©CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD, 2021 via BBC NEWS
Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Who are the famous painters in your country?
- What painting is popular in your country and why?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- estimated /EH-stuh-mei-tuhd/
- otherwise /UHTH-er-wahyz/
- dealer /DEE-ler/
- theft /theft/
- recover /ri-KUHV-er/
[adjective] – roughly calculated or approximate
How much is the estimated cost for our food this month?
[adverb] – differently, or in another way
Date Masamune, otherwise known as the One-Eyed Dragon, founded Sendai.
[noun] – a person who trades in something
The dealer is well-known in the city because of his honesty.
[noun] – the act of taking something that belongs to someone else and keeping it; stealing
The man is found guilty of theft.
[verb] – to get back something lost or spent
They successfully recovered the stolen smartphone and laptop.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Copy of the world-famous painting Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is to be sold with an estimated price of €300,000 or $365,645. The said copy is to be auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, France. Christie’s said in an official statement: “This work and its history illustrate the fascination that the Mona Lisa and the aura of Leonardo da Vinci have always held.” The Mona Lisa copy is otherwise known as Mona Lisa Hekking, named after its ex-owner and one of da Vinci’s followers Raymond Hekking. It was painted in the 17th century after Hekking acquired the original in the 1950s from an art dealer in Nice, Italy.
Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa—presumed to have been painted in the 16th century—is considered the most famous painting in the world. Its theft from the Louvre Museum in Paris became international news. It was recovered in 1913 from Florence, Italy when Vincenzo Peruggia, an employee of the Louvre Museum and the painting’s thief, attempted to sell it to an antiques dealer in the city.
Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa—presumed to have been painted in the 16th century—is considered the most famous painting in the world. Its theft from the Louvre Museum in Paris became international news. It was recovered in 1913 from Florence, Italy when Vincenzo Peruggia, an employee of the Louvre Museum and the painting’s thief, attempted to sell it to an antiques dealer in the city.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- How much is the expected price of the Mona Lisa replica?
- Where is it going to be sold?
- What is the Mona Lisa’s replica also known as?
- When was the original Mona Lisa recovered after it was stolen?
- Who is the criminal behind the original Mona Lisa’s theft?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What is your opinion about the expected auction price?
- What value does a replica have compared to its original?
- Should paintings or any form of art have replicas? Please explain your answer.
- What is the importance of art in history, culture, and personal lives?
- How can you say something is “artistic”?