A Weekend at a Lakeside Hostel

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

A2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why did Mia and Ben miss the welcome walk?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The bus was late.
   2. They arrived too early.
   3. They could not find the hostel.
   4. The walk started in the evening.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The bus was late.

   The passage says the bus was late, and that was the reason they missed the welcome walk. The other options are not given as reasons.

   The bus was late, so they missed the welcome walk

   The bus was late.: Correct. The late bus caused them to miss the walk.

   They arrived too early.: Wrong. They arrived late because the bus was late.

   They could not find the hostel.: Wrong. The passage does not give this as a reason.

   The walk started in the evening.: Wrong. The passage does not say this.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What did the receptionist give them?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. A map.
   2. A key to two bicycles.
   3. A cup of hot tea.
   4. A note for the guest book.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   A map.

   The receptionist gave them a map. The other items are mentioned later or not at all.

   the receptionist gave them a map

   A map.: Correct. The receptionist gave them a map.

   A key to two bicycles.: Wrong. They rented the bicycles later.

   A cup of hot tea.: Wrong. They bought tea later from a kiosk.

   A note for the guest book.: Wrong. They wrote a note before leaving.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What did their room face?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. The garden.
   2. The dining room.
   3. The path beside the lake.
   4. The water.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The water.

   The passage says their room faced the water. The other choices do not match the text.

   Their room faced the water

   The garden.: Wrong. The passage does not say the room faced the garden.

   The dining room.: Wrong. The receptionist pointed them to the dining room; the room faced the water.

   The path beside the lake.: Wrong. They rode along this path, but the room faced the water.

   The water.: Correct. Their room faced the water.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What did they do first after putting down their bags?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. They had dinner in the dining room.
   2. They played cards.
   3. They wrote a note in the guest book.
   4. They rented two bicycles.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They rented two bicycles.

   After putting down their bags, they rented two bicycles. They rode beside the lake after renting them, while the other actions happened later.

   After they put down their bags, they rented two bicycles

   They had dinner in the dining room.: Wrong. Dinner is not mentioned.

   They played cards.: Wrong. They played cards on Sunday morning, not then.

   They wrote a note in the guest book.: Wrong. That happened before leaving.

   They rented two bicycles.: Correct. This happened right after they put down their bags.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Where did they stop during their bike ride?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. At the hostel entrance.
   2. At a wooden bridge.
   3. At the dining room.
   4. At the bus stop.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   At a wooden bridge.

   They stopped at a wooden bridge. The other places are mentioned elsewhere or not at all.

   They stopped at a wooden bridge

   At the hostel entrance.: Wrong. The passage does not say they stopped there during the ride.

   At a wooden bridge.: Correct. They stopped at a wooden bridge.

   At the dining room.: Wrong. The dining room was at the hostel, not a stop on the ride.

   At the bus stop.: Wrong. The passage does not say they stopped at a bus stop.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why did they stay inside on Sunday morning?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. It rained.
   2. The welcome walk was cancelled.
   3. The bicycles were broken.
   4. The hostel was very noisy.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It rained.

   They stayed inside because it rained on Sunday morning. The passage then says they played cards with other guests.

   On Sunday morning, it rained, so they stayed inside

   It rained.: Correct. The rain made them stay inside.

   The welcome walk was cancelled.: Wrong. The passage connects the missed walk with the late bus, not Sunday rain.

   The bicycles were broken.: Wrong. The bicycles were used on the previous day.

   The hostel was very noisy.: Wrong. Mia liked the hostel because it was quiet.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why did Mia like the hostel?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Because she liked loud music there.
   2. Because it was close to a cinema.
   3. Because it was quiet and the staff were helpful.
   4. Because the rooms were very big.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Because it was quiet and the staff were helpful.

   Mia liked the hostel because it was quiet and the staff were helpful. The other choices do not match her reason.

   Mia liked the hostel because it was quiet and the staff were helpful

   Because she liked loud music there.: Wrong. The passage says the hostel was quiet.

   Because it was close to a cinema.: Wrong. A cinema is not mentioned.

   Because it was quiet and the staff were helpful.: Correct. These are the two reasons Mia gives.

   Because the rooms were very big.: Wrong. Room size is not given as a reason.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What did Mia and Ben do before leaving?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. They checked the map again.
   2. They played cards with other guests.
   3. They rented two bicycles.
   4. They wrote a note in the guest book.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   They wrote a note in the guest book.

   Before leaving, they wrote a note in the guest book. The other options do not fit that final action.

   Before leaving, they wrote a note in the guest book

   They checked the map again.: Wrong. The map was given when they arrived.

   They played cards with other guests.: Wrong. They played cards on Sunday morning.

   They rented two bicycles.: Wrong. They rented the bicycles after putting down their bags.

   They wrote a note in the guest book.: Correct. They did this before leaving.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.