十二排F座
Taking the high-speed train in China: seat 12F
Name: ________________ Date: ________
早上八点，我到了北京南站。这是我第一次一个人坐高铁，去上海看爷爷奶奶。
我没有纸的车票，只有手机上的一条信息。到了门口，我问一位工作人员：“我的票在哪儿拿？”
他笑了：“不用拿票，用身份证就可以进去。”
我拿出身份证，门马上开了。真快！
八点四十上车以后，我很快就找到了我的座位：十二排F座。可是座位上已经坐着一位老奶奶。
我很客气地说：“奶奶，对不起，这是我的座位。”
奶奶看了看她的票，说：“孩子，我也是十二排F座啊。”
我们都不明白。坐在旁边的一位叔叔笑了：“你们看看是几号车厢。”
奶奶的票上写着四号车厢。我的票上写着五号车厢。
这里是四号车厢。
我的脸一下子红了。“奶奶，对不起，是我错了！”
我拿着包，走到了五号车厢。十二排F座没有人，我坐了下来。
车开了半个小时，那位奶奶也来到了五号车厢。她给了我一个苹果。
“孩子，吃个苹果吧。下次先看车厢，再找座位！”
Key words
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 高铁 | gāotiě | high-speed rail; bullet train |
| 只有 | zhíyǒu | only; only if; unless |
| 不用 | búyòng | need not; don't have to |
| 以后 | yǐhòu | later; afterwards; in the future |
| 明白 | míngbai | to understand; to realize |
| 叔叔 | shūshu | (polite) uncle; mister (used by children) |
| 脸 | liǎn | face |
| 信息 | xìnxī | information; news |
| 身份证 | shēnfènzhèng | identity card; ID card |
| 座位 | zuòwèi | seat |
| 排 | pái | to arrange; to line up |
| 客气 | kèqi | polite; courteous; to be polite; to stand on ceremony |
English (for the teacher)
At eight in the morning I got to Beijing South Station. It was my first time taking the high-speed train on my own, going to Shanghai to see my grandparents.
I didn't have a paper ticket, just a message on my phone. At the entrance I asked a member of staff, “Where do I pick up my ticket?”
He smiled. “You don't need a ticket. Just use your ID card to get in.”
I took out my ID card, and the gate opened at once. So fast!
At eight-forty I boarded, and quickly found my seat: row 12, seat F. But an old lady was already sitting in it.
I said very politely, “Excuse me, Grandma, this is my seat.”
She looked at her ticket and said, “Young man, I'm in row 12, seat F too.”
Neither of us understood. A man sitting nearby laughed. “Check which carriage you're in.”
Her ticket said carriage 4. Mine said carriage 5.
This was carriage 4.
My face went red at once. “Grandma, I'm so sorry, my mistake!”
I picked up my bag and walked to carriage 5. Row 12, seat F was empty, so I sat down.
Half an hour after the train left, the old lady came to carriage 5 too. She gave me an apple.
“Here, have an apple, young man. Next time, find the carriage first, then the seat!”