Read the passage carefully before attempting Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill in the blanks dropdown) below.
Last Saturday, Priya was at a busy train station in Manchester when her phone suddenly went completely black. The screen was dark and nothing happened when she pressed the power button. Her battery was dead. This was a serious problem because she had her train ticket saved on the phone, and the train was leaving in fifteen minutes.
Priya looked around for a charging point, but she couldn’t find one near her platform. She started to feel very anxious. She didn’t have a printed ticket or any cash to buy a new one at the machine. Then she remembered something important — her friend Kofi was waiting for her at the other end. But she couldn’t call him or send a message because her phone was off.
Finally, a kind station worker named Jorge helped her. He let her use the staff charging port for a few minutes. Her phone turned on slowly, and she showed the ticket to the guard just in time. She got on the train with only two minutes to spare. That evening, Priya bought a small portable charger online. She decided she was never going to be in that situation again!
Exercise 1
Read the passage about a problem with a phone carefully. Then choose the correct answer for each question based on the text.
Example: What was wrong with the phone?
Answer: The screen was broken.
A Problem with My Phone
Have you ever had a big problem with your phone at the worst possible moment? Technology can be very helpful, but it can also cause stress! Before you read, think about these questions: What do you usually use your phone for every day? and What would you do if your phone suddenly stopped working?
Reading Passage: Dead Battery, Big Panic
Last Saturday, Priya was at a busy train station in Manchester when her phone suddenly went completely black. The screen was dark and nothing happened when she pressed the power button. Her battery was dead. This was a serious problem because she had her train ticket saved on the phone, and the train was leaving in fifteen minutes.
Priya looked around for a charging point, but she couldn't find one near her platform. She started to feel very anxious. She didn't have a printed ticket or any cash to buy a new one at the machine. Then she remembered something important — her friend Kofi was waiting for her at the other end. But she couldn't call him or send a message because her phone was off.
Finally, a kind station worker named Jorge helped her. He let her use the staff charging port for a few minutes. Her phone turned on slowly, and she showed the ticket to the guard just in time. She got on the train with only two minutes to spare. That evening, Priya bought a small portable charger online. She decided she was never going to be in that situation again!
Key Vocabulary in Context
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| battery | noun | the part of a phone or device that stores power so it can work | My phone stopped working because the battery was completely dead. |
| platform | noun | the area at a train station where passengers wait and get on the train | The train to London leaves from platform seven. |
| anxious | adjective | worried or nervous about something that might happen | She felt anxious because she couldn't find her passport. |
| printed ticket | noun phrase | a ticket on paper, not on a phone or computer screen | Some older passengers prefer a printed ticket because it's easier to use. |
| charging port | noun phrase | a special socket or connection point used to give power to a device | The airport has a charging port near the coffee shop. |
| portable charger | noun phrase | a small device you carry with you to charge your phone when there is no plug socket | A portable charger is very useful when you travel for a long time. |
| to spare | phrase | extra time remaining before something happens | He arrived at the cinema with five minutes to spare. |
| situation | noun | the set of things that are happening at a particular time or place | Being late for an exam is a very stressful situation. |
Reading Strategies & Comprehension Tips
Skimming for the Main Idea
Read the passage quickly to get the general idea. Ask yourself: What is the main problem? How does it end? You do not need to understand every word to answer this question. The title "Dead Battery, Big Panic" already gives you a strong clue about the topic.
Scanning for Specific Information
If a question asks about a specific detail — for example, where Priya was, how many minutes she had, or who helped her — scan the text quickly for names, numbers, and key words. Do not re-read everything. Look for capital letters (names and places) and numbers (times and quantities).
Understanding the Sequence of Events
This story follows a time order. Notice words like last Saturday, then, finally, and that evening. These words tell you what happened first, next, and last. Use them to follow the story and answer sequence questions correctly.
Inferring Feelings
The text tells you that Priya felt anxious. Think about why she felt this way. The text gives you several reasons. Good readers connect information from different parts of the passage to understand a character's feelings.
Common Reading Pitfalls & Traps
Trap 1: Confusing the Problem with the Solution
Some questions may ask what Priya did not have with her. Be careful — she had a digital ticket on her phone, but she did not have a printed ticket or cash. Students sometimes confuse what she had with what she was missing.
Trap 2: Who Helped Her?
The passage mentions two male names — Kofi and Jorge. Kofi is Priya's friend waiting at the other end of the journey. Jorge is the station worker who actually helped her. Do not mix them up. Read carefully to see what each person did.
Trap 3: The Word "anxious"
Some A2 learners think anxious means angry. It does not. Anxious means worried or nervous. Look at the context: Priya couldn't find a charger and her train was leaving soon. This is a reason to feel worried, not angry.
Trap 4: When Did She Buy the Charger?
The portable charger is mentioned at the end of the story. Some students think she used a portable charger to solve her problem. She did not — she used the station's staff charging port. She only bought her own charger later that evening, after the problem was already solved.
Quick Summary
In this passage, we follow Priya, who has a stressful experience when her phone dies at a train station. She cannot find her ticket, contact her friend, or charge her phone easily. A station worker helps her at the last moment, and she learns an important lesson about always being prepared. The story is a good example of how technology problems can cause real difficulties in everyday life.
Now read the passage carefully and complete Exercise 1 (Multiple Choice) and Exercise 2 (Fill-in-the-gap dropdown) below.
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