Reading: Saturday Swim Notice
A1 Reading, Part 3. The candidate reads a short notice and a text message, then answers three questions. The notice says: 'Westside Leisure Centre. Swimming pool: Monday to Friday 7am–9pm; Saturday 9am–6pm; Sunday closed. Children under 8 must swim with an adult. Members swim free. Non-members: £4.50. Family ticket: £12 for two adults and two children.' The text message says: 'Hi Sam, I'm free Saturday afternoon. Shall we take the kids swimming? I can drive. Mia is 7 and Leo is 9. Can you check the price for me? See you at 2.' Sam is an adult; the friend is an adult; Sam is not a member and neither is the friend. The candidate has 10 minutes. The questions ask: Is 2pm on Saturday a good time? What is the cheapest correct total for the group? Does Mia need an adult with her in the water? The notice uses British times and a family ticket.
1. Is 2pm on Saturday a good time? Use the notice to explain.
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Yes. Saturday opening is 9am–6pm, so 2pm is inside the opening hours. The pool is not closed on Saturday; Sunday is the closed day. A candidate who reads 'Sunday closed' too quickly might wrongly say no. The skill is scanning for the correct day row and comparing the time to the opening window. The text message says 'Saturday afternoon', and 2pm matches that. The candidate should locate 'Saturday' first, then check that 2pm is after 9am and before 6pm.
2. The group is Sam, the friend, Mia (7), and Leo (9). None are members. What is the cheapest correct total? Show the comparison.
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The family ticket is £12. The group is exactly two adults and two children, so the family ticket applies. Without it, four non-members would pay 4 × £4.50 = £18. £12 is cheaper. A candidate might multiply only the children (£9) or forget that the adults also pay; the notice gives one non-member price for everyone. The word 'family' might make a candidate think it covers only children, but the notice defines it as two adults and two children. That definition matches the group exactly, so the candidate should choose the family ticket and show the comparison.
3. Mia is 7. What does the notice require, and what mistake might a candidate make?
Read the worked answer
The notice says children under 8 must swim with an adult. Mia is 7, so she needs an adult with her. Leo is 9, so the rule does not require an adult for him, although the group has adults anyway. A candidate might answer 'no' because Mia will be with her parent, but the question asks whether an adult is required, not whether one is present. The candidate must read 'under 8' and compare 7 < 8. This is a typical A1 detail question: the number in the notice and the age in the message must be matched. The correct answer should quote the rule and apply it to Mia.