Cover of The Jacket with the Broken Zipper

Ronan has a big work dinner tonight. He puts on his favorite jacket to get ready. The zipper does not close.

He pulls the zipper up and down. It sticks in the same spot every time. Ronan checks the clock on the wall.

The dinner starts in two hours. He grabs the jacket and his car keys. He drives straight to the tailor on Elm Street.

A man named Osei sits at a sewing machine. "Can you help me?" Ronan asks. "My zipper is stuck."

Osei takes the jacket and looks closely. "One small piece is bent," he says. "I can fix this fast."

He uses a tiny tool to bend the metal back. Then he tests the zipper twice. It slides up without a problem.

"All fixed," Osei says. "That is ten dollars." Ronan pays and puts the jacket on right away.

He checks his watch again. He has one hour before the dinner. Ronan thanks Osei and drives back home.

He walks into the dinner right on time. His jacket looks great under the lights. Nobody notices the small repair at all.

🧠 Check your understanding

  1. What problem does Ronan have with his jacket?

    Show answer

    Answer: The zipper will not close

    The zipper sticks in the same spot every time he tries.

  2. What is wrong with the zipper?

    Show answer

    Answer: A small piece is bent

    Osei looks closely and finds one small bent piece of metal.

  3. Does Ronan make it to his dinner on time?

    Show answer

    Answer: Yes, right on time

    He drives home after the repair and walks in right on time.

Enjoyed it? Hear the full story and look up any word in the app

  • Tap any word to see its meaning
  • Hear every story in full and read offline
  • Review vocabulary, practice pronunciation and take quizzes
Get it on Google Play