A quiet hour at the exhibition
Practise B1 reading with a fictional exhibition notice about a quiet hour, six vocabulary words and five questions with answers.
Mei wants to visit a local craft exhibition with her cousin Arif. Music usually plays in the rooms while artists explain their work to groups. Mei enjoys learning about crafts, but she would prefer a visit with less sound. Before buying tickets, she reads this notice on the arts centre’s website.
Quiet hour: Saturday, 10–11 a.m.
During this session, we will reduce the sound in the exhibition rooms. Background music will be off, and group demonstrations will pause. All the craft displays will remain open, and printed explanations will be available beside them.
You do not have to stay silent. You may talk quietly with a friend or ask a member of staff a question. This hour is for anyone who prefers a quieter visit. You do not need a special ticket; your ordinary exhibition ticket is enough.
At eleven, the music and group demonstrations will begin again. You are welcome to stay, or you can leave before they restart. Please keep your ticket if you want to return later that day.
After reading, Mei sends Arif a message. “Let’s go at ten. We can take our time looking at the woven bags, and we can still ask questions. I don’t mind missing the demonstration. I’d rather read the explanation and look closely at the finished work.”
Words to take with you
- exhibition
- A collection of art or objects shown to visitors.The exhibition includes drawings of local streets.
- session
- A period of time set aside for an activity.The afternoon session lasts forty minutes.
- reduce
- To make something smaller or less.We closed the window to reduce the noise from outside.
- demonstration
- An activity that shows people how something is done.The cook gave a demonstration of how to make bread.
- available
- Ready for people to get or use.Extra chairs are available near the door.
- ordinary
- Usual, with nothing special or different.I wore my ordinary work clothes to the meeting.
Check your understanding
Choose an answer, then check each question.
Use your English
Write three sentences to a friend about the quiet hour. Explain one change, one thing that stays the same and whether you would choose this visit.
Say your answer aloud or write two or three sentences.