Worksheet for teachers and learners: both levels, with quiz and answer key. Free to print and share in class.

    ← Back to story

    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.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1EBENCHWMKZKDR
    2WUAREMACXJKGK
    3KJGBPIGDPQDGD
    4SJYAOXBESVETP
    5ZONZEXPEYXSRZ
    6YXBCALTHZNSZD
    7ZGTUOTLTTAAJE
    8ONFUINBOTIRZX
    9KYENWNTNCCRDX
    10LZGEMNWIUIAXU
    11SPLIRMOSNSBYC
    12TCNRLCHNKUMXU
    13LHBMHQSRMMEPA

    Comprehension quiz

    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. 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
    5. 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
    6. 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
    7. 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
    8. 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
    9. 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
    10. 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 ↙

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: a video call with the camera accidentally on

    Zara's Accidental Camera Moment in the Square

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Zara had chosen the city square as her workspace for the afternoon, settling onto a sun-warmed bench with her laptop balanced on her knees. It was one of those rare clear days when the square felt almost peaceful, despite the steady hum of people moving around her. She located the meeting link, clicked it, and within moments her colleagues appeared on screen. Confident that she had turned her camera off before leaving her apartment, she leaned back and let the meeting wash over her, half-listening while a street musician nearby began to play a slow, wandering melody. A pigeon landed near her feet, and she smiled down at it without thinking. She was entirely unaware that a small green light on her laptop was glowing steadily, broadcasting every distraction behind her to her entire team.

    "Zara, we can actually see you," her colleague Leo said, his voice caught somewhere between amusement and concern. She snapped her attention back to the screen and immediately noticed the camera indicator light. Her face flushed with heat. Behind her, visible to everyone on the call, a man in an enormous wide-brimmed hat strolled past, followed closely by a child sprinting after a pigeon. "I am so sorry," she said, pressing her palm over the lens. "I was absolutely certain I had turned it off." Her boss smiled and said, "Honestly, Zara, the square looks wonderful.

    And the musician behind you is a nice touch." She laughed despite herself, quickly moved to a quieter corner of the square, and spent a careful minute reviewing her settings before rejoining the call. With her camera firmly switched off and double-checked, Zara settled back into the rhythm of the meeting, taking notes on her phone and contributing whenever the conversation turned her way. When it finally ended thirty minutes later, she closed her laptop and sat quietly for a moment, listening to the musician who was still playing in the distance. She typed a message to Leo: "That was honestly one of the most embarrassing things that has ever happened to me at work." His reply came back quickly: "Don't even worry about it. That hat guy was the highlight of the whole meeting." Zara laughed out loud, tucked her phone into her bag, and decided that the square, embarrassment and all, was still a perfectly good place to spend an afternoon.

    Key vocabulary

    broadcast (verb)to send out or transmit audio or video to others, especially without intending to“Her camera was broadcasting the whole square to everyone on the call.”
    indicator (noun)a light or sign that shows the status of something“She noticed the camera indicator light was green.”
    amusement (noun)the feeling of finding something funny or entertaining“Leo's voice was caught between amusement and concern.”
    flush (verb)when your face becomes red because of embarrassment or heat“Her face flushed with heat when she saw the camera was on.”
    melody (noun)a sequence of musical notes that form a pleasing tune“A street musician played a slow, wandering melody nearby.”
    contribute (verb)to say or add something useful to a discussion or activity“Zara contributed to the meeting whenever the conversation turned her way.”
    distraction (noun)something that takes your attention away from what you should be focusing on“The pigeons and the musician were distractions visible behind Zara.”
    highlight (noun)the best or most interesting part of something“Leo said the man with the hat was the highlight of the whole meeting.”

    Useful phrases

    • wash over someone — to experience something without paying full attention to it“She let the meeting wash over her while she watched the square.”
    • snap one's attention back — to suddenly refocus on something after being distracted“She snapped her attention back to the screen when Leo spoke.”
    • despite herself — to do something even though you did not intend or expect to“She laughed despite herself when her boss made a kind joke.”
    • a nice touch — a small detail that improves or adds something pleasant to a situation“Her boss said the musician behind her was a nice touch.”
    • double-checked — verified something a second time to make sure it is correct“She double-checked her camera settings before rejoining the call.”
    • turned her way — when a conversation or situation is directed toward someone“Zara spoke up whenever the conversation turned her way.”
    • don't even worry about it — a casual, reassuring phrase telling someone not to feel bad“"Don't even worry about it," Leo replied to her message.”
    • embarrassment and all — including all the uncomfortable or awkward parts of a situation“The square, embarrassment and all, was still a good place to spend an afternoon.”

    Word search

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

    ABCDEFGHIJKLM
    1KAOTSIRHREXUU
    2KMRSRYFOUBTSF
    3OTJDRGTLYFNOL
    4CZSIBATNUTOHU
    5OUGACFDANMIQS
    6NKGICDAERGTVH
    7TTDESDMCHICCM
    8RNKENEALVBAME
    9IVBPSUIOIRRQL
    10BDSUZGWLRITUO
    11UVMQHTOQJBSDD
    12TAKTFMNVUOIIY
    13EGUGEQNFOGDFK

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where does Zara choose to work for the afternoon?

      • A) In her apartment
      • B) On a bench in the city square
      • C) At her office
      • D) In a coffee shop
    2. What does Zara believe about her camera before the meeting starts?

      • A) She knows it is on and plans to use it
      • B) She thinks it is broken
      • C) She is confident she turned it off
      • D) She forgot to check it
    3. What does the word "flush" mean in the story?

      • A) To feel calm and relaxed
      • B) For your face to turn red from embarrassment
      • C) To clean something with water
      • D) To switch off a device
    4. What unusual thing do Zara's colleagues see behind her on the call?

      • A) A group of people having a picnic
      • B) A street performer juggling
      • C) A man in a large hat and a child chasing a pigeon
      • D) A dog running through the square
    5. How does Leo sound when he tells Zara her camera is on?

      • A) Angry and impatient
      • B) Completely indifferent
      • C) Very formal and serious
      • D) Caught between amusement and concern
    6. Zara's boss reacts to the situation with anger and frustration. True or False?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) Not mentioned
      • C) False
      • D) True
    7. What does "highlight" mean as used in Leo's message to Zara?

      • A) The best or most interesting part of something
      • B) The brightest light in a room
      • C) A difficult or stressful moment
      • D) A marker used for drawing
    8. What does Zara do after moving to a quieter corner of the square?

      • A) She carefully reviews her settings before rejoining the call
      • B) She decides to go back to her apartment
      • C) She ends the meeting early
      • D) She calls Leo separately on her cell phone
    9. How long does the meeting last in total?

      • A) The story does not say
      • B) About thirty minutes
      • C) About an hour
      • D) About fifteen minutes
    10. What does Zara decide at the end of the story?

      • A) She will never work outside again
      • B) She is angry with Leo for embarrassing her
      • C) The square is still a good place to spend an afternoon
      • D) She needs to buy a new laptop

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

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

    amusement: B12 ↗ · broadcast: J11 ↖ · contribute: A4 ↓ · distraction: K13 ↑ · flush: M2 ↓ · highlight: L4 ↙ · indicator: A9 ↗ · melody: M7 ↓

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/zaras-video-call-in-the-city-square-2026-10-09