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A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
LENGTH
25 Words (15 sec) 50 Words (30 sec) 75 Words (45 sec) 100 Words (1 min) 125 Words (1 min 15 sec) 150 Words (1 min 30 sec) 175 Words (1 min 45 sec) 200 Words (2 min) 250 Words (2 min 30 sec) 300 Words (3 min) 350 Words (3 min 30 sec) 400 Words (4 min) 500 Words (5 min) 600 Words (6 min) 1000 Words (10 min) 1500 Words (15 min) 2000 Words (20 min)
CATEGORY
Adventure Ambition Art Breakups Career Childhood Coming of Age Confidence Courage Crime Customer Service Determination Drama Emotional Empathy Everyday Life Family Fantasy Fate Fear Feel-Good First Job Food Freedom Friendship Gratitude Grief Healing Hope Horror Identity Independence Inspirational Job Hunting Justice Kindness Life Lessons Loss Love Marriage Mindfulness Miscommunication Mystery Nature New Beginnings Ocean life Parenthood Patience Personal Growth Relationships Responsibility Romance School Secrets Self-Discovery Siblings Social Issues Suspense Technology Tragedy Transformation Travel Wisdom Work comedy horror
LEVEL
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
ABOUT
WRITE
A small bakery storefront with bread displayed in the window.

The Funny Customer

comedy Everyday Life Work Food Miscommunication Customer Service
A1
200 Words - 2 min

Story Audio

Story Reading

Mr John's shop sold food. Mr John and a young man worked there. The young man's name was Meachel.

Pablo came into the shop on Monday. He was a funny man. Mr John was in the office. It was behind the shop. Pablo looked at Meachel and said, "I want a small table, please."

Meachel said, "We don't sell tables in this shop. We sell food."

Pablo smiled and answered, "A small, brown table." He took a picture out of his bag and showed it to Meachel. It was a picture of a small, brown table.

Meachel put his mouth near Pablo's ear and said, "We do not have tables in this shop! Food! Not tables!"

Pablo smiled and answered, "That's good. Thank you." Then he sat down on a chair and waited.

Meachel was not happy. He went into the office and spoke to Mr John. Then he and Mr John came out again.

Mr John was angry. He looked at Pablo and said, "What do you want?"

Pablo smiled and answered, "I want a loaf of brown bread, please. Haven't you got any bread in your shop?"

Mr John said, "Yes, we have." He looked at Meachel, and then he went and got a loaf of brown bread from a big box and gave it to Pablo.

Vocabulary Exercises

Match 

Match the Words with Their Meanings

1. shop                  a. a room where someone works
2. funny                b. a place where things are sold
3. office               c. making people laugh
4. answered             d. spoke or replied to someone
1. b | 2. c | 3. a | 4. d

Fill in the blanks 

Fill in the blanks with the words below:

shop - picture - answered - angry - loaf - funny - office

1. Mr John worked in a food ______.
2. Pablo was a ______ man.
3. Mr John was in the ______ behind the shop.
4. Pablo showed Meachel a ______ of a table.
5. Meachel ______ Pablo's question.
6. Mr John was ______ when he came out of the office.
7. Mr John gave Pablo a ______ of brown bread.
1. shop | 2. funny | 3. office | 4. picture | 5. answered | 6. angry | 7. loaf

Odd One Out 

Odd One Out

1. shop - store - market - office

2. funny - amusing - humorous - angry

3. office - room - workplace - bread

4. picture - photo - image - loaf

5. angry - upset - mad - happy

6. bread - food - loaf - table

7. small - little - tiny - brown
1. office | 2. angry | 3. bread | 4. loaf | 5. happy | 6. table | 7. brown

Comprehension Exercises

True/False 

Answer with True or False

1. Mr John has a shop that sells food.
2. Meachel is an old man.
3. Pablo comes into the shop on Monday.
4. Pablo first asks for a small table.
5. Meachel tells Pablo that the shop sells tables.
6. Pablo shows Meachel a picture of a small, brown table.
7. Mr John gives Pablo a loaf of brown bread.
1. True | 2. False | 3. True | 4. True | 5. False | 6. True | 7. True

Multiple Choice 

1. What does Mr John's shop sell?

a. Tables
b. Food
c. Clothes
d. Books

2. What is the young man's name?

a. Pablo
b. John
c. Meachel
d. Michael

3. When does Pablo come into the shop?

a. Monday
b. Tuesday
c. Friday
d. Sunday

4. What does Pablo first ask for?

a. Brown bread
b. A chair
c. A small table
d. A picture

5. What does Pablo show Meachel?

a. A loaf of bread
b. A picture of a table
c. A book
d. A chair

6. Why does Meachel go into the office?

a. To get some food
b. To talk to Mr John
c. To find a table
d. To leave the shop

7. What does Mr John give Pablo?

a. A small table
b. A chair
c. A loaf of brown bread
d. A picture
1. b | 2. c | 3. a | 4. c | 5. b | 6. b | 7. c

Ordering 

Put the Events in Order

1. ___ Pablo shows Meachel a picture of a table.
2. ___ Mr John gives Pablo a loaf of brown bread.
3. ___ Pablo comes into the shop.
4. ___ Meachel tells Pablo that they do not sell tables.
5. ___ Meachel goes to speak to Mr John.
6. ___ Pablo asks for a loaf of brown bread.
7. ___ Mr John comes out of the office.
1. 3 | 2. 7 | 3. 1 | 4. 2 | 5. 4 | 6. 6 | 7. 5

Find the Evidence 

Find a phrase from the story that supports each statement.

1. The shop sells food.
2. Pablo is a funny man.
3. Mr John is in a room behind the shop.
4. Pablo wants a small, brown table.
5. The shop does not sell tables.
6. Pablo has a picture of the table.
7. Mr John gives Pablo some bread.
1. "We sell food." 2. "He was a funny man." 3. "Mr John was in the office. It was behind the shop." 4. "I want a small table, please." / "A small, brown table." 5. "We don't sell tables in this shop." 6. "He took a picture out of his bag." 7. "He went and got a loaf of brown bread ... and gave it to Pablo."

Grammar Exercises

Fill in the blanks 

Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb

Past Simple

1. Pablo ______ into the shop on Monday. (come)
2. He ______ at Meachel. (look)
3. Pablo ______ a picture from his bag. (take)
4. Meachel ______ Pablo about the tables. (tell)
5. Meachel ______ into the office. (go)
6. Mr John ______ angry. (be)
7. Mr John ______ Pablo a loaf of bread. (give)
1. came | 2. looked | 3. took | 4. told | 5. went | 6. was | 7. gave

Choose one 

Choose the Correct Preposition

1. Pablo comes (into / under / between) the shop.
2. Mr John is (in / on / under) the office.
3. The office is (behind / between / through) the shop.
4. Pablo takes a picture (out of / under / between) his bag.
5. Meachel goes (into / over / beside) the office.
6. Pablo sits (on / under / between) a chair.
7. Mr John gets the bread (from / under / between) a big box.
1. into | 2. in | 3. behind | 4. out of | 5. into | 6. on | 7. from 
Choose A, AN, or THE

1. Mr John has ___ shop.
2. Pablo is ___ funny man.
3. He asks for ___ small table.
4. He takes out ___ picture.
5. Mr John is in ___ office.
6. Pablo wants ___ loaf of brown bread.
7. Mr John gives him ___ loaf of bread.
1. a | 2. a | 3. a | 4. a | 5. the | 6. a | 7. a

Transformation 

Change to the Past Tense

1. Pablo comes into the shop.
2. He looks at Meachel.
3. Pablo asks for a small table.
4. Meachel tells him about the shop.
5. Pablo shows him a picture.
6. Meachel goes into the office.
7. Mr John gives Pablo some bread.
1. Pablo came into the shop. 2. He looked at Meachel. 3. Pablo asked for a small table. 4. Meachel told him about the shop. 5. Pablo showed him a picture. 6. Meachel went into the office. 7. Mr John gave Pablo some bread. 
Make the Sentences Negative

1. Mr John sells tables.
2. Pablo knows Meachel.
3. The shop sells clothes.
4. Meachel is happy.
5. Pablo leaves the shop immediately.
6. Mr John is calm.
7. Pablo gets a small table.
1. Mr John does not sell tables. 2. Pablo does not know Meachel. 3. The shop does not sell clothes. 4. Meachel is not happy. 5. Pablo does not leave the shop immediately. 6. Mr John is not calm. 7. Pablo does not get a small table. 
Turn the Sentences into Questions

1. Mr John owns a shop.
2. Pablo comes into the shop on Monday.
3. Meachel works there.
4. Pablo wants a small table.
5. He shows Meachel a picture.
6. Meachel speaks to Mr John.
7. Mr John gives Pablo some bread.
1. Does Mr John own a shop? 2. Does Pablo come into the shop on Monday? 3. Does Meachel work there? 4. Does Pablo want a small table? 5. Does he show Meachel a picture? 6. Does Meachel speak to Mr John? 7. Does Mr John give Pablo some bread?

Find the Adjectives 

Find the adjectives in each phrase.

1. young man
2. small table
3. brown table
4. funny man
5. big box
6. angry man
7. brown bread
1. young 2. small 3. brown 4. funny 5. big 6. angry 7. brown

Find the Adverbs 

Find the adverb in each sentence.


1. He slowly looked at the picture.
2. Meachel carefully showed Mr John the picture.
3. Pablo smiled happily.
4. Mr John angrily looked at Pablo.
5. Pablo politely asked for bread.
6. He finally received the loaf.
1. slowly 2. carefully 3. happily 4. angrily 5. politely 6. finally

Speaking Activities

Discussion 

Why do you think Pablo asked for a table in a food shop?
Pablo may have been joking or trying to confuse Meachel because he had a picture of a table.

Rate the Story 

1. How funny is the story?

1 = Not funny
5 = Extremely funny

2. How strange is Pablo's behavior?

1 = Not strange
5 = Extremely strange

3. How angry is Meachel?

1 = Not angry
5 = Extremely angry

4. How patient is Pablo?

1 = Not patient
5 = Extremely patient

5. How confusing is the conversation?

1 = Not confusing
5 = Extremely confusing

Show/Hide Answer
Example answers:
1. 5
2. 5
3. 4
4. 4
5. 4

Writing Exercise

Change the Ending 

Write a new ending for the story. Keep the story the same until Mr John gives Pablo the bread, but change what happens next.
Pablo took the bread and smiled at Mr John. Then he opened his bag and took out a small brown table. "Thank you," he said. "Now I have my bread and my table." Mr John and Meachel looked at each other in surprise. Pablo laughed and explained that he was a furniture seller. He had come to the shop because he wanted to show them his new table. Mr John laughed too, and soon everyone was smiling.

Dialogue 

Write a dialogue between Pablo and Meachel after Pablo shows him the picture of the table.
Meachel: We don't sell tables in this shop. We sell food. Pablo: I know. But look at this table. Isn't it nice? Meachel: Yes, it is nice, but we cannot sell it to you. Pablo: I don't want to buy it. I just wanted to show you. Meachel: Then why did you ask for a table? Pablo: Because I wanted to see your reaction. Meachel: You certainly surprised me! Pablo: I'm sorry. I thought it would be funny. Meachel: Well, it was not very funny for me!