A new volunteer welcomes families to an open day at the neighbourhood centre. When a room number seems wrong, he asks the organiser and helps visitors find the activity.
01Read the Arabic story
التَّطَوُّعُ فِي نَشَاطٍ لِلْحَيِّ
تَطَوَّعْتُ فِي يَوْمٍ مَفْتُوحٍ بِمَرْكَزِ الْحَيِّ. كَانَتْ هُنَاكَ صُوَرٌ لِلْحَيِّ وَأَعْمَالٌ يَدَوِيَّةٌ وَوَرْشَةُ رَسْمٍ لِلْأَطْفَالِ. وَصَلْتُ قَبْلَ فَتْحِ الْأَبْوَابِ بِنِصْفِ سَاعَةٍ. أَعْطَانِي الْمُنَظِّمُ بِطَاقَةً عَلَيْهَا اِسْمِي، وَطَلَبَ مِنِّي أَنْ أَسْتَقْبِلَ الزُّوَّارَ عِنْدَ الْمَدْخَلِ وَأُوَزِّعَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَرْنَامَجَ. سَاعَدَنِي مُتَطَوِّعٌ آخَرُ فِي تَرْتِيبِ الْأَوْرَاقِ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ.
فِي الْبِدَايَةِ كُنْتُ خَجُولًا، لَكِنَّ التَّحِيَّةَ أَصْبَحَتْ أَسْهَلَ بَعْدَ وُصُولِ أَوَّلِ أُسْرَةٍ. قُلْتُ: «أَهْلًا وَسَهْلًا! هَذَا بَرْنَامَجُ الْيَوْمِ». سَأَلَتْنِي سَيِّدَةٌ: «أَيْنَ وَرْشَةُ الرَّسْمِ؟» نَظَرْتُ إِلَى الْوَرَقَةِ، فَوَجَدْتُ رَقْمَ الْغُرْفَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ، لَكِنَّ بَابَهَا كَانَ مُغْلَقًا.
لَمْ أَكُنْ مُتَأَكِّدًا، فَقُلْتُ: «لَحْظَةً مِنْ فَضْلِكِ، سَأَسْأَلُ الْمُنَظِّمَ». كَانَ قُرْبَ الْمَسْرَحِ، فَذَهَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ وَشَرَحْتُ السُّؤَالَ. قَالَ: «نَقَلْنَا الْوَرْشَةَ إِلَى الْغُرْفَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ لِأَنَّهَا أَوْسَعُ». شَكَرْتُهُ، ثُمَّ عُدْتُ إِلَى السَّيِّدَةِ وَأَرَيْتُهَا الطَّرِيقَ.
صَحَّحْتُ رَقْمَ الْغُرْفَةِ عَلَى الْأَوْرَاقِ الْبَاقِيَةِ، وَوَضَعْتُ لَافِتَةً صَغِيرَةً عِنْدَ الْمَدْخَلِ. بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ اِسْتَطَعْتُ إِجَابَةَ السُّؤَالِ بِسُهُولَةٍ. فِي نِهَايَةِ الْيَوْمِ، قَالَ الْمُنَظِّمُ: «شُكْرًا لِمُسَاعَدَتِكَ وَحِرْصِكَ عَلَى الْمَعْلُومَاتِ الصَّحِيحَةِ». عُدْتُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ سَعِيدًا، وَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُشَارِكَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فِي نَشَاطٍ لِلْحَيِّ.
Show English translationHide English translation
I volunteered at an open day at the neighbourhood centre. There were pictures of the neighbourhood, handmade crafts and a drawing workshop for children. I arrived half an hour before the doors opened. The organiser gave me a badge with my name on it and asked me to welcome visitors at the entrance and hand out the programme. Another volunteer helped me arrange the papers on the table.
At first I was shy, but greeting people became easier after the first family arrived. I said, “Welcome! This is today’s programme.” A woman asked me, “Where is the drawing workshop?” I looked at the sheet and found the number of the second room, but its door was closed.
I was not sure, so I said, “One moment, please. I will ask the organiser.” He was near the stage, so I went to him and explained the question. He said, “We moved the workshop to the third room because it is larger.” I thanked him, then returned to the woman and showed her the way.
I corrected the room number on the remaining sheets and put a small sign at the entrance. After that, I could answer the question easily. At the end of the day, the organiser said, “Thank you for your help and for taking care to give the correct information.” I went home happy and wanted to join another neighbourhood activity.
02Useful words from the story
| Arabic in the story | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| تَطَوَّعْتُ | I volunteered |
| أَعْمَالٌ يَدَوِيَّةٌ | handmade crafts |
| الْمُنَظِّمُ | the organiser |
| أَسْتَقْبِلَ | welcome; receive |
| الْمَدْخَلِ | the entrance |
| مُتَأَكِّدًا | sure; certain |
| أَوْسَعُ | larger; more spacious |
| لَافِتَةً | a sign |
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
- Distinguish the original second-room listing from the workshop’s new location in the third room.
- Follow the volunteer’s response: ask the organiser, guide the visitor, then correct the written information.
Explore the Arabic in this story
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this story.
Arabic Question Words: Who, What, Where, When, and Why
أَيْنَ وَرْشَةُ الرَّسْمِ؟
Use where to ask about the location of an activity.
Arabic Ordinal Numbers: First to Tenth with Simple Examples
إِلَى الْغُرْفَةِ الثَّالِثَةِ
Review the ordinal forms that distinguish the second and third rooms.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّهَا أَوْسَعُ
Connect the room change with its reason using because.
