The washing-machine slot
CEFR A190 words
En el edificio de Paula hay una lavadora para los vecinos. Cada turno dura una hora. Paula tiene el turno de diez a once; Bruno, de once a doce. Paula tiene ropa para dos turnos.
Bruno trabaja esta mañana y no usa su turno. Le escribe a Paula: «Puedes usar mi hora». Paula quiere lavar toda su ropa antes de comer.
A las doce empieza el turno de Inés. Llega con una bolsa de ropa. Paula lleva jabón y una bolsa vacía para llevar la ropa limpia a su casa.
Words you may not know
- turnotime slot
- lavadorawashing machine
- jabónwashing detergent
- vacíaempty
Questions
You answer them with the text in front of you. It isn't memory: it's understanding.
Which use of the machine respects all three neighbours’ arrangements?
Paula uses the machine from ten to twelve — Paula needs two hours and has her own ten-to-eleven slot plus Bruno’s offered hour. Inés starts at twelve. Bruno is not using the machine; beginning later would overlap Inés.
Paula begins at ten and uses Bruno’s offer. How much of her washing can she finish before Inés starts?
All the clothes she brought — Two hours are available from ten to twelve. Paula needs two one-hour turns, so she can complete all her washing before Inés starts.
Paula starts at ten. When can she begin her second load under Bruno’s offer?
At eleven — Her first one-hour load starts at ten and ends at eleven. Bruno offers the following slot, so the second starts at eleven.
Paula finishes both loads starting at ten. Which neighbour then has the machine while she packs her clean clothes?
Inés — Two consecutive one-hour loads finish at twelve, when Inés’s slot starts. Paula can use her bag for the clean clothes while Inés uses the machine.
Bruno takes back his slot. Starting at ten, how many of Paula’s one-hour loads fit before Inés begins without using Bruno’s hour?
One load — Paula retains ten to eleven. Eleven to twelve belongs to Bruno again, and Inés starts at twelve, leaving one permitted hour for one load.
Paula begins two consecutive loads at 10:30. When would the second load finish?
At 12:30 — Two one-hour loads need two hours. Adding that duration to 10:30 gives 12:30, half an hour after Inés’s slot begins.