A2 Lesson: Lost in a New City

Level: A2 (Elementary)

Content Objective: Students follow two exchange students through their first day in a new city, including how they get lost and find help from a stranger.

Language Objective: Students learn to use the simple past tense together with prepositions of place to describe where things happened during a story.

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1. Reading Section

Sofia and Lucas were exchange students in Rome. It was their first day in the city, and they were very excited.

In the morning, they left their new apartment and walked to school. The school was near a small park. There was a bakery on the corner and a bookshop next to the bakery.

After school, Sofia and Lucas wanted to explore the city. They walked down a long street and turned left at a busy square. There were many people around a big fountain in the middle of the square.

“Let’s take a photo here,” said Sofia. They stood in front of the fountain and took some pictures.

After that, they walked past a church and through a small market. The market was full of colorful fruit and flowers. Lucas bought two oranges from a stand between a flower shop and a shoe shop.

Soon, the sun started to go down, and the streets began to look different. Sofia and Lucas didn’t know the way back to their apartment.

“I think we’re lost,” said Lucas.

They looked at their phones, but there was no signal. Now they needed to ask a stranger for help. They walked around a corner and saw an old man sitting outside a café. He was reading a newspaper at a small table.

“Excuse me,” said Sofia. “We’re lost. Can you help us?”

The old man smiled. “Of course,” he said. “Where do you live?”

“Near a school, next to a park,” said Lucas. “There’s a bakery on the corner.”

The old man thought for a moment. “Ah, I know that street,” he said. “Walk straight down this road, past the church, and turn right at the fountain. Your street is behind the big library.”

Sofia and Lucas thanked the old man and started walking. They passed the church again and turned right at the fountain, just like he said. A few minutes later, they saw the library. Their apartment was right behind it, exactly where they left it that morning.

“That was a big adventure,” said Sofia with a laugh.

“Yes,” said Lucas. “But next time, let’s bring a map!”

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2. Vocabulary Section

Word / Phrase	Meaning	Example
exchange student	a student who studies in another country for a while	Sofia and Lucas were exchange students in Rome.
explore	to travel around a place to learn about it	They wanted to explore the city after school.
square	a large open space in a city, usually with buildings around it	There was a big fountain in the middle of the square.
fountain	a structure that shoots water into the air	They stood in front of the fountain and took pictures.
lost	not knowing where you are or how to get somewhere	“I think we’re lost,” said Lucas.
signal	the connection a phone needs to make calls or go online	There was no signal on their phones.
stranger	a person you do not know	They needed to ask a stranger for help.
adventure	an exciting or unusual experience	“That was a big adventure,” said Sofia.

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3. Example Sentences (Target Grammar in Use)

• Sofia and Lucas stood in front of the fountain and took some pictures.
• Lucas bought two oranges from a stand between a flower shop and a shoe shop.
• They walked past the church and turned right at the fountain.
• The old man sat outside a café and read his newspaper.
• Their apartment was right behind the big library.
• Sofia and Lucas thanked the old man and started walking home.

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4. Grammar Section

Simple Past + Prepositions of Place

The simple past tense describes actions that finished in the past. Prepositions of place tell us where something happened. Together, they help us tell a story about a place we visited.

Preposition	Meaning	Example
near	close to something	The school was near a small park.
next to	right beside something	There was a bookshop next to the bakery.
in front of	facing something, at the front	They stood in front of the fountain.
between	in the middle of two things	Lucas bought oranges between two shops.
behind	at the back of something	Their apartment was behind the library.

Quick Tip: To make the simple past of regular verbs, add -ed (walk → walked). Irregular verbs change completely (see → saw, buy → bought). Learn these irregular forms by heart — they don’t follow the -ed rule.

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5. Comprehension Questions

A. True or False

1. Sofia and Lucas were exchange students in Rome.
2. They found their way home easily, without any help.
3. Lucas bought two oranges at the market.
4. An old man helped them find their way home.

B. Short Answer

5. Where did Sofia and Lucas stand to take a photo?
6. Why couldn’t Sofia and Lucas call anyone for help?
7. Who helped Sofia and Lucas find their way home?
8. Where was Sofia and Lucas’s apartment, according to the old man?

C. Fill in the Blank / Transform

9. Sofia and Lucas ___ (walk) to school on their first morning.
10. They ___ (stand) in front of the fountain and took photos.
11. Lucas ___ (buy) two oranges at the market.
12. An old man ___ (help) them find their way home.

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Next lesson: A2 — “The Concert I’ll Never Forget”

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