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    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.

    ABCDEFGHIJ
    1GGFVSYOIAD
    2QAYWONKYTA
    3ENTRANCETI
    4HTGNERTSRS
    5UJBIJCTAOL
    6JKERAAXRLE
    7CLEOUUQHLF
    8CHECKOUTER
    9CRASHCXSYU
    10JOSDEXALER

    Comprehension quiz

    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. Which direction did the trolley keep turning?

      • A) To the right
      • B) Backwards
      • C) To the left
      • D) In circles
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. Ibrahim's face went red because he was embarrassed. Is this true or false?

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    8. What food did Ibrahim put into the trolley?

      • A) Apples and bread
      • B) Tins and vegetables
      • C) Bread and butter
      • D) Milk and eggs
    9. 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
    10. 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 →

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: a trolley with a wonky wheel in a supermarket

    The Trolley That Wouldn't Cooperate

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Ibrahim is sitting on a park bench, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun, when a memory from yesterday makes him smile to himself. He had gone to the supermarket to pick up a few essentials, and everything had started perfectly normally. He grabbed a trolley from the rack near the entrance without giving it a second thought. However, the moment he began pushing it down the first aisle, he realized something was very wrong. One of the front wheels was spinning awkwardly to the side, causing the trolley to veer sharply to the left no matter how hard he tried to correct it. He attempted to muscle it straight by gripping the handle firmly with both hands, but the stubborn wheel simply refused to cooperate. Ibrahim stood there for a moment, considering whether to swap it for another one, but the supermarket was crowded and the trolley bay at the entrance felt a long way off.

    Deciding to persevere, Ibrahim adopted a slightly comical wide-legged stance to give himself better leverage over the rebellious trolley. He managed to steer it slowly along the dairy aisle, collecting milk and yoghurt with cautious precision, though every turn required considerable effort and concentration. The real disaster struck when he attempted to round the corner into the tinned goods section. The wonky wheel caught the edge of the shelf, and before he could react, a small avalanche of tinned tomatoes clattered noisily onto the floor. The sound echoed around the aisle, and several other shoppers turned to stare. A shop assistant hurried over with a look of concern. "Are you alright?" she asked, already bending down to gather the tins.

    "Absolutely fine, just a slight disagreement with my trolley," Ibrahim replied with a sheepish grin, helping her stack the tins back on the shelf. Despite the chaos, Ibrahim managed to complete his shopping and made his way to the checkout feeling both relieved and mildly triumphant. He abandoned the troublesome trolley near the exit with a certain sense of satisfaction, as though he had conquered a minor but worthy opponent. Now, settled on the park bench with the distant sounds of children playing drifting through the trees, he replays the memory with quiet amusement. His arms still ache faintly from the unexpected workout of wrestling the trolley around the shop. He shifts on the bench, tilts his face towards the sun, and lets out a slow, contented breath. "I really should have just swapped it," he murmurs to himself, though the smile on his face suggests he does not regret the experience at all.

    Key vocabulary

    veer (verb)to change direction suddenly and unexpectedly“The trolley would veer sharply to the left every time Ibrahim let go of the handle.”
    persevere (verb)to continue trying to do something despite difficulty“Ibrahim decided to persevere with the broken trolley rather than go back for another one.”
    leverage (noun)the power or advantage gained from a particular position or action“He adopted a wide stance to give himself better leverage over the unruly trolley.”
    avalanche (noun)a sudden fall of a large quantity of something“A small avalanche of tinned tomatoes fell from the shelf onto the floor.”
    sheepish (adjective)showing embarrassment or mild shame, especially after doing something wrong or silly“Ibrahim replied to the shop assistant with a sheepish grin.”
    triumphant (adjective)feeling or showing great happiness after a success or victory“He reached the checkout feeling mildly triumphant after his battle with the trolley.”
    contented (adjective)feeling calm satisfaction and happiness“Ibrahim let out a slow, contented breath as he relaxed on the park bench.”
    murmur (verb)to say something quietly, almost to yourself“"I really should have just swapped it," he murmured to himself on the bench.”

    Useful phrases

    • without giving it a second thought — to do something automatically, without stopping to think or consider it“He grabbed a trolley without giving it a second thought.”
    • refuse to cooperate — when something or someone simply will not work or behave as expected“No matter what Ibrahim tried, the wonky wheel refused to cooperate.”
    • a long way off — at a significant distance; far from where you are“The trolley bay felt a long way off when the shop was so busy.”
    • strike (a disaster strikes) — when something bad or unexpected happens suddenly“The real disaster struck when the trolley hit the edge of the shelf.”
    • with a certain sense of — feeling a particular emotion, often mixed or hard to describe fully“He left the trolley at the exit with a certain sense of satisfaction.”
    • replay a memory — to think back over a past event in your mind, as if watching it again“Sitting on the bench, Ibrahim replays the memory with quiet amusement.”
    • mildly triumphant — feeling slightly proud or pleased about succeeding at something small“He reached the checkout feeling mildly triumphant after all his effort.”
    • wrestle with — to struggle physically or mentally to control or deal with something difficult“His arms ached from wrestling the trolley around the supermarket.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKL
    1WZTPERSEVERE
    2HTRHPJHRCCGX
    3VFITQULSEAGU
    4EJUDOMWJREEY
    5ASMTEXREKHVU
    6HHPDYTVUCDPB
    7REHVJENNMCXB
    8WEASLRAEWRHX
    9ZPNMKLQKTFUM
    10PITYAZTOZNZM
    11FSJVAQPMDIOZ
    12JHAWLUIUBORC

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where is Ibrahim when he recalls his supermarket trip?

      • A) At the supermarket entrance
      • B) In his kitchen
      • C) At the checkout
      • D) On a park bench
    2. What does the word 'veer' mean as used in the story?

      • A) To slow down gradually
      • B) To stop suddenly
      • C) To change direction unexpectedly
      • D) To spin in a circle
    3. Why did Ibrahim decide not to swap the trolley for a new one?

      • A) He thought the wheel would fix itself
      • B) The supermarket was crowded and the trolley bay felt far away
      • C) There were no other trolleys available
      • D) A shop assistant told him to keep it
    4. What does 'persevere' mean as used in the story?

      • A) To give up and try something new
      • B) To ask for help from others
      • C) To continue despite difficulty
      • D) To move quickly and confidently
    5. What caused the tins to fall off the shelf?

      • A) Another shopper bumped into the shelf
      • B) Ibrahim's bag knocked the shelf
      • C) The wonky wheel caught the edge of the shelf
      • D) The shelf was already unstable
    6. How did Ibrahim respond to the shop assistant after the tins fell?

      • A) He apologized repeatedly and looked upset
      • B) He blamed the trolley and walked away
      • C) He replied with a sheepish grin and helped stack the tins
      • D) He asked her to clean it up for him
    7. Ibrahim's arms ache at the end of the story because of the effort of controlling the trolley. Is this true or false?

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    8. What does the word 'sheepish' suggest about Ibrahim's expression?

      • A) He was angry and frustrated
      • B) He was mildly embarrassed but not too serious about it
      • C) He was completely calm and unbothered
      • D) He was very proud of himself
    9. What does Ibrahim murmur to himself at the end of the story?

      • A) "I will never go back to that supermarket."
      • B) "That was the worst shopping trip ever."
      • C) "Next time I will use a basket."
      • D) "I really should have just swapped it."
    10. At the end of the story, Ibrahim feels regret and wishes the trolley incident had never happened. Is this true or false?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    avalanche: C12 ↗ · contented: L12 ↖ · leverage: E8 ↗ · murmur: L10 ↖ · persevere: D1 → · sheepish: B5 ↓ · triumphant: C1 ↓ · veer: K5 ↖

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/ibrahim-and-the-wonky-wheel-2026-08-31