Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a trolley with a wonky wheel in a supermarket
Ibrahim and the Wonky Wheel
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Ibrahim is sitting on a park bench. He is thinking about his trip to the supermarket yesterday. It was a funny day. He went to the supermarket in the morning. He needed to buy some food. He took a trolley from the entrance. The trolley looked normal at first. He started to push it down the first aisle. But something was wrong. One of the wheels was wonky. The trolley did not go straight. It kept turning to the left. Ibrahim tried to push it harder. But the trolley still went the wrong way. He laughed a little.
Ibrahim did not want to go back for a new trolley. The shop was very busy that day. He decided to keep the wonky trolley. He pushed it slowly and carefully. He had to use a lot of strength. His arms got tired very quickly. He put some apples and bread into the trolley. Then he tried to turn a corner. The trolley made a loud noise. It went into a shelf by accident. Some tins fell off the shelf. They made a big crash on the floor. Everyone in the aisle looked at Ibrahim. His face went very red. A shop worker came over quickly.
"Are you okay?" the worker asked. "Yes, sorry about that!" said Ibrahim. Ibrahim got all his food in the end. He went to pay at the checkout. He was happy that the shopping was finished. The wonky trolley was very difficult to use. He left the trolley near the exit. He walked outside with his bags. Now Ibrahim is on the park bench. He is resting his tired arms. He is watching the birds in the park. He thinks about the trolley and smiles. He says to himself, "Next time, I will check the wheels first!" He puts his face up to the sun. He feels warm and relaxed. It is a nice end to a funny day.
Key vocabulary
| trolley (noun) | a large basket on wheels that you use to carry shopping in a supermarket“Ibrahim took a trolley from the entrance of the supermarket.” |
| wonky (adjective) | not straight or not working properly; unsteady“The wonky wheel made the trolley turn to the left.” |
| aisle (noun) | a long passage between rows of shelves in a supermarket“He pushed the trolley slowly down the aisle.” |
| entrance (noun) | the door or opening where you go into a building“The trolleys were waiting near the entrance of the shop.” |
| crash (noun) | a sudden loud noise made when something falls or hits something“The tins made a big crash on the floor.” |
| checkout (noun) | the place in a supermarket where you pay for your shopping“Ibrahim went to the checkout to pay for his food.” |
| strength (noun) | the physical power you use to do something“He needed a lot of strength to push the broken trolley.” |
| relaxed (adjective) | feeling calm and comfortable, not worried or tense“Ibrahim felt relaxed sitting on the park bench in the sun.” |
Useful phrases
- at first — in the beginning, before something changed“The trolley looked normal at first, but then it went wonky.”
- by accident — without meaning to; not on purpose“The trolley hit the shelf by accident.”
- in the end — finally, after a lot of effort or time“Ibrahim got all his food in the end.”
- go straight — to move forward in a direct line without turning“The trolley did not go straight because the wheel was broken.”
- keep going — to continue doing something without stopping“Ibrahim decided to keep going with the wonky trolley.”
- go red — when your face becomes red because you feel embarrassed“His face went red when all the tins fell on the floor.”
- next time — on the following occasion when something happens again“Next time, Ibrahim will check the wheels before he takes a trolley.”
- says to himself — to think something quietly in your mind, or speak very quietly to yourself“Ibrahim says to himself, "I will be more careful next time."”
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | G | F | V | S | Y | O | I | A | D |
| 2 | Q | A | Y | W | O | N | K | Y | T | A |
| 3 | E | N | T | R | A | N | C | E | T | I |
| 4 | H | T | G | N | E | R | T | S | R | S |
| 5 | U | J | B | I | J | C | T | A | O | L |
| 6 | J | K | E | R | A | A | X | R | L | E |
| 7 | C | L | E | O | U | U | Q | H | L | F |
| 8 | C | H | E | C | K | O | U | T | E | R |
| 9 | C | R | A | S | H | C | X | S | Y | U |
| 10 | J | O | S | D | E | X | A | L | E | R |
Comprehension quiz
Where is Ibrahim sitting at the start of the story?
- A) On a park bench
- B) In the supermarket
- C) At home
- D) In a café
What was wrong with the trolley?
- A) It was too heavy
- B) It had no basket
- C) It was too small
- D) One of the wheels was wonky
Which direction did the trolley keep turning?
- A) To the right
- B) Backwards
- C) To the left
- D) In circles
Why did Ibrahim not go back for a new trolley?
- A) He could not find another one
- B) He liked the wonky trolley
- C) He was too tired
- D) The shop was very busy
What happened when Ibrahim tried to turn a corner?
- A) The trolley hit a shelf and some tins fell
- B) The wheel came off
- C) He asked a worker for help
- D) He dropped his apples
What does the word 'aisle' mean in this story?
- A) The area near the checkout
- B) A small island
- C) A long passage between shelves in a shop
- D) A type of trolley
Ibrahim's face went red because he was embarrassed. Is this true or false?
- A) True
- B) False
- C) Not mentioned
- D) Not stated
What food did Ibrahim put into the trolley?
- A) Apples and bread
- B) Tins and vegetables
- C) Bread and butter
- D) Milk and eggs
What does Ibrahim decide to do differently 'next time'?
- A) Ask a worker for help
- B) Go to a different supermarket
- C) Check the wheels before taking a trolley
- D) Bring his own bag
At the end of the story, Ibrahim feels relaxed on the park bench. Is this true or false?
- A) False
- B) True
- C) Not stated
- D) Not mentioned
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. A 2. D 3. C 4. D 5. A 6. C 7. A 8. A 9. C 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: J2 ↓ · checkout: A8 → · crash: A9 → · entrance: A3 → · relaxed: J10 ← · strength: H4 ← · trolley: I3 ↓ · wonky: D2 →