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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: an unexpected change of plans

    Fatima's Surprise at the Library

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Fatima woke up early on Saturday morning. She had a plan for the day. She wanted to go to the library and study for her big test. She packed her bag with her books and notebooks. She also put a pen and a bottle of water inside. She walked to the library and arrived at ten o'clock. The library was very quiet and calm. She found her favorite table near the window. She sat down and opened her books. She was happy because she had the whole day to study. She started to read the first chapter. The words were difficult, but she tried hard. She made notes in her notebook. She felt good about her plan.

    It was a perfect morning for studying. After one hour, Fatima heard a loud noise. She looked up from her book. A librarian walked to the middle of the room. The librarian said, "Excuse me, everyone. I have some bad news." Fatima listened carefully. The librarian said, "There is a problem with the water pipes. We need to close the library today. Please take your things and leave before twelve o'clock." Fatima was very surprised. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was already eleven o'clock. She only had one hour left. She felt worried because she needed more time to study. Her plan was not working now.

    She closed her book slowly. She did not know what to do. Other people in the library also looked upset. Fatima picked up her bag and walked outside. She sat on a bench near the library door. She thought about where she could study. Then she saw her friend Lena. Lena was walking towards the library. Fatima said, "Lena, the library is closing today." Lena looked surprised and said, "Oh no, really?" Fatima nodded and said, "Yes, there is a problem with the pipes." Lena smiled and said, "Well, we can study together at my house. I have a big table and it is very quiet there." Fatima felt much better. She said, "That is a great idea, thank you!" They walked to Lena's house together. They studied all afternoon and helped each other. Sometimes a change of plans can be a good thing. Fatima learned that it is important to be flexible.

    Key vocabulary

    plan (noun)something you decide to do in the future“My plan is to study after lunch.”
    packed (verb)put things into a bag or box“She packed her clothes for the trip.”
    quiet (adjective)with little or no noise“The classroom was very quiet during the test.”
    favorite (adjective)the one you like best“This is my favorite book.”
    noise (noun)a loud or unpleasant sound“The noise from the street was very loud.”
    librarian (noun)a person who works in a library“The librarian helped me find a book.”
    pipes (noun)tubes that carry water through a building“The pipes in the bathroom are broken.”
    surprised (adjective)feeling shock because something unexpected happened“I was surprised to see her at the park.”
    upset (adjective)unhappy or worried about something“He was upset because he lost his phone.”
    flexible (adjective)able to change when the situation changes“It is important to be flexible when things go wrong.”

    Useful phrases

    • change of plans — when something different happens instead of what you expected“There was a change of plans, so we went to the park instead.”
    • I have some bad news — used to tell someone something they will not like“"I have some bad news. The shop is closed today."”
    • felt much better — started to feel happier or less worried“After talking to my friend, I felt much better.”
    • a great idea — a very good suggestion or thought“"Let's eat outside." "That is a great idea!"”
    • the whole day — all of the day, from morning to night“We spent the whole day at the beach.”
    • did not know what to do — was confused and had no clear next step“When the bus did not come, I did not know what to do.”

    Word search

    Find all 10 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1SLQINKOPRZQ
    2UEVTDOUENWY
    3RFAVORITENU
    4PFNHLPPSAST
    5RTBFXLKIEEE
    6IEEYAPRCNPS
    7SIZNAAGJQIP
    8EUFCRZTPLPU
    9DQKBDEPRKFI
    10PEIJXRGJPGO
    11DLGFLEXIBLE

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why did Fatima go to the library?

      • A) To meet her friend Lena
      • B) To study for a test
      • C) To return some books
      • D) To talk to the librarian
    2. What does the word 'quiet' mean in the story?

      • A) Very busy
      • B) With little or no noise
      • C) Dark and cold
      • D) Very large
    3. Why did the library close?

      • A) There was a problem with the water pipes
      • B) The librarian was sick
      • C) There were too many people
      • D) It was a special day off
    4. Fatima arrived at the library at nine o'clock.

      • A) False
      • B) Not stated
      • C) True
      • D) Not mentioned
    5. What does the word 'surprised' mean in this story?

      • A) Happy about a gift
      • B) Angry about a mistake
      • C) Bored because nothing happened
      • D) Feeling shock because something unexpected happened
    6. Who suggested studying at her house?

      • A) Lena
      • B) A stranger
      • C) The librarian
      • D) Fatima
    7. Fatima felt worried because she needed more time to study.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) True
    8. What does the word 'flexible' mean?

      • A) Very strong
      • B) Able to change when the situation changes
      • C) Working very hard
      • D) Always having a plan
    9. Fatima and Lena ate lunch together before studying.

      • A) True
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    10. What is the main lesson of the story?

      • A) A change of plans can sometimes be a good thing
      • B) It is better to study at home
      • C) You should always study alone
      • D) Libraries are not good places to study

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    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.

    favorite: B3 → · flexible: D11 → · librarian: B11 ↗ · noise: E1 ↘ · packed: F6 ↙ · pipes: J8 ↑ · plan: G4 ↙ · quiet: B9 ↑ · surprised: A1 ↓ · upset: K8 ↑

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: an unexpected change of plans

    The Library That Closed Too Soon

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Fatima had been looking forward to Saturday all week because she had planned a full day of studying at the city library. She had reserved a seat in the quiet study room on the second floor, and she had prepared everything the night before, including her textbooks, a notebook, colored pens, and a packed lunch. When she arrived at the library just after it opened, the atmosphere was peaceful and perfect for concentration. She found her reserved seat, arranged her materials neatly on the desk, and began reviewing the first topic on her list. For about an hour and a half, everything went exactly according to plan, and she was making excellent progress. She had already completed two full chapters of notes and was feeling confident about the week ahead.

    The morning light came through the tall windows, and Fatima felt grateful for such a productive start. However, just before midday, a librarian approached the study room with an apologetic expression on her face. She announced, "I am very sorry to interrupt, but we have discovered a serious leak in the building's main water system, and for safety reasons, we will need to close the entire library within the next thirty minutes." Fatima stared at the librarian in disbelief because she still had at least four more hours of studying planned. Several other students around her groaned and began gathering their belongings reluctantly. Fatima asked the librarian, "Do you have any idea when the library will reopen?" The librarian shook her head and replied, "Unfortunately, we cannot say for certain, but it is unlikely to be before next Wednesday." Fatima's heart sank as she realized that her carefully organized study schedule had just fallen apart. She slowly packed her things, feeling frustrated and unsure about how she would catch up.

    Outside the library, Fatima sat on a bench and was scrolling through her phone, trying to think of an alternative study location, when she noticed a message from her classmate Omar. He had written, "I am at the community center today if anyone wants to join a study group." Fatima had never considered studying in a group before because she had always believed she worked better alone. Still, since her original plan had completely collapsed, she decided to give it a try and walked to the community center, which was only a short distance away. To her surprise, the study group turned out to be incredibly helpful, as Omar and two other students shared notes, explained difficult concepts to each other, and kept each other motivated. By the end of the afternoon, Fatima had not only covered all the material she had planned but had also gained a deeper understanding of several topics she had previously found confusing. She smiled to herself on the way home, thinking that sometimes the best experiences come from the plans you never made.

    Key vocabulary

    reserved (verb)arranged in advance to have something kept for you“I reserved a table at the restaurant for Friday evening.”
    atmosphere (noun)the feeling or mood of a place“The atmosphere in the cafe was warm and welcoming.”
    progress (noun)forward movement towards completing something“She made great progress on her project this week.”
    apologetic (adjective)showing that you are sorry about something“He gave an apologetic smile after arriving late.”
    disbelief (noun)the feeling of not being able to believe something“She stared at the broken vase in disbelief.”
    reluctantly (adverb)in a way that shows you do not really want to do something“He reluctantly agreed to help with the extra work.”
    frustrated (adjective)feeling upset or annoyed because you cannot do what you want“I felt frustrated when my computer stopped working.”
    alternative (adjective)different from what is usual; offering another choice“We need to find an alternative route because the road is closed.”
    collapsed (verb)failed or fell apart suddenly“Our travel plans collapsed when the flight was canceled.”
    concepts (noun)ideas or principles related to a subject“The teacher explained the key concepts very clearly.”

    Useful phrases

    • looking forward to — feeling excited and happy about something that will happen“I am really looking forward to the weekend.”
    • according to plan — happening in the way that was expected or arranged“The event went exactly according to plan.”
    • heart sank — suddenly felt very disappointed or worried“My heart sank when I saw the long queue at the office.”
    • give it a try — attempt something new even if you are not sure about it“I have never tried painting before, but I will give it a try.”
    • turned out to be — was discovered or found to be something in the end“The difficult homework turned out to be easier than I expected.”
    • fallen apart — failed completely; stopped working as planned“Our weekend plans have fallen apart because of the rain.”

    Word search

    Find all 10 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1PEQSSERGORPEA
    2NMRDEVRESERLV
    3YDGEBNZOUZTWT
    4VLIGHUPUOEPAN
    5LCTSMPKJRBSPB
    6PLONBUSNZTUOJ
    7LDVLAEAOPAILZ
    8KBSCLTLEMBAOK
    9CYJXIACINTUGU
    10YCNVINPUENAEY
    11VIENOLHSLFMTF
    12FVCCQXWQEEIID
    13FRUSTRATEDRCC

    Comprehension quiz

    1. What had Fatima done the night before her library visit?

      • A) She had visited the community center
      • B) She had prepared all her study materials
      • C) She had met with Omar
      • D) She had called her classmates
    2. What does 'apologetic' mean as used in the story?

      • A) Rude and impatient
      • B) Showing that you are sorry
      • C) Cheerful and energetic
      • D) Confused and uncertain
    3. Why was the library forced to close?

      • A) A serious leak was discovered in the water system
      • B) There were not enough staff members
      • C) The building was too old to use
      • D) There was a fire alarm
    4. Fatima had planned to study for at least four more hours when the announcement was made.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not stated
    5. What does the phrase 'her heart sank' mean in the story?

      • A) She became physically ill
      • B) She felt suddenly very disappointed
      • C) She started to feel very tired
      • D) She became angry at the librarian
    6. The librarian said the library would definitely reopen on Monday.

      • A) True
      • B) Not stated
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) False
    7. What does the word 'reluctantly' mean?

      • A) Carefully and slowly
      • B) Quickly and eagerly
      • C) Loudly and angrily
      • D) In a way that shows you do not really want to
    8. Why had Fatima never tried studying in a group before?

      • A) She had never heard of study groups
      • B) She was not allowed to join groups
      • C) She believed she worked better alone
      • D) She did not have any classmates
    9. Omar's study group met at the library.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not mentioned
    10. What was the main outcome of Fatima's change of plans?

      • A) She became upset with the librarian
      • B) She gained a deeper understanding and covered all her material
      • C) She decided to stop studying completely
      • D) She lost a full day of studying

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    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.

    alternative: M1 ↙ · apologetic: L4 ↓ · atmosphere: K10 ↖ · collapsed: B5 ↘ · concepts: D12 ↗ · disbelief: B3 ↘ · frustrated: A13 → · progress: K1 ← · reluctantly: K13 ↖ · reserved: K2 ←

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/fatimas-surprise-at-the-library-2026-04-24