A2 KET Test #38 - Reading & Writing

Ben, 13

I usually go to bed at half past nine, but on Saturdays I often stay up late. I have my own bedroom, and my older brother sleeps in the next room. I always close the curtains because I need a really dark room to get to sleep. I don't look at my phone before sleeping. Instead, I enjoy reading a funny comic. My dad always brings us a cup of warm milk, which helps us sleep better. I think it is the best way to end a busy day!

Clara, 14

I share a large bedroom with my younger sister, so we have to be quiet at night. We leave a small lamp on because she is afraid of the dark. I like listening to soft music while I get ready for bed at ten o'clock. Some of my friends have snacks in the evening, but I don't eat or drink anything after dinner. I always open the window before I sleep to have a cool room. Even on Sundays, I wake up at six for my swimming club.

Dan, 13

I always go to bed at nine o'clock, which is earlier than most of my classmates. I never change this bedtime, even on Saturdays and Sundays. I sometimes make a cup of sweet tea and take it upstairs. When I am in bed, I write about my day in a small notebook. My mum turns off the home internet at ten, so nobody can play loud video games! I always sleep very well!

Riding a skateboard

Finn Parker was only eight years old when he first tried skateboarding. This was during a lunchtime sports club at school, which he only went to because it was cold and wet outside. His friends were in the school hall playing basketball, but Finn hated that game.

The teacher kept lots of sports things in the club room. Of all of them, the skateboards were the most interesting to Finn. He thought it was great that there were so many different sizes and colours, and he wanted to ride one to see how it felt. The teacher let him try, and Finn loved it from the first minute.

Soon his parents bought him his own board. Now Finn is thirteen and rides in shows around the country. He also has his own YouTube channel and gets over a million views a year. What’s amazing is that Finn has never been to a skateboard lesson. “You can learn anything from videos, so I’ve never felt it was important for me to take classes,” he explains.

Shows were not easy for Finn at the beginning because he usually rode alone in the car park near his house after school. At his first show, he rode with older teenagers. He could feel so many people looking at him, and that made him feel nervous.

So, does Finn enjoy being famous now? “I didn’t plan to be famous,” he says. “All I want is to show people what I love. I don’t think I’m someone special. I just want everyone to have fun at my shows.”

The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, covering a huge area in North Africa. This famous region is well known for its dry weather and very high temperatures. Many people think that the Sahara is only 19.1madecreatedbuilt of sand, but this is wrong. Soft sand covers a small part, and the ground is mostly 19.2closedcoveredfilled in large rocks.

The weather here changes very quickly between the day and the night. During the day, the temperature can easily 19.3walkgorun up to fifty degrees. However, when the sun goes down, it can quickly fall 19.4belowunderdown zero. Wild animals have found clever ways to live in this difficult area. Camels, for example, can travel for many days without 19.5wantingneedingasking any water.

If you want to visit this amazing place, you should go with a professional guide. It is very easy to 19.6gethavebecome lost because everything looks the same!