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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a very important item going missing right before you need it

    Kirra and the Missing Wrench

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kirra works in a repair workshop. She fixes things every day. She fixes bicycles, tools, and small machines. Kirra loves her job. She is very good at it. People bring broken things to her workshop. Kirra always knows what to do. She has a lot of tools. She keeps them on a big shelf. Every tool has its own place. Kirra is very careful with her tools. She always puts them back after she uses them. Her favorite tool is a wrench. It is a big, heavy, silver wrench. She uses it almost every day. One morning, a man comes to the workshop. He has a broken machine. It is a very important machine. He needs it for work. "Please fix it today," he says.

    "I need it this afternoon." Kirra looks at the machine. She knows the problem. She needs her big wrench to fix it. She goes to the shelf. But the wrench is not there. She looks again. It is not on the shelf. She looks on the table. It is not on the table. She looks under the table. It is not there. Kirra starts to feel worried. She looks everywhere in the workshop. She cannot find the wrench. Kirra thinks hard. She tries to remember. Did she use the wrench yesterday? Yes, she did. She used it to fix a bicycle. Did she put it back?

    She is not sure. She looks near the bicycle. She moves some boxes. And then she sees it! The wrench is behind a big box. She picks it up. "I found it!" she says. She feels very happy. She goes back to the machine. She uses the wrench. She fixes the machine quickly. The man comes back in the afternoon. "Thank you so much," he says. Kirra smiles. "No problem," she says. It was a busy and stressful morning. But everything is okay now. Kirra puts the wrench back on the shelf. She will be more careful next time.

    Key vocabulary

    workshop (noun)a room or building where things are made or repaired“Kirra spends every day working in her repair workshop.”
    wrench (noun)a metal tool used for turning nuts and bolts“She needs the wrench to tighten the bolts on the machine.”
    shelf (noun)a flat board fixed to a wall or inside a cupboard, used to store things“Kirra keeps all her tools on a shelf in the workshop.”
    broken (adjective)damaged and not working correctly“The man brings a broken machine to the workshop.”
    worried (adjective)feeling nervous or unhappy because you think something bad might happen“Kirra feels worried when she cannot find her wrench.”
    fix (verb)to repair something that is broken or not working“It is Kirra's job to fix broken tools and machines.”
    remember (verb)to bring something from the past back into your mind“Kirra tries to remember where she put her wrench.”
    stressful (adjective)causing a lot of worry or pressure“It was a stressful morning because Kirra could not find her tool.”

    Useful phrases

    • put something back — to return something to the place where it was before“Always put your tools back after you use them.”
    • look everywhere — to search in all possible places“She looks everywhere in the workshop but cannot find the wrench.”
    • think hard — to concentrate and try very seriously to remember or solve something“Kirra thinks hard and tries to remember where she used the wrench.”
    • I found it — an expression used when you have successfully located something you were looking for“She moves the box and says, "I found it!"”
    • No problem — a friendly way to say you are happy to help or that something was easy“When the man thanks Kirra, she says, "No problem."”
    • be good at something — to have a skill or ability to do something well“Kirra is very good at fixing machines and bicycles.”
    • Thank you so much — a warm and polite way to express strong gratitude“The man says, "Thank you so much," when he gets his machine back.”
    • next time — on the following occasion when the same situation happens“Kirra will be more careful with her tools next time.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1DEIRROWFUUK
    2XLXRLKFYCHE
    3STRESSFULST
    4VRWMUABFBDZ
    5ZKOEYIOIBBL
    6HURMBHWXJMG
    7KMKBARCCIJF
    8FQSEVCONDLW
    9OLHRQCAKELY
    10DCOWPTSHERK
    11WAPZBJSJDNW

    Comprehension quiz

    1. What is Kirra's job?

      • A) She builds bicycles in a factory.
      • B) She teaches people to use machines.
      • C) She fixes things in a repair workshop.
      • D) She sells tools in a shop.
    2. What is Kirra's favorite tool?

      • A) A drill
      • B) A screwdriver
      • C) A hammer
      • D) A wrench
    3. Why does the man come to the workshop?

      • A) He wants to learn how to fix things.
      • B) He has a broken machine that he needs for work.
      • C) He wants to buy a new tool.
      • D) He wants to return a wrench.
    4. Where does Kirra usually keep her tools?

      • A) In a bag under the table
      • B) On a big shelf
      • C) On the floor near the door
      • D) Inside a box
    5. Where does Kirra find the wrench?

      • A) Behind a big box
      • B) Under a bicycle
      • C) On the table
      • D) On the shelf
    6. What does "worried" mean in this story?

      • A) Feeling nervous because something might be wrong
      • B) Feeling tired after working
      • C) Feeling happy and excited
      • D) Feeling angry at someone
    7. When did Kirra last use the wrench before the man arrived?

      • A) A week before
      • B) The previous day to fix a bicycle
      • C) That same morning
      • D) She cannot remember using it at all.
    8. Kirra always puts her tools back in their place. True or False?

      • A) True
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    9. Which word means "damaged and not working correctly"?

      • A) Stressful
      • B) Heavy
      • C) Worried
      • D) Broken
    10. How does Kirra feel at the end of the story?

      • A) Angry and tired
      • B) Sad and confused
      • C) Bored and lonely
      • D) Happy and relieved

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    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.

    broken: E6 ↘ · fix: H4 ↓ · remember: D2 ↓ · shelf: G11 ↗ · stressful: A3 → · workshop: C4 ↓ · worried: G1 ← · wrench: K11 ↖

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: a very important item going missing right before you need it

    Kirra and the Vanishing Wrench

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kirra has worked in the repair workshop for several years, and she takes great pride in keeping everything well-organized. Her tools hang neatly on a pegboard above the main workbench, and every item has a clearly labeled spot. The most essential tool in her collection is a heavy-duty wrench that she relies on for the toughest repair jobs. On this particular morning, a client had dropped off a large industrial machine the previous evening, leaving a note that read, "Please have this ready by midday — it's urgent." Kirra had promised the job would be done on time, so she rolled up her sleeves and prepared to get started. She reached for the wrench, fully expecting it to be in its usual place on the pegboard. It was not there. She checked twice, scanning the board carefully, but the hook where the wrench always hung was completely empty. A cold feeling of panic settled in Kirra's chest as she began searching the workshop.

    She pulled open drawers, moved stacks of spare parts, and checked beneath the workbench, but there was no sign of the wrench anywhere. "Where on earth did I put it?" she muttered under her breath, growing more anxious with every passing minute. She tried to retrace her steps from the day before, recalling that she had used the wrench to tighten the bolts on a heavy-duty bicycle frame late in the afternoon. After finishing that job, she had been interrupted by a phone call and must have set the wrench down without thinking. She expanded her search to the far side of the workshop, shifting boxes and checking behind equipment she rarely moved. Time was running short, and the pressure of the approaching deadline made it difficult to think clearly. Just as Kirra was beginning to consider her options, she noticed the corner of something metallic glinting beneath a folded sheet of tarpaulin near the back wall. She lifted the tarpaulin and there it was — the wrench, lying exactly where she must have left it after the bicycle job.

    "Finally," she breathed, picking it up and heading straight back to the machine. Working efficiently and without further interruption, she completed the repair with twenty minutes to spare. When the client arrived, Kirra handed over the machine with a calm smile. "It's all done and ready for you," she said. The client looked relieved and grateful. "I was worried it wouldn't be finished in time," he admitted. That evening, Kirra attached a small hook for the wrench directly beside the bicycle stand, so that the same situation could never happen again.

    Key vocabulary

    essential (adjective)absolutely necessary and extremely important“The wrench is the most essential tool in Kirra's workshop.”
    retrace (verb)to go back over the same steps or actions in order to find something or remember what happened“Kirra tries to retrace her steps to remember where she left the wrench.”
    deadline (noun)a point in time by which something must be completed“The approaching deadline makes it hard for Kirra to think clearly.”
    tarpaulin (noun)a large sheet of heavy waterproof material used to cover and protect things“The wrench was hidden beneath a folded tarpaulin near the back wall.”
    glinting (verb)shining with small flashes of light“She spotted something metallic glinting beneath the tarpaulin.”
    anxious (adjective)feeling worried and nervous, especially about something uncertain“Kirra grows more anxious with every minute that passes without finding the wrench.”
    efficiently (adverb)in a way that achieves good results without wasting time or effort“Once she found the wrench, Kirra worked efficiently to finish the repair.”
    interrupt (verb)to stop someone or something before they have finished, by saying or doing something“A phone call interrupted Kirra, causing her to put the wrench down carelessly.”

    Useful phrases

    • take pride in something — to feel pleased and satisfied about something you do well“Kirra takes great pride in keeping her workshop well-organized.”
    • retrace your steps — to think back carefully over what you did in order to find something or understand what happened“She tries to retrace her steps from the day before to find the missing wrench.”
    • under your breath — in a very quiet voice, almost to yourself“"Where on earth did I put it?" Kirra mutters under her breath.”
    • running short — having less and less of something, especially time“Time was running short, and Kirra still had not found the wrench.”
    • with time to spare — finishing something before the deadline, with extra time remaining“Kirra completed the repair with twenty minutes to spare.”
    • where on earth — used to add strong emphasis to a question, expressing frustration or surprise“"Where on earth did I put it?" she said, feeling very frustrated.”
    • roll up your sleeves — to prepare yourself to work hard on something“Kirra rolled up her sleeves and prepared to start the repair job.”
    • on time — at the expected or agreed time, without being late“Kirra had promised that the repair job would be done on time.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1NIXENILDAEDLP
    2NTPURRETNIXMQ
    3IRKBOESCHNYKZ
    4LQLESSHKPAPBF
    5UCJIPSWSSNVGH
    6ARXOBEAOUXNYT
    7PEYLTNEICIFFE
    8RTKCPTHLTOJXO
    9ARDKLIPNZUCHR
    10TAFYOAIVVSLYD
    11YCLGMLPXXOFDO
    12REJVGOCGSZDJS
    13AXZMGYBVSOMDU

    Comprehension quiz

    1. How does Kirra organize her tools in the workshop?

      • A) She keeps them in a locked cupboard.
      • B) She stores them in drawers beneath the floor.
      • C) She hangs them on a labeled pegboard above the workbench.
      • D) She keeps them in a large bag near the door.
    2. What does the word "anxious" mean as used in the story?

      • A) Feeling excited and energetic
      • B) Feeling worried and nervous about something uncertain
      • C) Feeling bored because there is nothing to do
      • D) Feeling confident and ready to act
    3. Why does Kirra think she put the wrench down carelessly the day before?

      • A) A client asked her to stop what she was doing.
      • B) She was too tired to continue working.
      • C) She decided to use a different tool instead.
      • D) She was interrupted by a phone call.
    4. Where does Kirra eventually find the wrench?

      • A) Hanging on the pegboard behind another tool
      • B) Beneath a folded tarpaulin near the back wall
      • C) Inside a drawer under the workbench
      • D) On the floor next to the bicycle stand
    5. What does "with time to spare" mean?

      • A) Running out of time before finishing
      • B) Finishing something exactly on the deadline
      • C) Needing more time than expected
      • D) Completing something early, with extra time remaining
    6. Kirra had never missed a deadline before this day. True or False?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True
    7. What does the word "glinting" suggest about the wrench?

      • A) It was reflecting small flashes of light.
      • B) It was painted a bright color.
      • C) It was making a loud noise.
      • D) It was too large to be hidden.
    8. What does Kirra do to prevent the same problem from happening again?

      • A) She buys a second wrench as a backup.
      • B) She writes a reminder note on the pegboard.
      • C) She attaches a new hook for the wrench beside the bicycle stand.
      • D) She decides to finish work earlier each day.
    9. What does "retrace" mean as used in the story?

      • A) To draw a new map of something
      • B) To copy someone else's method
      • C) To go back over past steps or actions to find or remember something
      • D) To fix something by following instructions
    10. How does the client feel when he collects the machine?

      • A) Angry that it took so long
      • B) Relieved and grateful
      • C) Confused about the repair
      • D) Disappointed with the result

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    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.

    anxious: J4 ↓ · deadline: K1 ← · efficiently: M7 ← · essential: F3 ↓ · glinting: E12 ↗ · interrupt: J2 ← · retrace: B6 ↓ · tarpaulin: A10 ↑

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/kirra-and-the-missing-wrench-2026-07-14