Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: asking for directions in a new city
Anne Asks for Directions Inside the Bank
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Anne is new to the city. She needs to open a bank account. She walks into a large bank on the main street. The bank is very busy. There are many people waiting in line. Anne looks around. She does not know where to go. She sees a big room with many desks. She also sees a door on the left side. She is not sure which way to walk. She feels a little nervous. She takes a deep breath. She decides to ask someone for help. She walks up to a woman near the entrance. "Excuse me," Anne says. "Can you help me?" The woman smiles at Anne.
"Of course!" she says. "What do you need?" "I want to open a new account," Anne says. "But I don't know where to go." The woman points to a desk near the window. "You need to go to the customer service desk," she says. "It is over there, next to the big plant." Anne looks at the desk. She sees a sign that says 'Customer Service.' "Thank you so much," Anne says. The woman smiles again. "You're welcome. Good luck!" she says. Anne feels better now. She walks to the customer service desk. A man is sitting there. He looks up and smiles at Anne. "Hello! How can I help you today?" he asks. "I would like to open a new account, please," Anne says. The man nods.
"Of course. Please take a seat," he says. He points to a chair next to his desk. Anne sits down. The man asks Anne for her name and address. Anne answers all his questions. Then the man gives Anne a form to fill out. Anne reads the form carefully. She does not understand one question on the form. She points to it and asks, "Excuse me, what does this mean?" The man explains it to her. Anne thanks him and finishes the form. The man checks the form. "Everything looks good," he says. Anne is very happy. She leaves the bank with a big smile on her face. She feels proud of herself for asking for help.
Key vocabulary
| entrance (noun) | the door or opening where you go into a building“Anne stood near the entrance of the bank and looked around.” |
| nervous (adjective) | feeling worried or a little afraid about something“Anne felt nervous because she did not know where to go.” |
| customer service (noun) | a place in a store or bank where staff help customers with their needs“The woman told Anne to go to the customer service desk.” |
| account (noun) | an arrangement with a bank to keep your money there“Anne wanted to open a new bank account.” |
| form (noun) | a piece of paper with spaces where you write information“The man gave Anne a form to fill out.” |
| explain (verb) | to make something clear so someone can understand it“The man explained the question that Anne did not understand.” |
| sign (noun) | a board or notice with words or pictures that gives information“Anne saw a sign that said 'Customer Service' above the desk.” |
| proud (adjective) | feeling pleased with yourself because you did something well“Anne felt proud of herself for asking for help at the bank.” |
Useful phrases
- Excuse me — a polite way to get someone's attention or to say sorry for interrupting“"Excuse me," Anne said to the woman near the entrance.”
- Can you help me? — a way to ask someone to assist you with something“Anne asked, "Can you help me?" because she did not know where to go.”
- over there — in that place, at a short distance away“"The customer service desk is over there, next to the big plant," the woman said.”
- take a seat — to sit down in a chair“"Please take a seat," the man said, and pointed to a chair.”
- fill out — to write the necessary information in the spaces on a form“The man asked Anne to fill out a form with her details.”
- What does this mean? — a question used to ask someone to explain something you do not understand“Anne pointed to the question and asked, "What does this mean?"”
- Thank you so much — a warm way to express strong gratitude“"Thank you so much," Anne said after the woman helped her.”
- How can I help you? — a polite question used by staff to ask what a customer needs“The man at the desk looked up and said, "How can I help you today?"”
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 | M | N | O | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | X | P | L | A | I | N | J | Y | C | H | Y | A | L | E |
| 2 | B | Y | Z | L | Q | P | E | X | K | L | W | Q | Z | C | X |
| 3 | U | J | A | C | C | O | U | N | T | B | V | F | I | V | U |
| 4 | Y | M | E | S | N | U | G | C | S | E | S | V | D | H | Y |
| 5 | V | V | I | I | F | E | X | O | C | K | R | L | S | Y | J |
| 6 | L | C | S | G | T | G | R | N | G | E | Q | C | N | E | S |
| 7 | D | X | R | N | E | T | A | V | S | H | E | S | P | M | O |
| 8 | P | D | Z | D | O | R | O | R | O | O | G | T | T | M | K |
| 9 | Y | R | G | P | T | X | E | T | E | U | D | K | R | Z | W |
| 10 | O | J | R | N | O | M | I | D | F | Q | S | O | C | I | W |
| 11 | Y | J | E | F | O | D | L | K | E | P | F | R | Q | U | O |
| 12 | K | Y | L | T | U | A | O | Q | S | J | L | E | G | F | K |
| 13 | J | V | S | O | C | Z | D | V | F | H | U | C | A | P | O |
| 14 | X | U | R | W | R | O | X | Y | O | H | T | B | K | K | O |
| 15 | C | P | D | D | U | V | A | Q | Y | J | Q | Q | M | M | W |
Comprehension quiz
Why does Anne go to the bank?
- A) To get a form
- B) To meet a friend
- C) To open a new account
- D) To pay a bill
How does Anne feel when she first enters the bank?
- A) Angry
- B) Excited
- C) Nervous
- D) Bored
Who does Anne ask for help first?
- A) A woman near the entrance
- B) A security guard
- C) A bank manager
- D) A man at a desk
Where is the customer service desk?
- A) Near the entrance door
- B) On the second floor
- C) Next to the big plant
- D) Behind the elevator
What does the word 'form' mean in this story?
- A) A type of bank account
- B) A sign on the wall
- C) A piece of paper with spaces to write information
- D) A line of people waiting
What does Anne not understand on the form?
- A) The sign above the desk
- B) One of the questions
- C) The address box
- D) Her own name
Anne leaves the bank feeling sad. True or false?
- A) Not stated
- B) False
- C) Not mentioned
- D) True
What does 'explain' mean?
- A) To write on a form
- B) To make something clear so someone can understand it
- C) To point to a sign
- D) To open a bank account
What does the man at the customer service desk ask Anne for?
- A) Her phone number and job
- B) Her name and address
- C) Her form and signature
- D) Her account number and password
Anne feels proud at the end of the story. True or false?
- A) Not stated
- B) False
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. C 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. C 6. B 7. B 8. B 9. B 10. C
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.
account: C3 → · customer service: A15 ↗ · entrance: C11 ↗ · explain: A1 → · form: K11 ↗ · nervous: E4 ↘ · proud: B15 ↗ · sign: D4 ↓