Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a mix-up with someone else's umbrella
The Wrong Umbrella
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
It was a rainy afternoon. Nico finished work and walked outside. The rain was very heavy. He needed a taxi. He stood near the road and raised his hand. A yellow taxi stopped for him. Nico opened the door and got in. He was very wet. He put his bag on the seat next to him. He also had a black umbrella. He put the umbrella on the floor of the taxi. The driver smiled and said, "Where do you want to go?" Nico gave the driver his address. The taxi started to move. Nico looked out the window at the rain.
After a few minutes, Nico looked down at the umbrella on the floor. He noticed something strange. The umbrella was not his. His umbrella was old and small. This umbrella was new and big. It also had a silver handle. Nico picked it up and looked at it carefully. There was a small name tag on the handle. The name tag said "Lena." Nico did not know anyone called Lena. He asked the driver, "Did someone leave this umbrella in your taxi?" The driver looked in the mirror. He said, "Oh, yes! A woman was in the taxi before you. Maybe it is her umbrella." Nico felt worried. He wanted to return the umbrella to the woman.
Nico asked the driver, "Do you remember where the woman got out?" The driver thought for a moment. He said, "She got out near the big bookshop on Park Street." Nico made a decision. He said, "Can you take me there first, please?" The driver changed direction. They arrived at the bookshop. Nico got out of the taxi with the umbrella. He walked into the bookshop. He saw a woman looking for something in her bag. She looked worried. Nico walked to her and said, "Excuse me, is this your umbrella?" The woman looked at the umbrella and smiled. "Yes, it is! Thank you so much!" she said. Nico felt happy. He said goodbye and went back to his taxi. He still had his own old umbrella in his bag.
Key vocabulary
| umbrella (noun) | An object you hold over your head to keep dry when it rains.“I always carry an umbrella when the sky looks gray.” |
| handle (noun) | The part of an object that you hold with your hand.“The handle of the cup was very hot.” |
| notice (verb) | To see or become aware of something.“Did you notice the new painting on the wall?” |
| strange (adjective) | Unusual or surprising; not expected.“I heard a strange noise outside my window.” |
| remember (verb) | To have a memory of something; to not forget.“I cannot remember where I put my keys.” |
| direction (noun) | The way you go to reach a place.“We walked in the wrong direction and got lost.” |
| return (verb) | To give something back to the person it belongs to.“Please return this book to the library.” |
| decision (noun) | A choice you make after thinking about something.“It was a difficult decision, but she chose the blue one.” |
Useful phrases
- got in — Entered a vehicle such as a car or taxi.“She got in the car and closed the door.”
- looked down — Moved your eyes to see something below you.“He looked down and saw a coin on the ground.”
- picked it up — Lifted something from a lower place with your hands.“She picked it up and put it on the table.”
- got out — Left a vehicle such as a car or taxi.“They got out of the taxi and walked to the shop.”
- for a moment — For a very short time.“She stopped and thought for a moment before answering.”
- looking for — Trying to find something.“Are you looking for your phone? It is on the table.”
- thank you so much — A strong way to say you are very grateful.“Thank you so much for helping me carry these bags.”
- said goodbye — Spoke words to someone before leaving them.“He said goodbye to his friend and went home.”
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | B | I | G | E | G | N | A | R | T | S |
| 2 | S | N | K | A | M | P | Z | V | O | J | Q |
| 3 | Y | R | O | E | A | Y | Q | O | Y | U | V |
| 4 | M | E | E | I | P | B | D | D | M | R | D |
| 5 | I | T | C | X | T | T | K | B | E | D | E |
| 6 | Y | U | I | C | N | C | R | M | D | Z | C |
| 7 | Z | R | T | X | O | E | E | U | L | U | I |
| 8 | M | N | O | P | L | M | S | R | W | Q | S |
| 9 | W | Q | N | L | B | F | W | Q | I | L | I |
| 10 | L | Q | A | E | F | I | M | X | O | D | O |
| 11 | Y | C | R | H | A | N | D | L | E | M | N |
Comprehension quiz
What was the weather like when Nico left work?
- A) It was snowy.
- B) It was rainy.
- C) It was windy.
- D) It was sunny.
What color was the umbrella Nico found on the floor of the taxi?
- A) Blue
- B) Red
- C) Black
- D) Brown
What does the word 'notice' mean in the story?
- A) To forget something
- B) To buy something
- C) To see or become aware of something
- D) To lose something
Whose name was on the name tag of the umbrella?
- A) Nico
- B) The driver
- C) Park
- D) Lena
True or False: Nico's own umbrella was new and big.
- A) True
- B) Not stated
- C) False
- D) Not mentioned
Where did the previous passenger get out of the taxi?
- A) Near a restaurant
- B) Near a hospital
- C) Near a school
- D) Near a big bookshop
What does the phrase 'got out' mean?
- A) Left a vehicle
- B) Entered a vehicle
- C) Stopped a vehicle
- D) Drove a vehicle
What was the woman doing in the bookshop when Nico found her?
- A) She was talking to the driver.
- B) She was looking for something in her bag.
- C) She was buying an umbrella.
- D) She was reading a book.
True or False: The taxi driver did not know anything about the umbrella.
- A) Not stated
- B) Not mentioned
- C) False
- D) True
What does the word 'return' mean in this story?
- A) To hide something
- B) To give something back
- C) To buy again
- D) To throw away
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. B 2. C 3. C 4. D 5. C 6. D 7. A 8. B 9. C 10. B
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.
decision: K4 ↓ · direction: J10 ↖ · handle: D11 → · notice: C9 ↑ · remember: J4 ↙ · return: B3 ↓ · strange: K1 ← · umbrella: J3 ↙