FlexiLingoPlanning a Family Visit to the Museum
The task
2 min preparation + 3 min 30Vous venez d'emménager à Québec il y a quelques semaines et vous souhaitez visiter le Musée de la civilisation avec votre famille le week-end prochain. Vous téléphonez au musée pour préparer votre visite.
L'examinateur joue le rôle d'un agent d'accueil du Musée de la civilisation de Québec. Vous jouez le rôle d'un(e) nouveau/nouvelle résident(e) au Québec qui souhaite organiser une sortie culturelle en famille et qui appelle pour obtenir toutes les informations nécessaires.
TCF Canada — expression orale — tâche 2
Translation of the prompt
لقد انتقلت للسكن في كيبك منذ بضعة أسابيع وترغب في زيارة متحف الحضارة (Musée de la civilisation) مع عائلتك في نهاية الأسبوع القادم. تتصل بالمتحف للتحضير لزيارتك. يلعب الممتحن دور موظف استقبال في متحف الحضارة في كيبك. أنت تلعب دور مقيم جديد في كيبك يرغب في تنظيم خرجة ثقافية عائلية ويتصل للحصول على جميع المعلومات اللازمة.
Translation of the prompt
Sie sind vor ein paar Wochen nach Québec gezogen und möchten am kommenden Wochenende mit Ihrer Familie das Musée de la civilisation besuchen. Sie rufen im Museum an, um Ihren Besuch vorzubereiten. Der Prüfer/die Prüferin spielt die Rolle einer Empfangsperson des Musée de la civilisation de Québec. Sie spielen die Rolle einer neu zugezogenen Person in Québec, die einen kulturellen Ausflug mit der Familie organisieren möchte und anruft, um alle notwendigen Informationen zu erhalten.
Translation of the prompt
You moved to Québec a few weeks ago and would like to visit the Musée de la civilisation with your family next weekend. You phone the museum to plan your visit. The examiner plays the role of a reception agent at the Musée de la civilisation in Québec City. You play the role of a new resident in Québec who wants to organise a family cultural outing and is calling to gather all the necessary information.
Translation of the prompt
شما چند هفته پیش به کبک نقل مکان کرده‌اید و می‌خواهید آخر هفته‌ی آینده با خانواده‌تان از Musée de la civilisation بازدید کنید. با موزه تماس می‌گیرید تا بازدیدتان را برنامه‌ریزی کنید. مصاحبه‌گر نقش یک کارمند پذیرش Musée de la civilisation در کبک را بازی می‌کند. شما نقش یک ساکن جدید کبک را دارید که می‌خواهد یک گردش فرهنگی خانوادگی ترتیب بدهد و برای دریافت تمام اطلاعات لازم تماس گرفته است.
Translation of the prompt
आप कुछ सप्ताह पहले ही क्यूबेक शहर में बस गए हैं और अगले सप्ताहांत अपने परिवार के साथ म्यूज़ी दे ला सिविलिज़ासियों (Musée de la civilisation) जाना चाहते हैं। आप अपनी यात्रा की योजना बनाने के लिए संग्रहालय को फोन करते हैं। परीक्षक म्यूज़ी दे ला सिविलिज़ासियों दे क्यूबेक के एक स्वागत अधिकारी की भूमिका निभाता है। आप क्यूबेक में एक नए निवासी की भूमिका निभाते हैं जो परिवार के साथ एक सांस्कृतिक भ्रमण आयोजित करना चाहता/चाहती है और सभी आवश्यक जानकारी प्राप्त करने के लिए फोन करता/करती है।
Translation of the prompt
Bạn vừa chuyển đến sống ở Québec cách đây vài tuần và muốn cùng gia đình đến thăm Bảo tàng Văn minh (Musée de la civilisation) vào cuối tuần tới. Bạn gọi điện đến bảo tàng để chuẩn bị cho chuyến thăm. Giám khảo đóng vai một nhân viên tiếp tân của Bảo tàng Văn minh Québec. Bạn đóng vai một cư dân mới ở Québec, muốn tổ chức một chuyến đi văn hóa cùng gia đình và gọi điện để lấy tất cả các thông tin cần thiết.
Translation of the prompt
您几周前刚搬到魁北克市,想在下周末和家人一起参观文明博物馆。您打电话给博物馆,为这次参观做准备。 考官扮演魁北克文明博物馆接待人员的角色。 您扮演一位新定居魁北克、希望组织一次家庭文化出游、并来电获取所有必要信息的新居民。
How to structure your answer
Greet the agent politely, briefly introduce yourself as a new resident, and state clearly why you are calling: you want to visit the museum with your family next weekend.
Ask about opening hours, which days are available, and which time slots are best suited to families with young children.
Ask about the exhibitions currently on show — both temporary and permanent — and request a recommendation for a mixed audience of adults and children. A handy phrase to reuse: "à l'affiche".
Ask about pricing: adult rate, children's rate by age, family rate, and any possible discounts for new permanent residents.
Cover the practical details: online booking, parking or public transport, recommended length of visit, and food options on site.
Close the call warmly, thank the agent, and ask for the museum's website so you can confirm the booking.
Model answer
about 331 wordsTour 1 — Ouverture de l'échange : « Bonjour, je vous appelle pour obtenir quelques renseignements en vue d'une visite familiale. Je suis nouveau résident à Québec depuis peu et je souhaiterais emmener ma famille au Musée de la civilisation le week-end prochain. Pourriez-vous me donner vos horaires d'ouverture, s'il vous plaît ? »
Tour 2 — Après la réponse sur les horaires : « Très bien, je vous remercie. Je vois donc que vous êtes ouverts le samedi et le dimanche. Y a-t-il des créneaux particulièrement adaptés aux familles avec de jeunes enfants ? Proposez-vous des visites guidées à des heures précises, ou faut-il s'y rendre à sa propre convenance ? »
Tour 3 — Après la réponse sur les visites guidées : « C'est excellent à savoir. Justement, pourriez-vous me parler des expositions actuellement à l'affiche ? Qu'est-ce que vous avez en ce moment comme expositions temporaires, en dehors de la collection permanente ? Y en a-t-il une que vous recommanderiez tout particulièrement pour un public mixte, c'est-à-dire des adultes et des enfants d'âges différents ? »
Tour 4 — Après la réponse sur les expositions : « Cela m'a l'air très intéressant, merci. J'aurais également besoin de connaître vos tarifs. Nous serons deux adultes et trois enfants — les deux aînés ont respectivement huit et dix ans, et le dernier a tout juste trois ans. Est-ce qu'il existe un tarif famille, ou des réductions prévues pour les nouveaux résidents permanents au Canada ? »
Tour 5 — Après la réponse sur les tarifs : « D'accord, je note tout cela. Et pour finir, est-il possible de réserver nos billets en ligne à l'avance afin d'éviter une longue attente à la billetterie ? Par ailleurs, y a-t-il un stationnement à proximité du musée, ou vaut-il mieux venir en transport en commun ? »
Tour 6 — Clôture : « Parfait, vous avez été très aimable et vos explications sont très claires. Je crois que nous allons opter pour samedi matin. Auriez-vous un site internet où je pourrais confirmer la réservation et retrouver toutes ces informations ? Merci beaucoup et bonne journée. »
Show the translation
Turn 1 — Opening the call: "Hello, I'm calling to get some information for an upcoming family visit. I'm a new resident in Québec and I'd like to bring my family to the Musée de la civilisation next weekend. Could you please give me your opening hours?"
Turn 2 — After the reply about opening hours: "Very good, thank you. So I understand you're open on Saturdays and Sundays. Are there any time slots that work particularly well for families with young children? Do you offer guided tours at set times, or is it simply a matter of coming at your own convenience?"
Turn 3 — After the reply about guided tours: "That's excellent to know. While we're on the subject, could you tell me about the exhibitions currently on show? What temporary exhibitions do you have on at the moment, in addition to the permanent collection? Is there one you would particularly recommend for a mixed audience — meaning adults and children of different ages?"
Turn 4 — After the reply about exhibitions: "That sounds very interesting, thank you. I'd also need to know your admission prices. There will be two adults and three children — the two older ones are eight and ten respectively, and the youngest has just turned three. Is there a family rate, or any reductions available for new permanent residents in Canada?"
Turn 5 — After the reply about pricing: "Right, I'm making a note of all that. Finally, is it possible to book our tickets online in advance so as to avoid a long queue at the ticket desk? And is there parking near the museum, or would it be better to come by public transport?"
Turn 6 — Closing the call: "Perfect, you've been very helpful and your explanations are very clear. I think we'll go for Saturday morning. Do you have a website where I could confirm the booking and find all this information again? Thank you very much and have a good day."
Key vocabulary
| Word or phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| à l'affiche | currently showing / on display — said of an exhibition or performance that is open to the public right now |
| une exposition temporaire | a temporary exhibition — one running for a limited period, as opposed to the museum's permanent collection |
| la collection permanente | the permanent collection — the works and objects always on display in the museum, regardless of the season |
| un créneau horaire | a time slot — a specific window of time set aside for a particular activity |
| un tarif famille | a family rate — a reduced price applied to a group made up of adults and children travelling together |
| le stationnement | parking — the Quebec French word for a car park or parking area (the word "parking" is avoided in formal contexts in Quebec) |
| un résident permanent | a permanent resident — a person who has been granted official residency status in Canada but has not yet become a Canadian citizen |
| la billetterie en ligne | online ticketing — a service that lets you buy your tickets on the internet before arriving at the venue |
| une visite guidée | a guided tour — a visit led by a professional guide who explains the works or collections |
| à sa propre convenance | at one's own convenience — at whatever time suits the visitor best, with no set schedule imposed |
Common mistakes
In Quebec, the English word "parking" is avoided in formal and official contexts. Use "stationnement" — it's the expected term and using the English word can mark you as unaware of Quebec French usage.
WrongY a-t-il un parking près du musée ?
RightY a-t-il un stationnement à proximité du musée ?
Short, abrupt questions like "C'est quoi le prix ?" are too informal for a phone call to a public institution. Always embed your question inside a polite formula — the indirect question form is expected at this level.
WrongC'est quoi le prix ?
RightPourriez-vous m'indiquer le tarif, s'il vous plaît ?
This is an interaction task. If you ignore what the examiner says and just move on to your next question, the exchange sounds robotic and your score will suffer. Short phrases like "Je vois", "C'est noté", or "Très bien" show you are listening and keep the conversation natural.
"Je veux" sounds demanding in a semi-formal context. The conditional — "je souhaiterais", "j'aimerais", "je voudrais" — is the standard way to express a wish politely in French, and the examiner will be listening for it.
WrongJe veux emmener ma famille au musée.
RightJe souhaiterais emmener ma famille au musée.
Some cultural backgrounds default to informal address, but in Canada a phone call to any public service always requires "vous". Switching to "tu" — even once — signals a lack of register awareness.
Saying "Quel est le prix ?" three or four times in a row limits your score for vocabulary range. Rotate between different expressions to show breadth: "Combien coûte… ?", "Quel est le tarif pour… ?", "Y a-t-il une réduction pour… ?"
Both mean to find out about something, but they use different prepositions. In everyday spoken French, "se renseigner sur" and "obtenir des renseignements" are the most natural choices. "S'informer de" is also correct but slightly more formal.
WrongJe veux m'informer sur vos horaires.
RightJe souhaite me renseigner sur vos horaires.
The grammar this task needs
Conditional tense for polite requests
Every request in a formal phone call must use the conditional — "je voudrais", "pourriez-vous", "j'aimerais" — rather than the present tense. The examiner will be listening for this throughout the 3½-minute exchange.
- Pourriez-vous me donner vos horaires d'ouverture, s'il vous plaît ?
- Je souhaiterais emmener ma famille au musée le week-end prochain.
- Auriez-vous un site internet où je pourrais confirmer la réservation ?
Indirect question forms
Blunt direct questions like "C'est quoi le prix ?" drop your score. This task requires you to embed questions inside polite phrases, which changes the word order from inverted to normal subject-verb.
- Pourriez-vous m'indiquer le tarif, s'il vous plaît ?
- Est-ce qu'il existe un tarif famille ?
- Y a-t-il des créneaux particulièrement adaptés aux familles ?
Vouvoiement (the "vous" form of address)
The scenario is a formal phone call to a public institution. Using "tu" with the agent — even accidentally — signals a cultural and linguistic error that the examiner will note.
- Vous avez été très aimable.
- Proposez-vous des visites guidées ?
- Pourriez-vous me parler des expositions actuellement à l'affiche ?
Connectors and acknowledgement phrases to maintain dialogue flow
This is an interaction task, not a monologue. You must show you have heard the examiner's answers before asking your next question. Short linking phrases keep the exchange natural and demonstrate active listening.
- Très bien, je vous remercie.
- C'est excellent à savoir.
- D'accord, je note tout cela.
Phrases to reuse
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Je vous appelle pour obtenir quelques renseignements en vue de… | Perfect opening line for any phone call — states your purpose immediately and sets a formal tone. |
| Pourriez-vous me donner… / Pourriez-vous me parler de… ? | Your go-to polite request formula. Swap in any noun after "me donner" or "me parler de" to ask for different types of information. |
| Y a-t-il… / Est-ce qu'il existe… ? | Two interchangeable ways to ask whether something is available (a discount, a guided tour, a car park). Alternating between them shows range. |
| Je vois donc que… / C'est noté. | Use these immediately after the examiner speaks to show you have processed the information before moving on. |
| Justement, pourriez-vous me parler de… ? | "Justement" links your next question naturally to what was just said — it sounds much more fluent than starting a new question from scratch. |
| En dehors de…, qu'est-ce que vous avez en ce moment comme… ? | Useful when asking about temporary exhibitions while acknowledging the permanent collection already exists. |
| J'aurais également besoin de… | Smooth way to introduce a new topic (e.g. pricing) without sounding abrupt. Signals you have more questions without being pushy. |
| Nous serons [nombre] adultes et [nombre] enfants — les aînés ont respectivement… et… ans. | Template for giving your group's composition precisely when asking about family pricing. |
| Afin d'éviter… / pour ne pas… | Expresses purpose and adds sophistication. "Afin d'éviter une longue attente à la billetterie" is a ready-made phrase for this exact scenario. |
| Vaut-il mieux… ou… ? | Elegant way to ask for a recommendation between two options (e.g. parking vs. public transport) without simply listing them. |
| Vous avez été très aimable et vos explications sont très claires. | Closing compliment that wraps up the call gracefully — shows register awareness and leaves a positive final impression. |
| Auriez-vous un site internet où je pourrais… ? | Useful final question in any service call; demonstrates forward planning and gets you a natural closing exchange. |
Ideas bank
| Position | Argument | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Information to seek | Opening hours and best time slots for families with young children | Asking whether weekend mornings are less crowded than afternoons, or whether certain slots are designed for children. |
| Information to seek | Current temporary exhibitions vs. the permanent collection | Asking the agent which temporary exhibition they would personally recommend for a mixed group of adults and young children. |
| Information to seek | Pricing breakdown for a specific family composition | Specifying the exact ages of your children (8, 10, and 3) to find out whether the youngest is admitted free and whether a family rate exists. |
| Information to seek | Whether new permanent residents are entitled to any discount | Mentioning your recent arrival in Québec and asking whether the museum offers a reduced rate for newcomers to Canada. |
| Information to seek | Online booking and how to avoid queuing at the ticket desk | Asking whether you can reserve and pay in advance on the museum's website, and whether printed or mobile tickets are accepted. |
| Information to seek | Getting to the museum: parking or public transport | Asking whether there is paid parking nearby, or which bus or tram line stops closest to the museum entrance. |
| Information to seek | On-site facilities: food and length of visit | Asking whether there is a café or restaurant inside, and how long a family should budget for a comfortable visit with children. |
| Nuance | Showing you are a new resident to contextualise your questions | Mentioning that you have only just moved to Québec helps explain why you need basic practical information that a long-time local would already know — it also makes the conversation more natural. |
What the examiner looks for
The examiner is assessing your ability to conduct a realistic, purposeful phone call in French — not to recite a memorised script. They want to hear you respond to what they actually say: if you ignore their answers and fire off your next question regardless, that counts against you. They are also checking that you maintain a consistently formal register (vouvoiement, conditional tense, indirect questions) from the first sentence to the last. Vocabulary range matters: if you repeat the same two or three words to ask about prices or schedules, the examiner will notice. Finally, they are listening for natural connectors — "Justement", "C'est excellent à savoir", "D'accord, je note" — that show you are genuinely engaged in a dialogue. A candidate who links each new question to the previous answer, uses polite conditional forms throughout, and closes the call courteously is demonstrating exactly the C1 interaction skills this task is designed to test.