Three SMS, one meeting: which message wins?
A1 reading, Part 2: short messages. The candidate receives three SMS from Νίκος in this order: (1) «Γεια σου! Ραντεβού στις 8 στο καφέ “Η Ωραία Ελλάς”.» (2) «Θα αργήσω 20 λεπτά. Περίμενέ με.» (3) «Άκυρο το καφέ. Πάμε στις 9 στο εστιατόριο “Δελφοί”;» The candidate must decide when and where to meet, and whether to leave home now; it is 19:40. The messages contain «άκυρο» (cancelled), «θα αργήσω» (I will be late), «στις 9», and a question mark. The candidate recognises «καφέ» and «εστιατόριο» but is unsure whether «στις 9» means 9 a.m. or 9 p.m., and whether the 20-minute delay still applies after the third message. The task tests sequencing, cancellation markers, and time interpretation in context. The candidate has also learned that «στις 8» is 'at eight' but has not practised reading a chain of messages where the final message overrides earlier details.
1. What is the final arrangement, and which message cancels which detail? Justify the order of reading.
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Final arrangement: 21:00 at the restaurant «Δελφοί». Message 3 is the latest instruction, so it overrides the earlier plan. «Άκυρο το καφέ» cancels the café venue from message 1; «Πάμε στις 9» replaces the 20:00 time and also makes the 20-minute delay in message 2 irrelevant. In an evening sequence (8 → 9), «στις 9» means 21:00, not 09:00; if the speaker meant morning, A1 texts usually add «πρωί» or «π.μ.».
Reading order: read all three messages before answering. The discourse marker «άκυρο» is a cancellation signal, and «πάμε» introduces the new proposal. A candidate who averages the delay (20:20) or keeps the café would misread the sequence. The question mark in message 3 does not make it less final in this context; it is an invitation, and the expected reply confirms the new plan.
2. The candidate is about to send «Εντάξει, στις 8» after reading only message 1. What error would that cause, and what should they send instead?
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Error: it confirms an obsolete time and ignores both the delay and the venue change. The friend would wait at the café at 20:00 while the group has moved to the restaurant at 21:00.
Better reply: «Εντάξει, στις 9 στο “Δελφοί”. Τα λέμε!» This accepts the latest message, repeats the key time and place, and closes the exchange naturally.
Reasoning: A1 reading is not only word recognition; it tests whether the candidate integrates a short thread. The latest message normally wins unless it explicitly says otherwise. The candidate should also notice that «στις 8» was not wrong when written, but it became wrong after message 3. Replying with the old time shows a sequencing error, not a grammar error.