Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: arriving on the wrong day for an appointment
Vera's Wrong Day
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Vera woke up early on Tuesday morning. She was very excited. She had an appointment at the ferry terminal. She needed to collect an important package from the office there. She got dressed quickly and ate a small breakfast. She checked her bag and found her appointment letter. She looked at it but did not read it carefully. She put the letter back in her bag. She left her home and walked to the bus stop. The bus arrived after ten minutes. She got on the bus and sat near the window. The journey took about thirty minutes. Vera smiled because she was early. She felt happy and ready for her appointment. The bus stopped near the ferry terminal, and she got off.
Vera walked into the ferry terminal. It was a big building with many windows. She saw the information desk near the entrance. She walked to the desk and spoke to a woman there. "Hello, I have an appointment today to collect a package," Vera said. The woman looked at her computer screen. "What is your name, please?" the woman asked. "My name is Vera," she replied. The woman typed the name and looked at the screen again. She looked confused for a moment. "I am sorry, but your appointment is not today," the woman said. "Your appointment is tomorrow, on Wednesday." Vera felt very surprised. She opened her bag and took out the letter. She read it carefully this time, and the woman was right. Vera felt embarrassed.
Her face turned a little red. "I am so sorry," she said to the woman. "I did not read the letter carefully." The woman smiled kindly at her. "Do not worry. This happens sometimes," the woman said. "You can come back tomorrow at the same time." Vera thanked the woman and put the letter back in her bag. She walked away from the desk slowly. She sat down on a bench inside the terminal. She watched the people around her. Some people waited for ferries. Other people bought tickets at the counter. Vera decided to have a cup of tea at the small cafe nearby. She learned an important lesson that day. She promised herself to always read letters more carefully in the future.
Key vocabulary
| appointment (noun) | a planned meeting at a specific time and place“I have an appointment at the doctor at three o'clock.” |
| terminal (noun) | a building where passengers arrive or leave for journeys by bus, train, or ferry“We waited at the terminal for our bus to arrive.” |
| collect (verb) | to go and get something from a place“I need to collect my new glasses from the shop.” |
| package (noun) | a box or wrapped item that is sent or delivered“A package arrived for you this morning.” |
| entrance (noun) | the door or opening where you go into a building“The entrance to the building is on the left side.” |
| confused (adjective) | not able to understand something clearly“He looked confused because the directions were not clear.” |
| embarrassed (adjective) | feeling shy or uncomfortable because of a mistake“She felt embarrassed when she gave the wrong answer.” |
| bench (noun) | a long seat for two or more people, often found in public places“They sat on a bench in the park and talked.” |
Useful phrases
- got dressed — put on clothes“She got dressed quickly because she was late.”
- got off — left a bus, train, or other vehicle“He got off the bus at the last stop.”
- information desk — a place in a building where you can ask questions and get help“I asked at the information desk for directions.”
- do not worry — a kind way to tell someone not to feel bad“"Do not worry, we can fix it," she said.”
- come back — return to a place“You can come back tomorrow if the shop is closed.”
- this happens sometimes — a kind way to say that mistakes are normal“"This happens sometimes, so please do not feel bad," the teacher said.”
- walked away — left a place by walking“She walked away from the counter after paying.”
- in the future — at a time that has not happened yet“I will try to be more careful in the future.”
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 | A | M | K | I | I | N | Y | I | Z | Q | S | L | L |
| 2 | P | D | E | M | B | A | R | R | A | S | S | E | D |
| 3 | P | V | S | R | W | L | W | L | U | Q | M | T | W |
| 4 | O | Y | W | B | E | N | A | J | E | D | B | O | Q |
| 5 | I | J | V | E | D | C | B | N | A | Z | C | G | T |
| 6 | N | F | Q | N | E | R | T | R | I | O | G | P | F |
| 7 | T | C | C | C | B | R | F | G | N | M | A | A | X |
| 8 | M | O | B | H | A | O | D | F | P | C | R | S | H |
| 9 | E | L | J | N | K | N | U | S | K | R | A | E | U |
| 10 | N | L | C | S | D | S | U | A | F | X | Q | K | T |
| 11 | T | E | Y | G | E | P | G | O | C | E | P | G | Q |
| 12 | X | C | Y | D | X | E | T | X | O | O | P | B | B |
| 13 | L | T | N | O | K | C | B | G | Z | S | R | M | N |
Comprehension quiz
What day did Vera go to the ferry terminal?
- A) Tuesday
- B) Wednesday
- C) Thursday
- D) Monday
Why did Vera go to the ferry terminal?
- A) To meet a friend
- B) To catch a ferry
- C) To buy a ticket
- D) To collect a package
What does the word 'embarrassed' mean in the story?
- A) Feeling angry about something
- B) Feeling shy or uncomfortable because of a mistake
- C) Feeling tired after a long day
- D) Feeling excited about a trip
True or false: Vera read the appointment letter carefully before leaving home.
- A) True
- B) False
- C) Not mentioned
- D) Not stated
When was Vera's real appointment?
- A) On Thursday
- B) On Tuesday
- C) On Friday
- D) On Wednesday
What does 'collect' mean in the story?
- A) To send something to someone
- B) To go and get something from a place
- C) To lose something important
- D) To throw something away
How did Vera travel to the ferry terminal?
- A) On foot
- B) By train
- C) By taxi
- D) By bus
True or false: The woman at the information desk was rude to Vera.
- A) True
- B) Not mentioned
- C) Not stated
- D) False
What did Vera do after she left the information desk?
- A) She went home immediately
- B) She sat on a bench and later had tea
- C) She shouted at the woman
- D) She caught a ferry
What lesson did Vera learn?
- A) To always read letters more carefully
- B) To never visit a ferry terminal
- C) To never take the bus
- D) To always arrive early
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. A 2. D 3. B 4. B 5. D 6. B 7. D 8. D 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.
appointment: A1 ↓ · bench: D4 ↓ · collect: B7 ↓ · confused: K5 ↙ · embarrassed: C2 → · entrance: I4 ↙ · package: L6 ↙ · terminal: M10 ↖