Reading Comprehension Form 8 Term 1

 We used to live in Turin, a big city in the north of Italy. It was very exciting, with lots of things to do, but living in the city can be expensive. At the weekend, we often went to the park for a picnic, but there were always lots of people and the children couldn’t play football there. Sometimes, we went to the museum. We all enjoyed learning about art and history. Other times, we went to the shopping centre to buy new clothes.

   My husband worked in an office downtown, not too far from where we lived, but driving to work every day was a problem. The car park was always full and he didn’t know where to leave his car. It was much easier to take the bus! I used to work at a factory making tomato sauce. It was just outside the city so I drove my car there, after dropping the children off to school.

   Two years ago, we moved from Turin to a small town near the countryside. We sold our city apartment and we bought a house with a big garden. There are many trees near us and we hear the birds singing. That’s the kind of life we wanted! I now work at the town’s post office, sending letters and selling stamps, and my husband now works in a smaller office in the town hall, where he writes important emails.

   There aren’t many restaurants or big shops in this small town, but there are other things to do. We visit the library more often because we spend more time reading. We take long walks to see old buildings. There’s even a castle, and the children think there’s a king living in it! It’s an important tourist attraction and many people come to see it. We grow our fruit and vegetables in our big garden–we don’t buy them at the market anymore!

  City life was busy and stressful for all of us. Life now is slower and I was worried: what will the children think? It was a big change and the first few weeks were difficult, but they love it here now. Of course, we miss the city sometimes, but we prefer our life here.

Where did the family use to live before?

Why was living in Turin expensive?

At weekends in Turin the family often…

Why couldn’t the children play football in the city park?

What problem did the husband have driving to work in Turin?

Where did the wife use to work in the city?

How long ago did the family move to the city?

What did they buy after selling their city apartment?

What can they hear every day in the small town?

Where does the husband work now?

What do they grow in their garden now?

How do the children feel about living in the small town now?