Worksheet for teachers and learners: both levels, with quiz and answer key. Free to print and share in class.

    ← Back to story

    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.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1EXPLAINJYCHYALE
    2BYZLQPEXKLWQZCX
    3UJACCOUNTBVFIVU
    4YMESNUGCSESVDHY
    5VVIIFEXOCKRLSYJ
    6LCSGTGRNGEQCNES
    7DXRNETAVSHESPMO
    8PDZDOROROOGTTMK
    9YRGPTXETEUDKRZW
    10OJRNOMIDFQSOCIW
    11YJEFODLKEPFRQUO
    12KYLTUAOQSJLEGFK
    13JVSOCZDVFHUCAPO
    14XURWROXYOHTBKKO
    15CPDDUVAQYJQQMMW

    Comprehension quiz

    1. 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
    2. How does Anne feel when she first enters the bank?

      • A) Angry
      • B) Excited
      • C) Nervous
      • D) Bored
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. Anne leaves the bank feeling sad. True or false?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) True
    8. 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
    9. 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
    10. 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 ↓

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: asking for directions in a new city

    Anne Finds Her Way Through the Bank

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Anne had only been in the city for a few days, and almost everything still felt unfamiliar to her. She needed to open a bank account, so she made her way to a large bank she had noticed on the main street. When she stepped through the doors, she was immediately struck by how busy and confusing the place felt. There were several different sections, a row of teller windows along one wall, a waiting area with chairs in the center, and a cluster of private offices further back. Anne had no idea which section she needed, and a familiar feeling of uncertainty began to creep in. Rather than wander around looking lost, she decided the quickest solution was simply to ask someone. She spotted a staff member standing near the entrance with a tablet in her hand and walked over confidently.

    "Excuse me," Anne said, "I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction. I'd like to open a new account, but I'm not sure where I should go." The staff member smiled warmly and gestured toward the far side of the room. "Of course! You'll want the customer service area, just past the waiting chairs on your right. There's a sign above the desk, so it's easy to find." Anne thanked her and followed the directions carefully, keeping an eye out for the sign. She found the desk without any trouble and introduced herself to the man sitting there. He welcomed her, invited her to sit down, and began walking her through the process of opening an account.

    The man handed Anne a form and explained each section clearly before she started writing. Anne completed most of it without difficulty, but one question about her contact preferences was worded in a way she found confusing. Rather than guessing, she asked the man to clarify, and he was happy to help. Once the form was complete, he reviewed it, confirmed that everything was in order, and told her that her account would be active within a few business days. Anne left the bank feeling genuinely relieved and more confident than when she had arrived. She realized that asking for directions, whether in the street or inside a building, was never something to feel embarrassed about. It was simply one of the most practical ways to get where you needed to go.

    Key vocabulary

    unfamiliar (adjective)not known or recognized; strange because you have not experienced it before“Almost everything in the new city still felt unfamiliar to Anne.”
    uncertainty (noun)the feeling of not being sure about what to do or what will happen“A familiar feeling of uncertainty began to creep in as Anne looked around the busy bank.”
    confidently (adverb)in a way that shows you feel sure of yourself“Anne walked over to the staff member confidently instead of standing still and looking lost.”
    gesture (verb)to make a movement with your hand or head to show or indicate something“The staff member smiled and gestured toward the far side of the room.”
    clarify (verb)to make something easier to understand by explaining it more clearly“Anne asked the man to clarify the question she found confusing on the form.”
    relieved (adjective)feeling happy because something difficult or worrying is now over or resolved“Anne left the bank feeling genuinely relieved after everything went smoothly.”
    practical (adjective)relating to real situations and actions rather than ideas; useful and effective“She realized that asking for directions was one of the most practical ways to get where you needed to go.”
    active (adjective)working and ready to use“The man told Anne that her bank account would be active within a few business days.”

    Useful phrases

    • point me in the right direction — to help someone find the correct way or approach to something“Anne said, "I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction."”
    • keep an eye out for — to watch carefully or stay alert in order to notice something“Anne kept an eye out for the sign above the customer service desk.”
    • walk someone through — to guide someone through a process step by step“The man began walking Anne through the process of opening an account.”
    • in order — correct, complete, and acceptable“The man reviewed the form and confirmed that everything was in order.”
    • creep in — to begin to appear or develop slowly and often without being noticed“A feeling of uncertainty began to creep in as Anne looked around the busy bank.”
    • without any trouble — easily, with no problems or difficulty“Anne found the customer service desk without any trouble.”
    • within a few business days — in a small number of working days, not including weekends“The man said her account would be active within a few business days.”
    • feel embarrassed about — to feel awkward or ashamed because of something“Anne realized that asking for directions was never something to feel embarrassed about.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1RKAZLGJLQSWAQ
    2ACRRSYEDQSRUI
    3IBOEEDEHXGNNQ
    4LXLNLCHEHQVCZ
    5IOSOFIVADTBEU
    6MQDMPIEIMHRRH
    7AWEZTRDVCWZTQ
    8FVCCWBJEEGAAJ
    9NCAUMTSBNDVIB
    10UNEMOKOORTZNK
    11PYFIRALCOWLTI
    12ERUTSEGVNLLYI
    13LYPRACTICALVD

    Comprehension quiz

    1. How long had Anne been in the city when she went to the bank?

      • A) A few weeks
      • B) A few months
      • C) A few days
      • D) One day
    2. What did Anne notice about the bank when she first walked in?

      • A) It was small and easy to navigate
      • B) It was very quiet and empty
      • C) It was busy and confusing
      • D) It was closed for the day
    3. What does 'uncertainty' mean in this story?

      • A) A strong feeling of confidence
      • B) The feeling of not being sure what to do
      • C) A type of bank document
      • D) A section inside a bank
    4. How did the staff member direct Anne to the customer service area?

      • A) She pointed to a map on the wall
      • B) She asked a colleague to help instead
      • C) She gestured toward the far side of the room and described the location
      • D) She walked Anne there personally
    5. Why did Anne ask the man to clarify part of the form?

      • A) She had forgotten her address
      • B) She could not read the handwriting on the form
      • C) One question about her contact preferences was worded in a confusing way
      • D) The form was in a language she did not know
    6. What does 'clarify' mean?

      • A) To make something easier to understand by explaining it more clearly
      • B) To fill in a form correctly
      • C) To sign a document
      • D) To translate from another language
    7. Anne's account was ready to use immediately after she left the bank. True or false?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) True
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    8. What lesson does Anne reflect on at the end of the story?

      • A) That banks are always confusing and stressful
      • B) That she should have researched the bank before visiting
      • C) That she needed to bring more documents with her
      • D) That asking for directions is a practical and sensible thing to do
    9. What does 'relieved' mean?

      • A) Feeling nervous before an important task
      • B) Feeling confused about a new situation
      • C) Feeling happy because something difficult or worrying is now over
      • D) Feeling proud after winning something
    10. Anne decided to wander around the bank before asking for help. True or false?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) True
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    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.

    active: C9 ↗ · clarify: H11 ← · confidently: B2 ↘ · gesture: G12 ← · practical: C13 → · relieved: C2 ↘ · uncertainty: L2 ↓ · unfamiliar: A10 ↑

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/anne-asks-for-directions-inside-the-bank-2026-10-07