save money too, I have a good advice for you. You don't need to feel lonely or miss your friends. Instead of going out to expensive places, you can invite your friends to your house. I often host free movie nights in my living room now. We make our own popcorn and watch great films. It is fantastic because we can still spend time together, but I don't spend anything!
14 Why is Uma writing this blog post?
A to explain how she is trying to get a new games console
B to ask her parents to give her more pocket money
C to tell people about the different video games she plays
15 How does Uma feel about keeping her money in a jar?
A She wishes she had a bigger glass jar for her coins.
B She is pleased to see the amount of money increasing.
C She thinks it is the safest place in her bedroom.
16 What is the hardest part of saving money for Uma?
A buying expensive snacks at the cinema
B missing the chance to go out with her friends
C telling her friends that she dislikes their plans
17 What does Uma suggest to other young people?
A They should find a free place to meet their friends in town.
B They should ask their friends to pay for the cinema tickets.
C They can enjoy time with friends at home without paying.
18 What is the best title for this blog post?
A The best new games console to buy
B How to have fun and save your money
C Why going to the cinema is too expensive
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: The text in paragraph 1 says, "I really want to buy a new games console... saving it up until I have enough to buy the console myself." This matches explaining how she is trying to get a new games console. Option B is a wrong logic trap; her parents give her money, but she is not writing the blog to ask for more. Option C is a partial truth trap; she mentions a games console, but she doesn't write about the games she plays.
15 B - Explanation: The text in paragraph 2 says, "it is very exciting to watch my savings grow bigger and bigger. I can see that I am getting closer to my goal, and that makes me feel very proud." This matches being pleased to see the amount of money increasing. Option A is a wrong logic trap; the jar is described as "large", she doesn't wish for a bigger one. Option C is a partial truth trap; she keeps it in her bedroom to be safe, but doesn't say the jar is the "safest place".
16 B - Explanation: The text in paragraph 3 says, "The most difficult thing... is changing my weekend plans... It is hard to stay at home when my friends are out having fun together." This matches missing the chance to go out with her friends. Option A is a wrong logic trap; cinema snacks are expensive, which is why she doesn't go and doesn't buy them. Option C is wrong logic; she says "I really want to go," so she doesn't dislike their plans.
17 C - Explanation: The text in paragraph 4 says, "you can invite your friends to your house. I often host free movie nights... we can still spend time together, but I don't spend anything!" This matches enjoying time with friends at home without paying. Option A is a partial truth trap; she suggests a free place, but it is her house, not "in town". Option B is wrong logic; she doesn't tell people to ask friends to pay for them.
18 B - Explanation: This is a global question testing the overall purpose of the blog. Uma writes about saving her money (paragraphs 1-2) and how to still have fun with friends without spending anything (paragraphs 3-4). This matches "How to have fun and save your money". Option A is a partial truth trap; she mentions a console, but she doesn't review which one is best. Option C is a partial truth trap; the cinema is mentioned as an example in paragraph 3, but it is not the main topic of the whole text.
Test 3
Questions 14-18
For each question, choose the correct answer.
A great way to get new clothes
Fifteen-year-old Victor writes about organizing a party for his friends.
My name is Victor, and I am 15 years old. I love fashion, but buying new clothes all the time costs a lot of money. Last weekend, I decided to do something different. I invited my friends to my house for a clothes swap party. I told everyone to bring some old shirts, trousers, and sweaters that they didn't want to wear anymore.
The idea was very simple. We put all the old clothes on my bed. Then, everyone could choose some different things to take home for free. It was a great way to get some cool new outfits without spending any cash at the shopping centre. At first, the party was really fun and everyone was finding lots of nice things to wear.
However, later in the afternoon, there was a small problem. I brought out a beautiful black jacket. Suddenly, two of my friends, Sam and Leo, both shouted, "I want that!" They both tried to take the jacket at the same time. Sam said he saw it first, but Leo said it was his size. They started to argue loudly, and I felt a bit worried.
I knew I had to stop the argument quickly before they got angry. I took a small coin from my pocket. I told the boys that the fairest way to decide was to flip the coin. Sam chose heads, and Leo chose tails. The coin landed on tails, so Leo won the jacket. Sam wasn't angry, and everyone stayed very happy. Next time, I am going to ask my brother to join the party too!
14 What did Victor tell his friends to bring to his house?
A clothes that they no longer needed
B enough money to buy some sweaters
C their favourite new shirts and trousers
15 Why did Victor think the clothes swap was a good idea?
A His friends could get outfits without paying anything.
B He wanted to go to the shopping centre with his friends.
C He needed someone to help him clean his bedroom.
16 Why did Sam and Leo argue?
A They both wanted to take the same item home.
B Leo tried to wear a jacket that belonged to Sam.
C Victor didn't have any clothes that were their size.
17 How did Victor solve the problem with the jacket?
A He used a coin to choose the winner.
B He gave it to Sam because he saw it first.
C He told the boys to put it in his pocket.
18 What is Victor planning to do next time?
A invite a family member to the clothes swap
B ask his brother to give him a black jacket
C play a fun coin game with his friends
Answer Key & Explanations
14 A - Explanation: In the first paragraph, Victor says he told everyone to bring old shirts and trousers "that they didn't want to wear anymore," which means clothes they no longer needed. Option B is wrong logic; he wanted to help them save money, not spend it on sweaters. Option C is wrong reference; they brought old clothes, not their favourite new ones.
15 A - Explanation: In the second paragraph, the text states that "everyone could choose some different things to take home for free," which matches getting outfits without paying anything. Option B is wrong logic; the text says the party was a good way to get clothes without spending cash at the shopping centre. Option C is wrong logic; they put clothes on his bed, but he didn't ask them to clean his room.
16 A - Explanation: In the third paragraph, the text explains that both boys wanted the black jacket and "both tried to take the jacket at the same time." Option B is a partial truth; Sam said he saw the jacket first, but it didn't actually belong to him. Option C is wrong logic; Leo specifically said the jacket "was his size," so the clothes were the correct size.
17 A - Explanation: In the fourth paragraph, Victor says he "took a small coin" and told them to flip it, and because it landed on tails, "Leo won the jacket." Option B is wrong logic; Leo won the jacket, not Sam. Option C is wrong reference; Victor took the coin from his pocket, he didn't tell the boys to put the jacket in his pocket.
18 A - Explanation: In the final paragraph, Victor states, "Next time, I am going to ask my brother to join the party too!" His brother is a family member. Option B is wrong reference; he is going to invite his brother, not ask him for a black jacket. Option C is wrong logic; he used a coin to stop an argument this time, but he is not planning to play a coin game at the next party.