Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: running into someone you hoped to avoid

Kofi's Unlucky Morning

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________

Kofi walked to the bus stop. It was a busy morning. Many people were standing and waiting. Kofi needed to take the bus to work. He was a little tired. He did not sleep well the night before. He looked at his phone. The bus was coming in ten minutes. He stood near the back of the group. He did not want anyone to see him. He put on his sunglasses. He hoped to stay invisible. He looked down at the ground. He took a deep breath. He just wanted a quiet morning. Then Kofi saw someone he knew. It was Marcus.

Marcus was Kofi's old neighbor. Kofi did not like Marcus very much. Marcus always talked a lot. He never stopped talking. Kofi tried to move away slowly. He stepped behind a tall woman. He held his bag in front of his face. His heart was beating fast. He thought, "Please don't see me." But then Marcus turned around. Marcus smiled a big smile. "Kofi! Hey, Kofi!" Marcus called out loudly. Kofi stopped walking. He could not hide now. He waved slowly and said, "Oh. Hi, Marcus." Marcus walked over quickly.

He started talking right away. "I haven't seen you in so long!" he said. "How are you? How is your family? Do you still live in the same place?" Kofi answered each question politely. He said, "Yes, I'm fine, thank you." Marcus kept talking. The bus arrived at last. Kofi felt very happy. "Sorry, Marcus, I have to go now," Kofi said. He got on the bus fast. He found a seat near the window. He sat down and closed his eyes. The bus moved away from the stop. Kofi smiled to himself. He was finally free.

Key vocabulary

invisible (adjective)	not able to be seen“Kofi put on his sunglasses because he wanted to feel invisible.”
neighbor (noun)	a person who lives near you“Marcus was Kofi's old neighbor from his previous home.”
politely (adverb)	in a kind and respectful way“Kofi answered each question politely, even though he was unhappy.”
arrived (verb)	came to a place“The bus arrived at last and Kofi felt relieved.”
beat (verb)	to make a regular sound or movement, like a heart“His heart was beating fast because he was nervous.”
waved (verb)	moved your hand to say hello or goodbye“Kofi waved slowly when Marcus called his name.”
loudly (adverb)	with a lot of noise or volume“Marcus called out Kofi's name very loudly.”
finally (adverb)	after a long time or at the end“The bus moved away and Kofi was finally free.”

Useful phrases

called out — said something loudly to get someone's attention“Marcus called out Kofi's name across the busy bus stop.”
kept talking — continued to talk without stopping“Marcus kept talking even though Kofi was not very interested.”
at last — finally, after waiting a long time“The bus arrived at last and Kofi was very happy.”
right away — immediately, without waiting“Marcus started talking right away when he saw Kofi.”
tried to move away — made an effort to go to a different place“Kofi tried to move away slowly so Marcus would not see him.”
I have to go — I need to leave now“"Sorry, I have to go now," Kofi said when the bus came.”
looked down — directed your eyes towards the ground“Kofi looked down at the ground to avoid eye contact.”
smiled to himself — felt happy quietly without showing it to others“Kofi smiled to himself as the bus drove away.”

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	G	S	F	I	N	A	L	L	Y	Y	W
2	F	E	C	A	R	R	I	V	E	D	D
3	T	Y	F	L	Q	I	P	Y	E	N	N
4	N	J	L	B	O	K	I	L	O	A	P
5	D	R	E	E	F	U	B	X	E	L	D
6	L	A	U	J	T	I	D	V	I	N	E
7	T	L	G	O	S	I	E	L	R	Y	V
8	O	T	J	I	J	U	L	M	Y	Z	A
9	C	I	V	U	R	T	V	O	Q	J	W
10	N	N	D	X	D	Z	L	Z	P	I	V
11	I	K	R	O	B	H	G	I	E	N	R

Comprehension quiz

Where does the story take place?
- A) At a market
- B) At a bus stop
- C) At a train station
- D) At Kofi's home
Why did Kofi put on his sunglasses?
- A) Because he lost his bag
- B) Because he wanted to hide
- C) Because he was tired
- D) Because it was sunny
Who is Marcus?
- A) Kofi's work colleague
- B) Kofi's friend from school
- C) Kofi's old neighbor
- D) Kofi's brother
What does the word 'politely' mean?
- A) In an angry way
- B) In a loud way
- C) In a kind and respectful way
- D) In a fast way
How did Kofi try to hide from Marcus?
- A) He called a friend
- B) He got on the bus early
- C) He stepped behind a tall woman
- D) He ran away
What did Marcus do when he saw Kofi?
- A) He smiled and called out loudly
- B) He waved and left
- C) He looked away
- D) He walked to the bus
Kofi slept very well the night before. Is this true or false?
- A) Not mentioned
- B) False
- C) True
- D) Not stated
What does 'at last' mean in the story?
- A) Never
- B) Very slowly
- C) Finally, after a long time
- D) At the beginning
How did Kofi feel when the bus arrived?
- A) Very happy
- B) Sad
- C) Angry
- D) Confused
Where did Kofi sit on the bus?
- A) Near the driver
- B) At the back
- C) Near the window
- D) Near the door

Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

arrived: D2 → · beat: D4 ↙ · finally: C1 → · invisible: A11 ↗ · loudly: D3 ↘ · neighbor: J11 ← · politely: I10 ↖ · waved: K9 ↑

Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: running into someone you hoped to avoid

The Last Person Kofi Wanted to See

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________

Kofi arrived at the bus stop earlier than usual, hoping that a quiet spot near the back of the crowd would keep him out of sight. It had been a rough night, and the last thing he wanted was conversation. He slid his sunglasses on, pulled his bag strap up onto his shoulder, and fixed his gaze firmly on the pavement. The stop was packed with commuters, and the noise of the crowd felt oddly comforting, like a crowd in which it was easy to disappear. He checked the digital display and saw that the bus was eight minutes away. He exhaled slowly, telling himself that he simply had to survive eight minutes without being noticed. He had almost convinced himself that he was safe when he spotted Marcus on the other side of the shelter.

Marcus had been Kofi's neighbor two years ago, and although he was a perfectly decent person, his enthusiasm for conversation was exhausting at the best of times. Kofi shifted quietly behind a woman with a large backpack, angling himself so that the shelter's plastic panel blocked Marcus's line of sight. His pulse quickened. For a moment it seemed to be working, until Marcus stepped forward to check the display board, turned, and their eyes met. "Kofi! I thought that was you!" Marcus called out, already moving towards him with a wide grin. Kofi forced a smile and greeted him, resigning himself to the next few minutes.

Marcus launched into a rapid series of questions about Kofi's job, his new address, and whether he had heard about the old building on their former street being knocked down. Kofi answered each one as briefly as he could, nodding and murmuring, "Really? That's interesting," at what seemed like appropriate moments. When the bus finally groaned to a halt in front of them, Kofi felt a wave of genuine relief wash over him. "Good to see you, Marcus, but I'd better grab a seat," he said, stepping onto the bus before Marcus could reply. He found a window seat, leaned his head back, and allowed himself a quiet, private smile as the stop disappeared behind him.

Key vocabulary

commuter (noun)	a person who travels regularly between home and work“The bus stop was packed with commuters on their way to work.”
exhausting (adjective)	making you feel very tired, usually from effort or stress“Marcus's enthusiasm for conversation was exhausting for Kofi.”
resignation (noun)	the acceptance of something unpleasant that cannot be avoided“Kofi greeted Marcus with resignation, knowing he could not escape.”
quickened (verb)	became faster“His pulse quickened when he realized Marcus had seen him.”
murmuring (verb)	speaking quietly and indistinctly“Kofi kept murmuring short replies to avoid a longer conversation.”
relief (noun)	a feeling of happiness because something unpleasant has ended or not happened“Kofi felt a wave of genuine relief when the bus finally arrived.”
angling (verb)	positioning something at a particular angle or direction“He was angling himself so that the shelter's panel would block the view.”
decent (adjective)	acceptable and reasonably good; honest and kind“Marcus was a perfectly decent person, just a little too talkative.”

Useful phrases

out of sight — in a position where you cannot be seen“Kofi stood at the back of the crowd to stay out of sight.”
at the best of times — even in the most favorable conditions“Marcus's non-stop talking was exhausting at the best of times.”
launched into — started doing something with energy and enthusiasm, often without warning“Marcus launched into a series of questions the moment he reached Kofi.”
I'd better — I should do something; it is advisable for me to do something“"I'd better grab a seat," Kofi said as he stepped onto the bus.”
wash over — to affect someone suddenly and strongly, like a wave“A wave of genuine relief washed over Kofi when the bus arrived.”
convincing himself — making yourself believe something, especially something you hope is true“Kofi was convincing himself he was safe until Marcus turned around.”
line of sight — an imaginary straight line between a person's eyes and what they are looking at“Kofi moved behind the panel to block Marcus's line of sight.”
groaned to a halt — stopped slowly and noisily, often used for vehicles“The bus groaned to a halt just in time for Kofi to escape.”

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	L	H	B	N	B	I	V	S	Z	G	V	B	Z
2	X	R	O	G	O	T	S	T	J	O	S	M	M
3	X	R	Y	Y	N	W	Z	T	P	U	T	E	I
4	W	E	R	O	G	I	W	U	N	T	Q	R	A
5	S	S	E	E	D	N	T	M	L	E	E	C	T
6	E	I	T	K	L	F	I	S	B	T	C	H	E
7	A	G	E	H	Z	I	E	R	U	Q	C	E	O
8	A	N	H	L	V	F	E	M	U	A	X	W	D
9	E	A	I	J	I	D	M	F	O	M	H	I	M
10	L	T	D	S	J	O	Q	R	S	K	R	X	M
11	W	I	L	U	C	V	O	V	A	I	E	U	E
12	L	O	H	Q	U	I	C	K	E	N	E	D	M
13	J	N	B	F	O	N	A	N	G	L	I	N	G

Comprehension quiz

Why did Kofi arrive at the bus stop earlier than usual?
- A) He had missed the previous bus
- B) He needed to buy something nearby
- C) He was hoping to find a quiet, unnoticed spot
- D) He wanted to meet Marcus
What does the word 'exhausting' mean as used in the story?
- A) Very organized
- B) Very entertaining
- C) Very expensive
- D) Making you feel very tired
How long had it been since Kofi and Marcus were neighbors?
- A) Three years
- B) Two years
- C) One year
- D) Six months
What did Kofi use to try to block Marcus's view of him?
- A) His coat
- B) A woman with a backpack and the shelter panel
- C) A large umbrella
- D) His bag
What does the phrase 'launched into' mean in the story?
- A) Stopped suddenly
- B) Started something with energy and without warning
- C) Asked for permission
- D) Spoke very quietly
Kofi enjoyed talking to Marcus at the bus stop. Is this true or false?
- A) False
- B) Not stated
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
What did Marcus ask Kofi about?
- A) His family and children
- B) His opinion of the bus service
- C) His job, new address, and an old building on their street
- D) His travel plans and hobbies
What does 'relief' mean?
- A) A feeling of happiness because something unpleasant has ended
- B) A feeling of surprise at unexpected news
- C) A feeling of sadness about a loss
- D) A feeling of excitement about something new
How did Kofi end the conversation with Marcus?
- A) He pretended to get a phone call
- B) He said he needed to grab a seat and stepped onto the bus
- C) He told Marcus he was unwell
- D) He walked to the other end of the stop
Kofi told Marcus about his new address during their conversation. Is this true or false?
- A) True
- B) False
- C) Not mentioned
- D) Not stated

Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

angling: G13 → · commuter: E11 ↗ · decent: M8 ↖ · exhausting: M11 ↖ · murmuring: M12 ↖ · quickened: D12 → · relief: C4 ↘ · resignation: B3 ↓

Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/kofis-unlucky-morning-2026-08-23

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K
1	G	S	F	I	N	A	L	L	Y	Y	W
2	F	E	C	A	R	R	I	V	E	D	D
3	T	Y	F	L	Q	I	P	Y	E	N	N
4	N	J	L	B	O	K	I	L	O	A	P
5	D	R	E	E	F	U	B	X	E	L	D
6	L	A	U	J	T	I	D	V	I	N	E
7	T	L	G	O	S	I	E	L	R	Y	V
8	O	T	J	I	J	U	L	M	Y	Z	A
9	C	I	V	U	R	T	V	O	Q	J	W
10	N	N	D	X	D	Z	L	Z	P	I	V
11	I	K	R	O	B	H	G	I	E	N	R

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M
1	L	H	B	N	B	I	V	S	Z	G	V	B	Z
2	X	R	O	G	O	T	S	T	J	O	S	M	M
3	X	R	Y	Y	N	W	Z	T	P	U	T	E	I
4	W	E	R	O	G	I	W	U	N	T	Q	R	A
5	S	S	E	E	D	N	T	M	L	E	E	C	T
6	E	I	T	K	L	F	I	S	B	T	C	H	E
7	A	G	E	H	Z	I	E	R	U	Q	C	E	O
8	A	N	H	L	V	F	E	M	U	A	X	W	D
9	E	A	I	J	I	D	M	F	O	M	H	I	M
10	L	T	D	S	J	O	Q	R	S	K	R	X	M
11	W	I	L	U	C	V	O	V	A	I	E	U	E
12	L	O	H	Q	U	I	C	K	E	N	E	D	M
13	J	N	B	F	O	N	A	N	G	L	I	N	G

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K
1	G	S	F	I	N	A	L	L	Y	Y	W
2	F	E	C	A	R	R	I	V	E	D	D
3	T	Y	F	L	Q	I	P	Y	E	N	N
4	N	J	L	B	O	K	I	L	O	A	P
5	D	R	E	E	F	U	B	X	E	L	D
6	L	A	U	J	T	I	D	V	I	N	E
7	T	L	G	O	S	I	E	L	R	Y	V
8	O	T	J	I	J	U	L	M	Y	Z	A
9	C	I	V	U	R	T	V	O	Q	J	W
10	N	N	D	X	D	Z	L	Z	P	I	V
11	I	K	R	O	B	H	G	I	E	N	R

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M
1	L	H	B	N	B	I	V	S	Z	G	V	B	Z
2	X	R	O	G	O	T	S	T	J	O	S	M	M
3	X	R	Y	Y	N	W	Z	T	P	U	T	E	I
4	W	E	R	O	G	I	W	U	N	T	Q	R	A
5	S	S	E	E	D	N	T	M	L	E	E	C	T
6	E	I	T	K	L	F	I	S	B	T	C	H	E
7	A	G	E	H	Z	I	E	R	U	Q	C	E	O
8	A	N	H	L	V	F	E	M	U	A	X	W	D
9	E	A	I	J	I	D	M	F	O	M	H	I	M
10	L	T	D	S	J	O	Q	R	S	K	R	X	M
11	W	I	L	U	C	V	O	V	A	I	E	U	E
12	L	O	H	Q	U	I	C	K	E	N	E	D	M
13	J	N	B	F	O	N	A	N	G	L	I	N	G

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K
1	G	S	F	I	N	A	L	L	Y	Y	W
2	F	E	C	A	R	R	I	V	E	D	D
3	T	Y	F	L	Q	I	P	Y	E	N	N
4	N	J	L	B	O	K	I	L	O	A	P
5	D	R	E	E	F	U	B	X	E	L	D
6	L	A	U	J	T	I	D	V	I	N	E
7	T	L	G	O	S	I	E	L	R	Y	V
8	O	T	J	I	J	U	L	M	Y	Z	A
9	C	I	V	U	R	T	V	O	Q	J	W
10	N	N	D	X	D	Z	L	Z	P	I	V
11	I	K	R	O	B	H	G	I	E	N	R

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M
1	L	H	B	N	B	I	V	S	Z	G	V	B	Z
2	X	R	O	G	O	T	S	T	J	O	S	M	M
3	X	R	Y	Y	N	W	Z	T	P	U	T	E	I
4	W	E	R	O	G	I	W	U	N	T	Q	R	A
5	S	S	E	E	D	N	T	M	L	E	E	C	T
6	E	I	T	K	L	F	I	S	B	T	C	H	E
7	A	G	E	H	Z	I	E	R	U	Q	C	E	O
8	A	N	H	L	V	F	E	M	U	A	X	W	D
9	E	A	I	J	I	D	M	F	O	M	H	I	M
10	L	T	D	S	J	O	Q	R	S	K	R	X	M
11	W	I	L	U	C	V	O	V	A	I	E	U	E
12	L	O	H	Q	U	I	C	K	E	N	E	D	M
13	J	N	B	F	O	N	A	N	G	L	I	N	G