A2 Key for Schools (KET) Reading & Writing Part 4 Test – Weather, Geography & Earth Science 8
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.
Amazing Canyons
A canyon is a very deep valley with high walls of rock on each side. Rivers make most canyons. Over millions of years, the water moves over the land and slowly (19)…………… through the hard rock. This process (20)…………… a very long time, but it finally makes a huge hole in the ground.
The Grand Canyon in the USA is one of the most famous canyons in the world. Every year, millions of tourists travel there to (21)…………… at the beautiful red rocks. Many visitors like to walk all the way down to the (22)…………… of the canyon.
Other people prefer to stay at the top to (23)…………… amazing photos of the view. If you visit a canyon in the summer, you must remember to (24)…………… a lot of water with you because it can get very hot.
19 A cuts B breaks C falls
20 A takes B spends C keeps
21 A look B watch C see
22 A bottom B floor C ground
23 A take B make C do
24 A bring B catch C hold
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (cuts): In geography, water "cuts through" rock, meaning it slowly slices or carves a path. We use "breaks" when something smashes into pieces quickly, and "falls" means dropping down, which does not describe making a path through solid rock.
20 A (takes): The correct collocation for an activity requiring time is "it takes a long time". We use "spends" when a person or animal uses time (people spend time), and "keeps" does not collocate with time in this way.
21 A (look): The verb "look" naturally links with the preposition "at" (look at) when we focus our eyes on something. "Watch" is used for moving things (like a movie or a game), and "see" does not take the preposition "at".
22 A (bottom): The lowest inside part of a canyon is the "bottom", which perfectly contrasts with staying at the "top". A "floor" is the surface you walk on inside a building, and the "ground" is too general to describe the lowest point of a valley.
23 A (take): The standard English collocation for using a camera is "take photos". We do not say "make photos" or "do photos" in English.
24 A (bring): To "bring" means to take something with you when you go somewhere, which fits the context of carrying water on a trip. You cannot "catch" stationary water in a bottle, and "hold" just means keeping something in your hands, not preparing it for a journey.
Test 2
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Tsunamis: Giant Waves
A tsunami is a very large and powerful wave. It usually begins deep under the (19)…………… . It happens when there is a sudden movement in the earth, like a strong earthquake. This movement pushes the water and (20)…………… a wave that travels very fast.
When the wave gets close to the land, the water is not deep. This causes the wave to grow into a (21)…………… wall of water. It moves quickly towards the (22)…………… , bringing a lot of water onto the land.
If you are on holiday near the sea, it is a good (23)…………… to learn about tsunamis. If you hear a warning, you must move away from the water and go up a hill. This helps to keep you (24)…………… .
19 A ocean B river C lake
20 A makes B does C puts
21 A huge B heavy C full
22 A beach B field C desert
23 A idea B plan C answer
24 A safe B sure C true
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (ocean): 'Ocean' is the correct semantic fit for the large body of salt water where tsunamis begin. A 'river' or a 'lake' is generally too small to have giant waves caused by earthquakes.
20 A (makes): 'Makes a wave' is a strong, natural collocation in English. 'Does' and 'puts' do not form a meaningful phrase with 'a wave'.
21 A (huge): 'Huge' is the correct semantic fit to describe something that is very large in size. 'Heavy' describes how much something weighs, and 'full' means it cannot hold anything else inside.
22 A (beach): In this broader context, the wave travels from the water directly onto the 'beach' (the sandy area next to the sea). A 'field' is a grassy area for farming, and a 'desert' is a very dry place.
23 A (idea): 'A good idea' is a very common English collocation used when giving advice or talking about a smart choice. 'Plan' refers to a future schedule, and 'answer' does not form a natural phrase in this sentence structure.
24 A (safe): At the phrase level, 'keep you safe' means to protect someone from danger. 'Sure' means certain, and 'true' means a correct fact; neither makes sense in this specific context.
Test 3
Questions 19-24
For each question, choose the correct answer.
Winter Frost
Winter is a beautiful season, especially when frost appears outside. It usually happens on very cold mornings when the temperature is below zero. During the night, small drops of water (19)…………… into hard, white ice.
When you wake up, you can see this beautiful ice on everything in the garden. Frost often looks like tiny stars on the leaves of plants. It also covers the windows of cars and houses. Because of this, it is hard to look (20)…………… them.
Children love to (21)…………… a lot of fun playing in the frosty weather. However, you must always be (22)…………… when you go outside. Frost makes the roads very icy. For this reason, people must drive very (23)…………… . Winter frost makes the world look amazing, but it usually disappears quickly when the sun comes (24)…………… .
19 A change B move C cross
20 A through B above C past
21 A have B make C do
22 A careful B brave C busy
23 A slowly B quickly C early
24 A out B down C over
Answer Key & Explanations
19 A (change): This tests semantic fit. The phrase "change into" is used to describe something becoming something completely different (water becoming ice). "Move" and "cross" relate to travelling, not physical transformation.
20 A (through): This tests phrase-level meaning. When we look from one side of a window to the other, we look "through" it. "Above" means higher than the window, and "past" means walking by it, neither of which fits the context of blocked vision.
21 A (have): This tests a very common collocation. The fixed expression in English is to "have fun" (meaning to enjoy yourself). We never use the verbs "make" or "do" with the noun "fun".
22 A (careful): This tests semantic fit. To "be careful" means to pay attention to avoid danger, which fits the warning about icy roads. "Brave" means not being afraid, which does not help on ice, and "busy" has no logical connection here.
23 A (slowly): This tests broader context. The previous sentence explains that the frost "makes the roads very icy". Because icy roads are dangerous, drivers must reduce their speed and drive "slowly". "Quickly" is the opposite of what you should do, and "early" describes time.
24 A (out): This tests a phrasal verb collocation. When the sun appears from behind the clouds or rises in the morning, we say it "comes out". The sun "comes down" in the evening when it gets colder, which would not make the frost melt.