A2 Reading Lesson

A Problem with an Online Order

Read a practical real-life text for learners at A2 level. Then open the Exercises tab and complete 3 short tasks.

A2 Elementary Reading time: 3 min Words: 230 Topic: Shopping and customer problems
Read first, then start the exercises.
Completed tabs: 0 / 3

Free value first: read the text, understand it, and then save your progress with Mark lesson complete.

Last month I ordered a silver watch from an online shop for my mother’s birthday. The website looked professional, the photos were clear, and the reviews were mostly positive. I paid by card and received a confirmation email a few minutes later. The message said the parcel would arrive in three working days, so I felt relaxed and happy.

On Thursday afternoon, the parcel finally arrived. I opened it carefully, but inside the box there was no watch. Instead, I found a red scarf. At first, I thought I had opened the wrong package, so I checked the delivery label and my order number again. Everything showed my name and address, but the item inside was clearly not what I had bought.

I took photos of the box, the label, and the scarf, and then I wrote a polite message to customer service. I explained the problem and attached the pictures. The next morning, a woman from the company replied. She apologized for the mistake and said there had been a problem in the warehouse. She also sent me a return label and promised to send the correct item as quickly as possible.

That same day, I took the parcel to the post office and sent it back. Two days later, the right watch arrived. This time everything was correct, and the company even gave me a small discount code for my next order. The experience was stressful, but it taught me to keep confirmation emails, check order details carefully, and contact support quickly when something goes wrong.

Useful words from the text

parcel = a package that is deliveredorder number = the number for a purchasewarehouse = a building where goods are keptreturn label = a label for sending an item backdiscount code = a code that reduces the price

Next step: open the Exercises tab and complete Understand, Order, and Words.

Exercises:
Exercises — Understand

Check the main idea and the important details

This first exercise checks the main idea and the important details of the shopping story.

Complete this exercise tab to move forward.
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1
What did the writer buy online?
2
What was wrong with the parcel?
3
What did the writer do before contacting customer service?
4
Why did the company say the mistake happened?
5
What did the writer learn from this experience?
Exercises — Order

Put the events in the correct order

This exercise helps the learner follow the problem from the order to the final solution.

Follow the text step by step.
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Small success first, soft registration later.

1
The writer took the parcel to the post office and sent it back.
2
The writer ordered a watch and received a confirmation email.
3
The correct watch arrived with a discount code.
4
The writer contacted customer service and got a reply.
5
The parcel arrived with a red scarf inside.
Exercises — Words

Learn the key words from the text

This exercise helps the learner understand the most useful words from the shopping story.

Understand the key words from the text.
Completed tabs: 0 / 3

Small success first, soft registration later.

1
What is a parcel?
2
What does order number mean?
3
What is a warehouse?
4
What is a return label used for?
5
What does discount code mean?