A2 Reading: Modal verbs

Read the text and complete the tasks.

A busy day at the rescue center

Today is a busy day at the City Animal Rescue Center. Early in the morning, volunteers arrive to help. They have to check all the cages and make sure the animals are safe. At 9 a.m., a call comes in: a dog is lost in the park. The team knows they must find it quickly because it is very cold outside.

Two volunteers go to the park. They can see footprints in the snow, so they follow them. After 20 minutes, they find the dog under a bench. It is scared, but they can calm it down. Back at the center, another problem appears: a cat is sick. The vet says, “We have to give it medicine now.”

In the afternoon, a family comes to adopt a rabbit. They ask, “Can we take it home today?” The staff explains, “Yes, but you must sign the papers first.” The family is happy. At the end of the day, everyone is tired, but they feel proud. They know they can make a big difference.

Activity 1: Fill in the gaps

Complete with: can, could, must, have to.

  1. We ______ check the cages every morning.
  2. You ______ sign the papers before taking the rabbit home.
  3. They ______ see footprints in the snow.
  4. The vet says we ______ give the cat medicine immediately.
  5. Volunteers ______ arrive early to help.
  6. The dog was scared, but they ______ calm it down.
  7. “______ we take the rabbit home today?” asked the family.

Activity 2: Comprehension questions

Answer with complete sentences.

  1. Why do the volunteers have to check the cages?
  2. What must the family do before taking the rabbit home?
  3. How can the volunteers find the lost dog?

Activity 3: Match the sentences

Match the beginning with the correct ending (based on the text).

  1. The volunteers have to...
  2. The team must...
  3. The family can...
  4. The vet says we have to...
  5. The volunteers can...