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

    Hassan Fixes the Problem

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Hassan worked at the front desk of a big hotel. He liked his job very much. Every morning, he arrived early and put on his uniform. He smiled at every guest. He helped people find their rooms. He answered the phone many times each day. One Tuesday morning, something bad happened. The computer system stopped working. Hassan could not check in any new guests. The line of guests in the lobby grew very long. People looked tired and unhappy.

    Hassan felt very worried. A tall woman at the front of the line said, "I have been waiting for thirty minutes!" Another guest said, "I need my room now. I am very tired." Hassan took a deep breath. He said, "I am very sorry. We have a problem with our computer. I will help you as fast as I can." He found a notebook and a pen behind the desk. He wrote down each guest's name by hand. He gave each person a room key from the key box. It was slow work, but he stayed calm. He also asked his colleague to bring water and juice for the waiting guests. The guests were a little happier after that.

    Hassan called the technology team right away. They came to the lobby in twenty minutes. They fixed the computer in about one hour. After that, Hassan entered all the information from his notebook into the computer. His manager came to see him later. She said, "You did a great job today, Hassan." Hassan smiled and said, "Thank you. I just wanted to help the guests." He learned something important that day. Problems can happen at any time. The best thing to do is stay calm and find a solution. Hassan felt proud of himself when he went home that evening.

    Key vocabulary

    front desk (noun)the place in a hotel where guests check in and get help“Please go to the front desk to get your room key.”
    uniform (noun)special clothes you wear for work“Hassan put on his uniform before starting work.”
    guest (noun)a person who stays at a hotel“The guest asked for an extra pillow.”
    check in (verb)to register and get a room at a hotel“We need to check in before we can go to our room.”
    lobby (noun)the large open area inside the entrance of a hotel“There were comfortable chairs in the lobby.”
    worried (adjective)feeling nervous or afraid about something“Hassan felt worried when the computer stopped working.”
    calm (adjective)not excited or angry; quiet and relaxed“He stayed calm even when the guests were upset.”
    colleague (noun)a person you work with“Hassan asked his colleague to help him.”
    solution (noun)a way to fix a problem“Writing names by hand was a good solution.”
    proud (adjective)feeling happy about something good you did“Hassan felt proud of himself for helping the guests.”

    Useful phrases

    • took a deep breath — breathed in slowly to become calm“Before speaking to the angry guest, Hassan took a deep breath.”
    • right away — immediately; without waiting“Hassan called for help right away.”
    • by hand — without using a machine or computer“He wrote all the names by hand.”
    • as fast as I can — at the quickest speed possible“"I will finish this as fast as I can," said Hassan.”
    • did a great job — performed work very well“The manager told Hassan he did a great job.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1RDCMLACFCXC
    2FZELOBBYOVA
    3LRJIJATFLZT
    4CPOFRMGSLSS
    5CHRNWROYEBH
    6BJEOTLOUASR
    7VDCCUDGWGSB
    8UIQTKDERUDU
    9HEIAUIWSEKQ
    10DOVZYVNRKJC
    11NZMROFINULU

    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.

    calm: G1 ← · check in: A4 ↘ · colleague: I1 ↓ · front desk: A2 ↘ · guest: G7 ↗ · lobby: D2 → · proud: B4 ↘ · solution: H4 ↙ · uniform: I11 ← · worried: H7 ↖

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

    A Test of Patience

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Hassan had been working as a front desk supervisor at a large hotel for nearly three years, and he genuinely enjoyed the fast pace of the job. He was known among his colleagues for his patience and his ability to handle even the most demanding guests with a warm smile. On one particularly busy morning, however, he faced a challenge that would test those qualities more than ever before. Just as a tour group of forty guests arrived in the lobby, all rolling their suitcases and eager to check in, the hotel's entire reservation system crashed without warning. The screens behind the front desk went blank, and Hassan's two junior colleagues immediately looked to him with panic in their eyes. Hassan felt his heart rate increase, but he knew that showing stress would only make the situation worse.

    He straightened his tie, stepped forward, and prepared to manage the growing crowd. "Excuse me, what exactly is going on?" asked an elderly man who had been standing at the counter for several minutes. Hassan replied calmly, "I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. We are currently experiencing a technical issue, but I assure you we will have everyone settled into their rooms as quickly as possible." While he spoke, he was already thinking of a backup plan. He instructed one colleague to contact the technical support team urgently and asked the other to set up a comfortable waiting area with refreshments in the corner of the lobby. Meanwhile, Hassan himself retrieved a stack of registration forms from the back office and began processing check-ins manually, verifying each guest's booking through confirmation emails on his phone.

    It was far slower than the usual digital process, yet his calm and professional manner prevented the frustration in the lobby from escalating further. After approximately ninety minutes, the technical team managed to restore the system, and Hassan carefully transferred all the handwritten records into the database to ensure nothing was lost. By that point, most of the waiting guests had already received their room keys and had commented on how well the staff had handled the unexpected disruption. Later that afternoon, Hassan's manager called him into her office and said, "I've received several positive comments from guests about how you managed this morning's crisis." Hassan appreciated the recognition, though he believed he had simply done what the situation required. Reflecting on the experience during his break, he realized that the most valuable skill in his profession was not technical knowledge but the ability to remain composed under pressure. That evening, as he left the building, he felt a quiet sense of accomplishment that reminded him exactly why he loved his work.

    Key vocabulary

    supervisor (noun)a person who watches over and directs the work of others“As a supervisor, Hassan was responsible for guiding the junior staff.”
    demanding (adjective)requiring a lot of effort, attention, or skill“Some guests can be very demanding, but Hassan always stayed polite.”
    crashed (verb)stopped working suddenly (used for computers or systems)“The reservation system crashed during the busiest hour of the day.”
    inconvenience (noun)trouble or difficulty that causes a lack of comfort“Hassan apologized for the inconvenience caused by the delay.”
    backup plan (noun)an alternative plan to use when the first plan fails“It is always wise to have a backup plan in case something goes wrong.”
    refreshments (noun)light drinks and snacks offered to people“The staff provided refreshments to the guests who were waiting.”
    manually (adverb)done by hand rather than by machine or computer“Hassan processed the check-ins manually using paper forms.”
    escalating (verb)becoming more serious or intense“His calm attitude stopped the situation from escalating.”
    composed (adjective)calm and in control of your feelings“Hassan remained composed even though the lobby was chaotic.”
    accomplishment (noun)something achieved successfully through effort“Solving the problem gave Hassan a real sense of accomplishment.”

    Useful phrases

    • handle a situation — to deal with or manage something, especially something difficult“Hassan knew how to handle a difficult situation without panicking.”
    • I assure you — a polite way to make someone feel confident that something will happen“"I assure you that your room will be ready shortly," Hassan told the guest.”
    • under pressure — in a stressful situation that demands quick action or results“The ability to work well under pressure is essential in the hotel industry.”
    • as quickly as possible — at the fastest speed that can be achieved“The team worked to restore the system as quickly as possible.”
    • sense of accomplishment — a feeling of pride after achieving something“Finishing the difficult task gave her a great sense of accomplishment.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1TDESOPMOCQSLEIQ
    2RNTJIGIMROKREQT
    3EUEUTHNYAAOCKME
    4BRUMSBMIVNNNLPC
    5EFGWHIAYTEUBJYT
    6QRFNFSBCIAYAHEG
    7GAAZISINKOLCLRX
    8DDSOKDELJUWANLN
    9FOBDCVNKPUPLCGY
    10KGMVNRSAIMPPWSF
    11NQNONJAQMPOLLGE
    12TTCYOXSSSEBCTAR
    13WNMXIYLIHADOCUN
    14IREFRESHMENTSAE
    15SUPERVISORDBLNT

    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.

    accomplishment: N14 ↖ · backup plan: F4 ↘ · composed: I1 ← · crashed: E9 ↘ · demanding: K13 ↖ · escalating: O11 ↖ · inconvenience: A14 ↗ · manually: H2 ↘ · refreshments: B14 → · supervisor: A15 →

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/hassan-fixes-the-problem-2026-04-09