Approximately A2 · 105 words

My First Job

A first job in a coffee shop is tiring, but customers and a first salary make it rewarding.

Read at your own pace. Use the English meanings below, then answer the questions. The level is a teaching guide, not an assessment. Original stories include some British spellings and settings.

A cup of coffee for the coffee shop

The story

When I was eighteen, I got my first job.

I worked in a small coffee shop near the university.

On my first day I was very nervous.

I did not know how to use the coffee machine.

My manager showed me three times.

The first week was hard. I stood for eight hours every day.

My feet hurt and I was always tired.

But I liked talking to the customers.

Some of them came every morning and I learned their names.

At the end of the month I got my first salary.

It was not much money, but I bought a present for my mother.

English meanings

Save words to your review deck.

nervous
Worried about something that is going to happen.
customers
People who buy things or services from a business.
salary
Money paid regularly for doing a job.

Check your understanding

Choose an answer for each question, then open its explanation. You can try again as often as you like.

1. Where was the first job?
Show answer and story evidence

In a coffee shop

The narrator worked in a small coffee shop near the university. Read the guide

The story says: “I worked in a small coffee shop near the university.”

2. How often did the manager demonstrate the machine?
Show answer and story evidence

Three times

The manager showed the narrator three times. Read the guide

The story says: “My manager showed me three times.”

3. What did the narrator buy with the first salary?
Show answer and story evidence

A present for the mother

The money paid for a present, despite being a small amount. Read the guide

The story says: “It was not much money, but I bought a present for my mother.”