O. Henry's story of a safe-robber who wants to be a good man — and one locked door that changes everything.
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These are the new words for the story. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = B (a safe) · 2 = C (a burglar) · 3 = D (prison) · 4 = A (a detective)
5 = H (a lock) · 6 = G (honest) · 7 = E (a vault) · 8 = F (trapped)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
Jimmy Valentine was a burglar. He was very good at opening safes and stealing money. One day the police caught him, and he went to prison. But Jimmy had important friends. After ten months, they helped him, and he got a pardon. This meant he was free. He could leave prison.
The prison boss said to him, "Now, Jimmy, be a good man. Stop opening safes. Live an honest life." Jimmy smiled and said, "I never opened a safe in my life!" But this was not true, and everyone knew it.
The next morning, Jimmy left prison. He ate a good meal and felt happy to be free. Then he went to his old room. There, he took out his special tools for opening safes. A few days later, someone robbed safes in three cities. The police knew it was Jimmy — but they could not prove it.
1. Why did Jimmy go to prison, and how did he get out?
2. What did Jimmy do a few days after he left prison?
1. He was a burglar who opened safes and stole money. His important friends helped him, and he got a pardon and left prison.
2. He took his special tools and robbed safes in three cities again.
A detective called Ben Price wanted to catch Jimmy. Ben knew how Jimmy worked. So Ben started to follow him, quietly and carefully.
One day, Jimmy arrived in a small town called Elmore. He walked down the street, and he saw a young woman. Her name was Annabel. Her father had a bank in the town. When Jimmy looked at Annabel, something changed in his heart. Suddenly, he did not want to be a burglar any more. He wanted to be a good man, for her.
So Jimmy took a new name: Ralph Spencer. He opened a shoe shop in the town. He worked hard, and the shop did well. People liked him and trusted him. He and Annabel fell in love, and soon they were going to get married. Jimmy was very happy. He wrote a letter to an old friend and said, "I am giving away my old tools. I do not need them now. I am a new man."
1. Who was Ben Price, and what did he do?
2. Why did Jimmy change his life in Elmore?
1. He was a detective. He wanted to catch Jimmy, so he followed him quietly.
2. He fell in love with Annabel. He took a new name (Ralph Spencer), opened a shoe shop, and became an honest man.
One day, Jimmy and Annabel's family went to the bank. Annabel's father showed them a new vault — a big, strong room with a heavy door and a strong lock. Two little girls were playing near the door. Then something terrible happened. One girl closed the heavy door, and the other girl, May, was inside. The door locked. May was trapped in the dark. There was not much air, and no one could open the door.
Everyone was afraid. Annabel looked at Jimmy and said, "Please, can you do something?" Jimmy knew what he had to do. If he opened the vault, everyone would see that he was really Jimmy Valentine, the burglar. But he did not stop. He took out his tools and started to work. And Ben Price, the detective, was there. He watched Jimmy from the door.
Fast and sure, Jimmy opened the vault. The little girl was safe! Then Jimmy put on his coat and walked to the door. He was ready to go to prison with Ben Price. He said, "Hello, Ben. Let's go." But Ben Price said, "I don't know you, Mr. Spencer. I think you are wrong." And Ben Price turned and walked away. He let Jimmy go free.
1. What terrible thing happened at the bank?
2. What did Ben Price do at the end? Why is this surprising?
1. A little girl, May, was locked in the new vault. There was little air, and no one could open the door. Jimmy opened it with his tools, but this showed everyone he was really a burglar.
2. Ben Price said he did not know Jimmy, and he walked away. This is surprising because his job was to catch Jimmy — but he let him go free.
We use the past simple to tell a story — to say what happened. And we use small "order words" to show what happened first, and what happened next.
Write the past simple form of the verb in brackets.
1. Jimmy (leave) prison in the morning.
2. He (see) Annabel in the street.
3. He (open) a shoe shop in the town.
4. Ben Price (walk) away and let Jimmy go.
1. left (leave → left, irregular)
2. saw (see → saw, irregular)
3. opened (regular, + -ed)
4. walked (regular, + -ed)
Choose First, Then, After that, or In the end. (More than one answer can be correct — say why.)
1. Jimmy left prison. It was the start of the story.
2. he met Annabel and fell in love.
3. , the detective let Jimmy go free. It was the last part.
1. First (it is the beginning)
2. Then / After that (the next event)
3. In the end (the last event)
Fill each gap with a past simple verb or an order word. Read it aloud when you finish.
First, a little girl (go) into the vault. Then the door (close) and locked. , Jimmy opened the door with his tools. In the end, the detective (let) him go.
went (go → went) · closed (regular) · After that / Then (order word) · let (let → let, no change)
Use the past simple for each action, and order words to show what happened first and next.
This story has a famous surprise ending. Jimmy is a burglar, but he uses his skill to do something good — he saves a child. And the detective, whose job is to catch him, decides to let him go. The story asks a big question: can a bad person really become a good person?
Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of Jimmy Valentine in your own words. Use these steps to help you: Jimmy left prison → he saw Annabel and changed his life → he opened a shoe shop with a new name → a girl was trapped in the vault → Jimmy saved her → the detective let him go.
Try to use the past simple and order words (first, then, after that, in the end), and some of the key words (safe, burglar, prison, detective, vault, honest, trapped).
Jimmy was a criminal, but he became a good, honest man. Do you think people can really change? Do you know a story of someone who changed their life? Tell me about it.
Tell a story of your own. Use the past simple and order words.
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: