Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: a video call with the camera accidentally on
Zara's Video Call in the City Square
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Zara is sitting on a bench in the city square. It is a sunny afternoon. She has her laptop on her knees. She needs to join a work meeting online. She opens the app and clicks the link. The meeting starts. Her boss is talking. Her two colleagues are also on the call. Zara is happy because she can see everyone clearly. She thinks her camera is off. She does not check. She looks around the square. There are pigeons near her feet. A street musician starts to play nearby. Zara smiles at the music.
She is not paying attention to her screen. Suddenly, her colleague Leo says, "Zara, we can see you!" Zara looks at her screen. The little camera light is green. Her camera is on. Everyone can see the square behind her. A man walks past with a very big hat. A child runs after a pigeon. Zara's face goes red. She quickly puts her hand over the camera. "Oh no!" she says. "I am so sorry!" Her boss laughs and says, "It is okay, Zara. The square looks beautiful." Leo says, "I like the musician behind you!" Zara laughs too. She feels embarrassed, but she also feels better. She moves to a quieter corner of the square. She sits down again and checks her camera settings.
Zara turns the camera off this time. She checks it two times. She says, "Can everyone still hear me?" Her boss says, "Yes, we can hear you fine." The meeting continues. Zara listens carefully. She takes notes on her phone. After thirty minutes, the meeting ends. Zara closes her laptop. She sits back on the bench. She looks at the pigeons again. The musician is still playing. Zara laughs quietly to herself. She sends a message to Leo. The message says, "That was so embarrassing!" Leo replies, "Don't worry. It was the best meeting we ever had!" Zara smiles and puts her phone in her bag. She decides to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the square.
Key vocabulary
| bench (noun) | a long seat in a public place, usually made of wood“Zara sits on a bench in the city square.” |
| colleague (noun) | a person you work with“Her colleague Leo is also on the video call.” |
| camera (noun) | a device used to take pictures or record video“Zara does not know her camera is on.” |
| embarrassed (adjective) | feeling uncomfortable or ashamed because of a mistake“Zara feels embarrassed when everyone sees her on screen.” |
| musician (noun) | a person who plays music“A street musician plays music near the bench.” |
| screen (noun) | the flat surface of a computer or phone that shows images“Zara looks at her screen and sees the camera light is green.” |
| setting (noun) | a choice or option you can change on a device“She checks her camera settings before the next meeting.” |
| continue (verb) | to keep going or keep doing something“The meeting continues after Zara fixes her camera.” |
Useful phrases
- join a meeting — to connect to and take part in a meeting online or in person“Zara clicks the link to join the meeting.”
- goes red — your face becomes red because you feel embarrassed or shy“Zara's face goes red when she sees her camera is on.”
- pay attention — to watch or listen carefully“Zara is not paying attention to her screen.”
- I am so sorry — a phrase used to apologize sincerely“"I am so sorry!" Zara says when she sees the camera is on.”
- feel better — to start to feel less sad, worried, or embarrassed“After her boss laughs kindly, Zara feels better.”
- take notes — to write down important information“Zara takes notes on her phone during the meeting.”
- Don't worry — a phrase used to tell someone not to feel anxious or upset“"Don't worry," says Leo. "It was the best meeting we ever had!"”
- to herself — privately, without saying something out loud to others“Zara laughs quietly to herself after the meeting ends.”
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 | E | B | E | N | C | H | W | M | K | Z | K | D | R |
| 2 | W | U | A | R | E | M | A | C | X | J | K | G | K |
| 3 | K | J | G | B | P | I | G | D | P | Q | D | G | D |
| 4 | S | J | Y | A | O | X | B | E | S | V | E | T | P |
| 5 | Z | O | N | Z | E | X | P | E | Y | X | S | R | Z |
| 6 | Y | X | B | C | A | L | T | H | Z | N | S | Z | D |
| 7 | Z | G | T | U | O | T | L | T | T | A | A | J | E |
| 8 | O | N | F | U | I | N | B | O | T | I | R | Z | X |
| 9 | K | Y | E | N | W | N | T | N | C | C | R | D | X |
| 10 | L | Z | G | E | M | N | W | I | U | I | A | X | U |
| 11 | S | P | L | I | R | M | O | S | N | S | B | Y | C |
| 12 | T | C | N | R | L | C | H | N | K | U | M | X | U |
| 13 | L | H | B | M | H | Q | S | R | M | M | E | P | A |
Comprehension quiz
Where is Zara sitting at the start of the story?
- A) At a café table
- B) On a bench in the city square
- C) Inside her apartment
- D) At her office desk
Why does Zara join the online meeting?
- A) She has a work meeting
- B) She needs to speak to a doctor
- C) She is watching a video
- D) She wants to talk to her friends
What does Zara think about her camera at the start?
- A) She thinks it is on
- B) She thinks it is broken
- C) She does not have a camera
- D) She thinks it is off
Who tells Zara that her camera is on?
- A) Her boss
- B) A stranger in the square
- C) Her colleague Leo
- D) The street musician
What does "embarrassed" mean?
- A) Feeling angry at someone
- B) Feeling tired after work
- C) Feeling uncomfortable because of a mistake
- D) Feeling happy and excited
What does Zara do after she finds out her camera is on?
- A) She closes her laptop and goes home
- B) She turns off her laptop
- C) She puts her hand over the camera and says sorry
- D) She ignores the problem and keeps talking
What can people see behind Zara on the video call?
- A) Her kitchen
- B) Her office
- C) The city square
- D) A park with trees
Zara's boss is angry when he sees the camera is on. True or False?
- A) Not stated
- B) Not mentioned
- C) False
- D) True
What does Zara do after the meeting ends?
- A) She walks home quickly
- B) She calls Leo on the phone
- C) She sends Leo a message and stays in the square
- D) She goes back to her office
What does Leo say in his reply to Zara's message?
- A) "Don't worry. It was the best meeting we ever had!"
- B) "That was very unprofessional."
- C) "Please be more careful next time."
- D) "I could not hear you clearly."
Answer key (A2 (Elementary))
1. B 2. A 3. D 4. C 5. C 6. C 7. C 8. C 9. C 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.
bench: B1 → · camera: H2 ← · colleague: I9 ↖ · continue: D6 ↘ · embarrassed: K13 ↑ · musician: J13 ↑ · screen: G13 ↖ · setting: I4 ↙