Read a lease, a contract or terms of service

Grade 11 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Room Share Agreement (invented sample agreement)

   [1] This agreement is made between Mr. Halvorsen, who holds the lease on an apartment at 14 Orchard Row in the invented town of Linden Falls, and Ms. Adeyemi, who will rent the back bedroom from September. [2] In this agreement, "the Leaseholder" means Mr. Halvorsen, "the Roommate" means Ms. Adeyemi, "a Business Day" means any weekday that is not a public holiday, and "a Guest" means a visitor who stays overnight on more than three nights in one calendar month.

   Section 1: Rent and Deposit
   [3] The Roommate must pay $600 on or before the first Business Day of each month, and a payment received after the fifth Business Day of the month carries a late fee of $25. [4] The Roommate must also pay a deposit of $600, which the Leaseholder will return within thirty days after the move-out date, less the cost of repairing damage beyond ordinary wear.

   Section 2: Repairs
   [5] The Roommate must report any problem in the bedroom or the shared areas to the Leaseholder in writing within two Business Days of noticing it. [6] The Leaseholder must then arrange the repair within five Business Days, unless the building's owner is responsible for it, in which case the Leaseholder must pass the request to that owner on the same day. [7] A problem caused by the Roommate's carelessness is repaired at the Roommate's expense.

   Section 3: Guests
   [8] A Guest must be approved in advance by the Leaseholder, and the Roommate must give at least one day's notice before a Guest arrives. [9] A visitor who is not a Guest needs no approval.

   Section 4: Ending the Agreement
   [10] Either person may end this agreement by giving thirty days' written notice, and notice sent by mail is treated as received on the third Business Day after it is posted. [11] If the Roommate leaves without giving notice, the Leaseholder keeps the deposit to cover the thirty days' rent that notice would have required. [12] Any other rent paid for days after the move-out date will be refunded. [13] This agreement is the whole understanding between the two people, and any change to it must be written and signed by both. [14] If a court finds one part unenforceable, the remaining parts stay in force.

2. 1.

   Ari is helping a cousin read the room share agreement. A bedroom window will not close, and the building's owner is responsible for windows. What happens first, and who acts next?

   • The Roommate reports it in writing within two Business Days, and the Leaseholder must then pay for the window because it is in a shared area of the apartment.
   • The Roommate reports it in writing within two Business Days, and the Leaseholder then arranges the repair within five Business Days.
   • The Roommate reports it in writing within two Business Days, and the Leaseholder then passes the request to the building's owner the same day.
   • The Leaseholder reports the problem in writing within two Business Days, and the Roommate then passes the request to the building's owner.
3. 2.

   Bo checks when rent counts as late. A month begins on a Thursday, and the next Monday is a public holiday. What is the last day to pay rent without the late fee?

   • The first Thursday, which is the first Business Day of the month, when rent is due.
   • The Wednesday of the second week, counting the holiday Monday as one of the five days.
   • The Friday of the second week, five Business Days after the first Thursday.
   • The Thursday of the second week, which is the fifth Business Day of the month.
4. 3.

   Esme asks what happens to the deposit if the Roommate moves out without giving any notice. Which statement matches the agreement?

   • The Leaseholder keeps it unless the Roommate pays the $25 late fee within five Business Days.
   • It is returned within thirty days, less the cost of repairing damage beyond ordinary wear.
   • The Leaseholder keeps it to cover the thirty days' rent that notice would have required.
   • The Leaseholder keeps it, and the Roommate must also pay thirty days' rent on top of the deposit.
5. 4.

   The Roommate's cousin sleeps over on exactly three nights in one calendar month. Jun asks what the Roommate must do before those visits.

   • Nothing: the cousin is not a Guest, because a Guest stays on more than three nights, so no approval is needed.
   • Get the Leaseholder's approval before the visits begin, because the cousin reaches the three-night limit in the definition.
   • Get the Leaseholder's approval before each of the visits, because any overnight visitor counts as a Guest under the agreement.
   • Give the Leaseholder one day's notice before each visit, although no approval is needed for a family member.

6. Prepaid Phone Plan Terms (invented sample terms of service)

   [1] These terms are between Northbeam Mobile, an invented company in this sample, and the person who activates a plan, called "the Customer." [2] In these terms, "a Billing Month" means the thirty days that begin on the day a plan is activated, "Data" means the allowance of internet use included in the plan, and "Rollover" means Data left unused at the end of a Billing Month that is carried into the next one.

   Section 1: Plans and Payment
   [3] The Customer must pay the plan price in advance for each Billing Month, and the plan renews automatically unless the Customer cancels at least two days before the renewal date. [4] If the payment card on file is declined on the renewal date, Northbeam Mobile will try the card again after two days, and service continues during that period.

   Section 2: Data
   [5] Each plan includes a monthly Data allowance, and Northbeam Mobile will slow the Customer's speed, though not stop service, once it is used. [6] Unused Data rolls over once, which means that Data left at the end of one Billing Month may be used in the next but does not carry past it. [7] Rollover Data is used first, and a Customer who cancels forfeits any Data left.

   Section 3: Changes and Cancellation
   [8] Northbeam Mobile may change the price of a plan by sending written notice to the Customer at least fourteen days before the change takes effect. [9] A Customer who does not accept a price increase may cancel before the change takes effect and will receive a refund for the unused part of the Billing Month. [10] A Customer who cancels for any other reason is not refunded for the unused part of the month.

   Section 4: Lost Phones and Updates
   [11] A Customer whose phone is lost must tell Northbeam Mobile promptly, and the company will suspend service on that number within one day of the report. [12] The Customer remains responsible for charges made before the report is received. [13] Northbeam Mobile is not responsible for harm that results from the Customer's delay in reporting a loss. [14] These terms may be updated, and continued use of the plan after notice of an update counts as acceptance.

7. 5.

   Northbeam Mobile plans to raise a plan's price. Kira asks who must do what under the terms.

   • Northbeam Mobile may send written notice, and the Customer must cancel before the change takes effect to keep the price.
   • The Customer must send written notice fourteen days ahead of the change, and Northbeam Mobile may then refund the unused part of the Billing Month.
   • Northbeam Mobile must send written notice at least fourteen days ahead, and the Customer may cancel before the change for a partial refund.
   • Northbeam Mobile must send written notice at least fourteen days ahead, and the Customer may cancel at any time for a partial refund.
8. 6.

   The card on file is declined on a Monday renewal date. Luz asks when Northbeam Mobile tries the card again and whether service continues.

   • On Tuesday, the next day, and service continues in the meantime.
   • On Saturday, two days before the renewal date, the last day to cancel the plan.
   • On Wednesday, two days later, but service stops until the card works.
   • On Wednesday, two days later, and service continues in the meantime.
9. 7.

   A Customer has 4 GB of Data left at the end of a Billing Month. Pia asks what Rollover does with that Data over the next two months.

   • The 4 GB can be used in the next Billing Month, and any of it still unused after that is lost.
   • The 4 GB keeps rolling over from one month to the next until the Customer has used up the whole amount.
   • The 4 GB is lost at the end of the Billing Month, because Data cannot be carried forward from one month to another.
   • The 4 GB can be used in the next Billing Month, after the new allowance has been used up.

10. Bike Share Day Pass Terms (invented sample membership agreement)

    [1] This agreement is between Riverbend Bike Share, an invented program in this sample, and the person who joins, called "the Member." [2] In this agreement, "a Ride" means one trip that begins when a bike is unlocked and ends when it is locked at a station, "a Day Pass" means a pass for unlimited Rides of up to thirty minutes each within one calendar day, and "an Extra Charge" means the fee for any part of a Ride beyond thirty minutes.

    Section 1: Fees
    [3] A Day Pass costs $5, paid before the first bike of the day is unlocked. [4] An Extra Charge of $2 applies to each fifteen minutes, or part of fifteen minutes, beyond the first thirty minutes of a Ride. [5] The Member is billed for Extra Charges at the end of the day.

    Section 2: Care of the Bike
    [6] The Member must check the brakes and tires before leaving a station and must report any fault at the station kiosk before riding, because a Member who rides a bike with a reported fault does so at the Member's own risk. [7] Riverbend Bike Share must repair a reported fault or remove the bike from service within one day of the report.

    Section 3: Locking
    [8] A Ride is not complete until the bike is locked at a station, and the Extra Charge continues to grow until that happens. [9] A Member who leaves a bike unlocked outside a station, even for a moment, is responsible for the bike if it is lost or damaged, up to a limit of $300. [10] If a station is full, the Member may lock the bike to a fixed rack nearby and send a photo through the app, which ends the Ride.

    Section 4: Safety and Membership
    [11] The Member must follow traffic rules and should wear a helmet, though none is required. [12] The program may close a membership at once if the Member breaks a traffic rule in a way that puts others in danger, and no Day Pass refund is given in that case. [13] In any other case, the program must give three days' notice before closing a membership. [14] A closed membership may be reopened after a meeting with the manager.

11. 8.

    The brakes on a bike feel loose before the Member leaves the station. Ren asks what the Member must do and who carries the risk if the Member rides anyway.

    • The program must inspect the bike before each Ride, and a Member who rides it anyway is still covered by the program.
    • The Member may report the fault if it seems serious, and riding on carries no extra risk for the Member.
    • The Member must report the fault at the kiosk before riding, and the program carries the risk of any Ride afterward.
    • The Member must report the fault at the kiosk before riding, and riding after a reported fault is at the Member's own risk.
12. 9.

    A Member reports a brake fault at the kiosk at 8 a.m. on Monday. Tala asks by when the program must repair the bike or take it out of service.

    • Within three days, the notice that the program gives before it closes a membership.
    • By the end of Monday, when the program bills the Member for Extra Charges.
    • Within one day, and the Member's Day Pass is refunded for the Ride that was lost.
    • Within one day of the report, which is by 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
13. 10.

    A Member leaves a bike unlocked outside a station for a moment, and it is later damaged. Repairs cost $450. Noah asks what the Member owes.

    • Up to $300, the limit on a Member's responsibility for a bike left unlocked.
    • Up to $300, and the program may also close the membership at once for leaving the bike.
    • Nothing, because the Ride ended when the Member walked away from the bike.
    • The full $450, since the bike was left unlocked outside a station and then damaged.