A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Birds, Marine Life & Insects 9
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Birds, Marine Life & Insects
Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Crocodiles in the Sun
Crocodiles are large animals that live in rivers and lakes across the world. They are excellent swimmers, but they also spend a lot of time on land.
Because crocodiles have cold blood, they need the sun to (19)…………… warm. On sunny days, you can often see them lying quietly next to the water. They usually (20)…………… their mouths open when they rest. This looks scary because they have very big teeth, but it is actually just a (21)…………… for them to cool down.
People often (22)…………… the mistake of thinking these animals are asleep. In fact, they are always watching. If a smaller animal comes close, the crocodile can move very (23)…………… to catch it. Watching crocodiles from far (24)…………… is the only safe way to see these amazing animals.
19 A keep B make C take
20 A leave B put C let
21 A way B plan C idea
22 A do B make C take
23 A fast B soon C early
24 A away B out C along
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (keep): 'Keep warm' is a standard English collocation meaning to maintain a warm temperature. We do not say 'make warm' or 'take warm' in this context.
20 A (leave): 'Leave' fits perfectly here to describe keeping something in a specific physical state (leaving it open). 'Put' is used for placing objects somewhere, and 'let' means to give permission.
21 A (way): 'Way' refers to a method or biological function (a way to cool down). Animals do not create an 'idea' or a 'plan', which are words used for human thoughts.
22 B (make): 'Make a mistake' is a fixed English collocation. We never say 'do a mistake' or 'take a mistake'.
23 A (fast): 'Fast' correctly describes the high physical speed of the crocodile when it moves. 'Soon' and 'early' are adverbs that describe time, not physical speed.
24 A (away): 'Far away' is a fixed phrase used to describe a long physical distance. We do not say 'far out' or 'far along' when describing how close you are to an animal.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Snakes: Moving Without Legs
Snakes are interesting animals that live all over the world. They are very different from most animals because they do not have any legs. So, how do they move?
Snakes use their strong muscles to move their long bodies across the (19)…………… . They push against things like rocks and small plants to help them go forward. Many snakes like to live in tall (20)…………… . This is a very good place for them to stay safe. Because they are the same colour as the plants, they can easily (21)…………… from larger animals.
Snakes are also excellent hunters. They usually wait very quietly until they see a small animal to (22)…………… . Moving this way uses a lot of energy, so snakes also spend a lot of (23)…………… resting in the warm sun. It takes a lot of hard (24)…………… to live without arms or legs!
19 A floor B ground C road
20 A grass B forests C woods
21 A keep B cover C hide
22 A take B catch C pick
23 A time B hour C day
24 A job B work C business
Answer Key & Explanations
19 B (ground): "Ground" is the correct word for the natural surface of the earth outside. We use "floor" for the surface inside a building, and a "road" is a hard street made for cars, not a general natural area where snakes live.
20 A (grass): "Tall grass" is a very common collocation used to describe nature. We do not say "tall forests" or "tall woods"; we usually say "big" or "large" forests.
21 C (hide): "Hide" is the correct verb to use with the preposition "from" (hide from larger animals). "Cover" needs a direct object (like covering your face), and "keep" would need an adjective (like keep safe).
22 B (catch): "Catch" is the correct verb when an animal gets another small animal to eat. "Take" means to move an object from one place to another, and "pick" is usually used for getting fruit or flowers from plants.
23 A (time): "Spend a lot of time" is a standard fixed phrase used to talk about duration. We cannot use "hour" or "day" here because they are countable nouns and would need an article or plural form (e.g., a lot of hours / a lot of days).
24 B (work): "Work" is an uncountable noun used here to describe the physical effort of moving (hard work). "Job" is a countable noun, so it would need an article (a hard job). "Business" refers to a company or selling things.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Ladybugs
Ladybugs are beautiful little insects that live in gardens and fields all over the world. Most people know exactly what a ladybug looks like. They usually have bright red bodies with small black (19)…………… on their backs. Even though they are very small, they are very easy to see.
Gardeners are always happy when they (20)…………… ladybugs on their plants. This is because ladybugs are very helpful. They (21)…………… most of their time looking for food. Their favourite food is tiny green insects that often eat and destroy garden flowers. A single ladybug can easily eat hundreds of these bad insects in just one day!
Because of this, ladybugs help to (22)…………… plants healthy and strong. So, the next time you see one, you should be (23)…………… to have it in your garden. It is just doing an important (24)…………… !
19 A spots B marks C points
20 A find B meet C look
21 A spend B pass C stay
22 A keep B hold C give
23 A happy B safe C sure
24 A job B work C game
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (spots): "Spots" is the correct word for the round, dark circles on an animal or insect's body. "Marks" is too general (like a scratch or stain), and "points" means sharp ends or scores in a sport.
20 A (find): "Find" means to discover something. Gardeners discover or "find" the ladybugs resting on plants. "Meet" is used for saying hello to people, and "look" requires a preposition (look at / look for).
21 A (spend): "Spend time" is a standard English collocation. While learners sometimes try to use "pass time" based on translations from their own languages, "spend" is the correct verb here. "Stay" does not fit the grammar of the sentence.
22 A (keep): "Keep" is the correct verb to use when maintaining a condition (keep something healthy). We do not use "hold" (which means to carry something physically in your hands) or "give" in this phrase.
23 A (happy): "Happy" fits the broader meaning of the entire text. Because ladybugs protect the garden from bad insects, finding one is a good thing, so you should feel pleased or "happy". "Safe" and "sure" do not logically fit the feeling of the gardener here.
24 A (job): "Job" is a countable noun that fits the collocation "do a job" and the grammar "an important job". "Work" is an uncountable noun, so we cannot say "an important work", and "game" does not match the helpful task they are performing.