Pretend you're in Japan at these Thai spots

Test Yourself is where you can improve your reading skills. Whether it’s for tests like University Entrance Exams or IELTS and TOEFL, or even just for fun, these stories help you to read, understand and improve your English.
You can download audio and a PDF for this story below.
Read the following story by Eric E Surbano from the Bangkok Post’s Guru Magazine. Then, answer the questions that follow.

A recent survey revealed that the number one place Thais want to visit is Japan. If you can't get yourself there, try these places around Thailand.

J-PARK SRIRACHA NIHON MURA
Si Racha, Chon Buri
   
J-Park Sriracha Nihon Mura is designed to look very Japanese, reminding you of sprawling traditional Japanese castles complete with its koi ponds and lanterns. There's a red bridge, big red torii gates along with a large, yellow structure that looks like a temple though it probably houses a Subway or a milk tea shop.

KAFAE TUKTHEAW
Patthanakarn 30, Bangkok
 
Once you enter, it seems like a street food hall in Japan complete with signs all around, plastic containers used as seats and collectibles from action figures to miniature motorcycles all the way from Japan. When you want to take a break from the photoshoots, take a look at their menu where they offer various drinks, desserts and main courses like donburi bowls and curries.

KAN MACHI CAFE
Kaeng Sian, Kanchanaburi
 
Kan Machi Cafe in Kanchanaburi does a great job of transporting you to the Land of the Rising Sun. A torii, the large red gate that's common in Japanese temples, greets you at the entrance. While traditional things like the torii and Japanese houses are present, they also have a street designed to look like one of the alleys you would see in Tokyo complete with a vending machine and billboards.

NOMISUKE RAMEN
Bang Saen
   
Nomisuke Ramen, located seaside and roadside at Bang Saen, has transformed the space to resemble a roadside street food stall in Tokyo. There's a vending machine, a Japanese pedestrian crossing and even a stoplight. Despite not being too large, crowds of people are visiting to take photos of the place. The design is great and is definitely worth a visit, but Nomisuke Ramen also has ramen as well as taiyaki, the fish-shaped Japanese street food that's commonly filled with red bean paste. Pay them a visit for great food and great pics.


HINOKI LAND
Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai
 
As "winter" begins, what's more of a perfect excuse to head up to Chiang Mai than to visit Hinoki Land? Hinoki Land, named after the trees planted there, is a vast area that has a smaller version of a traditional Japanese castle made of wood that's on a koi-inhabited lake surrounded by mountains and trees. It almost seems as if you're visiting a Japanese palace. You're greeted by a large red lantern at the entrance and you'll pass through a number of torii gates to go to the wooden structure. You can also rent traditional Japanese clothing.

Photo by Hinoki Land

Section 1: Write the correct answer in the space provided.
1. Which mall has fish in a pond? …………….
2. Which Japanese food item is fish-shaped? …………….
3. Which place has clothes you can rent? …………….
4. Which two places have vending machines? …………….
5. Which place is named after a tree?…………..
6. What are the traditional large red gates called? …………….

Section 2: Read the following passage. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct words from the choices given.
Central Si Racha is the latest …7… to Central's list of malls. It is inspired …8… Japan and has a co-working space for …9… looking for a spot to get things …10… .
7. __A. adding             __B. added                __C. addition
8. __A. by                 __B. of                  __C. to
9. __A. them            __B. us              __C. those
10. __A. did            __B. done                __C. to do
       
Section 3: Find words that match the following definitions.
11. very small ……………
12. of things that have existed in a culture for a long time ……………
13. to look like something else ……………
14. a reason for doing something …………

Answers: 1. J-Park Sriracha. 2. taiyaki. 3. Hinoki Land. 4. Kan Machi Cafe, Nomisuke Ramen. 5. Hinoki Land. 6. torii. 7. c. 8. a. 9. c. 10. b. 11. miniature. 12. traditional. 13. resemble. 14. excuse.