READING COMPREHENSION- PRESENT CONTINUOUS READINGS

1. Read the following text carefully.

It’s a rainy Saturday. It’s raining a lot and Mary and her family are spending the afternoon at home. Her uncles are
visiting them. Mary and her father are in the living room. Mary is making a draw and her father, Mr.Harris,is surfing the
net. They are also talking.

Mary’s older brother, Peter, is in his bedroom playing computer games. He is a computer fanatic and he spends much
time playing on the computer. His little brother, Jim is also in the living room. He is playing with his dinosaurs’ collection.
Sometimes he teases Mary, he is a really naughty boy.

Mary’s mother, Mrs. Harris, is in the kitchen preparing a snack for all of them. She is making some tea and talking to
Mary’s uncles – Lucy and Tom. They are from the nearest town and stopped by to say hello.

Fluffy, the family cat, is sleeping on the kitchen’s sofa. We can’t see him in the picture, but he is a true fluffy cat.

2. Answer the questions about the text.

1. What day of the week is it? ______ Saturday____

2. Where is Mary? ___________spending the afternoon at home.___________________________

3. What is she doing? ____________ Mary is making a draw____

4. What is Mr. Harris doing? _______ is surfing the net

5. Is Mrs. Harris preparing a snack in the kitchen? ___ Mrs. Harris, is in the kitchen preparing a
snack_____________________________

6. What is Fluffy, the cat, doing? __ is sleeping on the kitchen’s sofa____________________________________

3) Circle the Present Continuous tense in the text.

Sarah Miller is in New York. She is writing a letter to her best friend.

Dear Sophia,

How are you? How is London? I am having a very good time in New York.

It’s Sunday and it’s sunny and warm. Now it’s ten in the morning and we are in Central Park. I am sitting under a tree, I
am listening to my radio… and I am writing to you, of course.

My Canadian cousin Rosemary is here with us, she is reading a comic. She’s very pretty. She’s tall and slim and she has
got long wavy brown hair. Her parents are in Toronto.

My father is reading The New York Times, an American newspaper. My mother is playing with my little brother Jimmy
on the grass and they are eating popcorn.

There are many people in the park. Some men are jogging, two girls are walking their dogs, and an old man is skating!
And he can do that quiet well.
 We often come to this fantastic park, in this wonderful city because we are relaxing here. But sometimes we visit other
interesting places: museums, shops, galleries, etc…

New York is great! There are many fantastic skyscrapers, great shops and there are people everywhere!

Love, Sarah

4. Answer these questions.

1) What is Sarah’s surname? __________ Miller__________

2) Where is Sarah? ____ is in New York____________

3) What is she doing? _____She is writing a letter to her best friend_____

4) Who is Sarah writing to? ________Her best friend.______

5) What is Sarah’s father doing? __My father is reading The New York Times___

6) Is Sarah’s brother eating a hamburger? __ is eating popcorn.

7) How many girls are walking their dogs in the park? __ two girls are walking their dogs____

8) What is her cousin doing? ___she is reading a comic__

9) Does Sarah like New York? Why? _it’s sunny and warm__

5. Read the text.

Now Janet is in her house. She is sitting on a wooden chair. She is holding a coat. She is fixing it.

James is Janet's husband. He is sitting in front of her. He is fixing clothes too.

Elizabeth is sitting next to James. She is Janet's sister. Right now she is helping Janet and James. They are working
together. They are fixing clothes.

At this moment a man is coming in. He is wearing dark clothes. He is carrying a pile of clothes. They are all working very
hard.

6. Answer the following questions. Use the Present Progressive tense.

1. Where is Janet sitting now? What is she doing? She is sitting on a wooden chair. She is holding a coat ._

2. Where is James sitting now? What is he doing? _ He is sitting in front of her. He is fixing clothes too _

3. Who is coming in at this moment? What is he carrying? _ At this moment a man is coming in. He is wearing
dark clothes. He is carrying a pile of clothes.

7. Decide which of the choices below would complete the article. Circle the appropriate letters.

TOO MUCH FAST FOOD?

According to a recent survey, Hong Kong consumers are (1) _______________ more money on convenience foods since
the economic downturn. Because companies are trying to make do with fewer staff, employees are (2)
_______________ harder than ever before. More women (3) _______________joining the workforce as well. They (4)
_______________ less time to prepare nutritious home-cooked meals for their families. Instead, families (5)
_______________ out or (6) _______________convenience foods, such as frozen pizzas and instant noodles. These
foods (7) _______________more fat, salt and sugar than home-cooked meals. Experts say that eating too much of them
(8) _______________ the risk of serious health problems, including diabetes and heart disease. However, the trend
towards convenience foods (9) _______________ benefitting some business sectors. Supermarkets are (10)
_______________ to the higher demand for quick, easy-to-serve meals by increasing their selection of convenience and
pre-packaged foods. These products often (11) _______________ for higher prices than fresh food. Restaurants also (12)
_______________ from the trend: most Hong Kong people now (13) _______________ out at least once a day. Is
convenience food just a fad or is home-cooked food (14_______________) a thing of the past? How (15)
_______________ this trend affecting our health?

1 A spending B spends C spent

2 A work B works C working

3 A is B are C be

4 A has B have C had

5 A eating B eats C eat

6 A bought B buys C buy

7 A containing B contains C contain

8 A increase B increasing C increases

9 A is B are C be

10 A respond B responded C responding

11 A sells B sell C selling

12 A profit B profiting C profits

13 A eat B ate C were

14 A become B became C becoming

15 A does B is C have

8. Add ing to these verbs

Work _____ working_______ Hit____hitting________________________

Stop____________Stopping Stay___staying_________________________

Read_______reading_____________________ Do_____doing_______________________

Write_______writing_____________________ Run____Running________________________
Study_______studying_____________________ Dance_________dancing___________________

Go_________going___________________ Swim_______Swimming_____________________

drink_______drinking____________________ smile________smiling____________________