|EE-024c| A2: Key – Reading [Part 3: Multiple Choice] - Exam Seekers

Hello Exam Seekers,

For the past few weeks, I’ve been talking about the Cambridge English A2 Key (former KET). The Cambridge A2 Key Reading and Writing Exam is divided into seven parts.

• Part 1 – Multiple Choice;
• Part 2 – Multiple Matching;
• Part 3 – Multiple Choice;
• Part 4 – Multiple-Choice Cloze;
• Part 5 – Open Cloze;
• Part 6 – Guided Writing;
• Part 7 – Picture Story.

Today, I’m covering Part 3 – Multiple Choice.

Part 3 – Multiple Choice

Differently from Part 1 – Multiple Choice that there are six short texts from which the candidates read and get the main message, in Part 3 – Multiple Choice there is only one longer text – for example, a simplified newspaper or magazine article – and five multiple-choice questions with three options, A, B and C.

Candidates should read the text and answer each question from the three alternatives. This part of the exam tests understanding of the main ideas and some details of longer texts. Each correct answer will provide candidates with one mark. Here is a sample:

Cambridge A2 Key Reading and Writing Part 3 Sample

There are some ways to deal with this part of the exam, but I usually go for one of these two options:

• Slow: candidates skim the text to find out the topic and general meaning, only then they read the text more carefully.
• Fast: read the alternatives first, then go for the text.

Both are valid ways to get your answers. I usually go for the second, due to the short time. You just need to figure out the best way for you. So let’s check the way I would do it:

The first thing to do is to read the first alternative and underline what I believe to be important/relevant from the alternatives:

• What is Alice Watson’s job now?
  • A dancer
  • B teacher
  • C dress-make

Since this is short, there is not much to underline, but I grasped what the question wants from me: Alice Watson’s job now.

The second thing to do is to go for the text. If you pay close attention to the questions above and to the text, you will see that there are 5 questions and 5 paragraphs. This probably means that I can find one answer per paragraph. So let’s read the first paragraph and try and find the answer to the first question:

The women in the Watson family are all crazy about ballet. These days, Alice Watson gives ballet lessons, but for many years, she was a dancer with the National Ballet Company. Her mother, Hannah, also had a full-time job there, making costumes for the dancers

At the beginning of the text, you will find the answer. I wanted to know what Alice Watson’s job is now, and in the first line you can read “These days, Alice Watson gives ballet lessons“, so, she is a teacher, alternative B.

You can read the rest of the paragraph if you like, but be careful, because they offer other sentences that might confuse you like “but for many years she was a dancer” and “her mother had a full-time job making costumes“. These were alternatives A dancer and C dress-maker.

Now, let’s read the second question, and underline it; then read the text and try and match it to one of the alternatives:

• Demi had her first ballet lessons
  • A at a very young age.
  • B at the National Ballet Company.
  • C from her mother

Alice’s daughter Demi started learning ballet as soon as she could walk. ‘I never taught her,’ says Alice, ‘because she never let me.’ Now aged sixteen, Demi is a member of the ballet company where her mother was the star dancer for many years.

Again, as you can see, the answer to this question is at the beginning of the second paragraph. I wanted to know when Demi had her first lessons, and in the text, they say she started learning ballet as soon as she could walk. This means that she had her first lessons at a very young age, alternative A.

Once again, you can read the rest of the text to get familiar with it if you want to, but be careful, because the texts of the other alternatives might confuse you, okay?

So, this is how I would do it. Now it’s your turn to try. Read the questions, underline them, and try to find the answers in the paragraphs left. The answer key is down below.

If you are having problems with this test, or if you found it easy, comment in the comment section below so that I can help. You can always buy the A2 Key books with practice tests to help you. The links are here:

A2 Key – Exam Sb With Answers With Audio Authentic Practice Tests: Vol. 1

If you are buying from Brazil, the link to the A2 Key Book is here, but if you are buying from other countries, link above.

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Have a great week,
Patricia Moura

PS: All samples are provided by Cambridge. And here are the answers:

Answer Key:
14. B
15. A
16. C
17. B
18. A