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A1 French story: the book goes to the wrong letterbox

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read an A1 delivery story with eight glosses. Use house numbers, next-door and opposite relations to find the right letterbox for a returned book.

In short

Élodie’s letterbox is at number 16, next door to number 14. Number 15 is opposite 14, across the street. Lina initially uses Samir’s box at 14, then corrects the mistake by reading both the number and Élodie’s name on the box at 16.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A residential entrance with a dark double door and plants beside the steps.
The story uses the house number and recipient’s name to identify the correct delivery address. Illustration: Atelier

The story explicitly supplies the relationship between three houses. Use those facts rather than assuming a numbering system for every street. The key contrast is côte à côte, next to one another, versus en face, opposite. Eight glosses support the delivery vocabulary.

A1 · A letterbox mix-up

Le livre au numéro 14

Lina veut rendre un livre à son amie Élodie. Le livre est dans une grande enveloppe1. Sur l’enveloppe, Lina écrit « Élodie, 16 rue des Ormes ». Dans cette rue, les maisons 14 et 16 sont côte à côte2. Le numéro 16 est à droite du 14 quand on regarde les portes. En face du 14, de l’autre côté de la rue, il y a le numéro 15.

Lina arrive devant le 14 et regarde son téléphone. Sans lire le numéro sur la boîte aux lettres3, elle y met l’enveloppe. Puis elle part au marché. Le soir, Samir, qui habite au 14, trouve l’enveloppe. Il ne l’ouvre4 pas. Il lit le prénom et le numéro sur l’enveloppe : ce n’est pas son adresse. Il téléphone à Lina, dont le numéro est sur une petite étiquette5.

« Ton enveloppe est chez moi, au 14 », explique Samir. Lina comprend son erreur. « C’est un livre pour Élodie, au 16, juste à côté. Je reviens. » Elle retourne dans la rue. Samir lui donne l’enveloppe fermée6. Cette fois, Lina regarde le numéro, puis le nom7 sur la boîte : « Élodie ». Elle met l’enveloppe dans la bonne boîte. Élodie envoie un message : « Merci pour le livre ! » Lina répond : « Avec plaisir. Maintenant, je vérifie8 toujours le numéro ! »

Read it in English

Lina wants to return a book to her friend Élodie. The book is in a large envelope. On the envelope Lina writes “Élodie, 16 Rue des Ormes.” In this street, houses 14 and 16 are side by side. Number 16 is to the right of 14 when looking at the doors. Opposite 14, across the street, is number 15.

Lina arrives outside 14 and looks at her phone. Without reading the number on the letterbox, she puts the envelope into it. Then she goes to the market. In the evening, Samir, who lives at 14, finds the envelope. He does not open it. He reads the first name and number on the envelope: it is not his address. He phones Lina, whose number is on a small label.

“Your envelope is at my place, at 14,” Samir explains. Lina understands her mistake. “It is a book for Élodie, at 16, right next door. I’ll come back.” She returns to the street. Samir gives her the closed envelope. This time, Lina looks at the number and then the name on the box: “Élodie.” She puts the envelope into the correct box. Élodie sends a message: “Thank you for the book!” Lina replies, “My pleasure. Now I always check the number!”

Question 1No account needed
Which number belongs to Élodie?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

16. The envelope and the final named letterbox both identify Élodie at number 16.

Question 2No account needed
Where is number 15 relative to 14 in this supplied street?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Opposite it, across the street. The story explicitly places 15 en face du 14, on the other side of the street.

Question 3No account needed
Who first finds the wrongly delivered envelope?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Samir. Samir lives at 14, where Lina first puts the envelope.

À côté locates a neighbour without crossing the street in this story. En face identifies the house across from 14. Lina’s final check combines the address number and the recipient’s name, so she no longer relies on the first nearby box she sees.

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