Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: celebrating a small personal achievement
Javier Fixes It
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Javier worked at a tech repair counter in a busy shopping center. He started the job three months ago. He was new and he did not know many things. The other workers were fast and skilled. Javier was slow and careful. He often asked questions. Sometimes he made mistakes. His manager, Sara, was kind and patient. She showed him how to fix phones and tablets. Javier practiced every day after work. He watched videos and read guides. He wanted to be good at his job. He did not want to disappoint anyone. Every morning, he arrived early and prepared his tools.
He believed that hard work was important. One day, a customer came to the counter with a broken laptop. The screen was black and the laptop made a strange noise. The customer looked worried. "Can you help me?" she asked. "I have important files on this laptop." Javier looked at the laptop carefully. He opened it and checked the parts inside. He found the problem. A small cable was loose. He connected it again and cleaned the dust inside. Then he closed the laptop and pressed the power button. The screen turned on. The laptop worked again. The customer smiled and said, "Thank you so much!" Javier felt very happy.
Sara saw everything from across the counter. She walked over to Javier. "That was great work, Javier," she said. "You fixed it all by yourself." Javier smiled. It was the first time he repaired something without help. He felt proud of himself. The other workers said, "Well done, Javier!" He thanked them all. After work, he sat down and thought about his day. Three months ago, he knew nothing about repairs. Now he fixed a laptop on his own. It was a small achievement, but it meant a lot to him. He picked up his bag and walked home with a big smile. He was ready for the next challenge. Tomorrow, he wanted to learn even more.
Key vocabulary
| repair (noun/verb) | to fix something that is broken, or the act of fixing it“The repair took about thirty minutes.” |
| counter (noun) | a long flat surface where customers are served in a shop“She put her phone on the counter.” |
| skilled (adjective) | having the ability to do something well“The skilled worker finished the job quickly.” |
| cable (noun) | a wire or group of wires used to carry electricity or signals“The cable was loose inside the laptop.” |
| loose (adjective) | not firmly fixed in place“The screw was loose, so I tightened it.” |
| achievement (noun) | something good that you have done through effort“Passing the test was a big achievement for her.” |
| proud (adjective) | feeling happy about something you have done well“He was proud of his good work.” |
| challenge (noun) | something new and difficult that needs effort“Learning a new language is a big challenge.” |
Useful phrases
- by yourself — alone, without help from others“"Did you do this by yourself?" she asked.”
- well done — used to praise someone for doing something good“"Well done, you finished the project on time!"”
- on his own — without help from anyone else“He completed the task on his own.”
- meant a lot — was very important or special“Her kind words meant a lot to me.”
- turned on — started working by pressing a button or switch“She turned on the computer and began to work.”
- looked worried — appeared to be feeling nervous or anxious“The student looked worried before the exam.”
- hard work — a lot of effort and energy put into something“His success was the result of hard work.”
- ready for — prepared to do or face something“I studied a lot and I am ready for the test.”
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 | S | N | Z | C | X | R | L | G | E | K | Q | T | A |
| 2 | L | N | C | C | Z | O | X | O | V | T | N | A | C |
| 3 | T | V | N | O | E | H | H | U | O | E | T | B | Y |
| 4 | E | A | Q | U | X | G | P | G | M | S | H | Q | D |
| 5 | J | T | B | N | S | Q | N | E | T | V | E | Q | M |
| 6 | F | Y | I | T | U | D | V | E | C | O | P | A | P |
| 7 | J | A | I | E | S | E | U | A | L | O | M | U | U |
| 8 | H | W | F | R | I | I | B | S | R | L | F | L | Y |
| 9 | D | S | E | H | T | L | K | I | K | L | A | N | X |
| 10 | S | Z | C | B | E | R | X | H | Z | G | F | H | O |
| 11 | J | A | R | F | D | M | D | U | O | R | P | O | C |
| 12 | A | B | S | S | K | I | L | L | E | D | P | W | B |
| 13 | R | E | P | A | I | R | X | Q | T | K | E | E | Q |
Comprehension quiz
Where does Javier work?
- A) At a phone shop
- B) At a tech repair counter
- C) At a school
- D) At a computer factory
How long has Javier been working at his job?
- A) Two months
- B) Six months
- C) One month
- D) Three months
What does the word 'loose' mean in the story?
- A) Very small
- B) Very tight
- C) Not firmly fixed
- D) Completely broken
What was wrong with the customer's laptop?
- A) The screen was cracked
- B) A cable was loose
- C) The battery was dead
- D) The keyboard was broken
True or False: Javier asked another worker to help him fix the laptop.
- A) Not stated
- B) Not mentioned
- C) False
- D) True
What does 'achievement' mean?
- A) A kind of repair
- B) A difficult problem
- C) A type of tool
- D) Something good done through effort
Who is Sara?
- A) A customer
- B) Another repair worker
- C) Javier's friend
- D) Javier's manager
True or False: The customer had important files on her laptop.
- A) True
- B) Not stated
- C) False
- D) Not mentioned
How did Javier feel after fixing the laptop?
- A) Tired and bored
- B) Angry and frustrated
- C) Proud and happy
- D) Worried and nervous
What does the phrase 'meant a lot' suggest in the story?
- A) It cost a lot of money
- B) It took a long time
- C) It was very important to him
- D) It was very difficult
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. B 2. D 3. C 4. B 5. C 6. D 7. D 8. A 9. C 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.
achievement: B11 ↗ · cable: I6 ↙ · challenge: M11 ↖ · counter: D2 ↓ · loose: G1 ↘ · proud: K11 ← · repair: A13 → · skilled: D12 →