Rain, a Borrowed Student ID, and a Lost Deposit Receipt
A community Chinese-language class posts this notice in a group chat: “本周六上午九点在校门口集合，统一乘车去博物馆。迟到者自行前往。若下雨，改为线上，会议号当天七点发。请携带学生证；没有学生证者不能入场。” The forecast says 60% rain. You have a dentist appointment Saturday 8:00–8:40, 20 minutes from school; your student ID is at a friend’s apartment 30 minutes away in the opposite direction. The group chat also has an earlier pinned message: “博物馆活动免费，但押金50元，活动结束后退还。” You paid the deposit last week but lost the receipt. A friend offers to lend you her student ID, which has her photo.
1. List the decisions you must make before Saturday morning and the evidence from the notice that drives each decision.
Read the worked answer
- In-person or online: The notice says rain changes the event to online, with the meeting number sent at 07:00 that day. The forecast is 60% rain, so by 07:00 you must check the group chat before deciding whether to go to the school gate at 09:00. Do not assume the museum trip is cancelled; the notice only changes the format.
- Student ID: The notice requires a student ID and says those without one cannot enter. Your own ID is 30 minutes away in the opposite direction; borrowing a friend’s ID is not a safe solution because it has her photo and could be checked. Retrieve your own ID Friday evening or ask the friend to bring it to you before 09:00.
- Deposit refund: The pinned message says the 50-yuan deposit is refunded after the event, but you lost the receipt. Before Saturday, ask the organizer what proof is acceptable-payment record, screenshot, or name list. Do not wait until after the event.
- Lateness: If you miss the 09:00 group departure, the notice says latecomers travel independently. That makes the ID and deposit decisions more urgent because a separate trip adds delay.
2. Write a short message to the organizer asking the two most important questions. Prioritize and justify.
Read the worked answer
“老师您好，我是周六博物馆活动的学员。请问如果下雨改为线上，会议号是否会在当天7点发在群里？另外，我的50元押金收据丢了，可以用支付记录截图办理退款吗？谢谢！”
Priority: the rain/meeting-link question affects whether you need to travel at all and must be settled before 07:00 Saturday. The deposit question affects money but can be handled after the event, though asking now prevents a later dispute. I would not ask about latecomers or free admission because the notice already answers those; asking answered questions would reduce clarity.