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    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.

    ABCDEFGHIJ
    1NPVXSMARYF
    2CROLLMOWBE
    3ZEMABOBAQE
    4QSCVLUUJSF
    5ZSDFBSTPOE
    6LYUERJETKS
    7NMKIRAIXOF
    8FWACKANHDN
    9GTTENXCEJA
    10SXRTFILSQD

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where does Aisha work?

      • A) In a co-working space
      • B) In a shop
      • C) In a school
      • D) In a hospital
    2. Which floor is Aisha's desk on?

      • A) The sixth floor
      • B) The fourth floor
      • C) The fifth floor
      • D) The third floor
    3. 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
    4. What color is the help button in the lift?

      • A) Yellow
      • B) Green
      • C) Red
      • D) Blue
    5. The lift stops between the third and fourth floor. True or False?

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not stated
      • D) Not mentioned
    6. How long does Aisha wait in the lift?

      • A) Fifteen minutes
      • B) Five minutes
      • C) Ten minutes
      • D) Twenty minutes
    7. 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
    8. What does the word 'calm' mean in this story?

      • A) Very tired
      • B) Not worried or excited
      • C) Very happy
      • D) Very busy
    9. Aisha takes the lift again after the problem. True or False?

      • A) False
      • B) True
      • C) Not stated
      • D) Not mentioned
    10. 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 ↗

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: a lift that stops between floors

    Aisha Between Floors

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Aisha arrives at her co-working space on a busy Monday morning, balancing a laptop bag on one shoulder and a takeaway coffee in her hand. She works on the sixth floor, and since the stairwell feels uninviting at that early hour, she steps into the lift without a second thought. The doors slide shut behind her, and she presses the button for her floor. For a moment, everything seems normal. Then, somewhere between the third and fourth floor, the lift shudders and comes to a complete stop. The lights flicker once but stay on. Aisha looks at the control panel, then at the doors, and realizes she is not going anywhere. Keeping her breathing steady, Aisha locates the red emergency button on the panel and presses it firmly. A calm voice responds almost immediately through the intercom.

    "Good morning, you have reached the building support desk. How can I assist you?" Aisha explains the situation clearly, giving her approximate location between floors. "Thank you for letting us know," the voice replies. "A technician has been contacted and will reach you as soon as possible. Please remain where you are and try to stay comfortable." Aisha thanks the operator, sets her coffee carefully on the floor, and leans against the wall. She notices how quiet the lift is without the usual hum of movement, and she uses the unexpected pause to check her messages and organize her thoughts. Roughly twenty-five minutes later, the lift hums back to life and carries Aisha smoothly up to the sixth floor. As the doors open, a member of the building maintenance team is already there, looking relieved to see her. "I apologize for the inconvenience," he says.

    "The technician has identified the fault and it has been fixed." Aisha reassures him that she is perfectly fine and even manages a smile. When she reaches her desk, her colleague Priya notices her late arrival and raises an eyebrow. Aisha recounts the experience briefly, and Priya shakes her head in sympathy. "I would have panicked," Priya admits. Aisha shrugs. "Honestly, staying calm made all the difference. That, and a good emergency button." For the rest of the day, she chooses the stairs.

    Key vocabulary

    shudder (verb)to shake suddenly and briefly, often because of a problem or strong feeling“The lift shudders and comes to a complete stop between two floors.”
    intercom (noun)a system that allows people to speak to each other between different rooms or locations“Aisha presses the emergency button and speaks through the intercom.”
    technician (noun)a person whose job involves practical or technical work, especially with machines“A technician is contacted to fix the problem with the lift.”
    maintenance (noun)the work of keeping something in good condition so it continues to work properly“A member of the building maintenance team is waiting when the lift opens.”
    inconvenience (noun)a situation that causes difficulty, trouble or extra effort“The technician apologizes for the inconvenience caused by the broken lift.”
    approximate (adjective)close to the real amount or position but not exactly correct“Aisha gives her approximate location between the third and fourth floor.”
    recount (verb)to describe or tell someone about something that happened“Aisha recounts the experience of being stuck in the lift to her colleague.”
    fault (noun)a problem or defect in a machine or system that stops it working correctly“The technician identifies the fault and repairs it quickly.”

    Useful phrases

    • without a second thought — to do something immediately without stopping to consider it“Aisha steps into the lift without a second thought.”
    • as soon as possible — at the earliest moment that something can happen“The building team says a technician will arrive as soon as possible.”
    • remain where you are — to stay in the same place and not move“The operator tells Aisha to remain where she is and wait for help.”
    • make all the difference — to have a very important or significant effect on a situation“Aisha says that staying calm made all the difference when she was stuck.”
    • raise an eyebrow — to show surprise or mild doubt through a facial expression“Priya raises an eyebrow when she notices Aisha arriving late.”
    • hum back to life — to begin working again after stopping, often with a steady sound“After twenty-five minutes, the lift hums back to life and starts moving.”
    • identify the fault — to find and understand what is causing a problem in a machine or system“The technician identifies the fault and fixes the lift quickly.”
    • keep your breathing steady — to breathe in a slow and controlled way in order to stay calm“Aisha keeps her breathing steady after the lift suddenly stops.”

    Word search

    Find all 8 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1NAICINHCETYRKIR
    2GZDKVWPGMIERNVQ
    3KFAZYECQXCVCHWE
    4MEPQDBRZOXOFXMC
    5BITZCVXUANISHPN
    6ENVAYZNQVNNHYFA
    7JTKXMTKECGEWNSN
    8CENAPINXTDPIRUE
    9JRZCZIXEVXLCAHT
    10PCIPEIKOTLUAFXN
    11XOENEBTWREJTKHI
    12CMCYKEXLIPBUDZA
    13EEIZQUYHYOPURRM
    14RUKPRCWRQYIAUZF
    15EWELNGLSHUDDERU

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why does Aisha choose to take the lift rather than the stairs?

      • A) Her bag is too heavy for the stairs
      • B) The stairs are on the other side of the building
      • C) The stairwell feels uninviting early in the morning
      • D) The stairs are broken
    2. What does the word 'shudder' mean as used in the story?

      • A) To move slowly and smoothly
      • B) To stop with a loud noise
      • C) To shake suddenly and briefly
      • D) To turn off all the lights
    3. Where exactly does the lift stop?

      • A) Between the second and third floor
      • B) Between the first and second floor
      • C) Between the fifth and sixth floor
      • D) Between the third and fourth floor
    4. The lights in the lift go out completely when it stops. True or False?

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) True
    5. What does Aisha do while she waits for the technician?

      • A) She does exercises to stay warm
      • B) She checks her messages and organizes her thoughts
      • C) She eats her breakfast
      • D) She calls a friend on her phone
    6. What does 'inconvenience' mean as used in the story?

      • A) A situation that causes difficulty or extra effort
      • B) A dangerous situation
      • C) A mistake made by a person
      • D) A long and enjoyable delay
    7. How long is Aisha stuck in the lift?

      • A) About fifteen minutes
      • B) About twenty-five minutes
      • C) About ten minutes
      • D) About twenty minutes
    8. Aisha's colleague Priya says she would have panicked in the same situation. True or False?

      • A) True
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    9. What does Aisha say made the most difference when she was stuck?

      • A) Having someone she knew nearby
      • B) Having her phone with her
      • C) Staying calm
      • D) Pressing the button quickly
    10. What does the phrasal verb 'recount' mean in this story?

      • A) To describe something that happened
      • B) To forget what happened
      • C) To write a report about an event
      • D) To count something again

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    1. C 2. C 3. D 4. C 5. B 6. A 7. B 8. A 9. C 10. A

    Word search answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    Columns are lettered from the left, rows numbered from the top. The arrow shows the reading direction from the word's first letter.

    approximate: L14 ↖ · fault: M10 ← · inconvenience: N1 ↙ · intercom: B5 ↓ · maintenance: O13 ↑ · recount: L1 ↙ · shudder: H15 → · technician: J1 ←

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/aisha-and-the-stopped-lift-2026-08-18