Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a trolley with a wonky wheel in a supermarket
Ibrahim and the Wonky Wheel
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Ibrahim went to the supermarket on a sunny morning. He needed to buy food for the week. He walked inside and took a trolley from the line near the door. The trolley looked normal at first. He put his hands on the handle and started to push. Then he heard a strange noise. One of the wheels was not working well. It was a wonky wheel. The trolley 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 wheel was loud and annoying. Ibrahim felt a little embarrassed.
He thought about getting a different trolley, but the shop was very busy. Ibrahim decided to keep the wonky trolley. He pushed it slowly down the first aisle. He put bread, rice, and some vegetables inside it. Every time he turned a corner, the trolley made a loud squeaky sound. A shop worker walked past him. Ibrahim said, "Excuse me, this trolley has a bad wheel." The worker looked at the wheel and said, "I am sorry. All the other trolleys are in use right now." Ibrahim sighed and said, "That is okay. I will manage." He continued shopping and filled the trolley with more items. The trolley 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 trolley. 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 trolley with a wonky wheel. It was a real struggle." 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 wheels 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.
Key vocabulary
| trolley (noun) | a metal cart with wheels that you use to carry things in a supermarket“I put all my food in the trolley.” |
| wonky (adjective) | not straight or not working correctly; shaky or unsteady“The table is a bit wonky because one leg is shorter.” |
| wheel (noun) | a round object that turns and helps something move“The wheel on my suitcase is broken.” |
| aisle (noun) | a long space between rows of shelves in a shop“The milk is in the last aisle on the right.” |
| squeaky (adjective) | making a short, high sound“My new shoes are very squeaky on the floor.” |
| embarrassed (adjective) | feeling uncomfortable because other people are watching you“She felt embarrassed when she dropped her phone in the meeting.” |
| manage (verb) | to succeed in doing something difficult“It was hard, but I managed to finish the work on time.” |
| struggle (noun) | something that is very difficult to do“Walking in the strong wind was a real struggle.” |
Useful phrases
- 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.”
Word search
Find all 8 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | V | E | B | J | Q | D | Y | L | E | H | L | X | E |
| 2 | W | A | N | F | K | K | T | G | C | Q | I | G | G |
| 3 | M | E | D | V | A | I | X | R | F | W | A | R | J |
| 4 | S | Y | L | E | S | Z | B | R | O | N | R | M | F |
| 5 | Y | D | U | S | U | U | D | G | A | L | W | B | W |
| 6 | S | Q | U | W | I | M | B | M | L | M | L | J | V |
| 7 | S | T | E | M | B | A | R | R | A | S | S | E | D |
| 8 | V | Q | R | Y | X | E | J | L | E | E | H | W | Y |
| 9 | Y | L | R | U | K | C | V | D | O | D | E | I | O |
| 10 | Y | V | D | N | G | N | R | L | X | N | Z | A | Y |
| 11 | R | N | N | B | Y | G | O | V | J | L | P | Z | I |
| 12 | E | E | W | D | O | W | L | W | L | H | Q | V | P |
| 13 | O | N | J | M | O | Z | A | E | J | A | X | T | T |
Comprehension quiz
What was wrong with Ibrahim's trolley?
- A) One wheel was wonky.
- B) It was too small.
- C) It had no handle.
- D) It was very old.
What does the word 'wonky' mean in the story?
- A) Very large
- B) Not working correctly; unsteady
- C) Brand new
- D) Expensive
Ibrahim got a different trolley when he asked the shop worker.
- A) Not mentioned
- B) False
- C) Not stated
- D) True
What does 'aisle' mean?
- A) A shopping bag
- B) A long space between shelves in a shop
- C) The checkout area
- D) A type of food
Where did Ibrahim sit down to rest after shopping?
- A) In his car
- B) Inside the supermarket
- C) On a park bench
- D) At a bus stop
What did the trolley do every time Ibrahim turned a corner?
- A) It lost a wheel.
- B) It made a loud squeaky sound.
- C) It stopped moving.
- D) It fell over.
Ibrahim bumped into a shelf and many things fell down.
- A) Not stated
- B) Not mentioned
- C) False
- D) True
What does 'manage' mean in the sentence 'I will manage'?
- A) I will succeed in doing something difficult.
- B) I will complain.
- C) I will leave.
- D) I will pay more money.
The woman on the bench had also had a problem with a trolley.
- A) Not mentioned
- B) True
- C) False
- D) Not stated
What did Ibrahim say he would do next time?
- A) Bring his own trolley
- B) Check the wheels before shopping
- C) Order food online
- D) Shop at a different supermarket
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. C 8. A 9. B 10. B
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.
aisle: F7 ↖ · embarrassed: C7 → · manage: H6 ↗ · squeaky: A7 ↗ · struggle: A6 ↘ · trolley: G2 ↘ · wheel: L8 ← · wonky: H12 ↖