Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a lift that stops between floors
Aisha and the Stopped Lift
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Aisha works at a big co-working space. She goes there every day. The building has many floors. Aisha's desk is on the sixth floor. She always takes the lift. The lift is fast and quiet. One Monday morning, Aisha arrives at the building. She has a bag on her shoulder. She has a cup of coffee in her hand. She presses the button for the sixth floor. The doors close slowly. The lift starts to move up. Then it stops. Aisha looks around. The lift is between the third and fourth floor. The doors do not open. Aisha feels a little scared.
She takes a deep breath. She looks for a help button. She sees a red button on the wall. She presses it. A voice speaks from a small speaker. "Hello, this is the building desk. Can I help you?" Aisha speaks clearly. "Yes, please. I am in the lift. It is not moving." The voice answers, "Do not worry. We can help you. Please wait." Aisha says, "Thank you." She puts her coffee down on the floor. She sits down and waits. Other people in the co-working space do not know she is there. The building is very busy that morning. But Aisha stays calm. After twenty minutes, the lift starts to move again.
It goes up to the sixth floor. The doors open. Aisha walks out. A man from the building team is waiting for her. He says, "Are you okay? I am sorry about the lift." Aisha smiles and says, "Yes, I am fine. Thank you for your help." She walks to her desk. Her friends see her. One friend asks, "Why are you late?" Aisha laughs. "I was in the lift for twenty minutes!" Her friend says, "Oh no! That sounds terrible!" Aisha shakes her head. "It was not so bad. I stayed calm and someone helped me." She sits down, opens her laptop, and starts her work. She does not take the lift again that day. She uses the stairs instead.
Key vocabulary
| lift (noun) | a machine inside a building that carries people up and down between floors“Aisha takes the lift to the sixth floor every day.” |
| press (verb) | to push something with your finger“She presses the button for the sixth floor.” |
| button (noun) | a small object you push to make something happen“Aisha sees a red button on the wall of the lift.” |
| scared (adjective) | feeling fear or worry“Aisha feels a little scared when the lift stops.” |
| calm (adjective) | not worried or excited; relaxed and quiet“Aisha stays calm and waits for help.” |
| speaker (noun) | a small device that makes sounds or voices come out“A voice comes from a small speaker inside the lift.” |
| stairs (noun) | a set of steps inside a building used to go up or down“After the lift problem, Aisha uses the stairs.” |
| floor (noun) | one level of a building“Aisha's desk is on the sixth floor of the building.” |
Useful phrases
- take a deep breath — to breathe in slowly and deeply to help yourself feel calm“Aisha takes a deep breath when the lift stops.”
- do not worry — used to tell someone that everything is okay and they should feel calm“The voice says, "Do not worry. We can help you."”
- stay calm — to keep yourself relaxed and not become frightened or angry“Aisha stays calm and waits for help.”
- I am fine — used to say that you are okay and not hurt“Aisha says, "Yes, I am fine. Thank you for your help."”
- Please wait — used to ask someone to stop and not move or act yet“The voice says, "Please wait" while help is on the way.”
- look for — to try to find something by searching“Aisha looks for a help button on the wall.”
- shake your head — to move your head from side to side to say no or to show something is not true“Aisha shakes her head and says it was not so bad.”
- instead — used when you do one thing in place of another thing“Aisha does not take the lift. She uses the stairs instead.”
Word search
Find all 8 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N | P | V | X | S | M | A | R | Y | F |
| 2 | C | R | O | L | L | M | O | W | B | E |
| 3 | Z | E | M | A | B | O | B | A | Q | E |
| 4 | Q | S | C | V | L | U | U | J | S | F |
| 5 | Z | S | D | F | B | S | T | P | O | E |
| 6 | L | Y | U | E | R | J | E | T | K | S |
| 7 | N | M | K | I | R | A | I | X | O | F |
| 8 | F | W | A | C | K | A | N | H | D | N |
| 9 | G | T | T | E | N | X | C | E | J | A |
| 10 | S | X | R | T | F | I | L | S | Q | D |
Comprehension quiz
Where does Aisha work?
- A) In a co-working space
- B) In a shop
- C) In a school
- D) In a hospital
Which floor is Aisha's desk on?
- A) The sixth floor
- B) The fourth floor
- C) The fifth floor
- D) The third floor
What does Aisha do when she feels scared?
- A) She opens the doors
- B) She shouts for help
- C) She takes a deep breath
- D) She calls a friend
What color is the help button in the lift?
- A) Yellow
- B) Green
- C) Red
- D) Blue
The lift stops between the third and fourth floor. True or False?
- A) True
- B) False
- C) Not stated
- D) Not mentioned
How long does Aisha wait in the lift?
- A) Fifteen minutes
- B) Five minutes
- C) Ten minutes
- D) Twenty minutes
Who is waiting for Aisha when the lift doors open?
- A) Her manager
- B) A woman from the desk
- C) A man from the building team
- D) Her friend
What does the word 'calm' mean in this story?
- A) Very tired
- B) Not worried or excited
- C) Very happy
- D) Very busy
Aisha takes the lift again after the problem. True or False?
- A) False
- B) True
- C) Not stated
- D) Not mentioned
What does Aisha open when she gets to her desk?
- A) A window
- B) A laptop
- C) A book
- D) A bag
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. A 2. A 3. C 4. C 5. A 6. D 7. C 8. B 9. A 10. B
Word search answer key (A2 (Elementary))
Columns are lettered from the left, rows numbered from the top. The arrow shows the reading direction from the word's first letter.
button: E3 ↘ · calm: C4 ↗ · floor: D5 ↗ · lift: G10 ← · press: B1 ↓ · scared: H10 ↖ · speaker: I4 ↙ · stairs: A10 ↗