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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: arriving somewhere in completely the wrong clothes

    Farida and the Cold Mountain

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Farida wanted to visit a mountain hut. She saw a photo of it online. It looked warm and beautiful. She was very excited. She packed her bag the night before. She put in a summer dress, sandals, and a small bag. She also packed sunglasses and a thin scarf. She did not pack a coat. She did not pack boots. She thought the mountain was not very high. She looked at the photo again. The hut had flowers outside. It looked like a warm, sunny day. Farida smiled and went to bed. The next morning, Farida took a bus to the mountain. The bus went up and up. Farida looked out of the window. The trees got smaller.

    The sky got gray. She felt cold on the bus. She arrived at the mountain hut. She got off the bus. The wind was very strong. There was snow on the ground. Farida looked at her sandals. She looked at her summer dress. She was very cold. Her hands were red. A man came out of the hut. He looked at Farida. He looked very surprised. "Are you okay?" he said. "I am very cold!" said Farida. The man's name was Tomas. He worked at the hut. He brought Farida inside.

    The hut was warm. There was a big fire. Tomas gave her a thick jumper and some warm socks. "Thank you," said Farida. "You are very kind." She sat near the fire. She drank hot tea. She felt better slowly. Other people in the hut looked at her dress and smiled. Farida laughed too. "I did not check the weather!" she said. "Next time, I will bring a coat!" Tomas laughed. "Yes," he said. "The mountain is always cold." Farida looked out of the window at the snow. She was warm now. She was happy. It was a good day.

    Key vocabulary

    hut (noun)a small, simple building, often in nature“The mountain hut had a warm fire inside.”
    sandals (noun)open shoes worn in warm weather“She wore sandals, but the ground was cold and wet.”
    packed (verb (past simple))put things into a bag before traveling“She packed her bag the night before the trip.”
    excited (adjective)feeling very happy and eager about something“Farida was excited to visit the mountain hut.”
    arrived (verb (past simple))got to a place after traveling“She arrived at the hut after a long bus ride.”
    surprised (adjective)feeling shock because something is unexpected“Tomas looked surprised when he saw her summer dress.”
    jumper (noun)a warm piece of clothing you wear over your top half“Tomas gave her a thick jumper to keep warm.”
    weather (noun)the temperature and conditions outside, such as rain or sun“She did not check the weather before the trip.”

    Useful phrases

    • the night before — on the evening before a particular day or event“She packed her bag the night before the trip.”
    • got off — left a bus, train, or other vehicle“She got off the bus at the mountain stop.”
    • felt cold — experienced a feeling of being cold“She felt cold as soon as she stepped outside.”
    • came out of — moved from inside a place to outside“A man came out of the hut and looked at her.”
    • sat near — took a seat close to something“Farida sat near the fire to get warm.”
    • felt better — started to feel more comfortable or less unwell“After drinking hot tea, she felt better slowly.”
    • next time — on the following occasion when the same situation happens“Next time, I will bring a coat!”
    • check the weather — look at a forecast to find out what the weather will be like“Always check the weather before you go to the mountains.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1DDFHTDBIMZJ
    2EEHQRJGNIWC
    3VSKHSEUVUOT
    4IIECXLHMWVZ
    5RRBXAYATPUV
    6RPOPCPFDAEV
    7ARTUHIOCNER
    8ZUOSJUTOPAW
    9ASPUQUREPVS
    10GBEBAISQDHL
    11SUWYDXVCLDB

    Comprehension quiz

    1. What did Farida pack in her bag?

      • A) A raincoat and umbrella
      • B) A jumper and thick socks
      • C) A summer dress and sandals
      • D) A coat and boots
    2. How did Farida travel to the mountain?

      • A) By car
      • B) By train
      • C) By bus
      • D) On foot
    3. What was the weather like at the mountain hut?

      • A) Windy with snow on the ground
      • B) Rainy and foggy
      • C) Warm and cloudy
      • D) Hot and sunny
    4. Why did Tomas look surprised?

      • A) Because Farida was wearing summer clothes in the snow
      • B) Because Farida did not speak to him
      • C) Because Farida was very tall
      • D) Because Farida was carrying a big bag
    5. What did Tomas give Farida to help her feel warm?

      • A) A thick jumper and warm socks
      • B) A blanket and a scarf
      • C) A hat and gloves
      • D) A coat and boots
    6. What does the word 'packed' mean in this story?

      • A) Put things into a bag before traveling
      • B) Bought new clothes
      • C) Looked at photos online
      • D) Checked the weather forecast
    7. What did Farida drink to feel better?

      • A) Warm soup
      • B) Hot chocolate
      • C) Hot tea
      • D) Cold water
    8. Farida checked the weather before her trip. True or false?

      • A) False
      • B) True
      • C) Not stated
      • D) Not mentioned
    9. What does 'surprised' mean?

      • A) Feeling angry about a problem
      • B) Feeling shock because something is unexpected
      • C) Feeling very happy about good news
      • D) Feeling tired after a long journey
    10. At the end of the story, how did Farida feel?

      • A) Embarrassed and angry
      • B) Tired and hungry
      • C) Warm and happy
      • D) Cold and unhappy

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

    1. C 2. C 3. A 4. A 5. A 6. A 7. C 8. A 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.

    arrived: A7 ↑ · excited: C4 ↘ · hut: E7 ← · jumper: F2 ↘ · packed: F6 ↖ · sandals: K9 ↖ · surprised: B9 ↑ · weather: K8 ↖

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: arriving somewhere in completely the wrong clothes

    Farida's Unexpected Welcome

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Farida had been planning her trip to the mountain hut for several weeks, and she could barely contain her excitement. She had seen photographs online showing the hut surrounded by wildflowers, with sunlight streaming across a green valley. Based on those images, she had packed a light summer dress, strappy sandals, and a thin cotton scarf. It never occurred to her to check the forecast, and she assumed the mountains would be no colder than the town where she lived. On the evening before her departure, she set her bag by the door, feeling confident that she had everything she needed. The journey up the mountain began pleasantly enough, but as the bus climbed higher, the sky darkened and the temperature dropped sharply. By the time Farida stepped off the bus and onto the mountain path, a bitter wind was cutting straight through her dress, and she could see patches of gray snow clinging to the rocks around her.

    Her sandals were completely useless on the icy ground, and her fingers had already turned red. A worker named Tomas was sweeping the hut's entrance when he noticed her. He stopped and stared, clearly struggling to understand what he was seeing. "Are you alright?" he asked carefully. "Not really," she admitted, her teeth chattering. "I think I made a mistake with my outfit." Tomas ushered Farida inside without another word, where a wood-burning stove filled the small room with wonderful warmth.

    He disappeared briefly and returned with a heavy woollen jumper, thick socks, and a pair of old boots that were only slightly too big. As she changed and curled up near the stove with a mug of tea, the other guests glanced at her sandals drying on the floor and exchanged amused smiles. Farida caught their looks and laughed openly. "I saw a photo with flowers," she explained, gesturing at the window where snowflakes were falling steadily. "I thought it would be warm." Tomas shook his head with a grin. "The mountain always has the last word," he said. Farida wrapped her hands around the warm mug, grateful and a little embarrassed, but already certain that this was a trip she would never forget.

    Key vocabulary

    departure (noun)the act of leaving a place to begin a journey“On the evening before her departure, she packed her bag.”
    forecast (noun)a prediction of future weather conditions“She never thought to check the forecast before traveling.”
    bitter (adjective)extremely cold and unpleasant, used to describe wind or weather“A bitter wind cut straight through her thin dress.”
    useless (adjective)having no practical value or effectiveness in a situation“Her sandals were completely useless on the icy ground.”
    ushered (verb (past simple))guided someone firmly but kindly into or out of a place“Tomas ushered Farida inside out of the cold.”
    woollen (adjective)made from wool, a warm natural fiber from sheep“He returned with a heavy woollen jumper for her to wear.”
    amused (adjective)finding something funny or entertaining“The other guests exchanged amused smiles at her sandals.”
    grateful (adjective)feeling or showing thanks for something received“She was grateful for the warm clothes Tomas had given her.”

    Useful phrases

    • could barely contain her excitement — was so excited that it was difficult to stay calm“She could barely contain her excitement the night before the trip.”
    • it never occurred to her — she did not think about it at all; it did not come to mind“It never occurred to her to check the weather forecast.”
    • dropped sharply — fell quickly and by a large amount“As the bus climbed higher, the temperature dropped sharply.”
    • cutting through — passing through something easily, often painfully (used for cold wind)“The bitter wind was cutting straight through her thin dress.”
    • have the last word — to be the final and most powerful influence in a situation“"The mountain always has the last word," said Tomas with a grin.”
    • exchanged smiles — smiled at each other at the same time“The other guests exchanged amused smiles when they saw her sandals.”
    • wrapped her hands around — held something closely with both hands“She wrapped her hands around the warm mug of tea.”
    • pleasantly enough — in a way that was fairly enjoyable, at least at first“The journey up the mountain began pleasantly enough.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1DLUFETARGSJ
    2WOOLLENFSKF
    3GRBKYUOECTC
    4JPPWJRLDPRU
    5DFMQEEAUBSF
    6BDTCSFKTHFL
    7IEAUJSBEHRF
    8TSDEPARTURE
    9TUFPYEUTAQZ
    10EMTNDAIRBYI
    11RAOVBUVBKAY

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why did Farida pack summer clothes for the mountain trip?

      • A) She could not find her warmer clothes
      • B) Someone told her the weather would be warm
      • C) She had seen sunny photos online and did not check the forecast
      • D) She wanted to look stylish at the hut
    2. What does the word 'departure' mean in this story?

      • A) The decision to visit a new place
      • B) The preparation of a travel bag
      • C) The act of leaving to begin a journey
      • D) The act of arriving at a destination
    3. How did the weather change during Farida's bus journey?

      • A) It stayed the same throughout the journey
      • B) It became warmer and sunnier as they climbed higher
      • C) It started to rain but there was no wind
      • D) The sky darkened and the temperature dropped sharply
    4. What does 'useless' mean as used in the story?

      • A) Very comfortable and practical
      • B) Slightly old and worn out
      • C) Too big to wear properly
      • D) Having no effectiveness in the situation
    5. How did Tomas react when he first saw Farida?

      • A) He was confused and struggled to understand what he was seeing
      • B) He ignored her and kept sweeping
      • C) He immediately brought her warm clothes
      • D) He laughed loudly and pointed at her
    6. Farida had visited the mountain hut before. True or false?

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    7. What does the phrase 'it never occurred to her' mean?

      • A) She planned to do it later
      • B) She tried to do it but could not
      • C) She did not think about it at all
      • D) She thought about it but decided not to do it
    8. Which of these best describes how Farida felt at the end of the story?

      • A) Cold, miserable and ready to leave
      • B) Worried that she had ruined her clothes
      • C) Angry at Tomas for laughing at her
      • D) Warm, grateful and a little embarrassed, but happy
    9. What did Tomas mean by 'The mountain always has the last word'?

      • A) You should always read books about mountains
      • B) The mountain is more powerful than any plan or expectation
      • C) Mountains are very noisy places
      • D) The last part of a mountain walk is the most difficult
    10. The other guests at the hut were angry when they saw Farida's sandals. True or false?

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

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    amused: B11 ↑ · bitter: A6 ↓ · departure: C8 → · forecast: H2 ↙ · grateful: I1 ← · useless: D7 ↗ · ushered: K4 ↙ · woollen: A2 →

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/farida-and-the-cold-mountain-2026-06-30