READING PRACTICE : GETTING INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS

Last week Bill had to go to New York. It was his first time there, and he didn’t know his way around the city. He had a meeting at 10 o’clock, and he wanted to be on time. The meeting was in the Peterson Building on 34th Street, but Bill didn’t know where that was. Seeing two men standing on a corner he asked them for directions.
“Pardon me”, he said,” but can you tell me how to get to the Peterson Building on 34th Street ?”
“Sure”, answered one of the men. “You can get there in five minutes. Go to the next corner and turn left. Walk three blocks and there you are.”
But the other man said,”There’s a better way. Get on the bus here at this corner. It stops right near the Peter’s Building.”
“Not , Peters”, Bill said,” Oh, that’s on East 34th Street, not West 34th. It’s quite a distance from here. You’ll have to take the subway.”
But the second man told Bill : “No, don’t go by subway. Take the crosstown bus. It goes to the Peterkin Building.”
“Peterson. Not Peterkin”, Bill looked at his watch. It was almost ten o’clock. “Thanks a lot,” he said. “I think I’ll take a taxi.”
As he got into the taxi he saw the two men arguing and pointing in different directions. Next time he wanted to know how to get to a place, he’d ask a policeman !