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? It’s Saturday

2. Where is Mary? Mary is in her house

3. What is she doing? Mary is making a drow

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

5. Is Mrs. Harris preparing a snack in the kitchen? Yes, she is

6. What is Fluffy, the cat, doing? Fluffy is sleeping

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? Is miller

2) Where is Sarah? Sarah is in New York

3) What is she doing? She is in the central park and listening to radio

4) Who is Sarah writing to? She is writing to Sophia

5) What is Sarah’s father doing? Her father is reading the Ny times

6) Is Sarah’s brother eating a hamburger? No’ he is eating pop corn

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

8) What is her cousin doing? She is reading an comic

9) Does Sarah like New York? Why? yes, because are many fantastic, skyscrapers, great shops, and there
are people everywhere.

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 coot

2. Where is James sitting now? What is he doing? She is sitting in front of Janet

3. Who is coming in at this moment? What is he carrying? A man is coming in Ana 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) spending more money on convenience foods since
the economic downturn. Because companies are trying to make do with fewer staff, employees are (2) working
harder than ever before. More women (3) are joining the workforce as well. They (4) have less time to prepare
nutritious home-cooked meals for their families. Instead, families (5) eat out or (6) buy convenience foods, such
as frozen pizzas and instant noodles. These foods (7) contains more fat, salt and sugar than home-cooked meals.
Experts say that eating too much of them (8) increase the risk of serious health problems, including diabetes and
heart disease. However, the trend towards convenience foods (9) are_ benefitting some business sectors.
Supermarkets are (10) responding to the higher demand for quick, easy-to-serve meals by increasing their
selection of convenience and pre-packaged foods. These products often (11) sell for higher prices than fresh food.
Restaurants also (12) profit from the trend: most Hong Kong people now (13) eat out at least once a day. Is
convenience food just a fad or is home-cooked food (14) become a thing of the past? How (15) is 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_