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.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R | P | G | N | I | R | O | N | G | I | D | J |
| 2 | T | E | Z | S | Q | Z | W | D | E | W | P | O |
| 3 | B | T | T | S | M | T | E | T | Q | H | H | Z |
| 4 | C | V | E | N | U | O | A | D | A | R | Z | Y |
| 5 | S | O | R | E | U | B | T | R | B | H | C | U |
| 6 | P | B | H | P | L | O | M | P | G | A | Z | V |
| 7 | Y | N | I | E | H | A | C | U | M | Y | E | O |
| 8 | Y | X | T | H | C | C | O | R | S | Y | A | G |
| 9 | O | I | T | I | U | C | A | T | Y | Y | S | Z |
| 10 | A | B | S | G | T | H | S | D | R | I | N | C |
| 11 | R | T | A | J | P | I | I | Z | U | P | G | D |
| 12 | K | L | Y | S | H | E | L | F | P | U | D | T |
Comprehension quiz
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.
What does the word 'sore' mean in the story?
- A) Happy
- B) Painful
- C) Cold
- D) Tired
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.
True or false: Kwame shouted at the pharmacist because he was angry.
- A) False
- B) True
- C) Not mentioned
- D) Not stated
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
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."
True or false: Kwame felt bad about using a loud voice.
- A) False
- B) Not mentioned
- C) Not stated
- D) True
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
How many spoons of syrup should Kwame take at night?
- A) Two
- B) Four
- C) One
- D) Three
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 ↙