Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a difficult phone call with a customer at work
Arjun Handles a Difficult Call at the Museum
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Arjun works at the front desk of a museum. His job is to help visitors and answer the phone. The museum entrance hall is large and quiet. There are big paintings on the walls and soft lights above. It is a calm and beautiful place. Arjun likes his job very much. He is friendly and he always tries to help people. One morning, the phone at the front desk rings. Arjun picks it up and says, "Good morning, thank you for calling the museum. This is Arjun speaking. How can I help you?" A woman on the phone starts to speak very quickly. She sounds upset. Arjun listens carefully. He wants to understand her problem. He takes a deep breath and stays calm. The woman says her name is Mrs. Patel. She bought two tickets for a tour of the museum. She bought them online three days ago. She paid for the tickets, but she never got a confirmation email.
She is angry and she speaks very loudly. "I paid for those tickets and I got nothing!" she says. Arjun feels nervous, but he does not panic. He says, "I am very sorry to hear that, Mrs. Patel. I understand your frustration. Please let me check that for you right now." He types her name into the computer. He looks at the screen carefully. He finds her booking. The email went to her old email address by mistake. Arjun is relieved. He has found the problem. A visitor walks past the desk and looks at Arjun. Arjun smiles at the visitor and holds up one finger to say he will be with them soon. Arjun explains the problem to Mrs. Patel. He says, "It looks like the confirmation email went to a different email address. I am very sorry about that." Mrs. Patel is still upset. She says, "This is not good enough!" Arjun stays polite.
He says, "I completely understand, and I sincerely apologize for the confusion. I can send the confirmation email to the correct address right now. I can also hold your tickets at the front desk if you prefer." Mrs. Patel is quiet for a moment. Then she says, "Okay, please send the email again." Arjun types in her new email address. He sends the confirmation right away. He says, "Done! You will get the email in a few minutes. Is there anything else I can help you with today?" Mrs. Patel says, "No, that is all. Thank you." She sounds much calmer now. Arjun says, "Thank you for calling, Mrs. Patel. We look forward to seeing you at the museum. Have a great day!" He puts down the phone. He feels proud of himself. He helped an unhappy customer and solved the problem. He takes another deep breath and smiles.
Key vocabulary
| entrance hall (noun) | the area just inside the main door of a building“Arjun stands in the entrance hall and greets visitors.” |
| confirmation (noun) | a message that says something has been received or agreed“She never received a confirmation email for her tickets.” |
| frustrated (adjective) | feeling upset because something did not work as expected“The customer was frustrated because her email did not arrive.” |
| booking (noun) | a reservation made in advance for a service or event“Arjun found her booking on the computer.” |
| nervous (adjective) | feeling worried or a little afraid“Arjun feels nervous when the customer speaks loudly.” |
| apologize (verb) | to say sorry for something you did wrong“Arjun apologizes to the customer for the mistake.” |
| relieved (adjective) | feeling happy because a problem or worry is gone“Arjun is relieved when he finds her booking on the computer.” |
| polite (adjective) | speaking and behaving in a respectful and kind way“Arjun stays polite even when the customer is angry.” |
Useful phrases
- How can I help you? — a friendly way to ask what someone needs“Arjun answers the phone and says, "How can I help you?"”
- I understand your frustration. — a phrase to show you feel sorry about someone's problem“"I understand your frustration," Arjun tells the upset customer.”
- Let me check that for you. — a phrase used to say you will look into a problem“"Please let me check that for you right now," says Arjun.”
- I sincerely apologize. — a formal and genuine way to say you are very sorry“"I sincerely apologize for the confusion," Arjun tells Mrs. Patel.”
- right away — immediately, without any delay“Arjun sends the confirmation email right away.”
- Is there anything else I can help you with? — a phrase used to ask if a customer needs more help“After solving the problem, Arjun asks, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"”
- We look forward to seeing you. — a polite phrase to say you are excited about someone's visit“"We look forward to seeing you at the museum," says Arjun.”
- by mistake — done accidentally, not on purpose“The confirmation email went to the wrong address by mistake.”
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S | F | N | B | N | B | D | Y | N | W | I | H | N | M |
| 2 | F | C | Z | Z | D | E | T | A | R | T | S | U | R | F |
| 3 | L | B | O | O | G | N | I | K | O | O | B | P | R | D |
| 4 | Z | L | Z | N | L | M | A | Y | G | M | S | Q | W | V |
| 5 | F | D | A | D | F | R | S | U | O | V | R | E | N | M |
| 6 | G | W | G | H | D | I | X | Y | A | D | T | C | O | W |
| 7 | Z | K | T | B | E | V | R | D | U | I | I | C | I | X |
| 8 | X | S | W | O | V | C | G | M | L | J | I | M | N | Y |
| 9 | V | P | U | F | E | B | N | O | A | A | W | B | D | H |
| 10 | E | S | D | C | I | I | P | A | Z | T | V | S | T | L |
| 11 | E | P | V | B | L | T | W | P | R | H | I | W | O | M |
| 12 | A | H | W | Y | E | A | K | D | F | T | N | O | K | I |
| 13 | O | E | W | Z | R | T | N | H | E | U | N | X | N | E |
| 14 | E | C | E | Z | I | G | O | L | O | P | A | E | R | P |
Comprehension quiz
Where does Arjun work?
- A) At a hotel reception
- B) At a ticket office downtown
- C) At a museum front desk
- D) At an airport information desk
Why is Mrs. Patel calling the museum?
- A) She wants to change the date of her visit.
- B) She lost her tickets at the entrance.
- C) She did not receive a confirmation email for her tickets.
- D) She wants to cancel her tour.
How many tickets did Mrs. Patel buy?
- A) Four
- B) Two
- C) Three
- D) One
What does Arjun do when he hears the problem?
- A) He asks Mrs. Patel to call back later.
- B) He transfers her to a manager.
- C) He types her name into the computer to find her booking.
- D) He tells her the tickets were not paid for.
What was the reason the confirmation email did not arrive?
- A) The museum forgot to send it.
- B) Mrs. Patel gave the wrong phone number.
- C) The email server was broken.
- D) It was sent to her old email address by mistake.
What does the word 'relieved' mean in the story?
- A) Very surprised by something unexpected
- B) Angry about a difficult situation
- C) Feeling happy because a worry is gone
- D) Feeling tired after a long day
What does Arjun offer to do for Mrs. Patel?
- A) Send the confirmation to the correct email address
- B) Give her a full refund for her tickets
- C) Mail paper tickets to her home
- D) Upgrade her tickets to a VIP tour
How does Mrs. Patel sound at the end of the call?
- A) Very excited
- B) Much calmer
- C) Still very angry
- D) Confused and worried
Arjun panics when Mrs. Patel speaks loudly. Is this true or false?
- A) Not mentioned
- B) Not stated
- C) False
- D) True
What does the phrase 'right away' mean?
- A) At the end of the day
- B) Immediately, without delay
- C) Tomorrow morning
- D) In a few hours
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. C 2. C 3. B 4. C 5. D 6. C 7. A 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.
apologize: K14 ← · booking: K3 ← · confirmation: B2 ↘ · entrance hall: L14 ↖ · frustrated: N2 ← · nervous: M5 ← · polite: G10 ↗ · relieved: E13 ↑