The Community Show
Do more with this exercise
Read how a community show changes its plan when rain arrives. Then answer the questions.
Reading text
organise
plan and arrange an eventresponse
what people say or do after an invitationforecast
a report about expected weathermusicians
people who play musicupdate
new information about a changestage
an area where performers standdoorway
the opening of a doorstage
an area where performers standpurpose
the reason for doing somethingPractice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Read the story and choose the best answer.
1.Why did Nora order extra chairs?
2.What was the second venue?
3.How did people who missed the message find the new address?
4.What did Nora decide for the next show?
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each statement agrees with the text.
5.The school band had practised for weeks before the show.
6.Every visitor found a place inside the library hall.
7.The paper stars stayed in the library window after the show.
Complete the sentence
Use a word or phrase from the story.
Listen and choose
Listen to each sentence and choose the answer.
11.What did the team prepare?
12.Where did some visitors listen?
13.What stayed in the library window?
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 for B1 readers and practises contrast connectors and so/such result sentences.
Why did the show move indoors?
Heavy rain made the park unsuitable, so the team used the library hall.
Can I replay the audio?
Yes. Play the story at 0.75× or replay individual sentences.
Answer key
1. Why did Nora order extra chairs?
Answer: Many people wanted to come
The response to the invitation was so strong that she ordered more chairs.
2. What was the second venue?
Answer: The library hall
The library offered its hall as a backup space.
3. How did people who missed the message find the new address?
Answer: From signs at the park
Nora put up signs at the park for people who missed the update.
4. What did Nora decide for the next show?
Answer: Plan for both spaces
She decided to plan for the park and library from the start.
5. The school band had practised for weeks before the show.
Answer: True
The text says the musicians had practised for weeks.
6. Every visitor found a place inside the library hall.
Answer: False
Some people listened from the reading room because the hall was full.
7. The paper stars stayed in the library window after the show.
Answer: True
The final sentence says the stars remained there.
8. There was ___ a strong response that Nora ordered extra chairs.
Answer: such
Such comes before a strong response, a noun phrase.
9. The rain was ___ heavy that the park paths were empty.
Answer: so
So comes before the adjective heavy.
10. ___ the weather, families arrived early.
Answer: Despite
Despite takes the noun phrase the weather.
11. Listening question 11: Although the team hoped for clear skies, they prepared a second plan.
Answer: A second plan
They prepared a backup despite hoping for good weather.
12. Listening question 12: There were so many visitors that some listened from the reading room.
Answer: In the reading room
Some listened from the reading room because the hall was crowded.
13. Listening question 13: The wet signs were taken down, but the paper stars remained in the library window.
Answer: Paper stars
The paper stars remained after the signs came down.
14. Dictation 14
Answer: There was such a strong response that Nora ordered extra chairs.
Such modifies a noun phrase before the result clause.
15. Dictation 15
Answer: By noon on Saturday, the rain was so heavy that the park paths were empty.
So modifies the adjective heavy before the result.
16. Dictation 16
Answer: Despite the weather, families arrived early with umbrellas and wet coats.
Despite introduces the noun phrase the weather.