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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: helping a stranger find their way

    Priya Helps a Stranger

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Priya works in a big office. The office is on the fifth floor of a tall building. There are many desks, computers, and people. It is a very busy place. Every day, Priya arrives early. She makes coffee and sits at her desk. She answers emails and talks to her colleagues. Priya is friendly and always smiles. One morning, a man walks into the office. He looks confused and a little worried. He stops near the door and looks around slowly. He has a bag in his hand and a paper in his other hand. He does not know where to go. Nobody else notices him. But Priya sees him right away.

    Priya stands up and walks over to the man. She smiles and says, "Hello, can I help you?" The man looks relieved. He says, "Yes, please. I have a meeting with Mr. Sato, but I cannot find his office." Priya looks at the paper in his hand. She says, "Mr. Sato is in Room 12. That is on this floor." The man says, "Thank you so much. This building is very big." Priya laughs softly and says, "Yes, it can be confusing at first." She points down the long corridor. She says, "Go straight ahead and then turn left. Room 12 is the third door on the right." The man listens carefully and nods his head. He says, "Straight, then left, and the third door. I understand." Priya says, "That is correct. Would you like me to take you there?" The man smiles and says, "That is very kind. Yes, please."

    Priya walks with the man down the corridor. She shows him the way to Room 12. On the way, she asks, "Is this your first time in this building?" The man says, "Yes, it is. I was here last week, but I used a different entrance." Priya nods and says, "Ah, that is why it looks different." They arrive at Room 12. Priya knocks on the door for him. Mr. Sato opens the door and welcomes the man inside. The man turns to Priya and says, "Thank you very much. You were so helpful." Priya smiles and says, "You are welcome. Good luck with your meeting!" She waves goodbye and walks back to her desk. She feels happy. She helped a stranger today. She sits down and picks up her coffee. It is still warm. She smiles again and starts to read her emails.

    Key vocabulary

    colleague (noun)a person you work with“Priya talks to her colleagues every morning.”
    confused (adjective)not able to understand something clearly“The man looks confused because he cannot find the office.”
    corridor (noun)a long passage inside a building with rooms on each side“Priya points down the long corridor.”
    entrance (noun)the door or opening you use to go into a building“The man used a different entrance last week.”
    relieved (adjective)feeling happy because a problem or worry has gone away“The man looks relieved when Priya offers to help.”
    meeting (noun)a planned time when people come together to talk about something“The man has a meeting with Mr. Sato.”
    straight (adverb)without turning or curving; directly forward“She says, "Go straight ahead and then turn left."”
    welcome (verb)to greet someone in a friendly way when they arrive“Mr. Sato opens the door and welcomes the man inside.”

    Useful phrases

    • Can I help you? — a polite way to offer help to someone“Priya walks over to the man and says, "Can I help you?"”
    • right away — immediately; without any delay“Nobody else notices the man, but Priya sees him right away.”
    • turn left / turn right — change direction to the left or right side“Priya says, "Go straight ahead and then turn left."”
    • at first — in the beginning; when you first experience something“Priya says, "It can be confusing at first."”
    • That is very kind — a polite phrase used to thank someone for being generous or helpful“The man smiles and says, "That is very kind. Yes, please."”
    • on the right / on the left — located on the right side or left side“Priya says, "Room 12 is the third door on the right."”
    • Good luck with... — a friendly phrase wishing someone success in what they are doing“Priya says, "Good luck with your meeting!"”
    • You are welcome — a polite reply to someone who says thank you“The man thanks Priya, and she says, "You are welcome."”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1MEETINGWWCR
    2EBUMSZDEOXD
    3KNCQATLLSAG
    4CFTXQCLTRIP
    5OEEROERKOCD
    6NYOMAAAYDSD
    7FVEGINTNIHE
    8UZUGFBCAREO
    9SEHIFGEERZX
    10ETYZWAHXONY
    11DEVEILERCGR

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where does Priya work?

      • A) In a hospital
      • B) In a big office
      • C) In a school
      • D) In a shop
    2. Why does the man look confused?

      • A) He does not speak English
      • B) He lost his bag
      • C) He cannot find Mr. Sato's office
      • D) He is late for work
    3. What does Priya say when she walks over to the man?

      • A) "The office is upstairs."
      • B) "Hello, can I help you?"
      • C) "Are you lost?"
      • D) "Please wait here."
    4. Where is Room 12?

      • A) In a different building
      • B) On the floor above
      • C) On the same floor as Priya's desk
      • D) At the entrance of the building
    5. The word 'relieved' means feeling happy because a problem or worry has gone away.

      • A) True
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) Not stated
      • D) False
    6. How does Priya direct the man to Room 12?

      • A) She calls Mr. Sato
      • B) She draws a map
      • C) She walks him there immediately
      • D) She tells him to go straight, then turn left
    7. Why did the building look different to the man?

      • A) He came in from the car park
      • B) The lights were off
      • C) He used a different entrance last week
      • D) It was his first time there
    8. What does Priya do when they arrive at Room 12?

      • A) She goes inside with the man
      • B) She waits in the corridor
      • C) She knocks on the door for the man
      • D) She opens the door herself
    9. Priya feels unhappy after helping the stranger.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True
    10. Which word means 'a long passage inside a building with rooms on each side'?

      • A) entrance
      • B) meeting
      • C) colleague
      • D) corridor

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    colleague: J1 ↙ · confused: A4 ↓ · corridor: I11 ↑ · entrance: A2 ↘ · meeting: A1 → · relieved: H11 ← · straight: I3 ↙ · welcome: I1 ↙

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: helping a stranger find their way

    A Helping Hand in the Office

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Priya had been working at her desk for nearly an hour when she noticed a man hovering awkwardly near the office entrance. He was clutching a folded sheet of paper and glancing around with the anxious expression of someone who was clearly lost. The open-plan office was humming with activity, and none of her colleagues seemed to have spotted him. Priya had always believed that small acts of kindness cost nothing, so she saved her document, pushed back her chair, and walked over. She greeted him with a calm smile and said, "Hello there, is there something I can help you with?" The man exhaled with visible relief and replied, "I hope so. I have a meeting with Mr. Sato, but I cannot seem to find his office anywhere."

    Priya gently took a look at the paper in the man's hand and recognized the room number immediately. She said, "Room 12 is just along this corridor, so you are actually in the right place." The man laughed quietly and said, "That is a relief. I was beginning to think I had the wrong floor entirely." Priya gave him clear directions, explaining that he should walk straight ahead, turn left at the water cooler, and look for the third door on the right. She then offered to walk with him, adding, "The layout can be a little tricky the first time." As they made their way along the corridor, the man mentioned that he had visited the building the previous week but had entered through a different door, which was why everything looked unfamiliar. Priya nodded and said, "That happens to everyone. The two entrances lead to completely different parts of the building." When they arrived at Room 12, Priya knocked lightly on the door and waited.

    Mr. Sato opened it promptly and welcomed the man with a firm handshake. Before stepping inside, the man turned to Priya and said, "I really do appreciate your help. You did not have to do that." Priya smiled and replied, "It was no trouble at all. Good luck with your meeting." She made her way back to her desk feeling quietly satisfied, the kind of feeling that comes not from doing something grand, but from simply noticing someone who needed a moment of kindness. She settled back into her chair, wrapped her hands around her now-lukewarm coffee, and returned to her work with a lightness she had not expected from such a small gesture.

    Key vocabulary

    hovering (verb (present participle))staying in one place uncertainly, without moving away or coming closer“The man was hovering near the entrance, unsure where to go.”
    anxious (adjective)feeling worried or nervous about something“He had the anxious expression of someone who was clearly lost.”
    open-plan (adjective)describing a large room or office with few or no dividing walls“The open-plan office was humming with activity.”
    exhaled (verb (past simple))breathed out, often as a sign of relief or release of tension“The man exhaled with visible relief when Priya offered to help.”
    layout (noun)the way in which the parts of something, such as a building, are arranged“Priya said the layout can be a little tricky the first time.”
    unfamiliar (adjective)not known or recognized; not encountered before“Using a different entrance made everything look unfamiliar.”
    promptly (adverb)quickly and without delay“Mr. Sato opened the door promptly when Priya knocked.”
    gesture (noun)an action done to show a feeling or intention, often one that is kind or meaningful“Priya felt a lightness from such a small gesture of kindness.”

    Useful phrases

    • small acts of kindness — simple, everyday things you do to help or be kind to others“Priya had always believed that small acts of kindness cost nothing.”
    • visible relief — a feeling of relief that others can clearly see in someone's face or body“The man exhaled with visible relief when Priya offered to help.”
    • beginning to think — starting to believe something, often because of what is happening around you“He said, "I was beginning to think I had the wrong floor."”
    • make one's way — to travel or move towards a place, often with some effort or purpose“As they made their way along the corridor, the man explained his situation.”
    • It was no trouble at all — a polite way of saying that helping someone did not cause any difficulty“Priya smiled and replied, "It was no trouble at all."”
    • I really do appreciate — a strong and sincere way to say you are grateful for something“The man said, "I really do appreciate your help."”
    • lead to — to go in the direction of; to result in reaching a place“Priya explained that the two entrances lead to different parts of the building.”
    • settled back into — returned comfortably to a previous activity or position“Priya settled back into her chair and returned to her work.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKL
    1KHKNTHLZILRH
    2OFUPPAEGIAAO
    3GPCOYSUOIXNA
    4NLPOPYWLXELE
    5IGUQHEIVRKXQ
    6RTBIZMNUOHXB
    7EJSJAKTPAVGH
    8VNNFZSQLLZHJ
    9OFNMETELIAAT
    10HUSGUDENTWNT
    11ZNPROMPTLYUK
    12CWMUBQESTLLO

    Comprehension quiz

    1. What was the man doing when Priya first noticed him?

      • A) Sitting at a spare desk
      • B) Hovering near the office entrance
      • C) Talking to a colleague
      • D) Looking at a noticeboard
    2. Why did none of Priya's colleagues help the man?

      • A) They were too busy and had not noticed him
      • B) They did not like strangers
      • C) They were on their lunch break
      • D) They thought he was a new employee
    3. The word 'exhaled' in the story suggests that the man felt more relaxed after Priya spoke to him.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) True
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    4. What landmark does Priya mention when giving directions?

      • A) A water cooler
      • B) A printer
      • C) A reception desk
      • D) A noticeboard
    5. Why did everything in the building look unfamiliar to the man?

      • A) He was on the wrong floor
      • B) The office had been rearranged
      • C) He had never visited before
      • D) He had used a different entrance on his previous visit
    6. What does the word 'layout' mean in this story?

      • A) The way the parts of a building are arranged
      • B) The color scheme of a building
      • C) A map given to visitors
      • D) A list of meeting rooms
    7. Priya walked the man to Room 12 because she was told to by her manager.

      • A) True
      • B) False
      • C) Not stated
      • D) Not mentioned
    8. How did Mr. Sato greet the man when he arrived?

      • A) With a wave from across the room
      • B) With a written note
      • C) With a phone call
      • D) With a firm handshake
    9. Which word in the story means 'quickly and without delay'?

      • A) hovering
      • B) promptly
      • C) unfamiliar
      • D) anxious
    10. How does Priya feel after helping the man?

      • A) Relieved that it is over
      • B) Proud and eager to tell others
      • C) Quietly satisfied and light
      • D) Tired and distracted

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    anxious: L3 ← · exhaled: L4 ↙ · gesture: D10 ↗ · hovering: A10 ↑ · layout: G1 ↙ · open-plan: D3 ↘ · promptly: C11 → · unfamiliar: B10 ↗

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/priya-helps-a-stranger-2026-07-24