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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: helping someone who is upset

    Kai and the Crying Girl

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kai is at the railway platform. He has a big bag with him. He is waiting for his train. The platform is busy. Many people are standing and walking. Kai looks at the board. His train is on time. He feels happy about that. Then he sees a girl near the wall. She is sitting on a bench. She has her hands over her face. Her shoulders are moving up and down. Kai thinks she is crying. He feels worried for her. He does not know her.

    Kai walks slowly to the bench. He stops near the girl. He says, "Excuse me, are you okay?" The girl looks up. Her eyes are red. She says, "No, I missed my train." Kai sits down next to her. He says, "Oh, that is not good. I am sorry." The girl says, "My name is Lena." Kai says, "Hi Lena, I am Kai. Can I help you?" Lena says, "I do not know what to do." Kai says, "Let us look at the board together." They both stand up and walk to the big board. Kai points at the screen. He says, "Look! There is another train in twenty minutes." Lena looks at the board. She wipes her eyes. Lena says, "Really? I did not see that!" She smiles a little. Kai says, "Yes!

    You are going to be okay." Lena takes a deep breath. She says, "Thank you so much, Kai." Kai smiles and says, "No problem at all." They walk back to the bench together. They sit and wait. Kai talks to Lena. He asks her easy questions. She starts to feel better. She laughs a little. Soon, they hear an announcement. The next train is coming. Lena picks up her bag. She says, "You are very kind, Kai. Thank you again!" Kai waves and says, "Have a good trip, Lena!" He watches her get on the train. He feels warm inside. It is good to help people.

    Key vocabulary

    platform (noun)the area beside the railway track where people wait for a train“Kai waited on the platform for his train.”
    bench (noun)a long seat for more than one person, often found outdoors or in public places“The girl was sitting on a bench near the wall.”
    missed (verb (past simple))arrived too late for something, such as a train or bus“Lena missed her train because she was late.”
    announcement (noun)an official message spoken out loud in a public place“They heard an announcement that the next train was coming.”
    worried (adjective)feeling nervous or unhappy because you think something bad might happen“Kai felt worried when he saw the girl crying.”
    wipes (verb)to rub something to remove liquid, dirt, or tears from a surface“Lena wipes her eyes after she stops crying.”
    breath (noun)the air that goes in and out of your body when you breathe“Lena takes a deep breath to feel calm.”
    kind (adjective)friendly, generous, and caring towards other people“Lena says Kai is very kind because he helped her.”

    Useful phrases

    • on time — arriving or happening at the correct or expected time“Kai's train was on time, so he was happy.”
    • Excuse me — a polite expression used to get someone's attention“Kai says, "Excuse me, are you okay?" to the girl.”
    • I am sorry — words used to show sympathy or to apologize“Kai says, "I am sorry" when he hears Lena missed her train.”
    • No problem at all — a friendly way to say that something was easy or that you are happy to help“When Lena thanks Kai, he says, "No problem at all."”
    • take a deep breath — to breathe in slowly and deeply to help yourself feel calm“Lena takes a deep breath when she starts to feel better.”
    • Let us look together — an invitation to do something as a group or pair“Kai says, "Let us look at the board together" to help Lena.”
    • Have a good trip — a friendly wish for someone who is about to travel“Kai says, "Have a good trip, Lena!" before she gets on the train.”
    • feel warm inside — to have a happy, positive feeling because of something good you did“Kai feels warm inside after he helps Lena.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
    1XAPSMRJELPXOHR
    2LRNBGEMSZWTTXU
    3MBXNOLEROZAEZS
    4DQTGOPGROEUWXK
    5EABBIURZRFTPRQ
    6SLHWNINBYNTQJG
    7STYCEDJCDETAFS
    8IFEDCQKEETNWLW
    9MQGIBENCHMXLAP
    10JFQVGOHLNLEMOS
    11EYTUPFSNLRPNAC
    12SKINDUESSBSKTQ
    13NPHPGWSPNWRGJE
    14AMJFSRJARZLDUA

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where does the story happen?

      • A) In a park
      • B) On a railway platform
      • C) In a shop
      • D) At an airport
    2. Why is Lena upset at the start?

      • A) She lost her bag
      • B) She missed her train
      • C) She cannot find her ticket
      • D) She is feeling sick
    3. What does Kai say first to Lena?

      • A) "Hello, my name is Kai."
      • B) "Do you need help with your bag?"
      • C) "Can I sit here?"
      • D) "Excuse me, are you okay?"
    4. How long until the next train when Kai looks at the board?

      • A) One hour
      • B) Thirty minutes
      • C) Ten minutes
      • D) Twenty minutes
    5. In the story, "missed" means:

      • A) Broke something
      • B) Arrived too late for something
      • C) Lost something
      • D) Forgot something
    6. What does Lena do when she sees there is another train?

      • A) She cries more
      • B) She calls someone
      • C) She runs to the train
      • D) She smiles a little
    7. Kai knows Lena before the story begins. True or False?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) True
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    8. What does "worried" mean in this story?

      • A) Feeling angry
      • B) Feeling excited
      • C) Feeling nervous or unhappy about something
      • D) Feeling tired
    9. What does Kai do while they wait for the next train?

      • A) He sleeps on the bench
      • B) He talks to Lena and asks her easy questions
      • C) He buys food
      • D) He reads a book
    10. How does Kai feel at the end of the story?

      • A) Tired and sad
      • B) Warm inside because he helped someone
      • C) Bored and unhappy
      • D) Angry that he missed his train

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    announcement: B1 ↘ · bench: E9 → · breath: H6 ↗ · kind: B12 → · missed: A9 ↑ · platform: N9 ↖ · wipes: D6 ↗ · worried: J2 ↙

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: helping someone who is upset

    A Stranger on the Platform

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kai arrived at the railway platform with plenty of time to spare, his travel bag resting at his feet as he scanned the departure board. The platform was crowded with passengers, all absorbed in their own journeys, but something caught Kai's attention near the far end of a bench. A young woman was sitting alone, her shoulders trembling and her face buried in her hands, clearly trying to hold back tears. Kai hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to approach her, since he did not want to make her feel uncomfortable. However, something about her distress felt urgent, and his instinct to help was stronger than his hesitation. He picked up his bag and walked quietly towards her. "Excuse me," Kai said gently, crouching slightly so that he was at her eye level.

    "I don't mean to intrude, but you seem really upset. Is there anything I can do?" The woman looked up, startled, her eyes red and swollen. She introduced herself as Lena and explained that she had just missed the only direct train she needed, and that the situation felt overwhelming. Kai listened carefully without interrupting, nodding to show that he understood. Once she had finished speaking, he suggested they check the departure board together, and within moments he had spotted a connecting service that would get her to her destination with only a short delay. "It's not perfect," he admitted, "but it will get you there." Lena stared at the board, exhaled slowly, and the tension in her face began to ease. "I can't believe I didn't think to check that myself," Lena said, shaking her head with a quiet laugh.

    Kai smiled and told her that it was difficult to think clearly when you were feeling anxious. They returned to the bench and sat together while she organized her thoughts and confirmed her revised plans. Lena admitted that the kindness of a stranger had genuinely caught her off guard, since she had expected everyone to be too busy to notice her. Kai replied that he had simply done what anyone would do, though Lena disagreed with a warm smile. When the announcement for her connecting train rang out across the platform, she stood, gathered her belongings, and turned to thank Kai sincerely. He watched her disappear into the crowd, feeling a quiet but satisfying sense of having done something worthwhile.

    Key vocabulary

    departure (noun)the act of leaving a place, especially at the start of a journey“Kai checked the departure board to see when his train was leaving.”
    hesitate (verb)to pause before doing something because you are uncertain or nervous“Kai hesitated before approaching Lena, unsure if she wanted help.”
    intrude (verb)to enter a situation or disturb someone without being invited or wanted“Kai did not want to intrude, so he spoke very gently.”
    overwhelming (adjective)so strong or difficult that it is hard to deal with“Lena said the situation felt overwhelming because she did not know what to do.”
    connecting (adjective)describing a train, bus, or flight that allows you to continue your journey after changing“Kai found a connecting service that would still get Lena to her destination.”
    tension (noun)a feeling of worry, stress, or anxiety that makes the body or mind feel tight“The tension in Lena's face began to ease when she saw there was another train.”
    revised (adjective)changed or updated, especially a plan or arrangement“Lena confirmed her revised plans after Kai showed her the new route.”
    worthwhile (adjective)worth the time, effort, or difficulty involved; having a positive result“Kai felt a satisfying sense of having done something worthwhile.”

    Useful phrases

    • with plenty of time to spare — arriving or finishing earlier than needed, with extra time available“Kai reached the platform with plenty of time to spare before his train.”
    • caught his attention — made someone notice something or someone“The young woman's trembling shoulders caught Kai's attention immediately.”
    • I don't mean to intrude — a polite way of saying you are aware you might be disturbing someone“Kai said, "I don't mean to intrude," before asking Lena if she was okay.”
    • think clearly — to be able to reason and make decisions calmly and logically“Kai told Lena that it was hard to think clearly when you were feeling anxious.”
    • caught off guard — surprised by something because you were not expecting it“Lena said the kindness of a stranger had caught her off guard.”
    • gathered her belongings — collected and picked up all of one's personal items before leaving“When she heard the announcement, Lena stood up and gathered her belongings.”
    • rang out — to be heard loudly and clearly, especially a sound in a public space“The announcement rang out across the platform, and Lena knew it was time to go.”
    • hold back tears — to try hard not to cry, controlling your emotions with effort“Lena was clearly trying to hold back tears when Kai first noticed her.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
    1CCBOLREVISEDLA
    2LCEVSGLEDURTNI
    3QMKEDIHESITATE
    4MNCRIEQXICXRTK
    5AAHWCCPJXINDWE
    6BWOHYOGAAXDOTX
    7LZOELNZFRKRELL
    8QKNLMNDMJTNAFC
    9IDRMBERXHSUFLB
    10BOTIOCCWILXRXJ
    11KZQNSTHOJWZTEK
    12HDWGNINSADWNBT
    13CSTKLNFJQRRWZP
    14ISKEFGKQWEKQXN

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why did Kai hesitate before approaching Lena?

      • A) He did not want to make her feel uncomfortable
      • B) He was not sure which bench she was sitting on
      • C) He was running late for his own train
      • D) He thought she was talking on the phone
    2. What does "overwhelming" mean as used in the story?

      • A) So difficult or strong that it is hard to manage
      • B) Very exciting and enjoyable
      • C) Unexpected and surprising
      • D) Easy to deal with
    3. How did Kai help Lena with her travel problem?

      • A) He found a connecting service on the departure board
      • B) He gave her his own ticket
      • C) He asked another passenger to help her
      • D) He called the station to hold the train
    4. Which word best describes Kai's manner when he first speaks to Lena?

      • A) Quickly
      • B) Loudly
      • C) Nervously
      • D) Gently
    5. Lena expected strangers to stop and help her. True or False?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True
    6. What does the phrase "caught off guard" mean?

      • A) Was caught doing something wrong
      • B) Felt confused about directions
      • C) Was surprised by something unexpected
      • D) Felt protected by someone
    7. What reason did Kai give for why Lena had not thought to check the board herself?

      • A) The board was in the wrong place
      • B) She had forgotten her glasses
      • C) It was difficult to think clearly when feeling anxious
      • D) She had only just arrived at the platform
    8. The connecting train would get Lena to her destination with no delay at all. True or False?

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    9. What does "worthwhile" mean as used in the final paragraph?

      • A) Very expensive and difficult
      • B) Easy and quick to do
      • C) Unexpected and surprising
      • D) Worth the effort because it has a positive result
    10. How does the story describe Kai's feeling at the very end?

      • A) Quiet but satisfying
      • B) Relieved and tired
      • C) Proud and excited
      • D) Happy and energetic

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    1. A 2. A 3. A 4. D 5. C 6. C 7. C 8. B 9. D 10. A

    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.

    connecting: F5 ↓ · departure: E3 ↘ · hesitate: G3 → · intrude: N2 ← · overwhelming: D1 ↓ · revised: F1 → · tension: M6 ↙ · worthwhile: M5 ↙

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/kai-and-the-crying-girl-2026-07-23