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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: getting the wrong order at a cafe

    Marco's Wrong Order

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Marco loved books. He went to a quiet bookshop every Saturday morning. The bookshop had a small café inside. Marco always felt happy there. He liked the smell of coffee and old books. He walked in and looked around. There were many books on the shelves. He picked up a book about animals. Then he went to the café counter. A young woman was working there. She had a big smile. Marco smiled back at her. He was ready to order his drink. He felt relaxed and calm. Marco looked at the menu on the wall.

    He wanted a hot chocolate. It was his favorite drink. He read the menu carefully. "I would like a hot chocolate, please," he said. The woman wrote something on a small piece of paper. "Of course!" she said. Marco went to a table near the window. He put his book on the table. He sat down in a soft chair. He opened his book and started to read. A few minutes later, the woman brought a drink to his table. Marco looked at the cup. The drink was not hot chocolate. It was a cup of green tea. Marco was surprised.

    He did not want green tea. He looked at the cup again. He thought about what to do. He did not want to be rude. He stood up and walked back to the counter. "Excuse me," he said politely. "I ordered a hot chocolate, but I got green tea." The woman looked at her paper. Her face turned red. "I am so sorry!" she said. "I wrote the wrong thing." She quickly made a new drink for Marco. This time it was the right drink. Marco smiled and said, "No problem at all!" He went back to his table. He drank his hot chocolate. It was warm and sweet. He read his book and felt very happy.

    Key vocabulary

    counter (noun)a long flat surface in a shop or café where you order or pay“Marco walked to the counter to order his drink.”
    menu (noun)a list of food and drinks that you can order“He read the menu carefully before he ordered.”
    politely (adverb)in a kind and respectful way“Marco spoke politely to the woman at the counter.”
    surprised (adjective)feeling something you did not expect“Marco was surprised when he saw the wrong drink.”
    ordered (verb)asked for food or a drink in a café or restaurant“He ordered a hot chocolate at the café.”
    rude (adjective)not polite or kind to other people“Marco did not want to be rude to the woman.”
    shelf (noun)a flat board fixed to a wall or inside a cupboard, used for storing things“There were many books on the shelves in the bookshop.”
    relaxed (adjective)calm and not worried or tense“Marco felt relaxed sitting in the soft chair with his book.”

    Useful phrases

    • I would like... — a polite way to say what you want to order or have“"I would like a hot chocolate, please," said Marco.”
    • Excuse me — used to get someone's attention politely“"Excuse me," Marco said when he went back to the counter.”
    • No problem at all — used to say you are not angry or upset about something“Marco smiled and said, "No problem at all!"”
    • I am so sorry — a strong way to say you feel bad about a mistake“"I am so sorry!" the woman said when she made the wrong drink.”
    • looked at — turned your eyes toward something to see it“Marco looked at the cup and saw it was green tea.”
    • felt happy — had a feeling of joy or pleasure“Marco felt happy sitting in the bookshop café.”
    • walked back to — returned somewhere on foot“He walked back to the counter to tell the woman about the mistake.”
    • this time — on this particular occasion, especially after something went wrong before“She made a new drink, and this time it was the right one.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1KAEUNREPRGV
    2QWSQMDKOCYD
    3ORDCUZALDQN
    4ADERFVFIERA
    5FDETTNMTSVB
    6LHEXNDSEIZI
    7EXHRAUALRPH
    8HLWMELOYPWR
    9SWESMDECRNW
    10INJIBJRRUUQ
    11UNMDWFIOSUO

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where does Marco like to go every Saturday morning?

      • A) A quiet bookshop
      • B) A busy restaurant
      • C) A large supermarket
      • D) A sports center
    2. What drink did Marco order?

      • A) Coffee
      • B) Green tea
      • C) Orange juice
      • D) Hot chocolate
    3. What drink did Marco receive?

      • A) Coffee
      • B) Hot chocolate
      • C) Green tea
      • D) Lemonade
    4. Where did Marco sit in the café?

      • A) On the floor
      • B) At a table near the window
      • C) Near the bookshelf
      • D) At the counter
    5. Why did Marco not want to be rude?

      • A) He wanted to be polite to the woman
      • B) He was tired
      • C) He did not speak the language
      • D) He liked green tea
    6. What does the word 'politely' mean in the story?

      • A) In a kind and respectful way
      • B) In a loud way
      • C) In an angry way
      • D) In a fast way
    7. What did the woman say when she realized her mistake?

      • A) "No problem at all!"
      • B) "I am so sorry!"
      • C) "I do not understand."
      • D) "Please wait a moment."
    8. Marco picked up a book about animals before he ordered his drink.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) False
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) True
    9. The bookshop café was very noisy and busy.

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

      • A) A soft chair
      • B) A window in a café
      • C) A type of book
      • D) A long flat surface where you order or pay

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    counter: H9 ↖ · menu: D8 ↙ · ordered: H11 ↖ · politely: H1 ↓ · relaxed: H10 ↖ · rude: D4 ↗ · shelf: A9 ↑ · surprised: I11 ↑

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: getting the wrong order at a cafe

    The Wrong Cup

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Marco had always enjoyed spending his free mornings in the small café tucked inside his favorite bookshop. The place had a calm, unhurried atmosphere that he found difficult to discover anywhere else in the city. Tall wooden shelves lined every wall, and the gentle smell of roasted coffee mixed pleasantly with the scent of old paperback books. On this particular morning, he had arrived early, chosen a novel from the shelf nearest the window, and settled himself at a corner table. He felt genuinely content as he scanned the handwritten menu board above the counter. After a moment's thought, he decided on a hot chocolate, walked up to the counter, and placed his order with the cheerful young barista working the early shift. She nodded, smiled, and scribbled something quickly on her notepad before turning towards the machine.

    Marco returned to his table, opened his novel, and soon became absorbed in the first chapter. He had almost forgotten about his drink when the barista arrived and placed a steaming cup carefully in front of him. He thanked her without looking up, reached for the cup, and took a slow sip. The taste was immediately wrong. Instead of the rich, sweet warmth of hot chocolate, he was met with the sharp, grassy flavor of green tea. He set the cup down and stared at it for a moment, feeling mildly confused rather than annoyed. He was the kind of person who disliked making a fuss, so he sat quietly for a few seconds, turning the situation over in his mind before deciding that he really should say something.

    Marco approached the counter calmly and waited until the barista noticed him. "Excuse me," he began, keeping his voice gentle and friendly. "I ordered a hot chocolate, but I think there may have been a mix-up, because I received green tea instead." The barista glanced down at her notepad, and her expression shifted from confusion to clear embarrassment. "Oh, I am really sorry about that!" she said, shaking her head. "I must have written down the wrong thing." She immediately set about preparing a fresh hot chocolate, and within minutes she had placed the correct drink on the counter with an apologetic smile. Marco thanked her warmly, returned to his table, and wrapped both hands around the cup. The first sip was exactly what he had been hoping for, and he smiled to himself as he turned back to his book.

    Key vocabulary

    atmosphere (noun)the feeling or mood that a place gives you“The bookshop café had a calm atmosphere that Marco loved.”
    absorbed (adjective)fully focused on something and not noticing other things“Marco became so absorbed in his novel that he forgot about his drink.”
    barista (noun)a person whose job is to make and serve coffee and other café drinks“The barista smiled and took Marco's order at the counter.”
    embarrassment (noun)the uncomfortable feeling you get when you have made a mistake in front of others“The barista's face showed clear embarrassment when she realized her mistake.”
    apologetic (adjective)showing that you are sorry for something you have done“She gave Marco an apologetic smile when she handed him the correct drink.”
    scribbled (verb)wrote something quickly and not very neatly“The barista scribbled Marco's order on her notepad.”
    mix-up (noun)a mistake caused by confusion, often involving the wrong thing being given or done“There had been a mix-up with the order, and Marco received the wrong drink.”
    contentment (noun)a feeling of being happy and satisfied with your situation“Marco smiled to himself with quiet contentment as he sipped his hot chocolate.”

    Useful phrases

    • there may have been a mix-up — a polite way to suggest that a mistake has been made without directly blaming someone“"I think there may have been a mix-up," Marco said calmly to the barista.”
    • set about — to begin doing something with energy or purpose“She immediately set about preparing a fresh hot chocolate for Marco.”
    • making a fuss — complaining or becoming upset about something, especially in a way that seems unnecessary“Marco disliked making a fuss, so he thought carefully before speaking.”
    • turned the situation over in his mind — thought carefully about something from different angles before deciding what to do“He sat quietly, turning the situation over in his mind for a few seconds.”
    • became absorbed in — started to give all your attention to something and forgot about other things“Marco became absorbed in the first chapter and nearly forgot his order.”
    • met with — experienced or encountered something, often unexpectedly“Instead of sweet chocolate, he was met with the sharp taste of green tea.”
    • within minutes — after only a short amount of time“Within minutes, the barista had placed the correct drink on the counter.”
    • keeping his voice gentle — making a deliberate effort to speak in a calm and soft tone“Marco approached the counter and began speaking, keeping his voice gentle and friendly.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1HUTDEBROSBAGUTL
    2TMQJBMUVSEQGNMT
    3CVTSCYRJYJIEGAX
    4ZOKGHBKBNCMZKPY
    5EWNJUAOYWSWNNOJ
    6QVETDPSQSFBVKLR
    7ZGSREZZABABOUOL
    8OHKMONRLRRMMJGP
    9PCDYPRTIGJTFRET
    10WUSAAASMUZASHTY
    11VLXBOTBRENFRNIE
    12FEMIAIJFONOLDCA
    13FEINMQIJDDTYKFB
    14MRIATMOSPHERESW
    15RZAIDELBBIRCSGV

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why did Marco enjoy the bookshop café?

      • A) It was cheap and convenient
      • B) It served the best food in the city
      • C) It was always full of people
      • D) It had a calm and unhurried atmosphere
    2. What drink did Marco order from the barista?

      • A) Hot chocolate
      • B) Coffee
      • C) Lemonade
      • D) Green tea
    3. Why did Marco hesitate before going back to the counter?

      • A) He was enjoying his tea
      • B) He did not know the word for hot chocolate
      • C) He had already forgotten his order
      • D) He disliked making a fuss
    4. What does 'absorbed' mean as used in the story?

      • A) Feeling bored and distracted
      • B) Fully focused on something and unaware of other things
      • C) Drinking slowly and carefully
      • D) Sitting in a comfortable position
    5. How did the barista react when she looked at her notepad?

      • A) She argued with Marco
      • B) She was calm and explained the menu
      • C) She looked confused and then embarrassed
      • D) She laughed and walked away
    6. Which phrase from the story means 'a mistake caused by confusion'?

      • A) A mix-up
      • B) Set about
      • C) Met with
      • D) Making a fuss
    7. Marco had visited the bookshop café many times before this morning.

      • A) False
      • B) Not stated
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) True
    8. The barista prepared a fresh hot chocolate for Marco after his complaint.

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

      • A) Showing that you are sorry for a mistake
      • B) Feeling proud of a good action
      • C) Acting in a rude or careless way
      • D) Being too shy to speak
    10. How did Marco feel at the end of the story?

      • A) Angry and disappointed
      • B) Confused and uncertain
      • C) Happy and content
      • D) Tired and ready to leave

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    absorbed: K1 ← · apologetic: N3 ↓ · atmosphere: D14 → · barista: K6 ↙ · contentment: A3 ↘ · embarrassment: B13 ↗ · mix-up: E13 ↖ · scribbled: M15 ←

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/marcos-wrong-order-2026-08-13