Your goal
Compare everyday routines and describe a simpler choice.
Read the story
Every Saturday, Nara took a bus to the shopping centre, even when she needed very little. She enjoyed looking at windows, but she usually returned with a heavy bag and no clear memory of the afternoon. One morning, the bus route changed because workers were repairing a bridge. Nara decided to walk along the canal to a small food shop instead. She expected an inconvenient journey. She packed a shopping list and left her phone in her coat pocket.
The path was quieter than the main road. Water moved slowly beside the stone wall, and a row of narrow gardens stood behind the houses. Outside one gate, a man was putting empty flowerpots on a shelf. His name was Emil. He explained that neighbours could take a pot and leave another useful object later. Nara had several unused pots at home, so she asked whether she could bring them the following week. Emil showed her where the shelf stayed dry.
At the food shop, Nara bought bread, beans, and the vegetables on her list. There were fewer choices than at the shopping centre, but choosing was easier. She did not need to compare ten similar packets. On the return journey, she sat on a bench and ate part of her bread. A gardener nearby was clearing leaves from a narrow entrance. Nara moved her bag so that the gardener could pass with a cart, and they exchanged a friendly greeting.
That afternoon, she compared the two routines in her notebook. The canal walk had taken longer, but she had spent less money. She had also noticed places and people she normally passed without seeing. However, the small shop did not sell everything she needed. Nara decided that a simpler routine did not have to be a perfect routine. She could use the shopping centre for particular things and walk beside the water when her list was short enough.
The next Saturday, Nara carried three flowerpots to the shelf. She took nothing in return because she did not need anything there. Before leaving, she checked that the pots were clean and stable. Then she continued towards the shop, listening to footsteps on the path. Her new habit was a modest change, but it gave her afternoon a clear shape: buy what she needed, notice her surroundings, and leave a useful place ready for someone else.
A conversation to practise
Nara: Is the canal path longer than the main road?
Emil: Yes, but it is quieter.
Nara: I have some unused pots. Can I bring them here?
Emil: Certainly. Please put them on the lower shelf.
Understand the story
- Why did Nara first walk along the canal?
- What made choosing food easier?
- Why did Nara take nothing from the shelf?
Practise the language
- Complete with the comparative of quiet: The path is ___ than the road.
- Choose less or fewer: Nara spent ___ money.
- Choose less or fewer: The shop has ___ choices.
Vocabulary & explanations
English
Your goal
Compare everyday routines and describe a simpler choice.
Useful vocabulary
- routine
- a usual way of doing thingsMy evening routine includes washing the dishes.
- canal
- a long artificial waterwayWe crossed the canal on a wooden bridge.
- inconvenient
- causing difficulty or extra effortThe early closing time is inconvenient for me.
- unused
- not being usedShe gave an unused notebook to her neighbour.
- compare
- look at similarities and differencesCompare the two routes before you choose.
- surroundings
- the places and things around youI drew a map of my surroundings.
- modest
- small and not impressive in sizeWe made a modest change to the timetable.
- stable
- firm and unlikely to fallCheck that the table is stable.
Comparatives and less / fewer
Use adjective + -er or more + adjective to compare: quieter than; more useful than. Use less with uncountable nouns, such as less money, and fewer with plural countable nouns, such as fewer choices. Easy becomes easier.
- The path is quieter than the road.
- Nara spent less money at the small shop.
- There were fewer packets on the shelf.
Make it yours
Describe two ways to spend a free afternoon in 90–110 words. Compare time, cost, and surroundings, then explain your choice.
Check and remember
Without looking, recall three details of the walk and make one sentence with less and one with fewer.
Français
Votre objectif
Comparer des habitudes quotidiennes et décrire un choix plus simple.
Vocabulaire utile
- routine
- habitude régulièreMy evening routine includes washing the dishes.
- canal
- canal artificielWe crossed the canal on a wooden bridge.
- inconvenient
- peu pratiqueThe early closing time is inconvenient for me.
- unused
- inutiliséShe gave an unused notebook to her neighbour.
- compare
- comparerCompare the two routes before you choose.
- surroundings
- environnement procheI drew a map of my surroundings.
- modest
- modeste, de petite ampleurWe made a modest change to the timetable.
- stable
- stableCheck that the table is stable.
Comparatifs et less / fewer
Pour comparer, utilisez un adjectif avec -er ou more : quieter than, more useful than. Less accompagne un nom indénombrable : less money. Fewer accompagne un nom dénombrable pluriel : fewer choices. Easy devient easier.
- The path is quieter than the road.
- Nara spent less money at the small shop.
- There were fewer packets on the shelf.
À vous de jouer
En 90 à 110 mots, décrivez deux façons de passer un après-midi libre. Comparez durée, coût et environnement, puis justifiez votre choix.
Vérifier et retenir
Sans regarder, rappelez trois détails de la promenade et faites une phrase avec less et une avec fewer.
Español
Tu objetivo
Comparar rutinas cotidianas y describir una elección más sencilla.
Vocabulario útil
- routine
- rutina habitualMy evening routine includes washing the dishes.
- canal
- canal artificialWe crossed the canal on a wooden bridge.
- inconvenient
- poco prácticoThe early closing time is inconvenient for me.
- unused
- sin usarShe gave an unused notebook to her neighbour.
- compare
- compararCompare the two routes before you choose.
- surroundings
- entornoI drew a map of my surroundings.
- modest
- modesto, de poca magnitudWe made a modest change to the timetable.
- stable
- estableCheck that the table is stable.
Comparativos y less / fewer
Para comparar, usa un adjetivo con -er o more: quieter than, more useful than. Usa less con nombres incontables, como less money, y fewer con contables plurales, como fewer choices. Easy cambia a easier.
- The path is quieter than the road.
- Nara spent less money at the small shop.
- There were fewer packets on the shelf.
Hazlo tuyo
Describe dos formas de pasar una tarde libre en 90–110 palabras. Compara tiempo, coste y entorno y explica tu elección.
Comprobar y recordar
Sin mirar, recuerda tres detalles del paseo y escribe una frase con less y otra con fewer.
العربية
هدفك
قارن بين العادات اليومية وصف خيارا أبسط.
مفردات مفيدة
- routine
- طريقة معتادة لفعل الأشياءMy evening routine includes washing the dishes.
- canal
- قناة مائية صناعيةWe crossed the canal on a wooden bridge.
- inconvenient
- غير مريح ويسبب صعوبةThe early closing time is inconvenient for me.
- unused
- غير مستخدمShe gave an unused notebook to her neighbour.
- compare
- يقارن أوجه التشابه والاختلافCompare the two routes before you choose.
- surroundings
- الأماكن والأشياء المحيطة بكI drew a map of my surroundings.
- modest
- بسيط ومحدود الحجمWe made a modest change to the timetable.
- stable
- ثابت ولا يسقط بسهولةCheck that the table is stable.
المقارنة واستخدام less وfewer
للمقارنة نضيف -er إلى الصفة أو نضع more قبلها: quieter than وmore useful than. نستخدم less مع الأسماء غير المعدودة مثل less money، وfewer مع الجمع المعدود مثل fewer choices. تصبح easy في المقارنة easier.
- The path is quieter than the road.
- Nara spent less money at the small shop.
- There were fewer packets on the shelf.
دورك الآن
اكتب من 90 إلى 110 كلمات تصف فيها طريقتين لقضاء فترة بعد الظهر. قارن الوقت والتكلفة والمحيط ثم وضح اختيارك.
راجع وتذكّر
دون الرجوع إلى النص، تذكر ثلاثة تفاصيل من المشي واكتب جملة باستخدام less وأخرى باستخدام fewer.
Check your answers
Story answers
- Her bus route changed because workers were repairing a bridge.
- The small shop offered fewer choices.
- She did not need anything there.
Language answers
- quieter — Add -er to quiet to compare two places.
- less — Money is uncountable, so use less.
- fewer — Choices is a plural countable noun.
Français
- Ajoutez -er à quiet pour comparer deux lieux.
- Money est indénombrable : utilisez less.
- Choices est un nom dénombrable pluriel.
Español
- Añade -er a quiet para comparar dos lugares.
- Money es incontable; usa less.
- Choices es un nombre contable plural.
العربية
- أضف -er إلى quiet للمقارنة بين مكانين.
- كلمة money غير معدودة، لذا نستخدم less.
- كلمة choices جمع لاسم معدود.