The neighbour’s plants
CEFR A181 words
Le voisin de Zoé part pour trois jours. Il laisse deux plantes chez elle. La grande plante a une étiquette : « Un verre d'eau le matin. » La petite porte cette note : « Pas d'eau pendant mon voyage. »
Zoé place les deux plantes près de la fenêtre. Le matin, elle remplit un verre. Elle regarde les étiquettes avant de choisir. La terre de la petite est encore humide. Le voisin revient le troisième jour et reprend ses plantes.
Words you may not know
- humidedamp
- étiquettelabel
Questions
You answer them with the text in front of you. It isn't memory: it's understanding.
Zoé follows the notes throughout the neighbour’s trip. How should she distribute water during those days?
La grande plante reçoit trois verres. — The absence lasts three days and the large plant’s note requires a glass each morning: three glasses in total. The small plant gets no water during the trip.
If Zoé puts the small plant by another window, how should she care for it during the trip?
La laisser sans eau comme le demande sa note. — The small plant’s note rules out watering during the trip; changing its window does not change the instruction.
Which observation fits the small plant’s instruction?
Sa terre est encore humide. — The note says not to add water, and the soil remains damp; the observation is consistent.
If Zoé swaps the plants’ labels before using her glass in the morning, what mistake could she make?
Arroser la petite plante avec le verre préparé. — The large plant needs a glass and the small one must receive no water; swapping labels could lead Zoé to water the small plant.
What is Zoé’s role while the neighbour is away?
Elle garde et soigne ses plantes. — He leaves the plants and later collects them; Zoé looks after them using his notes while he is away.
It is the second day of the trip. A friend suggests watering the small plant. Which reply from Zoé fits the instructions and the return date?
« Attends encore : il revient demain et ce pot reste sans eau. » — The neighbour returns on the third day, so on the second day he is still away and will return the following day. The small plant’s note says no water during the trip, rather than only on the first morning. Its damp soil is consistent with following that instruction; the plants should not be returned a day early.