$33 million Fabergé egg found at market

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A rare antique egg designed by the famous Russian jeweller Fabergé was bought at a market in the USA. A scrap dealer bought it for $13,000. He wanted to sell it for the scrap value of the gold. Fortunately, no one wanted it so he did not scrap it. The egg contained a small watch. The man typed the name of its maker and the word "egg" into Google. He discovered he was the owner of a priceless antique. An expert valued the egg at $33 million.

The egg was made for Russian Tsar Alexander III. It was last seen in public in 1902. People have wondered about it since then. The Fabergé expert said: "We have so many discoveries but none of them are as momentous as this." He said it was "the ultimate target for every antique dealer". Unfortunately, the egg might once again disappear from public view. The expert said it might be kept in a deep, dark collector's vault.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://news.sky.com/story/1228581/royal-faberge-egg-worth-20m-found-at-market
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/03/19/scrap-dealer-bargain-turns-out-to-be-faberge-egg-worth-millions/
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/03/19/33-million-Faberge-Egg-discovered-by-scrap-metal-dealer/UPI-74331395259208/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	A rare	a.	a priceless antique
2.	scrap	b.	value of the gold
3.	sell it for the scrap	c.	at $33 million
4.	he did not	d.	antique egg
5.	he was the owner of	e.	scrap it
6.	An expert valued the egg	f.	dealer

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	The egg was made for Russian	a.	momentous as this
2.	It was last seen in	b.	discoveries
3.	We have so many	c.	collector's vault
4.	none of them are as	d.	Tsar Alexander III
5.	antique	e.	public in 1902
6.	kept in a deep, dark	f.	dealer

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ designed by the famous Russian jeweller Fabergé was bought at a market in the USA. A (2) ___________________ for $13,000. He wanted to sell it for the (3) ___________________. Fortunately, no one wanted it (4) ___________________. The egg contained a small watch. The man (5) ___________________ its maker and the word "egg" into Google. He discovered he was the owner of a priceless antique. An (6) ___________________ $33 million.

The (7) ___________________ Tsar Alexander III. It was last seen in public in 1902. People have (8) ___________________ then. The Fabergé expert said: "We have so many discoveries (9) ___________________ as momentous as this." He said it was "(10) ___________________ every antique dealer". Unfortunately, (11) ___________________ again disappear from public view. The expert said it (12) ___________________ deep, dark collector's vault.

ANTIQUES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about antiques in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about antiques for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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