A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Birds, Marine Life & Insects 10
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Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Earthworms in the Garden
Earthworms are small, interesting animals that live in gardens and farms all over the world. They do not have eyes or legs, but they are very strong. They spend almost all of their lives (19)…………… the ground. When the weather is hot, they stay deep in the dark dirt to (20)…………… cool and safe.
However, when it rains heavily, you can often see them moving on top of the grass. They come up because they cannot (21)…………… under the dirt when it is completely full of water.
Earthworms (22)…………… a very important job for nature. As they move through the earth, they eat dead leaves and make small holes. These holes help air and water to travel deep into the soil. This makes the dirt a perfect (23)…………… for new plants and trees to grow. Because of this, earthworms really (24)…………… to keep our gardens healthy and green.
19 A under B behind C across
20 A keep B make C hold
21 A stay B wait C rest
22 A do B make C give
23 A place B space C room
24 A help B need C want
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (under): 'Under' is the correct preposition for being below the surface of the earth. We cannot say an animal lives 'behind' the ground or 'across' the ground in this physical context.
20 A (keep): 'Keep cool' is a standard English collocation meaning to maintain a cool temperature. We do not say 'make cool' or 'hold cool' when describing a physical state in this way.
21 A (stay): 'Stay' fits the meaning of remaining in a physical location. 'Wait' implies consciously passing time until an event happens, and 'rest' means to relax or sleep, neither of which fits the situation of a flooded home.
22 A (do): 'Do a job' is the correct fixed English collocation for performing work or a task. We do not say 'make a job', and 'give a job' means to hire someone, which does not make sense here.
23 A (place): 'Place' correctly refers to a specific environment or location (a perfect place to grow). 'Space' and 'room' describe empty physical volume or an area inside a container, which do not fit this sentence.
24 A (help): 'Help' fits the broader context of the text, meaning that the earthworms' daily actions are useful and beneficial for the garden. As simple animals, they do not 'need' or 'want' to keep the garden healthy; they just help it naturally.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
The Amazing Starfish
Starfish are beautiful animals that live in oceans all over the world. They are not actually fish, but they get their name from their special shape. Most starfish have a body with five long arms, which (19)…………… them look like a star. If a starfish (20)…………… one of its arms, it can grow a new one!
You can usually find starfish at the (21)…………… of the sea. They love to hide under large rocks to stay (22)…………… . Starfish do not swim in the water like other sea animals. Instead, they use hundreds of tiny feet to walk. Because they are very (23)…………… , they cannot travel far in one day.
A starfish also has an unusual (24)…………… of eating. It catches its food and eats it outside its body. It is always fun to see these amazing animals!
19 A puts B gets C makes
20 A loses B drops C forgets
21 A bottom B back C end
22 A true B safe C sure
23 A slow B late C heavy
24 A idea B plan C way
Answer Key & Explanations
19 C (makes): The verb "make" is used to show that something causes a person or thing to look a certain way (makes them look like a star). "Puts" and "gets" do not fit this grammatical structure.
20 A (loses): "Lose" is the correct verb when a body part is missing or comes off. "Drops" usually implies letting an object fall from your hands, and "forgets" is an action of the mind/memory, which doesn't make sense for a physical arm.
21 A (bottom): "The bottom of the sea" is a fixed phrase that describes the lowest part of the ocean floor. We do not say the "back" or the "end" of the sea when talking about how deep it is.
22 B (safe): "Stay safe" is a very common fixed collocation used to talk about protecting oneself from danger. "Sure" is used in the phrase "make sure", not "stay sure", and "stay true" does not fit the context of an animal hiding.
23 A (slow): The text says they "cannot travel far", which means their speed is very low. "Slow" correctly describes their speed. "Late" relates to time, and "heavy" relates to weight, not speed.
24 C (way): A "way of" doing something refers to a method or natural behavior (a way of eating). Animals act on instinct, so they do not make a "plan" or have an "idea" about how to eat.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Stingrays
Stingrays are unusual animals that live in the warm oceans of the world. They have a very special shape. Their bodies are completely flat. This helps them to (19)…………… close to the bottom of the sea.
Stingrays (20)…………… most of their time resting on the sand. They are very good at hiding. A stingray often throws sand over its back to cover itself. This makes it almost impossible to (21)…………… them. They do this to stay safe from larger animals.
When a stingray gets hungry, it leaves its hiding place to (22)…………… for food. It swims by moving its body up and down, like a bird flying in the water. They usually (23)…………… small fish and crabs to eat. Stingrays are truly amazing animals, but you should always walk (24)…………… in the sea so you do not step on one!
19 A stay B stand C wait
20 A spend B pass C keep
21 A see B watch C look
22 A look B find C meet
23 A catch B collect C pick
24 A carefully B easily C quickly
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (stay): "Stay" means to remain in a particular position or place, which fits the meaning of remaining close to the sea floor. "Stand" is incorrect because stingrays are flat and do not use legs, and "wait" suggests pausing for an event rather than their natural living position.
20 A (spend): "Spend time" is a standard English collocation. Learners often incorrectly choose "pass" due to direct translation from their own languages, and "keep" does not fit this grammatical structure or meaning.
21 A (see): "See" is the correct choice for the natural ability to notice something with your eyes. "Look" requires the preposition "at" (look at them), and "watch" is used for actively observing a moving event, not an animal that is hiding and perfectly still.
22 A (look): "Look for" is the correct English collocation meaning to search for something. "Find" is the end result of searching, and you do not say "find for". "Meet" is used for encountering people, not searching for food.
23 A (catch): "Catch" is the correct semantic fit for hunting and grabbing a moving animal for food. You "collect" static objects for a hobby (like shells or stamps), and you "pick" things that grow on plants (like fruit or flowers).
24 A (carefully): This fits the broader context of the entire text. Because the text explains that stingrays hide under the sand and are impossible to see, the logical advice is to walk "carefully" to avoid stepping on them. "Easily" and "quickly" do not make sense as safety advice.