Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a birthday party for a friend
Aisha Plans a Birthday Party at the Co-Working Space
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Aisha works at a co-working space. She shares the space with many other people. One of her friends is a woman named Sara. Sara's birthday is on Friday. Aisha wants to do something special for her. She decides to organize a small party at the co-working space. She thinks it will be a nice surprise. Aisha smiles and starts to plan. She writes a list of things she needs. She needs a cake, some drinks, and some snacks. She also wants to put up some decorations. Aisha looks at her schedule. She has time to get everything ready. She feels very excited. The next day, Aisha talks to her other colleagues.
She speaks quietly so Sara cannot hear. "Sara's birthday is on Friday," she says. "Can you help me with the party?" Her colleague Ben says, "Yes, I can bring some cookies!" Another colleague, Mia, says, "I can bring some juice and a card." Aisha is very happy. She goes to the store near the co-working space. She buys a small cake with white frosting. She buys some paper cups and plates. She buys some colorful balloons. She puts everything in a bag and brings it back. She hides the bag under her desk. She does not want Sara to see it. She feels a little nervous but also very excited. On Friday morning, Aisha arrives early at the co-working space. Ben and Mia arrive early too. They work together to set up the party. They put up the balloons.
They put the cake on a table in the center of the room. They put the cookies and juice on the table too. Everything looks great. Then Sara walks in. She sees the balloons and the cake. Her eyes go wide. "Is this for me?" she asks. "Yes!" says Aisha. "Happy birthday, Sara!" Everyone claps and smiles. Sara looks very surprised. She has a big smile on her face. "Thank you so much," she says. "This is the best surprise ever!" They all eat cake together and have a wonderful time.
Key vocabulary
| organize (verb) | to plan and arrange something carefully“Aisha decides to organize a small party for her friend.” |
| colleague (noun) | a person you work with“Aisha talks to her colleagues about the party.” |
| decoration (noun) | something you put up to make a place look nice“She wants to put up some decorations for the birthday party.” |
| surprise (noun) | something unexpected that makes someone happy“The party is a wonderful surprise for Sara.” |
| frosting (noun) | a sweet, soft layer put on top of a cake“Aisha buys a small cake with white frosting.” |
| nervous (adjective) | feeling a little worried or anxious about something“Aisha feels nervous because she does not want Sara to find out.” |
| arrives (verb) | gets to a place“Aisha arrives early at the co-working space on Friday morning.” |
| wonderful (adjective) | very good; making you feel very happy“They all have a wonderful time at the party.” |
Useful phrases
- do something special — to make an occasion different and enjoyable for someone“Aisha wants to do something special for Sara's birthday.”
- put up — to attach or place decorations in a room“They put up colorful balloons around the room.”
- look at (one's) schedule — to check your plan for the day to see when you are free“Aisha looks at her schedule to find time to get everything ready.”
- speak quietly — to talk in a low voice so others cannot hear“Aisha speaks quietly so Sara cannot hear the plan.”
- hide (something) under — to put something in a place where it cannot be seen“She hides the bag under her desk so Sara will not see it.”
- set up — to prepare and arrange things for an event“Ben and Mia arrive early to help set up the party.”
- eyes go wide — to open your eyes very big because you are surprised“Sara's eyes go wide when she sees the cake and balloons.”
- have a wonderful time — to enjoy yourself very much“Everyone has a wonderful time at Sara's birthday party.”
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 | K | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | W | H | U | U | S | E | V | I | R | R | A | Y |
| 2 | O | G | O | R | G | A | N | I | Z | E | R | V |
| 3 | N | N | O | I | T | A | R | O | C | E | D | M |
| 4 | D | I | S | U | O | V | R | E | N | Y | C | C |
| 5 | E | T | U | S | I | B | O | O | E | H | O | I |
| 6 | R | S | U | Q | U | N | K | O | Q | L | I | R |
| 7 | F | O | V | B | M | R | L | Z | L | S | X | I |
| 8 | U | R | Q | S | P | M | P | E | D | R | N | R |
| 9 | L | F | V | T | I | L | A | R | L | I | K | Z |
| 10 | W | J | M | V | Q | G | B | H | I | Q | F | A |
| 11 | F | B | M | S | U | S | L | N | X | S | X | M |
| 12 | N | Y | I | E | J | W | J | T | S | N | E | J |
Comprehension quiz
Where does Aisha work?
- A) At a bakery
- B) At a co-working space
- C) At a school
- D) At a hospital
Whose birthday is on Friday?
- A) Aisha's
- B) Ben's
- C) Mia's
- D) Sara's
What does Ben offer to bring to the party?
- A) Juice
- B) Cookies
- C) A cake
- D) Balloons
What does Mia say she will bring?
- A) Snacks and cups
- B) Cookies and balloons
- C) A cake and plates
- D) Juice and a card
Where does Aisha hide the bag with the party supplies?
- A) In a closet
- B) In her car
- C) In the kitchen
- D) Under her desk
The word 'organize' in the story means to ___.
- A) forget about something
- B) plan and arrange something
- C) ask someone for help
- D) buy something quickly
What type of cake does Aisha buy?
- A) A cake with colorful frosting
- B) A large chocolate cake
- C) A small cake with white frosting
- D) A cake with candles
Aisha arrives early on Friday morning. True or False?
- A) Not mentioned
- B) True
- C) Not stated
- D) False
What does Sara say when she sees the party?
- A) "Let us eat!"
- B) "Who did this for me?"
- C) "This is the best surprise ever!"
- D) "I do not like surprises!"
The word 'nervous' in the story means ___.
- A) feeling happy and confident
- B) feeling a little worried or anxious
- C) feeling tired and bored
- D) feeling angry
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. B 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. D 6. B 7. C 8. B 9. C 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.
arrives: K1 ← · colleague: L4 ↙ · decoration: K3 ← · frosting: B9 ↑ · nervous: I4 ← · organize: C2 → · surprise: D5 ↘ · wonderful: A1 ↓