A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Weather, Geography & Earth Science 1
Reading » A2 Reading Tests » A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Weather, Geography & Earth Science
Test 1
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Beautiful Rainbows
Rainbows are beautiful half-circles of colour in the sky. You can usually see them when the sun is shining and it is raining at the same (19)…………… . The light from the sun looks white, but it actually has many different colours inside it.
When this sunlight goes through the drops of water in the air, it (20)…………… into seven beautiful colours. Red is always at the top of the rainbow, and purple is at the bottom. To see a rainbow, you must stand with your back to the sun and (21)…………… up at the sky.
Many people love to (22)…………… photographs of rainbows when they appear. However, they do not stay in the sky for very long. Because they are in the sky for a short time and are sometimes (23)…………… to find, they are always a very special surprise. This is one (24)…………… why everyone loves watching them.
19 A time B clock C hour
20 A moves B grows C turns
21 A see B look C watch
22 A do B make C take
23 A hard B heavy C busy
24 A reason B idea C answer
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (time): 'At the same time' is a fixed English phrase meaning two things are happening together. We do not say 'at the same clock' or 'at the same hour' in this context.
20 C (turns): 'Turns' pairs perfectly with the preposition 'into' to describe changing from one thing into another (white light turns into seven colours). 'Moves' describes physical travel, and 'grows' is used for plants or living things getting bigger.
21 B (look): 'Look' is correct because it pairs with the prepositions 'up at' to direct your eyes towards something. 'See' and 'watch' do not use the prepositions 'up at' in this way.
22 C (take): 'Take photographs' is a fixed English collocation. We do not use the verbs 'do' or 'make' to describe using a camera to create a picture.
23 A (hard): In this context, 'hard' means difficult (difficult to find). 'Heavy' describes how much something weighs, and 'busy' is used for people with a lot of work, which do not fit the meaning here.
24 A (reason): 'Reason' pairs with the word 'why' to logically explain a fact or situation (one reason why). We do not say 'one idea why' or 'one answer why' in English.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Amazing Volcanoes
Volcanoes are a very special kind of mountain. When you look at one, it might just look like a normal mountain, but it has a deep hole at the top.
Deep inside the earth, the ground is very hot. Sometimes, this heat makes the rock melt and become a thick liquid. When a volcano erupts, this hot liquid rock comes (19)…………… of the top of the mountain. It can then (20)…………… very quickly down the sides.
An erupting volcano can also put a lot of dark (21)…………… into the sky. This makes the air very dirty. Because of this, it is very (22)…………… for people or animals to be near the mountain.
Many scientists spend a lot of (23)…………… watching volcanoes. They try to find out when a volcano will erupt. This helps them to (24)…………… everyone safe.
19 A out B away C up
20 A walk B move C turn
21 A smoke B wind C rain
22 A afraid B dangerous C heavy
23 A time B hour C day
24 A stay B hold C keep
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (out): The phrasal verb "come out" means to emerge from inside something (like the hole at the top of the mountain). "Come away" means to leave a person or place, and "come up" means to move higher, but we say "come out of", not "come up of".
20 B (move): "Move" is the correct verb for a liquid travelling from one place to another. "Walk" is only for people or animals with legs. "Turn" means to change direction or go around in a circle.
21 A (smoke): A volcano produces dark "smoke" that goes into the sky and makes the air dirty. "Wind" is moving air, and "rain" is water falling from weather clouds, which do not come out of a volcano.
22 B (dangerous): "Dangerous" describes a situation that can hurt you, which fits the context of being near an erupting mountain. "Afraid" describes how people feel, but a situation cannot be afraid. "Heavy" describes weight, not a lack of safety.
23 A (time): "Spend a lot of time" is a very common fixed phrase in English 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 C (keep): We use the verb "keep" with an object to mean protecting someone or something (keep everyone safe). "Stay" cannot take an object here (you cannot "stay" another person safe), and "hold" means to carry something in your hands.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes are natural events that happen when the earth suddenly shakes. During an earthquake, the (19)…………… under our feet begins to move. Sometimes, this movement is so small that people do not even feel it. But other times, it can be very strong and last for a few minutes.
When a large earthquake happens, things inside houses can fall down. Because of this, it is very important to (20)…………… safe. If you are inside a building, you should quickly get under a heavy table or desk. You must (21)…………… there until the shaking stops completely.
People who are outside should move (22)…………… from tall buildings and large trees. It is a good idea to find an open space and sit down. Today, scientists (23)…………… a lot of time studying earthquakes. They want to learn more about them so they can (24)…………… people when one is going to happen.
19 A ground B floor C rock
20 A stay B get C make
21 A wait B rest C stand
22 A away B out C off
23 A spend B take C pass
24 A tell B say C talk
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (ground): "Ground" correctly describes the surface of the earth outside. A "floor" is typically the surface inside a room, and "rock" does not fit the general phrase "the _____ under our feet" when talking about the whole area moving.
20 A (stay): "Stay safe" is a very common English collocation that means to remain out of danger. We do not use the verbs "get" or "make" in this phrase (e.g., you cannot "make safe" yourself).
21 A (wait): "Wait" fits the context of remaining in a safe place until an event finishes. "Stand" is physically incorrect because the person is hiding under a table, and "rest" implies relaxing or sleeping, which you do not do during an earthquake.
22 A (away): The phrase "move away from" is the correct way to describe creating a safe distance between yourself and a dangerous object. "Out" would require the preposition "of" (out of the building), and "off" is used for getting down from surfaces.
23 A (spend): "Spend time" is the standard English collocation. Many learners incorrectly choose "pass" due to direct translation from their own languages, and "take" does not fit the grammar of this specific sentence.
24 A (tell): "Tell" correctly takes a direct object without a preposition (tell people). "Say" and "talk" would both require the preposition "to" in this grammatical structure (say to people / talk to people).