Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: finding out you both know the same person
Serena and the Noticeboard
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Serena walked to the noticeboard in the community center. She wanted to put up a flyer for her piano lessons. She had a piece of paper in her hand. She looked at the board carefully. There were many notes and flyers on it. Some were for jobs. Some were for classes. Some were for lost pets. Serena found a good space on the board. She put her flyer up with a pin. She stepped back and looked at it. It looked clear and easy to read. She felt happy about that. Then she heard someone behind her. She turned around and saw a woman. The woman was also holding a flyer. The woman smiled at Serena. "Hello," she said. "My name is Dana." "Hi, I am Serena," Serena said.
"Are you putting something on the board too?" Dana asked. "Yes," said Serena. "I teach piano lessons. What about you?" Dana smiled again. "I am looking for a piano teacher for my son," she said. Serena was very surprised. "That is perfect!" she said. They both laughed. Dana looked at Serena's flyer. She read the name on the flyer. "Do you know a man called Mr. Osei?" Dana asked. Serena stopped. She thought for a moment. "Yes, I know Mr. Osei," she said. "He is my neighbor." Dana looked very surprised. "I do not believe it!" Dana said. "Mr.
Osei is my son's football coach." Serena laughed loudly. "What a small world!" she said. "Mr. Osei is a very kind man," said Dana. "Yes, he is always very helpful," said Serena. They talked for a few more minutes. They found out more things. They both went to the same market on Saturdays. They both liked the same type of coffee. They felt like old friends very quickly. Serena wrote her phone number on a small piece of paper. She gave it to Dana. "Please call me," she said. "We can talk about the piano lessons." Dana took the paper and smiled. "I will call you today," she said. They said goodbye and walked away. Both of them were smiling.
Key vocabulary
| noticeboard (noun) | a board on a wall where people put up notes and information for others to read“Serena put her flyer on the noticeboard so people could see it.” |
| flyer (noun) | a small piece of paper with information on it, given to people or put on a board“She made a flyer to tell people about her piano lessons.” |
| pin (noun) | a small, sharp object used to attach paper to a board“He used a pin to put the note on the noticeboard.” |
| neighbor (noun) | a person who lives very close to you“My neighbor always says hello when I leave the house.” |
| surprised (adjective) | feeling shocked or not expecting something“She was surprised to hear they both knew the same person.” |
| coach (noun) | a person who trains or teaches a sport to others“The football coach helped the children learn new skills.” |
| market (noun) | a place where people buy and sell food and other goods“They both went to the same market every Saturday morning.” |
| quickly (adverb) | in a short time; fast“They became friends very quickly after they started talking.” |
Useful phrases
- put up — to attach something to a wall or board so others can see it“Serena put up her flyer on the noticeboard.”
- What a small world! — something you say when you are surprised that two people know the same person or place“"You know him too? What a small world!" she said.”
- step back — to move a short distance away from something to look at it“She stepped back to see if her flyer looked good on the board.”
- find out — to learn or discover new information“They found out that they both liked the same coffee.”
- for a moment — for a very short time“She thought for a moment before she answered the question.”
- I do not believe it! — something you say when you are very surprised by something“"I do not believe it! We both know the same person!" Dana said.”
- a few more — a small number of extra things or a little more time“They talked for a few more minutes before they said goodbye.”
- What about you? — a phrase used to ask someone the same question they just asked you, or to show interest in them“"I teach piano lessons. What about you?" Serena asked.”
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | H | V | P | R | O | N | Q | X | A | N | S | W | N |
| 2 | Z | B | Q | O | E | T | U | C | V | Q | A | T | N |
| 3 | M | G | C | B | N | F | I | N | O | K | M | O | N |
| 4 | T | J | O | H | N | G | C | S | Q | A | T | T | A |
| 5 | H | X | M | G | P | A | K | Q | J | I | C | O | E |
| 6 | A | K | C | I | X | M | L | L | C | Z | J | H | E |
| 7 | F | T | G | E | S | T | Y | E | U | B | A | W | A |
| 8 | Z | L | L | N | E | C | B | I | G | M | J | V | U |
| 9 | E | Q | Y | K | R | O | K | F | L | Q | H | C | N |
| 10 | N | U | R | E | A | W | V | K | S | B | R | F | I |
| 11 | D | A | Z | R | R | D | Q | V | M | I | L | G | P |
| 12 | M | X | D | U | S | U | R | P | R | I | S | E | D |
| 13 | C | Q | L | D | H | W | N | G | Y | P | Z | G | R |
Comprehension quiz
Why did Serena go to the noticeboard?
- A) To look for a lost pet
- B) To find a football coach
- C) To read the news
- D) To put up a flyer for her piano lessons
What was Dana looking for?
- A) A market near her home
- B) A new job
- C) A neighbor to talk to
- D) A piano teacher for her son
Who is Mr. Osei?
- A) Dana's husband
- B) Serena's piano student
- C) Serena's neighbor and Dana's son's football coach
- D) A man at the market
What does the word 'surprised' mean?
- A) Tired after doing a lot of work
- B) Worried about something bad
- C) Feeling shocked or not expecting something
- D) Very happy about something you planned
Where did both Serena and Dana go on Saturdays?
- A) To the football ground
- B) To the community center
- C) To the same market
- D) To the same café
What did Serena give to Dana at the end of the story?
- A) Her phone number on a piece of paper
- B) A pin for the noticeboard
- C) A cup of coffee
- D) A flyer about piano lessons
The phrase 'What a small world!' means you are surprised that two people know the same person.
- A) Not stated
- B) Not mentioned
- C) False
- D) True
What does the word 'coach' mean in this story?
- A) A large bus
- B) A type of noticeboard
- C) A person who trains others in a sport
- D) A teacher of music
Serena and Dana had met each other before this day.
- A) Not stated
- B) False
- C) True
- D) Not mentioned
How did Serena and Dana feel at the end of the story?
- A) Tired and bored
- B) Angry and confused
- C) Sad and quiet
- D) Happy and friendly
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. D 2. D 3. C 4. C 5. C 6. A 7. D 8. C 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.
coach: H2 ↘ · flyer: A7 ↘ · market: A12 ↗ · neighbor: D8 ↑ · noticeboard: M2 ↙ · pin: M11 ↑ · quickly: G1 ↓ · surprised: E12 →