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Reading Worksheet

The Baker's Day

A1 Present Simple: Daily Routines Work 20 minutes
Before You Read

Discuss these questions with a partner before you read.

  • What time do you usually get up in the morning? Do you think 3am is too early to start work?
  • Do you like cooking or baking? What do you make?
  • What jobs start very early in the morning? Why do those jobs need to start so early?
  • What is your morning routine? Tell your partner three things you do every morning.
Key Vocabulary
Word Definition Example
bakery (n.) a shop where bread and cakes are made and sold The bakery opens at seven every morning.
flour (n.) a white powder made from grain, used for making bread Marco uses a lot of flour every day.
dough (n.) a thick mixture of flour and water used to make bread He kneads the dough for ten minutes.
customer (n.) a person who buys something from a shop The first customer arrives at seven o'clock.
fresh (adj.) made recently; not old or stale People love the smell of fresh bread.
routine (n.) a set of actions you do regularly in the same order Marco has a very early morning routine.
Reading Text
Blog Post ~150 words

The Baker's Day

My name is Marco. I am a baker. I work in a small bakery in Leeds. Every day, I get up at 3am. Yes, 3am! It is very early, but I love my job.

I walk to the bakery. It takes about ten minutes. I open the bakery at 4am. Then I start work.

First, I make the dough. I mix flour, water, salt, and yeast together. I always mix the dough by hand. Then I put the bread in the oven at 5am. The bakery smells wonderful.

The first customer arrives at 7am. I serve customers until 2pm. I help them choose bread and cakes. Sometimes a customer asks for a special cake. I always try to help.

At 2pm, I finish work. I close the bakery and go home. I eat a small meal and then I sleep. I go to bed at 3pm every day!

I love the smell of fresh bread. I love my routine. It is hard work, but I am always happy in the bakery.

Notice the Grammar

Look back at the article. Find five sentences that use the present simple with he/she/it (remember: the verb adds -s or -es). Write them below. Then discuss with a partner: why is the present simple used to describe Marco's day?

1 Reading for Gist

Answer these questions in a few words.

  1. What is Marco's job?
  2. Where does Marco work?
  3. How does Marco feel about his job?
2 Reading for Detail

Answer these questions. Write short answers.

  1. What time does Marco get up every day?
  2. What does Marco use to make bread?
  3. What time does the first customer arrive?
  4. When does Marco finish work?  a) At 2am b) At 2pm c) At 3am 
  5. What does Marco do when he gets home?
3 True, False, or Not Given

Write T (True), F (False), or NG (Not Given). Use only information from the article.

  1. Marco walks to the bakery every day.
  2. Marco uses a machine to mix the dough.
  3. Marco earns a lot of money as a baker.
  4. Marco puts the bread in the oven at 5am.
  5. Marco closes the bakery at 3pm.
4 Vocabulary in Context

Answer these questions about words and phrases in the article.

  1. In paragraph 3, what does 'dough' mean?  a) a type of oven used in a bakery b) a thick mixture of flour and water used to make bread c) a white powder made from grain 
  2. In paragraph 4, Marco says 'I always try to help' when a customer asks for something special. What does this tell us about Marco?
  3. Find a word in paragraph 6 that means 'a regular set of actions done in the same order'. Write it here. 
  4. In paragraph 1, what does 'fresh' mean? Write your own definition.
5 Grammar in Context

Complete these activities. Go back to the article.

  1. Find five verbs in the he/she/it form in the article. Write the complete sentences. (Hint: look for verbs with -s or -es.)
    a)  b)  c)  d)  e) 
  2. Find two time expressions or frequency words in the article (for example: every day, at 7am). Write them here.
    a)  b) 
  3. Why does the writer use the present simple to describe Marco's day? Choose the best reason.  a) Because it is happening right now. b) Because it is something he does every day as a routine. c) Because it happened in the past. 
  4. Write the correct he/she/it form of these verbs: make → ___, mix → ___, go → ___, finish → ___, open → ___
  5. Write two sentences about your own morning routine. Use the present simple.
Personal Response — Discuss with a partner

Discuss these questions with a partner. Then share one idea with the class.

  1. Marco gets up at 3am every day. Could you do his job? What would be the hardest part?
  2. Do you think having a strict routine is good or bad? What are the advantages and disadvantages?
  3. What job would you love to do every day, and what would your daily routine look like?

Answer Key

The Baker's Day — A1 — Present Simple: Daily Routines

Exercise 1 — Reading for Gist

  1. He is a baker.
  2. He works in a small bakery in Leeds.
  3. He loves it / he is always happy.

Exercise 2 — Reading for Detail

  1. 3am.
  2. Flour, water, salt, and yeast.
  3. 7am.
  4. b)
  5. He eats a small meal and then sleeps.

Exercise 3 — True, False, or Not Given

  1. T — Paragraph 2: 'I walk to the bakery. It takes about ten minutes.'
  2. F — Paragraph 3: 'I always mix the dough by hand.'
  3. NG — The article does not mention Marco's salary or earnings.
  4. T — Paragraph 3: 'I put the bread in the oven at 5am.'
  5. F — Paragraph 5: 'At 2pm, I finish work. I close the bakery and go home.'

Exercise 4 — Vocabulary in Context

  1. b)
  2. He is helpful / he cares about his customers.
  3. routine
  4. Made recently, not old or stale / newly made.

Exercise 5 — Grammar in Context

  1. Any five sentences containing: gets, walks, opens, mixes, puts, takes, helps, loves, finishes, goes, smells, arrives, asks, starts, etc.
  2. Any two of: every day / at 3am / at 4am / at 5am / at 7am / at 2pm / at 3pm / always / sometimes
  3. b)
  4. makes, mixes, goes, finishes, opens
  5. Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Check: subject + present simple verb. Look for correct 3rd person -s/-es if writing about someone els

Notice the Grammar — suggested answers

Accept any five correct examples from the article that use the target grammar. Students should be able to explain why the grammar is used in each case.

Personal Response

Answers will vary. This section is for spoken discussion or short written response. There are no single correct answers.