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    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: dealing with a noise complaint

    The Noisy Bike Shop

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Sana worked in a small bike rental shop. She loved her job very much. Every morning, she opened the shop at eight o'clock. She checked all the bikes before customers came. She cleaned the bikes and pumped the tires. The shop was on a quiet street next to some apartments. Sana always tried to keep the shop tidy and clean. She used tools to fix bikes every day. Sometimes the tools were loud. She did not think about the noise very much. The neighbors were usually friendly. They waved to her in the morning. Sana waved back and smiled. She thought everything was fine.

    She had no problems with anyone. One Tuesday morning, a woman walked into the shop. She did not look happy. She said, "Excuse me, I live in the apartment above your shop." Sana smiled and said, "Hello, how can I help you?" The woman frowned and said, "Your shop is very noisy. I hear loud banging every morning. It wakes me up at eight o'clock. I cannot sleep because of the noise." Sana was surprised. She said, "I am very sorry. I did not know the noise was so loud." The woman said, "Please do something about it. I work at night, so I sleep in the morning." Sana nodded and said, "I understand. I will try to fix this problem." The woman thanked her and left the shop. Sana felt bad about the situation. Sana thought about the problem carefully. She decided to change her morning routine.

    She moved the noisy repair work to the afternoon. In the morning, she only did quiet jobs. She cleaned bikes and helped customers softly. She also put a thick mat under her workbench. The mat helped to reduce the noise from her tools. The next week, the woman came back to the shop. She was smiling this time. She said, "Thank you so much, Sana. It is much quieter now." Sana was very happy to hear this. She said, "I am glad I could help." The woman rented a bike that day. They became friendly neighbors after that. Sana learned that listening to people is very important.

    Key vocabulary

    complaint (noun)a statement that something is wrong or not good enough“The neighbor made a complaint about the noise.”
    noise (noun)a loud or unpleasant sound“The noise from the tools was very loud.”
    neighbor (noun)a person who lives near you“Her neighbor lived in the apartment above the shop.”
    repair (verb)to fix something that is broken or damaged“Sana had to repair the bike before the customer came back.”
    reduce (verb)to make something smaller or less“She wanted to reduce the noise in the morning.”
    routine (noun)the usual order of things you do regularly“She changed her morning routine to help the neighbor.”
    workbench (noun)a strong table where you do practical work with tools“She put a thick mat under her workbench.”
    tidy (adjective)clean and with everything in its place“Sana always kept the shop tidy.”

    Useful phrases

    • do something about it — to take action to fix a problem“The noise is too loud. Please do something about it.”
    • wake someone up — to cause someone to stop sleeping“The loud music wakes me up every morning.”
    • I am sorry — used to apologize or show you feel bad“I am sorry about the noise from my shop.”
    • how can I help you — a polite way to ask what someone needs“She smiled and said, "How can I help you?"”
    • try to fix — to make an effort to solve a problem“I will try to fix this problem for you.”
    • feel bad about — to feel sorry or guilty about something“Sana felt bad about disturbing her neighbor.”
    • thank you so much — a strong way to show you are grateful“Thank you so much for helping me with this.”
    • I am glad — used to say you are happy about something“I am glad I could help you.”

    Word search

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

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    1AWNDLRQTUYA
    2KOTCMGEHQJX
    3ZRKNQNUPNUV
    4AKEJISUEASX
    5CBJDMAIUNIE
    6FEFEUGLQDNR
    7INKQHCBPIVV
    8RCPBZTETMUR
    9THOAICUVJOT
    10YRRDSOBKILC
    11XZYMRNOISEM

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where does Sana work?

      • A) In a car garage
      • B) In a bike rental shop
      • C) In a supermarket
      • D) In a bookshop
    2. What does the word 'complaint' mean in this story?

      • A) A kind of tool
      • B) A statement that something is wrong
      • C) A nice message
      • D) A type of bicycle
    3. Why was the woman unhappy?

      • A) The shop was closed
      • B) Her bike was broken
      • C) The noise woke her up in the morning
      • D) Sana was rude to her
    4. True or False: The woman works during the day and sleeps at night.

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

      • A) To make louder
      • B) To make smaller or less
      • C) To throw away
      • D) To make bigger
    6. What did Sana put under her workbench?

      • A) A carpet
      • B) A thick mat
      • C) A blanket
      • D) A box
    7. When did Sana move the noisy repair work to?

      • A) The afternoon
      • B) The morning
      • C) The weekend
      • D) The evening
    8. True or False: The woman never came back to the shop.

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

      • A) A loud sound
      • B) The usual order of things you do regularly
      • C) A kind of bicycle
      • D) A type of exercise
    10. What did the woman do on her second visit to the shop?

      • A) She rented a bike
      • B) She asked for money
      • C) She bought tools
      • D) She made another complaint

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

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

    complaint: K10 ↖ · neighbor: I3 ↙ · noise: F11 → · reduce: B3 ↘ · repair: F1 ↘ · routine: E11 ↗ · tidy: F8 ↙ · workbench: B1 ↓

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: dealing with a noise complaint

    Finding a Quiet Solution

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Sana had been running a bike rental shop for nearly three years, and she was proud of the small business she had built from scratch. The shop, which was located on the ground floor of a residential building, offered a wide range of bicycles for both casual riders and more experienced cyclists. Every morning, Sana would arrive early to inspect each bike, tighten loose bolts, and replace worn brake pads before opening up for the day. Although she considered herself a thoughtful and considerate person, she had never really stopped to think about how much noise her daily repair work might be creating. The sound of hammering, drilling, and metal clanging against metal echoed through the thin walls of the old building. She was completely unaware that her early morning routine had been causing a growing problem for the people living directly above her shop. It was only a matter of time before someone decided to speak up about it.

    That moment arrived on an otherwise ordinary Wednesday morning when a tall man in a gray jacket stepped into the shop with a stern expression on his face. "I have been meaning to come and talk to you for weeks now," he began, folding his arms across his chest. "The noise from your shop has been unbearable, especially before nine in the morning." Sana felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she had not expected this confrontation at all. She took a deep breath and replied calmly, "I had no idea the noise was traveling through the walls like that, and I sincerely apologize for the disturbance." The man explained that he worked from home as a freelance translator and that the constant banging made it impossible for him to concentrate during his most productive hours. Sana listened carefully without interrupting, nodding to show that she understood his frustration. Before he left, she promised him that she would come up with a practical solution within the week. Over the following days, Sana took several steps to address the noise issue and keep her business running smoothly at the same time.

    She rearranged her schedule so that all mechanical repairs and loud maintenance tasks were carried out after midday, while the quieter morning hours were reserved for customer service and paperwork. She also invested in rubber padding for her workbench and tools, which significantly dampened the vibrations that had been traveling through the floor and walls. When the man returned the following week to check on the situation, he was pleasantly surprised by the difference. "I have to admit, I was not expecting such a quick improvement," he said with a genuine smile. Sana thanked him for raising the issue, explaining that his feedback had actually helped her create a more organized and efficient workflow. He ended up renting a bicycle that afternoon, and from that point on, they greeted each other warmly whenever their paths crossed.

    Key vocabulary

    confrontation (noun)a situation where people face each other to argue or disagree“Sana had not expected the confrontation with her neighbor.”
    unbearable (adjective)too painful, unpleasant, or difficult to deal with“The noise from the shop was unbearable in the early morning.”
    dampen (verb)to reduce the strength or effect of something, especially sound or vibration“The rubber padding helped to dampen the vibrations from the tools.”
    disturbance (noun)something that interrupts calm, peace, or a normal situation“She apologized sincerely for the disturbance.”
    efficient (adjective)working well and producing results without wasting time or resources“The new schedule made her workflow more efficient.”
    considerate (adjective)thoughtful about the feelings and needs of other people“Sana always tried to be considerate towards her neighbors.”
    vibration (noun)a continuous slight shaking movement“The vibrations from the heavy tools traveled through the walls.”
    improvement (noun)the process of becoming better, or the result of something becoming better“He was impressed by the quick improvement in the noise levels.”

    Useful phrases

    • come up with — to think of an idea, plan, or solution“She promised to come up with a practical solution within the week.”
    • speak up — to say what you think openly and clearly“It was only a matter of time before someone decided to speak up.”
    • carry out — to do or complete a task or activity“Loud repairs were carried out after midday.”
    • from scratch — from the very beginning, with nothing prepared beforehand“She had built the business from scratch over three years.”
    • a matter of time — something that will definitely happen eventually“It was only a matter of time before a neighbor complained.”
    • raise the issue — to bring a problem or topic to someone's attention“She thanked him for raising the issue directly with her.”
    • end up — to finally be in a particular situation or place, often unexpectedly“He ended up renting a bicycle that afternoon.”
    • cross paths — to meet someone by chance“They greeted each other warmly whenever their paths crossed.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO
    1KGJQCAWWYDDXDNE
    2ITTUIEGJUMQUAOE
    3OQJGZCQCPRASDIZ
    4ETXYFRVGPNCDRTV
    5MFTNEMEVORPMIAI
    6KGFIOLXLHFJNSTB
    7TMUIQLBBQUBFGNR
    8DUOYCTEAAZTHROA
    9AMBFZIRFRWEESRT
    10MVVMPAELCATWMFI
    11PWHOUGHNZJEPGNO
    12EYCBDKDNTUKBION
    13NCONSIDERATENCD
    14ZDISTURBANCEBUG
    15MGKWWOYHDLUAICN

    Comprehension quiz

    1. How long had Sana been running her bike rental shop?

      • A) About one year
      • B) Six months
      • C) Nearly three years
      • D) Five years
    2. What does the word 'unbearable' mean in the story?

      • A) Very exciting
      • B) Easy to handle
      • C) Too unpleasant to deal with
      • D) Quite interesting
    3. What was the man's occupation?

      • A) A shop owner
      • B) A freelance translator
      • C) A mechanic
      • D) A teacher
    4. True or False: Sana was already aware of the noise problem before the man visited.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not stated
    5. What does the phrase 'come up with' mean?

      • A) To arrive at a place
      • B) To stand up quickly
      • C) To think of a plan or solution
      • D) To finish a project
    6. What did Sana invest in to reduce noise?

      • A) A new building
      • B) Soundproof windows
      • C) Rubber padding for her workbench and tools
      • D) New walls for the shop
    7. What does 'dampen' mean as used in the story?

      • A) To make something wet
      • B) To make something louder
      • C) To reduce the effect of something
      • D) To break something apart
    8. True or False: The man was disappointed when he returned the following week.

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) False
      • C) True
      • D) Not stated
    9. When did Sana schedule the loud repair work after making changes?

      • A) After midday
      • B) In the evening
      • C) On weekends only
      • D) Before eight in the morning
    10. What did the man do after seeing the improvement?

      • A) He filed an official complaint
      • B) He moved to a different building
      • C) He rented a bicycle
      • D) He asked for a discount

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    confrontation: N13 ↑ · considerate: B13 → · dampen: A8 ↓ · disturbance: B14 → · efficient: A4 ↘ · improvement: M5 ← · unbearable: N14 ↖ · vibration: O4 ↓

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/the-noisy-bike-shop-2026-05-31