English Reading Practice: Elementary
This A2 lesson gives you a short, simple story, a word-by-word glossary, and questions that check you understood it. Read the whole text first, then use the glossary and practice to confirm the details.
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Level: A2. This is a short, everyday story written for elementary readers. The sentences are simple and most verbs are in the present or past simple. Read it once from start to finish, then work through the glossary, the practice and the quiz.
By the end of this page you can…
…read a simple A2 story, work out new words from their context, and answer questions about the details.
How to use this page
Read the story twice. The first time, do not stop — just follow what happens. The second time, slow down and notice the new words. Only then open the glossary. Reading the whole text before you check words is a skill in itself, and it is faster than it feels.
Read the text: A New Neighbour
A new family moved into the flat next to ours last week. On Saturday morning, I heard a knock at the door. A woman stood outside with a small plate of biscuits.
“Hello, I’m Dalia,” she said. “We live at number nine now. These are for you.”
I was surprised and happy. I invited her in for a cup of tea. We sat in the kitchen and talked for an hour. Dalia has two children, a boy and a girl. The boy is seven and the girl is four. Her husband works at the hospital in town.
Dalia asked me about the area. I told her about the market on Sundays and the small park behind the school. She wrote everything in a little notebook. Before she left, she gave me her phone number.
On Sunday, we went to the market together. The children ran ahead and looked at the fruit. Dalia bought apples, bread, and a bunch of flowers. I bought some cheese and a newspaper. We walked home slowly in the sun.
Now we are friends. Dalia and I drink tea every week. Our children play in the park on warm afternoons. A good neighbour makes a street feel like home.
Glossary
Tap a word to hear it, then check the meaning. Try to remember where each word appeared in the story.
- neighboura person who lives near you, for example in the next house or flat.
- flata home on one floor inside a larger building; an apartment.
- a knockthe sound of someone hitting a door with their hand to be let in.
- biscuitssmall, flat, sweet baked snacks; cookies in American English.
- surprisedfeeling a quick, often happy, reaction to something you did not expect.
- to inviteto ask someone politely to come to your home or join you.
- the areathe part of a town or city around where you live.
- a marketa place, often outdoors, where people sell food and other goods.
- a buncha group of things held or tied together, such as flowers or bananas.
- afternoonthe part of the day between midday and the evening.
Comprehension practice
Answer each question, then open the explanation to check. Look back at the story whenever you need to.
A New Neighbour — comprehension
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
Hint: the opposite of boy
Show answer
girl — The text says she has a boy who is seven and a girl who is four.
5 Match each word from the story with its meaning.
- neighbour
- flat
- market
- afternoon
Show answer
- neighbour → a person who lives near you
- flat → a home inside a larger building
- market → a place where people sell food
- afternoon → the time between midday and evening
These four words all appear in the story; link each to its short meaning.
6 Put the words in the correct order to rebuild a sentence from the story.
Show answer
We walked home slowly in the sun — The sentence is: We walked home slowly in the sun.
Quick recap before the quiz.
Quiz
A2 reading quiz
8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
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last week — The first sentence says the family moved in last week.
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two — She has a boy of seven and a girl of four — two children.
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at the hospital — The text says her husband works at the hospital in town.
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cheese and a newspaper — Dalia bought apples, bread and flowers; the narrator bought cheese and a newspaper.
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a home inside a building — Here 'flat' means an apartment — a home on one floor inside a larger building.
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something happens that you did not expect — Surprise is the reaction to something unexpected, here a kind welcome.
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because the narrator has made a friend — The last line links a good neighbour with the street feeling like home.
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present and past simple — At A2, everyday narration uses mainly the present and past simple.
Next
- Try the easier text first: English Reading Practice: Beginner
- Step up a level: English Reading Practice: Intermediate
- Browse the English practice section
- New here? Start with Start Learning English Here
All English practice topics
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Practice
A1 1 topics · 1 ready
A2 3 topics · 3 ready
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