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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a pet causing chaos in a public place

    Nina and the Naughty Cat

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Nina needed to send a parcel to her friend. She put on her coat and picked up the box. Her cat, Biscuit, was sitting near the door. Nina opened the door and walked outside. Biscuit followed her, but Nina did not notice. Nina walked down the street to the post office. Biscuit ran behind her quietly. The post office was busy that morning. Many people waited in a long queue. Nina opened the door and went inside. Biscuit ran in too, very fast. He hid under a shelf near the entrance. Nina walked to the queue and waited. She held her parcel carefully.

    She did not know Biscuit was inside the building. After a few minutes, Biscuit came out from under the shelf. He jumped onto the counter. A woman screamed and dropped her letters on the floor. Biscuit knocked over a pen holder. Pens rolled everywhere on the counter. People looked around in surprise. A man said, "There is a cat in here!" Nina turned around and saw Biscuit. She said, "Oh no, that is my cat!" Biscuit jumped off the counter and ran across the floor. He ran between people's legs. One man almost fell down. Papers flew off a table. A child laughed and pointed at Biscuit. The post office was very noisy now.

    Nina put her parcel down on a chair. She ran after Biscuit. She called, "Biscuit, come here!" Biscuit did not listen. He climbed onto a high shelf. A worker said, "Please catch your cat quickly." Nina stood on her toes and reached up. She grabbed Biscuit gently. She held him close to her chest. Everyone in the post office watched her. Nina said, "I am very sorry about this." The worker smiled and said, "It is okay, but please leave the cat outside next time." Nina felt very embarrassed. She picked up her parcel and sent it. Then she carried Biscuit home. She never forgot to check the door again.

    Key vocabulary

    parcel (noun)a package wrapped in paper so it can be sent by post“Nina carried the parcel to the post office.”
    queue (noun)a line of people waiting for something“There was a long queue at the post office.”
    counter (noun)a long flat surface where customers are served“Biscuit jumped onto the counter.”
    scream (verb)to make a loud, high sound because you are afraid or surprised“The woman screamed when she saw the cat.”
    knock over (phrasal verb)to push something so it falls down“The cat knocked over the pen holder.”
    embarrassed (adjective)feeling shy or ashamed in front of other people“Nina felt very embarrassed about her cat.”
    grab (verb)to take something quickly with your hand“Nina grabbed Biscuit gently from the shelf.”
    entrance (noun)the door or opening where you go into a place“Biscuit hid under a shelf near the entrance.”

    Useful phrases

    • come here — used to tell someone or an animal to move closer to you“Nina called, "Biscuit, come here!"”
    • oh no — used to show surprise or worry about something bad“Nina said, "Oh no, that is my cat!"”
    • I am very sorry — a polite way to apologize for something“Nina said, "I am very sorry about this."”
    • next time — when this happens again in the future“Please leave the cat outside next time.”
    • run after — to chase someone or something“Nina ran after Biscuit across the room.”
    • pick up — to lift something from a surface using your hands“She picked up her parcel and sent it.”
    • stand on your toes — to raise your heels off the ground to reach something higher“Nina stood on her toes and reached up to the shelf.”
    • hold close — to keep something or someone near your body“She held Biscuit close to her chest.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1LYOFXNTAEOHHW
    2EIFSBEVUHWQXG
    3TMVRSSCYTFFER
    4CHBKPSXNQRHUA
    5ODOANNPOALGEB
    6UGMPROTCGRWUK
    7NUQYERCEPCTQS
    8TVWLUZAKHTVNG
    9ESCREAMSOHFAE
    10RCTTNVFJSVILJ
    11HNUJQOEBJEEQN
    12LKRWBYZCJZDRW
    13UKLECRAPDOKSU

    Comprehension quiz

    1. What did Nina need to send at the post office?

      • A) A book
      • B) A postcard
      • C) A parcel
      • D) A letter
    2. What is the name of Nina's cat?

      • A) Whiskers
      • B) Ginger
      • C) Fluffy
      • D) Biscuit
    3. What does the word 'queue' mean in the story?

      • A) A shop counter
      • B) A type of box
      • C) A line of people waiting
      • D) A post office worker
    4. Where did Biscuit hide when he first entered the post office?

      • A) Behind Nina
      • B) On the counter
      • C) Under a shelf
      • D) On a chair
    5. True or False: Nina saw Biscuit follow her to the post office.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not mentioned
    6. What does 'embarrassed' mean?

      • A) Feeling angry
      • B) Feeling hungry
      • C) Feeling tired
      • D) Feeling shy or ashamed in front of others
    7. What did Biscuit knock over on the counter?

      • A) A cup of water
      • B) A computer
      • C) A stamp book
      • D) A pen holder
    8. True or False: The post office worker was very angry with Nina.

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

      • A) To drop something
      • B) To push something away
      • C) To take something quickly with your hand
      • D) To throw something
    10. What did Nina do after she sent her parcel?

      • A) She carried Biscuit home
      • B) She went to a shop
      • C) She bought food for Biscuit
      • D) She stayed and talked to the worker

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

    1. C 2. D 3. C 4. C 5. B 6. D 7. D 8. B 9. C 10. A

    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: A4 ↓ · embarrassed: A2 ↘ · entrance: M9 ↖ · grab: M2 ↓ · knock over: D4 ↘ · parcel: H13 ← · queue: L7 ↑ · scream: B9 →

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: a pet causing chaos in a public place

    Special Delivery: Nina's Post Office Disaster

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Nina had been meaning to send a package to her friend for over a week, and she finally found the time on a busy Saturday morning. She tucked the neatly wrapped box under her arm, grabbed her bag, and headed out the front door without realizing that her curious puppy, Ziggy, had slipped out behind her. Ziggy was a small, energetic dog who loved exploring new places, and the sight of the open door was simply too tempting. He trotted along the pavement several steps behind Nina, his tail wagging with excitement. When Nina reached the post office and pushed through the glass door, Ziggy darted in right before it closed. The post office was crowded with people filling in forms, buying stamps, and collecting parcels. Nina joined the queue, completely unaware that Ziggy was sniffing around the lobby.

    It would not be long before the little dog made his presence very well known. Suddenly, a loud bark echoed through the post office, and everyone turned to look. Ziggy had discovered a bin full of packaging materials and was pulling bubble wrap out with his teeth, shaking it wildly and sending tiny pieces flying in every direction. "Whose dog is this?" shouted a startled worker from behind the counter. Before Nina could respond, Ziggy bolted across the tiled floor, skidding into a display stand that held leaflets and forms, which crashed to the ground in a spectacular mess. An older gentleman stumbled backwards trying to avoid the chaos, while a young child squealed with delight and tried to chase Ziggy around the room. Nina felt her face turn bright red as she pushed through the crowd, calling Ziggy's name repeatedly.

    The more she called, the faster Ziggy seemed to run, clearly treating the whole situation as an exciting game. After what felt like an eternity, Ziggy paused to sniff a large sack of undelivered letters, and Nina seized the opportunity to scoop him up into her arms. She was breathing heavily and could feel everyone's eyes on her as she walked back towards the counter. "I am so sorry for all of this," she said to the worker, who was already picking up scattered leaflets from the floor. The worker raised an eyebrow but then let out a small laugh and said, "Well, that is the most entertainment we have had in here all week." Nina managed a weak smile, sent her package as quickly as possible, and hurried out with Ziggy tucked firmly under her arm. On the walk home, she looked down at Ziggy, who gazed up at her with innocent eyes as though nothing had happened. "You are never coming with me to the post office again," she muttered, though she could not help smiling at his adorable face.

    Key vocabulary

    slip out (phrasal verb)to leave a place quietly or without being noticed“Ziggy slipped out behind Nina when she opened the door.”
    dart (verb)to move suddenly and quickly in a particular direction“Ziggy darted in through the door before it closed.”
    startled (adjective)feeling sudden shock or surprise“The startled worker shouted from behind the counter.”
    bolt (verb)to run very fast, especially because you are frightened or excited“Ziggy bolted across the tiled floor of the post office.”
    stumble (verb)to lose your balance and almost fall while walking or moving“An older gentleman stumbled backwards trying to avoid the dog.”
    seize (verb)to take hold of something quickly and firmly, or to take an opportunity“Nina seized the opportunity to scoop Ziggy up.”
    scattered (adjective)spread across a wide area in an untidy way“The worker was picking up scattered leaflets from the floor.”
    mutter (verb)to speak quietly, often when you are annoyed or do not want others to hear“"You are never coming with me again," she muttered.”

    Useful phrases

    • make one's presence known — to behave in a way that makes others aware you are there“It would not be long before Ziggy made his presence very well known.”
    • turn bright red — to blush strongly because of embarrassment“Nina felt her face turn bright red as everyone stared at her.”
    • what felt like an eternity — a period of time that seemed much longer than it really was“After what felt like an eternity, Ziggy finally stopped running.”
    • scoop up — to pick someone or something up quickly using your hands or arms“Nina managed to scoop Ziggy up into her arms.”
    • raise an eyebrow — to show surprise, doubt, or mild disapproval with a facial expression“The worker raised an eyebrow but then laughed.”
    • let out a laugh — to suddenly laugh, often when you did not plan to“The worker let out a small laugh at the situation.”
    • as though nothing had happened — behaving normally after a problematic or unusual event“Ziggy gazed up at her as though nothing had happened.”
    • could not help smiling — was unable to stop yourself from smiling“She could not help smiling at his adorable face.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1TBOLTVXBEOK
    2NULTWYNGCEE
    3SROEINJQWSS
    4EXHPMQMDCHT
    5INWMIMEATXU
    6ZDOXULTYOPM
    7EAAXTTSYOHB
    8XREREGTRYPL
    9VTARYOUEBVE
    10NTENATHRRYQ
    11SDUANEYKDQI

    Comprehension quiz

    1. How long had Nina been planning to send her package?

      • A) Two weeks
      • B) A few days
      • C) Over a week
      • D) A month
    2. What does the word 'dart' mean in the context of the story?

      • A) To walk slowly and carefully
      • B) To bark loudly
      • C) To move suddenly and quickly
      • D) To hide behind something
    3. What material did Ziggy pull out of the bin?

      • A) Cardboard boxes
      • B) Newspapers
      • C) Bubble wrap
      • D) String and tape
    4. True or False: Nina knew that Ziggy had followed her to the post office.

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

      • A) To wait patiently for the right moment
      • B) To take advantage of a chance quickly
      • C) To create a new opportunity
      • D) To miss a chance to do something
    6. What happened to the display stand in the post office?

      • A) A child knocked it over
      • B) Ziggy skidded into it and it crashed to the ground
      • C) Ziggy hid behind it
      • D) Nina accidentally pushed it
    7. How did the post office worker react after Nina apologized?

      • A) The worker shouted at Nina angrily
      • B) The worker called the police
      • C) The worker laughed and said it was entertaining
      • D) The worker asked Nina to pay for the damage
    8. What does 'mutter' mean?

      • A) To shout loudly
      • B) To speak quietly, often when annoyed
      • C) To cry silently
      • D) To sing softly
    9. True or False: Ziggy is described as a large, lazy dog.

      • A) False
      • B) True
      • C) Not mentioned
      • D) Not stated
    10. What did Ziggy do that allowed Nina to finally catch him?

      • A) He fell asleep on a chair
      • B) He stopped to eat some food
      • C) He ran back to Nina on his own
      • D) He paused to sniff a sack of letters

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    1. C 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. B 7. C 8. B 9. A 10. D

    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.

    bolt: B1 → · dart: B6 ↓ · mutter: D5 ↘ · scattered: J3 ↙ · seize: A3 ↓ · slip out: G7 ↖ · startled: A11 ↗ · stumble: K3 ↓

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/nina-and-the-naughty-cat-2026-05-13