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    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.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1HVPRONQXANSWN
    2ZBQOETUCVQATN
    3MGCBNFINOKMON
    4TJOHNGCSQATTA
    5HXMGPAKQJICOE
    6AKCIXMLLCZJHE
    7FTGESTYEUBAWA
    8ZLLNECBIGMJVU
    9EQYKROKFLQHCN
    10NUREAWVKSBRFI
    11DAZRRDQVMILGP
    12MXDUSURPRISED
    13CQLDHWNGYPZGR

    Comprehension quiz

    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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
    8. 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
    9. Serena and Dana had met each other before this day.

      • A) Not stated
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not mentioned
    10. 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 →

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: finding out you both know the same person

    Serena and the Unexpected Connection

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Serena had been meaning to visit the community noticeboard for several days, and she finally found the time on a quiet Tuesday morning. She carried a neatly printed flyer advertising her piano lessons, hoping to attract a few new students before the month was out. The board was already crowded with notices of every kind, from part-time work opportunities to handwritten appeals for missing cats, so she had to search carefully for a suitable gap. After pinning her flyer in a visible spot, she took a step back to check that it sat straight and looked professional. Just as she was adjusting the corner of the paper, she became aware of a woman standing close by, studying the board with equal concentration. The woman was holding her own folded flyer and muttering quietly under her breath, as if deciding where to place it. Serena offered a polite smile, and the woman responded immediately with a warm, open expression. "I am Dana," the woman said, extending her hand.

    "I am desperately trying to find a good piano teacher for my son." Serena introduced herself and pointed to her own flyer, which Dana read with growing interest. "This is remarkable timing," Dana said with a short laugh. "I have been searching for weeks." As they exchanged details, Dana happened to mention that her son's football coach had encouraged her to try the noticeboard, and she said the coach's name was Mr. Osei. Serena stared at her for a moment, genuinely taken aback. "Mr. Osei is my next-door neighbor," she said. "He has lived beside me for almost three years." Dana's expression shifted from surprise to pure delight, and she shook her head in disbelief.

    "I cannot believe we have never crossed paths before," Dana said, laughing freely now. It quickly emerged that the two women visited the same Saturday market, preferred the same style of strong black coffee, and had both recently joined an early-morning walking group in the area. Each new discovery seemed to deepen their sense of connection, turning what had begun as a brief, practical exchange into a genuinely warm conversation. Serena found herself thinking that coincidences like this had a way of feeling deliberate, as though certain meetings were simply waiting to happen. By the time they prepared to leave, they had made a loose plan for Dana's son to attend a trial piano lesson the following week. Serena walked home feeling that she had gained far more from the noticeboard that morning than she had ever expected.

    Key vocabulary

    noticeboard (noun)a board fixed to a wall where people attach announcements, advertisements, or information for others to read“She scanned the noticeboard carefully before finding a space for her advertisement.”
    advertise (verb)to make information about something public, usually to attract customers or interest“She decided to advertise her piano lessons on the community noticeboard.”
    remarkable (adjective)unusual or surprising in a way that deserves attention“It was a remarkable coincidence that they both knew the same man.”
    taken aback (adjective phrase)suddenly surprised or shocked by something unexpected“Serena was taken aback when she heard the name of Dana's son's coach.”
    coincidence (noun)a situation in which two things happen at the same time or in the same way by chance“What a coincidence that they both visited the same market every week.”
    disbelief (noun)the feeling of not being able to believe something because it is so surprising“Dana shook her head in disbelief when she heard that Serena was Mr. Osei's neighbor.”
    deliberate (adjective)done on purpose or intended, not accidental“Their meeting felt deliberate, as if it was always meant to happen.”
    emerge (verb)to become known or come to light, especially gradually“It emerged that the two women had been visiting the same market for months.”

    Useful phrases

    • have been meaning to — to have intended to do something for some time but not yet done it“She had been meaning to visit the noticeboard for several days.”
    • before the month was out — before the end of the current month“She hoped to find new students before the month was out.”
    • under her breath — speaking very quietly so that others can barely hear“She muttered the words under her breath while reading the noticeboard.”
    • cross paths — to meet or encounter someone, often by chance“It was strange that they had never crossed paths, despite knowing the same people.”
    • taken aback — surprised or shocked by something you did not expect“Serena was taken aback when she heard the familiar name.”
    • a loose plan — an informal or flexible arrangement that is not firmly fixed“They made a loose plan for the piano lesson to happen the following week.”
    • have a way of — to tend to do something, or to often produce a certain effect“Coincidences like that have a way of feeling deliberate.”
    • turn into — to change and become something different“A brief practical exchange turned into a genuinely warm conversation.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1TNAQSIXTONTDO
    2NNORQJVDOADCE
    3EJRTXNYKKTOTD
    4SYOMIPEEFIAIV
    5IUOFTCNVNRSQB
    6TJANMAECEBUEP
    7RCVNBHIBEQYWO
    8EBMAEDILOAQQW
    9VPCOELIXXAWBC
    10DKINEECGSAREA
    11ASCDFJZPZNYDF
    12LEFELBAKRAMER
    13IWNEGREMEXAUF

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why had Serena been visiting the noticeboard that morning?

      • A) To post a notice about a lost pet
      • B) To find information about a walking group
      • C) To advertise her piano lessons
      • D) To search for a piano teacher
    2. What does the word 'remarkable' mean as used in the story?

      • A) Unusual and surprising in a noteworthy way
      • B) Very ordinary and expected
      • C) Slightly disappointing
      • D) Difficult to understand
    3. How did Serena know Mr. Osei?

      • A) He was her piano student
      • B) He was her next-door neighbor
      • C) He was a coach at her local sports club
      • D) He was a regular customer at the Saturday market
    4. Who told Dana to try the noticeboard?

      • A) Her son
      • B) Serena
      • C) Mr. Osei
      • D) A friend from the walking group
    5. What does the phrase 'taken aback' mean?

      • A) Suddenly surprised by something unexpected
      • B) Feeling pleased and grateful
      • C) Moving carefully backwards
      • D) Thinking slowly and carefully
    6. Serena and Dana had already met each other before visiting the noticeboard.

      • A) True
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    7. Which of the following did Serena and Dana NOT have in common?

      • A) Visiting the same Saturday market
      • B) Joining an early-morning walking group
      • C) Knowing the same piano student
      • D) Preferring strong black coffee
    8. What does the word 'coincidence' mean?

      • A) A carefully made plan between two people
      • B) A deliberate choice to meet someone
      • C) Two things happening together by chance
      • D) A mistake that causes problems
    9. What arrangement did Serena and Dana make before leaving?

      • A) They agreed to visit the market together the next Saturday
      • B) They planned for Dana's son to have a trial piano lesson the following week
      • C) They decided to join the same walking group
      • D) They exchanged phone numbers and agreed to call Mr. Osei
    10. The story suggests that Serena felt the meeting with Dana was a positive experience.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) Not stated
      • C) False
      • D) True

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    advertise: A11 ↑ · coincidence: L2 ↙ · deliberate: D11 ↗ · disbelief: M3 ↙ · emerge: I13 ← · noticeboard: B1 ↘ · remarkable: M12 ← · taken aback: K1 ↙

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/serena-and-the-noticeboard-2026-07-02