Finding the correct room

Both texts are newly written practice sources about invented people, places or projects.

Text One: An original visitor's account of attending a class in an unfamiliar community centre.

I arrived early for a pottery class at the new community centre. Beside the entrance, a plan showed the classrooms arranged around a central hall. Room 14 appeared easy to find, so I glanced at the plan and walked inside.

The central hall was busier than I expected. Several corridors began beside identical grey doors, and I could no longer remember whether Room 14 was beyond the café or the main office. A blue stripe painted along one wall eventually guided me towards the classrooms. The room numbers then became larger and easier to see.

A volunteer noticed me checking the doors and confirmed that I was going the right way. She also pointed out a shorter route back to the entrance. After the class, I looked at the plan again. Its arrangement now made sense because I could connect the coloured stripe and the café with places I had actually passed.

Text Two: An original report about improving directions in a fictional youth centre.

A youth centre asked first-time visitors to find three activity rooms. Each visitor received a small floor plan. Most understood which part of the building contained the rooms, but several chose the wrong corridor after entering the main hall.

The project team added coloured signs and named visible landmarks, such as the reception desk and the indoor garden. In the second trial, more visitors reached the rooms without turning back. Some still asked staff for confirmation, particularly where two corridors began close together.

The report did not treat requests for help as failed visits. Instead, the team recorded where questions were asked and used this information to improve the signs. It concluded that a floor plan gives a useful overview, while clear features inside the building help visitors make each individual choice.