Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: an unexpected change of plans
Fatima's Day at the Library
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Fatima walked into the library on a quiet morning. She had a big plan for the day. She wanted to study for her important exam. She carried her books and her notebook in a heavy bag. She found her favorite table near the window. She put her things on the table and sat down. She opened her book and started to read. The library was very peaceful. There were only a few other people there. Fatima smiled because she liked this calm place.
She was ready to study for many hours. Everything seemed perfect. After one hour, a librarian walked to Fatima's table. The librarian looked worried. She said, "Excuse me, I have some bad news." Fatima looked up from her book. The librarian said, "We have a problem with the water pipes. We need to close the library today." Fatima was very surprised. She said, "Oh no, I really need to study here today." The librarian said, "I am sorry, but everyone must leave in thirty minutes." Fatima felt disappointed. She did not know what to do. Her plan was ruined.
Fatima packed her books slowly and walked outside. She sat on a bench near the library entrance. Then she saw a girl from her class named Sonia. Sonia said, "Hi Fatima, why do you look so sad?" Fatima explained the problem. Sonia smiled and said, "Come to my house, we can study together!" Fatima was happy to hear this. They walked to Sonia's house and studied all afternoon. They helped each other with difficult questions. Fatima learned even more than she expected. She said, "Sometimes a change of plans is a good thing." It was a great day after all.
Key vocabulary
| library (noun) | a building where you can read or borrow books“I go to the library every week to borrow new books.” |
| exam (noun) | an important test at school or university“She studied very hard for her final exam.” |
| peaceful (adjective) | quiet and calm, without noise or problems“The park was very peaceful in the early morning.” |
| librarian (noun) | a person who works in a library“The librarian helped me find the right book.” |
| worried (adjective) | feeling nervous or unhappy about something“He looked worried because he lost his phone.” |
| surprised (adjective) | feeling shock because something unexpected happened“She was surprised when she saw the gift.” |
| disappointed (adjective) | feeling sad because something did not happen as you wanted“He was disappointed because the shop was closed.” |
| ruined (adjective) | completely spoiled or destroyed“The rain ruined our picnic in the park.” |
| explain (verb) | to tell someone about something so they understand it“Can you explain the answer to me, please?” |
| expected (verb) | thought something would happen in a certain way“The test was easier than I expected.” |
Useful phrases
- change of plans — when something different happens instead of what you planned“There was a change of plans, so we stayed home.”
- bad news — information about something unpleasant or sad“I have some bad news — the trip is canceled.”
- look up — to raise your eyes to see something“She looked up from her phone and smiled.”
- after all — used to say something happened despite problems“The weather was fine, so we had a good day after all.”
- oh no — an expression showing surprise or worry“Oh no, I forgot my keys at home!”
- each other — one person and another person doing the same thing“They helped each other with their homework.”
Word search
Find all 10 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 | D | D | N | A | W | Y | U | A | B | T | P | J | J | F |
| 2 | D | E | E | N | A | I | R | A | R | B | I | L | I | R |
| 3 | L | F | N | T | T | R | B | I | I | V | E | Z | D | Y |
| 4 | U | E | D | I | C | D | H | D | E | Z | L | I | L | M |
| 5 | F | X | W | E | U | E | S | Y | A | G | S | E | L | T |
| 6 | E | A | F | H | S | R | P | G | P | A | C | X | Z | G |
| 7 | C | M | T | Y | A | I | F | X | P | Y | P | P | Z | C |
| 8 | A | I | D | S | R | P | R | P | E | Q | J | L | L | L |
| 9 | E | V | T | E | J | A | O | P | U | B | N | A | H | M |
| 10 | P | T | Q | X | I | I | R | E | R | J | X | I | C | C |
| 11 | P | F | O | J | N | R | L | B | T | U | H | N | W | H |
| 12 | O | F | T | T | F | Z | R | X | I | G | S | K | Z | G |
| 13 | Q | D | E | X | M | Y | M | O | O | L | O | E | M | E |
| 14 | B | D | Q | M | P | U | A | L | W | P | D | Q | O | N |
Comprehension quiz
Why did Fatima go to the library?
- A) To talk to the librarian
- B) To borrow a book
- C) To study for an exam
- D) To meet her friend
What does the word 'peaceful' mean in the story?
- A) Big and empty
- B) Quiet and calm
- C) Dark and cold
- D) Noisy and busy
Why did the library need to close?
- A) The librarian was sick
- B) There was a fire
- C) It was a day off
- D) There was a problem with the water pipes
Fatima was happy when she heard the library was closing.
- A) Not mentioned
- B) Not stated
- C) False
- D) True
What does the word 'disappointed' mean?
- A) Feeling angry at someone
- B) Feeling excited about something
- C) Feeling tired after work
- D) Feeling sad because something did not happen as you wanted
Where did Fatima sit after she left the library?
- A) On the grass
- B) At a café
- C) On a bench near the entrance
- D) In her car
Sonia was Fatima's teacher.
- A) Not stated
- B) False
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
What does 'change of plans' mean in the story?
- A) When something different happens instead of what you planned
- B) Making a new plan for the future
- C) Planning a trip with friends
- D) Changing your mind about food
How did Fatima feel at the end of the story?
- A) Tired
- B) Sad
- C) Happy
- D) Angry
Fatima studied alone at Sonia's house.
- A) Not stated
- B) Not mentioned
- C) False
- D) True
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. C 2. B 3. D 4. C 5. D 6. C 7. B 8. A 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.
disappointed: M3 ↙ · exam: B4 ↓ · expected: I8 ↖ · explain: L5 ↓ · librarian: L2 ← · library: J13 ↖ · peaceful: A10 ↑ · ruined: F6 ↖ · surprised: K12 ↖ · worried: I14 ↖