Listening question 11

At ten — Luis gave ten as the start time.

Listening question 12

A map — He attached a map with the entrance.

Listening question 13

Fifteen minutes early — The narrator says they reached it fifteen minutes early.

She wrote, “Could you tell me when the workshop starts?” — The embedded question keeps statement word order after tell me.

Her teacher asked, “The workshop starts at ten, doesn’t it?” — A positive statement takes a negative question tag.

A classmate asked, “We can use the garden entrance, can’t we?” — The tag repeats the modal can in its negative form.

A Polite Question

B1Reading · plans

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Last updated October 9, 2026

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Read how Aria organises a class visit and finds answers to two important questions. Then try the exercises.

Reading text

Aria’s class wanted to visit the town’s railway museum before the end of term.

Their teacher gave Aria the

booking form

a document used to reserve a place

and asked her to check the details.

The museum offered a

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

, but the form did not show its starting time.

A student in a wheelchair also needed a

route

the way from one place to another

without stairs.

Aria found a

contact address

an address used to ask an organisation a question

and began a careful email.

She wrote, “Could you tell me when the

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

starts?”

She added, “Do you know if the

lift

a machine that carries people between floors

is working this week?”

Then she checked her message and removed a third question about the café.

The

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

and the

lift

a machine that carries people between floors

mattered more to the class than lunch plans.

The next morning, a staff member named Luis replied with the missing time.

The

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

would start at ten, and the

lift

a machine that carries people between floors

was working.

Luis also

attached

added a file to a message

a map with an

accessible

easy to enter or use for people with different needs

entrance beside the garden.

Aria showed the reply to her teacher, who thanked her for checking early.

Her teacher asked, “The

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

starts at ten, doesn’t it?”

Aria checked Luis’s message again and

confirmed

checked and said that something was correct

the time.

A classmate asked, “We can use the garden entrance, can’t we?”

Aria pointed to the entrance on the map and answered yes.

She printed the map so everyone could see the

route

the way from one place to another

before the trip.

On the day, the group reached the museum fifteen minutes early.

The garden entrance was open, and the

lift

a machine that carries people between floors

took them to the

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

room.

Luis met them there and showed them an old train ticket machine.

Aria was glad she had asked before the visit instead of making guesses.

After the

workshop

an event where people learn by doing

, the class finally had time for the café.

Her classmates thanked her for a trip that felt easy to follow.

Practice exercises

0/16(0%)

Choose the correct answer

Read the story and choose the best answer.

1.What information was missing from the booking form?

2.What did Aria remove from her email?

3.What did Luis attach to his reply?

4.Why did Aria print the map?

Right or wrong?

Decide whether each statement agrees with the text.

5.Luis said the lift was working.

6.The class arrived late for the workshop.

7.The garden entrance was open on the day of the trip.

Complete the sentence

Use a word or phrase from the story.

8.Could you tell me when the workshop ?(indirect question word order)

9.The workshop starts at ten, ?(positive statement; negative tag)

10.We can use the garden entrance, ?(positive can; negative tag)

Listen and choose

Listen to each sentence and choose the answer.

11.When would the workshop start?

12.What did Luis attach?

13.When did the group arrive?

Listen and write

Listen and type the sentence you hear.

14.Listen and write the sentence.

15.Listen and write the sentence.

16.Listen and write the sentence.

Frequently asked questions

What level is this story?

It is written for B1 readers and practises indirect questions and question tags.

Why did Aria email the museum?

She needed the workshop time and an accessible route before the trip.

Can I replay the audio?

Yes. Play the whole story at 0.75× or replay one sentence.

Answer key

1. What information was missing from the booking form?
Answer: The workshop’s starting time
The form did not show when the workshop started.
2. What did Aria remove from her email?
Answer: A question about the café
She removed a third question about the café.
3. What did Luis attach to his reply?
Answer: A map
Luis attached a map showing the accessible entrance.
4. Why did Aria print the map?
Answer: So everyone could see the route
She wanted everyone to see the route before the trip.
5. Luis said the lift was working.
Answer: True
His reply confirmed that the lift was working.
6. The class arrived late for the workshop.
Answer: False
They reached the museum fifteen minutes early.
7. The garden entrance was open on the day of the trip.
Answer: True
The garden entrance was open when the class reached the museum.
8. Could you tell me when the workshop ___?
Answer: starts
An indirect question uses subject then verb: the workshop starts.
9. The workshop starts at ten, ___?
Answer: doesn't it
The present simple positive statement takes the negative tag doesn't it.
10. We can use the garden entrance, ___?
Answer: can't we
The tag repeats can in the negative with we.
11. Listening question 11: The workshop would start at ten, and the lift was working.
Answer: At ten
Luis gave ten as the start time.
12. Listening question 12: Luis also attached a map with an accessible entrance beside the garden.
Answer: A map
He attached a map with the entrance.
13. Listening question 13: On the day, the group reached the museum fifteen minutes early.
Answer: Fifteen minutes early
The narrator says they reached it fifteen minutes early.
14. Dictation 14
Answer: She wrote, “Could you tell me when the workshop starts?”
The embedded question keeps statement word order after tell me.
15. Dictation 15
Answer: Her teacher asked, “The workshop starts at ten, doesn’t it?”
A positive statement takes a negative question tag.
16. Dictation 16
Answer: A classmate asked, “We can use the garden entrance, can’t we?”
The tag repeats the modal can in its negative form.

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