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A2 French story: three neighbours try a quieter morning routine

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Read an A2 French story about three neighbours negotiating quieter mornings. Track the rejected later-departure idea and the two smaller changes they agree to try.

In short

The neighbours keep their departure times and change two actions in the corridor. Rosa carries her light rolling bag to the lift. Mehdi puts on headphones before leaving his flat. Alex’s first idea—departing after eight—is not adopted because the work schedules do not allow it.

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Rosa carries her wheeled bag off the floor while Mehdi wears headphones and Alex greets them from a doorway.
Rosa and Mehdi demonstrate the two quieter actions they agree to try. Illustration: Atelier

Three adults need different morning routines in the same building. Read each proposal and the answer it receives. The final agreement is smaller than the first request, so the story tests the difference between suggesting a change and accepting one.

A2 · Suggestions, constraints and a compromise

Un couloir plus calme

Rosa, Mehdi et Alex habitent au même étage. Rosa part à six heures trente avec un petit sac à roulettes. Mehdi sort à sept heures en écoutant la radio sur son téléphone. Alex commence plus tard et dort encore à ces heures-là. Dans le couloir, les roulettes et la radio s’entendent facilement.

Un soir, Alex propose une discussion. « Vous pourriez partir après huit heures ? » Rosa explique qu’elle commence son travail à sept heures. Mehdi a aussi un horaire fixe. Ils ne peuvent pas changer leurs heures de départ1. Alex comprend, mais cherche une autre solution2.

« On pourrait essayer de faire moins de bruit dans le couloir », suggère Mehdi. Il propose de mettre ses écouteurs3 avant de sortir de chez lui. Rosa regarde son petit sac : il est léger. Elle peut le porter jusqu’à l’ascenseur4 au lieu de le faire rouler sur cet étage.

Les trois voisins décident d’essayer pendant une semaine. Rosa et Mehdi gardent les mêmes heures de départ. Rosa porte son sac dans le couloir, puis elle utilise de nouveau les roulettes plus loin. Mehdi écoute sa radio avec ses écouteurs dès la porte de son appartement.

Le dimanche suivant, Alex leur dit que le couloir est plus calme le matin. Tout n’est pas silencieux, mais les deux changements lui conviennent. Personne ne doit modifier son horaire de travail. Les voisins gardent ce compromis5 et se remercient pour la discussion6.

Read it in English

Rosa, Mehdi and Alex live on the same floor. Rosa leaves at half past six with a small wheeled bag. Mehdi leaves at seven while listening to the radio on his phone. Alex starts later and is still asleep at those times. In the corridor, the wheels and radio can easily be heard.

One evening, Alex suggests a discussion. “Could you leave after eight?” Rosa explains that she starts work at seven. Mehdi also has a fixed schedule. They cannot change their departure times. Alex understands but looks for another solution.

“We could try making less noise in the corridor,” Mehdi suggests. He offers to put on his headphones before leaving his home. Rosa looks at her little bag: it is light. She can carry it to the lift instead of rolling it along that floor.

The three neighbours decide to try for a week. Rosa and Mehdi keep the same departure times. Rosa carries her bag in the corridor, then uses its wheels again farther on. Mehdi listens to his radio with headphones from his apartment door.

The following Sunday, Alex tells them that the corridor is quieter in the mornings. It is not completely silent, but the two changes work for him. Nobody has to change their work schedule. The neighbours keep the compromise and thank one another for the discussion.

Question 1No account needed
Which suggestion is rejected?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Everyone leaving after eight. Fixed work schedules prevent the later-departure proposal.

Question 2No account needed
What does Mehdi agree to change?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Using headphones before leaving his flat. The adopted change concerns how he listens to the radio.

Question 3No account needed
What remains the same?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

The departure times. The story explicitly says they keep their existing departure times.

On pourrait introduces an option

On pourrait essayer proposes a trial. Les trois voisins décident d’essayer turns that option into an agreed action. The later paragraph tells what they actually do during the week. Follow those decision and action verbs to identify the accepted compromise.

Alex describes a quieter corridor while everyone keeps their work schedule. Les deux changements lui conviennent explains why the neighbours keep the arrangement.

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