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    Ibrahim and the Wonky Wheel

    a trolley with a wonky wheel in a supermarketa park benchCEFR A2
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    Ibrahim went to the supermarket on a sunny morning. He needed to buy food for the week. He walked inside and took a from the line near the door. The looked normal at first. He put his hands on the handle and started to push. Then he heard a strange noise. One of the was not working well. It was a . The moved to the left all the time. Ibrahim tried to push it straight, but it was very difficult. He used a lot of energy to keep it on the right path. Other shoppers looked at him and smiled. The noise from the was loud and annoying. Ibrahim felt a little .

    He thought about getting a different , but the shop was very busy. Ibrahim decided to keep the . He pushed it slowly down the first . He put bread, rice, and some vegetables inside it. Every time he turned a corner, the made a loud sound. A shop worker walked past him. Ibrahim said, "Excuse me, this has a bad ." The worker looked at the and said, "I am sorry. All the other are in use right now." Ibrahim sighed and said, "That is okay. I will ." He continued shopping and filled the with more items. The became heavier and harder to push. He bumped into a shelf once, but nothing fell down. He paid for his food at the checkout and carried the bags outside. He was very tired from fighting with the . He needed to sit down and rest.

    Ibrahim walked to a park bench near the supermarket. He sat down and put his shopping bags on the ground. He took a deep breath and relaxed. A woman was sitting on the other end of the bench. She had shopping bags too. She looked at Ibrahim and said, "You look tired." Ibrahim laughed and said, "I had a with a . It was a real ." The woman smiled and said, "I know that feeling. It happened to me last week." They both laughed together. Ibrahim said, "Next time, I will check the before I start shopping." The woman nodded and said, "That is a very good idea." Ibrahim sat on the bench for ten more minutes. He felt better after the rest. Then he picked up his bags and walked home with a smile on his face. It was a small problem, but it made a funny story.

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    Key Vocabulary

    How to use these cards
    1. Read each word and its meaning.
    2. Tap “Cover the meanings”, then tap a card to check yourself.
    3. Tap “Quick quiz” for a short test. Tap “I know this” on cards you have learned.
    trolley
    /ˈtrɒl.i/
    noun

    a metal cart with wheels that you use to carry things in a supermarket

    "I put all my food in the trolley."

    wonky
    /ˈwɒŋ.ki/
    adjective

    not straight or not working correctly; shaky or unsteady

    "The table is a bit wonky because one leg is shorter."

    wheel
    /wiːl/
    noun

    a round object that turns and helps something move

    "The wheel on my suitcase is broken."

    aisle
    /aɪl/
    noun

    a long space between rows of shelves in a shop

    "The milk is in the last aisle on the right."

    squeaky
    /ˈskwiː.ki/
    adjective

    making a short, high sound

    "My new shoes are very squeaky on the floor."

    embarrassed
    /ɪmˈbær.əst/
    adjective

    feeling uncomfortable because other people are watching you

    "She felt embarrassed when she dropped her phone in the meeting."

    manage
    /ˈmæn.ɪdʒ/
    verb

    to succeed in doing something difficult

    "It was hard, but I managed to finish the work on time."

    struggle
    /ˈstrʌɡ.l̩/
    noun

    something that is very difficult to do

    "Walking in the strong wind was a real struggle."

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    Useful Phrases

    How to use these cards
    1. Read each phrase and its meaning.
    2. Tap “Cover the meanings”, then tap a card to check yourself.
    3. Tap “Quick quiz” for a short test. Tap “I know this” on cards you have learned.

    at first

    in the beginning, before something changed

    "The job was easy at first, but then it became harder."

    all the time

    continuously; without stopping

    "The dog barks all the time when strangers walk past."

    right now

    at this moment

    "I am busy right now, but I can help you later."

    bumped into

    hit something accidentally

    "I bumped into the door because I was not looking."

    took a deep breath

    breathed in slowly to feel calm or relaxed

    "She took a deep breath before she started speaking."

    I will manage

    I will find a way to do it even if it is hard

    "The bag is heavy, but I will manage."

    I know that feeling

    I have experienced the same thing before

    "You are tired after work? I know that feeling."

    a good idea

    a smart or sensible plan

    "Taking an umbrella today is a good idea."

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