Bilal wants to learn computer skills after work. He compares two evening courses and checks their fees, starting times and distance from home.
01Read the Arabic story
اِخْتِيَارُ دَوْرَةٍ مَسَائِيَّةٍ
يَعْمَلُ بِلَالٌ فِي مَتْجَرٍ، وَيَنْتَهِي عَمَلُهُ فِي السَّاعَةِ الْخَامِسَةِ مَسَاءً. أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمَ اِسْتِخْدَامَ الْحَاسُوبِ، فَبَحَثَ عَنْ دَوْرَةٍ مَسَائِيَّةٍ. وَجَدَ إِعْلَانَيْنِ، وَكَتَبَ الْمَوَاعِيدَ وَالرُّسُومَ فِي دَفْتَرِهِ لِيُقَارِنَ بَيْنَهُمَا. كَانَ يُرِيدُ وَقْتًا كَافِيًا لِلْعَشَاءِ قَبْلَ الدَّرْسِ.
تَبْدَأُ الدَّوْرَةُ الْأُولَى فِي السَّاعَةِ السَّادِسَةِ، وَرُسُومُهَا ثَلَاثُمِئَةِ رِيَالٍ. لَكِنَّ الْمَرْكَزَ بَعِيدٌ، وَتَسْتَغْرِقُ رِحْلَةُ الْحَافِلَةِ إِلَيْهِ خَمْسِينَ دَقِيقَةً. قَالَ بِلَالٌ: «سَأَصِلُ مُتَعَبًا، وَقَدْ أَتَأَخَّرُ إِذَا خَرَجْتُ مِنَ الْمَتْجَرِ مُتَأَخِّرًا». ثُمَّ نَظَرَ إِلَى الْإِعْلَانِ الثَّانِي.
تَبْدَأُ الدَّوْرَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ فِي السَّاعَةِ السَّابِعَةِ، وَرُسُومُهَا أَرْبَعُمِئَةِ رِيَالٍ. يَبْعُدُ الْمَرْكَزُ عَشْرَ دَقَائِقَ مَشْيًا عَنْ بَيْتِهِ. اِتَّصَلَ بِلَالٌ بِالْمَرْكَزِ وَسَأَلَ عَنْ أَيَّامِ الدِّرَاسَةِ. قَالَتِ الْمُوَظَّفَةُ: «الدُّرُوسُ يَوْمَيِ الْأَحَدِ وَالثُّلَاثَاءِ، وَكُلُّ دَرْسٍ سَاعَتَانِ». كَتَبَ بِلَالٌ هَذِهِ الْمَعْلُومَاتِ تَحْتَ السِّعْرِ.
قَارَنَ بِلَالٌ بَيْنَ الْخِيَارَيْنِ. كَانَ مَعَهُ مَالٌ كَافٍ لِلدَّوْرَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، فَقَالَ: «أَسْتَطِيعُ الْعَوْدَةَ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ وَتَنَاوُلَ الْعَشَاءِ قَبْلَ الدَّرْسِ». اِخْتَارَ هَذِهِ الدَّوْرَةَ لِأَنَّ مَوْعِدَهَا يُنَاسِبُهُ وَمَكَانَهَا قَرِيبٌ. وَلَنْ يَحْتَاجَ إِلَى شِرَاءِ تَذْكِرَةِ حَافِلَةٍ كُلَّ مَرَّةٍ. فِي الْيَوْمِ التَّالِي، ذَهَبَ إِلَى الْمَرْكَزِ وَسَجَّلَ اِسْمَهُ، ثُمَّ كَتَبَ مَوْعِدَ أَوَّلِ دَرْسٍ فِي دَفْتَرِهِ.
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Bilal works in a shop, and his work finishes at five in the evening. He wanted to learn to use a computer, so he looked for an evening course. He found two advertisements and wrote the times and fees in his notebook to compare them. He wanted enough time for dinner before the lesson.
The first course starts at six, and its fee is three hundred riyals. However, the centre is far away, and the bus journey there takes fifty minutes. Bilal said, “I will arrive tired, and I may be late if I leave the shop late.” Then he looked at the second advertisement.
The second course starts at seven, and its fee is four hundred riyals. The centre is a ten-minute walk from his home. Bilal called the centre and asked about the days of study. The employee said, “The lessons are on Sundays and Tuesdays, and each lesson is two hours.” Bilal wrote this information below the price.
Bilal compared the two options. He had enough money for the second course, so he said, “I can go home and have dinner before the lesson.” He chose this course because its time suits him and its location is nearby. He will not need to buy a bus ticket every time. The next day, he went to the centre and registered his name, then wrote the time of the first lesson in his notebook.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| دَوْرَةٍ مَسَائِيَّةٍ | an evening course |
| إِعْلَانَيْنِ | two advertisements |
| الرُّسُومَ | the fees |
| تَسْتَغْرِقُ | takes (an amount of time) |
| مَشْيًا | on foot |
| الْخِيَارَيْنِ | the two options |
| يُنَاسِبُهُ | suits him |
| سَجَّلَ اِسْمَهُ | registered his name |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic story when you need a clue. Open the English support if you need help understanding a question.
What to remember
- Compare the course fees with their times and travel arrangements; the cheaper course does not suit Bilal’s routine.
- Follow the sequence from checking advertisements to calling the centre and registering for the course.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Telling the Time in Arabic: Hours, Half Past and Quarter Past
فِي السَّاعَةِ السَّابِعَةِ
Review the hour expressions that distinguish the two evening courses.
Days of the Week in Arabic: Names and Everyday Examples
يَوْمَيِ الْأَحَدِ وَالثُّلَاثَاءِ
Identify the two weekdays on the course timetable.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّ مَوْعِدَهَا يُنَاسِبُهُ وَمَكَانَهَا قَرِيبٌ
See how Bilal connects his choice with a practical reason.
