Life had changed a lot for Tom. And not in a good way. Just a few months before, he lived in a big house with a garden and many rooms. He was very happy there. When he wasn’t at home, he liked to travel, so he took many holidays each year.
Then one day something terrible happened – he lost his job. With no money coming in, he couldn’t pay for the house anymore and he couldn’t take any holidays. He had to move to a flat with only one small room. It had no window and no garden. It was dark and cold.
Tom was too poor to buy new furniture, so he had no bed to sleep in. The only furniture in the room was an ugly old brown chair. Next to it was a box full of old books.
Tom looked at the chair and the box. He felt sad and alone. He wanted his old life back. More than anything, he wanted to travel. He wanted to see the sea, the mountains, and big cities. But he had no money now.
That night he sat in the chair. He opened one of the books. He saw a picture of the sea. Blue water, white sand, and many pretty trees. Feeling sad, Tom touched the picture with his finger.
Suddenly, the flat was gone. He was on a beach with the warm sun on his face. He heard the sound of waves. He smelt salt in the air. For the first time in weeks, he smiled.
Then, in a moment, he was back in the chair. The book was open on his legs. His finger was still on the picture.
Tom’s eyes were wide. Was it real? Was it magic? He turned the page. Now he saw a city. Bright lights, tall buildings, and many cars. He touched the picture.
Suddenly, he was on the street in that city. People walked past him. He could hear music and voices. He smelt food from shops. The city was full of people and lights. It was wonderful.
Then he was back again in the chair.
Every night Tom had more adventures. He touched mountains, rivers, and forests in the books, and the chair carried him to these places.
Months passed, and Tom found a new job. At last, he had money to buy furniture. When men came to deliver new furniture, they saw the old chair.
“Shall we take this away?” one man asked.
Tom looked at the chair. He smiled. “No. Take the new things back. This chair is all I need.”
That night, Tom sat in his chair, opened a book, and touched a picture… A moment later, he was off on another adventure. He did not need holidays anymore—the chair gave him all the adventures he wanted.”
📒 Key vocabulary
- terrible – very bad
- flat – a set of rooms for living in, an apartment, usually in a building with many homes
- furniture – things like chairs, tables, and beds in a house or room
- suddenly – quickly and without warning
- waves – rising and falling water in the sea
- wonderful – very good; making you happy
- adventures – exciting trips or experiences in new places
- deliver (deliver, delivered, delivered) – to bring something to someone’s house
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