1 Gideon Sundback had an important role in making a pair of pants or a jacket easier to wear. He invented the zipper.

Question

2 Sundback began working on the zipper while working for the Fastener Manufacturing and Machine Company. By 1913, he had his first zipper. He also invented a machine that made zippers and sewed them to cloth.
3 The zipper was not an immediate success. It wasn't until the 1930s that clothing companies began taking zippers seriously and started using them instead of buttons. Zippers first began showing up on children's clothes, making it easier for children to get dressed by themselves.
4 Next, they showed up on men's pants. Soon, they were on everything from sleeping bags to purses.
Question: What is the central idea of the passage?
A. Gideon Sundback's invention of the zipper made peoples' lives easier
B. Zippers can be found on sleeping bags, purses, and clothing items
C. Children's clothes were the first to have zippers instead of buttons

Answer 1

A. Gideon Sundback's invention of the zipper made peoples' lives easier

This option best captures the main focus of the passage, which is about the invention of the zipper by Gideon Sundback and how it eventually became widely used, making everyday tasks like dressing easier for people.

Answer 2

Which key detail in paragraph 3 supports the central idea of the passage?
A. Men's pants were among the first clothes to have zippers.
B. Zippers did not become popular when they were first invented.
C. Zippers made it easier for children to dress themselves.

Answer 3

C. Zippers made it easier for children to dress themselves.

This detail in paragraph 3 supports the central idea that Gideon Sundback's invention of the zipper made people's lives easier by highlighting how zippers simplified the task of dressing, especially for children.