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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a conversation that goes wrong then right

    Kwame's Visit to the Pharmacy

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kwame was not feeling well. He had a bad cough and a sore throat. He decided to go to the pharmacy near his home. He walked inside and looked around. The pharmacy was busy that morning. There were many people waiting. Kwame walked to the counter. A pharmacist was standing behind it. She looked very busy. Kwame said, "Excuse me, I need something for my cough." The pharmacist did not hear him. She was talking to another worker. Kwame waited for a moment. Then he tried again. "Hello, can you help me please?" he asked. The pharmacist still did not look at him. Kwame started to feel upset.

    He thought the pharmacist was ignoring him. He spoke in a louder voice. "I have been waiting here!" he said. The pharmacist turned around quickly. She looked surprised. "I am very sorry," she said. "I did not see you there." Kwame felt a little bad about his loud voice. "I am sorry too," he said. "I am just feeling very sick today." The pharmacist smiled at him. "I understand," she said. "Being sick makes everything harder." Kwame nodded. He felt better already because she was kind. She asked him about his symptoms. Kwame told her about his cough and his sore throat. The pharmacist listened carefully. She went to a shelf and picked up a bottle.

    "This syrup is good for a cough," she said. Then she found some tablets. "These will help your sore throat," she explained. Kwame thanked her. "How do I take the syrup?" he asked. "Take two spoons in the morning and two at night," she said. "And the tablets?" he asked. "Take one tablet three times a day," she answered. Kwame smiled. "Thank you very much for your help," he said. The pharmacist smiled back. "I hope you feel better soon," she said. Kwame paid for the medicine and walked home. He was glad the conversation ended well.

    Key vocabulary

    cough (noun)a sudden, noisy push of air from the lungs, often when you are sick“She had a bad cough for three days.”
    sore (adjective)painful, especially when touched or used“My throat is very sore today.”
    pharmacy (noun)a shop where you can buy medicine“I went to the pharmacy to buy some tablets.”
    counter (noun)a long, flat surface in a shop where you are served“She put the medicine on the counter.”
    pharmacist (noun)a person who prepares and sells medicine in a pharmacy“The pharmacist gave me advice about my medicine.”
    ignoring (verb)not paying attention to someone or something on purpose“He thought she was ignoring him, but she was just busy.”
    symptoms (noun)signs of an illness, like pain or a cough“The doctor asked about my symptoms.”
    syrup (noun)a thick, sweet liquid medicine“The cough syrup tastes sweet.”
    tablet (noun)a small, hard piece of medicine that you swallow“Take one tablet after breakfast.”
    shelf (noun)a flat board on a wall or in a cupboard used to hold things“The medicine was on the top shelf.”

    Useful phrases

    • not feeling well — feeling sick or unwell“I am not feeling well today, so I will stay home.”
    • excuse me — a polite way to get someone's attention or to say sorry“Excuse me, where is the pharmacy?”
    • I understand — used to show you know how someone feels or what they mean“I understand. Please do not worry about it.”
    • feel better — to start to feel less sick or less upset“I hope you feel better after some rest.”
    • thank you very much — a strong and polite way to say thanks“Thank you very much for helping me today.”
    • I am sorry — used to show you feel bad about something you did“I am sorry for speaking so loudly.”

    Word search

    Find all 10 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKL
    1RPGNIRONGIDJ
    2TEZSQZWDEWPO
    3BTTSMTETQHHZ
    4CVENUOADARZY
    5SOREUBTRBHCU
    6PBHPLOMPGAZV
    7YNIEHACUMYEO
    8YXTHCCORSYAG
    9OITIUCATYYSZ
    10ABSGTHSDRINC
    11RTAJPIIZUPGD
    12KLYSHELFPUDT

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why did Kwame go to the pharmacy?

      • A) He wanted to visit a friend.
      • B) He had a cough and a sore throat.
      • C) He wanted to buy food.
      • D) He needed to buy a gift.
    2. What does the word 'sore' mean in the story?

      • A) Happy
      • B) Painful
      • C) Cold
      • D) Tired
    3. Why did the pharmacist not hear Kwame at first?

      • A) She was on the phone.
      • B) She was talking to another worker.
      • C) She was reading a book.
      • D) She was in a different room.
    4. True or false: Kwame shouted at the pharmacist because he was angry.

      • A) False
      • B) True
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    5. What does the word 'ignoring' mean?

      • A) Helping someone quickly
      • B) Not paying attention to someone on purpose
      • C) Speaking loudly to someone
      • D) Looking at someone carefully
    6. What did the pharmacist say after she turned around?

      • A) "Please go away."
      • B) "I do not work here."
      • C) "I am very sorry."
      • D) "Come back later."
    7. True or false: Kwame felt bad about using a loud voice.

      • A) False
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) Not stated
      • D) True
    8. What is a 'syrup' in the story?

      • A) A type of food
      • B) A thick, sweet liquid medicine
      • C) A type of tablet
      • D) A warm drink
    9. How many spoons of syrup should Kwame take at night?

      • A) Two
      • B) Four
      • C) One
      • D) Three
    10. True or false: The pharmacist was rude to Kwame at the end of the story.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) True
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    cough: F9 ↗ · counter: G7 ↖ · ignoring: J1 ← · pharmacist: K2 ↙ · pharmacy: E11 ↗ · shelf: D12 → · sore: A5 → · symptoms: K9 ↖ · syrup: I8 ↓ · tablet: H3 ↙

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: a conversation that goes wrong then right

    A Misunderstanding at the Pharmacy

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Kwame had been feeling unwell for a couple of days, so he finally decided to visit the pharmacy to get some relief. When he arrived, the place was crowded with customers, and the staff behind the counter seemed overwhelmed. He waited patiently in line, but when it was his turn, the pharmacist appeared distracted and kept glancing at a computer screen instead of looking at him. "Excuse me, I was hoping you could recommend something for a persistent cough," Kwame said politely. Without making eye contact, the pharmacist muttered something he could not quite catch and gestured vaguely towards a row of shelves. Kwame felt frustrated because he had expected proper guidance, not a wave of the hand. "I would appreciate it if you could actually help me," he said, his voice sharper than he had intended.

    The pharmacist paused and looked up from the screen, clearly taken aback by Kwame's tone. "I apologize," she said sincerely. "We have been dealing with a problem in our system all morning, and I have been trying to fix a prescription error while serving customers at the same time." Kwame immediately regretted snapping at her, realizing that she had not been rude on purpose. "I should not have spoken to you like that," he replied, feeling genuinely embarrassed. "I have been feeling awful, and I suppose it made me lose my patience more easily than usual." The pharmacist nodded with understanding and suggested they start the conversation again. "Let us begin from the beginning," she said warmly, giving him her full attention. Kwame described his symptoms in detail, mentioning the cough that had kept him awake at night and the soreness in his throat that made swallowing difficult.

    The pharmacist recommended a combination of a soothing syrup for the cough and lozenges for the throat irritation, explaining the dosage carefully. She also advised him to drink warm liquids and to rest as much as possible over the next few days. Kwame was grateful for her thorough advice and thanked her sincerely before paying for the medicine. As he was leaving, she called out, "Take care of yourself, and do not hesitate to come back if the symptoms do not improve." He walked out of the pharmacy feeling much more positive than when he had walked in. It reminded him that a little patience and an honest apology could turn any difficult situation around.

    Key vocabulary

    persistent (adjective)continuing for a long time or difficult to stop“She visited the doctor because of a persistent headache.”
    distracted (adjective)unable to give full attention because something else is on your mind“He seemed distracted during the meeting and missed important details.”
    muttered (verb)spoke very quietly and unclearly, often without opening the mouth much“She muttered an answer, and nobody could hear her properly.”
    frustrated (adjective)feeling annoyed or upset because you cannot achieve what you want“He was frustrated because his computer kept crashing.”
    taken aback (phrase)surprised or shocked by something unexpected“I was taken aback by how expensive the meal was.”
    prescription (noun)a written instruction from a doctor for a specific medicine“The pharmacist asked me for my prescription before giving me the medicine.”
    regretted (verb)felt sorry about something you did or said“She regretted not studying harder for the exam.”
    lozenges (noun)small tablets that dissolve slowly in the mouth, usually to soothe a sore throat“These lozenges will help ease the pain in your throat.”
    dosage (noun)the amount of medicine that should be taken at one time“Always check the correct dosage before taking any medicine.”
    thorough (adjective)done carefully and completely, covering every detail“The doctor gave me a thorough examination.”

    Useful phrases

    • lose my patience — to become annoyed after waiting or dealing with something for too long“I tend to lose my patience when people are late.”
    • taken aback — surprised or shocked in an unexpected way“She was taken aback when he apologized so honestly.”
    • start from the beginning — to begin something again from the very first step“The instructions were confusing, so we decided to start from the beginning.”
    • do not hesitate to — feel free to do something without worrying“Do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.”
    • take care of yourself — look after your own health and wellbeing“You have been working too hard. Please take care of yourself.”
    • turn something around — to change a bad situation into a good one“With a simple apology, she managed to turn the whole situation around.”

    Word search

    Find all 10 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
    1UDPNZTDXGQTFFR
    2FHKETFSMYKRPPX
    3AGLOZENGESOLXD
    4GUTAKENABACKCE
    5NOITPIRCSERPDT
    6XRRLLFHDGZJENC
    7EOEPYVEEAPTEFA
    8UHGGDRFDAATEOR
    9OTRQEFAHRSFGRT
    10HXETBBDTIZCABS
    11EJTGERSSZJHSVI
    12WUTKMURYXEIOLD
    13MAEMRENEYANDIH
    14FHDFPYBEOAATVD

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why was the pharmacist distracted when Kwame spoke to her?

      • A) She was organizing medicine on the shelves.
      • B) She was on the phone with another customer.
      • C) She was dealing with a system problem and a prescription error.
      • D) She was reading a magazine.
    2. What does 'persistent' mean in the context of the story?

      • A) Continuing for a long time and hard to stop
      • B) Mild and barely noticeable
      • C) Extremely painful and dangerous
      • D) Happening once and then stopping
    3. True or false: Kwame raised his voice on purpose to be rude.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True
    4. What does the phrase 'taken aback' mean?

      • A) Moved backwards physically
      • B) Surprised by something unexpected
      • C) Feeling very tired
      • D) Returning to a previous place
    5. Why did Kwame regret snapping at the pharmacist?

      • A) Because she started crying.
      • B) Because the manager came over to complain.
      • C) Because she refused to serve him.
      • D) Because he realized she had not been rude on purpose.
    6. What did the pharmacist recommend for Kwame's sore throat?

      • A) Syrup and warm water
      • B) Tablets and rest
      • C) Lozenges and warm liquids
      • D) A prescription from a doctor
    7. True or false: The pharmacist advised Kwame to come back if his symptoms did not improve.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not stated
    8. What does 'dosage' mean in the story?

      • A) The type of medicine
      • B) The cost of the medicine
      • C) The amount of medicine to take at one time
      • D) The brand name of the medicine
    9. What lesson did Kwame take away from the experience?

      • A) Pharmacies are always too crowded.
      • B) You should never complain about bad service.
      • C) Patience and an honest apology can improve a difficult situation.
      • D) It is better to see a doctor than visit a pharmacy.
    10. True or false: The pharmacist refused to help Kwame after he raised his voice.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not stated

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    distracted: N12 ↑ · dosage: L13 ↑ · frustrated: D14 ↗ · lozenges: C3 → · muttered: A13 ↗ · persistent: E14 ↗ · prescription: L5 ← · regretted: C6 ↓ · taken aback: C4 → · thorough: B9 ↑

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/kwames-visit-to-the-pharmacy-2026-05-01