La cola en el banco
Ana placed herself at the end of the line and sighed. It was ten in the morning and the bank was full.
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Ana se colocó al final de la y . Eran las diez de la mañana y el banco estaba lleno.
Ana placed herself at the end of the line and sighed. It was ten in the morning and the bank was full.
Solo había una abierta y la señora del número 34 discutía el cambio de su con la cajera.
There was only one teller window open and the lady with number 34 was arguing about her pension change with the teller.
La se hizo más larga cuando la máquina de números y el recepcionista tuvo que reiniciarla.
The wait grew longer when the ticket machine jammed and the receptionist had to restart it.
Ana miró el reloj y calculó que llegaría tarde a su del médico. «Qué mañana», .
Ana looked at her watch and calculated that she would be late for her doctor's appointment. 'What a morning,' she murmured.
Detrás de ella, un hombre mayor que antes el banco abría media hora antes y que nunca había tantas colas.
Behind her, an elderly man commented that before, the bank opened half an hour earlier and that there were never so many lines.
Ana asintió sin mirarlo. Pensó en llamar al médico para avisar del , pero el móvil le indicaba .
Ana nodded without looking at him. She thought about calling the doctor to let them know about the delay, but her phone indicated a low battery.
Un joven con auriculares en voz alta de que el banco necesitaba más , y varias personas asintieron.
A young man with headphones complained loudly that the bank needed more staff, and several people nodded.
Ana ya de la cola cuando oyó que una señora mayor, que esperaba unos puestos más atrás, un número en su móvil y empezó a hablar en voz baja.
Ana was about to leave the line when she heard an elderly woman a few places behind her dial a number on her phone and start speaking quietly.
«, hija, estoy en la cola para sacar el dinero. que vengas corriendo», dijo la señora con una voz cansada pero tranquila.
'Don't worry, dear, I'm in line to withdraw the money. You don't need to rush over,' the woman said, tired but calm.
Ana sintió un . La señora colgó y Ana, en lugar de salirse, su sitio en la cola.
Ana felt a lump in her throat. The lady hung up and Ana, instead of leaving, offered her spot in line.
Vocabulary recap
Reading Comprehension Exercise
B1 Spanish Reading Comprehension Exercises
1. Where is Ana waiting at the beginning of the story?
Correct: In a bank queue
Ana placed herself at the end of the bank queue, which was full.
2. Why does the wait get longer?
Correct: Because the number machine jammed
The ticket machine jammed and the receptionist had to restart it.
3. What problem does Ana have besides the queue?
Correct: Her phone battery is low and she'll be late for the doctor
Ana calculates she'll be late for her doctor's appointment and her phone battery is low.
4. What does the elderly woman tell her daughter on the phone?
Correct: She is waiting to withdraw the money and her daughter need not rush over.
The woman is still in the queue to withdraw the money. She reassures her daughter that she need not hurry to the bank.
5. What does Ana do at the end of the story?
Correct: Offers her place in line to the elderly lady
Ana, hearing the conversation, feels empathy and offers her place in line to the elderly lady.
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