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Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners

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Short Story 614 – The Clockwork Bird (UpB)

In a city of grey stone, lived a man named Leo. He was an old clockmaker. He made beautiful clocks and music boxes. The city was always quiet and calm.

But one day, the morning sun did not come. The sky stayed grey. The city became cold and sad. The small, colourful birds on the rooftops stopped singing.

The people were worried. They needed the light and the birds’ songs.

Leo had an idea. He went into his workshop. For many days, he worked hard. He used brass, wood, and shiny metal. He made tiny gears and thin feathers.

Finally, he finished. It was a bird, but not a real one. It was a clockwork bird, made of metal and gears. Its eyes were two small, red stones.

Leo took the little bird to the tallest tower in the city. He placed it on the roof. The air was very cold.

He turned a small key on the bird’s side. The bird’s gears moved. Its metal beak opened. And then, it sang.

The song was not loud, but it was bright. It was a song of sunshine and warmth. As the song filled the air, a soft, golden light spread across the sky. The light grew, and soon, the sun returned. The city became warm again.

The real birds heard the song. They began to sing too, happy and loud. The clockwork bird finished its song. Its eyes were no longer red, but golden. Its work was done.

Leo smiled and walked back to his quiet shop.


Vocabulary Notes

Clockmaker
Meaning: A person who makes and fixes clocks.
Example: “He was an old clockmaker.”
Similar words: watchmaker, artisan, craftsman

Singing
Meaning: To make musical sounds with your voice.
Example: “The small, colourful birds on the rooftops stopped singing.”
Similar words: chirping, humming, trilling

Worried
Meaning: Feeling unhappy because you are thinking about problems or bad things that might happen.
Example: “The people were worried.”
Similar words: anxious, concerned, scared

Workshop
Meaning: A room or building where things are made or repaired.
Example: “He went into his workshop.”
Similar words: studio, garage, workroom

Turned
Meaning: To move something in a circular direction.
Example: “He turned a small key on the bird’s side.”
Similar words: twisted, rotated, wound

Story written by Gemini Pro AI.

Image created by aimagicx AI.

CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads.

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