Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: the first day at a new job
Linh's First Morning at the Airport Gate
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Linh arrived at the airport very early in the morning. It was her first day at her new job. She felt nervous and excited at the same time. She stood near the entrance of the departure lounge and looked around. There were many people sitting in chairs and waiting for their flights. The lounge was big and bright. There were large windows and she could see airplanes outside. Linh took a deep breath. She told herself, "You can do this." She checked her name badge. It said "Linh – Ground Staff." She put it on carefully. She wanted to look professional. She smiled at a passenger who walked past her. The passenger smiled back. Linh felt a little better. A woman walked over to Linh. Her name was Dana, and she was Linh's supervisor.
"Good morning, Linh," Dana said. "Welcome to your first day." "Thank you," said Linh. "I am a little nervous." Dana smiled. "That is normal," she said. "Everyone feels that way on their first day." Dana showed Linh around the departure lounge. She pointed to the check-in desks. She showed Linh the information screens. She explained how to help passengers find their gates. She also showed Linh where to find the luggage carts. Linh listened carefully and tried to remember everything. She took out a small notebook and wrote down some notes. She did not want to forget anything important. Later, a passenger came to Linh for help. The man looked worried. "Excuse me," he said. "I cannot find my gate." Linh looked at the man's boarding pass.
"Your gate is B7," she said. "Go straight ahead and turn left at the big screens." The man smiled. "Thank you so much," he said. Linh felt proud. It was her first time helping someone at the airport. She helped two more passengers before lunchtime. One woman needed help with her cart. Another passenger asked about the departure time of his flight. Linh answered each question as best as she could. At lunchtime, Dana came to find her. "You did a great job today, Linh," she said. Linh smiled. She felt tired but very happy. She was excited to come back the next day.
Key vocabulary
| departure lounge (noun) | the area in an airport where passengers wait before boarding their flight“Linh stood in the departure lounge and waited for her supervisor.” |
| nervous (adjective) | feeling worried or anxious about something“Linh felt nervous on her first day at work.” |
| supervisor (noun) | a person who is in charge of other workers and helps them do their job“Dana was Linh's supervisor at the airport.” |
| boarding pass (noun) | a document that allows a passenger to get on a plane“Linh looked at the man's boarding pass to find his gate number.” |
| gate (noun) | the place in an airport where passengers go to get on their plane“The passenger did not know where his gate was.” |
| professional (adjective) | behaving in a way that is suitable and correct for a job“Linh wanted to look professional on her first day.” |
| luggage cart (noun) | a small vehicle with wheels used to carry bags and suitcases in an airport“Dana showed Linh where to find the luggage carts.” |
| badge (noun) | a small sign worn on clothing that shows your name or job“Linh checked her name badge before starting work.” |
Useful phrases
- take a deep breath — to breathe in slowly and deeply, often to feel calm“Linh took a deep breath before she started her first day at work.”
- look around — to look at different parts of a place“Linh looked around the departure lounge when she arrived.”
- show someone around — to take someone to different parts of a place and explain things to them“Dana showed Linh around the departure lounge.”
- at the same time — together; both things happening together“Linh felt nervous and excited at the same time.”
- as best as you can — trying as hard as possible to do something well“Linh answered every question as best as she could.”
- go straight ahead — to continue moving forward without turning“"Go straight ahead and turn left," Linh told the passenger.”
- write down — to record something on paper so you do not forget it“Linh wrote down notes so she would not forget anything important.”
- feel proud — to feel happy and satisfied about something you have done well“Linh felt proud after she helped the passenger find his gate.”
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 | N | O | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | N | U | T | S | U | P | E | R | V | I | S | O | R | D |
| 2 | T | F | U | E | S | U | O | V | R | E | N | L | V | E | F |
| 3 | Z | O | B | U | F | R | D | F | P | R | U | V | P | O | I |
| 4 | C | A | B | O | A | R | D | I | N | G | P | A | S | S | X |
| 5 | B | Z | S | R | K | D | Q | C | G | B | R | E | B | I | X |
| 6 | G | G | T | U | T | K | L | A | P | T | V | F | A | G | E |
| 7 | O | B | J | K | E | V | G | M | U | Z | F | A | D | O | M |
| 8 | Y | C | W | S | U | E | B | R | V | E | D | C | A | L | I |
| 9 | K | U | Z | S | C | I | E | P | G | Z | A | G | I | U | F |
| 10 | T | V | B | A | X | L | T | D | F | P | A | H | G | R | I |
| 11 | B | B | R | M | O | H | A | P | U | T | T | E | T | G | D |
| 12 | S | T | L | U | W | B | C | R | E | Y | F | A | B | H | G |
| 13 | T | P | N | P | R | O | F | E | S | S | I | O | N | A | L |
| 14 | T | G | P | Z | U | R | H | X | R | V | J | C | W | B | I |
| 15 | E | A | O | T | K | Q | U | H | K | N | Y | Z | W | R | E |
Comprehension quiz
What was Linh's job title on her name badge?
- A) Flight Attendant
- B) Information Officer
- C) Ground Staff
- D) Check-in Assistant
Who was Dana?
- A) A passenger at the airport
- B) Linh's colleague at the desk
- C) Linh's supervisor
- D) A flight attendant
What did Linh use to write her notes?
- A) Her cell phone
- B) A printed schedule
- C) A small notebook
- D) A tablet
What was the passenger's gate number?
- A) D7
- B) C7
- C) B7
- D) A7
What does 'departure lounge' mean?
- A) A room where pilots wait before flying
- B) The area where bags are collected after a flight
- C) The area where passengers wait before boarding their flight
- D) A restaurant inside an airport
How did Linh feel at the end of her first day?
- A) Worried and confused
- B) Tired but very happy
- C) Bored and disappointed
- D) Angry and frustrated
Linh helped only one passenger before lunchtime. True or False?
- A) False
- B) Not stated
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
What did Dana say to Linh at lunchtime?
- A) "Please try harder tomorrow."
- B) "You did a great job today."
- C) "Come back at the same time tomorrow."
- D) "You need more training."
Which word means 'feeling worried or anxious about something'?
- A) Nervous
- B) Excited
- C) Proud
- D) Professional
Linh could see airplanes through the windows of the departure lounge. True or False?
- A) Not stated
- B) False
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. C 2. C 3. C 4. C 5. C 6. B 7. A 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.
badge: F12 ↗ · boarding pass: C4 → · departure lounge: O1 ↙ · gate: L9 ↙ · luggage cart: L2 ↙ · nervous: K2 ← · professional: D13 → · supervisor: E1 →