The key answer of exercise 1

a)

1. at a party, at a café, at a friend's house, at school / university / an evening class, at work, at the gym, on holiday
2. in the desert, a rope bridge, a hospital, a café; They are not usually places where you meet a new friend.

d)

1. The bus was in the (Sahara) desert.
2. Habib wasn't the bus driver.
3. The bridge was in Pakistan.
4. Cynthia and Anne were on the bridge for half an hour.
5. Jon was in a car accident.
6. Jon was in hospital for a week.
7. Someone took Alison's money.
8. The waitress said, 'Do you need help?'