Asking for Help at the Station
You are a third-year student at Saga Station at 9:20 on the morning of a high school interview. The interview starts at 10:00. You have a printed map, but you cannot find the bus stop for the bus to the school. You must ask a station attendant. The attendant can tell you: the bus takes 15 minutes; the 9:30 bus is often crowded and may be full; the next bus is at 9:45; the stop is on the east side, outside the convenience store. You have never spoken to this attendant before, and you want to be polite but quick because time is short. You are carrying an interview card and a small bag. The station is busy, and the attendant is standing near the ticket gates.
1. Write your opening request to the attendant. Explain why 'Where is the bus stop?' is not enough in this situation.
Read the worked answer
A suitable opening is: 'Excuse me, could you help me? I need to get to Saga High School for a 10:00 interview. Which bus should I take, and where is the stop?' A bare 'Where is the bus stop?' is not enough because there may be several stops and several buses, and the student needs the correct bus, the travel time, and confirmation of arrival by 10:00. A location question may get a point or the wrong stop. The opening also uses politeness markers, 'Excuse me' and 'could you,' which matter when approaching a stranger under time pressure.
2. The attendant gives the information above. Decide whether to try the 9:30 bus or wait for the 9:45 bus, and write one or two sentences to confirm your plan. Explain your reasoning about time and risk.
Read the worked answer
The 9:30 bus takes 15 minutes, so it should arrive around 9:45 and leave 15 minutes to walk and check in. If it is full, the 9:45 bus arrives around 10:00, which is too late with no buffer. The safer plan is to try the 9:30 bus, but have a fallback. A confirmation could be: 'I will try the 9:30 bus. If it is full, I will take the 9:45 and call the school to say I may be a few minutes late.' This answers the attendant clearly and shows the student has understood the risk, not just the times.
3. After the interview, you want to thank the attendant. Write a short thank-you and explain why 'Thank you' alone may be less effective than a specific thank-you.
Read the worked answer
A specific thank-you could be: 'Excuse me, I came this morning and you helped me find the bus to Saga High School. I arrived on time, so thank you very much.' 'Thank you' alone is not wrong, but it is generic and does not show what helped. A specific thank-you is more sincere, closes the interaction politely, and is more likely to be remembered. The functional judgement is that thanking someone effectively often means naming the help, not just performing the ritual.