An Interesting Hobby A1 Reading Practice Tests Rules & Examples

An Interesting Hobby: Before You Read

Some people collect stamps or read books in their free time. But some hobbies are more surprising! Before you read, think about these questions:

• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Do you know anyone with an unusual or interesting hobby?

Reading Passage: Kofi Makes Things From Wood

Every Saturday morning, Kofi goes to his small shed in the garden. He opens the door, puts on his protective glasses, and starts to work. Kofi makes things from wood. He makes bowls, small boxes, and picture frames. It is his favourite hobby.

Kofi is 28 years old and lives in Bristol, in the UK. He works in an office from Monday to Friday. His job is sometimes boring, so he loves Saturday mornings in his shed. "When I work with wood, I feel happy and calm," he says. "I forget about everything else."

Kofi learns new skills from short videos online. He watches them in the evening and then practises on weekends. Some of his pieces are not perfect, but he does not mind. He gives his finished pieces to family and friends as gifts. His sister has three of his wooden bowls in her kitchen. She uses them every day.

Kofi wants to sell his work at a local market next year. He is excited about this new plan.

Key Vocabulary in Context

Reading Strategies & Comprehension Tips

Scanning for Key Facts

When a question asks for a specific fact — like where Kofi lives or what he makes — do not read the whole passage again. Move your eyes quickly over the text to find a key word from the question, such as "Bristol" or "wood". This is called scanning.

Skimming for the Main Idea

Before you answer any questions, read the passage quickly to get the general meaning. Ask yourself: Who is this text about? What does he do? You do not need to understand every single word to get the main idea.

Using Context to Guess New Words

If you do not know the word shed, look at the words around it: "small building in the garden." These clues help you understand the meaning without a dictionary. Always look at the full sentence first.

Watch for Time Words

This text has several time words: every Saturday, Monday to Friday, in the evening, next year. These words tell you when Kofi does different activities. Pay attention to them — exam questions often ask about times and routines.

Common Reading Pitfalls & Traps

Trap 1: Kofi's Job vs. His Hobby

The text says Kofi works in an office. This is his job. His hobby is making things from wood. Some students confuse these two. Be careful: the text says his job is sometimes boring, but his hobby makes him happy and calm. These are very different things.

Trap 2: Who Uses the Wooden Bowls?

The text says Kofi's sister uses the wooden bowls in her kitchen. Students sometimes think Kofi uses them himself. Read carefully — he gives his pieces to family and friends. He does not keep them.

Trap 3: "Not Perfect" Does Not Mean "Bad"

The passage says some pieces are "not perfect" but adds "he does not mind." This means Kofi is relaxed about small mistakes. It does not mean he is a bad woodworker or that he is unhappy with his hobby.

Trap 4: Future Plans vs. Current Actions

Kofi wants to sell his work at a market next year. He does not sell his work now. Questions about what he does now and what he plans to do in the future are very different. Look for words like wants to and next year as signals for future plans.

Quick Summary

This text is a short profile of Kofi, a young man from Bristol who enjoys making wooden objects in his garden shed every weekend. He learns from online videos, gives his creations as gifts, and has plans to sell his work at a market in the future. The text uses simple present tense and everyday vocabulary, making it ideal for practising basic reading comprehension skills at A1 level.

Now read the passage carefully and complete Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill-in-the-gap dropdown) below.