A Saturday in the City
Do more with this exercise
Read about a visitor's Saturday in a big city, then do the exercises. You can listen to the sentences, too.
Reading text
map
a picture of a town or a country that shows the streetsmuseum
a building where you can see old or interesting thingsbus stop
a place where a bus stops for peoplestraight
in one line, with no turnmuseum
a building where you can see old or interesting thingslibrary
a building with a lot of books that you can read or borrowordered
asked for food in a restaurantsoup
hot food that you eat with a spoonsoup
hot food that you eat with a spoontasty
with a very good tastewaiter
a man who brings food to the tables in a restaurantpostcard
a card with a picture that you send to a friendPractice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Select the option that answers the question.
1.Why did the visitor ask a woman at the bus stop for help?
2.Where was the museum?
3.Why did the visitor stay at the museum for two hours?
4.What did the visitor eat for lunch?
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each sentence is correct.
5.The visitor had breakfast at a café.
6.After the museum, the visitor walked to the park.
7.The café had sandwiches.
Fill the gaps
Type the missing word.
Listen and choose
Listen once or twice, then choose what you hear.
11.Who did the visitor ask?
12.Where did the visitor turn left?
13.How was the soup?
Listen and write
Listen to the sentence, then type what 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 reading text?
It is written for A2 learners. It uses the past simple, simple directions and linking words such as and, but, so, because, then and however.
How can I use this page to learn English?
Read the story, check the glossary, answer the questions, then listen and write three sentences from the text.
Can I listen to the text?
Yes. Press the play button on a sentence to hear it, or use the listening exercises to practise what you hear.
Answer key
1. Why did the visitor ask a woman at the bus stop for help?
Answer: To find the museum
The text says: I did not know the way to the museum, so I asked a woman at the bus stop.
2. Where was the museum?
Answer: Next to the library
The text says: The museum was next to the library.
3. Why did the visitor stay at the museum for two hours?
Answer: The visitor liked the old pictures
The text says: I stayed there for two hours because I liked the old pictures.
4. What did the visitor eat for lunch?
Answer: Soup and some bread
The text says: I ordered a bowl of soup and some bread.
5. The visitor had breakfast at a café.
Answer: False
The text says: I had breakfast at my hotel.
6. After the museum, the visitor walked to the park.
Answer: True
The text says: After that, I walked to the park and sat under a big tree.
7. The café had sandwiches.
Answer: False
The text says: I wanted a sandwich, but they did not have any.
8. First I went straight, and ___ I turned left at the bank.
Answer: then
Then, next and later can all show a following step in the directions.
9. I wanted a sandwich, ___ they did not have any.
Answer: but
The word but joins two different ideas: I wanted a sandwich, and the café did not have one.
10. I stayed at the museum for two hours ___ I liked the old pictures.
Answer: because
Because, as and since can all give the reason.
11. Listening question 11: I did not know the way to the museum, so I asked a woman at the bus stop.
Answer: A woman
The speaker says, “I did not know the way to the museum, so I asked a woman at the bus stop.”
12. Listening question 12: First I went straight, and then I turned left at the bank.
Answer: At the bank
The speaker says, “First I went straight, and then I turned left at the bank.”
13. Listening question 13: The soup was hot and tasty, and the waiter was friendly.
Answer: Hot and tasty
The speaker says, “The soup was hot and tasty, and the waiter was friendly.”
14. Dictation 14
Answer: Last Saturday, I visited a big city for the first time.
The sentence starts the story with a simple past verb: visited.
15. Dictation 15
Answer: The museum was next to the library.
The sentence says where the museum was.
16. Dictation 16
Answer: After lunch, I bought a postcard for my mother and took a bus back to the hotel.
The sentence uses the past forms bought and took.