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📌 A2EN

A Business Trip to Madrid

A ready-to-use A2 English lesson — reading, questions and answer key, built by teachers on TeachIn.

This lesson has 3 sections in total — including the full answer key.

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🎬 Interactive video — script & questions

NARRATOR: Listen to a conversation between two colleagues before a business trip. SPEAKER 1: Hi Anna, are you ready for the business trip to Madrid? SPEAKER 2: Almost, Tom. I need to pack my clothes tonight. What's the weather like there? SPEAKER 1: It's warm in Madrid now. You don't need a big coat. Just bring some light clothes. SPEAKER 2: Good. And after the meetings, do we have free time? SPEAKER 1: Yes, on Saturday. We can visit an art museum. I really like Spanish art. SPEAKER 2: Nice! I also want to try some traditional food. I love Spanish food, especially paella. SPEAKER 1: Me too! There's a great restaurant near our hotel. My colleague from the Madrid office told me about it. SPEAKER 2: Perfect. Oh, and can we talk about the meeting on Monday? Is it with the new business partners? SPEAKER 1: Yes, it's with a company from Italy. We need to discuss the new contract. SPEAKER 2: OK, I'll prepare the documents tonight. By the way, do you listen to music on flights? SPEAKER 1: Yes, always! I usually watch a series or listen to music. It helps me relax. SPEAKER 2: Same here. This trip is going to be great — work and a little travel together! SPEAKER 1: Exactly. Let's meet at the airport at seven tomorrow morning. SPEAKER 2: Perfect, see you there!
  1. Where are Tom and Anna going for business?
    • a) Madrid
    • b) Rome
    • c) Paris
    • d) Lisbon
  2. What does Anna need to do tonight?
    • a) Pack her clothes
    • b) Book a hotel
    • c) Call the client
    • d) Buy a coat
  3. What do they plan to visit on Saturday?
    • a) An art museum
    • b) A music concert
    • c) A church
    • d) A shopping center
  4. What food does Anna want to try?
    • a) Paella
    • b) Pizza
    • c) Sushi
    • d) Tacos
  5. Which company is coming to the Monday meeting?
    • a) A company from Italy
    • b) A company from France
    • c) A company from Germany
    • d) A company from Portugal

📖 Reading

Maria works for a small clothing company in Madrid. Last month, her boss asked her to go on a business trip to Lisbon to meet a new client. Maria was very excited because she loves to travel and try new food. She has never been to Portugal before, so she read a lot about the city before she left. The trip started well. Maria's flight was on time, and the hotel was near the city centre. On the first evening, she went to a small restaurant and had grilled fish with rice. It was delicious! While she was eating, she listened to some live music. The singer played guitar and sang traditional Portuguese songs called fado. Maria loved the music so much that she stayed for two hours. The next day, Maria met the client, Mr. Silva, at his office. They talked about clothes, prices, and business plans for almost three hours. Mr. Silva was very friendly, and he showed Maria some traditional Portuguese fabrics. After the meeting, they walked around the old town together. Mr. Silva told her about local art and old churches. Maria took a lot of photos because she wants to remember every detail of the trip. On her last day, Maria still had some free time before her flight, so she visited a museum with beautiful paintings. She also bought some gifts for her family: a scarf, some coffee, and a small book about Portuguese history. Before she left the hotel, she wrote in her notebook, 'This has been one of the best business trips of my life. I have already decided to come back next year, maybe for a longer holiday!' When Maria came back to Madrid, she told her colleagues about the trip. She said the meeting was successful, and the company will probably start working with Mr. Silva soon. Her colleagues were happy to hear the good news, and they asked her many questions about the food, the music, and the city. Maria smiled and said, 'If you visit Lisbon, you must try the fish and listen to fado music. You will love it!'

🗣️ Speaking — discussion

Context

  • Many companies send employees to other cities or countries for meetings, conferences, or training.
  • A business trip is different from a holiday: you travel to work, not to relax.
  • Employees need to plan flights, hotels, and meetings, and sometimes work in a different time zone.
  • Companies often give workers a budget for travel, food, and hotels.
  • After the trip, the employee usually writes a short report or sends an email about the trip.

Themes

  • Planning a trip — Booking flights, hotels, and transport is an important skill for work travel.
  • Meeting new people — Business trips often mean meeting clients or colleagues from other countries.
  • Time management — Workers must balance meetings, travel time, and rest.
  • Culture and communication — Traveling for work means understanding different cultures and business styles.

Personal Response

  1. Have you ever traveled for work? Where did you go?
  2. Do you like traveling for your job, or do you prefer working from the office?

Themes & Ideas

  1. What things do you need to prepare before a business trip?
  2. What problems can happen during a work trip?

Critical Thinking

  1. Is it better to travel alone or with a colleague for business? Why?
  2. How can a company make business trips easier for workers?

Cultural & Social Topics

  1. What is different about doing business in another country?
  2. Do you think video calls can replace business trips? Why or why not?

Advanced (C1 level)

  1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of frequent business travel for work-life balance?

🎭 Classroom activity

Role-play: Student A is an employee planning a business trip; Student B is the manager. Practice a short conversation booking flights and discussing the schedule for the trip.

✏️ Questions

  1. Why did Maria go to Lisbon?
    • a) To visit her family
    • b) To meet a new business client
    • c) To study Portuguese history
    • d) To sing at a music festival
  2. What did Maria do on her first evening in Lisbon?
    • a) She visited a museum
    • b) She met Mr. Silva at his office
    • c) She ate fish and listened to live music
    • d) She bought a scarf for her family
  3. What does 'fabrics' mean in the third paragraph?
    • a) Types of food
    • b) Materials used to make clothes
    • c) Old paintings
    • d) Business documents
  4. How does Maria probably feel about her trip to Lisbon?
    • a) Bored and tired
    • b) Confused about the meeting
    • c) Happy and satisfied with the trip
    • d) Worried about her job
  5. What did Maria buy before leaving Lisbon?
    • a) A guitar and a fado album
    • b) A scarf, coffee, and a book
    • c) Fabrics for her company
    • d) Tickets for a music concert
  6. What does Maria tell her colleagues at the end of the story?
    • a) That the company lost the client
    • b) That they should try the fish and fado music in Lisbon
    • c) That Lisbon has no good restaurants
    • d) That she will never go back to Portugal

This lesson has 3 sections in total — including the full answer key.

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