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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: dealing with a problem at work

    Hassan and the Broken Lift

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Hassan works at a big hotel. He is the manager at the front desk. He starts work early every morning. The hotel is very busy today. There are many guests in the lobby. Hassan smiles and says hello to everyone. He likes his job very much. Suddenly, a guest walks up to the desk. Her name is Maria. She looks worried. She says, "Excuse me, the lift is not working." Hassan listens carefully. He says, "I am very sorry. I will fix this problem now." Maria says, "Thank you. I have heavy bags." Hassan nods and picks up the phone. Hassan calls the maintenance team.

    He says, "Please come to the lobby. The lift is broken." The maintenance team arrives quickly. They look at the lift. They say, "This will take one hour to fix." Hassan thanks them. He goes back to the front desk. Maria is still waiting. Hassan says, "I am sorry, Maria. The lift will be ready in one hour." Maria frowns. She says, "One hour is a long time." Hassan thinks fast. He says, "Please wait in our café. I will bring your bags to your room." Maria smiles. She says, "That is very kind. Thank you." Hassan asks a colleague to carry Maria's bags. His colleague is called Sam.

    Sam takes the bags upstairs. Hassan goes back to the front desk. More guests come in from outside. Hassan greets all of them. He helps them with their questions. One hour later, the maintenance team comes back. They say, "The lift is working now." Hassan is happy. He walks to the café. He says, "Maria, the lift is ready now." Maria stands up. She says, "You were so helpful today, Hassan." Hassan smiles. He says, "It is my job to help you." Maria goes to her room. Hassan goes back to work. It is a good day.

    Key vocabulary

    manager (noun)a person who is in charge of a place or a group of workers“Hassan is the manager at the front desk of the hotel.”
    lobby (noun)the large entrance area inside a hotel or building“Many guests were standing in the hotel lobby.”
    broken (adjective)not working; damaged“Maria said the lift was broken.”
    maintenance (noun)the work of keeping something in good condition and fixing it when it stops working“Hassan called the maintenance team to fix the lift.”
    colleague (noun)a person you work with“Hassan asked his colleague Sam to carry the bags.”
    guest (noun)a person who is staying at a hotel“The guest told Hassan that the lift was not working.”
    greet (verb)to say hello to someone when they arrive“Hassan greeted all the guests who came into the hotel.”
    worried (adjective)feeling unhappy because you think something bad might happen“Maria looked worried when the lift stopped working.”

    Useful phrases

    • fix a problem — to solve something that is not working correctly“Hassan said he would fix the problem with the lift right away.”
    • think fast — to quickly find a good solution when something goes wrong“Hassan had to think fast when Maria said one hour was too long.”
    • walk up to — to approach someone or something by walking towards them“Maria walked up to the front desk to report the broken lift.”
    • pick up the phone — to take the telephone and make a call“Hassan picked up the phone to call the maintenance team.”
    • take one hour — to need one hour to finish something“The maintenance team said the repair would take one hour.”
    • It is my job to — used to say that helping is a normal and expected part of your work“Hassan said, "It is my job to help you," when Maria thanked him.”
    • come back — to return to a place“The maintenance team came back one hour later to say the lift was fixed.”
    • right away — immediately; without waiting“Hassan said he would deal with the problem right away.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1XCVDSKADMKKAC
    2QNEZSBPTZHLOV
    3DGOTJTRZXZYFP
    4GEECNANETNIAM
    5TOIYCLLKGCWBT
    6FOQRYLXWOAATK
    7IUHHRGVLCSNFA
    8JUQJROLXWTLAY
    9WVSETEWRWNZWM
    10LTEPAKOZLDSWZ
    11KTFGTGTSEUGYA
    12PTUNIGGBROKEN
    13VEFHFYFYBBOLJ

    Comprehension quiz

    1. What is Hassan's job at the hotel?

      • A) He is a chef.
      • B) He is the front desk manager.
      • C) He is a maintenance worker.
      • D) He is a porter.
    2. What problem does Maria tell Hassan about?

      • A) Her room is too cold.
      • B) The café is closed.
      • C) The lift is not working.
      • D) Her bags are lost.
    3. How long does the maintenance team say the repair will take?

      • A) All day
      • B) One hour
      • C) Two hours
      • D) 30 minutes
    4. What does Hassan offer Maria while she waits?

      • A) A free room upgrade
      • B) A phone to call her family
      • C) A seat in the café
      • D) A map of the hotel
    5. Who carries Maria's bags to her room?

      • A) The maintenance team
      • B) Hassan
      • C) Sam
      • D) Maria herself
    6. The word 'worried' means feeling happy and relaxed. Is this TRUE or FALSE?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True
    7. What does 'colleague' mean in the story?

      • A) A member of the maintenance team
      • B) The hotel manager
      • C) A person Hassan works with
      • D) A guest staying at the hotel
    8. Hassan greeted the guests who arrived at the hotel. TRUE or FALSE?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not mentioned
    9. How does Hassan feel at the end of the story?

      • A) Tired and angry
      • B) Bored
      • C) Happy
      • D) Sad and worried
    10. What does 'fix a problem' mean?

      • A) To make something worse
      • B) To ignore something that is wrong
      • C) To call a guest on the phone
      • D) To solve something that is not working correctly

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    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.

    broken: H12 → · colleague: J5 ↙ · greet: F7 ↙ · guest: K11 ← · lobby: L13 ← · maintenance: M4 ← · manager: M9 ↖ · worried: G9 ↖

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: dealing with a problem at work

    Hassan and the Unexpected Crisis

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Hassan had been working at the front desk of the hotel for three years, and he took great pride in running a smooth operation. On what had seemed like an ordinary Tuesday morning, the lobby was filling up with guests checking in after a long overnight journey. Everything was going well until a guest named Maria approached the desk with a tense expression on her face. "I need to let you know," she said firmly, "that the lift has completely stopped working, and I have two large suitcases." Hassan kept his composure and responded calmly, "I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, Maria. Please allow me to look into this immediately." He reached for the phone, already forming a plan in his mind. Within moments, he had contacted the maintenance team and asked them to come to the lobby as a matter of urgency.

    The maintenance team arrived promptly and carried out a thorough inspection of the lift. After several minutes, the lead technician approached Hassan and said, "I'm afraid we're looking at approximately an hour's worth of repair work." Hassan thanked him and turned back to face a small group of guests who had gathered near the lift doors, looking frustrated. He addressed them clearly and professionally, explaining that the lift was temporarily out of service but that the situation was being handled. He then turned his attention back to Maria and said, "I'd like to offer you a complimentary coffee in our lobby café while you wait, and one of our team members will personally take your luggage up to your room." Maria's expression softened noticeably. "That's a very considerate solution," she replied, "thank you for taking care of it so efficiently." While Maria relaxed in the café, Hassan briefed his colleague Sam and asked him to escort the luggage to Maria's room without delay.

    Hassan then returned to the front desk, where he continued welcoming new arrivals and managing the steady flow of enquiries with his usual composure. Roughly an hour later, the maintenance team confirmed that the lift had been fully restored to service, and Hassan walked over to the café to let Maria know personally. "The lift is working again, and I hope the wait wasn't too inconvenient for you," he said with a warm smile. Maria stood up and replied, "Honestly, Hassan, the way you handled this made all the difference." He thanked her graciously and watched her step into the lift before returning to his post. It had been a challenging morning, but for Hassan, finding calm solutions under pressure was simply part of the job.

    Key vocabulary

    composure (noun)the state of being calm and in control of your feelings, especially in a difficult situation“Hassan kept his composure even when several guests were waiting and frustrated.”
    urgency (noun)the quality of needing immediate attention or action“Hassan contacted the maintenance team as a matter of urgency.”
    promptly (adverb)quickly and without delay“The maintenance team arrived promptly after Hassan called them.”
    inspection (noun)a careful examination of something to check its condition“The technician carried out a thorough inspection of the broken lift.”
    complimentary (adjective)given for free, especially as a gesture of goodwill“Hassan offered Maria a complimentary coffee while she waited.”
    efficiently (adverb)in a way that achieves good results without wasting time or effort“Maria thanked Hassan for handling the problem so efficiently.”
    briefed (verb)gave someone the necessary information or instructions before a task“Hassan briefed his colleague Sam before asking him to take the luggage upstairs.”
    restored (verb)brought back to a working or original condition“The maintenance team confirmed that the lift had been fully restored to service.”

    Useful phrases

    • as a matter of urgency — immediately, because something is very important and cannot wait“Hassan asked the maintenance team to come to the lobby as a matter of urgency.”
    • out of service — not available for use, usually because something is broken or being repaired“Hassan explained to the guests that the lift was temporarily out of service.”
    • make all the difference — to have a very positive and significant effect on a situation“Maria said that the way Hassan handled the problem made all the difference.”
    • look into something — to investigate or try to find out more about a problem“Hassan told Maria he would look into the situation immediately.”
    • under pressure — in a stressful situation where quick or difficult decisions are required“Hassan was very good at finding calm solutions when working under pressure.”
    • without delay — immediately, without wasting any time“Hassan asked Sam to escort the luggage to Maria's room without delay.”
    • take care of something — to deal with or manage a problem or task“Maria was grateful that Hassan had taken care of the situation so quickly.”
    • return to one's post — to go back to the place where you are supposed to be working“After speaking with Maria, Hassan returned to his post at the front desk.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1JXASFMXCHYMCJGB
    2XCXRDWMUHNLQDET
    3GYEPOMBZDTOAABJ
    4ERUSOPMOCEFBYNQ
    5YYRATNEMILPMOCO
    6QLLPFFNQJVIPZZU
    7HWTERRIQBNWDYLY
    8ABXNYOFESBTECCY
    9UWRJEIMPLPARASF
    10LRWIOIEPHBNOBDX
    11QPGIECCZTKBTIAM
    12FIAETFVIULASGXH
    13CDBINDETFXYEEFL
    14KYOAPCRDOFORUHQ
    15KNVOWCYUCBERGUM

    Comprehension quiz

    1. How long had Hassan been working at the hotel's front desk?

      • A) Three years
      • B) Five years
      • C) One year
      • D) Six months
    2. What does 'composure' mean as used in the story?

      • A) Being strict with colleagues
      • B) Feeling excited about a challenge
      • C) Being calm and in control
      • D) Feeling nervous and confused
    3. What did the maintenance team do before informing Hassan of the repair time?

      • A) They called the hotel director.
      • B) They spoke to Maria directly.
      • C) They carried out a thorough inspection.
      • D) They fixed the lift immediately.
    4. What does 'complimentary' mean in the context of the story?

      • A) Expensive and high quality
      • B) Given for free as a goodwill gesture
      • C) Related to a compliment or praise
      • D) Very polite and friendly
    5. Hassan asked Sam to carry Maria's bags without briefing him first. TRUE or FALSE?

      • A) True
      • B) Not stated
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) False
    6. What did Maria say made all the difference?

      • A) The free coffee she received
      • B) The speed of the repair
      • C) The quality of her hotel room
      • D) The way Hassan handled the situation
    7. What does 'out of service' mean?

      • A) Working perfectly
      • B) Very busy and crowded
      • C) Not available for use because it is broken
      • D) Being cleaned by the maintenance team
    8. The guests near the lift doors were feeling relaxed when Hassan addressed them. TRUE or FALSE?

      • A) False
      • B) Not stated
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) True
    9. What does Hassan do after telling Maria the lift is working again?

      • A) He goes home because his shift is over.
      • B) He calls the maintenance team again.
      • C) He joins Maria in the café for coffee.
      • D) He watches her step into the lift and returns to his post.
    10. Which word best describes how Hassan approaches difficult situations at work?

      • A) Slowly
      • B) Angrily
      • C) Calmly
      • D) Anxiously

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    briefed: B8 ↘ · complimentary: N5 ← · composure: I4 ← · efficiently: K15 ↖ · inspection: K6 ↙ · promptly: D6 ↘ · restored: L14 ↑ · urgency: A9 ↘

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/hassan-and-the-broken-lift-2026-07-28