Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: learning to drive
Elena's First Driving Lesson at the Shop
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Elena works in a small shop. She sells fruit, bread, and other food. Every day, she walks to work. The shop is not far from her apartment. But Elena wants to learn to drive. She thinks a car will make her life easier. Her friend Marco has a car. Marco says he can teach her. Elena is very happy. She says, "Thank you, Marco! I really want to learn." Marco smiles. He says, "We can start this weekend." Elena feels excited. She cannot wait. On Saturday morning, Marco drives to the shop.
Elena is waiting outside. She is a little nervous. Marco says, "Don't worry. Driving is not so hard." They sit in the car. Marco shows Elena the steering wheel. He shows her the gas pedal and the brake. Elena looks at everything carefully. She says, "There are so many things to remember!" Marco laughs. He says, "Yes, but you will learn fast." Elena takes a deep breath. She puts her hands on the steering wheel. The car park next to the shop is empty. It is a good place to practice. Elena starts the car. She drives very slowly around the parking lot.
Marco sits next to her. He says, "Good! Now turn left." Elena turns the wheel. The car moves. She smiles. She says, "I am doing it!" Marco says, "Yes! You are doing great." After one hour, Elena stops the car. She feels tired but happy. A sales clerk from the shop sees them. She waves and says, "Well done, Elena!" Elena laughs. She says, "I want to drive to work one day!" Marco says, "You will. I know you will."
Key vocabulary
| steering wheel (noun) | the round wheel inside a car that you turn to change direction“Elena puts her hands on the steering wheel.” |
| brake (noun) | the part of a car you press with your foot to make it stop“Marco shows Elena where the brake is.” |
| nervous (adjective) | feeling worried or a little scared about something“Elena is nervous before her first driving lesson.” |
| parking lot (noun) | an open area where cars can be left“The parking lot next to the shop is empty.” |
| gas pedal (noun) | the part of a car you press with your foot to make it go faster“Marco shows Elena the gas pedal.” |
| practice (verb) | to do something many times so you can get better at it“Elena wants to practice driving in the parking lot.” |
| empty (adjective) | with nothing or nobody inside“The parking lot is empty on Saturday morning.” |
| excited (adjective) | feeling very happy and eager about something“Elena feels excited about her first driving lesson.” |
Useful phrases
- Don't worry — used to tell someone there is no reason to feel nervous or scared“"Don't worry," Marco says. "Driving is not so hard."”
- take a deep breath — to breathe in slowly and deeply, often to calm yourself“Elena takes a deep breath before she starts the car.”
- cannot wait — to feel very excited and eager for something to happen“Elena cannot wait for her first driving lesson.”
- make life easier — to help things become less difficult or more convenient“Elena thinks a car will make her life easier.”
- Well done — something you say to praise someone for doing something good“The sales clerk waves and says, "Well done, Elena!"”
- turn left — to move in the direction of your left side“Marco says, "Now turn left," and Elena turns the wheel.”
- I am doing it — used to express surprise and pride that you are succeeding at something“Elena smiles and says, "I am doing it!"”
- one day — at some time in the future“Elena says, "I want to drive to work one day!"”
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 | S | V | E | A | E | G | A | S | P | E | D | A | L | S |
| 2 | L | T | Q | X | F | D | E | T | I | C | X | E | J | T | N |
| 3 | Z | Z | V | L | F | J | Q | S | E | R | C | V | E | D | G |
| 4 | N | Q | G | Y | T | P | M | E | F | G | X | E | O | T | P |
| 5 | E | T | G | W | P | S | X | V | T | P | R | M | F | Y | E |
| 6 | R | O | Y | I | T | M | M | A | S | I | W | N | B | U | M |
| 7 | V | L | H | R | L | L | Y | A | N | I | A | N | T | J | Z |
| 8 | O | G | P | D | V | N | J | G | E | C | D | A | X | X | T |
| 9 | U | N | N | W | L | V | W | L | Z | Y | G | O | K | L | G |
| 10 | S | I | H | M | H | H | R | F | V | W | V | A | T | B | X |
| 11 | R | K | O | N | E | Y | A | N | L | B | X | E | M | Y | E |
| 12 | P | R | P | E | C | K | Q | Y | E | C | E | K | A | R | B |
| 13 | W | A | L | Q | W | W | L | P | R | A | C | T | I | C | E |
| 14 | N | P | I | J | G | K | Q | P | N | U | X | M | J | A | U |
| 15 | V | V | L | H | O | Y | F | P | A | F | N | S | Y | M | E |
Comprehension quiz
Where does Elena work?
- A) In an apartment
- B) In a small shop
- C) In a parking lot
- D) In a school
Who teaches Elena to drive?
- A) Her mom
- B) Her neighbor
- C) A sales clerk
- D) Marco
Where do they practice driving?
- A) In the parking lot next to the shop
- B) On the sidewalk
- C) On a busy street
- D) In front of Elena's apartment
How does Elena feel before the lesson starts?
- A) Tired
- B) Bored
- C) Nervous
- D) Angry
What does the word 'empty' mean in the story?
- A) Very small
- B) With nothing or nobody inside
- C) Far away
- D) Very busy
What does Marco show Elena in the car?
- A) A map and a schedule
- B) The steering wheel, gas pedal, and brake
- C) The trash and the cart
- D) The cell phone and the elevator
How long does Elena practice driving?
- A) One hour
- B) All day
- C) Two hours
- D) Thirty minutes
Elena feels happy after the driving lesson. Is this true or false?
- A) Not mentioned
- B) False
- C) Not stated
- D) True
What does 'nervous' mean?
- A) Feeling angry and upset
- B) Feeling bored and tired
- C) Feeling worried or a little scared
- D) Feeling calm and relaxed
What does Elena say she wants to do one day?
- A) Buy a new car
- B) Open her own shop
- C) Drive to work
- D) Move to a new apartment
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. B 2. D 3. A 4. C 5. B 6. B 7. A 8. D 9. C 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.
brake: O12 ← · empty: H4 ← · excited: L2 ← · gas pedal: G1 → · nervous: A4 ↓ · parking lot: B14 ↑ · practice: H13 → · steering wheel: O1 ↙