Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: celebrating a small personal achievement
Javier Fixes His First Phone
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Javier works at a tech repair counter in a busy shop. He fixes phones, tablets, and laptops every day. He has worked there for six months. His manager is a woman named Sara. Sara is very good at fixing things. Javier watches her and learns a lot. Every morning, Javier arrives early and cleans his tools. He puts them in a neat line on the counter. He likes to be ready before the first customer comes in. The shop opens at nine o'clock. Javier always feels a little nervous when customers bring in broken things. He wants to do a good job. He checks each device carefully. He writes notes about every problem he sees. One day, a man brings in an old phone. The screen is cracked and the phone will not turn on. Sara is busy with another customer.
Javier looks at the phone. He feels nervous, but he takes a deep breath. He opens the back of the phone with a small tool. He sees the battery is loose. He fixes the battery carefully. Then he checks the screen. The screen needs a new part. Javier finds the right part in a small box. He fits the new screen slowly and carefully. He presses the power button. The phone turns on! Javier smiles. "It works!" he says quietly. He cleans the phone with a soft cloth. He puts it in a small bag for the customer. The man comes back in the afternoon to collect his phone. Javier gives it to him.
"Thank you so much!" the man says. He looks very happy. "You fixed it perfectly!" Javier feels very proud. His face goes a little red. "I am glad I could help," he says. Sara hears this. She walks over to the counter. "Good work, Javier," she says with a smile. "You did that all by yourself!" Javier looks at his tools on the counter. He thinks about the first day he came to work. He was so scared then. Now he feels different. He stands up straight. He takes a slow, happy breath. It is a small thing, but it feels very big to him. He cannot wait to fix the next phone.
Key vocabulary
| counter (noun) | a long, flat surface in a shop where work is done or customers are served“Javier puts his tools on the counter every morning.” |
| cracked (adjective) | broken with lines on the surface but not completely apart“The phone screen was cracked and hard to see.” |
| nervous (adjective) | feeling worried or a little scared about something“Javier felt nervous when he looked at the broken phone.” |
| battery (noun) | the part inside a device that gives it power“The battery was loose, so the phone would not turn on.” |
| loose (adjective) | not fixed tightly in place; able to move“He saw that the battery was loose inside the phone.” |
| proud (adjective) | feeling very happy about something good you have done“Javier felt proud when the customer said thank you.” |
| perfectly (adverb) | in a way that is completely right and has no mistakes“"You fixed it perfectly!" the man said happily.” |
| collect (verb) | to go and pick up something that is ready for you“The man came back to collect his phone in the afternoon.” |
Useful phrases
- take a deep breath — to breathe in slowly to help yourself feel calm“Javier felt nervous, so he took a deep breath before starting.”
- turn on — to start a device so it works“He pressed the button and the phone turned on.”
- good work — something you say to praise someone for doing something well“Sara said "Good work, Javier" when she heard the customer.”
- all by yourself — without any help from other people“Sara was happy that Javier fixed the phone all by himself.”
- I am glad I could help — a polite way to say you are happy you did something useful for someone“"I am glad I could help," Javier said to the customer.”
- cannot wait — to feel very excited about something that will happen“Javier could not wait to fix the next phone.”
- fits in — to place a part correctly into its position“He fits the new screen into the phone carefully.”
- stand up straight — to hold your body tall and upright, often showing confidence“After Sara praised him, Javier stood up straight and smiled.”
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | F | N | R | L | M | S | Y | Z | C | S | H |
| 2 | D | D | E | O | O | R | S | R | H | T | N |
| 3 | U | G | Z | R | E | O | A | L | D | C | I |
| 4 | O | S | F | T | V | C | S | Y | H | E | E |
| 5 | R | X | T | N | K | O | U | E | B | L | T |
| 6 | P | A | R | E | T | N | U | O | C | L | U |
| 7 | B | U | D | F | Q | H | Q | S | K | O | O |
| 8 | Y | L | T | C | E | F | R | E | P | C | Z |
| 9 | Q | H | A | K | O | D | D | I | N | N | Q |
| 10 | C | P | I | H | H | X | W | C | B | O | N |
| 11 | Q | F | D | P | T | G | I | U | Q | M | E |
Comprehension quiz
Where does Javier work?
- A) At a school
- B) At a tech repair counter
- C) At a phone shop online
- D) At a restaurant
What does Javier do every morning before the shop opens?
- A) He reads a book
- B) He calls his manager
- C) He drinks coffee
- D) He cleans his tools and puts them in a line
What is wrong with the phone the man brings in?
- A) The phone is wet
- B) The screen is cracked and the phone will not turn on
- C) The phone is too old to fix
- D) The battery is missing
Why does the phone not turn on?
- A) The screen is broken
- B) The battery is loose
- C) There is no power in the shop
- D) The phone is too old
What does Javier say when the phone turns on?
- A) "It works!"
- B) "Good work!"
- C) "Thank you so much!"
- D) "I am glad!"
What does the word 'nervous' mean in this story?
- A) Feeling angry about a problem
- B) Feeling worried or a little scared
- C) Feeling tired after work
- D) Feeling happy and excited
What does Sara say to Javier after the customer leaves?
- A) "That was an easy fix."
- B) "You need more practice."
- C) "Good work, Javier. You did that all by yourself!"
- D) "Please ask me next time."
Javier has worked at the shop for one year.
- A) Not stated
- B) False
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
What does 'collect' mean in the sentence: 'The man comes back to collect his phone'?
- A) To go and pick up something that is ready
- B) To leave something behind
- C) To buy something new
- D) To look at something
How does Javier feel at the end of the story?
- A) Worried that he made a mistake
- B) Angry because it was difficult
- C) Proud and happy, and excited to fix more things
- D) Tired and ready to go home
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. B 2. D 3. B 4. B 5. A 6. B 7. C 8. B 9. A 10. C
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.
battery: A7 ↗ · collect: J8 ↑ · counter: I6 ← · cracked: I1 ↙ · loose: D1 ↘ · nervous: B1 ↘ · perfectly: I8 ← · proud: A6 ↑